U.S. health care system: Most expensive least effective

It's so many different things, as usual, that make the problem what it is. Anyone offering up any one thing as the problem (re: fat people, overwork, profit systems, doctoring via pharmaceuticals, Mexicans, etcetera) make good points, but are missing the big picture because it is so damned big and multi-valued.

Insurance companies are another example of the problem, but again, not the whole problem. They are no more than Vegas bookies, gaming the odds in such a way that they can profit massively from the system by paying out a great deal less than they take in. They are just as much a middle man as any government agency would be, but people who hate the concept of taxes being used collectively can feel kind of happy knowing that their money is at least being directed back at them and their families (even though it's also being directed at a desk jockey to pay for his nice house and car, although he has nothing at all to do with the procedural end of medicine).

I used to do medical transcription on the side and it would be impossible to count how many times I heard doctors getting literally pissed talking into their dictaphones that some necessary procedure or diagnostic study was refused by the insurance company. I had one even saying he was going to write a letter to congress, because his patient absolutely needed physical therapy on a work-related injury and it was getting consistently denied despite second and third specialist opinions, which ends up being payment for nothing.
 
I bet Americans die so soon because they eat olives, which are loaded with fat and are very unhealthy.

Right, cyclodouche?
 
I'm not sure how I am "stalking" you when you post a thread and I reply in it.

But while we're discussing how stupid you are:
lol @ thinking that eating nothing but canned tuna for months is healthy.
 
[SHiN]AkumA said:
americans like to party, do drugs, and eat cheeseburgers. it has nothing to do with healthcare.
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Did you even read the article? The United States has the least effective health care system among developed nations. Every other non-third-world country has superior quality of care and affordability.
 
Kurayami said:
I'm not sure how I am "stalking" you when you post a thread and I reply in it.
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following me around in every thread

i have posted in about 5 threads over the last month

you were stalking me in 3 of them

But while we're discussing how stupid you are:
lol @ thinking that eating nothing but canned tuna for months is healthy.
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you can't seriously be big enough of a retard to think tuna is all i ate :lol:
 
Alekhine said:
It's so many different things, as usual, that make the problem what it is. Anyone offering up any one thing as the problem (re: fat people, overwork, profit systems, doctoring via pharmaceuticals, Mexicans, etcetera) make good points, but are missing the big picture because it is so damned big and multi-valued.

Insurance companies are another example of the problem, but again, not the whole problem. They are no more than Vegas bookies, gaming the odds in such a way that they can profit massively from the system by paying out a great deal less than they take in. They are just as much a middle man as any government agency would be, but people who hate the concept of taxes being used collectively can feel kind of happy knowing that their money is at least being directed back at them and their families (even though it's also being directed at a desk jockey to pay for his nice house and car, although he has nothing at all to do with the procedural end of medicine).

I used to do medical transcription on the side and it would be impossible to count how many times I heard doctors getting literally pissed talking into their dictaphones that some necessary procedure or diagnostic study was refused by the insurance company. I had one even saying he was going to write a letter to congress, because his patient absolutely needed physical therapy on a work-related injury and it was getting consistently denied despite second and third specialist opinions, which ends up being payment for nothing.
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Yes insurance companies are a big part of the problem because they are not formed in the interest of health care but for profit. As corporations their only reason for existence is profit and shareholder value.

Medicare has largest reimbursements rates and is on the verge of bankruptcy. Private insurance companies pay jack, refuse coverage and have high premiums making huge profits. I would like to see this end of the spectrum become private non-profit operations.

Then you have insane costs for practicing medicine in the first place, cost of schooling, malpractice insurance and regulation hoops.

This is a tough nut to crack, whatever side of the fence you're on.
 
Alekhine said:
It's so many different things, as usual, that make the problem what it is. Anyone offering up any one thing as the problem (re: fat people, overwork, profit systems, doctoring via pharmaceuticals, Mexicans, etcetera) make good points, but are missing the big picture because it is so damned big and multi-valued.

