Wraps Up How I Feel About the Health Care Issue

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

A letter to the Editor in Jackson, MS

Dear Sirs:

During my last night's shift in the ER, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient with a shiny new gold tooth, multiple elaborate tattoos, a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and a new cellular telephone equipped with her favorite R&B tune for a ringtone. Glancing over the chart, one could not help noticing her payer status: Medicaid.

She smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and, somehow, still has money to buy beer.

And our Congress expects me to pay for this woman's health care? Our nation's health care crisis is not a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses.

It is a crisis of culture — a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance.

A culture that thinks "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".

Life is really not that hard. Most of us reap what we sow.

Don't you agree?

STARNER JONES, MD
Jackson , MS

That's certainly a sad state of affairs. But the truth is we are paying for those who don't have insurance one way or another. Either we pay for it directly through taxation and programs or we pay for it in higher health insurance premiums.

You see... when the uninsured go to the ER and don't pay their bills that's a loss. To cover that loss health care providers raise the cost of health care. When the cost of health care goes up the insurance companies raise premiums to cover that increased cost. When insurance premiums go up more people opt out of insurance...which means there will be more uninsured going to ERs and not paying their bills and the cycle continues. Of course, the providers and insurance companies increase their costs with a profit margin.

So the question becomes... which method is the least expensive? Higher and higher premiums or basement premiums and higher taxes? Interestingly, those who work middle class jobs but don't have insurance will pay towards their own insurance in increase taxes.

Here's the deal... the lady with the gold tooth is getting a free ride. She pays NOTHING. Not even higher taxes for her care. She doesn't pay her bills and so YOUR premiums go up. At least with a national health insurance program many, if not most, of the currently uninsured will be paying SOMETHING toward their health care. This will bring YOUR premiums down.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by SOUNWORTHY

You're breaking my heart. On my business route I have to drive by the WICK office. Sometimes it is diffecult to get around the late model Jags (I can't afford one) and the Cadillac Escalade double parked in the street with their sterios blaring, while the lazy jerk sits behind the wheel waiting for the woman (possibly not his wife) goes in to collect the coupons for the groceries I paid for. Then I stand behind someone in line while they buy junk food with food stamps. I wouldn't be afraid to guess that they have big screen TV's in their living room. Yes there are many who need help but too many take advantage of the system. That is why we are in the condition we are in. My wife spent a lot of time in the hospital before she passed away. She almost always had a nut case in the room with her. We asked why and one of the nurses said they were in there because they didn't have insurance and we did and that helped to cover the expenses of the room.

I know a woman on welfare who has a Cadillac. It looks great. But she bought it used and the transmission is going out. lol

I think most of you are seriously exaggerating. I spent last weekend in a hotel with overflow people from St. Vincent de Paul's. These people are dirt poor with real needs guys.

But you're just jealous because a few creeps have late model Jags? Please.

When it comes to health care you can't see it as a commodity like others. You see, if you went to buy a car or something and didn't have the money or credit they'd turn you away. Not so in medicine. So the system is social rather it's government or private... rather you like it or not.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Aquila

...
Here's the deal... the lady with the gold tooth is getting a free ride. She pays NOTHING. Not even higher taxes for her care. She doesn't pay her bills and so YOUR premiums go up. At least with a national health insurance program many, if not most, of the currently uninsured will be paying SOMETHING toward their health care. This will bring YOUR premiums down.

I can see the logic in that

but

if people can't afford insurance, how will they ever afford to pay the fine for not having insurance?

and

after the Universal Obamacare goes into effect, if someone shows up at the Emergency Room who is not covered, will they be turned away?

[Sam]

the simplest explanation I ever heard of was from the late Ted Kennedy when he explained how universal healthcare would cost us nothing.

His explanation:

If you work, your employer will pay it.
If you don't work, the government will pay it.

[oletime]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

There are so many people for which the above is not the case, who would be helped tremendously for a healthcare overhaul.

the question jd is , how do we pay for it? the answer is we probably cant ! this from a recent business aquaintance, who moved here to get a job, from canada. he is an ER trauma nurse , and they wanted him to wait 3 years for a full time job." taxes in canada are 45 to 55 percent of their income" ! he should know! he said he much prefers our system . too much abuse, and we have an even greater abuse system in place already over here ,