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A big problem is those who want everything wrapped up into a single insurance plan that covers everything from birth control to psychiatric treatment. The more things that are covered in your plan, the more it's naturally going to cost. Imagine how much car insurance would cost if it also covered oil changes, tire rotations, tune-ups, washes, flushes, winterization, etc.
We need more options for basic plans that cover emergencies and serious health issues. If you need stitches or have the flu, pay for it out of pocket or get on a payment plan from your doctor if necessary.
I still think we need a 100% pay as you go system. If you can get some sort of insurance plan, go for it. I don;t think there should be any regulation of health insurance either, meaning requirements to provide this or that. Rates should also be unregulated, along with interstate availability.
Just like car insurance, life insurance, any other insurance, you either pick smart or you don't.
I'm in favor of doing away completely with the deductibility of premiums, whether you be self-employed, or a Fortune 500 company. No more. I wish all companies could do away with their insurance plans altogether. They serve to inflate the market, limit access to those not affiliated, and limit choice.
Game on once people start shopping for themselves.
Yep. We chose not to start a family for ALL OF THE ABOVE.
That's fine. But that's not a reality for most people. Nor is it a particularly desirable outcome. Without educated people with economic means having any children, then we have to import our children and future generations.
Usually, that means importing poverty. Which means costs go up for ALL of us, in the end.
We already are absorbing Mexico's underclass, and are raising their poor children. I suppose we have an almost infinite world of possibilities to draw future population growth from all around the world!
My disability insurance pays my SALARY if I cannot work so that I can pay my bills due to illness or accident. What do you consider the "average person"? I consider myself average. My wife and I have no kids and a combined income of less than $200K/yr. We don't travel or go out much. It is all about priorities.
Haha... your ceiling for what you qualify as average shows you're not average. I wouldn't be surprised if you & your wife's disposable income is more than many Americans' salary/wages.
It's easy to talk about priorities when you when you have enough disposable income that sacrificing going out a couple of times a month is enough to cover a private plan.
But what if you don't? What if you've got a kid and make $40k? I'd love to see all the luxuries someone like that has to give up to find an extra $700-1000/MONTH to pay for insurance.
A big problem is those who want everything wrapped up into a single insurance plan that covers everything from birth control to psychiatric treatment. The more things that are covered in your plan, the more it's naturally going to cost. Imagine how much car insurance would cost if it also covered oil changes, tire rotations, tune-ups, washes, flushes, winterization, etc.
We need more options for basic plans that cover emergencies and serious health issues. If you need stitches or have the flu, pay for it out of pocket or get on a payment plan from your doctor if necessary.
You know, I'm getting really tired of comparisons to car insurance. Health insurance has evolved, so to speak, from covering hospitalization only to covering other aspects of health care. But so what? There's not much point to paying $$$$$$$$$ for HI, and getting no benefit from it unless you land in the ICU. Adding in some of this outpatient stuff does not raise the price *that* much, either, especially if you figure your out of pocket expenses in a high-deductible plan.
Out patient care, and pharmacology has evolved as well over the years. No longer are prescriptions limited to antibiotics and a few of the old standbys for blood pressure, etc. Many illnesses are treated "in the community" meaning via doctor visits rather than hospitalization these days. Stuff that would have landed you in the hospital 40 years ago, and covered by insurance, will be often be treated as OP these days.
Maybe you should price out stitches. Generally, the flu does not require much treatment; some people go to the dr b/c they feel so awful, but there is not treatment other than TLC and sometimes, if you are high risk and are diagnosed in time, anti-virals.
There are plenty of ways to have a UHC system in America.
I favor a French-ish model. Private doctors and hospitals with universal Medicare.
Under such a model, if you want "extra" private insurance, then get it. Even in Europe there are private insurers for those that don't want to deal with the national system.
But, NOBODY in America should ever be in danger of losing their home because they get cancer... and we should never have situations where some profit motivated insurance adjuster (instead of a doctor) gets to dictate the level of care and treatments available to the patient.
Because UHC is free. They pay huge taxes on everything they buy in Europe, to fund government health care.
The problem is that Europe is not the US, we have different systems of government, different legal systems, different regulatory agencies, with different laws and regulations, and we have different approaches to taxes and a much larger and diverse population.
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