help on the sick

sicpuppy

sicpuppy

Active Member
watching that show outsiders, about the Farrells, reason for question, is it realy true in America you real have to pay for healthcare and the government dont help when your not working, example uk, I stopped working 4 years ago with pancreatitis' , I get 475 a fortnight sickness benefit, 480 once a month p.i.p payment, my rent paid every week, 20 quid child benefit on Monday and 64 child tax credits every Wednesday, plus free prescriptions, free healthcare and free dentist care, is it real honestly true America with its size dose not have this in place, honestly genie question no offence meant,
 
Roger A. Shrubber

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
sicpuppy said:
watching that show outsiders, about the Farrells, reason for question, is it realy true in America you real have to pay for healthcare and the government dont help when your not working, example uk, I stopped working 4 years ago with pancreatitis' , I get 475 a fortnight sickness benefit, 480 once a month p.i.p payment, my rent paid every week, 20 quid child benefit on Monday and 64 child tax credits every Wednesday, plus free prescriptions, free healthcare and free dentist care, is it real honestly true America with its size dose not have this in place, honestly genie question no offence meant,
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yeah, we're fucked here. If you're handicapped, old enough, or poor enough, you can go through the demeaning experience of getting medicare/medicaid, and having to go to substandard physicians that accept it.
The "Obamacare" health care exchange is a lot better than nothing, but it's a fucking long way from what you all have. Our medical system has been corrupted and co-opted by private industry, and we're the ones getting fucked over by it.
 
MtRainDog

MtRainDog

Well-Known Member
I think universally americans all view our healthcare as being pretty fucked, or at the least very expensive. Who to blame usually depends on ones political orientation. The insurance companies are greedy, and try to get out of paying whatever they can, so they go back n forth with your hospital/doctor/etc over every nickel and dime and service you receive.

Hospitals and medical practices have to carry huge amounts of malpractice insurance in case they screw up and get sued.

Most of us working folks get private healthcare benefits through our full-time employer. Basically your employer pays a bulk rate they negotiate with insurance companies, and you pay the insurance premiums and co-pays which are fees for doctor visits and prescription meds. I have a wife, and 2 children I pay for. Around $1000/month, for medical/dental/vision coverage.

A couple years ago our plans switched to a HSA (health savings account) which works out roughly to the same cost, buuuuut whatever i pay into it thats unused is in a savings account, similar to a retirement savings account. All in all, I think that was a good change.

I don’t really know about the medicare/medicaid/obamacare side of it, but it’s not great and definitely you’d rather have a private insurance.

The biggest problem imo is it all costs too much. Hospitals trying to charge $400 for a bandaid, prescription meds are nuts sometimes. When I got the flu last year, I paid nearly $500 for a bottle of tamiflu.

Basically you never want to get hospitalized without insurance. A one nights stay in the hospital will easily run you several thousand dollars. Not a big deal if you have insurance, but if you don’t, yikes.

I guess obamacare “forces” everyone to have insurance, though i’m not sure what the penalties are if you don’t, or who exactly would come after you. Probably the IRS (our federal taxation department). That sounds scary if you arent from the US, but I think we all know they aren’t getting water from a rock.

It’s just a bizarre system if you step back and look at it objectively, and i put most of the blame on insurance companies, big pharma, and politicians on both sides that have long profited off of it.
 
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sicpuppy

sicpuppy

Active Member
Roger A. Shrubber said:
yeah, we're fucked here. If you're handicapped, old enough, or poor enough, you can go through the demeaning experience of getting medicare/medicaid, and having to go to substandard physicians that accept it.
The "Obamacare" health care exchange is a lot better than nothing, but it's a fucking long way from what you all have. Our medical system has been corrupted and co-opted by private industry, and we're the ones getting fucked over by it.
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my heart go's out genuinely , no a lot of fun made over nhs, but realy is a good service, i think there trying there best to push privet healthcare here but they will never do it
 
sicpuppy

sicpuppy

Active Member
MtRainDog said:
I think universally americans all view our healthcare as being pretty fucked, or at the least very expensive. Who to blame usually depends on ones political orientation. The insurance companies are greedy, and try to get out of paying whatever they can, so they go back n forth with your hospital/doctor/etc over every nickel and dime and service you receive.

Hospitals and medical practices have to carry huge amounts of malpractice insurance in case they screw up and get sued.

Most of us working folks get private healthcare benefits through our full-time employer. Basically your employer pays a bulk rate they negotiate with insurance companies, and you pay the insurance premiums and co-pays which are fees for doctor visits and prescription meds. I have a wife, and 2 children I pay for. Around $1000/month, for medical/dental/vision coverage.

A couple years ago our plans switched to a HSA (health savings account) which works out roughly to the same cost, buuuuut whatever i pay into it thats unused is in a savings account, similar to a retirement savings account. All in all, I think that was a good change.

I don’t really know about the medicare/medicaid/obamacare side of it, but it’s not great and definitely you’d rather have a private insurance.

The biggest problem imo is it all costs too much. Hospitals trying to charge $400 for a bandaid, prescription meds are nuts sometimes. When I got the flu last year, I paid nearly $500 for a bottle of tamiflu.

Basically you never want to get hospitalized without insurance. A one nights stay in the hospital will easily run you several thousand dollars. Not a big deal if you have insurance, but if you don’t, yikes.

I guess obamacare “forces” everyone to have insurance, though i’m not sure what the penalties are if you don’t, or who exactly would come after you. Probably the IRS (our federal taxation department). That sounds scary if you arent from the US, but I think we all know they aren’t getting water from a rock.

It’s just a bizarre system if you step back and look at it objectively, and i put most of the blame on insurance companies, big pharma, and politicians on both sides that have long profited off of it.
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insurance company's sorry but wankers, all they care about are there share holders my heart bleeds for you, sounds such tough way to live
 
tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
Hospitals are privately owned here. They are funded by big pharma and in return, they sell "treatment" drugs to people instead of curing them. No one gives one fuck for you or your situation once they have "treated" you out of your life savings and insurance benefits...in other words, until you're dead.
 
sicpuppy

sicpuppy

Active Member
tstick said:
Hospitals are privately owned here. They are funded by big pharma and in return, they sell "treatment" drugs to people instead of curing them. No one gives one fuck for you or your situation once they have "treated" you out of your life savings and insurance benefits...in other words, until you're dead.
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That's so sad man realy, an American couple just moved in above me and they are the kindest people I have met, how can u treat people like that,
 
tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
sicpuppy said:
That's so sad man realy, an American couple just moved in above me and they are the kindest people I have met, how can u treat people like that,
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Yes, many nice little old ladies and gentlemen who have worked their fingers to the bone are out there..and what's worse is that even if you're a war veteran, you may end up in the goddamn street before you'll be able to afford any kind of hospital treatment. Mental illness has spilled out into the streets because there isn't anywhere to put them that would ever stand a chance to make a profit -unless you're someone who already has a ton of money in which case you can spend all your money on the most luxurious treatment "spa" hospitals you can imagine. If you can't be profitable to someone in some way -even in sickness and pending death, then kiss your ass goodbye.
 
MtRainDog

MtRainDog

Well-Known Member
ALPHA.GanjaGuy said:
$750 fine taken directly from your tax refund if no proof of insurance.. or it was until I finally caved and started paying for insurance..
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My oldest is on his own now, and pays about $500/month for himself. He's 23. Many that age will opt to take the gamble and the $750 fine. If you don't work and are young, hence no tax refund, there's no incentive either. Same for those that qualify for the earned income credit that fall into that age group. Easier for a young man, but young women absolutely need some basic routine exams so harder for them to opt out I guess.
 
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