Health insurance?

[Juan]

:? :? :? Wow. I know if we had to come up with 700 a month for insurance we'd be in big trouble. I also know if my parents had had to pay for medical bills I would probably have grown up in a cardboard box. :shock:

We grouse about waiting lists and such here, but in the big scheme of things, it could be worse. I for one am grateful for our system because I know that if we had the same system as you do the insurance would be a huge dilemma for us too.

So I won't complain next time I have to wait a month to see a specialist.

A friend came from Canada,got a job,in South Dakota, as a school official.After being here two years he got cancer of the throat. He was operated on imediately and was cured .He said that had he been home he would have died because of the time he would of had to wait."I know",he said"because I lost my Father that way!!

 

[kolanuraven]

:? :? :? Wow. I know if we had to come up with 700 a month for insurance we'd be in big trouble. I also know if my parents had had to pay for medical bills I would probably have grown up in a cardboard box. :shock:

We grouse about waiting lists and such here, but in the big scheme of things, it could be worse. I for one am grateful for our system because I know that if we had the same system as you do the insurance would be a huge dilemma for us too.

So I won't complain next time I have to wait a month to see a specialist.

A friend came from Canada,got a job,in South Dakota, as a school official.After being here two years he got cancer of the throat. He was operated on imediately and was cured .He said that had he been home he would have died because of the time he would of had to wait."I know",he said"because I lost my Father that way!!

Ok...lets say we develop a nation wide system of health care. WHY would we want it the same with the faulty flaws that we know exist in other systems?

You all seem to act like we'll just make sure that we incorporate in the 'bad' stuff also. :roll: :roll: :roll: Do you think we are unable to make something better but looking at and knowing the mistakes made by others?

Why in the world would we want to build in mistake on purpose?

You all are taking the attitude... " Well I got a splinter... that means I gotta amputate my hand now" :roll: :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

I get a kick out of listening to all the "Canadian" health and Doctor stories....When its told by some American thats anti socialized or universal health care its some of the biggest horror stories you ever here....
But then I turn around and talk to Canadians, our Canadian Doctor who comes down for weekly card games, and Americans that go to Canada to Doctor because its cheaper-- and its just the opposite story- not that much in problems...

With locals I talk to I have heard almost nothing but good about the Canadian system- but then have heard of other folks- mostly in the more urban areas that have lots of problems...But I hear and have seen the same with US folks and US urban center hospitals- where they are so busy it takes hours to get treated- where the hospitals are so full, they have beds stuck in the hallways....

I think the best example of how the Canuck insurance must work fairly well came with the identical quads born in Great Falls.....According to their parents the Calgary hospital didn't have available the incubators and all the equipment to handle that big a multiple birth--so the medical providers found the nearest facility that did for them-- and the parents travelled to Great Falls to have the babies...

 

[young gun]

MY BROTHER SUFFERS FROM SEIZURES HE HAS HAD THIS CONDITION SINCE HE WAS TWO YEARS OLD. WHEN WE LIVED IN THE USA HE WAS SENT TO SPECIALISTS ALL OVER. THEY COULDN'T STOP THE SEIZURES WITH MEDS THEY COULD ONLY SLOW DOWN THE FREQUENCY OF THEM. WHEN WE MOVED TO CANADA MY PARENTS FIGURED NOTHING WOULD CHANGE BUT. STILL HAD THE ATTITUTE THAT DRS WERE BAD AND UNLESS IT WAS CRITICAL YOU LIVED WITH THE PROBLEM. SO THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO TRY SPECIALISTS IN CANADA DUE TO NO HELP IN THE USA. EVENTUALLY WHEN MY BROTHER FINISHED HIGHSCHOOL THE DRS SENT HIM TO A SPECIALIST IN WPG AND IN A MATTER OF TWO VISITS HE HAD THE PROBLEM LOCATED TO SCAR TISSUE ON THE BRAIN POSSIBLE FROM COMPLICATIONS AT BIRTH. WELL THEY OPERATED ON HIS BRAIN AND REMOVED THE SCARING AND HE WAS SEIZURE FREE FOR TEN YEARS. SEIZURES CAME BACK SIX YEARS AGO. HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE ANYWAY HE COULD GO AND GET IT FIXED AGAIN AND THE SPECIALS EITHER RETIRED OR MOVED AWAY. WELL JUST LAST WEEK HAD THE PROCEDURE DONE AGAIN. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE IF IT WORKED. WON'T KNOW UNTIL HE IS ALL HEALED UP. OH BY THE WAY DID I MENTION THAT BOTH OPERATION WERE AT NO COST. :wink:

