Uninsured in America

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:34 am

So who are the 45 million uninsured's in America that some of the politicians are so concerned about. This 9 minute video says it all.

http://www.freemarketcure.com/uninsuredinamerica.php

DelicateDominatrix · Post by **DelicateDominatrix** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:06 pm

I am one of those uninsured in america.Let me tell you it sucks.

I cant afford the medications I need,especially my asthma (3 in totaly) medications, that I miss having and I get short winded often and suffer.

I am not taking other medications im supposed to which I wont divuldge here, but its hard when prescriptions cost so darn much.

I dont go to the doctors unless its an emergency I cant take care of at home.

I know I am not the only one who goes through this.The american government sucks and doesnt give a crap about us.Good thread Lon

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:22 pm

I am uninsured, and I just went to the doctor and had to get prescriptions filled...I actually lucked out THIS time, have had much worse bills in the past. I did like my last employers insurance though....I only paid 10.00 for doctor visit and prescriptions. It was awesome, except I had to drive 45 minutes to a doctor....

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:45 pm

WonderWendy3;662256 wrote: I am uninsured, and I just went to the doctor and had to get prescriptions filled...I actually lucked out THIS time, have had much worse bills in the past. I did like my last employers insurance though....I only paid 10.00 for doctor visit and prescriptions. It was awesome, except I had to drive 45 minutes to a doctor....

Are you concerned about not having health insurance?

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:46 pm

Lon;662378 wrote: Are you concerned about not having health insurance?

Of course I am.....

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:49 pm

I only carry major medical..it wont even start paying untill after the first five thousand is paid...its the best i can do....:-5

nvalleyvee · Post by **nvalleyvee** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:56 pm

I was uninsured when I got cancer. It cost me $47,000.00 - out of pocket - and I was damned lucky to maintain my health or else it would have cost close to $90,000.00. I did own a home and was working but with no insurance. I paid taxes......20% taxes every year. The government told I would NEVER qualify for help. I would have to sell my house, quit my job, and be eligible for welfare before I would get $1.00 of help. I was told I was going to die by the people I'd paid 30 years of taxes. You know what REALLY pissed me off.......they had convicts in there getting chemo for free on the taxes I paid!!!!!

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:56 pm

guppy;662387 wrote: I only carry major medical..it wont even start paying untill after the first five thousand is paid...its the best i can do....:-5

That's not a bad move guppy. 5 grand is not chicken feed, but far better than the $138,000 of Medical Costs my wife incurred last year (all insured fortunately).

WonderWendy3 · Post by **WonderWendy3** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:05 pm

nvalleyvee;662400 wrote: I was uninsured when I got cancer. It cost me $47,000.00 - out of pocket - and I was damned lucky to maintain my health or else it would have cost close to $90,000.00. I did own a home and was working but with no insurance. I paid taxes......20% taxes every year. The government told I would NEVER qualify for help. I would have to sell my house, quit my job, and be eligible for welfare before I would get $1.00 of help. I was told I was going to die by the people I'd paid 30 years of taxes. You know what REALLY pissed me off.......they had convicts in there getting chemo for free on the taxes I paid!!!!!

I hear ya sista!!! :-5 :-5 :-5

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:09 pm

nvalley.i am so sorry you went through all that...and that is seriously messed up...you work and pay the taxes that pay for the medical services that illegal immigrants recieve....and they , if they work claim married and six and pay no taxes....:-5 damn i hate our system sometimes.....

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 10:05 pm

We pay a fortune for what little coverage we have.

My husband has cancer - several surgeries and things get tough..

I have medicare - pays 20% - that balance adds up fast, since I"ve had @ 15 surgeries since 1995. The only bill we have is health related, ( meaning we own our car with insurance)

I don't have dental care - I go to Mexico

I don't have eye care - I go to Mexico

Its tough - don't expect the State to pick up your balance - it doesn't always work out that way.

Patsy

weeder · Post by **weeder** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:09 am

I dont have health insurance. I was so proud that I did for a couple of years. But when I sold the business in Georgia, and came back to Virginia, I couldnt keep it up. 402.00$ a month, with a 3,000.00 deductible. Forget the doctor visit coverage, that was a joke. Thankfully when I had the melanoma incident, I did have coverage. I was still left with a 5,000.00$ balance after the insurance company paid the bills. I already know that if God forbid I get something serious, I am a goner.... My plan is to find pain medication wherever I can, just to be comfortable, until I die. Very nice.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:25 am

I'm insured through the military. Less than they promised for my 21 years, but more than most.

