Nate_801 wrote:Mike why then did my deductibles and premiums go up? Oh that's right it's to pay for the 40% (I bet you fall in that catagory). If you don't have insurance for your family with the current full time job you have then maybe it's time to get off your a*ss and get a better job!!
First off, they took err jerbs.
Secondly, have you ever been to the hospital?
Maybe, and this is because there have been 100's of economic research and policy development studies related to the topic, that the reason you pay so much is not so much because of the uninsured (albeit part of the issue, it's referred to as the "free rider" principle) but because of the PRICING.
Have you ever been to a Starbucks and the dude in front of you pays $1.50 for his latte and then you order the same drink and your price is $14,000?
Well, in the medical industry there is no such thing as standardized pricing, nor is there a regulatory agency to prevent price discrimination. I went in for an illness a few years ago, YUP I HAVE INSURANCE, and after the fact I was looking at my bill and it turned out that I was given an "fever reducer" -- This lonely fever reducer set me back, wait no, it set back my insurance company (that's the 3rd party system we have come to love) a whooping 23 dollars. And like every other person who has insurance, you say say "who cares" my insurance paid for it...but did they really pay 23 dollars for an aspirin??????? Nope. The insurance company settles on a lower amount for the bill. Guess who picks up the tab for the remainder?? The United States government...
You ask me how? I'll feed you baby bird.
Medicare and Medicaid, the healthcare programs our government offers to our elderly and highly impoverished, ends up footing the bill. When a Medi- patient goes to the hospital, they are charged extra for products and services, AS I mentioned before there isn't a standardization process for pricing in Healthcare so they can literally do whatever the hell they please. Therefore, since the government is the one who is paying the bill, why not ratchet them up and give them a good lashing since the hospital KNOWS they have to pay up.
Now. Lets go back to Starbucks, and assume it acts along the same market principles as the healthcare industry. Lets say that If you didn't get your Latte, because of some strange illness, you would presumably die. (As is the condition in the healthcare market and their goods) The guy in front of me just likes the taste of the latte, so he buys his at the low low price of a $1.50 - because, clearly, its just a luxury and if they told him the price was 14,000 dollars he spit in stupid hipsters face and tell him to eat shit...
But you step up to the Beret wearing d-dag barista and order your LIFE giving latte, and he lays it down and says drearly "that'll be $14,000 dollars" -- You need this latte to live, if you don't buy it, you'll die. This is called inelastic demand. Regardless of the change in the price, you are going to demand this good. Why? Cause YER GUNNA DIE ... if you don't get it.
Lets say you are "Coffee insured" - like the scenario with the "fever reducer" above- the bill is paid by your insurance (WAIT - lets not forget your deductible!) but they don't pay the full amount, so later on down the road the US government gets footed with the bill when some Army Vet orders a Machiatto and his bill is $23,000.
Lets say you are "Coffee Uninsured" - and lets assume that Starbucks has to serve you - which isn't far off- so you grab your latte, they hand you an invoice to be paid at a later date and you leave. And lets say you don't give a shit your credit will go to 0 and you never pay the bill. Starbucks, once again, turns to the Poor grandmother who orders a White Chocolate Mocha and her Coffee-care government coffee insurance, and lays a $34,000 dollar bill on her, paid for by the US Gov. And you are also stuck with credit collection agency people calling your house everyday trying to squeeze a nickel of debit that has already been paid.
Nate-801 ... I assume you love your free market capitalism and all it's infinite wisdom. Does this sound like a sound and efficient market for providing healthcare?
Nobel Laurete Economists don't think so... but what do they know right?
Maybe, and once again this is backed by 100's of research studies and Economic policy analysis, if we all paid a little more on our taxes and turned to a "single payer" system - we wouldn't allow for such rampant price discrimination. How much do we pay in premiums and deductibles and co-pays every year?? You'd probably pay less in taxes under the single payer system.
Speaking of which,
I'd love a Cappuccino now.