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what was wrong with the USA before 1965..what was so bad before medicare (?)
For the old, yes.
One way to answer the question is to look at what happens to older Americans that retire before Medicare kicks in. This article gives you a good idea: Before Medicare, Sticker Shock and Rejection
Quote:
Originally Posted by workingclasshero
hose two programs are so poorly run, there is no reason to keep them
Since 1970, Medicare costs rose an average 8.8% while insurance premiums rose 9.9%. If premiums were held down to Medicare’s rate, premiums would be 1/3 lower today.
India: 1/4 of what it cost here. OK, what do they pay as minumum wage in India?
Doctors and hospitals do not work on minimum wages in India. Medicine, the same brands as sold here, don't make people go bankrupt either. The system is largely socialized for the masses with the affluent able to buy health insurance for emergencies.
And the costs are a LOT less than just a quarter. I was in India for a week, visiting a hospital and spent some time with doctors and patients (mainly in the cardiac ward) of a private hospital in South India. The cost of a by-pass surgery, including dozen or so tests and two weeks of recovery in a private room was about $5K. I met a 90 year old reverend who was there for his regular check up following a non-surgery (risks overruled surgery when he was admitted for it at age 84) who was very happy about the services.
Quote:
Originally Posted by workingclasshero
what was wrong with the USA before 1965..what was so bad before medicare/caid
A third of America's elderly lived in poverty (now down to about 8%), and I'm pretty sure very few would have qualified for health insurance, much less be able to pay for it, considering the current times.
If so, that's their choice, they can choose to pay out of pocket and not take advantage of Medicare. But don't impose their choice as the choice for the rest of us. Medicare isn't a hand-out. I paid my entire working life for it. That's why I'm entitled to that entitlement.
No private insurer will cover this. Its a quiet fact that they will not. I notice sol1 has not returned to the board. He must be out selling AFLAC policies.
Doctors and hospitals do not work on minimum wages in India. Medicine, the same brands as sold here, don't make people go bankrupt either. The system is largely socialized for the masses with the affluent able to buy health insurance for emergencies.
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You missed my point. Wages in India, even for the highly skilled nurses and other personnel are very low. If they were paid as much as our staffs, the cost of surgery would be much higher.
I did the payroll at a medium sized hospital, years ago when the minimum wage was less than two dollars an hour. Hospitals were given years to catch up with the rest of the US. Every time we put another 25 cents per hour in the employees pay check, the cost for the entire payroll went up close to 25,000 dollars. Everything, including the price of the operating room, had to go up.
Hospitals have to employ a lot of people just to keep it functioning. It would blow your mind! Add the unimportant jobs like raking the leaves from the grounds and picking up the trash in the parking lot, The hospital employed about 4 people for every bed. It's a lot more now. They even have a large department that does nothing but keep the computers and other specialized electronic equipment working.
Do we need all those people? I don't know, but salaries are the main difference to contribute to the cost.
It is called BUYING INSURANCE while you are still healthy and the premiums are relatively low. If not, then you sell you home and any other possessions before running to the taxpayers.
"Relatively" is relative....and why would you think premiums would STAY low...especially in comparison to what you get ...??????? They HAVEN'T...
"sell your home and any other possesions" to pay medical bills??.....sounds like a Great country to live in...and all those people losing their homes and then living on the streets starving to death....or living off the government because they're now old and homeless...sure helps the economy of the whole country...
Especially a country where some idiots think Dr. K was wrong....instead of being able to end your misery, SOME want to prolong it so you can get deeper in debt because the medical field and drug companies need to make money off your LIVE back.....
It is called BUYING INSURANCE while you are still healthy and the premiums are relatively low. If not, then you sell you home and any other possessions before running to the taxpayers.
That's how whole life insurance works -- one pays one constant premium regardless of age. That is not how health insurance works. The prices rise with age until they are so expensive that the senior drops the coverage (to the delight of the insurance company that doesn't want to insure senior's deteriorating health.)
What happens to those that don't have a house to sell? Prior to old age medical care, a senior sold their house to afford a few years in a nursing home. What happens to those that never owned a home but were nevertheless productive members of society? I know already, you expect them to die.
I find it ironic that conservatives tout Christian values but their policies show the opposite. Instead of being sympathetic to those in need and wanting to help them, their vision is, 'if you can't afford it, don't come looking at me to help you.' It's an exceptionally selfish way of handling social problems.
What happens if that elderly person dies owning a huge hospital bill? Who pays it?
1. If they have assets, the amount is taken from The Estate. The heirs get less, instead of the general public paying by way of insurance premiums or medicare.
2. If they DON"T have any assets, the amount is written off.
3. If they have insurance, insurance pays, and the balance is either written off or collected from the estate( if any)
In other words, if you have very little as assets, why do without in order to pay insurance? You may not need it, and you won't have to worry about the balance when you pass on.
And Yes, we do expect the elderly to die. It's only a matter of time. Everyone, insured or not, dies.
I do not understand the mindset of those that insist on prolonging life for the elderly.
Is it really HELPING them, or is it a way to keep from feeling guilty?
What happens if that elderly person dies owning a huge hospital bill? Who pays it?
1. If they have assets, the amount is taken from The Estate. The heirs get less, instead of the general public paying by way of insurance premiums or medicare.
2. If they DON"T have any assets, the amount is written off.
3. If they have insurance, insurance pays, and the balance is either written off or collected from the estate( if any)
In other words, if you have very little as assets, why do without in order to pay insurance? You may not need it, and you won't have to worry about the balance when you pass on.
And Yes, we do expect the elderly to die. It's only a matter of time. Everyone, insured or not, dies.
I do not understand the mindset of those that insist on prolonging life for the elderly.
Is it really HELPING them, or is it a way to keep from feeling guilty?
So, when the bill is "written off" nobody absorbs those costs? No, it's built into overhead that ends up adding to other people's insurance premiums.
No....the amount is not added to other's insurance premiums. It's accounted for in the charges for ALL patients. And a lot of people PAY for their bills out of their own pockets.
I agree that it would be nice if everyone paid their fair share. What I am trying to point out is that if insurance premiums are a burden, then do without the insurance.
Would the insurance companies make so much money if people stopped buying insurance that they probably won't need? Would the shareholders get such nice dividends?
Insurance is a good thing......if you can easily afford it. If you can't, think about making arrangements to pay monthly, like you do for a car or house.
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If not, then you sell you home and any other possessions before running to the taxpayers.
