Access to Medical Care (quiet, tractor, good, light)
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People often forget that access to a hospital (getting there and paying for it) is a crucial component of sustain(able) living.
For routine issues most can be managed where you live however if you break a bone, are bleeding, have a serious infection or need surgery you have to go to a doctor/hospital and pay for it.
Agreed. I think those with chronic health problems/diseases really need to live where they are readily accessible to major medical facilities and if they are insulin/O2 or dialysis dependent (with home unit) they need to have redundant energy systems for their homes to keep them alive (electricity)!
For those who are basically healthy I think a good background in first aid/EMS is always helpful as well as having a good first aid kit to cover everything from the basic scratch or minor burn to the compound fracture....and know how to use it (a.k.a. practice on your spouse or children)! Everyone in the family should have some degree of first aid training, everyone.
People often forget that access to a hospital (getting there and paying for it) is a crucial component of sustain(able) living.
For routine issues most can be managed where you live however if you break a bone, are bleeding, have a serious infection or need surgery you have to go to a doctor/hospital and pay for it.
Think in advance how to do it, not after.
SO how much should one save to be prepared and be able to pay for catastrophic medical? heat attack can cost over $100K...most emergency room visits probably average $10K - $30K...
Why not fight to cut te cost of major medical like they have cut education? Let's make medicine affordable for folks and not have people spending their life savings just to see a doctor..
SO how much should one save to be prepared and be able to pay for catastrophic medical? heat attack can cost over $100K...most emergency room visits probably average $10K - $30K...
Why not fight to cut te cost of major medical like they have cut education? Let's make medicine affordable for folks and not have people spending their life savings just to see a doctor..
Catastrophic medical insurance coverage is not expensive compared to the numbers you posted. Mine has gone up over $25/mo. this year alone thanks to Obamacare. But it is still well under $200./month and would keep my savings from being wiped out by an accident or major illness. Same goes for long term health & disability insurance. (Of course I lose my catastrophic coverage if Obamacare passes the Constitutionality test so it isn't about "lowering costs" at all.)
Advanced planning (insurance), prevention, and routine health monitoring/maintenance go a long way to keeping healthcare costs down.
Catastrophic medical insurance coverage is not expensive compared to the numbers you posted. Mine has gone up over $25/mo. this year alone thanks to Obamacare. But it is still well under $200./month and would keep my savings from being wiped out by an accident or major illness. Same goes for long term health & disability insurance. (Of course I lose my catastrophic coverage if Obamacare passes the Constitutionality test so it isn't about "lowering costs" at all.)
Advanced planning (insurance), prevention, and routine health monitoring/maintenance go a long way to keeping healthcare costs down.
Do you have private medical insurance? How old are you.
200 per month for a 10K deductible sounds pretty inexpensive
We live in a society obsessed with the doctor. What if... what if... what if...
If you are alive, you are a gambler. Each of us have a choice to make as to how we want to approach that gamble. It should be a personal choice, and after making that choice, we should be responsible for the results of that choice regardless of the outcome.
Here is my choice:
I've had medical insurance off and on over the years (forced on me by employers). One of the jobs I have now provides medical insurance, although I have no idea about the details. I've never used any sort of insurance at any time in my life. I simply do not believe in the concept of insurance (on myself). Of course, I've rarely seen the inside of a doctor's office since my childhood, either--maybe 4 or 5 times in the past 30 years. Honestly, I've very little faith in modern medicine--I'm more like one of those "natural healing/medicine" weirdos. Yes, I've been lucky. I'll admit that. When will my luck run out? Don't know. But that's the way I play my hand. When it does run out, I die. We all will face it sooner or later. Sure, if I break a bone or slice myself open, I will go to a doctor. Beyond that, no. I remember a time when healthy people (of course for someone who is chronically ill, it's different) didn't gage where they lived by how many blocks their home was from a hospital. Just as in many other regards, I'm old fashioned. I've never even considered that when choosing where to live.
Note: I'm talking from the perspective of a healthy person. As I said, a chronically ill person is going to make a different choice. Problem is, I see most people acting as if they are terminally ill throughout their lives. You can only cheat death for so long. I'd rather live my life free of that fear until the ebbing tide really does come for me. Yeah, I know I'm completely devoid of the "modern" attitude toward medical care and insurance. Oh well.
We live in a society obsessed with the doctor. What if... what if... what if...
Honestly, I've very little faith in modern medicine--I'm more like one of those "natural healing/medicine" weirdos. Yes, I've been lucky. I'll admit that. When will my luck run out? Don't know. But that's the way I play my hand. When it does run out, I die. We all will face it sooner or later. Sure, if I break a bone or slice myself open, I will go to a doctor. Beyond that, no. I remember a time Yeah, I know I'm completely devoid of the "modern" attitude toward medical care and insurance. Oh well.
