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Again, why are so many people not "fat and happy?" Sure, there are lots of reasons, and yes there are those who never get ahead. But guess what? Many times.....if not most of the time.....its due to their own bad life decisions. At what point do we as American's draw the line on subsidizing a nation of bad decisions?
I'll be more than happy to expound on the plethora of data that points to horrific life decisions if you want.....although i'm sure you're quite aware of what i'm talking about. Anyone with eyes wide open knows that America has a cultural problem (ie. living beyond our means....having kids we can't afford.....not finishing high school.....crime rates.....etc.) It's time to stop subsidizing this problem and force certain measures of personal responsibility on people by rescinding the safety nets that enabled them to live these lifestyles to begin with.
What about the ones that didn't do any of the things you harp about. The system just dumped on them? Do you have any great ideas for them?
Well, I'd say a big problem over the years we're our public employees were all getting the Cadillac health care plan where they didn't have to pay anything at all....which their doctors of course knew, allowing them to charge for pretty much everything they wanted at the expense of everyone else.
You are absolutely right. This is the kind of thing that has driven up the cost of health care procedures. The cost doesn't matter to a patient that has the insurance to cover it, and this allows doctors to charge more. It is the only business I know of where their is no price competition. Prices would have to come down if there were. It would help if people didn't consider good health care to mean that it all has to be 100 percent covered by insurance and free. It isn't worth nothing, why should you expect to pay nothing? Clearly the system we have is messed up, but something like Obama care is just an attempt at a quick fix that won't work. It didn't happen over night and unfortunately there is no quick fix for it.
YOU need to spend more money on health care and less on military....and all will be fine....no person in your nation should have to worry about living or dying due to the amount of money they have...No old lady should lose her home if she gets sick...and have the inheritance due her children stolen...no public health care helps to destroy the middle class...How is a son or daughter going to establish themselves with a home of their own if the private insurance companies and the greedy doctors steal the money?
No one is due an inheritance. Why do so many young people think their parents money is their own? It isn't your parents job to provide the money for you to establish yourself.
You are absolutely right. This is the kind of thing that has driven up the cost of health care procedures. The cost doesn't matter to a patient that has the insurance to cover it, and this allows doctors to charge more. It is the only business I know of where their is no price competition. Prices would have to come down if there were. It would help if people didn't consider good health care to mean that it all has to be 100 percent covered by insurance and free. It isn't worth nothing, why should you expect to pay nothing? Clearly the system we have is messed up, but something like Obama care is just an attempt at a quick fix that won't work. It didn't happen over night and unfortunately there is no quick fix for it.
I tend to think you're over-estimating the amount of "overcharging" that occurs. Doctors usually have to abide by fee schedules, which govern reimbursement rates. He/she can charge all she wants for a procedure, but the reimibursement will usually be limited to the amount insurer will pay. At that point, it becomes a little less important to charge absorbitant prices for procedures if the insured can't pay the amount that is above and beyond the reimbursed portion.
Are you referring to those who simply had bad luck in a down economy?
No, it shows how vulnerable a system like ours is. The higher the costs climb each year, even a mild recession can throw 10s of thousands down the tubes. Which is exactly what is going on now.
Then the question becomes....."Why are so many American's living on such thin margins?"
Aren't you one of those who remind us that we live in the most prosperous country in the world? So what gives?
When the wealth is concentrated on the top 1% this can be a prosperous Country but it is on the backs of the poorer Americans............ Maybe it is something heredetary here that there HAS to be a poor class so that the that the fat cats can prosper......... who knows but i do know that America has one of the absolute worst health systems in the World and the elitists will not give it up without a fight........... they are happy watching millions suffer..........
There are 15% of the US population that are currently uninsured. But probably less than 5% of that population is what we would call "un insurable". I think that's where we need to focus our attention on. Any younger adults under age 40 who's relatively healthy even with a family should be able to afford their own health insurance. The 5% I mention (those with preexisiting conditions); we need to focus on that. As with all news that is released by the press in any country, the truth about the real uninsured population is much less than what's reported. Unfortunately many people choose not to go with health insurance because they feel like they don't need it. Almost any young adult (18-30) should be able to get insurance with high deducible ($2500 and up) for less than $100 a month, sometimes less than $70. Many of the uninsured population have different priorities (eating out, cable TV, smartphones, alcohol).
The study I posted about the voluntarily uninsured stated that about 43% of the UI are voluntary, based strictly on income (and it was a fairly low cut off). Most of the VUs are young, male, single and childless.
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.
Forget the luxuries. How much food would they have to give up?
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