Are Repubs Really Against Government Run Healthcare?

Stuie · August 12, 2009

Probably should have expanded a bit. My Aunt works for a Chiropractor Firm (4 docs) and they have 2 full time employees that all the do is deal with insurance. At the practice for my GP his office has 8 doctors. There are 10 full time employees that deal with insurance for all the docs. If insurance goes away docs can cut costs they have to maintain, and not charge us as much. See if it was cash only in my example (credit cards too) the cost most like would be less than $55 because as it has been explained to me by my doc, even non insured patients have a tiny insurance fee tacked on to their visit to help pay for the costs of them accepting insurance.

Svaals · August 12, 2009

I see where you're coming from, Stuie, but I still disagree that it would cut costs in the long run. It may cut costs for private practices, but I don't think costs would drop for hospitals.

I have a buddy with Crohn's disease (Pre-Med student, too). He was denied insurance because of pre-existing conditions, and has had problems for some time. He's had a litter of surgeries for gall stones, pancreatitis, etc. He racked up over a quarter of a million dollars in hospital fees. He settled for around 20 grand and a lot of lawyer fees.

So, that's over $200K lost because of ONE uninsured patient. That's the annual salary of a secretary and a nurse and probably a nurses' aid. Cash only payment could save you 30 dollars on an office visit, but for hospitalizations I think it would drive costs up even more.

clibinarius · August 12, 2009

QUOTE (Stuie @ Aug 12 2009, 03:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (clibinarius @ Aug 12 2009, 02:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (Stuie @ Aug 12 2009, 02:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here's another thought

http://www.smartbreastaugmentation.com/costs.html

Average price for Breast Implants is $5K-10K. Now why is breast implants so cheap compared to the delivery of a baby? Plastic Surgeons don't take insurance. This requires them to be competitive, in regards to being the BEST AT WHAT THEY DO and Giving the Best Bang for your Buck.

So what do you think if there was no insurance and we all went to cash for care?

First, plastic surgeons do take insurance, but insurance seldom covers plastic surgeries (some are very medically useful, however).

Second, as breast implants aren't required, they have to charge a market price. If I get sick, I need drugs to not die. And you can charge me whatever you want, which is not at the point where its profitable, but where you can make the most money (supply v. demand). There's enough oil out there to cost much, much less than it does now. Why does it cost so much? Futures traders KNOW we MUST buy the oil, which is easily stored, so they charge as much as they can since we have no alternative. And you say we should trade healthcare like a commodity? My god, have you filled up your gas tank the last 10 years? If people don't get oil, they might not be happy. Now imagine if not being able to afford it kills them.

Are the lives of the poor not worth saving because of maximizing profits, be it for the government or for a private company or a doctor? Does customer care really not matter? We're not talking about plastic surgery to feel better, we're talking about matters of life and death here-it doesn't matter if its a free or government market. Letting people die because you can get more money out of the system by raising prices is WRONG. Period.

Okay hold the freaking phone!

I was hypothetically saying let's say if we cut insurance out of the equation and just cash to pay for health care. Not make it a commodity. Don't be rediculous.

Oh yes let's cleanse the world of the poor, to make our lives better...wow never been accused of being that kind of a monster before.

Let's take a REAL LIFE example here:

My friend Clfiton and I literally go to the same doctor.

My CoPay :$35 Blue Cross Pays $100 for an office visit

My friend currently has no insurance and he pays $55 for an office visit.

Starting to see my point or are you drawing a pitchfork and horns on my avatar?

What if you don't even have $55?

Scalliwag · August 12, 2009

QUOTE (Stuie @ Aug 12 2009, 11:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My 2 cents.

My wife is on Medicare (not Medicaid) because she is legally blind. After all the prenatal stuff and the birth of our girl.... all the paperwork, all the arguing, and all the crap they refused to pay for that was essential for the birth.

FUCK GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTH CARE! and fuck the $15,000 Bill I am stuck with!

All the stuff going on with my little girl, 90% covered, out of pocket expenses with upcoming Cooks visit. $200. on Private Insurance.

My private insurance is jerking me around so bad I have no idea still what I will be stuck with. We've gotten the runaround and different answers every time we talk to them. My finger gets reconstructed and at first we're told they do not cover physical therapy, then they say to pay for it and they'll review the bill or some shit. I let my wife deal with them because I have a tendency to go postal. They are every bit as bureaucratic and as much red tape as any government program out there.
I also have no idea why in the the hell it costs that much money to have a baby. Costs does not equate to service and there is something really wrong with the picture. Healthcare costs is nuckin futz.
When you get down here to Cook's I know hookahs will be the last thing on your mind. But if you gimme a holler we'll come visit you guys. I told you on the PM about my daughter's heart surgery there so I've been through all that scary stuff. Do you guys have family going to be with you?

Tyler · August 13, 2009