It will be the end of the Democrats as a Party

[Fish]

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

My mother-in-law would be alive today I think if they had our health care, but on the Canadian system, she is now no longer with us.

Anyone that wants this universal plan in my opinion is a complete idiot.

-S

Yeah?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Li...d_Factbook.png

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

While this may be true, one misconception I keep seeing is that if you go to the emergency room with no insurance they don't just treat you and say "No insurance? Oh well, I guess you don't have to pay! See ya!" They do bill you, and it's quite pricey. I know from experience.

The point is that you do recieve care and quite often 'cash' paying clients pay a smaller bill.

They bill you in good faith more or less 'hoping' that you will pay your debt.

[Platapus]

They also follow up as The Frau's "adult" daughter found out. The kid thought that because she did not have insurance that she could just go to the ER and "forget" to pay the bill.

She has to appear in court later this month where she will most likely have her future wages garnished to pay for her ER bill.

So yeah, the hospitals are going after people who don't pay their bills.. and good for them. There is no more "hope they will pay" They are going after the non-payers.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by mookiemookie

While this may be true, one misconception I keep seeing is that if you go to the emergency room with no insurance they don't just treat you and say "No insurance? Oh well, I guess you don't have to pay! See ya!" They do bill you, and it's quite pricey. I know from experience.

Ah, but it's only pricey if you actually fork over the $$$

Otherwise, it amounts to the same thing as "No insurance? Oh well, I guess you don't have to pay! See ya!"

Unless things have changed and they can garnish your wages to pay for it. Can they?

Originally Posted by SUBMAN1

Anyone that wants this universal plan in my opinion is a complete idiot.

-S

Maybe but this discussion will go a lot smoother if you don't start calling people idiots. You know there are people waiting to throw that right back and raise the ante.

[Aramike]

Unless things have changed and they can garnish your wages to pay for it. Can they?

Sure they can garnish after getting a court judgement ... but someone needs a job with an actual paycheck to get their pay docked.

[heartc]

Originally Posted by GoldenRivet

Everything in there - including the conclusions of the comentator - is the total truth. In Germany, it is by far not as bad as it seems to be in Canada - but it's deteriorating and the underlying problems are the same. Also, the bottom line the guy draws is totally correct and reality here as well: With a state-run healthcare program, the "rich" people (doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc) will end up enjoying private health insurance, while the other people cannot afford it and must rely on a state-run system and PAY for it REGARDLESS if it works or not (or to what degree). Total truth. And it is also true that these days there are considerations to move AWAY from that system, because the state has difficulties with keeping it running. Until now however, moving "away" from it only means things like when you visit a public doctor these days, for the visit - which you already paid for with your mandatory social contributions into the public healthcare system - you also have to put down an extra 10 EUR cash now. That's healthcare reform, government style. I think you also have to partly pay for some drugs by yourself now, but I'm not sure about that, since I rarely ever visit a doc. Frankly, when I really need a drug, I just go to the local apothecary and pay 100% by myself, because I can't be arsed to visit the doc at ridiculous hours when normal people have to work, just to wait for hours and possibly get infected with all kinds of viruses flying around there, just to get some painkillers or whatever.

I always have to laugh when people tell me how great we have it with our state-run health-care system while in ruthlessly capitalist America people are dieing in the streets because they have no state-run health care. Right.