Man robs bank to receive medical care

[z31maniac]

Would you guys quit acting like a delivery guy making barely above minimum wage should have a fat stack of cash in the bank?

Also, I'm curious why he wasn't eligible for Medicaid/Medicare (I always forget which is for who).

Did it say in the article and I missed it?

[leothedrummer]

I'm not gonna lie to you, I haven't read the whole thread. But I am drunk. So anyway, I hate people that think they have a right to cheat the system.

"I don't have a job dude, I live of the government".

No. You're stealing the money that I contribute to something more worthwhile than you. But anyway,

America and healthcare.

I am not an American. I don't believe I will ever understand what it is like to be an American, or the way that an American thinks. But I like you guys, don't get me wrong.

However, what it comes down to for me? Early last year...one weekend I found myself feeling a bit off. I had a terrible headache and sore throat all day at work one Friday. Had a quiet one that night, early to bed. Went out to see a band on Saturday night. Didn't drink a drop, was home and asleep before one. I wake up Sunday morning feeling like death. I stumble to the bathroom and throw up what feels like a litre of blood and collapse. I pick myself up, stumble into my parents room, blood dripping from my chin. They drive me to the hospital, where I'm put under observation. Within the next 24 hours I'm struggling to breath. I have glandular fever. The medication is altered and things slowly start to improve, but I spent three days in a hospital bed and another 2 weeks in bed at home.

Now I know that I don't have a complete understanding of the American healthcare system and that obviously, if I was an American, my family circumstances would probably be different (as in, get insurance or whatever), but I find it to be downright scary to think that my family would have been thousands of dollars in debt due to something completely outside of my control.

I don't know how to close, so have a drink on me.

Cheers.

[z31maniac]

^I think many would agree with that sentiment, I'm a huge proponet of healthcare reform, just not in the way Obamacare went after it.

[herbivor]

Would you guys quit acting like a delivery guy making barely above minimum wage should have a fat stack of cash in the bank?

Also, I'm curious why he wasn't eligible for Medicaid/Medicare (I always forget which is for who).

Did it say in the article and I missed it?

There are a lot of requirements to be able to collect Medicaid or Medicare. We checked into it for my Mother-in-law so that she could live with us and help raise our kids after she got laid off, but she didn't qualify for either, even with zero salary. She was in the "sweet spot" of being a couple years to young to qualify and not poor enough for the other. It's fucked up. So now she is trying to find a job just so that she can have medical insurance. If she can't find one, we'll have to help pay for insurance. Fortunately, we can afford it, but there are many other families that won't be able to afford to pay Granny's insurance or nursing home care.

Considering cancer can set you back half a million dollars, I'm not sure how anyone making $20/hour can save for something like that. We are all in agreement that the current healthcare system needs to be fixed but I have yet to hear a plausible solution from the Republican politicians that would prevent these kind of situations. In fact, the only thing I've heard so far was a suggestion to cut Medicaid, which would make the problem even worse.

[z31maniac]

Tort reform/defensive medicine, prescription drug prices are two big things that need to be tackled. And actually Repubs have proposed HSA/high deductible plans, and those would be a great start. You allow people to save money for expenses in a tax sheltered account, make them responsible for things like routine check-ups, blood work, maintenance meds up to say $2-3k a year, then if you get hit with something big, it's above your deductible.

One of the big problems with controlling costs is that everyone is removed from the cost, just pay your co-pay and away you go. We shop everything else based on price/value, it would be nice to know upfront what a doc visit costs/blood work/etc.

I know of a good doc who frequents this forum, hopefully he might offer some insight.

[StereoInstaller1]

Hes had his entire life to save for medical benefits. It isn't our problem. Start saving when you're a kid. That should be the message here. You never know whats going to happen.

You, Sir, are a complete fucking moron. Arrogant heartless asshole, too.

How is YOUR "Emergency Medical Fund" doing, asshole? You started saving already, right? You have had your whole life, you should have a few hundred thousand now, right?

Clamp your tiny little nuts in a vise and squeeze until they fall off, please. You need to make certain you never ever breed. In fact, just hurry the fuck up and die. We certainly do not need another generation of heartless morons like you running around.

Oh, please make sure you have enough cash to pay for your burial. Don't burden our system burying your worthless body.

All you fuckers better have a fat stack of cash saved up for when the company you work for goes tits up...don't worry about a place to live, or food, make sure you have money for medical bills.

What a fucking dick.

Would you guys quit acting like a delivery guy making barely above minimum wage should have a fat stack of cash in the bank?

Wait, so not everyone is rich and has piles of money to pay for our insanely shitty medical systems costs?

