Why are our heath care costs so very high, as compared to other countries?

Thank you for pointing out that IF a person, or say a family of 4 has income below $22800.00, are US citizens, and do not own a house, THEY QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID. Medicaid does not cover ALL poor people, just 99.99% of poor people.

 

When it comes to the accepted definition of "poor" in America, this analysis was very interesting.

 

You got a source for that 99.99%? Because again poverty isnt the only factor.

 

Here's a chance for you to whoop it up and give yourself wood. Show the exact percentage of people below the poverty line that are, or are not, I don't care which, on MEDICAID. The worms in my lawn know that 99.99% was hyperbole. But now you can make a big deal of it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,maybe.

 

You claim its 99.99% you can prove it

 

Earlier in this thread:

And more recently:

So when people have to pay for procedures out of pocket, they'll travel half way around the world to purchase healthcare. But when the doctor is 15 minutes away and costs next to nothing, they'll go "as infrequently as possible regardless of cost." Really? How do you reconcile these two statements?

 

You are very correct, bradm98.

The liberals and socialists in this group are terribly lacking in common sense!

 

Everything we buy is rationed in that way. Which isnt rationing at all.
Main reason our healthcare costs are so high is because we consume so much healthcare.

 

You are correct, dixon76710.

We need to increase the co-pays and the deductibles and people will not use as much unnecessary heath care! This policy will cause everyone's monthly premiums to become less expensive!

Why Does Health Care in the U.S. Cost So Much?

$500 BILLION: The amount that Americans spend annually on unnecessary care.

30,000: The number of Medicare recipients who die each year as a result of unneeded care.

50%: The portion of surgeries, tests, and procedures that are not backed by scientific evidence.

Consumers aren’t shopping wisely. The moral-hazard argument says that because people don’t pay out of pocket, they use more-expensive health care than necessary. Moral hazard says we go to the doctor when we don’t really need to; we insist on getting a CT scan for a twisted ankle when ice and an Ace bandage will do. Experts will tell you that as many as one in four doctor’s-office visits are “social calls,” and nearly half of emergency room visits are for care that could have been handled in a nonemergency setting.

 

Im not so concerned with rationing healthcare to those who can afford it.

 

By rationing do you mean denying them to have the medical procedure or do you mean having them pay for the procedure?

 

I dont consider having someone pay for something to be rationing. Denying the procedure or putting them on a waiting list is rationing.
My ex wifes father in Canada died of a heart attack, while on a waiting list for bypass surgery. With the money in his pocket to pay for it, he could not get the procedure in Canada. Here in America, you can put down the money and have a bypass surgery this afternoon.

 

"Here in America, you can put down the money and have a bypass surgery this afternoon."

I agree. This is the best policy.

The socialists, however, are opposed to this policy.

They want everyone, rich and poor alike, to be treated exactly the same.

"Socialists cry "Power to the people", and raise the clenched fist as they say it. We all know what they really mean — power over people, power to the State."

-- Margaret Thatcher

Socialism is great if you are willing to accept a much reduced standard of living and an oppressive central government who is always telling you what to do and how to live your life to the benefit of the state!

 

Sure only problem, the USA barely has any socialists, most western countries barely have any socialists.

What we call socialist these days are actually moved quit bit to the right and they all support capitalism as well a sort of middle ground between the 2 .

Actually there are no parties that I know of that support pure capitalism, almost all parties are somwhere between the 2 .

 

"Charge as much as you can for your product"

That's why medical treatments are expensive.

 

Why on earth would anyone need an MRI for a break or sprain? That's what X-ray machines are for; cheap, quick and effective in making a diagnosis.
Your car analogy is absurd and doesn't take into account practicalites. What would a guy with a family of three want with a Ferrari?

 

Grammar police; you can't be 'very' correct. You either are or you are not-like being pregnant...

 

So we're in agreement then - an MRI is overkill and unnecessary but when patients ask for these procedures doctors often acquiesce. In fact, diagnosing a sprain may not even require an X-Ray, but often imaging of one type or another is used "just to be sure."

