How much do you pay for healthcare?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

I pay $252 monthly for healthcare for my family and this is not including vision, dental and the FSA. Everyone should have to pay less than this.

Everyone loses when for profit companies rule your life and care and put profit above all else. It couldn't get any worse if the government ran things and yes, I totally agree that the government should run healthcare.

Go to a profit driven hospital and then go to a government run hospital. You will see a huge difference. Government run: enough staffing, plenty of supplies and care. Profit driven: scrimp on staffing to the point of being unsafe, miserable workers and scrimp on supplies etc. I am a nurse and I see the difference.

Screw big business!

Medcaid and Medicare (GOVERNMENT) denies people much more than "big insurance" - Hate to break it to you.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

More people could "afford" health care, could afford insurance if necessary, if the system itself was lightened up a bit and procedures were relaxed a bit and you were given a choice on how you wanted something performed, or given a choice where your drugs came from and who they came from and were allowed to use certain ones that are blacklisted in the US.

Hell, even requiring doctors to get MD's and acquire all those other credentials before they're allowed to practice medicine is an example of government interference in the private market. It artificially depresses supply of doctors (do you know how many aspiring pre-meds bomb out during undergrad orgo?) and is quite frankly an infringement on my personal liberty. If I want a man who drives a truck during the day to operate on my malignant tumor, that should be my right. I don't need no big government nanny state telling me who I have to see!

[zenaxe 22]

Medcaid and Medicare (GOVERNMENT) denies people much more than "big insurance" - Hate to break it to you.

Show some of your evidence to support your claim.

[christeen 966]

You WANT to live, You WANT to be treated, but you don't NEED it.

That's the difference.

Health care is just like a new car. You WANT one, but you can't always afford one....

That may sound somewhat ###### up in many ways, but health care is a service provided by people who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get a proper education to perform that service. On top of that, those people are then told how the must do a certain procedure, told what drugs they can and cannot use, and are criminals if they differ from what's expected from them to the T.

More people could "afford" health care, could afford insurance if necessary, if the system itself was lightened up a bit and procedures were relaxed a bit and you were given a choice on how you wanted something performed, or given a choice where your drugs came from and who they came from and were allowed to use certain ones that are blacklisted in the US.

Not true... I can afford insurance, but cannot get coverage... I agree that the decisions should be made by the doctors and nurses NOT the insurance companys or govt. I am also VERY against the drug companys and the limits on importing medications and limiting competition by opening up the market to the best pricing... Of course these laws are driven by the private companys who pay billions to get keep these limits on competition...

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Not true... I can afford insurance, but cannot get coverage... I agree that the decisions should be made by the doctors and nurses NOT the insurance companys or govt. I am also VERY against the drug companys and the limits on importing medications and limiting competition by opening up the market to the best pricing... Of course these laws are driven by the private companys who pay billions to get keep these limits on competition...

Laws are driven by greedy members of congress, not companies.

Companies may look out for their interest and pressure law makers, but the law makers make the ultimate decision.

It almost makes you wish that law makers had to carry around a 24/7 listening device with them to see who's pushing them and what kickbacks they are getting.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

No, but 1.0 equals as 1. 1.00 equals 1. 1.000 equals 1. Oh and in case you don't get the point, 1.0000000000000 also equals 1.

Could you run that one by me again?

[christeen 966]

Hell, even requiring doctors to get MD's and acquire all those other credentials before they're allowed to practice medicine is an example of government interference in the private market. It artificially depresses supply of doctors (do you know how many aspiring pre-meds bomb out during undergrad orgo?) and is quite frankly an infringement on my personal liberty. If I want a man who drives a truck during the day to operate on my malignant tumor, that should be my right. I don't need no big government nanny state telling me who I have to see!

Sounds great... I know this chef that is really good with a knife and has a LOT of booze, and if all else fails, can season you right up in case it doesent work out... Why the hell have limits... Licencing for flying... what a infringement, my husband plays a pretty good PS2 Ace Combat game, why the hell cant he fly??

[onwa 6]

Laws are driven by greedy members of congress, not companies.

Companies may look out for their interest and pressure law makers, but the law makers make the ultimate decision.