[CorvallisBMW]

One of the big problems with controlling costs is that everyone is removed from the cost, just pay your co-pay and away you go. We shop everything else based on price/value, it would be nice to know upfront what a doc visit costs/blood work/etc.

This is very true. Many people over look this.

I know of a good doc who frequents this forum, hopefully he might offer some insight.

He's down in LA partying :)

[zxert]

Blah Blah Blah ohh shit brb let me change my tampon

First, take a big step back and literally FUCK YOUR OWN FACE!

But seriously.

First, I'm addressing this specific problem. Not the healthcare system in the US as a whole.

Does this guy deserve free healthcare?
If no, then stop reading, we agree.
If yes, then who pays for it? Taxpayers?

My point is that it isn't my fault that he lost his job, and can't find another one. Its not my fault that he spent his whole life working for minimum wage and didn't go to college or even have a savings account.

This story should be a showpiece for taking care of yourself and saving for your future. So you can BUY health insurance.

So the question is, should he die?

Yes.

He should die. I want him to die. I'm going to get thrown in jail so I can kill him.

No you fuckass. I'm saying this guys an idiot. If I get fired tomorrow and can't find a job. If I can't afford insurance and I develop cancer THEN IM AN IDIOT.

I'd probably do the same thing he did. That doesn't take away from the fact that its bullshit and other people shouldn't have to pay for my problems. I SHOULD TAKE CARE OF MY OWN SHIT.



Now onto our healthcare system. This about sums up what corvalis was talking about.



Fix those problems and were still down to the REAL issue.

I'd be okay with the government providing vouchers to lower income people to purchase their own healthcare coverage. It would be cheaper than the current system and as you said the more people who are on insurance the better.

If you put the ability to purchase insurance in our lower income citizens hands that creates a huge amount of competition in the healthcare industry. Costs will come down.

But as far as mandating that people MUST get insurance. That is total bullshit. I have the right to fuck up my life however I want. Including lack of Healthcare insurance.

This is really boring shit. I'm gonna stay out of the next healthcare debate. I have my opinions but care to little to write the huge paragraphs I planned.

[CorvallisBMW]

First, take a big step back and literally FUCK YOUR OWN FACE!

Oh, you're gonna regret that....

Does this guy deserve free healthcare?
If no, then stop reading, we agree.
If yes, then who pays for it? Taxpayers?

Not FREE healthcare, no. But he deserves SOME healthcare. He paid taxes for 20+ years. Taxes go to fund things like prisons, medicare, medicaid, etc. He isn't getting anything for 'free', he paid his share. It's fucked up that after tens of thousands of dollars paid (or more), he is still getting boned by the system.

I'd be okay with the government providing vouchers to lower income people to purchase their own healthcare coverage. It would be cheaper than the current system and as you said the more people who are on insurance the better.

If you put the ability to purchase insurance in our lower income citizens hands that creates a huge amount of competition in the healthcare industry. Costs will come down.

Exactly. But that won't work if only 50% of the population buys it.

But as far as mandating that people MUST get insurance. That is total bullshit. I have the right to fuck up my life however I want. Including lack of Healthcare insurance.

But this is why health care costs so much! If only sick people buy health insurance, it's extremely expensive because the insurance companies know the bills will be huge. If everyone purchases insurance, it spreads that risk around and everyone's costs are lower. That's what insurance is, that's how it works. Imagine if only people who had an accident in the past 3 years had to purchase car insurance, it would cost a fortune! And it wouldn't work very well since many accidents involve drivers who may not have bad records, or who are hit by someone else (not their fault, just like developing cancer isn't a patients fault either). See what I'm getting at?

Yes, you have a right to fuck up your life all you want. But you do not have a right to fuck up other people's lives. The more people like who don't have health coverage, the more it costs everyone else; both through increased premiums and increased costs when you land yourself in the emergency room and can't pay.

[zxert]

Not FREE healthcare, no. But he deserves SOME healthcare. He paid taxes for 20+ years. Taxes go to fund things like prisons, medicare, medicaid, etc. He isn't getting anything for 'free', he paid his share. It's fucked up that after tens of thousands of dollars paid (or more), he is still getting boned by the system.

Agreed. I think this country has more to offer than nothing. Still. We all need to be more responsible for ourselves.

Exactly. But that won't work if only 50% of the population buys it.

Agreed.

But this is why health care costs so much! If only sick people buy health insurance, it's extremely expensive because the insurance companies know the bills will be huge. If everyone purchases insurance, it spreads that risk around and everyone's costs are lower. That's what insurance is, that's how it works. Imagine if only people who had an accident in the past 3 years had to purchase car insurance, it would cost a fortune! And it wouldn't work very well since many accidents involve drivers who may not have bad records, or who are hit by someone else (not their fault, just like developing cancer isn't a patients fault either). See what I'm getting at?

