Medicare for all — net costs

[frorider]

Since we have some healthcare dentists here, I’m interested in your takes on this article:

http://theweek.com/articles/791236/f...forall-problem

[S_jenks]

This is treading the line with PolyAss.

I like universal healthcare, but really how do you feel about pasta? Are you pro-carb or anti-carb? I try to stay healthy, buy holy fuck a bowl of Fettuccine in Alfredo is a guilty pleasure of mine. Definitely worth the calories. So good.

[XXX-er]

" A Health Affairs study of eight rich countries, for instance, found U.S. hospitals spent by far the highest faction of their budgets on administration, at 25.3 percent — while those of the Netherlands spent 19.8 percent, the U.K. spent 15.5 percent, and Canada spent 12.4 percent. "

we have universal HC up here but it only covers visits to an MD/ hospital/x-ray and as far as i know they just bill the gov directly so there is no insurance company involved

it does not include dental, drugs, vision, PT (which may or may not be covered by private insurance) all reasons why the admin costs might be so low

[wicked_sick]

My old man recently had major medical incident that involved a couple ambulance rides, a medevac halfway across the province (that had to turn around at least once so he didn't die), a night in the trauma ward, 3 days in the ICU, emergency surgery, and some diagnostic stuff. He's fine now but I really wonder what the bill would have been south of the border. Didn't cost him a cent. And he's unemployed (retired?) with no special insurance.

[4matic]

30% of California on Medi-Cal, a form of Medicaid. I can tell you first hand that it is excellent insurance. Much better than the corporate scam. Frees up a lot of money that gets spent on the economy.

[iceman]

You'd think the party in charge might want to keep the morons who put them in charge alive for a while so they can stay in charge, but no.

[Sirshredalot]

You'd think the party in charge might want to keep the morons who put them in charge alive for a while so they can stay in charge, but no.

If you've successfully unplugged the olds from reality AND you change the rules to keep young people from voting, you can probably keep hanging on to power long enough to assfuck the country and feather your best for another 20 years. It's a gamble by McConnell, but he's been laughing all the way to the bank and he only has to pull it off for a little while longer. He will be dead soon enough.

[Cono Este]

Im a medicare broker, and I’m a big fan of it. Right now we are fighting the privatization of medicarenwith medicare Advantage plans that cost the trust approx 15% more, but give insurance companies lots of profits while cutting benefits.

Anyway, it all sounds good in the article, except there is no mention of where the money comes from to provide that coverage for all in 4 yrs? What would be the new medicare tax?

[FLS]

"Thanks to the Koch Brothers, We Have More Proof that Single Payer Saves Money and Cares for All of Us"


"A study that was intended to make the case against Medicare for All reveals that the reform could save Americans trillions of dollars."

https://www.thenation.com/article/th...r-saves-money/

There are plenty of other examples, but, you know...Russia.

[frorider]

I was asking a financial analysis question. The linked article went much deeper than merely referring to the analysis FLS linked to.

[FLS]

Not to worry, "socialized" healthcare isn't going to invade the USA any time soon.

[XXX-er]

America is fortunate to have the freedom to choose the HC they can not afford

[XXX-er]

I am being a little bit facetious there, Canadians are all for the most part completely ignorant of what their health care costs, I show up at hospitol reception with nothing which is good cuz I don't even have to give her my medical number cuz its in there somewhere so I give her my name, she asks if i live at yada yada and what's my birthday she's got me in like 15 seconds and bam ... I'm in

[byates1]

If you've successfully unplugged the olds from reality AND you change the rules to keep young people from voting, you can probably keep hanging on to power long enough to assfuck the country and feather your best for another 20 years. It's a gamble by McConnell, but he's been laughing all the way to the bank and he only has to pull it off for a little while longer. He will be dead soon enough.

damn..

[FLS]

If you've successfully unplugged the olds from reality AND you change the rules to keep young people from voting, you can probably keep hanging on to power long enough to assfuck the country and feather your best for another 20 years. It's a gamble by McConnell, but he's been laughing all the way to the bank and he only has to pull it off for a little while longer. He will be dead soon enough.

Can't get rid of McConnell soon enough, so we can get back to...


"DEMOCRATIC SUPERDELEGATE, IN ROOM FULL OF HEALTH INSURANCE EXECUTIVES, LAUGHS OFF PROSPECT OF SINGLE PAYER"


"ACTIVISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY have provided real momentum to the idea of a single-payer health care system, pressing the issue in California and among leading figures in the Democratic Party.


