When the US was having actual discussions of single-payer health care (i.e. the “public option” during Obama’s first term), one major argument against it was “do you really want the government between you and your doctor?!”
Even though insurance companies are literally already between you and your doctor, and they exist purely to extract money from that interaction.
The old arguments were “Look how long they (the socialists) wait to get appointments and get seen!” Yep, we’re there now. I have insurance, I still pay a bunch, and seeing specialists is a luxury at this point. If I have an issue, I don’t even consider calling specialists, because I know it’s weeks til I can get in.
I don’t want anyone between me and my doctor. Doctors should be deciding what care I require and billing the govt for it. If the government thinks something fishy is going on, they can audit them after the fact. I need not be involved. As it stands I don’t go to the doctor at all because I’m worried they’ll do some test or something that wasn’t actually approved by my insurance and I’ll get slapped with a bill for 1000s of dollars.
Just as an aside, often the bill you first receive from stuff like that is the fake price they bill insurance for, so the insurance company can “negotiate” a better deal.
If you get a bill like this and insurance denies the claim, you can often call the billing department and get a significant reduction.
I knew someone who racked up like $250k in denied claims from cancer treatment. They went to the hospital to work out a payment plan, and the billing department was so surprised someone actually wanted to pay their bill they dropped it to $2500.
Obviously it’s still fucked that you have to do it, but the price can often be lower than the sticker price.
You can also call your doctor to ask what tests they’re going to run and which lab they use, then call your insurance to verify coverage. Or if the testing is done in house the office staff can check for you.
I don’t care. I’m not engaging with that system unless I think I’m dying. Even then I’ll probably try and sleep whatever it is off first and die anyway. At least my bank account will be intact to leave to my family.
Ahaha that’s a good point. Tbh despite the nickname “Obamacare” it had slipped my mind that the ACA was the bastardized, castrated version of that whole thing.
It makes perfect sense for the americans who have been conditioned for literal decades to react certain ways to certain things, while being kept ignorant of nice things that exist in the rest of the world.
For instance:
Government-run anything? It is mathematically and physically impossible for it to benefit society. It will, without fail, become a corrupt dumpster fire that furthers evil in our world.
Market-based solution that leans heavily on “personal responsibility?” Well that’s just great I tells ya! It lobs like the best, kindest, and most Christlike solution is to do nothing and let them fend for themselves! They will be stronger for it and will thank us!
When the US was having actual discussions of single-payer health care (i.e. the “public option” during Obama’s first term), one major argument against it was “do you really want the government between you and your doctor?!”
Even though insurance companies are literally already between you and your doctor, and they exist purely to extract money from that interaction.
It’s never made sense.
I don’t trust the government, but I trust them a hell of a lot more than insurance companies of all people
The old arguments were “Look how long they (the socialists) wait to get appointments and get seen!” Yep, we’re there now. I have insurance, I still pay a bunch, and seeing specialists is a luxury at this point. If I have an issue, I don’t even consider calling specialists, because I know it’s weeks til I can get in.
Weeks lol, try months to years round these parts
You forgot that Clinton tried as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_health_care_plan_of_1993
I don’t want anyone between me and my doctor. Doctors should be deciding what care I require and billing the govt for it. If the government thinks something fishy is going on, they can audit them after the fact. I need not be involved. As it stands I don’t go to the doctor at all because I’m worried they’ll do some test or something that wasn’t actually approved by my insurance and I’ll get slapped with a bill for 1000s of dollars.
Just as an aside, often the bill you first receive from stuff like that is the fake price they bill insurance for, so the insurance company can “negotiate” a better deal.
If you get a bill like this and insurance denies the claim, you can often call the billing department and get a significant reduction.
I knew someone who racked up like $250k in denied claims from cancer treatment. They went to the hospital to work out a payment plan, and the billing department was so surprised someone actually wanted to pay their bill they dropped it to $2500.
Obviously it’s still fucked that you have to do it, but the price can often be lower than the sticker price.
You can also call your doctor to ask what tests they’re going to run and which lab they use, then call your insurance to verify coverage. Or if the testing is done in house the office staff can check for you.
I don’t care. I’m not engaging with that system unless I think I’m dying. Even then I’ll probably try and sleep whatever it is off first and die anyway. At least my bank account will be intact to leave to my family.
I’m pretty sure the ACA included at least some protection against that, although I don’t know if the current administration repealed that
And then the same party decided to get the government in there too anyways
Ahaha that’s a good point. Tbh despite the nickname “Obamacare” it had slipped my mind that the ACA was the bastardized, castrated version of that whole thing.
They chopped it down to Romneycare
Lol this was just about the first thing Clinton tried to get done in 1993. It’s one of the things that led to the creation of Fox News.
It makes perfect sense for the americans who have been conditioned for literal decades to react certain ways to certain things, while being kept ignorant of nice things that exist in the rest of the world.
For instance:
Government-run anything? It is mathematically and physically impossible for it to benefit society. It will, without fail, become a corrupt dumpster fire that furthers evil in our world.
Market-based solution that leans heavily on “personal responsibility?” Well that’s just great I tells ya! It lobs like the best, kindest, and most Christlike solution is to do nothing and let them fend for themselves! They will be stronger for it and will thank us!