 

[jigs]

:? :? :? Wow. I know if we had to come up with 700 a month for insurance we'd be in big trouble. I also know if my parents had had to pay for medical bills I would probably have grown up in a cardboard box. :shock:

We grouse about waiting lists and such here, but in the big scheme of things, it could be worse. I for one am grateful for our system because I know that if we had the same system as you do the insurance would be a huge dilemma for us too.

So I won't complain next time I have to wait a month to see a specialist.

A friend came from Canada,got a job,in South Dakota, as a school official.After being here two years he got cancer of the throat. He was operated on imediately and was cured .He said that had he been home he would have died because of the time he would of had to wait."I know",he said"because I lost my Father that way!!

my guess is that health care ran by the govt. will be such a screwed up system that it will never fly.

name one thing that they run out of DC that actually works!
and no, the "escort services" do not count


Ok...lets say we develop a nation wide system of health care. WHY would we want it the same with the faulty flaws that we know exist in other systems?

You all seem to act like we'll just make sure that we incorporate in the 'bad' stuff also. :roll: :roll: :roll: Do you think we are unable to make something better but looking at and knowing the mistakes made by others?

Why in the world would we want to build in mistake on purpose?

You all are taking the attitude... " Well I got a splinter... that means I gotta amputate my hand now" :roll: :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

We had a Canadian Doctor (Dr. Klassen) here for many many years until he retired--has now died...Very good Doctor and could handle about anything from diseases, trauma, surgery, to birthing babes, to whatever--said he had spent many years in what was the Northwest territories- and you learned to handle everything when you're so far from any other help...

His biggest complaint about the American medical system was that there were so many new and better working drugs being used in Canada--that weren't authorized in the US...He blamed it on the big US pharmaceutical companies- if it wasn't their patent they didn't lobby and put out the money to try to get it approved for US use....Another case of politics of economics taking precedence over sound science and consumer health/safety......

 

[kolanuraven]

You don't know if it will be good or bad as we've never tried it. What we've got isn't working, that's for sure.


The Gov't has been wrong before.

Remember we were to ' win' the war and be back home by Christmas....they forgot to be exact on what year for sure....but look how well the govt' got that one right!!!! :roll: :roll: :roll:

Maybe the opposite will be true now. Everyone expects the worst...so maybe we can get the best.

 

[Faster horses]

I know someone from Totonto, Canada whose wife was diagonsed with breast cancer. They found it out on Monday and operated on her that very week.
If it's an emergency, you don't have to wait.

I've kinda had my eyes opened as to some of what we think about
Canadian health care isn't necessarily true.

 

[kolanuraven]

I had a friend who needed surgery kinda all of a sudden...no emergency but no need to drag around either. She got it done and over with within 2 wks of the diagnosis.

I've not heard ANY horror stories from North of the Border. Sure, they've got problems in their system like we do in ours....but the only ' horror' stories I hear about Canadian medicine are from the US side and mostly Rep's at that even.

 

[jodywy]

