Text 35346, 78 rader
Skriven 2009-08-25 13:29:34 av Roy Witt (1:387/22)
  Kommentar till text 35342 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Universal health insurance
==================================
25 Aug 09 14:27, Robert Bashe wrote to Bob Ackley:

 RB> Bob Ackley wrote to Robert Bashe on Monday August 24 2009 at 06:30:

 RB>>> ...The problem with such calculations (pay cash for doctor's visits
 RB>>> instead of health insurance) is that they always assume continued
 RB>>> good health - or at least no calamity....

But most of the time, your health care costs are less than your insurance
premiums. But like you say, when something comes along that is expensive
to treat, you're in a financial situation that you can't possibly cope
with on your own, even when paying cash.

 BA>> In her case she simply cannot afford to keep paying the $300/month.
 BA>> She makes less than $3,000/month (gross) and her mortgage interest
 BA>> alone is $2,100/month.

 RB> This, of course, would be where government health insurance would
 RB> step in - if it existed. Either your sister would be in a government
 RB> program with low rates in keeping with her earnings, or she would
 RB> receive a subsidy to help her pay her private insurance.

There is already such a program in place. It's called COBRA, which is not
insurance, it's a law that your employer and insurance provider have to
offer. (The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985)

Unfortunately, your COBRA premiums are higher than an unemployed person
can afford on the money the state allows for unemployment compensation.

Politicians who think up this crap don't think about how people can afford
to pay these things when people are unemployed and so the unemployed can't
afford even that help.

 RB> Quite aside from that, it seems to me she's getting really killed by
 RB> the mortgage interest - isn't there a change of re-negotiating the
 RB> rate now that the interest rates have dropped so precipitously?

If she's unemployed, she may not qualify for that. If I recall, she lives
in San Francisco, where the property values were once sky high. Just
before the bottom dropped out of the CA housing market she would have been
better off selling the place and finding cheaper housing. But then, rent
is probably the same or higher than just her interest costs on that loan.

[something for BA to reply to]

 RB> I don't see how she can live with that kind of situation, even
 RB> without the $300 for health insurance. Food costs something, too. And
 RB> if she gets sick or is injured, she'll be done for: medical costs
 RB> pile up, the mortgage will default and the worst has happened. Is
 RB> there really no way out of that situation even assuming continued
 RB> rejection of government health insurance in the States?

 BA>> Most hospitals in this coumtry are run by religious (primarily
 BA>> Catholic) organizations.

 RB> _Some_ are here, too. Others are privately run, and still others are
 RB> city-run.

Same here. Very few hospitals are run by Catholic organizations anymore.
The one I was born in is now living quarters for the nuns.

 BA>> It only became difficult for them to provide care for the poor after
 BA>> the government got involved in health care half a century ago.

 RB> Why? And what do you mean by "got involved"?

SSI and Medicare. ca 1965...most of, if not all of the states, followed
with their own versions. California calls theirs MediCal...Texas calls
theirs Medicaid.


                R\%/itt

Joy lives in the fight, in the attempt, in the suffering involved, not in
the victory itself.

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