Yes, you have a right to fuck up your life all you want. But you do not have a right to fuck up other people's lives. The more people like who don't have health coverage, the more it costs everyone else; both through increased premiums and increased costs when you land yourself in the emergency room and can't pay.

This can all be solved by the free market. I know I sound like a douche but its absolutely true.

We need to lower healthcare costs, first and foremost. What affects price more than competition? HMO's and Insurance companies don't have a monopoly, but close to it. There is hardly any competition.

If you allow all Americans to deduct medical costs from their income taxes, along with providing vouchers to Americans with income under a certain point. Say $40,000 annually, people will buy Health Insurance.

Why will they buy it? Because if they don't, they will be charged the full cost out of pocket. The new costs will be lower after all, and care will be affordable.

If we make people accountable for themselves, then the government is free to do other things. Like give me a ticket because people at the DMV can't file my registration paperwork.

I guarantee you that if a Medical group is created that uses Natural and Holistic medical methods FIRST and abolishes the mentality perpetrated by large pharmaceuticals. They will gain a huge corner of the market. Again free market is key.

The government really doesn't have to do much here. Less than whats in the Obamacare package.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cbo-obamacare-would-cost-over-2-trillion

[StereoInstaller1]

This is really boring shit. I'm gonna stay out of the next healthcare debate. I have my opinions but care to little to write the huge paragraphs I planned.

Like your fucking retarded opinion means shit. Maybe you should go rip a catheter out of an old ladys twat since the evil welfare system pays for it, and she was too stupid to save all her life to pay for those catheters, she does not deserve it, she has no education, she has no money, she lives on cat food...but of course, that is all her fault...just because society in general told her when she was growing up that "women don't need education" and "her husband would care for her" but the motherfucker DIED...but it is all her fault, huh?

You are a fucking asshole. You give your whole "side" a bad name.

Glad you are out of this "healthcare debate", you have zero fucking experience to go with your zero fucking brains and zero fucking sympathy.

Now shut your fucking hole.

Luke

[Bene]

^^

The free market is a nice idea. But the problem with it is that it just leaves the world completely open to be fucked over by the super rich. It's already bad enough as it is, we don't need to give them more wiggle room. And this is how we've gotten here in the first place. A single 21 year old paying $200 a month for healthcare is fucking ridiculous.

I would like a government sponsored system that would cover basic stuff. For example; if I get strep throat or whatever Leothedrummer had, it would be nice to know that I don't have to worry about that. But if some asshole gets cancer because they've been eating plastic their whole lives, the rest of the country shouldn't be responsible for that.

[z31maniac]

^It needs to be the exact opposite, you are responsible for routine, normal care. And there is a policy that protects you against large losses.

All the way back in 2005 a friend of mine broke his wrist in a motorcycle crash, his total bill had he not had insurance would have been $13k! For a broken wrist!

Oh but since we can't eat plastic (since everything is package in it), no coverage. So do we start excluding people for riding motorcycles? Skydiving? Driving?

You could break your wrist walking out to your car today, do all you guys have $15-20k in the bank to cover that?


You guys need to quit sticking ardently to the policy line and realize we've got a serious problem on our hands, and both sides are too busy grandstanding and going to the extreme to make a false point.

[NKRoberts]

^It needs to be the exact opposite, you are responsible for routine, normal care. And there is a policy that protects you against large losses.

All the way back in 2005 a friend of mine broke his wrist in a motorcycle crash, his total bill had he not had insurance would have been $13k! For a broken wrist!

Oh but since we can't eat plastic (since everything is package in it), no coverage. So do we start excluding people for riding motorcycles? Skydiving? Driving?

You could break your wrist walking out to your car today, do all you guys have $15-20k in the bank to cover that?


You guys need to quit sticking ardently to the policy line and realize we've got a serious problem on our hands, and both sides are too busy grandstanding and going to the extreme to make a false point.

Hell yes skydiving should be excluded.

[zxert]

Blah blah blah, fuck shit piss

Did you even read my post?

Apparently not.

Move to Canada if you want to pay for your neighbors healthcare. Then wait in line for 15 years to get a splinter removed. Seriously, move to Saskatoon. Now.

I'm not sticking to any lines, or sides. I'm just looking at whats best for the country.

The best thing for this country is to give people incentives to take care of themselves, while obviously addressing cost issues and providing care to those who are completely unable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_market