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ACA Running Thread

RJKarl said:
Please explain the financial justification for my friend who went in for a hip replacement one afternoon, stayed overnight in the hospital, was operated on and left before happy hour the next day and got a bill for $54,000 which didn't include the surgeon or anaesthesiologist. In what world are prices like these justified?

I'm sure everyone horror stories like that. Why can you be billed $20, $30 or $50 for a single aspirin in the hospital? Or $50 for a pair of latex gloves that cost about $20-40 for 100 high grade gloves.

The main reason we have a healthcare cost crisis are whores and middlemen that get paid.
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RJ, your friend could have had his hip replacement for 25k all in over here (in the US):

https://surgerycenterok.com/pricing/total-hip-arthroplasty-hip-replacement-includes-implants/

Of course, that is a cash price and as such reflects the true cost. I think the difference is more about hiding the cost of those that can't pay inside your friend's cost than it is about middle men.


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Much cheaper. Similar deductibles. Little less preventative stuff.
 
How many people pay cash? Why should they do that when they have insurance?

Also, how many people fly 1000 miles of more to place he doesn't know?

The add-on for those unable to pay is not 100+%. Lots of people have their hands out who weren't in the OR.
 
RJKarl said:
How many people pay cash? Why should they do that when they have insurance?

Also, how many people fly 1000 miles of more to place he doesn't know?

The add-on for those unable to pay is not 100+%. Lots of people have their hands out who weren't in the OR.
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True. But if we had a real market where the insurance is disconnected from the vendor (i.e. Like car repair), then you wouldn't have to travel for that.


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ApexDeac said:
True. But if we had a real market where the insurance is disconnected from the vendor (i.e. Like car repair), then you wouldn't have to travel for that.


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The insurance industry says being tied into providers keeps prices down.

The worst idea about insurance is to allow further strengthening buying across state lines (which is actually legal in ACA), the big companies would gobble up all the small ones which would increase prices. Add to this, the insurance companies would have their HQs in states with little to no recourse for customers like they have done with credit cards.

If we had a system like Germany and others have, we could have the best of both worlds. Many countries now have universal healthcare and allows you to buy extra care if you so choose. Given that we have the largest and best delivery system, this could work well here. It would cut costs dramatically.
 
It's fun watching ch shill. Your chosen profession is completely incapable of actually helping provide healthcare to all Americans. [jh] We have about 70 years of history that prove this very fact. [/jh]. The best thing that could happen would be for your job to go the way of the horse and buggy driver.

I understand that stinks, and I don't wish for anyone to lose their job. But the facts are the facts. And all the partisan hackery in the world about great republican plans won't change that.
 
CHDeac said:
I wonder how these folks feel about the ACA? I wonder if the average American knows a family of 4 making ~$100,000 that doesn't have group coverage is required to buy a product thats costs $20k a year. Thats why the ACA is flawed and should be unpopular. Or do we say "go get group coverage" as RJ once claimed? Health insurance boot straps?
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Same boat. We had traditionally used individual plans because we wanted flexibility, but individual plans without a subsidy have become insanely expensive high deductible limited network. You are a primary subsidizer of all high utilization patients.

Went to small group. Saved us boatloads of money for much better coverage.
 
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/1/15373372/obamacare-tennessee-zero-insurers

So the ACA as it stands is doomed to die. How do rural and low income sick people rely on health insurance "access" when the federal government has no way to ensure that insurance providers cover those areas? We can't guarantee that an area is going to be profitable, and conservative legislators refuse to allow the fed to reimburse insurance companies for their losses. The fact is that sick people need health coverage more than healthy people do. Unless we force healthy people to pay for coverage this insurance system is never going to work.
 
This is a step in the wrong direction
https://www.yahoo.com/news/agriculture-roll-back-standards-school-meals-143944754--politics.html

We have to break the cycle of
1) eat poorly
2) get sick
3) take a pill

...and education and high standards starting at an early age are an important part of breaking this cycle.

This thread mostly concerns itself with how to pay for healthcare, but the real issue is coming to grips with the cycle and reversing unhealthy eating habits. Because if you don't break this cycle, single payer won't work. Insurance won't work. Those eating themselves sick will simply outstrip any possible way to pay for it.
 
awaken said:
This is a step in the wrong direction
https://www.yahoo.com/news/agriculture-roll-back-standards-school-meals-143944754--politics.html

We have to break the cycle of
1) eat poorly
2) get sick
3) take a pill

...and education and high standards starting at an early age are an important part of breaking this cycle.

This thread mostly concerns itself with how to pay for healthcare, but the real issue is coming to grips with the cycle and reversing unhealthy eating habits. Because if you don't break this cycle, single payer won't work. Insurance won't work. Those eating themselves sick will simply outstrip any possible way to pay for it.
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Then you must oppose Trump ending Michelle Obama's healthy school food initiative.
 
awaken said:
This is a step in the wrong direction
https://www.yahoo.com/news/agriculture-roll-back-standards-school-meals-143944754--politics.html

We have to break the cycle of
1) eat poorly
2) get sick
3) take a pill

...and education and high standards starting at an early age are an important part of breaking this cycle.

This thread mostly concerns itself with how to pay for healthcare, but the real issue is coming to grips with the cycle and reversing unhealthy eating habits. Because if you don't break this cycle, single payer won't work. Insurance won't work. Those eating themselves sick will simply outstrip any possible way to pay for it.
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So your solution is
1) eat healthy
2) never get sick or injured

That's not going to work either.
 
Who said never? I'm shooting for less. Gotta decrease demand.

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OK. So that's a noble goal. So how do we do it?
 
TownieDeac said:
My new job is paying for my gym membership. And if I go 3X a week, they pay for 100% of my healthcare premiums.

Not saying this is a macro solution, but as long as healthcare is coupled with employment, it's pretty sweet.

There's the carrot side. We've pretty much got the stick covered with Trumpcare. Fuck yo pre-existing conditions, especially if one of them is lacking a y chromosome.
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yeah, ITC wife is getting this deal and it's not just the gym, you can go to any kind of fitness class.
 
I think we've discussed that. That carrot benefits people who already work out.

Even if you like it, how do you apply such a carrot to healthy eating? Recommended meals at the cafeteria? Coupons to local salad shops?
 
PhDeac said:
I think we've discussed that. That carrot benefits people who already work out.

Even if you like it, how do you apply such a carrot to healthy eating? Recommended meals at the cafeteria? Coupons to local salad shops?
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i dunno, my wife started going to the gym specifically because she hated doing solo-stuff at the gym but we were too cheap to sign up for a 3rd party membership
 
TownieDeac said:
...
We've pretty much got the stick covered with Trumpcare. Fuck yo pre-existing conditions, especially if one of them is lacking a y chromosome.
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Trump has only been in office for 4 months, hes not responsible for the mess that ACA is right now. Trump isnt forcing providers to leave every unprofitable marketplace.

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TownieDeac said:
My new job is paying for my gym membership. And if I go 3X a week, they pay for 100% of my healthcare premiums.

Not saying this is a macro solution, but as long as healthcare is coupled with employment, it's pretty sweet.

There's the carrot side. We've pretty much got the stick covered with Trumpcare. Fuck yo pre-existing conditions, especially if one of them is lacking a y chromosome.
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I've mentioned the real stick side for years. Tax the everliving shit out of fast food, soda, and beer, like a 100% tax. All the tax proceeds go to fund free primary-care clinics and med school tuition for students who agree to work at said clinics for 5 years after graduation. Link the problem directly to the necessary healthcare, not the bogus insurance boogeyman.
 
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