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I agree. As I have written before (some years ago), when I first obtained my law license I applied for a job with a large health insurance company with an office in Fort Worth. At the interview I was told that my job would be to examine policies in which the insured had filed a claim, to see if the policy could be terminated for reasons including pre-existing conditions.
For those that have never purchased health insurance, an applicant would often have to undergo a physical examination by a doctor retained by the insurance company. You were given a very long, very detailed form to complete, in which you were to list all health problems (save for common colds, sore throats and the like), you have ever experience. Based on the physician's examination and your report, the insurance company would determine your rate, if accepted.
Obviously, people would hedge on their past health problems (much easier prior to the age of computers and electronic filings). The healthier you were, the better your rate. However, if you subsequently had, say, a heart attack, and the insurance company discovered that 25 years prior to that you were briefly treated for high blood pressure, then the policy would be considered void.
Another example you ask? Sure. Say you deny having a history of cancer. You then develop lung cancer. An investigation reveals that some years ago you had benign skin cancer (basal), that was easily treated, and which you did not think warranted reporting on that form you completed. Yet, that would be enough to cancel your policy. You would be left having to pay for your own cancer of the lung treatment. Don't have the money? Sorry.
I declined the job. After a period of private practice (family law), I started working for Social Security in 1988 for the disability department, writing decisions for the administrative law judges.
I recall one case a few years ago. The claimant, a woman in her 40s, had filed for disability citing complications due to diabetes (which I also have). She had been denied at the state level, and so filed to my Federal level.
However, when she appeared at the hearing, she told the judge that the prior year she had signed up for a subsidized insurance policy under Obamacare. She was able to begin regular treatment by one doctor, instead of her occasional visits to the emergency room when her condition was acute.
This woman told the judge that she had improved so much, that she was able to get a job. She was asking for a closed period of disability, covering that period between her alleged onset date and some few months after she began regular treatment. She had literally improved that much with supervised care.
The average disability recipient gets some $300,000.00 in benefits, not counting their Medicare coverage during that period. This woman I speak of? With Obamacare, she was paying $5.00 per month, and she no longer needed emergency care (a savings for us that pay property taxes here in Fort Worth), and she was gainfully employed (she began paying income tax). She did not get her closed period, but I doubt she cared. She was regaining her health, was gainfully employed, and we the people were not on the hook for some $300,000.
A person wrote me that my posting should be 'bumped' at times
So since that issue has been decided, the only question that remains is, do we put money into preventing disease and keeping people out of emergency rooms, or just wait until everything is an emergency and treat all health problems there?
That was emergency medical treatment in an emergency only.
And it didn't mean that you wouldn't get a bill.
Again, in order for everyday sundry healthcare to be a "right" you would have to mandate that someone else provide their labor to you on demand without recompense.
Just a heads up....US taxpayers are paying more than Canadians now, and we afford universal care, why can't you?
The tax rate for a married couple with one income and two kids in the U.S. is 12 times as high as the tax rate on the same family in Canada.
No, that's not a typo.
It's among new data from the OECD, which shows that the old belief Canadians are a higher-taxed people than Americans is no longer true. The numbers are all the more remarkable when considering how much more value for money Canadian wage earners get for their taxes than Americans — our universal health care system being one obvious example.
All of those other areas where technology is in play have free market characteristics with price transparency and limited government involvement...go figure, but yea, lets get government even more involved!
Healthcare costs are high because of insurance.
Insurance companies being involved removes a big part of the "free market"
People don't care how much something costs when someone else is paying.
But if you did away with insurance, people would demand lower costs and competition would increase..
I agree. As I have written before (some years ago), when I first obtained my law license I applied for a job with a large health insurance company with an office in Fort Worth. At the interview I was told that my job would be to examine policies in which the insured had filed a claim, to see if the policy could be terminated for reasons including pre-existing conditions.
For those that have never purchased health insurance, an applicant would often have to undergo a physical examination by a doctor retained by the insurance company. You were given a very long, very detailed form to complete, in which you were to list all health problems (save for common colds, sore throats and the like), you have ever experience. Based on the physician's examination and your report, the insurance company would determine your rate, if accepted.
Obviously, people would hedge on their past health problems (much easier prior to the age of computers and electronic filings). The healthier you were, the better your rate. However, if you subsequently had, say, a heart attack, and the insurance company discovered that 25 years prior to that you were briefly treated for high blood pressure, then the policy would be considered void.
Another example you ask? Sure. Say you deny having a history of cancer. You then develop lung cancer. An investigation reveals that some years ago you had benign skin cancer (basal), that was easily treated, and which you did not think warranted reporting on that form you completed. Yet, that would be enough to cancel your policy. You would be left having to pay for your own cancer of the lung treatment. Don't have the money? Sorry.
I declined the job. After a period of private practice (family law), I started working for Social Security in 1988 for the disability department, writing decisions for the administrative law judges.
I recall one case a few years ago. The claimant, a woman in her 40s, had filed for disability citing complications due to diabetes (which I also have). She had been denied at the state level, and so filed to my Federal level.
However, when she appeared at the hearing, she told the judge that the prior year she had signed up for a subsidized insurance policy under Obamacare. She was able to begin regular treatment by one doctor, instead of her occasional visits to the emergency room when her condition was acute.
This woman told the judge that she had improved so much, that she was able to get a job. She was asking for a closed period of disability, covering that period between her alleged onset date and some few months after she began regular treatment. She had literally improved that much with supervised care.
The average disability recipient gets some $300,000.00 in benefits, not counting their Medicare coverage during that period. This woman I speak of? With Obamacare, she was paying $5.00 per month, and she no longer needed emergency care (a savings for us that pay property taxes here in Fort Worth), and she was gainfully employed (she began paying income tax). She did not get her closed period, but I doubt she cared. She was regaining her health, was gainfully employed, and we the people were not on the hook for some $300,000.
This is what the free unregulated market looks like, those who believe that competing companies will lower the cost of health care are dreaming.
Here is the problem...Some doctors are charging both government and patients privately in illegal double-dipping practice. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...ticle35260558/ Bear in mind that each province runs it's own health care, and no two are exactly alike. Re your edit...The US does not foot the bill for our defense....What gives you that crazy idea?
You don't think that the proximity of Canada to the United States, the most powerful country in the world, means that Canada doesn't reap fringe benefits defense wise?
Really?
If Russia launched a nuke at Montreal, what country would be shooting it down?
If Quebec was invaded, who do you think would come to your rescue?
You don't think that the proximity of Canada to the United States, the most powerful country in the world, means that Canada doesn't reap fringe benefits defense wise?
Really?
If Russia launched a nuke at Montreal, what country would be shooting it down?
If Quebec was invaded, who do you think would come to your rescue?
The French Foreign Legion?
Lolz.
Russia owns our current president. Why do they have to attack Canada?
Do you have millions of illegals immigrants crashing your borders?
No, but we have lots of legal immigrants....21.9% of people in Canada are immigrants.
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