I just read this:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourHealth/ProzacHazardToYourHealthInsurance.aspx?page=1

It's warning about prexisting conditions.

In Michigan, BCBS individual health insurance rates are based on the location that you live within the state. They cannot deny you coverage for any reason and they cannot charge you a different rate for any reason except for age and geographic location. If my rates increase, so does everyone elses rates in my age group and location.

I currently pay around $350/month for family coverage with no deductable, 30% copay to 1k(entire family inclusive), 10/25/45 perscription coverage, 3 fully covered(no out of pocket) office calls per family member per year, etc. A little pricey but still a good deal and they can't drop me/raise my rates if I get the Plague or leprosey or something like that

Perhaps time for universal health care? I think we should of had this a long time ago. We are in denial and this system is broken. It so wrong to have drugs that we have created would cause less in Canada.

Yes, people should stay health and take care of their health but there certainly greed at all levels of the system. Very sad to see the 'richest' country can't even take care of their own.

Bump for a great thread.

okwiater said:optical said:Perhaps time for universal health care? I think we should of had this a long time ago. We are in denial and this system is broken. It so wrong to have drugs that we have created would cause less in Canada.

Yes, people should stay health and take care of their health but there certainly greed at all levels of the system. Very sad to see the 'richest' country can't even take care of their own.

Bump for a great thread.

I don't think anybody denies that the system is broken. The question is how to fix it. If you believe that government-run or government-sponsored healthcare will improve things, perhaps you are in denial.

Our government's track record: the federal budget/deficit, the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Walter Reed, the current Medicare/Medicaid/SS crisis, etc. etc. etc.

I think placing the government in charge of a universal healthcare program would guarantee the death spiral, not solve it.

Also native Americans, Monica Lewinsky, Eminem, slavery, Enron. This track record guarantees our government can't provide universal health care.

Government-run health care made not be perfect but I truly think it can do a better job of the crap we have today. Look at the stats of the uninsured and the emergency rooms in most big cities. If people can't get covered at an affordable price, it doesn't matter how great the insurance is. The fact is that it's WILL get worse, the money has to come from somewhere. In areas like Socal, hospitals are closing in many poor neighborhoods because NO CAN AFFORD THE BILLS.

We can complain about the government all day but we need make the comparison in perspective of what we have today.

okwiater said:optical said:Perhaps time for universal health care? I think we should of had this a long time ago. We are in denial and this system is broken. It so wrong to have drugs that we have created would cause less in Canada.

Yes, people should stay health and take care of their health but there certainly greed at all levels of the system. Very sad to see the 'richest' country can't even take care of their own.

Bump for a great thread.

I don't think anybody denies that the system is broken. The question is how to fix it. If you believe that government-run or government-sponsored healthcare will improve things, perhaps you are in denial.

Our government's track record: the federal budget/deficit, the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Walter Reed, the current Medicare/Medicaid/SS crisis, etc. etc. etc.

I think placing the government in charge of a universal healthcare program would guarantee the death spiral, not solve it.

Another thing I might add here.

Go to an Emergency room this weekend at night and see who shows up. Check out these "emergencies" you will find. it will be packed full of junkies looking for pain pills, illegal aliens and others who dont want to pay for their care, etc.
Sure there will be some people there with real emergencies, but not many.

You see, doctors make you pay when you go to see them, but if you go to the ER, they HAVE to treat you.

(Thanks government for the laws that make it illegal for hospitals to refuse treatment to people who cant pay in ERs)

Guess who has to pay when these deadbeats dont? (Hint, if you pay taxes, look in the mirror)

The illegal immigration is another can of worm itself but there's a large LEGAL population that are not insured due to cost.
You won't have a DMV issue if the illegal immigration issue was taken care. =)

igorthesmall said:optical said:Government-run health care made not be perfect but I truly think it can do a better job of the crap we have today. Look at the stats of the uninsured and the emergency rooms in most big cities. If people can't get covered at an affordable price, it doesn't matter how great the insurance is. The fact is that it's WILL get worse, the money has to come from somewhere. In areas like Socal, hospitals are closing in many poor neighborhoods because NO CAN AFFORD THE BILLS.

