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145 Comments
- nismerf, on 06/17/2009, -0/+211). Don't get sick
- SpeedSteamBoat, on 06/17/2009, -17/+37The only way to beat the rising cost of health care:
1) Real Universal Health Care - SumoSniper, on 06/17/2009, -2/+20Don't live in the US.
Seriously, what the hell? Emergency rooms cost money now? This idea is alien to me. - brakes4turtles, on 06/17/2009, -0/+1611) Hope you're lucky.
- beachsouthpaw, on 06/17/2009, -12/+26Move to Canada.
- Bloodwine, on 06/17/2009, -2/+16It's most likely due to the emergency rooms being flooded with idiots who have no business being there. It's puts an extra, unnecessary burden on emergency rooms.
The best thing to happen in recent years were the wide-spread introduction of urgent care outpatient clinics. It keeps more people out of emergency room. At least it should, there are probably still people who think they absolutely have to go to the emergency room for a non-emergency situation. - RobotBuddha, on 06/17/2009, -0/+14Five years back I said the same thing. Then I was in an accident. Wash your hands till they're raw, work out every day, but it doesn't stop another guys car.
- WasabiBomb, on 06/17/2009, -3/+16... and have an expensive pee.
- inactive, on 06/17/2009, -8/+21For decades, the U.S. healthcare system was the envy of the entire world. Not coincidentally, there was far less government involvement in medicine during this time. America had the finest doctors and hospitals, patients enjoyed high-quality, affordable medical care, and thousands of private charities provided health services for the poor. Doctors focused on treating patients, without the red tape and threat of lawsuits that plague the profession today. Most Americans paid cash for basic services, and had insurance only for major illnesses and accidents. This meant both doctors and patients had an incentive to keep costs down, as the patient was directly responsible for payment, rather than an HMO or government program.
The lesson is clear: when government and other third parties get involved, health care costs spiral. The answer is not a system of outright socialized medicine, but rather a system that encourages everyone – doctors, hospitals, patients, and drug companies – to keep costs down. As long as “somebody else” is paying the bill, the bill will be too high. - Bloodwine, on 06/17/2009, -7/+18Real Universal Health Care requires a substantial hike in taxes. You will pay one way or another.
- firesphotons, on 06/17/2009, -0/+9government sponsored suicide, after they drive the middle class to complete ruin should be an easy sell..
- frisbeeman, on 06/17/2009, -6/+15Considering my company's health care cost increased more than 20% this year, a tax increase might not be so bad.
- RobotBuddha, on 06/17/2009, -4/+13I think most people who want universal healthcare are fine with that. I know I am.
- powatom, on 06/17/2009, -10/+181) Move to the UK.
- WhiskeyLemur, on 06/30/2009, -0/+8Have you *tried* to negotiate with a doctor? I often ask how much a procedure is going to cost, and *none* of my docs - GP, dentist, whatever - have ever been able to even tell me that much, let alone haggle over it. Their answer is always "I don't deal with billing and insurance; you'll have to speak to the receptionist." The receptionist's answer if invariably "I'll have to call your insurance carrier and get back to you"; please tell me at what point in this chain I can actually get to negotiate, and with whom.
- RobotBuddha, on 06/17/2009, -1/+9"Now it feels as if you can't even afford to get sick."
Try having those costs while not having medial insurance at all. I wish my concern was whether to go with generic or brand name drugs. Mine is making sure that the drugs I import from another country aren't fake, and aren't contaminated. - lead2thehead, on 06/17/2009, -0/+7I like how exercise and proper diet didn't make the list.
- SumoSniper, on 06/17/2009, -1/+8You know, in civilised countries, some doctors are happy to work at a stable wage for the government, and treat patients regardless of their insurance coverage. This is a choice they make, as they can easily go to private hospitals. No one is looting anything, everyone has a choice. According to you, the injured or ill should have no choice other than to submit to a free market medical system where the supply is always low and the demand always high.
Of course, if these replies are anything to go by, Americans basically ***** bricks of anti-socialist hatred when presented with such a ridiculous prospect. - Kate1240, on 06/17/2009, -1/+8Great comment!
- TheNik, on 06/17/2009, -6/+13That's fine with me.
- wendelgee2, on 06/17/2009, -3/+10***** you, you self-rigtheous prick.
- costumemaker, on 06/17/2009, -3/+10i would gladly pay more to know that my daughter and I would have health care even if i got laid off. Aside from that, you would pay more, but overall it would cost less.. far less.
- inactive, on 06/17/2009, -1/+7shopping around for healthcare- will it really catch on though?
- RadicalEdward, on 06/17/2009, -0/+6move out of frickin MA where health insurance is mandatory.
- inactive, on 06/17/2009, -0/+6The public never hears how the present system was imposed upon the American people by federal law. As usual, government intervention in the private market failed to deliver the promised benefits and caused unintended consequences, but Congress never blames itself for the problems created by bad laws. Instead, we are told more government – in the form of “universal coverage” – is the answer. But government already is involved in roughly two-thirds of all health care spending, through Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs and that has only driven cost up and quality down.
- DirtyVicar, on 06/17/2009, -2/+8False dilemma, juankovo. The systems are not mutually exclusive, and I don't think anyone's seriously suggesting everything turns into a commie health care network in one grand swoop.
But as for me, I'll take a tax hike. The ***** is out of control. - Kate1240, on 06/17/2009, -3/+8I agree.. The quality of care will decrease because doctors will be over worked. Government HC will be worse than a trip to the DMV (but for your health not a license.)
