You have some nerve accusing me of making a dishonest argument, given your obvious devil's advocacy, but I should have expected as much. Suit yourself.
Overwhelming Incompetence: a.k.a Government Healthcare
- Thread starter Tiberius Jim
- Start date
Naturally, any "socialized" health care system is going to cost me in some way or another; but raising my taxes by a fraction of a percent; along with the taxes of everyone else, benefits me and everyone since now everyone gets "free" healthcare and benefits from that as well as benefits from a society filled with people who can be kept healthy, stay as active members of society, thus creating more tax revenue.
Let's say the raise in taxes for a UHC system equals the current cost of my health insurance taken from my check. Something like 70 or 80 a week. That's far better to have that cost for my entire working career than for me to all of the sudden being handed a bill for $2,000 for a medical procedure on TOP of already paying my insurance.
Raising taxes for a UHC system benefits everyone and benefits society as a whole and, yeah, I'm going to say tax the rich more since, surprise, they have more disposable income to go around. Raise my taxes by 5% and you make an impact on my life. Raise a rich person's taxes by 5% and you don't impact their life. Maybe, darn, they'll have to *not* trade in last year's model Mercedes to get this year's model.
Society as a whole benefits.
As a reminder, it is now open enrollment season for ACA marketplace plans. If you don't have insurance, now is the time to sign up!
I have had private insurance for years now, but over the last month or so I've been bombarded with emails from health.gov telling me to pick my new plan before the deadline.
So I did, and I managed to cut my premium in half.
Some poor billionaire is probably paying that other half of your premium. Fucking communist government, redistributing wealth and making its citizens healthier.
Is your deductible good? Do you have good prescription benefits?I have had private insurance for years now, but over the last month or so I've been bombarded with emails from health.gov telling me to pick my new plan before the deadline.
So I did, and I managed to cut my premium in half.
Is your deductible good? Do you have good prescription benefits?I have had private insurance for years now, but over the last month or so I've been bombarded with emails from health.gov telling me to pick my new plan before the deadline.
So I did, and I managed to cut my premium in half.
It's almost the exact same as I had before, just through a different provider.
But I'm also someone who has been to the doctor literally once in the last decade. I don't get sick, and I'm tired of paying crazy amounts of money every month for something I never use.
You might feel differently later on when your life is on the line, and you begin to realize that a medical system where, when only the sick pay for medical insurance and are unable to work to pay for it and so don't get treated, they die. It's a selfish motive that comes back to bite you later. But I'll concede that anyone who has a massive stroke or heart attack and drops dead on the spot, yes, has probably wasted their money, except for the people they helped through the funding of societal healthcare. Maybe one of them was around when you needed something in your life that was completely unrelated to healthcare, but connected by their continued existence.Is your deductible good? Do you have good prescription benefits?I have had private insurance for years now, but over the last month or so I've been bombarded with emails from health.gov telling me to pick my new plan before the deadline.
So I did, and I managed to cut my premium in half.
It's almost the exact same as I had before, just through a different provider.
But I'm also someone who has been to the doctor literally once in the last decade. I don't get sick, and I'm tired of paying crazy amounts of money every month for something I never use.
This will change.
I had literally been to a doctor once between the ages of 19 and 30, and then in the span of eighteen months I managed to rack up more than $60,000 worth of medical and hospital bills.
Edit: And I should say that the vast majority of those bills came from a several-day stay in the hospital. Why was I in the hospital? Because I received a massive and severe intestinal infection from one bad oyster. It's not something you see coming, and then all of a sudden you're hooked up to a half-dozen IVs with so much medication that you spend almost a week not being able to see straight.
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^It changes in the blink of an eye. Geez... in 2014, I used the ER twice! Last year, I blew through my deductible by April!
My plan is basically the same plan I had, just with a different company. Blue Cross Blue Shield basically doubled my premium last year, which is why I made the switch. I've never been without insurance, but I also can't afford to have the Super Awesome Mega Plan That Covers Everything All The Time.
The current plan will have to suffice for now.
The current plan will have to suffice for now.
That's fair enough. But if you've been to the doctor once in a decade, let me offer some friendly advice: For the love of God, at least schedule an annual physical. You would be absolutely stunned at how many conditions can develop without showing any symptoms but can be easily detected (and treated / reversed) from a blood and piss test.
I mean, shit, you wouldn't go a decade without seeing a dentist (hopefully, anyway).
I mean, shit, you wouldn't go a decade without seeing a dentist (hopefully, anyway).
Agreed.
And any decent health plan should cover physicals 100% anyway, so whaddya got to lose?
Uh... ^^;;; 15 years here...
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Amaris
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Thirded on that one. When I finally got insurance (thank you, PPACA!), I got the blood tests done right away. I was already a diabetic, and had high blood pressure, and years without insurance was more than enough to motivate me to have the blood work done, and I'm glad I did. Now my chances of a heart attack have been greatly reduced, all thanks to that checkup.
I admit that this is probably me being naive, but those kind of health issues never even cross my mind. Both sides of my family have literally zero history of health problems, and everybody lives to be at least 95. Hell, my grandma is 92 and still lifts weights!
Not that it's not good advice to get a physical. I probably should.
Not that it's not good advice to get a physical. I probably should.
I don't think it's possible for me to overstate how important this is. I know you lift weights like a maniac and all that, but an annual physical is just a responsibility to yourself. An hour once a year at the doctor, including the awkwardness of having to turn your head and cough while someone's touching your junk, can save you hours, days, weeks or God knows what else of other hassles.
Let me put it this way: In 2012 going into 2013, I was living a relatively healthy life -- not eating particularly great, but walking a mile and a half a day at the minimum, meditating, exercising, doing all the things one does.
On January 4, 2013, I had a heart attack.
You never know when something's going to happen. So for the love of God, please get a physical.
It's been almost 4 years since I've had a physical. That's still better than the 20 years I went between physicals. And I've been to the doctor a lot in the past five years or so.
