Is the US HC system finally toast?

[Anonymous]

The republicans are now saying they want to take the enhanced subsidy money and send to people to create health savings accounts. ?? Since they won’t be able to have insurance but oh they can buy contact lenses??
Trump wants to just monetize the subsidies and send out checks. Mistake.
So, looks like democrats will have a great platform to win on! Rescuing healthcare. It’s going to be a terrible year for people and for hospitals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The republicans are now saying they want to take the enhanced subsidy money and send to people to create health savings accounts. ?? Since they won’t be able to have insurance but oh they can buy contact lenses??
Trump wants to just monetize the subsidies and send out checks. Mistake.
So, looks like democrats will have a great platform to win on! Rescuing healthcare. It’s going to be a terrible year for people and for hospitals.

Too bad the Dems are unlikely to come up with anything better than throwing more and more money on it. No one is going to have the guts to say we can provide a universal health program, but in order to make it affordable for our population, it isn’t going to cover x y and z.

We need to stop pandering to special interests - both on the consumer side and on the business side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a public plan for catastrophic health care. Stroke, heart attack, cancer, etc.

Everything else you pay out of pocket.

Good luck to the middle class. Dr's charge $120 for an office visit; mammos $200+. Broken bones trip to ER $1000+.

What's the alternative? Pay thousands per month and still having to pay most of this due to high deductible, which makes your healthcare out of pocket and makes your insurance premiums overpriced catastrophic plan. You don't need all these services monthly, but you pay premiums monthly. You come out way ahead paying out of pocket than having high deductible private insurance plans.

Employment tied insurance is the only affordable option if you aren't qualified for discounts. But it's simply wrong IMHO to tie insurance to full time salaried jobs. Many people cannot find these jobs with benefits, and some cannot work full time. It's also a burden on smaller employers. This system has become a form of "Indentured servitude" where many people would take on any low paying full time job with decent benefits just to get coverage.

Even those salaried benefits are not affordable like they used to be. The ones that are affordable are the ones where you have to take your receipts to your employer, because the employer basically just pays out of pocket.

[Anonymous]

This whole fiasco solidly proves we need universal healthcare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole fiasco solidly proves we need universal healthcare.

Yes. 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy. Just let every American have the same plan members of Congress have.

problem solved.

Or just do what other countries have been doing. I suppose it might mean higher taxes for the wealthy though...

And higher taxes for the middle class.

No. We don’t need more taxes on w2 earners. W2 earners pay more than their fair share. The ultra-wealthy need to pay taxes. Did you see the article in the NYT today about the loophole that allows people like Scott Bessent to avoid Medicare taxes? Let’s get rid of those loopholes. Billionaires need to pay taxes. That’s what we the people need to demand that “higher taxes” means

Looking at taxes in Europe, the middle class pays much higher taxes than here. People seem to think everything is paid for by taxing the rich.

and the wealthy pay even higher taxes but also in europe- they discourage the building of wealth. the French have draconian inheritance tax laws, the swedes, germans, swiss (who are the most wealth friendly) have 50 year mortgages, free schooling, free healthcare, equal 4th & 3rd pillar pension for everyone. if you are smart & able you'll save up your cash and buy property outright to pass it on to your kids but its very much a cradle to grave nanny state and its HARD to build wealth in any of the EU states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. If the only people buying healthcare is the very ill, it makes healthcare so expensive AND leaves hospitals in the lurch. We will see hospitals closing and collapsing under the economic burden.
At the same time, the elder healthcare burden demands attention. It’s not sustainable.
We need universal or required (affordable) healthcare for all, and free elder care options.

All I know is if you live in Europe and have any means, you pay for a private policy to protect yourself against the failings of universal health care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy. Just let every American have the same plan members of Congress have.

problem solved.

Or just do what other countries have been doing. I suppose it might mean higher taxes for the wealthy though...

And higher taxes for the middle class.

No. We don’t need more taxes on w2 earners. W2 earners pay more than their fair share. The ultra-wealthy need to pay taxes. Did you see the article in the NYT today about the loophole that allows people like Scott Bessent to avoid Medicare taxes? Let’s get rid of those loopholes. Billionaires need to pay taxes. That’s what we the people need to demand that “higher taxes” means

Looking at taxes in Europe, the middle class pays much higher taxes than here. People seem to think everything is paid for by taxing the rich.

and the wealthy pay even higher taxes but also in europe- they discourage the building of wealth. the French have draconian inheritance tax laws, the swedes, germans, swiss (who are the most wealth friendly) have 50 year mortgages, free schooling, free healthcare, equal 4th & 3rd pillar pension for everyone. if you are smart & able you'll save up your cash and buy property outright to pass it on to your kids but its very much a cradle to grave nanny state and its HARD to build wealth in any of the EU states.

