Health care

[GMN]

Shouldn't we all be able to get the same treatment, whether we are rich, poor or inbetween. This is what needs to change with the healthcare system, it needs to be fair for everyone, and the coverage from private carriers needs to be cheaper and cover more items. I'm all for a govt run healthcare, if it will give me better coverage and cost less than the rip off I'm paying for now!

GMN

Should we do that with all things, like food, shelter, clothing, and water or just health care? How about taxes? Should everyone pay the same amount in? How about salary? Should a man digging ditches make the same amount as the CEO of a major company?

Thats different and U know it. An example of how unfair premiums are is that if you have family coverage a family of 4 pays the same as a family of 15, to me thats unfair, because obviously a family of 4 is fewer, so really I'm paying for that family too, if even one of their kids has problems, and its a group plan.

If we are to keep private insurance, healthy people shouldn't have to pay for the sick ones, premiums should be based on health history of each individual family, and they shouldn't go up just because of age, it should be determined on each familys medical history.

If I understand you right, a rich person should get better care, their son or daughter should be eligible for a transplant just because they are rich, while a poorer person life isn't as valueable? I hope thats not what you are saying.

GMN

 

[Txwalt]

Rich people shouldn't eat better food than poor people.

Walt

 

[HerefordSire]

Shouldn't we all be able to get the same treatment, whether we are rich, poor or inbetween. This is what needs to change with the healthcare system, it needs to be fair for everyone, and the coverage from private carriers needs to be cheaper and cover more items. I'm all for a govt run healthcare, if it will give me better coverage and cost less than the rip off I'm paying for now!

GMN

Should we do that with all things, like food, shelter, clothing, and water or just health care? How about taxes? Should everyone pay the same amount in? How about salary? Should a man digging ditches make the same amount as the CEO of a major company?

Thats different and U know it. An example of how unfair premiums are is that if you have family coverage a family of 4 pays the same as a family of 15, to me thats unfair, because obviously a family of 4 is fewer, so really I'm paying for that family too, if even one of their kids has problems, and its a group plan.

If we are to keep private insurance, healthy people shouldn't have to pay for the sick ones, premiums should be based on health history of each individual family, and they shouldn't go up just because of age, it should be determined on each familys medical history.

If I understand you right, a rich person should get better care, their son or daughter should be eligible for a transplant just because they are rich, while a poorer person life isn't as valueable? I hope thats not what you are saying.

GMN

All my sentences were questions since I don't know the answers. I was simply equating health care to other necessities which could be more important than health care. I have no data that shows a family of 15 pay the same as a family of 4. But, if the family of 4 were all overweight and the family of 15 were not overweight, I could understand. I would generally think the most important concept to lower prices is to let the free market run its course to value what the supply and demand really is. The markets should be free flowing to work properly. If the price is out of range, then another set of circumstances come into play. In my opinion, there is increased demand for health care relative to past years because of baby boomers are becoming older. A market is supposed to adjust upward if the supply stays the same and demand increases. When someone interferes with normal market forces, then you better have a deep pocket because there is nothing more efficient than supply and demand intersections.

 

[aplusmnt]

Shouldn't we all be able to get the same treatment, whether we are rich, poor or inbetween. This is what needs to change with the healthcare system, it needs to be fair for everyone, and the coverage from private carriers needs to be cheaper and cover more items. I'm all for a govt run healthcare, if it will give me better coverage and cost less than the rip off I'm paying for now!

GMN

Should we do that with all things, like food, shelter, clothing, and water or just health care? How about taxes? Should everyone pay the same amount in? How about salary? Should a man digging ditches make the same amount as the CEO of a major company?

Thats different and U know it. An example of how unfair premiums are is that if you have family coverage a family of 4 pays the same as a family of 15, to me thats unfair, because obviously a family of 4 is fewer, so really I'm paying for that family too, if even one of their kids has problems, and its a group plan.

If we are to keep private insurance, healthy people shouldn't have to pay for the sick ones, premiums should be based on health history of each individual family, and they shouldn't go up just because of age, it should be determined on each familys medical history.

If I understand you right, a rich person should get better care, their son or daughter should be eligible for a transplant just because they are rich, while a poorer person life isn't as valueable? I hope thats not what you are saying.

GMN

I think there may be a contradiction in there somewhere, Healthy people should not pay as much as sick ones, but young people should pay as much as old people. Sounds a little hypocritical to me!

 

[Carlos D.]

