Zack Morris wrote:
Whether a particular US government program is sustainable or not is not the issue here.
It sure is. But I know why you don't want it to be, it makes you look absolutely horrible.
The nation isn't going bankrupt. Everyone knew Medicare was unsustainable without significant changes to the health care system.
There are a lot of other things everyone knows Zack. Almost everyone. Some people only learn the hard way Zack Morris (read on).
But it's false for you to say that Americans don't bear the cost of health care, that it's "free" because it's provided by bare-bones, shitty employer plans, or that non-profits somehow cover the rest. Two million Americans per year are bankrupted by their medical costs.
Sorry Zack, this went way, way over your head, being brand new to the work force or whatever you situation. I can never tell if you are in high school, interning, who knows. Ill try in honesty to speak to your level.
When I employ someone and buy insurance for them, as far as the incentives they live with the health care is "free", ie when they go to the doctor other than a co-pay or something whether the bill is $500 or $50,000 it really doesn't matter. Now Zack Morris maybe we'll go more complex here, maybe we won't, but I'm trying to use very simple examples in the hope that we can help your mind grasp the most basic concept of what's going on here.
You experienced this firsthand. Childishly you walked into a Doctors office and then walked out with a big bill you didn't know about, because you "thought" the health care was "free" (my definition here being "someone else pays"). Your brain was not working particularly well that day or maybe about average, and even now instead of recognizing how dumb you were you went and blabbed about it on an internet forum, making a spectacle of your stupidity.
Now as you have learned the hard way, the sign of an inferior intellect, next time you will call around and make sure what's covered and whats not and hopefully for your sake you won't be so stupid about it, perhaps though this is just you being a good Keynesian and stimulating someone else's economy. Maybe you want the Doctor to be rich, who knows coming from you. But it won't change the fact that whatever you end up paying for you'll be indifferent to that cost. Whether he charges you $100 or $150,000 you don't really care.
This is completely unique to US healthcare, and it's because of the tax law, where you don't pay for your insurance out of your own pocket. You are indifferent to that actual cost of care. As a result a doctor can charge you whatever he wants and you'll never care. You would never buy a hot tub, or have a pool installed, you know "put in whatever you want, I don't care what it costs" for obvious reasons, and despite your little hissy fit of ignorance earlier, auto insurance utilizes
claims adjusters who ruthlessly drive down costs for repairs. This feature is not allowed by any insurance commissioner in the country.
On the brightside, you never had a chance on this issue with me not only because of my experience, unbelievable knowledge and intelligence but also my best golf buddy is a healthcare actuary. So sorry, you were dead in the water before you even cast off.
So bottom line is the problem with American HC is a government system wherein the consumer is shielded from the real cost of care due to it being a "benefit" because of the tax code.
To say nothing of the order-of-magnitude larger number of people who are burdened by costs but not yet outright bankrupted by them. Apart from government spending, these so called "Cadillac plans" and magical "non-profits" don't seem to be providing all that coverage.
Like I said, this is a state controlled enterprise. Don't be surprised with the results. It's monster of your making. Or at least older versions of you.
No wonder Americans are increasingly leaving the country to Asia and Latin America to get treated. That's the real medical tourism industry.
They have good company in single payer nations all over the world. It's the free market. It's a beautiful thing. We don't here, but the blessing of it are abundant for those that tap into it.