I know that we will never get rid of the insurance tick that lives off the rest of us, but let me ask the question: is bad universal health care better than great care for the very rich & very poor, with minimal if any for people that work for a living?

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:26 am

What I didn't like about that video was the impression that people like that Asian girl don't have insurance because they'd rather spend their money on other stuff. While that may be true for some, I would think most people don't have any because they really cannot afford that and their other bills too.

Do you think the government should provide insurance?

We certainly pay enough taxes that we might should get something. It sounds nice but would that give government even more control over our personal matters?

Or is it a person's own responsibility to provide insurance for themselves?

I think what would help is to do something about Big Pharma...prescriptions are exorbitant and many people go without because they can't afford the out of pocket. I've seen this happen personally.

I have insurance. Up until recently I was on seven different medications. One of my prescriptions is about $130 a month before insurance. The others range from $50 on up. There's no way I could afford that. If I didn't have insurance I'd be in a huge fix. Yet the insurance itself is too much money.So what are you going to do?

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:13 am

Out of curiosity what does the average American pay by way of taxes?

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:54 am

gmc;662588 wrote: Out of curiosity what does the average American pay by way of taxes?
It's around 28% for the average income tax. That does not include, State, City, Sales, Property, Gas, Ciggy, Alcohol taxes. That is just the ones I could come up with off the top of my head.

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:39 pm

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AND NOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AND NOOOOOOO

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERAGE OR MEDICAL COVERAGE....

IF YOU DONT EARN IT YOU TYPICALLY ABUSE IT...THE VERY POOR GET TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR EVERY NICK AND SCRATCH..AND MOST ABUSE THE SYSTEM OUT THE ASS...THE RICH , WHO CAN AFFORD IT , GO FOR EVERYTHING...PLASTIC SURGERY OUT THE YANG YANG..I THINK IT SHOULD BE PAID FOR ..NO MATTER WHAT YOU MAKE....

I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A FLAT TAX..AND A FLAT RATE FOR INSURANCE..BASED ON INCOME...NO MATTER YOUR INCOME.....

AND I THINK PEOPLE GETTING BACK MONEY FROM THE IRS THAT THEY DIDNT EARN IS THE BIGGEST BALL OF GARBAGE I EVER HEARD...THAT TOTALLY AND WITHOUT A DOUBT IS THE STUPIDEST THING OUR GOVERNMENT DOES....tHE GOVERNEMNT AND THE IRS HAS BECOME A BEAST IN MY OPINION...THEY NEED OT BE TRIMMED AND CUT OUT MY ASS...AND EVERY WORKING AMERICANS ASS...AMEN!!!!! tHE VERY RICH MAKE THEIR INCOME ON THE BACKS OF THE WORKING CLASS..THE VERY POOR ABUSE THE **** OUT OF THE WORKING CLASS..WE ARE GETTING SQUISHED FROM BOTH ENDS....HOW FLAT CAN WE GO BEFORE THE HOUSE OF CARDS COLLAPSES?

OUR DOORS ARE OPEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD..COME HERE IF YOU WANT BUT STAY THE **** OUT MY WALLET...I DONT THINK YOU SHOULD GET ONE FRICKEN PENNY OFF OF ME..BY FREE MED CARE. THATS BULLSHIT..BECOME A CITIZEN..GET A JOB...AND THEN PAY FOR IT LIKE I DO...DAMNIT....

THE MILITARY THAT SERVES AND DIES FOR OUR COUNTRY SHOULD BE THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT THE GOVERMENT PAYS FOR MEDICAL COVERAGE..THEY EARNED IT...BY PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE TO PROTECT OUR WAY OF LIFE....

FOR THAT MATTER I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PROJECTS WEEDED OUT OVER A TIME PERIOD...SLOWLY WITHDRAW ALL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT...IF YOU DONT WORK OR NEVER WORKED THEN SCREW YOU....A BOX ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE....I DONT REALLY CARE....

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:21 am

medical care has become a money monster anyway...i was floored when i learned that hospitals hire people that their sole job is to find out what can they charge your insurance and or medicare...and then the doctor makes the choice of what tests to run...to benefit the hospital and the md...it depends on what kind of money they can get on how well you get treated already...you got enough insurance you get all the treatment possible..albeit often times wasted and unessasary....if you dont ..oh well to bad..so sad..you get showed the door...as soon as they can dismiss you....

