Describe "basic" -- we do provide basic ++++ healthcare to those without insurance coverage at government (usually referred to as county) hospitals. These government hospitals are everywhere throughout the US. The one in my city has the latest equipment and some of the cities/country's top surgeons/doctors work out of it. All government hospitals are operated off of taxes -- all paid for by the tax payer. Other than the normal problems of government run facilities like corruption/ineptness it's still going strong. When it closes down a particular wing like the oncology dept. the leading oncologists in the valley pick up the slack and provide care to all the patients without insurance coverage regardless as to whether they have insurance or not.
Canadians and Europeans, what do you think of your national health care ?
by RubaDub 46 Replies latest jw friends
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LV101
The last time I was at one of the valley's finest hospitals with a family member half of the emergency ward (and ER beds) were taken up with drug addicts/alcoholics that are homeless or without insurance. It was interesting to say the least. Couple of RNs told me they're regulars -- so they also get care and treatment in hospitals other than the gov't (county) hospital. I don't know if they choose to receive extensive care if they're transferred to the government (county) hospital or not. It's possible many are on Medicaid (no income/homeless, without assets) and receive medical no matter which hospital they enter because I also witnessed this at one of the new Catholic hospitals across town. -
iwantoutnow
Describe "basic" -- we do provide basic ++++ healthcare to those without insurance coverage at government (usually referred to as county) hospitals.
Going to the emergency room is not Basic healthcare - and also the MOST expensive way possible to treat people.
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DesirousOfChange
people who get a stupid-sticker always go to the back of the line
That is funny. Some with the stupid sticker would not be smart enough to know they had the sticker!
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LV101
Very expensive going to the ER but not for those without insurance on Medicare/Medicaid or homeless. Many people without assets all qualify for Medicaid in this country and receive the same insurance as those on Medicare. Medicaid is socialism - if you do some research the US is right behind the EURO countries (some Nordic ones) in socialism - rates about the same and we've had previous posts about this. Other terms for used in US - regardless it's provided and tax payers already pay for this.
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Anony Mous
Does anybody in the US actually go bankrupt over medical bills? I find that very hard to believe since insurance policies have a relatively low limit, even the worst plans have a maximum out-of-pocket cost of <$12,000 which is basically your average "disposable income" in the US.
And as pointed out before, if you're actually poor, you don't pay for medical care; Medicaid/Medicare accounts for ~70% of all hospital cases (but only 40% of hospital income).
Most actual research I've found concedes that people going bankrupt over medical expenses already maxed out or overspending habitually, basically they teeter on the brink of bankruptcy and then something bad happens and they blame 'medical bills' for the resulting bankruptcy. But they're not actually poor enough to be on Medicaid/Medicare.
But you have the same problem in Europe or Asia, except, you can't discharge your taxes to the government in bankruptcy.
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Simon
Most actual research I've found concedes that people going bankrupt over medical expenses already maxed out or overspending habitually, basically they teeter on the brink of bankruptcy and then something bad happens and they blame 'medical bills' for the resulting bankruptcy. But they're not actually poor enough to be on Medicaid/Medicare.
I can see that - many people do tend to be very close to the edge financially, living off credit and lacking any meaningful savings or emergency fund so the slightest issue can bring their house of cards down. Sometimes it may not be the bills directly but lack of earning while incapacitated means the credit tap is turned off.
There are extreme stories of people having massing bills though. A lot of that is down to the lack of transparency in pricing.
I was reading an article about the cost of certain treatments that are private, like Lasik eye surgery, where the price has plummeted. Hospital procedures though are a complete mystery - no one knows what they should cost or what is reasonable, so there's no competition to ensure value.
Are you even paying for the cost of your care or what they need to cover their general costs and waste?