American health care

[Activi-T]

I prefer to have insurance they way we do instead of the government providing it like in the UK. I was watching the Olympics and almost every person from London that I saw has horrible teeth. All crooked and discolored. When the government pays for stuff you only get the absolute necessities and you STILL have to wait an inordinate amount of time

People with natural looking teeth, oh the horrors of government healthcare. I'd much rather be financially ruined then have yellowing/crooked teeth. /sarcasm

Fair enough if American style healthcare was the best in the world but it isn't and it's costing more (directly) then healthcare leaders.

[Talokami]

I prefer to have insurance they way we do instead of the government providing it like in the UK. I was watching the Olympics and almost every person from London that I saw has horrible teeth. All crooked and discolored. When the government pays for stuff you only get the absolute necessities and you STILL have to wait an inordinate amount of time

Regarding the British and their teeth, that's an issue that's been mocked for decades. My understanding is dental care is readily available but the British haven't been indoctrinated with it to the extent we have in the US. Most well-known British celebrities even have what would be considered bad teeth by American standards; theirs are just airbrushed.

Actually, I'd love to hear the explanation for British dental health from someone from the UK. Now I'm all sorts of curious.

[Deleted]

Regarding the British and their teeth, that's an issue that's been mocked for decades. My understanding is dental care is readily available but the British haven't been indoctrinated with it to the extent we have in the US. Most well-known British celebrities even have what would be considered bad teeth by American standards; theirs are just airbrushed.

Actually, I'd love to hear the explanation for British dental health from someone from the UK. Now I'm all sorts of curious.

We actually have the healthiest teeth in the world, we just dont believe you need ceramic white teeth in order for them to be healthy.

[Talokami]

We actually have the healthiest teeth in the world, we just dont believe you need ceramic white teeth in order for them to be healthy.

Fair enough. It makes more sense than our obsession with perfect teeth for certain.

[Deleted]

Fair enough. It makes more sense than our obsession with perfect teeth for certain.

Constant whitening actually weakens the teeth, leaving you susceptible to other conditions, good teeth should be a slight off white colour in order to be considered healthy and strong.

[Shalafein]

The government by no means pays for our Dental Care. Yes it is done through the NHS which is funded by National Insurance. Most people choose this option or some like myself use Denplan (which will cover most things except major stuff) but I still have to pay National Insurance regardless. Only a few people are actually exempt from the charges. You do not have to pay for NHS dental treatment if, when the treatment starts, you are:

aged under 18
under 19 and receiving full-time education
pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months
staying in an NHS hospital and your treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist
an NHS hospital dental service outpatient (however, you may have to pay for your dentures or bridges).

You also do not have to pay if, when the treatment starts, you are receiving:

Income Support
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Pension Credit guarantee credit

or

you are named on a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate or you are entitled to an NHS tax credit exemption certificate
you are named on a valid HC2 certificate

NHS dental charges from 1 April 2012

Band 1 course of treatment – £17.50
This covers an examination, diagnosis (eg X-rays), advice on how to prevent future problems, a scale and polish if needed, and application of fluoride varnish or fissure sealant. If you require urgent care, even if your urgent treatment needs more than one appointment to complete, you will only need to pay one Band 1 charge.

Band 2 course of treatment – £48.00
This covers everything listed in Band 1 above, plus any further treatment such as fillings, root canal work or if your dentist needs to take out one or more of your teeth.

Band 3 course of treatment – £209.00
This covers everything listed in Bands 1 and 2 above, plus crowns, dentures and bridges.

On a completely side note. The people you see on tv have also probably woken up: Brushed teeth. ---> Drank Tea/Coffee (major cause of teeth stain) & Eaten. Oddly enough your teeth do tend to discolour once you've filled your belly up and like Rich1471 said, We are not indoctrined with pure pearly white teeth as the main and is quite laughable when you think how much acidic stuff we assault our teeth with. You just have to think of putting a copper coin thats completely rusty in a bit of coke and watching it come out all shiny.

As for the thread itself. I wouldn't want to have American Healthcare as in my own opinion it puts a giant $ sign on your life.

