People Don't Need Health Insurance
It's been a long time since I had a thought of the walk but here we go.
I was talking to my neighbor's 17 year old kid yesterday. He has been uninsured his whole life. His main goal in getting a job over the next few months is to find one with full medical and dental so that he can get his teeth worked on, etc. When I asked for more information, he listed a few things that needed to be done, specifically in his mouth, that would probably cost $5,000. An interesting point - dental insurance is usually a crock - that $5,000 in work will probably still cost him close to $5,000, though he has insurance.
Also, he is worried about getting really sick and what that would cost. He is willing to take a job that may not pay well, but offers health insurance. I find this interesting. He thinks he needs health insurance, but in reality he needs health care.
The insurance industry, in concert with the federal and state governments, has taken us from the country doctors of old, willing and able to provide health care in trade (eggs, livestock, spring water), to a system when our children are brainwashed to think you cannot get health care without insurance and doctors are heavily regulated, depending on which insurance plans they accept.
Last I checked, we are still printing cash. Some doctors are willing to work for this green-inked paper. Doesn't it make more sense to get a higher paying job with no insurance benefits and either buy your own health insurance plan, or save for health care costs, or both?
I was talking to my neighbor's 17 year old kid yesterday. He has been uninsured his whole life. His main goal in getting a job over the next few months is to find one with full medical and dental so that he can get his teeth worked on, etc. When I asked for more information, he listed a few things that needed to be done, specifically in his mouth, that would probably cost $5,000. An interesting point - dental insurance is usually a crock - that $5,000 in work will probably still cost him close to $5,000, though he has insurance.
Also, he is worried about getting really sick and what that would cost. He is willing to take a job that may not pay well, but offers health insurance. I find this interesting. He thinks he needs health insurance, but in reality he needs health care.
The insurance industry, in concert with the federal and state governments, has taken us from the country doctors of old, willing and able to provide health care in trade (eggs, livestock, spring water), to a system when our children are brainwashed to think you cannot get health care without insurance and doctors are heavily regulated, depending on which insurance plans they accept.
Last I checked, we are still printing cash. Some doctors are willing to work for this green-inked paper. Doesn't it make more sense to get a higher paying job with no insurance benefits and either buy your own health insurance plan, or save for health care costs, or both?
Have you tried my simple fruit salad with 1 good sized regular kiwi
1 good sized honey kiwi
8 to 10 good sized strawberries
1 bartlett pear
2 bananas (non organic cuz no-one can tell the freakin difference).
1 can of regular coconut milk
And 1/2 cup of RAW sugar.
cube all fruit to desired size, add sugar and coconut milk.
Let set overnight covered and refrigerated.
Your political ideas rise above the rest. Good to see you again!
Kelly.
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Hey Nicole, long time. Just wanted to make a comment to this.
Sure, it does make sense to try and save for health care costs down the road, but, due to high costs it is not always feasible.
Fortunately, when I had my appendectomy I had insurance. The total cost ended up being way way way less than the total. The whole thing would have been well over $10,000. And appendectomy is basic/simple surgery!
Now, another story. A friend of mine was taking a Tae Kwon Do class in Queens and got a roundhouse to the face. It broke his cheek bone and shoved it down to his jaw - ouch! Well, one ambulance ride and an overnight in the hospital plus the surgery that had to take place a week later has ended up costing him a ton of money and he had insurance he paid for. He had his own insurance because he is an independent contractor and it still ended up costing him a lot of money (over $20,000) because he couldn’t afford the kind of insurance one can get through a company (you know, economies of scale and such). Thankfully he was always good at saving, but this one accident has wiped him out. He's working overtime (fortunately they are letting him work overtime) to make up the lost work hours and to also make up lost savings.
Even with high paying jobs, it still makes sense to be covered under a company that has secured a deal with insurance because the health care system is so messed up. The system, including the costs, is what needs to be addressed - I don't have the answer nor do I understand why health care costs so much. (I realize I am part of the problem that perpetuates the high costs of health care because I am not educated about it. I think some of it has to do with how expensive malpractice insurance is.)
But, the everyday-next-door-neighbor is suffering because only some of the highest paying jobs would help someone cover an accident. Saving for the possibility of a $100,000 procedure just won’t work and neither will purchasing an inferior insurance policy on your own.
Okay, I said my peace, take it for what you will – hopefully constructive dialogue. Hope to catch up with you guys when I’m back in town. Tell Mark I want a rematch in Hillbilly Golf.
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