- BearKill, on 06/17/2009, -0/+5Very easy to say when you are not the one clinging to life. They gonna take me out of this world kicking and screaming, just like I entered it.
- SumoSniper, on 06/17/2009, -1/+6Yes, clogging the system always is an issue, but that is something you can fix with education, and like you said, outpatient clinics. Regardless, someone who is actually at the emergency room for an emergency should never have to pay for it, no matter how dumb the reason they're there is. You can't fault people for wanting to live, and it shouldn't be a profit-driven company's own prerogative that makes a moral decision on whether you really needed to be there.
- WasabiBomb, on 06/17/2009, -1/+6And what does the IRS say when you try to negotiate your tax payment?
- arbiter13, on 06/17/2009, -2/+7What the hell, man? Services cost money now?
- getoffmybridge, on 06/17/2009, -0/+5If you work out enough, you can stop another guy's car with your bare hands.
- strangewill, on 06/17/2009, -1/+6Strange how it's always some anti-public heathcare American that "has some friends" that are Canadian that just hate their system.
However we have Canadians all over this thread bitching about how these people are wrong and it's decent....
Hmm.. - BotchaMcCoola, on 06/17/2009, -0/+5Nonsense. I just saw a report on cnn news this morning. Inflation is very low. And the politicians are very happy about it as they will not have to give a cost of living increase to Social Security.
- tao52nyc, on 06/17/2009, -0/+5*****. Move to Thailand. An office visit, including treatment, is about $35, cash on table, pay as you go. No insurance required. And it's good, knowledgeable care, with no shortages of resources, as opposed to someplace that has been on someone's "sanction" list for decades.
- WasabiBomb, on 06/17/2009, -2/+7Strange. Every Canadian I talked to when I interviewed for a job in Vancouver RAVED about the health coverage.
- BenTheTank, on 06/17/2009, -0/+4#1 Join the National Guard or Reserves - if you can.
- lead2thehead, on 06/17/2009, -0/+4You have to finance the emergency room visits of illegal aliens somehow. Every time I go to the emergency room, it's always full of them.
- Witchboy, on 06/17/2009, -3/+7re: the old "10 month waiting list" myth:
*****. I've work with Canadians and French and both groups rave about the health care. I lived in Germany and it was the same. The systems are not perfect, but they work much, much better than the craziness we have in the US right now. In fact, many of our staff members who come over to work at our US office end up having to return to France for treatment.
It's great to see that the opponents of universal health care have no real arguments to make and are forced to make ***** up. This is exactly what it felt like when McCain was campaigning. It's a good sign for people who believe it's time to dump our inefficient system in favor for a system that gives us more, per dollar, as it does in a dozen other countries. - inactive, on 06/17/2009, -0/+4***** list too, buried.
- inactive, on 06/17/2009, -3/+7If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until it's "free".
- pat0neill, on 06/17/2009, -8/+121) Take a multivitamin.
- chriskzoo, on 06/17/2009, -2/+6The answer is HSA's - unfortunately it has been too ingrained into people's mind that "Hey, I have insurance, so I don't care what it costs!" that they cannot fathom a high deductible plan.
Take my employer for example. I can enroll in an HSA and they will actually fund the HSA with about $3K a year, but the HSA plan has a $3500 deductible (all well care visits are covered 100%). So if the family gets sick, we tap into the HSA for the first $3K, but being a healthy family, that money rolls over from year to year. These plans also come with a maximum out of pocket of around $4K beyond your deductible.
The problem, as it is with most things, is that the general populace is too STUPID understand things like this - they would rather just say "Nah, just give me the handout." - rpgguy1o1, on 06/17/2009, -4/+8do americans write a cheque before the fire department puts out a fire too?
- TheNik, on 06/17/2009, -3/+7You're stupid. Universal health care is not a communist platform and it never was. The argument isn't about a doctor's salary, it's about health insurance and who gets to receive health care (hint: It should be everyone.) You're point is moot considering all health insurance companies, even your precious private insurers, give doctors the shaft. And in which country do you think doctors would be making a substantially higher salary to sway them into moving there? The ones without universal health care? (That's pretty much just the United States.)
- magamiako, on 06/17/2009, -3/+7juankovo:
For what procedure? Replacement hip or knee?
For most ailments that people suffer from (colds, asthma, flu, broken bones, sprains)--you have about the same waiting period as you do here in the states. Sometimes even less, depends on where you're at. - costumemaker, on 06/17/2009, -5/+9I call ***** on you because I actually do have friends in canada and they are happy and proud of their system. You are lying and you know it. Unless your friends are getting boob jobs or elective surgery, then you are just making ***** up. If people in canada had to wait that long to see a doctor they would all be sick and dying all the time.
Next time use logic before you make things up. - Rewgreen, on 06/17/2009, -6/+10'The U.S. healthcare system was the envy of the world', this is indeed news to me. Being in the UK means my aged, retired parents can see their doctors whenever they wish and on a regular basis without fear of costs and with no need for 'charity'. Our system is far from perfect but at no time have I ever heard anyone over here say they were envious of the U.S. system, in fact quite the opposite.
We are as envious of your health care system as we are of your gun laws. - WasabiBomb, on 06/17/2009, -3/+7Um... when, exactly, was this golden age of US medicine?
- WhiskeyLemur, on 06/30/2009, -0/+42) Walk it off.
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