Healthcare in the US really that bad?

[MatthewOU2015]

I pay $575/month for a $3500 deductible 80/20 plan. I pay 20% AFTER I meet the deductible.

[Eggroll]

Because the majority of the population that uses healthcare is funded by an organization that cant negotiate? In what world does that make any sense? Free market works always to lower costs case in point elective surgeries like lazer eye has dropped by thousands of percent over the last 20 years.

Doesn't seem to work that way, tho. Since the cost in the US is way higher than everywhere else.

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That's an interesting statement about the country with the highest charitable contributions in the world by far - nearly double the next highest, as a % of GDP.

I don't know, when you break it down per capita, it might not look so good

[Molis]

I guess its good for the "haves"

I pay my $200 per paycheck and my company covers my health insurance for a family of 5 on a 80/20 PPO plan.

I dont pretend to know what others go through that do not have company supported plans.

I went to college and did my dues in the company to climb the ladder to get benefits to support my family.

Some people are not as fortunate, or do not have the drive.

[Eninya]

It doesn't help that the US eats so much bad shit, and morbid obesity and diabetes are rampant as hell. And then there's the fat acceptance movement trying to normalize and glorify this...

[Vatrilian]

Doesn't seem to work that way, tho. Since the cost in the US is way higher than everywhere else.

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I don't know, when you break it down per capita, it might not look so good

I just gave the reason. Our welfare system is unable to negotiate by law with prescription drug companies, and diagnostic companies thus creating the price disparity with the rest of the world. The majority of healthcare usage and spending is not private in this country anymore but is done by Medicaid and Medicare. It is a fact that the free market makes things less expensive and opens and expands the market and access for said product.

[Vatrilian]

I guess its good for the "haves"

I pay my $200 per paycheck and my company covers my health insurance for a family of 5 on a 80/20 PPO plan.

I dont pretend to know what others go through that do not have company supported plans.

I went to college and did my dues in the company to climb the ladder to get benefits to support my family.

Some people are not as fortunate, or do not have the drive.

Because most people now don't stay married and don't major in something that is marketable in the economy. We cover people over 65 under 18 as a right. All government asks is yo pick up the rest so the rest of our taxes are not crazy.

[Ivanstone]

Some people are not as fortunate, or do not have the drive.

Having "drive" is irrelevant. It might help you specifically but there's more to society than you. The number of good jobs is strictly limited.

[Shadowferal]

I pay $575/month for a $3500 deductible 80/20 plan. I pay 20% AFTER I meet the deductible.

That's why you always add the deductible to the overall cost of the plan. (Paying $10,400 a year minimum...fuck that.)

[Sinyc]

Was just perusing another thread and the common refrain that the US spends more on healthcare than other developed countries but gets worse health outcomes came up. It got me wondering is that really the case and if so why? So I came across this article in Forbes.

http://https://www.forbes.com/sites/.../#1ed9e7851232

An excerpt



The article mentions several other confounding factors from differences in rates of poverty and reporting of infant mortality to liability laws and volume of higher cost procedures. Essentially the case is made that it’s not an apples to apples comparison.

I think the author brings up some good points. Is it the fault of the US Healthcare system that obesity and diabetes are such large problems? That malpractice suits are an ever present boogie man to physicians? Is it incumbent upon healthcare institutions to manage poverty, food deserts, and horny teenagers?

As the 2020 cycle begins to ramp up, I’m sure healthcare will be on everyone’s platform with candidates like Kamala Harris advocating Medicare for all. I think it’s fair to ask what exactly we expect our healthcare system to realistically accomplish.

Healthcare as in doctors, procedures, etc are fine.

The problem is the for-profit insurance companies that rip off anyone and everyone. They are terribly anti-consumer and hold doctors hostage with litigation and endless paperwork to get every penny they can. Cut them out, and the US would be better off.

[Adam Jensen]

Health Care in the US is likely the best in the world. You just have to pay for it.

