National Healthcare for the USA

by sammielee24 348 Replies latest jw friends

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  Bstndance

  My proposal would be for an expansion of medicare (left under state control) so that it would cover the gap for those who can't afford private insurance but don't qualify for medicare as well as those who can not attain insurance because of existing conditions.

  I'm going to be the "Ann Coulter" on this topic for saying: I personally would not want a nationalized system because being a single personI am already paying more than my share of taxes to provide services that I don't use. My heart doesn't really go out to the people with three kids that can't decide whether to eat or pay for health insurance. Perhaps they should have thought about that before they had three kids. It's all about lifestyle choices. Many people in the western world spend a lot of money on luxuries and call them necessities. So someone who can't afford health insurance for their kids probably has cable TV, a cell phone, and orders take away food a few times a month. Those little things add up.

  Maybe Bush's dumb abstinence only sex-education courses should include a lesson on how much having just one child will cost you.
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  LittleToe

  Perhaps they should have thought about that before they had three kids... ...Maybe Bush's dumb abstinence only sex-education courses should include a lesson on how much having just one child will cost you.

  Sounds a bit black and white! Accidents still happen...
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  littlerockguy

  I'm going to be the "Ann Coulter" on this topic for saying: I personally would not want a nationalized system because being a single personI am already paying more than my share of taxes to provide services that I don't use. My heart doesn't really go out to the people with three kids that can't decide whether to eat or pay for health insurance. Perhaps they should have thought about that before they had three kids. It's all about lifestyle choices. Many people in the western world spend a lot of money on luxuries and call them necessities. So someone who can't afford health insurance for their kids probably has cable TV, a cell phone, and orders take away food a few times a month. Those little things add up.

  I agree. And as far as accidents goes, the ones involved in creating those accidents should take on personal responsibility instead of relying ultimately on others to subsidize them.
• 

  SixofNine

  I personally would not want a nationalized system because being a single personI am already paying more than my share of taxes to provide services that I don't use.

  Er, ok, but wouldn't you like to see everyone (including and especially those three children you mentioned) have quality healthcare?
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  damselfly

  <<I also (like all women aged 25-65) have a regular cervical smear test every three years to check for abnormal pre-cancerous cells>>
  
  <<OK is it just me or......this test is recommended every YEAR....is this the type of testing schedule you get under nationalised healthcare?>>
  
  In Canada you will recieve any and all tests/exams/services, that your health care provider asks for. The recommended schedule for a pap is one a year but they will cover more then one if deemed needed.
  
  
  
  
• 

  LDH

  How expensive are Planned Parenthood health services?

  All Planned Parenthood centers are committed to providing services at the lowest possible cost and to ensuring that financial concerns are not a barrier to necessary health care. Each health center establishes its own fee structure, based on the many different factors that affect costs in specific communities. Many of our centers offer services on a sliding scale.

  Planned Parenthood health centers accept private insurance, provide care to Medicaid recipients, and participate in local managed health care programs.

  What health services do Planned Parenthood health centers offer?

  Each Planned Parenthood affiliate is a unique, locally governed health service organization that reflects the diverse needs of its community. Planned Parenthood health centers offer a wide range of services that may include
  

  • family planning counseling and birth control
  • pregnancy testing and counseling
  • gynecological care, Pap tests, breast exams
  • emergency contraception
  • HIV testing and counseling
  • medically accurate sexuality education
  • screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
  • infertility screening and counseling
  • voluntary sterilization for women and men
  • reproductive medical exams for men
  • safer sex counseling
  • midlife services
  • abortions or abortion referrals
  • prenatal care
  • adoption referrals
  • primary care
  • referrals for specialized care

  Compassionate care, affordable cost

  Committed professionals manage Planned Parenthood health centers. Caring physicians, nurse practitioners, and other staff take time to talk with clients, encouraging them to ask questions and discuss their feelings in a confidential setting.

  Each year, Planned Parenthood affiliated health centers nationwide provide high quality, affordable reproductive health care and sexual health information to nearly five million women, men, and teens. Planned Parenthood welcomes everyone — regardless of race, age, sexuality, disability, or income. In fact, one in four women has visited Planned Parenthood at least once. When clients walk through our doors, they find a dynamic community resource that offers a wide range of medical and counseling services, sexual health education and information, and reproductive rights advocacy programs.

  For medical questions, or to schedule an appointment with the nearest Planned Parenthood health center, call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN
  or 1-800-230-7526.

  Planned Parenthood affiliate health centers provide culturally competent, high-quality, affordable health care to millions of diverse women, men, and teens every year. Planned Parenthood welcomes everyone — regardless of race, age, disability, sexual orientation, or income.

  http://www.plannedparenthood.com/pp2/portal/healthservices/

  PLEASE tell me again WHO it is that can't afford services? I've used PP when I didn't have health insurance for a time during 1997-1998 when I was moving and between jobs. All of my services including birth controll cost less than $100.