OK, then - how about hamburger vs. filet? I'm sure you can find exceptions and couter-examples here too. But in general if you're offered two options which differ in quality (or perceived quality) and cost approximately the same (due to subsidization), you'll choose the higher quality option. Why do patients and doctors opt for brand name statins before trying less expensive generic options? The copay difference may only be $10, but the PBM still has to pick up the $100+ difference in actual cost and that leads to higher premiums. PBMs try to manage this by requiring Prior Authorization, but the prescriber often complies with the patient's requests rather than suggesting the generic - often because it's just easier.

 

This is your health we are talking about. 2 Ferraris please, and hold the mayo. We want salmon filet.

 

I think it costs so much because it has been "corporatized" on the provider side. The insurance side has always been that way. Drs and hospitals now have to not only cover their expenses but they need to cover the management employees salaries as well. I'd still rather have this system than the socialistic system.

 

They wouldnt, they would instead prefer the 4 door sedan cadullac, beamer or mercedes. Only thing absurd is your laser like focus upon irrelevancy.

 

you can always head to Cuba if you want some free health care. Of course the average salary there is around 50 cents to a dollar a day. great retirement plan also, they just got a 2 dollar a month raise and now retirees get a princely sum of 9 and a half bucks a month....woot some serious party money there baby

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Cuba

 

You are correct, jackdog.

The socialists in this group would be very happy in communist Cuba!

They would get free meals, free boarding and free medical care and would never have to work!

 

Health Insurance Costs Soar In Obamacare's First Year
Insurers reap profits as average family's premium exceeds cost of a new car.
By Will Oremus | Posted Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, at 3:43 PM ET
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Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images. (Health care reform supporters participate in a sit-in inside the lobby of a building where Aetna insurance offices are located September 29, 2009 in New York City.) Unemployment is high and wages stagnant, but that hasn’t stopped health insurance companies from hiking premiums by 9 percent this year, a new survey shows.

The poll by the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation found that the average family insurance plan purchased through an employer now costs over $15,000 per year. That's more than double the average price 10 years ago, the New York Times calculates. And Kaiser Family Foundation president Drew Altman points out it's more than the cost of a new Chevy Aveo or Ford Fiesta.

Premiums soared in the decade's first half, but had grown more moderately in recent years.


The causes of this year's spike are debatable, but Obamacare is sure to take some of the blame. The Times says some analysts believe insurance companies are getting their price hikes in now before a provision kicks in next year requiring them to justify any double-digit increase. And some of the rise in costs is likely coming from requirements already in effect, such as mammogram screenings and other preventive services.

The White House moved quickly to offer its own explanation: Insurers raised their prices in anticipation of higher costs, but ended up pocketing some of the money in profits. "Wall Street analysts’ review of results from the first quarter of 2011 found that 13 of the top 14 health insurers exceeded their earnings expectations, with profits that were over 45 percent higher than estimated," the administration noted in a blog post.

If that’s true, next year’s price hikes could be more moderate. But meanwhile, employers are feeling the squeeze, with many citing the high cost of coverage as a deterrent to hiring. And increasingly, they’re passing the costs on to workers in the form of higher out-of-pocket costs, the Washington Post reports. Half of all workers at small firms now pay annual deductibles of $1,000 or more.

In a blog post earlier this month, the Post pointed out that health care cost increases wiped out nearly all of the average middle-class family’s wage growth from 1999 to 2009.

The news isn’t all bad, The New Republic’s Jonathan Cohn argues. The Affordable Care Act has improved coverage for many young adults, with some 2.3 million taking advantage of a provision that allows them to enroll in their parents’ plans up to age 26.


slatest.slate.com/.../health_care_costs_insurance_premiums_rise_9_in...

I worked for a large company from 1997 through 2007, and my son was always covered until age 26, if he was taking at least 12 units in college, community college or otherwise... So I see no major difference....

Jollee

 

You could also get some excellent healthcare in Cuba-after all, they're only just two places behind you in the World Health Organisation rankings for quality of healthcare. It's interesting, also, that many American medical students choose to study in Cuba. http://www.redandgreen.org/Information/cuba_medical.htm
http://academic.udayton.edu/health/02organ/providers01.htm