And there's the rub.

There's millions who can't. There are hundreds of thousands of people going bankrupt or dying because they can't afford the healthcare they need. This is why we need universal healthcare. No one should die just because they're too poor to go to the hospital.

[plagueshard801]

The war on opiates has made healthcare for any kind of painful injury a joke. I broke 3 bones in my right hand a month ago, while I was at the emergency room the number of people moaning and crying in there was pathetic. One lady was at the nurses station yelling about potential Tylenol toxicity levels because that's all they would give her son. Of course after telling the doctor I had been taking Tylenol and ibuprofen for days with no relief, I was told to take more Tylenol.

They charged my insurance company $3700 dollars, I was in front of a doctor for all of 7 minutes and my treatment plan was a soft splint I could have bought at the pharmacy for $30, and... Tylenol!

The most helpful person through this experience was my friend who sold me some painkillers so I could work and take care of my kids for the first week or so. Yes that's right, a drug dealer was more helpful than all the staff at the best hospital we have in Salt Lake City.

[oplawlz]

Healthcare as in doctors, procedures, etc are fine.

The problem is the for-profit insurance companies that rip off anyone and everyone. They are terribly anti-consumer and hold doctors hostage with litigation and endless paperwork to get every penny they can. Cut them out, and the US would be better off.

This is the ticket, and why obamacare was destined to fail. Forcing people to pay into a system that shouldn't exist is ludicrous.

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And there's the rub.

There's millions who can't. There are hundreds of thousands of people going bankrupt or dying because they can't afford the healthcare they need. This is why we need universal healthcare. No one should die just because they're too poor to go to the hospital.

Agreed. Particularly in a country as wealthy as the U.S.

[Beazy]

How do you propose the gov take control of healthcare pricing?

Because that is the only way were getting an NHS.

The constitution would need an amendment, and politics are so cancerous right now that you can forget about that happening in our life time. The SCOTUS will never let that slide, and if Ginsburg dies before the next election, your kids can forget about it in their life time too.

[Sinyc]

How do you propose the gov take control of healthcare pricing?

Because that is the only way were getting an NHS.

The constitution would need an amendment, and politics are so cancerous right now that you can forget about that happening in our life time.

Well, first someone would need to come out with a comprehensive plan that lays out 1) What it will cost taxpayers 2) How we will pay for it 3) How much a person would pay for medical expenses a year 4) any other FAQs that may come up.

I would like to believe that if the average American saw how much they could potentially save with some sort of Universal Healthcare as opposed to the current (mostly shit) plans, that might be good enough to make people forget about their party affiliate for once. Or that is just super wishful thinking. /shrug

[Sunseeker]

The care isn't bad. The cost is.

[Worvon]

People dying of diabetes because they cannot afford the medicine is not indicative of a first world country where human lives are supposed to be valued.

This right there is why most civilized countries view the US as borderline 3rd world. In the US it's "Oh you are poor? Too bad, die." Using our tax dollars to kill is fine, but not to keep other Americans alive is dirty socialism to the gullible masses.

[Sinyc]

This right there is why most civilized countries view the US as borderline 3rd world. In the US it's "Oh you are poor? Too bad, die." Using our tax dollars to kill is fine, but not to keep other Americans alive is dirty socialism to the gullible masses.

If only those people had put in more hours and pulled themselves up by their bootstraps, they could have made enough to afford healthcare.

- Actual peoples logic in the States....

[Healing Rain]

I haven't been to the hospital in God knows how long so I guess it's pretty good. Healthcare doesn't start or stop at the hospital.

[Kyphael]

It's not as horrible as some Americans make it out to be, but compared to most other first world countries, especially Canada, it's a joke. The pharmaceutical industry are crooks in white coats. People talk about lawyers, but doctors aren't much better.

[Adolecent]

It's fucking horrible but the insurance companies have too much money and power to be overthrown.

That is something where you have legislation for, or atleast should have for.