I lived in Germany for a couple of years. I never heard of anyone having a 50 year mortgage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. If the only people buying healthcare is the very ill, it makes healthcare so expensive AND leaves hospitals in the lurch. We will see hospitals closing and collapsing under the economic burden.
At the same time, the elder healthcare burden demands attention. It’s not sustainable.
We need universal or required (affordable) healthcare for all, and free elder care options.

All I know is if you live in Europe and have any means, you pay for a private policy to protect yourself against the failings of universal health care.

And what does that private policy cost? Do tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. If the only people buying healthcare is the very ill, it makes healthcare so expensive AND leaves hospitals in the lurch. We will see hospitals closing and collapsing under the economic burden.
At the same time, the elder healthcare burden demands attention. It’s not sustainable.
We need universal or required (affordable) healthcare for all, and free elder care options.

All I know is if you live in Europe and have any means, you pay for a private policy to protect yourself against the failings of universal health care.

That’s fine. There should at least be basic care to cover everyone even if it’s not the best. Rich people are always going to pay for something extra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The solution is easy. Just let every American have the same plan members of Congress have.

problem solved.

Or just do what other countries have been doing. I suppose it might mean higher taxes for the wealthy though...

And higher taxes for the middle class.

No. We don’t need more taxes on w2 earners. W2 earners pay more than their fair share. The ultra-wealthy need to pay taxes. Did you see the article in the NYT today about the loophole that allows people like Scott Bessent to avoid Medicare taxes? Let’s get rid of those loopholes. Billionaires need to pay taxes. That’s what we the people need to demand that “higher taxes” means

Looking at taxes in Europe, the middle class pays much higher taxes than here. People seem to think everything is paid for by taxing the rich.

and the wealthy pay even higher taxes but also in europe- they discourage the building of wealth. the French have draconian inheritance tax laws, the swedes, germans, swiss (who are the most wealth friendly) have 50 year mortgages, free schooling, free healthcare, equal 4th & 3rd pillar pension for everyone. if you are smart & able you'll save up your cash and buy property outright to pass it on to your kids but its very much a cradle to grave nanny state and its HARD to build wealth in any of the EU states.

I lived in Germany for a couple of years. I never heard of anyone having a 50 year mortgage.

Do people in Germany talk about the terms of their mortgage in casual conversation?

[Anonymous]

like I said- I know about Sweden and switzerland. In the UK, mortgages reset every few years, I think in France as well. the 30 year set rate mortgage is a USA thing for sure. I am sure that someone has family or lives in Germany and knows about the mortgage terms there. I wonder about Greece, Spain , Italy and France. I know working class auslanders who scrape together enough to buy single family homes in the exurbs of cities in Germany in 5-6 years (by the time they get citizenship)I'd be shocked if they can just purchase the properties outright.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. If the only people buying healthcare is the very ill, it makes healthcare so expensive AND leaves hospitals in the lurch. We will see hospitals closing and collapsing under the economic burden.
At the same time, the elder healthcare burden demands attention. It’s not sustainable.
We need universal or required (affordable) healthcare for all, and free elder care options.

All I know is if you live in Europe and have any means, you pay for a private policy to protect yourself against the failings of universal health care.

That’s fine. There should at least be basic care to cover everyone even if it’s not the best. Rich people are always going to pay for something extra.

100% absolutely this.
Also, even if we did somehow give everyone the same benefits the rich enjoy today, there will be new ones invented tomorrow to keep up with. The fact that we cannot actually afford to do this should not be the thing preventing us from providing basic health care to all, but here we are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. If the only people buying healthcare is the very ill, it makes healthcare so expensive AND leaves hospitals in the lurch. We will see hospitals closing and collapsing under the economic burden.
At the same time, the elder healthcare burden demands attention. It’s not sustainable.
We need universal or required (affordable) healthcare for all, and free elder care options.

All I know is if you live in Europe and have any means, you pay for a private policy to protect yourself against the failings of universal health care.

That’s fine. There should at least be basic care to cover everyone even if it’s not the best. Rich people are always going to pay for something extra.

Exactly. Right now people don’t have a choice. They make a choice to either get/pay for very expensive services, or don’t get anything at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole fiasco solidly proves we need universal healthcare.

It's not that easy in the US to set up, it's just not. It's a HUGE country with a lot of unhealthy people to start with. I could give you 50 reasons why it's near impossible. I'm not suggesting HC reform isn't needed or that I'm opposed to universal healthcare - it's just that the reality of putting in one in the US today is a pipe dream. It would never work.

Our entire lifestyle and beliefs profoundly differ from countries with successful existing universal HC systems. I'm not sure what would work.