Well when I started this post I was just curious as to the perception of health care in the U.S.--WOW --So now I'LL give you my version --I'm old enough to have lived when their was private health insurance --And young enough to take the present health insurance for granted ----I remember my parents living with no health care there always seemed to be a disscusion about paying the doctor bill--I remember working for company's years ago and haveing health insurance payments come off my cheque-----have the doctors office phone regularly because they hadn't been payed yet. Or lose my job and have the insurance cancelled; I would not want to go back there
2 days ago my grand daughter fell out of the trailer behind the quad--broke her arm (she's 22 months)---her mom took her to a walk in clinic xrayed her put a cast on and she will be ok----My daughter who has not known anything else except government run health care ---NEVER crossed her mind about payment --or filling out forms ----I am going to have a knee replacement ---will have to wait about 3-5 months ----BUT I hardly would call my knee life threatening (I think I burnt it out have sex on the carpet)
Oh! and I do resent haveing someone call me a socialist' or a communist---

 

[aplusmnt]

Well when I started this post I was just curious as to the perception of health care in the U.S.--WOW --So now I'LL give you my version --I'm old enough to have lived when their was private health insurance --And young enough to take the present health insurance for granted ----I remember my parents living with no health care there always seemed to be a disscusion about paying the doctor bill--I remember working for company's years ago and haveing health insurance payments come off my cheque-----have the doctors office phone regularly because they hadn't been payed yet. Or lose my job and have the insurance cancelled; I would not want to go back there
2 days ago my grand daughter fell out of the trailer behind the quad--broke her arm (she's 22 months)---her mom took her to a walk in clinic xrayed her put a cast on and she will be ok----My daughter who has not known anything else except government run health care ---NEVER crossed her mind about payment --or filling out forms ----I am going to have a knee replacement ---will have to wait about 3-5 months ----BUT I hardly would call my knee life threatening (I think I burnt it out have sex on the carpet)
Oh! and I do resent haveing someone call me a socialist' or a communist---

Just a matter of self responsibility. 3 1/2 weeks ago my son was racing his dirt bike at a Motocross race he jumped a double jump and landed in a rut and crashed, he was knocked unconscious on impact and was out for almost 5 minutes. Took him to hospital in ambulance they did all kinds of x rays and did an MRI on him turned out he walked away with only a sore shoulder and a concussion. Never crossed my mind of payment minimum forms after most test were done. Not going to lose the farm or anything bad happen and did all that with out social health care and the high taxes that come with it. And if I ever need my knee replaced (which is likely) I will not have to wait 5 months for it!

 

[Carlos D.]

Well when I started this post I was just curious as to the perception of health care in the U.S.--WOW --So now I'LL give you my version --I'm old enough to have lived when their was private health insurance --And young enough to take the present health insurance for granted ----I remember my parents living with no health care there always seemed to be a disscusion about paying the doctor bill--I remember working for company's years ago and haveing health insurance payments come off my cheque-----have the doctors office phone regularly because they hadn't been payed yet. Or lose my job and have the insurance cancelled; I would not want to go back there
2 days ago my grand daughter fell out of the trailer behind the quad--broke her arm (she's 22 months)---her mom took her to a walk in clinic xrayed her put a cast on and she will be ok----My daughter who has not known anything else except government run health care ---NEVER crossed her mind about payment --or filling out forms ----I am going to have a knee replacement ---will have to wait about 3-5 months ----BUT I hardly would call my knee life threatening (I think I burnt it out have sex on the carpet)
Oh! and I do resent haveing someone call me a socialist' or a communist---

Just a matter of self responsibility. 3 1/2 weeks ago my son was racing his dirt bike at a Motocross race he jumped a double jump and landed in a rut and crashed, he was knocked unconscious on impact and was out for almost 5 minutes. Took him to hospital in ambulance they did all kinds of x rays and did an MRI on him turned out he walked away with only a sore shoulder and a concussion. Never crossed my mind of payment minimum forms after most test were done. Not going to lose the farm or anything bad happen and did all that with out social health care and the high taxes that come with it. And if I ever need my knee replaced (which is likely) I will not have to wait 5 months for it!

Now that's the kind of comparison I was interested in
So I would like to know how much you pay in premiums??

 

[Carlos D.]

one other thing here in canada ---we have a generation of mothers ,who have taken medical coverage for granted --And whose kids are taken to the doctor; for any kind of snotty nose I wouldn't mind seeing a small user fee every time we went to the doctor----Another major bleeding on the system is the native population up north who always seem to get sick on friday and need to be FLOWN to civilization then return on monday or tuesday

 

[Brandonm22]

-I am going to have a knee replacement ---will have to wait about 3-5 months ----BUT I hardly would call my knee life threatening (I think I burnt it out have sex on the carpet)
Oh! and I do resent haveing someone call me a socialist' or a communist---

Well Mother wore out both her knees. She was seeing another specialist about her busted nose in a fall. He asked if she wanted to see a orthopedist (sorry if I have the specialty wrong) about the knees. She said yes, so he phoned his brother in law who saw her that day. They could have scheduled the surgery three days later; but Mother did not want to miss a lot of work so they scheduled it for the friday before spring break. Since they didn't want to do both at the same time they scheduled the other knee for the first Tuesday in Summer Break. Mother had both knees scoped seperately and missed ONE day of work over it. Of course she works hard in a job where they provide good insurance. If you like a system where you have to limp around and wait 3 or 5 months for basic procedures more power to you, most of us down here prefer the best health system in the world. I hope you don't get cancer and have to wait 3 or 5 months for the specialist to see you. I will take free market capitalism over socialism ALL day long and then some.