[Dragoncurry]

You guys need to stop fucking hating on doctors so much. You think the medical profession is one about charity. My job is to save your life and charge you for whatever it takes to do so, including my time and expertise.

And before you all start shouting "oh I feel bad for the kind of human being you are," I fully intend to save your life with all my skills before I get paid. More than can be said for the rest of the working world.

[Orlong]

People with natural looking teeth, oh the horrors of government healthcare. I'd much rather be financially ruined then have yellowing/crooked teeth. /sarcasm

Fair enough if American style healthcare was the best in the world but it isn't and it's costing more (directly) then healthcare leaders.

Its the best in the world for the ones that can afford it. Thats why people go to the US from all over the world to get procedures done that their governments wont pay for or have to wait too long. Its only bad for people who either wont pay for it or cant pay for it. And they still get care through medicare if they are poor. If you can afford it and choose not to then its your own damn fault.

[Wells]

Its the best in the world for the ones that can afford it. Thats why people go to the US from all over the world to get procedures done that their governments wont pay for or have to wait too long. Its only bad for people who either wont pay for it or cant pay for it. And they still get care through medicare if they are poor. If you can afford it and choose not to then its your own damn fault.

People come here because we're rich and have a ton of technology. It has little to do with the fact we have a for profit system.

[Orlong]

People come here because we're rich and have a ton of technology. It has little to do with the fact we have a for profit system.

Regardless, they get what they want, when they want it, and its done right. Doesnt get much better than that

[steveyboy]

Our teeth are fine.

All my familys teeth are straight and fairly white. Completely white teeth just doesn't seem right.

We have to pay for dental health care though after you finished full time education. Get it free if you don't have a job though.

[Catta]

Its the best in the world for the ones that can afford it. Thats why people go to the US from all over the world to get procedures done that their governments wont pay for or have to wait too long. Its only bad for people who either wont pay for it or cant pay for it. And they still get care through medicare if they are poor. If you can afford it and choose not to then its your own damn fault.

So that guy who got shot in the theater who face a massive hospital bill. Just sucks to be him or what?
That shit does not happen in any other western country.

---------- Post added 2012-07-30 at 10:24 PM ----------

Regardless, they get what they want, when they want it, and its done right. Doesnt get much better than that

Unless its stem cells - then they go to china.

[The Riddler]

There is no reason to be uninsured unless you are a street-bum.

Most people assume that insurance must by definition mean, "A full-coverage, doctor visits, prescription drugs, sniffles, boo-boos, and everything & anything I can think of for me and my whole family" policy. This is a stupid idea perpetuated by acolytes of Ted Kennedy's 1970s HMO bullcrap, as well as ardant Euro-envy liberals who want a nationalized health care policy.

But most people don't need that. You can buy a major medical insurance policy right now in the US - today - that will cover you just fine if you have a bad accident or some other big medical problem. These policies are cheap. Real cheap. People see that cost of something like COBRA and sweat bullets, but really if you do a little research you can find a major medical policy on the cheap that'll protect you from major expenses. You can handle your doctor visits and other needs with simple out of pocket transactions - and you will find that doctor offices are quite affordable for basic services.

All this hand-wringing about horror-stories that only effect about 0.01% of the population are bologna. 99.99% of the population doesn't need these cadillac "everything and the kitchen sink" policies. Telling scary stories that really never happen in order to justify massively expensive, horribly ineffective health care is desultory nonsense.

[Deleted]

I prefer to have insurance they way we do instead of the government providing it like in the UK. I was watching the Olympics and almost every person from London that I saw has horrible teeth. All crooked and discolored. When the government pays for stuff you only get the absolute necessities and you STILL have to wait an inordinate amount of time

http://www.cracked.com/article_18409...ereotypes.html

'#3. The British Have Horrible Teeth'

Why it's All Bullshit:

We hate to ruin anybody's joke material (especially if you're desperate enough to be hanging onto that cutting edge "British teeth" material) but recent studies suggest that we should retire the bad teeth as Britain's national stereotype of choice (we can probably replace it with much funnier jokes about their oppressive Orwellian state anyway. Your life is not your own; that shit's hilarious!)

