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Same can be said for cell phones, cable TV, nice shoes, paying gasoline for gas guzzling suvs. Once people get rid of all the luxuries and they still can't afford health care, than we can start having the discussion what they can or cannot afford.
Just remember the USA's "poor" is a lot different than the Brazil's "poor". I've been to the ghetto in Brazil. Makes many of the the USA's slums look like luxury hotel resorts.
I don't have any of those things (except for a cell phone - but it is my only phone, I am required to keep a plan for work, and it is very cheap on a family plan) - nor do I have A/C, my own apartment (share with 2 roommates), none of my clothes fit because of chemo weight changes, and my shoes are all falling apart.
That doesn't mean I can somehow magically pay for my cancer treatment, even with insurance. I graduated from college debt free and 6 months later was in the hospital with stage IV cancer. Even if I had cable, that $50 extra a month wouldn't even pay for a week's worth of medications now, 2 years into remission.
Well, this thread is about HUMAN doctors and not animal doctors. So I'll keep my comments on that point.
As long as you communicate with the doctor and make an earnest attempt to pay, I don't know a doctor who will not work with you. I'm speaking from a position of a little knowledge as a number of my immediate family are in the medical profession.
I was using the reference of vets because if the medical cost is too high, often times it is easier to get another dog. What if the medical cost is too high and you can't pay upfront and that is the only option, then that person is more than likely going to die.
Our medical system and healthcare system is two key factors in extending human life.
Doctor visits are a minor cost in medical care. The big costs are hospital care, cancer treatment and operations.
The belief that we can do away with insurance and just pay out-of-pocket is unrealistic.
Well if we went back to the coverage we used to have, that covered things such as these, insurance would not have gotten as out of hand as it has become.
There are good ways to go about fixing it instead of a HUGE government program that will need continual funds, fixing, and tweaking as they all do.
Bankruptcy is simply you giving to county social services your last two pay stups and your tax returns so they can assist you with your medical bills. As someone who is going to die from cancer sooner rather than later I find it difficult to sympathize with you
Quote:
Originally Posted by charolastra00
I don't have any of those things (except for a cell phone - but it is my only phone, I am required to keep a plan for work, and it is very cheap on a family plan) - nor do I have A/C, my own apartment (share with 2 roommates), none of my clothes fit because of chemo weight changes, and my shoes are all falling apart.
That doesn't mean I can somehow magically pay for my cancer treatment, even with insurance. I graduated from college debt free and 6 months later was in the hospital with stage IV cancer. Even if I had cable, that $50 extra a month wouldn't even pay for a week's worth of medications now, 2 years into remission.
But I have long said that two things people are unwilling to pay for are health care and education.
In my state, there is no choice BUT to pay for [public] education through property tax dollars.
Gets a little crunchy when the PTB focus on "sports" as opposed to the education that is supposed to happen in the classrooms.
Being self employed, I pay for my own health care. No dental or vision. Funny how that dentist takes our cash and a $900 bill goes to $120-ish (after I sit with the billing chick). Vision - I pay out of pocket each and every time. No negotiating...but apparently the health insurance (Aetna) we DO have, they give a discount to.
Who knew?
You're in HC. How many times have you not gotten a freebie?
My SIL is a physician, dermatologist, she was amazed when her pediatrician didn't charge her a dime. Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
You don't run in to that as a nurse in the HC field?
In my state, there is no choice BUT to pay for [public] education through property tax dollars.
Gets a little crunchy when the PTB focus on "sports" as opposed to the education that is supposed to happen in the classrooms.
Being self employed, I pay for my own health care. No dental or vision. Funny how that dentist takes our cash and a $900 bill goes to $120-ish (after I sit with the billing chick). Vision - I pay out of pocket each and every time. No negotiating...but apparently the health insurance (Aetna) we DO have, they give a discount to.
Who knew?
You're in HC. How many times have you not gotten a freebie?
My SIL is a physician, dermatologist, she was amazed when her pediatrician didn't charge her a dime. Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
You don't run in to that as a nurse in the HC field?
I wasn't talking about K-12 education. It's the extra stuff that people tend to complain about, e.g. lab fees, music fees, etc. Lots of parents gladly pay extra for sports.
I haven't gotten many "freebies". I once worked at a hospital that gave a 50% discount at their group practice, but the HI there at the time did not cover dr. visits. At my present job, I had strep once and I got a throat culture at the office for free and one of the docs prescribed some antibiotics which I had to pay for. I probably got the strep AT the office, sticking my face down kids' throats all day, so that was a sort of "workmen's comp" type of thing. We get free flu shots, but that's to a) keep us from getting the flu and calling in sick and b) giving flu to our patients. Many companies, including the engineering firm my DH works for, give free flu shots. Even our doctor's kids get charged what the ins. will pay, though we don't charge them a co-pay. At our office, your sister wouldn't have been charged a co-pay, but her ins. would have been billed and we'd take whatever they pay.
Yes I"m sure you just have $800,000.00 laying around so that you can get a heart transplant anytime you want.
Its not about "someone else" paying our bills. Its about insurance helping to defer costs of medical services that only the rich can afford.
I think that is the point..........insurance for MAJOR problems, not for an office visit or treatment for minor problems.
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