[BITList] more more on service costs

[x50type]

Malcolm

As you know, health costs and services in the US are the subject of serious political fights.
The is no NHS and its every man under 65 for himself. Republicans insist there is no need for a NHS - which smacks of socialism. That millions cannot afford the high cost of private medical insurance is of little concern to them. 
Medical bills are the biggest cause of bankruptcies in the USA.
      Average cost of Healthcare in the United States $5,615 Single  $15,745 Family 


However, for Republicans the, “Eff you, I’m alright, Jack” is the rallying cry as always. 

The Affordable Care Act [ACA] or ‘Obamacare’ is the best compromise that could be achieved in an effort to provide all with affordable health insurance. The present system of for profit insurers is retained with Government guide lines on their operations.  

Republicans have voted 39 times since the law came into effect 2 years ago to kill Obamacare- each time failing. They know they have no chance of defeating it, but it looks good on a republican politician’s resume – ‘I voted to kill Obamacare’. 

The ACA is slowly coming into effect, but it is unclear how successful it will be; it has been poorly advertised by the Government. 
As any insurance it relies on large numbers of younger, healthier folks contributing and building up a pool of money from which a smaller group of older folk can be paid out. The average American’s reluctance to help others less fortunate than they are, especially at the insistence of the Government doesn’t help the cause.

Luckily for those over 65 there is a perfectly good NHS-like system – Medicare, and unknown to many, run pretty successfully by the Federal Government. 

In the United States, Medicare is a national social insurance program, administered by the U.S. federal government since 1965, that guarantees access to health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older and younger people with disabilities as well as people with end stage renal disease (Medicare.gov, 2012) and persons with Lou Gehrig’s Disease♙♙. As a social insurance program, Medicare spreads the financial risk associated with illness across society to protect everyone, and thus has a somewhat different social role from for-profit private insurers, which manage their risk portfolio by adjusting their pricing according to perceived risk.

Republicans are happy to drink at this trough without complaint and never even mention socialism. 

In reality it cost individuals over 65 about 66 ukp per month however this is deducted from the pension benefit at source, so it goes unnoticed.

Generally speaking 80% of medical costs are covered [private insurance can cover the other 20%], doctor’s visits are about $25 and common drugs are often only a few dollars but can be expensive depending on the particular drug.  One eye exam and new glasses, a cursory wellness exam and one teeth cleaning and exam are free each year. As mentioned, Medicare is generally regarded as pretty good.

Yer average Joe has been indoctrinated [c/o the cold war] to fear socialism which is next to communism, and because a national health service administered by the Federal Government is linked by the Alf Garnetts, the holy rollers and the super rich [the pay masters of our politicians] to socialism ergo communism, I believe it will take many, many years before the USA sees a national health service. 

If that was not enough to kill a NHS, in 2010 the US healthcare services industry accounted for approximately $1.75 trillion [$1,750,000,000] in revenues

and employed more than 14 million people, or nine percent of the U.S. workforce. 

All the big players in the industry are making millions and are therefore reasonably content with the present system – so why change? 

Additionally, they have the money to pay off our politicians to do their bidding. 

Accordingly, the boat will not be rocked for a long time.

Colin




From: Malcolm 
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2013 2:30 PM
To: 'BitList' 
Subject: Re: [BITList] more on service costs

Colin,

 

I do not know other countries. Everybody in our group has been very quiet this weekend. They must have been to interested in our messages to each other. I never mentioned health cost because you know that we no not have any.

 

Malcoolm. 

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