Insurance companies are another example of the problem, but again, not the whole problem. They are no more than Vegas bookies, gaming the odds in such a way that they can profit massively from the system by paying out a great deal less than they take in. They are just as much a middle man as any government agency would be, but people who hate the concept of taxes being used collectively can feel kind of happy knowing that their money is at least being directed back at them and their families (even though it's also being directed at a desk jockey to pay for his nice house and car, although he has nothing at all to do with the procedural end of medicine).

I used to do medical transcription on the side and it would be impossible to count how many times I heard doctors getting literally pissed talking into their dictaphones that some necessary procedure or diagnostic study was refused by the insurance company. I had one even saying he was going to write a letter to congress, because his patient absolutely needed physical therapy on a work-related injury and it was getting consistently denied despite second and third specialist opinions, which ends up being payment for nothing.
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The problem is the government will offer the same problems with less solutions

Its already visible in government medical programs that they will strong arm and underpay hospitals while still refusing claims and being just as huge a mess and a financial burden as private healthcare every could be.

Meaning, worse medical care for most and a tiered medical system with good doctors still working drastically over valued private systems to avoid the underpayment they would receive from government patients.

Look at MA, they have a failed example of universal healthcare, it just wont work in this country
 
Cyclodouche is stalking me.
He replied to my posts twice.

I guess they don't cover formal logic at community colleges in Canada. :lol:
 
kurayami seriously what do i do to get you to stop stalking me?

do i need to make fun of your mom like the rest of these people?

what's your problem retard?
 
You don't seem to like it when people point out how ignorant and stupid you actually are. I think it's because it shatters the facade of pseudo-intellectualism that you hide behind while posting on a video game forum.

But that's just a theory.
 
ZOD and Tony:

Both good posts. I honestly don't know what an effective solution is; I wish I did. I just know how to describe the problem as I see it, and it really is a problem. I had a $52,000 bill for a 4-day stay in a hospital in Santa Rosa in 2006 after a bike crash.

What I got for the $52K: plenty of norco pills, stitches on the crack in my skull, re-union of my broken collarbone, two PT visits that lasted no more than 10 minutes because I was basically fine, 4 days of IV lactated Ringer electrolyte solution, one visit by a head specialist that lasted no more than 10 minutes, crappy food, diagnostic studies to see if my skull had any residual problems, and a daily nurse visit. I should have walked after the second day, but I had no idea the costs would be like that.
 
I'm an undergrad now?
Weren't you trying to convince the forum that I was a redneck from a community college a few weeks ago? :lol:

Besides that... aren't you the one that graduated late?
I got my degree on time (with honors, no less.) ;)
 
Kurayami said:
I'm an undergrad now?
Weren't you trying to convince the forum that I was a redneck from a community college a few weeks ago? :lol:

Besides that... aren't you the one that graduated late?
I got my degree on time (with honors, no less.) ;)
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community college? i've known you were an undergrad in his mid-20's for a while

so you finally graduated this april huh.. you're turning 26 soon right? that's pretty awesome..
 
cyclozine said:
community college? i've known you were an undergrad in his mid-20's for a while

so you finally graduated this april huh.. you're turning 26 soon right? that's pretty awesome..
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I fail to see how this is insulting.

I had other obligations that kept me from immediately starting school full time at 18.
I graduated on time with honors.

You didn't have obligations. You went to school immediately (probably on your parents dime) and graduated late without honors.

Clearly you're in the position to be making fun of me. :lol:
 
Yeah, cyclozine, I really don't want to get into your little spat, but graduating at any age is really a sort of meaningless thing to make fun of. I graduated late, and my degree has served me well, plus I used my wonderful 20s as a springboard for fun. If anything, I'm glad I went later rather than sooner, because I was more equipped intellectually to tangle with the material that was handed to me at the time, which made it much more rewarding. I'm just sayin'...
 
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