  Lisa
• 

  sammielee24

  How expensive are Planned Parenthood health services?

  Well, lets see...if you happen to live near one - maybe you could get by for a few hundred bucks. For the rest of the people I guess it means that they have to use their doctor for those same services - but wait! - if they don't have health insurance I guess they're still out of luck!!! But wait again - lets call all those people fools because they dared to live in area's not supported by these services. Now - at least with universal health care anyone can go to their local clinic, doctor or hospital and get these services. By the way - I put in my zip for the nearest center and it's at least a hundred miles away.....there's a doctor just down the road and 2 hospitals. - universal healthcare provides the services for everyone regardless of location and finances. swife.
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  plmkrzy

  With my HMO, I need to schedule an accident ahead of time in order to see a local doctor.
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  sammielee24

  These are the costs from a prenatal centre for family planning for low income people. The poverty line used for assistance is high enough that a fair number of people will be exempt thus the statement that you may get a discount - not that you will. This only covers the initial care. You will also note that you should show up with cash to pay your bill and if you do have some health insurance, call ahead and make sure they take yours. There will still be people who cannot afford all of the prenatal care required to ensure the birth of a healthy baby - imagine having to go through all of this before you can even access any care and wonder why people are turned off before they start - it's overwhelming. National healthcare provides prenatal care to every woman regardless of her income, age, culture, location which is part of the reason why the infant mortality rates in all other industrialized countries is lower than the USA.

  • Collecting money for clinic services is important to keeping our clinic running.
  • We ask that you pay all or part of your bill at each clininc visit.
  • Donation are always accepted.

  Insurance:

  • We do bill some insurance plans.
  • We accept Medicaid, but not NevadaCare or Hospital Health plan.

  Cost of Services:

  • Our services are for individuals that don't have a lot of money.
  • We provide quality care while keeping the cost for services low.
  • Our trained nurses and Advanced Practitioners of Nursing provide services that are less expensive than physician services.
  • We buy our medications and birth control in bulk so that they are less expensive. As an example, birth control pills range in price from $1 to $14 per month (depending on the brand). Even at $14 per month, the cost is less than what you would pay at the pharmacy.

  Fees by Age:

  • 17 Years of Age or Younger:
    • The cost of of your visit to the clinic is based on your income.
    • If you are working full-time there will be a fee for your visit; however, you can make payments (you don't have to pay it in full the day of your visit).
    • If you are not working, or are working part-time, in most cases you won't receive a bill.
    • Fees and donations help us to keep our clinic running.
  • 18 - 19 Years of Age:
    • The cost of the visit is based on your household income (or the amount of money earned by everyone in your household). Depending on your household income you may receive a discount in fees.
    • If someone is supporting you (family, boyfriend, husband or wife) we ask for household income and proof of that income (paycheck stubs, W-2 form, Income Tax Returns or verification letters).
    • The average cost of a new visit is $60 and $50 for an annual exam.
    • Fees and donations help us to keep our clinic running.
  • 20 Years of Age and Older:
    • The cost of your visit to the clinic is based on your household income. In other words, depending on your income you may receive a discount in fees.
    • If someone is supporting you (family, boyfriend, husband or wife) we ask for household income and proof of that income (paycheck stubs, W-2 form, Income Tax Returns or verification letters and WMC referrals).
    • The average cost of a new visit is $60 and $50 for an annual exam.
    • Fees and donations help us to keep our clinic running.
• 

  sammielee24

  This is the average cost for the cervical cancer shots...the ones that everyone with national healthcare would get. If you are included in the 45 million who fall between the cracks and are underinsured (which are about 53% of the population last report) you will likely pay for all of the shots as well as the doctors exam. Even if you have insurance, yours might not pay for it regardless plus if you haven't used up your deductible - cough up the cash and suck it up..

  >>>More than 9,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and more than 3000 will die from it. We hope that this vaccine greatly reduces the incidence of cervical cancer, but it probably will not eradicate the disease. Because the vaccine does not immunize women against all types of HPV, women who get the vaccine can still develop cervical cancer, but their risk of doing so will be greatly reduced.
  
  Who should get this vaccine?
  The Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended this vaccine for 11 to 12 year old girls. The vaccine would probably be administered during their regular pre-adolescent physical. <if you have insurance>Girls at this age most benefit from the vaccine because they usually have not been exposed to HPV through sexual contact. Health care professionals may also offer the vaccine to girls and as young as age 9 and young women as old as age 26.
  
  How much does the vaccine cost? Will my insurance cover it?
  The vaccine will be administered in a series of three shots over six months. Merck is charging $120 per dose, which totals $360 for the total treatment. Actual costs at physician’s offices may vary. Most large group insurance plans will probably cover the vaccine, but coverage will vary from insurer to insurer. Federal health programs such as Vaccines for Children (VFC) cover this vaccine for the uninsured.