MY BROTHER SUFFERS FROM SEIZURES HE HAS HAD THIS CONDITION SINCE HE WAS TWO YEARS OLD. WHEN WE LIVED IN THE USA HE WAS SENT TO SPECIALISTS ALL OVER. THEY COULDN'T STOP THE SEIZURES WITH MEDS THEY COULD ONLY SLOW DOWN THE FREQUENCY OF THEM. WHEN WE MOVED TO CANADA MY PARENTS FIGURED NOTHING WOULD CHANGE BUT. STILL HAD THE ATTITUTE THAT DRS WERE BAD AND UNLESS IT WAS CRITICAL YOU LIVED WITH THE PROBLEM. SO THEY DIDN'T BOTHER TO TRY SPECIALISTS IN CANADA DUE TO NO HELP IN THE USA. EVENTUALLY WHEN MY BROTHER FINISHED HIGHSCHOOL THE DRS SENT HIM TO A SPECIALIST IN WPG AND IN A MATTER OF TWO VISITS HE HAD THE PROBLEM LOCATED TO SCAR TISSUE ON THE BRAIN POSSIBLE FROM COMPLICATIONS AT BIRTH. WELL THEY OPERATED ON HIS BRAIN AND REMOVED THE SCARING AND HE WAS SEIZURE FREE FOR TEN YEARS. SEIZURES CAME BACK SIX YEARS AGO. HE DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE ANYWAY HE COULD GO AND GET IT FIXED AGAIN AND THE SPECIALS EITHER RETIRED OR MOVED AWAY. WELL JUST LAST WEEK HAD THE PROCEDURE DONE AGAIN. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE IF IT WORKED. WON'T KNOW UNTIL HE IS ALL HEALED UP. OH BY THE WAY DID I MENTION THAT BOTH OPERATION WERE AT NO COST. :wink:

No cost ? what econ classes have you taken , there were cost for goods and services and you paid part of those cost when you paid taxes

 

[don]

a single payer (the govt.) system like we have here is health insurance with one insurance company - the govt. i heard on the radio theother day that canada's administrative costs were historically about 8% of total health costs and american administration was 20% because every doctor in the states had to have somebody to do the bookwork to deal with all the different insurance companies and negotiate services and fees. in the last few years canadian costs have been rising because govt's are trying to (they think) improve planning, monitoring, etc. and so administrative costs are rising here too. americans can point to canadians waiting for service because it is govt run and the govt isn't going to guarantee every service available everywhere instantly and canadians can point to americans not having service because of no insurance and cost or different levels of insurance that won't cover some services. i don't think there's a much more important service a govt. can offer than to assist in the health and well being of its citizens.

 

[Jigger Boss]

Here is how the health care pricing works here, keep in mind every province is different, but basically the same idea.
http://www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/msp/infoben/premium.html

Emergency situations DO get dealt with immediately.
When I had to have surgery it was an emergency situation and I had it done immediately. I'm awaiting surgery now, but its not life threatning nor is it bothering me, therefore I will have to wait for a bit. I'm scheduled for March surgery, but if there is an emergency come in when I'm scheduled, the emergency will take presidence and mine may be delayed for a day or two. My surgerys were/will be completely covered by our health care system.'
I also have private insurance for coverage of lost wages if I get sick and can't work and for when I'm in the hosptial and for recovery time. It is also an accident insurance. This costs me $50.00 a month.

 

[Goodpasture]

No cost ? what econ classes have you taken , there were cost for goods and services and you paid part of those cost when you paid taxes

And a mandatory insurance premium isn't the equivalent of a tax? Oh yeah, those that DON'T pay premiums get their services for the small price of bankruptcy.....THAT isn't the equivalent of a tax? It has to be built into the cost of goods and services sold, doesn't it? Or if they go to the emergency room, and can't afford the $1200 emergency room bill, so the state and county picks up the tab, that IS a tax isn't it?

How about we quit worrying about what you call the fee for medical services, and figure out how to make it as accessible as possible and as cost efficient as possible? Whether it is a premium or a tax or a deduction, it is still money.

 

[Juan]

Oh-Boy,this Gov. ins.is so great---wow :? Lets get some Gov.clothing ins.Why should those nasty Wall Srteet Cowboys have all those fancy suits and wear a clean white shirt every day while we might wear the same pair of Levies for a week?And then we can have the Gov.furnish us with grocery ins. Man we could have porterhouse steak for every meal.
What have we been doing all these years letting France, England, Sweden,Canada and a few others get so far ahead of us?Oh by the way Cuba and Venezuela have about the same system.

 

[Brad S]

NOTHING the government does is done better than our private health care. Yes health care is expensive, but who thinks they want a government run plan that is as idiotic as Social Security?

We have the best health care in the world, but its expensive. If we shift to Hilary care, it will cost more and be worse. There is no "government money" WE pay for that too.

We have a 2mil max, 2k deductible, 90/10 on first 20k, for $500 month, the same as a pickup payment. Guess that's why my pickup is 10 years old, but I ain't pi$$in and moaning about health costs. I think its a priviledge to have access to our health system.

