Green Squall
Well-known member
If I ever need a surgery or extensive dental care I will go to another country. It's called Medical Tourism.
-
As of today ICMag has his own Discord server. In this Discord server you can chat, talk with eachother, listen to music, share stories and pictures...and much more. Join now and let's grow together! Join ICMag Discord here! More details in this thread here: here.
I hate the US healthcare system
- Thread starter oct
- Start date
brown_thumb
Active member
Precisely, how would you do that?
T
thesloppy
Many border towns in Mexico have dentists and doctors who pretty much make their living treating Americans. An hour's drive across the border could potentially save you thousands of dollars.
T
thesloppy
Agreed. Comparing past & current premiums isn't worth much if you don't consider the other facets of insurance. Deductibles are typically higher than where they were, and coinsurance has become more popular with health insurers recently, all of which allow providers to offer premiums that stay relatively low while passing on more and more costs to the consumer.
_tessarecting
ஓ
If you are seriously considering going to mexico make damn sure you do your research. There are websites that do reviews...probably in your best interest to go with the highest reputable one possible. From what I hear it is a little cheaper, significantly cheaper for things like implants, but you get what you pay for. Some American nurses even work down there and get better pay. Personally I'm staying state-side. I wouldnt recommend doing anything serious down there. What if there were complications? Or you had to return? Both of which I've heard of happening from my brief research.
And no...you dont drive an hour into Mx...you do that the cops are going to be asking you for $ outside of town....or worse.
I got a tooth with a root canal and crown on it. That probably cost around 2k at the time. Now they're telling me it has to be redone because theres some nerve still down there underneath causing pain and inflammation. Another 2k and you can't even guarantee it's actually going to do anything? I'm so over it!!!
And no...you dont drive an hour into Mx...you do that the cops are going to be asking you for $ outside of town....or worse.
I got a tooth with a root canal and crown on it. That probably cost around 2k at the time. Now they're telling me it has to be redone because theres some nerve still down there underneath causing pain and inflammation. Another 2k and you can't even guarantee it's actually going to do anything? I'm so over it!!!
I've broke my leg, ribs, knocked out by a 5th bottle...but I will always remember my root canal. I lost a bunch of muscle because eating was so bothersome. I rolled around like that for 10 months. When it came time to get it fixed, they filled my whole mouth with numbing shots, could barely talk my shit was so numb...they sprayed cold water on my tooth...and I could still feel it! Those nerves are super sensitive. There's some injuries you can put on the back burner. A dead tooth is not one of them. Good luck man. Hopefully they get you taken care of proper.
Single payer or socialized seems the only answer. Other than that, cash on the barrelhead, but most could not hack that. Most want and expect to be cared for. They would make that surgery a few thousand instead of 100, you can bet on that.
So socialized for most and cash for the few that can afford it.
Obama care has dropped my premiums but I can not say that making people buy insurance is right imo. Seems like big brother. Not the right way to go about it.
I doubt Trump can fix this mess with the system being socialized for a bunch and the other lucky souls paying for them. It would be better to go all the way to single payer and save the cost of confusion being stuck in the middle brings us now.
No matter what, at this point, the people with more money will pay for the less wealthy. We have gone past the point in the past, where health care was a luxury of the well off, to being a right of any citizen. Now even 'undocumented' people.
So socialized for most and cash for the few that can afford it.
Obama care has dropped my premiums but I can not say that making people buy insurance is right imo. Seems like big brother. Not the right way to go about it.
I doubt Trump can fix this mess with the system being socialized for a bunch and the other lucky souls paying for them. It would be better to go all the way to single payer and save the cost of confusion being stuck in the middle brings us now.
No matter what, at this point, the people with more money will pay for the less wealthy. We have gone past the point in the past, where health care was a luxury of the well off, to being a right of any citizen. Now even 'undocumented' people.
I hear Cuba's got some pretty good doctors...
T
thesloppy
Costa Rica's rumored to have decent dentists as well.
St. Phatty
Active member
On your first visit, you ride on the bus with the other Americans, and talk with them.
They possess a wealth of information about which doctors & dentists are good old-fashioned doctors & dentists - like we had in the US in the 60's & 70's.