We can complain about the government all day but we need make the comparison in perspective of what we have today.

 

okwiater said:optical said:Perhaps time for universal health care? I think we should of had this a long time ago. We are in denial and this system is broken. It so wrong to have drugs that we have created would cause less in Canada.

Yes, people should stay health and take care of their health but there certainly greed at all levels of the system. Very sad to see the 'richest' country can't even take care of their own.

Bump for a great thread.

I don't think anybody denies that the system is broken. The question is how to fix it. If you believe that government-run or government-sponsored healthcare will improve things, perhaps you are in denial.

Our government's track record: the federal budget/deficit, the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Walter Reed, the current Medicare/Medicaid/SS crisis, etc. etc. etc.

I think placing the government in charge of a universal healthcare program would guarantee the death spiral, not solve it.

The reason SoCal hospitals are closing is because the hospitals cant afford the bill for treating so many illegal immigrants for free.

If you think the government can do a better job than the private sector at anything, you need to take a day off work and hang out at the DMV...

optical said:The illegal immigration is another can of worm itself but there's a large LEGAL population that are not insured due to cost.
You won't have a DMV issue if the illegal immigration issue was taken care. =)


igorthesmall said:optical said:Government-run health care made not be perfect but I truly think it can do a better job of the crap we have today. Look at the stats of the uninsured and the emergency rooms in most big cities. If people can't get covered at an affordable price, it doesn't matter how great the insurance is. The fact is that it's WILL get worse, the money has to come from somewhere. In areas like Socal, hospitals are closing in many poor neighborhoods because NO CAN AFFORD THE BILLS.

We can complain about the government all day but we need make the comparison in perspective of what we have today.

 

okwiater said:optical said:Perhaps time for universal health care? I think we should of had this a long time ago. We are in denial and this system is broken. It so wrong to have drugs that we have created would cause less in Canada.

Yes, people should stay health and take care of their health but there certainly greed at all levels of the system. Very sad to see the 'richest' country can't even take care of their own.

Bump for a great thread.

I don't think anybody denies that the system is broken. The question is how to fix it. If you believe that government-run or government-sponsored healthcare will improve things, perhaps you are in denial.

Our government's track record: the federal budget/deficit, the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Walter Reed, the current Medicare/Medicaid/SS crisis, etc. etc. etc.

I think placing the government in charge of a universal healthcare program would guarantee the death spiral, not solve it.

The reason SoCal hospitals are closing is because the hospitals cant afford the bill for treating so many illegal immigrants for free.

If you think the government can do a better job than the private sector at anything, you need to take a day off work and hang out at the DMV...

Show me a situation where the government runs something better than the private sector.

Also, why should I be forced to pay for other people's health?

You can read the statistics, California leads the nation in hospital closings. The influx of illegal immigrants is only part of one of the reasons, there are others of course. Other new laws such as changes in nurse staffing/patient ratios, cuts and freezes to insurance/Medi-Cal payments and uninsured crowding the ERs and using them as primary care (and in So Cal a large proportion of these are Hispanic). Anyone who lives in Southern California and works in the healthcare system (as I do) can attest this is a huge problem, but all uninsured folks overcrowding the EDs are a problem, whatever their nationality.

http://www.nurseweek.com/features/99-5/hospital.html
http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2004/3138cal_hosp_cuts.html

ArbolLoco said:igorthesmall said:The reason SoCal hospitals are closing is because the hospitals cant afford the bill for treating so many illegal immigrants for free.can you give me one example of this?

slycat said:igorthesmall said:

The reason SoCal hospitals are closing is because the hospitals cant afford the bill for treating so many illegal immigrants for free.

If you think the government can do a better job than the private sector at anything, you need to take a day off work and hang out at the DMV...

so legalize them in some way so that they start paying for such services.

How would making all illegal aliens American citizens help that? They are already eligible for Medi-Cal if they are pregnant or have an "emergency" (which could be anything. And if they don't have coverage, well you don't have to be a resident of a county to hand over $$ or make payments on a bill.