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first not everyone gets proper and/or any medical care at all, and second little problem with your statistics this is only for people who have medicare what about the ones who cant afford it? i bet if you add them in it will change your statistics completely.
Exactly the point - the government spends 1/4 of the national budget on those qualified for medicaid and medicare (some go into other socialized medical programs, but that's the bulk)
How can the government afford medical insurance for the rest?
Some people just forego medical care if they can't afford it, some go to the emergency room for everything from a hangnail on up even if they don't have a penny to their name. If they can't afford it, they don't pay, they aren't refused service. It goes into the collection routine, probably ends up getting written off, and banks and governments pass it on to the rest of us.
Complete socialized medical care won't change that equation that much, except that cost for the rest of us will go up and services will go down.
No, no. Most insurance plans, mine for instance, has an "out of pocket maximum". Maybe after $1,500, have to look it up. After that the insurance pays for everything - 100%.
I used to have an HMO, no copays, no deductable. That was nice but then you are kind of forced into the HMO medical center, which wasn't really that bad.
If you loose your job you are covered under COBRA for a period of time, which basically means you are paying full insurance under your old company plan.
I find that hard to believe. You mean if you have $100,000 in accumulated medical care you only pay $1,500? I think you better go over that policy again. That's not happening. The insurance companies are a business. As much as you would like to think you're fully covered they're not going to let get away with something like that. There's always an out for them.
Exactly the point - the government spends 1/4 of the national budget on those qualified for medicaid and medicare (some go into other socialized medical programs, but that's the bulk)
How can the government afford medical insurance for the rest?
Some people just forego medical care if they can't afford it, some go to the emergency room for everything from a hangnail on up even if they don't have a penny to their name. If they can't afford it, they don't pay, they aren't refused service. It goes into the collection routine, probably ends up getting written off, and banks and governments pass it on to the rest of us.
Complete socialized medical care won't change that equation that much, except that cost for the rest of us will go up and services will go down.
This is totally untrue...As the chart below reveals, the cost gap between the United States and Canada has only widened since 1993, and per capita health care expenditures in the United States are now almost double those in Canada ($6,401 vs. $3,359). Canada's per capita health expenditures rose about 65% from 1993 to 2005, while costs in the United States rose by over 90%.
Yet infant mortality in the United States is higher and life expectancy at birth is less than in Canada. It is also noteworthy that despite Canada's much lower expenditures on health care, Canadians consult with physicians far more often than do Americans. The average number of physician consultations per capita was 6.0 in Canada, versus 3.8 in the United States.
This is totally untrue...As the chart below reveals, the cost gap between the United States and Canada has only widened since 1993, and per capita health care expenditures in the United States are now almost double those in Canada ($6,401 vs. $3,359). Canada's per capita health expenditures rose about 65% from 1993 to 2005, while costs in the United States rose by over 90%.
Yet infant mortality in the United States is higher and life expectancy at birth is less than in Canada. It is also noteworthy that despite Canada's much lower expenditures on health care, Canadians consult with physicians far more often than do Americans. The average number of physician consultations per capita was 6.0 in Canada, versus 3.8 in the United States.
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And that's the fallacy trap that people will fall into - comparing a smaller homogenious county in Europe or Canada to a higher populated, culturally and ethnically diverse, and geographicall spread out country such as the U.S., with the decentralized political system of "states".
What works in Canada (or, sort of works), population 33 million, won't work the same in the U.S., with 10 times the population.
You've heard the term "comparing apples to oranges".
Again, I'm not against socialized medicine, but be prepared everyone, it won't be the miracle cure that everyone seems to think it is. It will benifit a few, at a cost to the many.
I find that hard to believe. You mean if you have $100,000 in accumulated medical care you only pay $1,500? I think you better go over that policy again. That's not happening. The insurance companies are a business. As much as you would like to think you're fully covered they're not going to let get away with something like that. There's always an out for them.
Yes that's exactly how it work for most insurance policies. Which makes sense as most insurance is to "insure" against catostrophic disasters (i.e. - home insurance, car insurance, etc). I don't understand your failure to understand. Insurance companies hedge and have all these risk tables to account for this, of course I pay $1,500 a year for insurance or so, I don't have medical expensese to meet that, but the difference "hedges" the insurance companies risk that it may occur to me.
I think what you may be confusing is some insuracne companies refusing certain services if they don't agree with it, certain treatements. I'm sure that occurs, but it's probably overpublicized and exaggerated as the news tends to do.
When was the last time you went to the emergency room?
You missed alot more than a post I would say:
The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd, EMTALA) is a United States Act of Congress passed in 1986 as part of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. It requires hospitals and ambulance services to provide care to anyone needing emergency treatment regardless of citizenship, legal status or ability to pay. There are no reimbursement provisions. As a result of the act, patients needing emergency treatment can be discharged only under their own informed consent or when their condition requires transfer to a hospital better equipped to administer the treatment.
My GOD people, learn a little bit about the topic at hand before you respond - basic insurance mechanics, EMTALA act!!!!! Geez, I'm going back to the politics forum to find people with a clue!
And that's the fallacy trap that people will fall into - comparing a smaller homogenious county in Europe or Canada to a higher populated, culturally and ethnically diverse, and geographicall spread out country such as the U.S.
... except Canada's population is no more or no less homogenious than that of the USA. Small backwater towns in both countries are homogenious, and large cities in both are very culturally/ethnically diverse.
... except Canada's population is no more or no less homogenious than that of the USA. Small backwater towns in both countries are homogenious, and large cities in both are very culturally/ethnically diverse.
Not only that Canada is larger in land mass than the US..The figures I quoted were per capita, so the larger population should be an advantage.
Having huge debt, low minimum wage, alot of crime and no healthcare are all the reasons why someone would want to move to America. These things are largely missing from alot of western countries.
Yet more people immigrate to the U.S. than any other country in the world.
BTW, the crime rate is higher in England than in the U.S.
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