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I think the posted article is nonsense. For example:
5. Americans are not willing to give up being the “early adopters” of new treatments, which are often much more expensive when they first appear than when they have been available for many years.
Yes, our treatments are expensive, but not because they are new. I'll say it again, we have the worst spinecare in the civilized world. Artificial discs? Nah, the insurance companies would rather pay to fuse your spine.
There are many reasons we won't have state of the art healthcare. But at least we can have cost effective healthcare.
I haven't had any insurance as you describe in my entire life, and I am about ready to retire.
I don't know whom has ever had a policy like that. Health costs had been climbing every year (and climbing outrageously for the last two decades) and I have never had a health policy without a deductible.
Had MVP in NY pre ACA
Was $50 copay for emergency room.
$10 for prescriptions.
Specialized testing from blood work to xrays/mri/catscan were $35.
Check ups/physicals were free.
Had that up until Obama screwed it all up.
And it was $35 a week.
No that isn't an April fool's joke. That was what I had paid for health insurance pre ACA. Used the ER once and had blood work done, got ehrliciosis twice from ticks.
Post ACA
Empire blue, 90 a week, 2500 before insurance kicked in, meds no coverage until the deductible was covered per calender year. Then depending on what meds were needed a copay for certain drugs.
Vision and dental plans were the only thing that remained inexpensive. Useless for me though.
I think the posted article is nonsense. For example:
5. Americans are not willing to give up being the “early adopters†of new treatments, which are often much more expensive when they first appear than when they have been available for many years.
Yes, our treatments are expensive, but not because they are new. I'll say it again, we have the worst spinecare in the civilized world. Artificial discs? Nah, the insurance companies would rather pay to fuse your spine.
There are many reasons we won't have state of the art healthcare. But at least we can have cost effective healthcare.
Best? I wouldn't know. I think Europe is 20 years ahead of us in artificial discs. I was lucky enough to be operated on by a gifted spine surgeon from South Korea. Unfortunately, it took me two years to get through the US spine surgeon hucksters.
I don't expect the US to be best at healthcare (except for heart surgery, since the US leads in obesity and addiction to fast food). I just wish our healthcare was competent and affordable. Hey, ask your Doctor about cramadol, cramadol is good for you (my recollection of an old SNL skit).
Again, our healthcare system is broken. The ACA was a good first step in fixing it. But I think most C-D'ers are fans of Mitch McConnell, so my comments are probably worthless.
Best? I wouldn't know. I think Europe is 20 years ahead of us in artificial discs. I was lucky enough to be operated on by a gifted spine surgeon from South Korea. Unfortunately, it took me two years to get through the US spine surgeon hucksters.
I don't expect the US to be best at healthcare (except for heart surgery, since the US leads in obesity and addiction to fast food). I just wish our healthcare was competent and affordable. Hey, ask your Doctor about cramadol, cramadol is good for you (my recollection of an old SNL skit).
Again, our healthcare system is broken. The ACA was a good first step in fixing it. But I think most C-D'ers are fans of Mitch McConnell, so my comments are probably worthless.
I hear Korea does a lot of ortho stuff. I've had some very successful spine work done out here in the boonies. L4-5 micro-discectomy. No way I could have traveled for that. Soon I'll get an endoscopic facet nerve ablation. Have to go to Phoenix for that. Pretty high tech and relatively non-invasive stuff.
You omitted gun violence, automobiles (Americans drive far more miles than their European and Asian counter-parts, placing them at greater risk to injury/death due to accidents), and the fact that the US has a heterogeneous population, unlike the homogeneous populations of the 50-odd countries that have universal care.
Most of these things are covered under homeowners and car and other insurance.
As far as the population, this obviously has little to do with it since states like MA (quite diverse) have world class health results within our system. In fact, it may be that a it of crossbreeding makes for a healthier overall populace.
The UK is far from homogeneous these days. Same with a number of other countries. As mentioned before, the US is 77% white/white-hispanic, making it fairly solid in terms of most people being at least of a similar tribe. Even our African American population has hundreds of years of being either raped or (now) legally bred with the Anglos.
Wrong. Before the ACA I had a Kaiser Permanente Individual Policy with no lifetime cap. The no lifetime cap feature was the reason I picked that policy.
If you are costing the corporation a lot of money, your application might be scrutinized again. Do you have a significant number specific examples you can cite where the person DID NOT make a material misrepresentation of fact (the reason stated in your link), and was still denied coverage or faced with a cap on a no lifetime cap policy ? If you can't, how can your assertion above be seen as anything but an attempt to demonize the 'landscape' that existed in the waning pre-ACA years ?
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Wrong. Before the ACA I had a Kaiser Permanente Individual Policy with no lifetime cap. The no lifetime cap feature was the reason I picked that policy.
? If you can't, how can your assertion above be seen as anything but an attempt to demonize the 'landscape' that existed in the waning pre-ACA years ?
