(July 25, 2016 at 2:27 pm)Tiberius Wrote:(July 25, 2016 at 2:20 pm)Spirian Wrote: Honest answer: I think it lines politicians pockets with money that's supposed to be for medical care.
I'm not talking about "insurance". I'm talking about paying for my own medical costs.
Like if I go to the ER I don't pay $1,000 per hour for the room, to subsidize the failed insurance system. I pay a fair rate per hour plus legitimate costs for MY visit. If I run up a $10,000 tab, I pay the $10,000.
Ok, but what if someone doesn't have $10,000 to spare? What if them being in hospital isn't their fault? What if they are born with a condition which means they have to have expensive treatment in order to live, and they are born into an average American family who cannot afford that treatment?
The point of having health insurance, whether it is private, or through the government, is that it is mutually beneficial to all involved. The person paying the premiums or taxes has a safety net if they ever fall ill. The insurance company / government is able to pay for expensive medical treatments by using the premiums of people who don't need medical help. It's a win-win situation for everyone.
The benefit of government insurance / universal healthcare is that the government doesn't have to worry about profits, and thus they can pay for treatments which private insurers might try to fight. As a single entity, they would also have more power to negotiate medical expenses, meaning that $1000 an hour cost of a room at a hospital would be reduced down to a realistic figure.
So much this. When my oldest was born, she had a Duodenal Atresia that needed operating on as soon as they stabilized her. She got that surgery at 11 hours old. She was in the NICU for 26 days. The hospital stay alone (just to lay in an incubator), cost over $900 per day. That's not including all the other stuff like surgery, two platelet transfusions, medical supplies, doctor visits etc.
When she was four months old, she got open heart surgery. That bill came to $158,000. Just for the surgery.
I wasn't able to return to work because of her extensive medical issues and her father had bailed out on me when I was still pregnant with her.
I was grateful for what insurance I did have because without it, I would have had no way of taking care of my daughter, who didn't deserve to be denied the right to medical care for being born with lots of medical problems that, clearly, weren't her fault.
Disclaimer: I am only responsible for what I say, not what you choose to understand.