The mere prospect of single payer, however, has elicited swift derision from some corners of the party, with Dick Gephardt, the former Democratic House minority leader, laughing off the idea at a health insurance conference earlier this month.


“Not in my lifetime,” scoffed Gephardt, when asked if the United States will ever adopt such a system.


Gephardt, who serves as a Democratic “superdelegate” responsible for choosing the party’s presidential nominee, was asked about the possibility of single payer at the Centene Corporation annual investor day conference at The Pierre, a ritzy five-star hotel in New York City."

Looking forward, to getting back, to dick.

[yeahman]

I am being a little bit facetious there, Canadians are all for the most part completely ignorant of what their health care costs, I show up at hospitol reception with nothing which is good cuz I don't even have to give her my medical number cuz its in there somewhere so I give her my name, she asks if i live at yada yada and what's my birthday she's got me in like 15 seconds and bam ... I'm in

So in Canada, is there a private health care industry in addition to the one that serves the public? Meaning can somebody who is rich hire a doctor who works outside the public health system for rich cash-paying clients, maybe get seen sooner, or not have to wait for surgery or whatever (as I've heard is sometimes an issue)? Or are there laws to prevent doctors from working outside the public system like that?

[DBdude]

they go to 'merica and the canadian gov pays 80% - no fucking shit

[XXX-er]

So in Canada, is there a private health care industry in addition to the one that serves the public? Meaning can somebody who is rich hire a doctor who works outside the public health system for rich cash-paying clients, maybe get seen sooner, or not have to wait for surgery or whatever (as I've heard is sometimes an issue)? Or are there laws to prevent doctors from working outside the public system like that?

yeah in Canada an MD or hospital cannot bill outside the system that would be considered a private clinic and is verboten, in the news you hear about MD's who have tried to run a private clinic that have been in trouble.

A rich Canadian can go south and pay US doctors, I don't know how it works i don't know how widespread this is (i don't think it is) because Canadian medicine is pretty good out side of some long wait times and the average life expectancy is really pretty good at i beleive 14th in the world

to my knowledge there is no insurance company paying for MD's or hospitals, I believe the doc knows exactly what is kosher and he just bills it directly so there is no back and forth with an insurance company on routine procedures so in Canada anything involving the doc & hospitol we never see any kind of bill,

the other stuff, the dental/vision/PT/drugs is not considered part of the universal HC system but it is often covered by whatever private company your employer contracted, so I personaly have a Sunlife HCSA with a 1500$ yearly allowable that IBM will pay until I quit breathing but many people have nothing

[LHutz Esq]

There are private md providers. They can do specific - not covered work I believe. Like non-necessary plastic surgery etc. and there is another workers comp exemption- but I am not sure how it works.

[BCMtnHound]

The Canadian Health Act defines what health care services are covered under the Act. Services outside of the Act are not covered (but may be provided under the provincial authority that provides insurance under the federal Act). This includes dental, vision, PT, prescription drugs, and some elective treatment/surgery like cosmetic surgery. For those services, private insurance is available. Some provinces (like BC and AB) charge a premium for health care, but treatment can not be denied if your account is in arrears. You can also not be denied treatment when visiting another province, subject to a waiting period for new residents that are in the process of moving.

[XXX-er]

my ex wife was an admitting clerk at Surrey Memorial which is 12km from blaine and also in the middle of the largest indo Canadian population in Canada and she said they never refused people who were obviously American or from india

[iceman]

Wait there's no dental coverage under Canadian healthcare? Come on man.

[BCMtnHound]

Wait there's no dental coverage under Canadian healthcare? Come on man.

Only if you are a refugee or on welfare. Basic dental care is a sore point for sure.

[XXX-er]

no, dental is not really life threatening and its never been part of the health act, I supose when you actualy write it down there are lots of things not covered by universal HC in Canada but if you need to see an MD or go to the hospitol its covered

I think the FN somehow get free dental BCH

but average canadians depend on their workplace dental & vision plans

the MD's and dentists i know all seem to be doing pretty good

[Dantheman]

no, dental is not really life threatening and its never been part of the health act

That's so assbackwards. A lot of serious health problems can be avoided through regular basic dental care.