Hit ‘em Where it Hurts
EmailThe Kaiser Family Foundation is out with a survey on the rising cost of health care, and it’s enough to give you a stomach ache. In tough times there are other things on people’s minds — 44 percent of those surveyed said paying for gasoline was a "serious problem" — but look at some of their numbers on what medical bills do to people: –20% said they had been contacted by a collection agency because of unpaid medical bills in the last five years. –20% said they "had difficulty paying other bills." –17% said they "used up all or most of [their] savings" because of illness. –12% said they had "been unable to pay for basic necessities." The summary is HERE. The numbers above are from p. 2 of the pdf file. The Los Angeles Times reacted to one number in particular: "7% of Americans said they or someone in their household decided to marry in the last year so they could get healthcare benefits via their spouse." A few days ago we did a World News story on a study of robotic heart-bypass surgery; read it HERE or watch it HERE. The doctors who did the work suggested it may catch on, not because it’s less painful for patients, not because it may provide longer-lasting benefits, but because it gets people out of the hospital and back to work more quickly, thus saving their employers money. Ouch.
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Well my point is if those who got sick were pure in soul and not committed sins God would have not made them sick in order to suffer for them.
Posted by: Tina Fresno | April 29, 2008, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm
What an incredibly hateful and narrow-minded thing to say, Tina! Maybe we’ll all get lucky and you’ll be struck with some terrible illness that will knock you off your high horse.
Posted by: Amy | April 29, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
Amy, not likely since I pray the rosary every day five times and live a good christian life.
Nicole, everyone knows God is male. Also HE must be vengeful because if he werent, the world would fall apart. It would be like having those parents who try to be the kids freind wouldnt it? Never works.
Posted by: Tina Fresno | April 29, 2008, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Tina was being sarcastic, people.
Posted by: incog-nito | April 29, 2008, 4:52 pm 4:52 pm
You can’t speak for others, incog-nito. I really don’t think she was being sarcastic.
Posted by: Courtney | April 29, 2008, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm
I don’t care how much it costs in taxes for health care, all that money would stay in the US economy, unlike the billions in cash that go to rogue oil producing nations. Perhaps the real reason we are in Iraq is because the Saudis wanted us there and they used their hand puppet Bush to deceive us Americans.
Posted by: Mike Guilford | April 29, 2008, 6:25 pm 6:25 pm
Courtney: It got off topic because “Tina” succeeded in distracting people. Anyway I agree with your assessment, and would add that it is only going to get worse, along with the economy and everything else.
Posted by: incog-nito | April 29, 2008, 6:30 pm 6:30 pm
Yeah SO… isnt that part of life…. getting a job, getting married…. and taking care of yourself…. oh ya… that’s right….. It’s Big Daddy Government (THE TAXPAYER) responsibilty to take care of your medical bills so you can spend your money on all the funs stuff…..
Posted by: Vet1973 | April 29, 2008, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
Courtney, do your home work. I am a Canadian, and have received nothing but the best health care available. I chose my own doctor, receive care in a top notch facility, and from world class
physicians. Canadians do not lose their life savings because of medical bills, and, actually, live longer than Americans. Our health care system is not perfect, but it is compassionate, as no one is ever denied care because of financial constraints.
Posted by: WMR | April 29, 2008, 8:11 pm 8:11 pm
It’s a shame there are any government assistance programs. Each and every time the government helps someone, it pollutes the pure miracle of trickle down capitalism. It is such a beneficial economic system that helps say 1% to prosper on the toils and troubles of the masses. But let’s not talk about class in America. Just remember the great American dream; yes, it is almost the same as winning the lottery…
Posted by: Mike Guilford | April 29, 2008, 8:28 pm 8:28 pm
There is a reason why american life expectance averages are dropping while those nations with universal health coverage life expectance averages are rising.
Think about that.
Posted by: skendall | April 29, 2008, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
On the bright side, it’s comforting to know that at least our elected politicians in Washington have great health care coverage. I want them to be healthy when the lobbyists come to call.
Posted by: Michael Knapp | April 29, 2008, 10:12 pm 10:12 pm
I am an educated women (post-bac) who had been a technical writrer, until I became homeless due to high medical costs. I had a series of TIAs last fall, and had to choser between rent and COBRA when i was put off work for just a matter of weeks.
We all did the right thing for the Amerikan Dream – work hard, get an education, and look where we are at. I am 53 years old.
Posted by: Teresa | April 30, 2008, 3:08 am 3:08 am
That 20% of collection agency contacts would include those that were caused by the insurer attempting to breach contract. I have run into this more than once. I never pay on these, take the insurer to court.
Posted by: Quietman | April 30, 2008, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
Another issue is that amny states have a way to help you if you can’t afford medical help. My first born’s birth was not covered and I was making very little at the time so the state provided the hospital stay and doctor through a clinic. Don’t be too proud to ask when you need help, it may be available also where you live.
Posted by: Quietman | April 30, 2008, 3:17 pm 3:17 pm
amny s/b many, sorry
Posted by: Quietman | April 30, 2008, 3:18 pm 3:18 pm
This is the direct result of our worship of the free market. Of all the wide variety of health-care systems in the developed world, the one thing they could all agree on is that the free market is a particularly poor way to run a health-care system. No one gets bankrupt by their medical bills in those countries. And for all of this extra pain, we get the 36th best health care in the world.
Posted by: jock59801 | April 30, 2008, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm