Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My company provided health insurance sucks. We are in DC have fewer than 20 employees, forced to buy insurance from DC health link. I'd welcome medicare for all.

The idea sounds great -- something wonderful for free.

The reality, of course, is that nothing is free. Europe has higher income tax--much higher than here for the middle class--, higher payroll taxes, and a crazy 25% VAT "sales" tax on all goods and services.

DP.. I think you are confused. Medicare is not free for everyone. My parents are on medicare, and they pay premiums. Medicare is only free if you are very low income, and that is how it would be for medicare for all, as well.

Short of our government regulating health care costs (which they won't do), the only other way to get costs down for individuals is to be part of a very large group that has healthier people, and that means expanding medicare access to all. That was the intent of ACA, but the problem with ACA was that insurance companies could mandate how they structure the group. That wouldn't happen with medicare. Again, it would just be one large group, the biggest in the market. We can tap into that large group to cover more people. If you don't want medicare, you don't have to take it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, this is a huge thing that will deeply affect my family. We currently have great health insurance and pretty much immediate access to any specialist we need. Deductibles are minimal.

Most of the Democratic candidates' plans will mean worse healthcare access for us, and I assume many folks. I find this really frustrating! How is this considered a winning issue. I'm not going to vote against my own self-interest.

We have been jerked around, and a Medicare for all replacing our current employee+family coverage would mess up a lot. We worked over years to get to this point; it is not always a given in DH’s industry (not mine) to have good health coverage, or any at all.

We finally got in this position, after 8 years of rocky insurance, and intend to stay here.

So basically it’s all about you then?

It's not immoral to vote in one's self-interest.

Indeed.

That's the best way to not be manipulated by sleek politicians and special interests.

You know what's better for you and your family.

If everyone voted that same rational way, the country would be much better today.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My company provided health insurance sucks. We are in DC have fewer than 20 employees, forced to buy insurance from DC health link. I'd welcome medicare for all.

The idea sounds great -- something wonderful for free.

The reality, of course, is that nothing is free. Europe has higher income tax--much higher than here for the middle class--, higher payroll taxes, and a crazy 25% VAT "sales" tax on all goods and services.

ya, but it is still very comfortable living there. Have you been there recently? It is quite nice.

It is nice as a tourist, not so much for many people living there.

Explain otherwise that 20-30% youth unemployment in many countries, the financial trouble of many countries in the South, the recession in Germany, the rise of the far right.

Signed
- European

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, this is a huge thing that will deeply affect my family. We currently have great health insurance and pretty much immediate access to any specialist we need. Deductibles are minimal.

Most of the Democratic candidates' plans will mean worse healthcare access for us, and I assume many folks. I find this really frustrating! How is this considered a winning issue. I'm not going to vote against my own self-interest.

We have been jerked around, and a Medicare for all replacing our current employee+family coverage would mess up a lot. We worked over years to get to this point; it is not always a given in DH’s industry (not mine) to have good health coverage, or any at all.

We finally got in this position, after 8 years of rocky insurance, and intend to stay here.

So basically it’s all about you then?

It's not immoral to vote in one's self-interest.

actually, it is. I think the one moral principal everybody agrees on is "do onto others as you would have them do onto you". Isn't that the basis of all morality?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My company provided health insurance sucks. We are in DC have fewer than 20 employees, forced to buy insurance from DC health link. I'd welcome medicare for all.

The idea sounds great -- something wonderful for free.

The reality, of course, is that nothing is free. Europe has higher income tax--much higher than here for the middle class--, higher payroll taxes, and a crazy 25% VAT "sales" tax on all goods and services.

ya, but it is still very comfortable living there. Have you been there recently? It is quite nice.

The U.S. already spends more than almost anyone in *public* money on healthcare. Add in what we spend in private dollars, and we're spending almost twice as much. Despite spending all that money, our health care outcomes are the same or worse. The taxes Europeans pay are more than offset by the services they receive and the reduction in health care premiums.

Pre-Obamacare, the health insurance offerings were frequently crap - if you could get them. Between the illusory coverage, the post-hoc determinations of "pre-existing conditions," and other abuses, it was hard to know what you were paying for. Obamacare itself is an improvement on that pre-Obamacare system, but it has serious flaws itself. Very few Europeans would be willing to ditch their healthcare system for ours. Other countries around the world have figured it out. We need to pick an existing system that seems to work well and imitate it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just had to reschedule a dentist appointment because I'd reached my max benefits for the year provided by my insurance - I had a filling a few months ago on top of the routine biannual exam and cleaning, and that put me over their $500 annual cap. One filling.

By my top-of-the-head estimate, I contribute at least $3000 p/year for health insurance, and I have to pay out of pocket for going over $500? That is not a good return on my investment - not even close. In fact, I would call it a scam.

I can't wait for the United States to grow the f*ck up and join the rest of the civilized world in providing publicly-funded health care for all of its citizens.

you are talking about dental vs medical

but use your brain

if premiums are higher than coverage why have coverage?!?!?!?!

Universal dental care is not common; really close to nonexistent when you look at the details of the few countries that include dental care in their health care regimes. At best you find non-pay coverage just for select populations like children. In Canada, dental is covered through private insurance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To me, this is a huge thing that will deeply affect my family. We currently have great health insurance and pretty much immediate access to any specialist we need. Deductibles are minimal.

Most of the Democratic candidates' plans will mean worse healthcare access for us, and I assume many folks. I find this really frustrating! How is this considered a winning issue. I'm not going to vote against my own self-interest.

We have been jerked around, and a Medicare for all replacing our current employee+family coverage would mess up a lot. We worked over years to get to this point; it is not always a given in DH’s industry (not mine) to have good health coverage, or any at all.

We finally got in this position, after 8 years of rocky insurance, and intend to stay here.

So basically it’s all about you then?

It's not immoral to vote in one's self-interest.

Anonymous wrote:I’m PP

We are also in DC.

Prior to ACA, you me employer had many more options of private plans. All gone now and forced to buy crap Obamacare plans at higher cost.

Word

Anonymous wrote:Ok i'll just say why should I pay for people who won't take care of themselves

people who don't eat right, people who don't exercise. Those are the people that cost the most that is why US healthcare is so much more expensive

so no I don't want to subsidize other people until we fix the moral hazard problem

We need some type of auto insurance type plan where good health habits/driving lowers what you pay.

But you are subsidizing them. You just pay an additional premium so the health insurers and provided make a profit.

I’m PP

We are also in DC.

Prior to ACA, you me employer had many more options of private plans. All gone now and forced to buy crap Obamacare plans at higher cost.

Anonymous wrote:My company provided health insurance sucks. We are in DC have fewer than 20 employees, forced to buy insurance from DC health link. I'd welcome medicare for all.

The idea sounds great -- something wonderful for free.

The reality, of course, is that nothing is free. Europe has higher income tax--much higher than here for the middle class--, higher payroll taxes, and a crazy 25% VAT "sales" tax on all goods and services.

We pay over $500/month per family for the “privilege” to pay the first $8,000 of our family’s healthcare out of our own pockets. This does not include what the employer pays, which is more than we pay. It’s absurd.

Less than 10 years ago we paid less than this for a premium HMO with no referrals, tons of providers, and $10 copays. My pregnancies/deliveries in 2008 and 2011 cost $25 ONE TIME to the OB and $150 ONE TIME to the hospital.

As for person who came to the US- they had insurance in their own country. They had a heart attack (or stroke?) here in the US. The insurance would pay like under 10k, whatever the max was for that procedure and those tests in their home country. Hospital bill was well over 100k.

My company provided health insurance sucks. We are in DC have fewer than 20 employees, forced to buy insurance from DC health link. I'd welcome medicare for all.