OT is right, the uninsured are freeriding, but tort reform, while laudible, wouldn't cheapen health are very much.

 

[Goodpasture]

NOTHING the government does is done better than our private health care.

As a user of the Indian Health Services, you are wrong wrong wrong.

We have the best health care in the world, but its expensive.

Judging by ANY measure, we are about 25th or 26th in the world for quality health care delivery. Health care creates more than 50% of personal bankruptcies in this country. A greater percentage of our population does not have access to health care than ANY industrialized nation. Health care costs are one of the major costs for industry, and have been responsible for several major bankruptcies (Chrysler's, for one) which allowed them to break the contracts with health care plans for their retirees.

We have a 2mil max, 2k deductible, 90/10 on first 20k, for $500 month, the same as a pickup payment.

See how that works when your wife develops breast or cervical cancer or you have a heart attack or one of your kids develop a long term treatment or is in a major accident or you hit 45 or 50 when the actuarial tables say your health will need more attention.

Why would you finance a pickup truck?

 

[kolanuraven]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Denny]

Alot of people who say they can't afford it are the same ones driveing brand new vehicle's and have a yard full of NEW Tractors.I know plenty in our area that are this way and they bitch like hell when they need to pay doctor bills.Of course they rarely ever pay taxes so when they get to bitching I feel no sympathy.The working middle class is who I feel sorry for the families where they work a job that has medium pay and no benifits,these people barely make enough to cover their bills.The poor get medical assistance the rich can pay and the middle suffer.

 

[Goodpasture]

That is the whole point, Denny. The largest group of Americans are NOT the poverty/welfare types who get free health care, not the wealthier folks who can afford $1200 a month premiums, but the middle aged, middle class guy who is looking at 30% of his income going into premiums, who has to remain on a job he hates, despite other opportunities, because his health care won't transfer, or the family who lives, barely, from paycheck to paycheck. They can't afford insurance, they make too much money (frequently by a couple of thousand dollars a year) to qualify for assistance, and they end up filing bankruptcy when one of them gets seriously ill or injured. I have seen guys quit good jobs so their family will qualify for free health care. How can that possibly be moral or right? That a man has to chose between food and health care in one of the richest countries in the world is unconscionable.

 

[Anonymous]

Two examples of of how healthcare can create more of the poverty class--A 27 year old mother of two- divorced with custody of 2 kids ages 5-8...Court orders father to include kids on insurance plan where he works--he's an A-hole (like I've heard a few on here talk about their ex's) - doesn't want to pay the extra costs, so quits that job and takes one that doesn't have an insurance plan...Been over a year and she still hasn't been able to get back into court...But during that time both kids had major health problems which ran up a huge cost-- and since she was going to college and working at a job with no insurance- she had no insurance on them...Now she does- as she was finally accepted under the CHILD Act (pays according to income)- the one Bush is trying to end now in Congress and threatening to veto refunding....

But now the hospital has filed thru a credit union and got a judgement against her for the bills- which she is hoping the Judge will award half to the father--but in the meantime, she has a judgement against her- and since she uses her vehicle in her job went to buy a newer one when the old one broke down-- bank won't finance now because of the Judgement....Old Catch -22....As she sat in my office crying, she said I'd make more just quitting school and my job and going on welfare- but I have to give her credit-- she refuses to do so and still wants to better herself....And even if the Judge gives half the bills to the father it will take her 20 years to pay off that half...

Second story is even closer to home-- my daughter was covered under our insurance while in college- but once she quit coverage stopped...Got her certificate and started a new job with the Hospital-but under their policy you can't get insurance until you've been employed a year...So as any 22 year old does- doesn't even worry about Health or Medical Insurance....Ends up with major problems- major surgerie(s) and $120,000 bill...Luckily she had a little in with the finance people at the hospital-- they "wrote off" 90% of the bill and she is paying off the $12,000- and will be for years :roll:
Now who do you think payed for the rest of that $108,000 bill-- I did- and you did thru increased medical costs and increased insurance rates- and if you folks don't think something needs to be done to stop these catch 22 cycles than you ain't been out in the real world where its happening every day...

And the Repubs are going to have to get off their dead butts-- come up with some true plans and carry thru- rather than this old status quo same o, same o option most seem to be carving their platform around- or they will be on the outside looking in....