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Old 10-10-2011, 06:45 PM
 
1,770 posts, read 2,898,140 times
Reputation: 1174

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucario View Post
You got a lot of money? Yeah, you can do that.
Whats a lot of money?
You know, this is what really really annoys me. It almost feels like people expect to NOT pay for themselves.

Today at work, a couple of guys where talking about healthcare and blah blah. One guy had a surgery years ago, uninsured. He got a bill of 65,000. He called and said "What do you want me to do with this"? and he said "I'll give you $650 and thats all you can get from me".

That's when the other guy interrupted and laughed and said "Psssh man, you are being generous! You know what I could do with $650!!?"

And so they joked about the things they could buy with $650.

Now don't get me wrong that price of $65k is RIDICULOUS. I'm more focused on the "gimme" attitude of the other guy, who basically would rather spend $650 on an Atlantic City Weekend (one of his examples) rather than want to put out money for insurance.
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Old 10-10-2011, 07:41 PM
 
Location: Center of the universe
24,645 posts, read 38,660,406 times
Reputation: 11780
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0tmess View Post
Whats a lot of money?
A couple thousand a month for a family. That's a lot of money.

Quote:
You know, this is what really really annoys me. It almost feels like people expect to NOT pay for themselves.

Do you have anything to base this on, or are you just parroting right-wing boilerplate?

Quote:
Today at work, a couple of guys where talking about healthcare and blah blah. One guy had a surgery years ago, uninsured. He got a bill of 65,000. He called and said "What do you want me to do with this"? and he said "I'll give you $650 and thats all you can get from me".

That's when the other guy interrupted and laughed and said "Psssh man, you are being generous! You know what I could do with $650!!?"

And so they joked about the things they could buy with $650.

Now don't get me wrong that price of $65k is RIDICULOUS. I'm more focused on the "gimme" attitude of the other guy, who basically would rather spend $650 on an Atlantic City Weekend (one of his examples) rather than want to put out money for insurance.
Let me guess. This guy is an example of why Western Civilization is in decline, right? Bottom line is, there needs to be access to AFFORDABLE healthcare for all. We need a single-payer system that keeps costs down and is available to everyone. It could be done - but people like you think it would be a bad thing. Thinking people know that civilized countries have figured it out - only the USA is too idiotic to join them.

Well, at least you know that $65,000 is a ridiculous amount to saddle an uninsured person with, an uninsured person who had the temerity to get sick, but there's still no solution there.
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:02 PM
 
Location: Northern CA
12,770 posts, read 11,568,492 times
Reputation: 4262
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucario View Post
A couple thousand a month for a family. That's a lot of money.




Do you have anything to base this on, or are you just parroting right-wing boilerplate?



Let me guess. This guy is an example of why Western Civilization is in decline, right? Bottom line is, there needs to be access to AFFORDABLE healthcare for all. We need a single-payer system that keeps costs down and is available to everyone. It could be done - but people like you think it would be a bad thing. Thinking people know that civilized countries have figured it out - only the USA is too idiotic to join them.

Well, at least you know that $65,000 is a ridiculous amount to saddle an uninsured person with, an uninsured person who had the temerity to get sick, but there's still no solution there.
I'll offer you some solutions, #1 tort reform. We should be able to buy our scrips on the net, from Canada or Mexico, if we so choose. We should be able to buy insurance across state lines. Insurers should be able to offer basic catastrophic insurance, that is affordable and competitive. Elective surgery and a whole host of other services, including pre-conditions, should not be forced upon companies to cover. Viagra and birth control, for example, should come out of your pocket, not someone elses. Get the unions out of the healthcare industry. Nurses and doctors should not be able to strike - if they do, I would fire them all.
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:07 PM
 
1,770 posts, read 2,898,140 times
Reputation: 1174
I don't know. I'm not going to say "no it's not thousands a month", but when I was getting insurance for myself -- BTW I'm asthmatic and I take care of myself. Nuts huh? -- and my partner when we both were unemployed...We found a plan for the 2 of us that was $300 a month. Eventually we got rid of it due to going on his health insurance at work, which then was like $275 a month. Now it's cheaper due to us making changes.

Combined income isn't even at $40,000 a year. And we live in a crazy expensive state called New Jersey. We also have (really stupid of us) a new car that has a payment every month .. for the next 4 years.

We pay our rent. We buy our food. I buy my medicineS.

...and did I mention we don't make much money?

Yet, we learned to live within our means. Buying what we need FIRST than what we want. But I do guess that's much to ask people. Learn to do without their needs, such as cable TV and a high data plan on phone.

Anyone that says I can't afford health insurance, but they have a $200 TV/Internet/Phone package needs to have their heads examined.
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:24 PM
 
Location: Center of the universe
24,645 posts, read 38,660,406 times
Reputation: 11780
Quote:
Originally Posted by claudhopper View Post
I'll offer you some solutions, #1 tort reform. We should be able to buy our scrips on the net, from Canada or Mexico, if we so choose.
Tort reform I agree with, Canadian drugs I agree with, Mexican drugs can sometimes be of dubious quality.


Quote:
We should be able to buy insurance across state lines.
That's good in theory, but the insurance I buy in, say, Mississippi, needs to be valid for doctors/hospitals in NJ.

Quote:
Insurers should be able to offer basic catastrophic insurance, that is affordable and competitive.
They do that now, and it's still more expensive than it should be.

Quote:
Elective surgery and a whole host of other services, including pre-conditions, should not be forced upon companies to cover.
Then those with preexisting conditions would still be priced out of the market, which would kill the reforms you are discussing.