 

[Txwalt]

What kind of wait is their when you go to the ER up in Canada. The army hospitals when I was a kid were terrible. Unless you were dying you had to wait for a while. Really no comparison to a civilian hospital.

Walt

 

[Jogeephus]

Saw a friend today who was injured and had to be life flighted to a hospital. Friend has insurance but insurance is now denying the fees for the flight since it wasn't pre-approved. I guess she will have to just add the $15,000 for a 80 mile ride to her deductible. Don't know what all else they are going to disallow but thankfully she does have insurance.

 

[GMN]

Saw a friend today who was injured and had to be life flighted to a hospital. Friend has insurance but insurance is now denying the fees for the flight since it wasn't pre-approved. I guess she will have to just add the $15,000 for a 80 mile ride to her deductible. Don't know what all else they are going to disallow but thankfully she does have insurance.

This is a tactic they use all the time to disallow coverage, thats why I say the private insurance companies are a bunch of crooks. What was your friend supposed to do, be calling them from the heliccopter-give me a break! I know someone this happened to too, only he had a heart attack, and thats what they told him too, saving his life wasn't pre-approved first!

GMN

 

[Carlos D.]

on Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:44 pm
What kind of wait is their when you go to the ER up in Canada. The army hospitals when I was a kid were terrible. Unless you were dying you had to wait for a while. Really no comparison to a civilian hospital

generally I would say where I live 1-2 hours but big cities who knows --I did hear of one old street person who died while waiting and no one noticed him for 3 or 4 hours (media loved that one)But' If I ever needed a helicopter to get to the hospital I would never worry about haveing it paid for

 

[Alberta farmer]

I'm not really informed on the health care debate in the states. Like Carlos I'm old enough to remember when we had private health care but I never remember it as being a big deal. My Dad had an insurance policy through the local grain co-op(Alberta Wheat Pool) but that only covered major stuff, not a trip to the doctor.
I guess we don't see the up front costs of medical insurance, but we do pay it through taxes? I wonder how much higher taxes are in Canada than the USA? I know things like gas,cigarettes, booze, etc. are taxed very heavy but not sure about income tax or business taxes? I thought the USA had one of the highest corporation taxes in the G8? The maximum personal income tax in Canada is 39%...I think?
I do know just about everything up here costs a lot more than in America...for example gasoline is $3.27(adjusted to US dollar/US gallon). A package of cigarettes over $11($10.12 US)! But it doesn't end there...cars, food, farm supplies and equipment...the list is endless.
It is frustrating when we have a so-called free trade deal that the US seems bent on not letting Canadians buy their products and keep throwing up barriers to not let things flow freely. I would sure like to buy a truck in the USA but they won't allow it!
Now I need a passport to go to the states and get to sit at the border crossing for a couple of hours...why I might be a terrorist...like yea, I'm blond blueyed middle aged farmer...I might over throw the US! Come on.

 

[GMN]

I'm not really informed on the health care debate in the states. Like Carlos I'm old enough to remember when we had private health care but I never remember it as being a big deal. My Dad had an insurance policy through the local grain co-op(Alberta Wheat Pool) but that only covered major stuff, not a trip to the doctor.
I guess we don't see the up front costs of medical insurance, but we do pay it through taxes? I wonder how much higher taxes are in Canada than the USA? I know things like gas,cigarettes, booze, etc. are taxed very heavy but not sure about income tax or business taxes? I thought the USA had one of the highest corporation taxes in the G8? The maximum personal income tax in Canada is 39%...I think?
I do know just about everything up here costs a lot more than in America...for example gasoline is $3.27(adjusted to US dollar/US gallon). A package of cigarettes over $11($10.12 US)! But it doesn't end there...cars, food, farm supplies and equipment...the list is endless.
It is frustrating when we have a so-called free trade deal that the US seems bent on not letting Canadians buy their products and keep throwing up barriers to not let things flow freely. I would sure like to buy a truck in the USA but they won't allow it!
Now I need a passport to go to the states and get to sit at the border crossing for a couple of hours...why I might be a terrorist...like yea, I'm blond blueyed middle aged farmer...I might over throw the US! Come on.

