US Health Care System Sucks Moose C%ck

[StanF18]

Look, I'm no policy expert and I'm not a doctor (although I play one on TV). I am also not a fan of Michael Moore and his conspiracy theories.
But even fat America-haters who are wrong MOST of the time can sometimes be tragically right. I think he's hit the nail on the head in his movie "Sicko". Our health care system is ridiculously twisted upside down. The big HMOs are basically an organized crime syndicate whose very goal is to deny coverage as frequently as possible, to as many patients as possible. They could not care less about your health, my health, or anyone's health. Their sole reason for existence is to make a fat profit by denying legitimate health claims and by buying favors from politicians in Congress (both Republicans and Democrats).

What is the point of having the most advanced medical technologies, the most advanced imaging, the best diagnostics, when the vast majority of your citizens could not possibly hope to take advantage of these techniques due to the red tape imposed by the health insurance mafia bosses?

A large portion of the health care debate centers on the number of UN-insured Amercians. But the amazing thing is: even if you ARE insured, you're still Fu$%ed !! Because when something serious DOES happen to you or a loved one, your insurance company will look for any excuse in the book to deny your claims, and then send you a hundred "Explanation of Benefit" statements with so much baffling BS in it, that it takes a Pentagon cryptographer to try and decipher their so called "reasons" for denial of service. It's really a very sad state of affairs. Instead of concentrating on getting better, patients have to spend their days and nights calliing their insurance companies and fighting for their right of coverage.

This is a racket in every sense of the word. Even if you're "covered", when the sh^t hits the fan you're really NOT covered. The private health insurance profit model is based on denial of claims, pure and simple. These decisions are made not by the on-site clinicians treating the patient, but by paper-pusher administrators sitting in a far-away office and collecting additional bonuses for every claim they reject. Disgusting.

I am not saying I have all the solutions, or that there is a perfect model out there. I realize that the UK and Canada alternatives have their own problems. But the current US model is deeply flawed, unethical, inhumane, and just plain disturbing. When you hear all of the horror stories of good, honest folks who THOUGHT they were insured, but were rudely surprised.
So I'm not even talking about all the millions who are un-insured. Just the ones who are "supposedly" insured. It's a broken system.

[Wagner]

Not entirely true, never has been in my experience. While it may have issues, it is still by far for MY money the best system available. Health care in the US is outstanding, best in the world IMO, health accessibility...completely different. However with 90%+ insured and amazing capability, I'm for it.

Before the US attempts any help to its health care system it should absolutely FIX its VA health care system. I get ticked off at the terminology: Health CARE instead of Health INSURANCE.

Here is my problem, insurance as a principal. If I don't use it, I should get my money back! It shouldn't simply go off as a charge and I eat it. Rant over.

[StanF18]

Originally Posted by Wagner

Not entirely true, never has been in my experience. While it may have issues, it is still by far for MY money the best system available. Health care in the US is outstanding, best in the world IMO, health accessibility...completely different. However with 90%+ insured and amazing capability, I'm for it.

But that plays right into my point: "capability" without "accessibility" is worthless. If the current US national model is "Health Care is a privilege, not a right", that's fine. But then don't play games with people's minds (and wallets). State it clearly and plainly, for all Americans to see and comprehend. Just like driving a vehicle. It's a privilege, not a right. Don't let the HMOs play political mind games by "pretending" that they're insuring us and "pretending" they're giving us equal unfettered access to basic standards of medical care. This way, at least folks who are not multi-millionaires know they're on their own, rain or shine. Don't allow hard-working folks to get criminally robbed into paying insurance premiums for what is essentially FAKE coverage. This way there are no last minute surprises in the mail: "We are sorry to inform you that your claim for chemotherapy for your cancer of the______ has been denied. Our on-site administrator has determined that this is not an approved therapy for your condition. Thank you for insuring with us and letting us f&*k you up the A-hole. Have a wonderful day."

