Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ZinnRider t1_j2u7hvm wrote

Reply to comment by NetQuarterLatte in 22 people hurt, including 3 young girls, after SUV slams into Manhattan restaurant: police by 12stTales

Which is exactly why it’s waaaaaay past time for free universal healthcare for every citizen.

Ya know, like it is in practically the entire rest of the world.

The power of insurance companies in this country is a blight on all of our lives.

77

AbazabaYouMyOnlyFren t1_j2uxu3o wrote

It's not free and I think it's a bad way to describe it. It's funded by tax dollars, which means everyone pays into it and everyone benefits from it.

28

JaqenHghar t1_j2v5odm wrote

Same as private insurance. We pay in to a plan and only use it when we need it…

Edit: to be clear I’m totally in favor of universal healthcare. Just pointing out that we already pay a ton. I wouldn’t care if it was my tax dollars and would actually be thrilled if it wasn’t tied to my job.

28

AbazabaYouMyOnlyFren t1_j2v715o wrote

Just think about how much of your insurance payments are just skimmed off as "shareholder value" and executive pay.

27

Comprehensive_Heat25 t1_j2whtde wrote

Private insurance plans and payments are the driving force behind everything. Who sets prices of the services you receive or supplies you use during your hospital visit? The hospital administration, right? Wrong. Insurance companies set the prices. And they set the prices so high because every 1 single private insurance patient that comes through the hospital pays for 3-4 Medicaid or Medicare patients that receive the same services. So, in essence, not only are you paying into a plan that’s used only when needed, but when you do need it you are ending up paying not only for your treatment, but also footing the bill for others. Don’t believe me? Look it up.

3

Titan_Astraeus t1_j2wbeai wrote

Yea not free but if we stop paying rates that support entire industries profiting off peoples sickness, it would probably end up saving tax money and boosting the economy.. it might even be better than free.

6

AbazabaYouMyOnlyFren t1_j2wkbaa wrote

Some people are so brainwashed that they can't wrap their head around the idea that your taxes would need to go up. Even if it's significantly LESS than the premium they pay now, to a private company for fewer services and high copays and deductibles.

Portability is another problem. You lose your job, you lose your coverage unless you pay COBRA rates.

It's a goddamned mess, and I'm tired of being bled dry.

5

freeradicalx t1_j2xhwph wrote

Yeah I have to agree. "Universal" is good and accurate, but "free" is a disingenuous word that only opens the door to tangential criticisms and distractions. It even sounds dishonest to someone hearing it with a critical ear. Imagine if "social security" was instead referred to as "free security" and that's how we promoted it?

4

vishnoo t1_j2xdffs wrote

but it is free, because currently the public expendture on health is 1.5 Tn $.
which is ~5000 per person per year.

enough to cover everyone (if you weed out the insurance companies, and the price gouging)

1

AbazabaYouMyOnlyFren t1_j2xea0u wrote

It has a cost, that cost is paid for by tax dollars, taxes are paid by all citizens in one way or another.

That's not what free means.

2

vishnoo t1_j2xnsiv wrote

yes, but since the amount currently paid is enough to cover everyone, there would be no additional charge.
in fact most people might be able to negotiate a pay raise if the employers are about to save 1.5 TN in health insurance coverage

---
so not "free", but rather
you are already paying for it, just not getting it

1

Brian-Puccio t1_j2uvtuf wrote

Agreed, yes.

But also minimum 100/500/100 insurance policy limits. Whatever single-payer there is can then go after the car insurance carriers in subrogation. Drivers should pay for the increased danger their 4000+ pound hunks of metal do to society — especially when they’re designed to easily drive over minor obstacles such as curbs and pedestrians.

4

Comprehensive_Heat25 t1_j2wh4k3 wrote

If you have universal healthcare there will be no insurance policy limits to worry about. So…

2

vishnoo t1_j2xdap7 wrote

people are going to tell you "it isn't free" bla bla.
the public expenditure in the US (money from taxes) is ~$1.5 Trillion
without adding one red cent, (just by eliminating insurance companies and price gouging) this should be enough to cover everyone at european levels.

this will never happen because without it, the private expenditure is another 1.5 TN.

so without adding 1 cent to taxes, you could save everyone a lot of money AND cover everyone.

2