Do you think healthcare is a right?

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^ I'd reply, but I'm trying not to exacerbate the bickering on this thread.

Us WrongPlanet denizens are more NT than we think we are.....

What I have seen in my brother, is speech that would be described as "social obliviousness".

1. A self logic valuing his perceptions of "truth" (that may/may not be sound logic).
2. Very direct communications (often offensively so, though, he thinks he's just "telling it like it is").
3. Lieing/"Hidden agenda"/manipulative speech seems less likely as it would contradict #1, and #2.

His self logic > your feelings > social etiquette > cops threatening him (it happened)

This is why we need universal healthcare. $950,000 medical bill?

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/canadian-wom ... pital-bill

Yes she did purchase travel insurance but it decided to not pay the bill because of her "pre existing condition." What was her pre existing condition? Pregnancy?

My healthcare costs in insurance premiums (not including any deductible, copay, etc) for me and my family come to around 25% of the money I make each year. It's about doubled in the last 6 years or so.

I would feel a lot better about the Obamacare if, rather than paying 25% of my income to simply have health insurance, my cost and others in my same situation could be reduced down to, say, 10% and those that pay less than 10% of their entire income toward health insurance could increase the amount they pay up to 10%. To me that would be more fair.

For those who may rightly be on disability, Medicaid, General Assistance and don't earn enough to meet the 10%, it's a logical assumption and most likely a correct one that they're already getting free healthcare and don't really have a "dog in the fight"?

The flavor of an argument that I've heard before related to this kind of thing (when a person like me complains that 25% of my income toward health insurance is wrong) goes something like: "Aww, quit your yappin', sucker. Be glad those of us who don't pay that much but have any number of reasons and justifications why not don't yell louder and make the system charge you 50% of your income!! !!"

"But, but!"
"Make it 75%! ! You have no right to complain!"

I worked in healthcare for about ten years and during the span for two different health insurance companies including in the area of paying medical claims submitted by doctors, labs, clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and durable medical equipment DME providers. I'll call all of these "Providers".

"Providers" enjoy a reciprocally beneficial relationships with health insurance companies.

Many of you are probably aware that health insurance companies pay "contracted rates" for services to "Providers" that are in their "network". It would seem on the surface that health insurance companies want those "contracted rates" to be as low as possible. They care, to a degree, but not much. Why? Higher rates means health insurance companies simply have to pass the increased costs onto consumers in the form of higher insurance premiums. It's not really the health insurance companies money so keeping healthcare costs from skyrocketing in the last few decades is not a big concern.

Here's an example of how the game is played in relation to most all charges which are routine and established (strip out the experimental "new" charges start start very high and then get a bit lower over time):

"Provider" bills $400 for an office visit.

Insurance company says they'll only pay $100 for an office visit with "Provider" writing off the other $300 as a loss.

"Provider" negotiates the next time around with the insurance company to now pay a rate of $200 for an office visit and the insurance company agrees.

"Provider" then starts billing $500 or $600 for an office visit (an exorbitantly and unrealistically high charge).

The game continues in that cycle and the costs continue to go up and up and up and up.

That game is applied not only for office visits, but anything. We've all heard of the $50 tablet of Tylenol the hospital bills for. That kind of thing isn't a joke and it's done for the same reason the office visit is billed that high on purpose. The health insurance company won't pay $50 per Tylenol, but perhaps they'll end up paying a contracted rate of $10 per Tylenol tablet. Something that should have cost .10 cents.....

https://twitter.com/foxandfriends/statu ... 6541484032