Well the border patrol doesn't know you,a nd they have to treat everyone as suspect, don't take it personally, rules are rules.

GMN

 

[Frankie]

The major, major difference between the proposed US and Canada systems is being ignored:

The public option being proposed is simply for those that cannot get insurance. That's all. If private insurance doesn't want you, you can get the public option. If you have a pre-existing condition, you can get the public option. If your premiums have gone up 120%, you can get the public option.

Don't want to go to public college, get the private option and go to Harvard.

Around the world, there are many different versions of government run health insurances. In Great Britian, the state owns the hospitals and the doctors work for a salary. That is NOT what happens in Canada or is being proposed here.

You're being sold a bill of goods by the insurance companies who are spending millions and millions of dollars because they KNOW they do a bad job and want to protect their strangle hold on their business. Five insurance companies provide insurance in the majority of the US. Five. They set the prices, they make the rules. The public option would offer an alternative. It's that simple.

 

[Ryder]

I'm not really informed on the health care debate in the states. Like Carlos I'm old enough to remember when we had private health care but I never remember it as being a big deal. My Dad had an insurance policy through the local grain co-op(Alberta Wheat Pool) but that only covered major stuff, not a trip to the doctor.
I guess we don't see the up front costs of medical insurance, but we do pay it through taxes? I wonder how much higher taxes are in Canada than the USA? I know things like gas,cigarettes, booze, etc. are taxed very heavy but not sure about income tax or business taxes? I thought the USA had one of the highest corporation taxes in the G8? The maximum personal income tax in Canada is 39%...I think?
I do know just about everything up here costs a lot more than in America...for example gasoline is $3.27(adjusted to US dollar/US gallon). A package of cigarettes over $11($10.12 US)! But it doesn't end there...cars, food, farm supplies and equipment...the list is endless.
It is frustrating when we have a so-called free trade deal that the US seems bent on not letting Canadians buy their products and keep throwing up barriers to not let things flow freely. I would sure like to buy a truck in the USA but they won't allow it!
Now I need a passport to go to the states and get to sit at the border crossing for a couple of hours...why I might be a terrorist...like yea, I'm blond blueyed middle aged farmer...I might over throw the US! Come on.

Are they taxing cigarretes so high to make people quit smoking in Canada?

 

[Frankie]

-I am going to have a knee replacement ---will have to wait about 3-5 months ----BUT I hardly would call my knee life threatening (I think I burnt it out have sex on the carpet)
Oh! and I do resent haveing someone call me a socialist' or a communist---

Well Mother wore out both her knees. She was seeing another specialist about her busted nose in a fall. He asked if she wanted to see a orthopedist (sorry if I have the specialty wrong) about the knees. She said yes, so he phoned his brother in law who saw her that day. They could have scheduled the surgery three days later; but Mother did not want to miss a lot of work so they scheduled it for the friday before spring break. Since they didn't want to do both at the same time they scheduled the other knee for the first Tuesday in Summer Break. Mother had both knees scoped seperately and missed ONE day of work over it. Of course she works hard in a job where they provide good insurance. If you like a system where you have to limp around and wait 3 or 5 months for basic procedures more power to you, most of us down here prefer the best health system in the world. I hope you don't get cancer and have to wait 3 or 5 months for the specialist to see you. I will take free market capitalism over socialism ALL day long and then some.

Is your mother on Medicare?

 

[Brandonm22]

No Frankie. Reread the post, it says that 1) she works and 2) has health insurance through her employer. She pays for and gets excellent service through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. Of course in two years she gets dumped into Medicare with all the other old people.............who will receive $550 billion worth of cuts in services under the Senate plan as most recently written.

Each knee surgery only cost a $75 copay.

 

[TexasBred]

The major, major difference between the proposed US and Canada systems is being ignored:

The public option being proposed is simply for those that cannot get insurance. That's all. If private insurance doesn't want you, you can get the public option. If you have a pre-existing condition, you can get the public option. If your premiums have gone up 120%, you can get the public option.

Don't want to go to public college, get the private option and go to Harvard.

Around the world, there are many different versions of government run health insurances. In Great Britian, the state owns the hospitals and the doctors work for a salary. That is NOT what happens in Canada or is being proposed here.

You're being sold a bill of goods by the insurance companies who are spending millions and millions of dollars because they KNOW they do a bad job and want to protect their strangle hold on their business. Five insurance companies provide insurance in the majority of the US. Five. They set the prices, they make the rules. The public option would offer an alternative. It's that simple.

And it takes over 1000 pages to say these few simple things??? I think not !!!!!