This doesn't sound "weird" to me at all, and I make my living in the medical field. What I see every day is a flat refusal by many Americans to take a little personal responsibility for their own health. If people would eat well, exercise, not smoke cigarettes, and generally show the same appreciation for their bodies that they show for their cars and homes, they'd require a lot less "insurance" and medical care.
Insurance is basically pre-paid healthcare that one may or may not ever use. Every day I see people who have no insurance and will likely never pay for their emergency room visit. Often people can negotiate with a hospital/ physician/ provider for care - dealing with insurance companies is a PITA.
I'm also amazed at the number of people my age (39) who take multiple medications and come to the ER for every ache and pain. I literally know some of the patients by first name. Of course, the media persuades us that we need a pill for whatever we might feel, and pharma is happy to oblige by producing new products for our new ailments.
May be a bit off-topic, but routine healthcare is something we all do for ourselves. We don't really need insurance for it.
We live in a society obsessed with the doctor. What if... what if... what if...
If you are alive, you are a gambler. Each of us have a choice to make as to how we want to approach that gamble. It should be a personal choice, and after making that choice, we should be responsible for the results of that choice regardless of the outcome.
Here is my choice:
I've had medical insurance off and on over the years (forced on me by employers). One of the jobs I have now provides medical insurance, although I have no idea about the details. I've never used any sort of insurance at any time in my life. I simply do not believe in the concept of insurance (on myself). Of course, I've rarely seen the inside of a doctor's office since my childhood, either--maybe 4 or 5 times in the past 30 years. Honestly, I've very little faith in modern medicine--I'm more like one of those "natural healing/medicine" weirdos. Yes, I've been lucky. I'll admit that. When will my luck run out? Don't know. But that's the way I play my hand. When it does run out, I die. We all will face it sooner or later. Sure, if I break a bone or slice myself open, I will go to a doctor. Beyond that, no. I remember a time when healthy people (of course for someone who is chronically ill, it's different) didn't gage where they lived by how many blocks their home was from a hospital. Just as in many other regards, I'm old fashioned. I've never even considered that when choosing where to live.
Note: I'm talking from the perspective of a healthy person. As I said, a chronically ill person is going to make a different choice. Problem is, I see most people acting as if they are terminally ill throughout their lives. You can only cheat death for so long. I'd rather live my life free of that fear until the ebbing tide really does come for me. Yeah, I know I'm completely devoid of the "modern" attitude toward medical care and insurance. Oh well.
It is all a matter of choices I guess. I believe in affordable health for all and I believe that to be far more important to have health care than have a gun next to me or near me at all times. I have never once needed a gun, but, I have needed health care.
If the world ever goes to crap doctors and medics and nurses will be worth a LOT more than they are now- what happens if some catastrophic event happens and suddenly the doctor is charging $500 for a visit, just for the sniffles, than what they cost now (which is expensive, yeah..)
Part of the reason why I want to do EMS as a profession, and take it up to Paramedic cert.- it'd be nice to know a bit about it myself so that way I know if it's just the cold, flu, or something slightly (gravely, even) more serious.
It is all a matter of choices I guess. I believe in affordable health for all and I believe that to be far more important to have health care than have a gun next to me or near me at all times. I have never once needed a gun, but, I have needed health care.
Ok, now I'm with you on this. Affordable health care for all. I'm completely disgusted with the state of the health care system today, but I still go to work every day because I have skills that can help people. We have to remember that money is just a symbol, a powerful symbol yes but just a means of exchange. It doesn't define us or quantify our worth as human beings. People who for so many reasons don't have access to insurance still deserve health care. I was speaking to a disaster-preparedness mindset.
I'd like to think that if I really needed a hole in my roof fixed but didn't have the money, I could find a contractor who needed my care and we could barter for it. I'd like to think it, but I'm also realistic. More likely is the roofer (or other tradesman who finds it difficult to get insurance) comes to me requiring help and could offer his services in return. Many laws, mostly tied up with Medicare (can't charge anyone less than what Medicare pays) would prevent this). The hospitals I contract with will still go after him. In my private practice ... well, meticulous record keeping via electronic health records is now the law as well. Has been since Bush by the way, just implementing it now.
Sidenote: I worked the day of the expected "rapture". Was pretty quiet until about 7PM when the rigs started rolling in with people who spent the day getting drunk, few MVCs that were ETOH-related, etc. One overdose that was definitely rapture-inspired.
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