This is the most audacious, most dumbfounding racket that is taking place in today's America, a gigantic criminal enterprise with fancy corporate tentacles that has both doctors and their patients by the balls. It is like Watergate and Enron and Bernie Madoff all wrapped up into one fat box with a bow-tie on top, waiting for someone with enough BALLZ to come along and expose all its' ugliness and criminality. And yet Congress is so deeply in bed with these Aetnas and Horizons and Blue Crosses, that it will require a national grass-roots referendum before anything gets done about it.

Some brutal take-home points from JCL's link above:

1) In 2007, before the current economic downturn even began, an American family filed for bankruptcy in the aftermath of illness every 90 seconds; three-quarters of them were insured.

2) “This study provides further evidence that the US health care system is broken,” according to James E. Dalen, M.D., M.P.H., University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson. “Medical bankruptcy is almost a unique American phenomenon, which does not occur in countries that have national health insurance".

[JCL]

with StanF18's post.

I agree that the current US system isn't working. I also agree that the Canada and UK systems have their own problems. The US system has amazing capability, just not a funding model that provides it to all those who need it.

There was a report on our local news this weekend about personal bankruptcy in the US, and how much of it is caused by medical problems that insurance didn't cover. Same story here:

New Report: Over 60% of U.S. Bankruptcies From Medical Bills

[RxGuy]

Couple thing to keep in mind. So far, we haven't figured out how to provide a wide and deep net of coverage. In the US, we have the deepest coverage available (US responsible for 70% of new drugs invented, advances in devices, etc), but have a narrow coverage (fewer people can attain these products/services).

In Canada/EU/UK, they have a wide net, but very shallow services (especially if you are old). But, everyone is covered.

Maybe we should have a hybrid? Wide coverage of basic services (public $'s) , with the ability to supplement w/private plans.

Also, what people forget is that innovation (the at risk $ that is invested to bring new drugs/therapies to market) can be severely hampered if we restrict profit in the system. The investors will simply shift their investments to other industries with a better risk/reward profile. Money is fungible, and easily diverted.

Tough choices all around.

[alewifebp]

Originally Posted by RxGuy

Also, what people forget is that innovation (the at risk $ that is invested to bring new drugs/therapies to market) can be severely hampered if we restrict profit in the system. The investors will simply shift their investments to other industries with a better risk/reward profile. Money is fungible, and easily diverted.

That is the quintessential problem with any government run health care system, or one that is a single payer with set limits and such. If you can't hope to make money, or even recoup your R&D in a reasonable time frame, new medical discoveries will dry up. The same is true for doctors. After years and years of training, if you pay is going to be restricted, the incentives to put in that time are much lower, and those bright, educated future doctors will just decide to go in to other, more lucrative fields.

Personally, I don't have any problems with receiving care when I need it, and like you, being in northern NJ, I have plenty of top quality hospitals and doctors to choose from. I don't have the most expensive or elaborate plan, but it covers me well. In fact, I've been able to switch to a HSA recently, which encourages people to manage their costs. It's nice knowing that I'm saving for retirement with unused medical bills, but still get the same quality care. Doesn't work for everyone, but it is one of the newer innovations in the health insurance space that is helping to reduce costs.

In regards to the clusterf**k that is the entire health care system, that is at least something I can agree on. However, I think we need to look at the supposed savior of healthcare, in the Obama plans, and see that many of the current problems are due to some incredibly complex and poorly though out regulations that the government imposes on the industry.

I don't have the answers either. However, I do now that a government run system is not the right system by a long shot. The same government that proposes to help the system, but yet is the cause of most of the problems, doesn't give me a good feeling inside. And with the Dem congress and Obama loving media, I very much fear a poorly thought out plan, that is way too expensive and reduces care quality, is going to be rushed through with little real debate. All with the intention of getting it passed before the 2010 congressional bloodbath.

Anyone that wants the same government that issues your drivers license to also provide your healthcare is not thinking things through.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by alewifebp

That is the quintessential problem with any government run health care system, or one that is a single payer with set limits and such. If you can't hope to make money, or even recoup your R&D in a reasonable time frame, new medical discoveries will dry up. The same is true for doctors.

Good thing nobody told Banting and Best, or we wouldn't have insulin.

I read Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, last week on vacation. Maybe she was thinking of the medical system.