Like it or not, The ACA has helped a LOT of people throughout the US. One of the primary reasons for the increase in premiums, is that most of the insurance companies did not manage their risk properly. They assumed that the uninsured population was contained the same risk as the insured population. Many uninsured people have been sick for years, and just tolerated what was heppening, or were unaware that they had a chronic disease that was slowly killing them. I know thie to be true, because I've been treating them in my clinic.
My clinic has seen an increase in patients that have increased by over 50% each year since the implementation of the ACA. I work with patients that have chronic diseases. If many of these patients had been seen years earlier, their conditions could have been treated easier, and with less cost.
But getting back to risk management, the smaller the pool of insured, the greater the risk to manage the cost, and the greater the cost as well. The BEST way to manage the risk, and reduce the cost, is to have an extremely large pool of patients. That is why the single payer model is the best solution to reduce costs and manage risk.
Before my Conservative friends berate me on this board, I am NOT suggesting socialized medicine. But be aware that insurance companies are like corporate socialism. So we have a system that has the evils of socialism(like inefficiencies and BigBrother control), but without the benefits( everyone is covered and minimal costs).
My clinic has seen an increase in patients that have increased by over 50% each year since the implementation of the ACA. I work with patients that have chronic diseases. If many of these patients had been seen years earlier, their conditions could have been treated easier, and with less cost.
But getting back to risk management, the smaller the pool of insured, the greater the risk to manage the cost, and the greater the cost as well. The BEST way to manage the risk, and reduce the cost, is to have an extremely large pool of patients. That is why the single payer model is the best solution to reduce costs and manage risk.
Before my Conservative friends berate me on this board, I am NOT suggesting socialized medicine. But be aware that insurance companies are like corporate socialism. So we have a system that has the evils of socialism(like inefficiencies and BigBrother control), but without the benefits( everyone is covered and minimal costs).
And another thought... Long before the ACA, when I worked as a private contractor, i purchased health insurance in the private market. My annual premiums increased 25 to 35% every year. I stopped being a private contractor in 2009 due to the recession and also due to my inability to afford the private health insurance premiums. The increase in healthcare costs and the resulting increase in premiums has been a long term trend.
brown_thumb
Active member
We'll pay for it either way, whether paying for insurance or increased taxes. However, it's likely the healthcare system would change if we went to a socialized system because anyone who does anything for money wants as much as they can get. There would likely be a huge turnover of physicians and surgeons who won't do the work for far less than they make now. They love their half million dollar homes and Porsche sports cars too much. It's likely virtually all healthcare providers of most types would eventually be forced to make less money. This would decrease the overall cost but cause similar issues seen by other countries. Even so, I'm all for crushing the greed, especially from the big pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers. Frankly, overall I don't see how it can get any worse than it is now. The problems will be different but overall not worse and far cheaper.
I'm not stating that I think all healthcare providers are greedy... just that they want as much as they can get, like everyone else. And having to give up wealth is difficult for anyone. But I AM stating the big corporations are greedy and should be brought down.
There is a reason why many MDs regret going into the field. Big Corporate values. Ask a MD how they feel about insurance companies.
If one wants to make money in healthcare they go to work in the insurance industry. Rockefeller's big corporate medicine sucks the humanity out of life and turns good doctors into script hustlers.
If one wants to make money in healthcare they go to work in the insurance industry. Rockefeller's big corporate medicine sucks the humanity out of life and turns good doctors into script hustlers.
_tessarecting
ஓ
More than once I have sought help for health issues only to be offered a script of vicodin in return. It's made me hate the healthcare system here so much. I was weaker in my youth but will never ever accept such insanity as this ever again.
Its no wonder why MDs have high suicide rates.
Its no wonder why MDs have high suicide rates.
9
99%
I live in a country with one of the best medical systems in the world and shudder at the USA medical costs mentioned in this thread. The monthly cost here is $25 per adult, kids and pensioners are free.. It covers just about everything medical and dental apart from cosmetic or elective surgery (so no free implants or a caesarean birth by choice).
I've been here decades and the average waiting time for doctor, dentist, therapist, surgeon, specialist etc is 2 ~ 15 minutes. Want an operation? the waiting time is often next week, but like everywhere there aren't enough organs to go around, so there's waits for that. Some departments in hospitals do get busy and have a reservation number that can be booked online. The hospitals are modern and state of the art, there's an abundance of doctors, the service is excellent.
