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+.

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.

Affordable to you is not affordable to someone else. Plus, if it's required, what stops providers from raising prices to get more reimbursement out of the government?

DP... this is why we need universal healthcare. The healthcare industry has given no solutions where it comes to keeping healthcare costs under control. There is no market solution. And going without, or with some minimalist plan is not an option.

We are the wealthiest nation on earth and we already spend more on healthcare than countries with universal healthcare, there is no reason we can't afford it, and no reason why our universal healthcare couldn't meet or exceed the best standards of care with a system providing universal healthcare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having battled with Aetna, our insurance system is broken. They profit off people’s illness and withholding care. The fact that the majority of people who declare bankruptcy due to medical bills have insurance, tells you everything you need to know about the U.S. HC system.

I have been railing against the US system for years, and even I didn't know this. I just verified it -- -- and it said the "majority" was around 75-80%.

That's shocking and so so wrong.

Yes it is absolutely wrong. This is why I don’t subscribe to Luigi as a politically motivated shooting. Insurance companies f**k over Republicans just as much as Democrats. I truly feel that shooting transcends politics and speaks more about our healthcare system.

I also know of a special ed teacher who has stage 4 breast cancer and is having to work during treatment (both radiation and chemo) to pay her bills and keep her insurance. She was just fired for calling in sick because the chemo is so strong. This country is brutal.

I would prefer to work 20% less than to pay 20% more for health insurance. I just don't see the value.

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating is that Republicans literally cannot come up with an alternative. Concepts of a plan is all we've had for years.

THIS.

I had a boss tell me once that if I am bringing her a problem, I should have a solution to offer. Didn't have to be perfect, but at least try.

They don't even try, but they are desperate to kill what we have.

Anonymous wrote:"Been reading a lot of stories recently on various social media platforms..."

Well, there's your first problem. Get off the social media and get some facts.

OK, insurance lobbyist, whatever you say 🙄.

If I was a R politician I'd tell my constituents that next step is to do away with the mandate for emergency treatment regardless of cost. Problem solved as the uninsured wouldn't even have procedures that have any cost.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Having battled with Aetna, our insurance system is broken. They profit off people’s illness and withholding care. The fact that the majority of people who declare bankruptcy due to medical bills have insurance, tells you everything you need to know about the U.S. HC system.

I have been railing against the US system for years, and even I didn't know this. I just verified it -- -- and it said the "majority" was around 75-80%.

That's shocking and so so wrong.

NP. That's truly astonishing. I had no idea.

Anonymous wrote:Having battled with Aetna, our insurance system is broken. They profit off people’s illness and withholding care. The fact that the majority of people who declare bankruptcy due to medical bills have insurance, tells you everything you need to know about the U.S. HC system.

I have been railing against the US system for years, and even I didn't know this. I just verified it -- -- and it said the "majority" was around 75-80%.

That's shocking and so so wrong.

Having battled with Aetna, our insurance system is broken. They profit off people’s illness and withholding care. The fact that the majority of people who declare bankruptcy due to medical bills have insurance, tells you everything you need to know about the U.S. HC system.

"Been reading a lot of stories recently on various social media platforms..."

Well, there's your first problem. Get off the social media and get some facts.

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...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating is that Republicans literally cannot come up with an alternative. Concepts of a plan is all we've had for years.

This. To me, that means “we don’t have a plan for lowering healthcare costs because we really don’t care if you or your family or your friends or your community lives or dies.”

Like Joni Ernst said, with a roll of her eyes, “we are all going to die.”

They all need to be voted out. They're not interested in solutions and would rather ignore the problem as long as it has no impact on them personally. Clean house 2026.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I find fascinating is that Republicans literally cannot come up with an alternative. Concepts of a plan is all we've had for years.

This. To me, that means “we don’t have a plan for lowering healthcare costs because we really don’t care if you or your family or your friends or your community lives or dies.”

Like Joni Ernst said, with a roll of her eyes, “we are all going to die.”

Anonymous wrote:Plus games on payout whether a facility is affiliated with a hospital or not. Costs can vary wildly by just that one difference. Hospital administrators know this and are gaming the system. The government wrote the system and now they're following every rule and policy to their financial benefit. That's what thousands of pages of bureaucratic legislation get you.

Yep, "facility" fees. As if we can opt to see certain doctors at the local Starbucks rather than their office at the hospital.