A study performed by OECD, an international economic organization, on the state of dental hygiene in developed countries has concluded that the British have the very best teeth in the entire world, with an average of just 0.6 of a tooth decaying per citizen. Not just "not the worst"--the absolute fucking best! That's like routinely mocking the feminine lisp of a guy-pal and finding out he's boned every single girl you know, including your mother (especially your mother). But sadly, because national stereotypes are apparently a zero sum, it turns out Poland has the worst teeth, with an average of almost four rotted teeth per ingenious Polack.

Pro tip. We don't place anywhere near as much emphasis on pure white teeth as you do, Cosmetic appearance has fuck all to do with actual healthiness.

[Eo Jenkins]

SO I have a question about american health care.

Say if I was having a heart attack and had no money to pay for the service would the medics refused to help you or what?

How does health insurance work too?

You would still get treated. It is against the law to deny emergency care.

[TheGhostAgent]

There is no reason to be uninsured unless you are a street-bum.

Most people assume that insurance must by definition mean, "A full-coverage, doctor visits, prescription drugs, sniffles, boo-boos, and everything & anything I can think of for me and my whole family" policy. This is a stupid idea perpetuated by acolytes of Ted Kennedy's 1970s HMO bullcrap, as well as ardant Euro-envy liberals who want a nationalized health care policy.

But most people don't need that. You can buy a major medical insurance policy right now in the US - today - that will cover you just fine if you have a bad accident or some other big medical problem. These policies are cheap. Real cheap. People see that cost of something like COBRA and sweat bullets, but really if you do a little research you can find a major medical policy on the cheap that'll protect you from major expenses. You can handle your doctor visits and other needs with simple out of pocket transactions - and you will find that doctor offices are quite affordable for basic services.

All this hand-wringing about horror-stories that only effect about 0.01% of the population are bologna. 99.99% of the population doesn't need these cadillac "everything and the kitchen sink" policies. Telling scary stories that really never happen in order to justify massively expensive, horribly ineffective health care is desultory nonsense.

A million times this... more people forgo insurance than they care to pay for it. Only in the end when a disaster hits, they blame XYZ company or the government for not providing. I'm sorry, but you're responsible for your own financial risk and future. If you had the ability to buy and refused, what do you want us to do? Spoon feed you? You'd be shocked at the rate of people even refusing to look into life and disability insurance as an important financial foundation to protect themselves and their families. 49% of bankruptcies and foreclosures are due to a medical incident that could have easily been addressed and mitigated through proper insurance planning that doesn't even cost an arm and a leg. But rather than taking financial responsibility and spend pennies on the dollar for an insurance policy, they want to get that hot new iphone or spend it on rims and other various bling.

I am done sympathizing with idiots who thinks the world and government owes them everything and should take care of them. You sleep in the bed you make, pretty simple. People need to learn to take responsibility for the decisions they make rather than quickly point fingers.

[Orlong]

So that guy who got shot in the theater who face a massive hospital bill. Just sucks to be him or what?
That shit does not happen in any other western country.

---------- Post added 2012-07-30 at 10:24 PM ----------



Unless its stem cells - then they go to china.

If he couldve afforded to buy healthcare and chose not to thinking he would need it, then yeah, sucks to be him. If he is just too poor to afford it then Medicare will pick up the tab

[Wells]

If he couldve afforded to buy healthcare and chose not to thinking he would need it, then yeah, sucks to be him. If he is just too poor to afford it then Medicare will pick up the tab

There's actually a pretty huge gap between being poor and getting medicare in many states.

[Catta]

If he couldve afforded to buy healthcare and chose not to thinking he would need it, then yeah, sucks to be him. If he is just too poor to afford it then Medicare will pick up the tab

He doesnt have to be poor to not be able to pay a TWO MILLION DOLLAR BILL.

[aztr0]

You will be provided with service and you will be billed and will have to pay out of your own pocket. Which will be $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. There are healthcare provided by employers where you pay a part of your paycheck each pay or if you qualify due to financial situations you can get medicaid.