The cost to visit a doctor, dentist, etc is $5 and this covers all the pills and potions they prescribe too. There are extra costs for certain types of tests, procedures and drugs, but these cost are much lower than Australia or the USA. You are often given the choice between a local made for example stent or a higher cost one from the USA..and as the operation and everything else is free, most chose the higher quality.
But soon a group of thieving politicians will get together with insurance companies and privatize this country's socialized medical system and overnight costs will sky rocket.
Is it true that the US Congressman and Senators get free medical? If so, it's kind of ironic isn't it, especially from those in the GOP who so loudly oppose socialized medicine.
I've been here decades and the average waiting time for doctor, dentist, therapist, surgeon, specialist etc is 2 ~ 15 minutes. Want an operation? the waiting time is often next week, but like everywhere there aren't enough organs to go around, so there's waits for that. Some departments in hospitals do get busy and have a reservation number that can be booked online. The hospitals are modern and state of the art, there's an abundance of doctors, the service is excellent.
The cost to visit a doctor, dentist, etc is $5 and this covers all the pills and potions they prescribe too. There are extra costs for certain types of tests, procedures and drugs, but these cost are much lower than Australia or the USA. You are often given the choice between a local made for example stent or a higher cost one from the USA..and as the operation and everything else is free, most chose the higher quality.
But soon a group of thieving politicians will get together with insurance companies and privatize this country's socialized medical system and overnight costs will sky rocket.
Is it true that the US Congressman and Senators get free medical? If so, it's kind of ironic isn't it, especially from those in the GOP who so loudly oppose socialized medicine.
well you said it all right there. corporate welfare aka crony capitalism is a form of reverse socialism, and a tremendous economic driver for wealth and income inequality. this is why half of americans make $30k or less per year (half of americans barely make more than poverty wages... what a joke), why 70 something % live paycheck to paycheck and so on. the propaganda in this country (USA) is so strong that people will openly vote against, and vehemently defend against their own economic interests. land of the brainwashed slaves.
sad but true
sad but true
sad but true
We have been brainwashed so long , people think you are crazy for suggesting such , a very sad commentary .
Yeah, because Government has such a great record running shit. The only reason we have such crony capitalism is because Government is big and strong enough to entice, or force. Big Pharma, big ag, MIC, big EDU, on and on, they all exist due to Government. Walmart harvests EBT, Boeing builds military planes, corn into ethanol, Medicare buys drugs, a trillion in government guaranteed student debt. Why on earth do any of you think that Government won't totally fuck this up? I mean, they got caught red handed watching veterans die in VA hospitals, and of course everyone had to apologize and act like they cared, but then everyone moved on and nothing has changed.
Insurance companies all died in September 2008. They were bailed out. O'care was supposed to feed them an income stream. Young people in good health, as well as older healthier folks like me pay the fine, not wanting to participate. In order to keep the Governments around the world solvent due to exponential debt, interest rates had to be lowered to zero. Insurance companies need to make more than zero to survive. Insurance companies are all insolvent, but operate due to the ability to borrow at near zero and buy back their stock and keep the stock price from crashing. If you build a medical system around insurance and/or Government it will fail, as we see pretty much now. If you quit propping up shit that should/will fail there is at least a fighting chance that the system could rebalance around cash, and individuals ability to pay, which is what went on before Mecicare came on the scene in 1965 and ushered in the era of Third Party Payer.
Insurance companies all died in September 2008. They were bailed out. O'care was supposed to feed them an income stream. Young people in good health, as well as older healthier folks like me pay the fine, not wanting to participate. In order to keep the Governments around the world solvent due to exponential debt, interest rates had to be lowered to zero. Insurance companies need to make more than zero to survive. Insurance companies are all insolvent, but operate due to the ability to borrow at near zero and buy back their stock and keep the stock price from crashing. If you build a medical system around insurance and/or Government it will fail, as we see pretty much now. If you quit propping up shit that should/will fail there is at least a fighting chance that the system could rebalance around cash, and individuals ability to pay, which is what went on before Mecicare came on the scene in 1965 and ushered in the era of Third Party Payer.