It almost makes you wish that law makers had to carry around a 24/7 listening device with them to see who's pushing them and what kickbacks they are getting.

Greedy members of Congress???hmmmm. I talked extensively to a doctor who was leaving the profession. Who tells the doctors how much to charge for a procedure. A panel of people who basically represent the insurance companies.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

...my husband plays a pretty good PS2 Ace Combat game, why the hell cant he fly??

Because big government nanny state communist eviltards control our lives. We must dedicate our lives to breaking free from government tyranny!

[christeen 966]

Because big government nanny state communist eviltards control our lives. We must dedicate our lives to breaking free from government tyranny!

YAY Chaos!!!!!

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Greedy members of Congress???hmmmm. I talked extensively to a doctor who was leaving the profession. Who tells the doctors how much to charge for a procedure. A panel of people who basically represent the insurance companies.

Doctors make more money from insurance companies than they do medicaid and medicare.

They are atleast guaranteed a rate that isn't going to 'cost' them with private insurance.

They can send the bill all day long to the government, but the government will pay them what THEY want to pay, not what the doctors needs/wants.. doesn't matter if it cost the doctor more out of pocket, he'll take what they give him.

It's why many doctors refuse to accept medicare and medicaid... they simply can't afford to.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

YAY Chaos!!!!!

Chaos is freedom.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Dude even 1 + 1 = 2.0 is over your head.

What antipsychotic medications do you take?

[Ali G. 37]

Where have you been shopping for insurance? Every insurance policy I have ever had, has covered preventative services...... Granted it's only been a couple and in 2 different states, but still...

Rubbish dude. You missed my two incidents last year.

Both my wife and I have our own coverage plans and cover each other. Top of the line policies. So we effectively have two policies (each). However, we still could not get my wife's mammogram covered because they specifically stated that as she is under 35, they are not in the business of preventative health care. The mammogram cost us $735. The same mammogram paid in cash in AUS, no medicare or private insurance, would cost ~$120 - ~$180 if I went to a private center.

--------

Oct 7 2009

This is the first time I personally had to use insurance here, as I usually paid cash for the doctors. I went to a doctor and then had a few basic tests. No real difference from going to a doctor in Aus but they do have more admin staff and nurses in the doctors office, which we just don't have in AUS. Waited 20 minutes rather than the usual 30 to an hour back in AUS. I would probably have had to go to a private clinic to have the lab tests in AUS. Doctor provided me some samples of the meds and I was off. Just the other day I see the explanation of benefits mailed to me. To my surprise, I was not covered. What got me the most is the cost.

$180 to see the doctor - for 15 minutes

$330 lab costs.

Are these prices for real? There is the problem right there. The NHS (government policy) would have paid the doctor $90 for the visit. $180 for a 15 minute consultation is extortion. Regarding the Lab costs, my cousin works in a private lab that does such testing. She emailed me that they wold have billed NHS (the government) $145 for these same tests.

Now the reason the insurance denied the claim is because I have two insurance polices. How is that for a joke. I have my own policy for both my spouse and I and she has her own policy covering me too. So it's a battle on which policy will cover it. Nearly $750 in premiums between us an they are denying me because of bullshit.

The fun doesn't stop there. I go to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription and I find out that they don't cover this brand, so it will cost $193 to buy. Can someone tell me how this same medication costs $47.30 to buy in AUS but $193 here? Furthermore, it comes in a factory sealed blister pack in AUS.

Now what sort of an idiot thinks the government option is a bad idea?

--------

Government option in AUS:

Doctors visit: $0 co-pay period*

Hospital visit: $0 co-pay period

Medication: Actual price (not subsidized) - Aging and long-term ill covered by PBS: $4.77

* The Schedule fee is a fee for service set by the Australian Government and not what your doctor charges you.

Medication cost (not subsidized by gov or insurance)

Doctor recommended: **rejected by the insurance

US: $133.81

AUS: $29.49

Alternative: (covered)

US: $193.00

AUS: $47.30 (not subsidized by gov or insurance)

What antipsychotic medications do you take?

Why, did you send me yours? I am sure there is an article you could be finding, about a country you apparently don't care about and are not obsessed with..

Edited March 12, 2010 by Ali G.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

At least in America, we are free.