America has a great healthcare system but there are some downsides.

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by Bostonian123

These two people would not have died if they received earlier treatment for their tooth infection.

Then why didn't they go to a dentist? You want to hold their hands? Okay, I nominate you need to hold everyone's hand and walk them through every second of their life.

Originally Posted by Bostonian123

They couldn't afford the treatment and they didnt have insurance.

Not relevant. Medical "insurance" does not cover dental visits, except under certain cases, usually related to accidents or trauma where oral injuries are sustained.

Originally Posted by Bostonian123

Of course, the families of these people are not blameless. Why was the 24 year old unemployed? How come he or his family couldn't come up with a couple of hundred for an operation?

Probably because crack, beer, marihuana, lotto tickets, cable and cell-phones were more important.

Originally Posted by subsound

How could they get insurance when they didn't have any money to pay for it?

It's called "Medicaid." How convenient that you all forget.

Originally Posted by old_cold

From your link...
" Willis went to the emergency room, where he received prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications. Willis couldn't afford both, so he chose the pain medications. "

Yes, he was applying foresight. He can sell the pain medication on the street.

Originally Posted by whogo

If they could not afford $80 (tell me who that dentist is) how would they afford any monthly required healthcare premium?

The health care premiums are irrelevant, since they don't cover dental.

He could have gone to St Vincent de Paul on Bank Street and they would have gotten him the medication for free. He could have gone to the Salvation Army on 12th Street and gotten a voucher to buy the medication. He could have gone to the free city health clinic on Elm Street.

There's a lot of things he could have done, had he only wanted to do them.

Originally Posted by Nomander

First, he chose pain medication over the anti-biotic.

Yes, because you can get stoned on it and sell it on the street.

Originally Posted by Nomander

Now, even if he decided to get the pain pills, there are numerous ways through various programs, etc... to which would have allowed him to pick up the anti-biotic he needed (very cheaply).

Again, he could have gone to St Vincent de Paul on Bank Street. He could have gone to the Salvation Army on 12th Street. He could have gone to the free city-sponsored Elm Street Clinic.

Oh, I forgot, he could have gone to the Free Store/Food Bank and they would have given him a voucher to buy the medication as well.

There's all kinds of places he could have gone in Cincinnati to get free medication.

Originally Posted by Cavaturaccioli

Every dentist I have ever been to would've pulled the guy's tooth and told the guy to pay what he could when he could.

Then you haven't been to a dentist in about 30 years.

You can't pull it. The infection has to be eliminated first, because if it isn't, there is a risk of septicemia, and that can cause all kinds of complications up to and including death, and that of course is a malpractice lawsuit waiting to happen.

Originally Posted by Nomander

You can obtain a 30 day supply of Cipro 500mg for around 22 bucks (cheaper if you go with ampicillin or penicillin), so he chose to pay for the most expensive medication and the one that was the least benefit in the risk assessment.

That is typically what is prescribed here and it is about $16 at Walgreen's (that's where I went to get mine -- no the VA doesn't cover dental either unless you were a POW or are 100% disabled by their standards).

Originally Posted by stan4

What you need is the ability and the discipline to budget for and pay for things that aren't fun, like your own health care, instead of buying beer, cigs, and iphones.

Yes, and the stupid can't figure out why they are poor.

Originally Posted by Katiana

People need to quit comparing health insurance to auto insurance.

Then stop fraudulently referring to it as "insurance." Insurance is based on actuarial science which assesses risk based on statistical studies.

Originally Posted by Nomander

Why does a discussion of responsibility always equate to hate or ill feelings for another concerning their responsibility?

Because *******s hate the "R" word -- Responsibility.

*******s don't want you to be responsible for anything. They want the government to be responsible for everything.

[stopthecorruption]

Unemployed people are not leechers. It is difficult to get a job. And not all people are fit and healthy. People suffer through not being able to work, they don't gain from it. Everyone needs help at one point or another. Help each other more, why not create a society that cares about each other, instead of just tossing some people aside as if they don't matter. The employment climate is such that is creates unemployment as well, by low wages, and businesses who treat their employee as if they should be glad to earn a pittance, and if an employee says they are not grateful to earn a pittance, they get the sack, and another desperate individual is instated. People are human beings. Money is not more important than humanity.