Health care questions

[Mike Gayner]

What happens in any other country? You die of natural causes.

In most other countries, the poor are treated for chronic illnesses, and are not just left to die.

edit: Oh I see what you tried to do there - you tried to make out that America is the only country with good healthcare. LOL.

 

[olds]

Honest question: as a mod aren't you supposed to discourage OT from turning into P&N discussions, rather than promote it?

Honest response, get a dictionary.

 

[olds]

I may love you.

I knew the flowers and beer would bring you around.

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

Yeah something like they, if you ever actually need it they will do their best to drop you.

That sucks. And basically half the country was trying to argue that the system didn't need any changing?!

Sorry, but the term "free health care" really bothers me since it is in no way, shape, or form 'free'. What the term "free health care" really means is the Government gets to decide who pays for your health care.

How is that different to any other 'free' concept? Bottom line is, there's no such thing as a free lunch. If you happen to get something free of charge, it just means that you're not obligated to pay for it. Someone else is.

What happens in any other country? You die of natural causes.

lolwut?

What happens when you use a service but don't pay for it in any country? What happens if you eat at a restaurant but don't pay the bill?

Bad analogy. Taxes are there for a reason.

 

[werepossum]

I've always been curious about but never understood..can we keep it non-political though?

1) If you get sick in the US, say you get cancer or need an operation, but don't have insurance and can't pay for it, what happens?

Are you just denied any sort of care, or is the medicine/treatment provided for you and then you get stuck with the bill? And if you can't/don't pay where do the taxes come from to pay for it?

2) If a visitor to the US gets sick or has to go to the hospital, are they obligated to have to pay for their services? If so what happens if they don't?

3) If a US citizen visits a foreign country with universal care..e.g. Canada, will you get treatment at no cost?

For the first, I know several people who had no insurance and needed serious medical treatment, including one lady lady with breast cancer who received a double mastectomy, radiation, chemo, and breast reconstruction. Hers was picked up partially by TennCare and partially by being written off by the doctors and hospital because she had almost nothing. On the other hand, I also know a guy who had colon cancer and no insurance; he owned a house and made too much money to qualify for MediCare. I assume that had he lived, he would have filed bankruptcy to meet his debts. I don't know to what extent the doctors and the hospital went after his surviving assets or his wife, but legally they could do so, forcing her into bankruptcy. It's kind of like any other debt, if it looks sensible to go after you for your debt they will.

The people that don't get care are those without serious complaints. If you have the sniffles they'll treat you in the emergency room, if you have cancer or a heart attack you'll get treatment, but if you need your gall bladder removed you're probably SOL.