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:25 am

YZGI;662605 wrote: It's around 28% for the average income tax. That does not include, State, City, Sales, Property, Gas, Ciggy, Alcohol taxes. That is just the ones I could come up with off the top of my head.Seriously?? I thought the entire point of US tax policy was to reduce the tax burden to the minimum commensurate with policing the borders efficiently and keeping people safe from crime.

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:27 am

might have started out that way spot but now it is drain that turnip dry to the point of near death..but they can still work....:-5

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:30 am

I'll go back on topic in a minute but - just to clear up the tax question - which parties in the US offer to reduce the tax burden if they get elected? And does it go down if they're in power?

guppy · Post by **guppy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:41 am

thats a good question..and heck if i know...

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:38 am

guppy;662642 wrote: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AND NOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO AND NOOOOOOO

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERAGE OR MEDICAL COVERAGE....

[followed by a really good rant]..Can I sit beside you? :-4

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:46 am

spot;662683 wrote: I'll go back on topic in a minute but - just to clear up the tax question - which parties in the US offer to reduce the tax burden if they get elected? And does it go down if they're in power?
That'd be the Repubs, but nobody really cuts taxes. Sometimes they might reduce the increase or some such tripe and call that a cut.

Another scam is to increase taxes for a bit then trim that back and call it a tax cut.

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:58 am

So - call me daft for asking if you like - why doesn't either of the main parties offer to cut the US tax burden? Are they not in favour of lower taxes?

Oh. While I have you. There's a tax thread you're meant to contribute to later on. Buggered if I'm going to do all that work and not get a set of figures to compare to eventually.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:49 am

spot;662713 wrote: So - call me daft for asking if you like - why doesn't either of the main parties offer to cut the US tax burden? Are they not in favour of lower taxes?:yh_rotfl :yh_rotfl Oh! Oh!

:yh_rotfl

I needed that! Forgive me. I have to run to work, but I'll try to give your question justice this evening.

Post by **spot** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:15 am

guppy;662642 wrote: The government should not provide insurance coverage or medical coverage....On a point of information here. The UK has a National Health System (NHS) which covers medical care, prescriptions and dental work in one plan. The prescriptions and dental work are charged for but under a price cap - $12 maximum per prescription, $80 per series of dental visits or $400 if that involves bridging or cap work. The cost to the taxpayer is capped as well, that's what is sometimes forgotten. All of the NHS is paid for by a mandatory National Insurance contribution scheme. Some part of that is from employers and some from personal income. The personal income deductions are between $0 minimum and $140 a week maximum (you pay that much if you earn $65,000 a year and upward, nobody pays more than that toward it). The employer contributions are capped as well. I do realize that it's fashionable for Americans to mock the NHS as low-grade or inefficient or worthless but I suspect that's an attitude adopted as a defence against considering whether it has any attraction. It's said that it comes at a price of huge tax bills, ignoring the contribution cap I mentioned. I do think, Guppy, that you might reconsider whether it's cheaper to do things at a national level rather than arrange insurance, or make payment, personally.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:14 am

spot;662732 wrote: On a point of information here. The UK has a National Health System (NHS) which covers medical care, prescriptions and dental work in one plan. The prescriptions and dental work are charged for but under a price cap - $12 maximum per prescription, $80 per series of dental visits or $400 if that involves bridging or cap work. The cost to the taxpayer is capped as well, that's what is sometimes forgotten. All of the NHS is paid for by a mandatory National Insurance contribution scheme. Some part of that is from employers and some from personal income. The personal income deductions are between $0 minimum and $140 a week maximum (you pay that much if you earn $65,000 a year and upward, nobody pays more than that toward it). The employer contributions are capped as well. I do realize that it's fashionable for Americans to mock the NHS as low-grade or inefficient or worthless but I suspect that's an attitude adopted as a defence against considering whether it has any attraction. It's said that it comes at a price of huge tax bills, ignoring the contribution cap I mentioned. I do think, Guppy, that you might reconsider whether it's cheaper to do things at a national level rather than arrange insurance, or make payment, personally.

It's not true Spot, that it's fashionable for Americans to mock the NHS, in fact, a large majority are demanding a system similar to Canada or the UK.

Every country save France, seems to have some real flaws to their health care system, but then too, France has exorbitant tax rates in my opinion.

I don't have any answers to the U.S. problems.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:21 am

spot;662713 wrote: So - call me daft for asking if you like - why doesn't either of the main parties offer to cut the US tax burden? Are they not in favour of lower taxes?

Oh. While I have you. There's a tax thread you're meant to contribute to later on. Buggered if I'm going to do all that work and not get a set of figures to compare to eventually.

Our taxes are really not that high compared to other countries. Democrats (liberal) typically favor tax increases (particularly for what they call the rich).

Republicans (conservative) typically keeping the status quo or even lowering taxes. The U.S. tax system is loaded with a large number of items that can be deducted on a tax return, thus lowering the effective tax rates. A real bigge for example is mortgage interest (deductibel). I don't know about the UK, but mortgage interest is not deductible in NZ or OZ.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:14 am

posted by guppy

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT PROVIDE INSURANCE COVERAGE OR MEDICAL COVERAGE....

IF YOU DONT EARN IT YOU TYPICALLY ABUSE IT...THE VERY POOR GET TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM FOR EVERY NICK AND SCRATCH..AND MOST ABUSE THE SYSTEM OUT THE ASS...THE RICH , WHO CAN AFFORD IT , GO FOR EVERYTHING...PLASTIC SURGERY OUT THE YANG YANG..I THINK IT SHOULD BE PAID FOR ..NO MATTER WHAT YOU MAKE....

I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A FLAT TAX..AND A FLAT RATE FOR INSURANCE..BASED ON INCOME...NO MATTER YOUR INCOME.....

So you are saying each should pay according to his or her income and be able to get treatment as and when they need it?

Bit puzzled by all of this. Who actually tells the Government what they want it to spend the money on?

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:37 am

gmc;662833 wrote: posted by guppy

So you are saying each should pay according to his or her income and be able to get treatment as and when they need it?

Bit puzzled by all of this. Who actually tells the Government what they want it to spend the money on?

That's an interesting concept there - pay according to you means and receive according to your needs. I think I might have come across it before though :wah:

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:06 pm

Bryn Mawr;662841 wrote: That's an interesting concept there - pay according to you means and receive according to your needs. I think I might have come across it before though :wah:
:wah:

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 2:15 pm

The problem with all the taxes - the middle class holds the burden

The poor - ?

The rich - have the loop holes to avoid the tax

I don't know what the answer is for a control/regulating health care - I'm hoping a candidate / offical with all their brains & money will come with a system

I'm probably hoping for too much..

Patsy

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:56 pm

Patsy Warnick;663463 wrote: The problem with all the taxes - the middle class holds the burden

The poor - ?

The rich - have the loop holes to avoid the tax

I don't know what the answer is for a control/regulating health care - I'm hoping a candidate / offical with all their brains & money will come with a system

I'm probably hoping for too much..

Patsy
In the meantime, pinch every penny and study how the rich do it. Most millionaires in America are 1st generation self-made. No (insurmountable) reason why you can't do it too. :-6

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:00 pm

The rich also invest and that takes money to make money and chance that a poorer person cannot necessarily afford.

Post by **spot** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:22 pm

Accountable;663594 wrote: In the meantime, pinch every penny and study how the rich do it. Most millionaires in America are 1st generation self-made. No (insurmountable) reason why you can't do it too. :-6

The majority of any nation are incapable, by reason of intelligence or temperament, of becoming rich. That is more a statistical than a critical observation. The only way to prevent penury and deprivation among the lower paid is a social redistribution of wealth. Either that's desirable or it isn't. Some people think it is, some people think otherwise. Holding out the rare instances of success doesn't house the homeless or feed the hungry. Either a society chooses to tolerate such conditions for a subset of its members or it doesn't. European countries, by and large, tend not to.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:38 pm

RedGlitter;663597 wrote: The rich also invest and that takes money to make money and chance that a poorer person cannot necessarily afford.

spot;663609 wrote: The majority of any nation are incapable, by reason of intelligence or temperament, of becoming rich. That is more a statistical than a critical observation. Both of you are absolutely right. That's why I said to pinch pennies and study, because while statistics, friends, family, tradition, and a hundred other seemingly insurmountable "reasons" stand in your way, the only thing that will truly hold you back is - as Spot writes - intelligence or temperament. I'm betting that it's temperament that holds most back.

spot wrote: The only way to prevent penury and deprivation among the lower paid is a social redistribution of wealth. Either that's desirable or it isn't. Some people think it is, some people think otherwise. Holding out the rare instances of success doesn't house the homeless or feed the hungry. Either a society chooses to tolerate such conditions for a subset of its members or it doesn't. European countries, by and large, tend not to.
I'm not one to agree with such emphatic statements, but I wasn't talking about all of society's destitute. I was talking about what one individual can do to help herself.