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The cost of medical care in this country is outrageous. There are so many things wrong with the way it's set up. (Payment based on how many tests the doctors run, etc.)
I see the health care bill as a work in progress though until we get to single payer it will always be messed up. Making a profit on someone's health care is not in the best interest of anyone but the suppliers of it. I know a lot of people don't trust the government but you sure can't trust big business! At least you can vote the politicians out of office.
I found out recently that medicare pays for dialysis for ANYONE, not just people 65 and over. (This was set up under Richard Nixon (a Republican) in 1972). The deal is that they can't charge much for the actual dialysis but they get reimbursed more than they actually pay for the drugs they administer. So guess what they do??? People who don't need drugs are getting them anyway so the companies can make a profit.
Plus the way it has evolved most of the dialysis is done by only TWO suppliers in this country so there isn't any competition. ANd one more thing.... 100,000 new people need dialysis every year. FIfty percent of them have diabetes which caused the kidney failure. Most of the diabetes was caused by obesity which is obviously completely avoidable.
Meanwhile, my husband and I, who seldom got to the doctor and are physically fit with no existing conditions, are looking at almost $12,000 a year in health insurance premiums (if we continue on COBRA after the government subsidy is exhausted next year.)
The cost of medical care in this country is outrageous. There are so many things wrong with the way it's set up. (Payment based on how many tests the doctors run, etc.)
I see the health care bill as a work in progress though until we get to single payer it will always be messed up. Making a profit on someone's health care is not in the best interest of anyone but the suppliers of it. I know a lot of people don't trust the government but you sure can't trust big business! At least you can vote the politicians out of office.
I found out recently that medicare pays for dialysis for ANYONE, not just people 65 and over. (This was set up under Richard Nixon (a Republican) in 1972). The deal is that they can't charge much for the actual dialysis but they get reimbursed more than they actually pay for the drugs they administer. So guess what they do??? People who don't need drugs are getting them anyway so the companies can make a profit.
Plus the way it has evolved most of the dialysis is done by only TWO suppliers in this country so there isn't any competition. ANd one more thing.... 100,000 new people need dialysis every year. FIfty percent of them have diabetes which caused the kidney failure. Most of the diabetes was caused by obesity which is obviously completely avoidable.
Meanwhile, my husband and I, who seldom got to the doctor and are physically fit with no existing conditions, are looking at almost $12,000 a year in health insurance premiums (if we continue on COBRA after the government subsidy is exhausted next year.)
You can thank the government for the current situation regarding ownership of dialysis centers (years of changing the rules in the middle of the game when it came to physician-owned centers). And I'll bet you don't even know what drugs you're talking about (there are lots of flavors - you'll get to know them if you ever need dialysis). And being a nephrologist is such a sweet deal that last year - my brother - a nephrologist in his 50's - walked away from clinical practice (other doctors like him are walking away too - so you won't have them to kick around any more). He went to work for a major drug company that - among other things - develops drugs to help patients with kidney failure. Guess if people who think like you have their way - any drugs they develop won't be available to patients.
And if you don't mind my asking - if you're so physically fit and healthy - why don't you shop for private insurance? Robyn
You can thank the government for the current situation regarding ownership of dialysis centers (years of changing the rules in the middle of the game when it came to physician-owned centers). And I'll bet you don't even know what drugs you're talking about (there are lots of flavors - you'll get to know them if you ever need dialysis). And being a nephrologist is such a sweet deal that last year - my brother - a nephrologist in his 50's - walked away from clinical practice (other doctors like him are walking away too - so you won't have them to kick around any more). He went to work for a major drug company that - among other things - develops drugs to help patients with kidney failure. Guess if people who think like you have their way - any drugs they develop won't be available to patients.
And if you don't mind my asking - if you're so physically fit and healthy - why don't you shop for private insurance? Robyn
Wow.... I thought this was supposed to be a friendly forum.
Based on your comments you didn't even really read my post.
I sure did read your post. You think *you're* paying too much for health care/insurance (even though it appears that other taxpayers are currently subsidizing the cost of your medical insurance - and they were doing that before as well due to employer deductions for employee health care). And gosh - you don't think that anyone should make a profit on health care. Not the (greedy) doctors - or the companies that own dialysis centers (or probably anyone else). And let's not forget to blame the people who are fat - get diabetes - and wind up with kidney failure. IOW - you're looking for Neiman Marcus treatment at Dollar Store prices (at least in terms of the money *you* pay). And you somehow think that government can create a system where that is possible .
Well I'm one of those taxpayers who's been subsidizing you. While (until my husband went on Medicare this year) - we were paying 5 figures a year out of pocket for our own health insurance (with Medicare - we're high 4 figures). And I also don't appreciate people villifying doctors (like my brother). One reason he walked from his practice was so he could afford to send one of his daughters to medical school. Although why on earth she's doing that in today's climate is beyond me. She was thinking of becoming a vet - and I think that would have been a better profession for her (because people will pay more out of their own pockets for medical care for their dogs than they'll willingly spend on themselves).
Anyway - I don't think you've given me any particular reason to be friendly. Robyn
You still aren’t reading my post correctly. I am saying that a well meaning government program has turned into a nightmare so that only two "Wal-Mart" type suppliers are left. The doctors and hospitals are out of it.
The price of health care in the country is growing more than anything else to the point where having employer based health insurance is crippling our economy. It punishes the self employed, early retirees and the unemployed (people looking for jobs). It encourages employers to hire younger workers which won't cost as much to insure.
You should be outraged that you paid 5 figures for health insurance. It shouldn't cost that much. It should be affordable.
My husband and I have worked since we were 15 until recently being let go when our companies were bought out (as were thousands of others in those two firms alone).
Getting a government subsidy for our health insurance is no different than having pre-tax dollars to pay for health insurance. It is a GOVERNMENT subsidy so is MEDICARE. My husband and I have worked a combined 80 years. That is more than a lot of people who are getting medicare now.
Most industrialized (and even some "third world" nations) countries feel that medical care is a right not a privilege. If they can have universal health care, the US should be able to do it.
Medical care bills are the biggest cause of bankruptcy in this country, especially for people over 50.
PS For what it's worth I don't think that personal attacks belong on the message board. People should feel comfortable saying their opinions without ridicule.
What well-meaning government program are you talking about?
If medical care is a "right" - who's going to pay for it? You sound like you wouldn't be too happy paying for mine - and I don't want to pay for yours. That's really the problem - we as a society consume more in medical care than we're willing to pay for. So we have to consume less - or pay more (or probably a combination of both).
Looking at countries outside the US isn't that useful. A fair number of the Eurozone countries are on the brink of financial disaster now - and countries like China that are competing with us don't have this "entitlement". We have to come up with a solution that works here - without bankrupting the country.
FWIW - it's hard for me to get bent out about what I paid in insurance premiums this year - because my company lost quite a bit of money on me (2 minor surgeries will do that). Robyn
P.S. The Elizabeth Warren work on medical bills resulting in bankruptcy has been attacked/debunked as being based on pretty dubious research. But that's an issue that's kind of peripheral to this discussion.
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It shouldn't cost that much. It should be affordable.