Quote:
Viagra and birth control, for example, should come out of your pocket, not someone elses. Get the unions out of the healthcare industry. Nurses and doctors should not be able to strike - if they do, I would fire them all.
Where would you find their replacements?
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:25 PM
 
Location: Northern CA
12,770 posts, read 11,568,492 times
Reputation: 4262
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0tmess View Post
I don't know. I'm not going to say "no it's not thousands a month", but when I was getting insurance for myself -- BTW I'm asthmatic and I take care of myself. Nuts huh? -- and my partner when we both were unemployed...We found a plan for the 2 of us that was $300 a month. Eventually we got rid of it due to going on his health insurance at work, which then was like $275 a month. Now it's cheaper due to us making changes.

Combined income isn't even at $40,000 a year. And we live in a crazy expensive state called New Jersey. We also have (really stupid of us) a new car that has a payment every month .. for the next 4 years.

We pay our rent. We buy our food. I buy my medicineS.

...and did I mention we don't make much money?

Yet, we learned to live within our means. Buying what we need FIRST than what we want. But I do guess that's much to ask people. Learn to do without their needs, such as cable TV and a high data plan on phone.

Anyone that says I can't afford health insurance, but they have a $200 TV/Internet/Phone package needs to have their heads examined.
Find me a health insurance plan for $200 a month, and I'll sign up.
Yes, our Direct TV bill stings every month, but it's basically our only source of entertainment. It stays!
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:28 PM
 
1,770 posts, read 2,898,140 times
Reputation: 1174
Quote:
Originally Posted by claudhopper View Post
Find me a health insurance plan for $200 a month, and I'll sign up.
Yes, our Direct TV bill stings every month, but it's basically our only source of entertainment. It stays!

So if you had a $300 plan vs $200 cable bill, lemme guess, you'll choose direct TV and play victim?

We had Aetna. This was in 2009 for 6 months. Looking at old payments on our bank, it was actually $302.29. Yeah it sucked, but hey I do need insurance.

EDIT: Just did a quick search. Things are a bit more expensive now than in 2009 (lol thanks obama). The cheapest I saw to cover me + him is $357. Yeah it's high, but it's doable. I've made cuts to our cell plans, cable TV, car insurance (just lowered it), and overall food budget (eating out and grocery).

But then again, I'm responsible
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:34 PM
 
Location: Center of the universe
24,645 posts, read 38,660,406 times
Reputation: 11780
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0tmess View Post
I don't know. I'm not going to say "no it's not thousands a month", but when I was getting insurance for myself -- BTW I'm asthmatic and I take care of myself.
You're right - you shouldn't say that.



Quote:
Nuts huh? -- and my partner when we both were unemployed...We found a plan for the 2 of us that was $300 a month. Eventually we got rid of it due to going on his health insurance at work, which then was like $275 a month. Now it's cheaper due to us making changes.
How long ago was that, how young were you, and how extensive was your coverage? When I was largely a freelancer and my wife was working her own business (which she still does now), I was quoted more than $1000 a month for a crappy plan for us and our two kids. More appropriate coverage was up to twice that.

Quote:
Combined income isn't even at $40,000 a year. And we live in a crazy expensive state called New Jersey. We also have (really stupid of us) a new car that has a payment every month .. for the next 4 years.
We pay our rent. We buy our food. I buy my medicineS.

...and did I mention we don't make much money?
I live in NJ as well - I have for the past 25 years. We survive as well. I own a house, we have two cars. Medicines are prohibitively expensive if you pay retail, I guess you know that. NJ is the hardest state to get insurance in - the hardest. Prices keep rising as well, especially for those who pay on the retail market.


Quote:
Yet, we learned to live within our means. Buying what we need FIRST than what we want. But I do guess that's much to ask people. Learn to do without their needs, such as cable TV and a high data plan on phone.

Anyone that says I can't afford health insurance, but they have a $200 TV/Internet/Phone package needs to have their heads examined.
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:35 PM
 
Location: Center of the universe
24,645 posts, read 38,660,406 times
Reputation: 11780
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0tmess View Post
So if you had a $300 plan vs $200 cable bill, lemme guess, you'll choose direct TV and play victim?

We had Aetna. This was in 2009 for 6 months. Looking at old payments on our bank, it was actually $302.29. Yeah it sucked, but hey I do need insurance.

EDIT: Just did a quick search. Things are a bit more expensive now than in 2009 (lol thanks obama). The cheapest I saw to cover me + him is $357. Yeah it's high, but it's doable. I've made cuts to our cell plans, cable TV, car insurance (just lowered it), and overall food budget (eating out and grocery).

But then again, I'm responsible
What do you want, a cookie? Lots of people are responsible.
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Old 10-10-2011, 08:46 PM
 
Location: Northern CA
12,770 posts, read 11,568,492 times
Reputation: 4262
Quote:
Originally Posted by h0tmess View Post
So if you had a $300 plan vs $200 cable bill, lemme guess, you'll choose direct TV and play victim?

We had Aetna. This was in 2009 for 6 months. Looking at old payments on our bank, it was actually $302.29. Yeah it sucked, but hey I do need insurance.

EDIT: Just did a quick search. Things are a bit more expensive now than in 2009 (lol thanks obama). The cheapest I saw to cover me + him is $357. Yeah it's high, but it's doable. I've made cuts to our cell plans, cable TV, car insurance (just lowered it), and overall food budget (eating out and grocery).

But then again, I'm responsible
I didn't deserve that. I'm driving a 2000 Ford, can't remember the last time we ate out, or went to a movie, we just don't do it. It's bills and groceries, period. We eat very frugally, close to vegetarian. We had Long Term Care insurance, to keep us out of the home, but had to give that up.
Last I checked, health insurance would run us about $600 a month. I am currently putting off my dental appt, it can wait.
We have no intention of burdening anyone else, if and when something happens. We will deal with it, when the time comes. MYOB
oh, and we don't have a cell phone.
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