Need Freeper Help on Healthcare Paper (Shameless Vanity)

Freepers - - I'm working on my dissertation topics which is "Should the US institute a single-payer health care system similar to Great Britain and Canada" and the subtitle is something like "An Agenda for Solving America's Health Care Crisis using Health Savings Accounts".

I'm in need of Freeper help. This is the last leg in this middle-aged Freeper's journey toward an MBA, so be gentle.

I'm looking for Freeper inputs regarding your feelings about the health care system in America, as it stands today. I'm looking for Freepers from all walks of life; Doctors, small business owners, retirees, those on Medicare and/or Disability, policy makers, and just those with strong opinions.

Please feel free to Freepmail me and we can start a dialogue. I'm most intersted in responses to the following questions:

1) Have you had any experience with Health Savings Accounts and how do you feel about them, if you have?

2) Has your employer offered a HSA as an alternative to your health care choices?

3) I'm interested in Freeper Canadians who've had experience in the Canadian health care system. Any success/horror stories? Same with our European Freeper brothers and sisters.

4) If you are a Doctor, what do you see as a viable solution to the health care situation in the US?

5) Would you switch to an HSA if offered along with a cheap, high-deductible insurance policy?

I'm nervous as this is my first Freeper vanity. I hope JimRob will allow me this indulgence as this is important not only for me, but the dialogue is important for the country.

hmm.... well I can agree with the jist of what your saying. Perhaps what is needed is a combination of HSAs and insurance. Meaning that people can, if they so choose, purchase catastrophic insurance that will cover expenses greater than 100K. Then, for the little stuff, the vast majority of expenses that they go through in life, they will have their HSA.

This will help bring down costs and market competition for at least a portion of the health care system.

Also, as they age, their HSA nest egg will build so they may choose to raise the limit on the type of catastrophic health insurance they want - to a 500K limit or something.

Of course, I do not suggest that government attempt to construct such a system - merely that it get out of the way and let people fashion it themselves as they so choose.

I joined an HMO about 25 years ago and it was great. I went from paying $30.00 a visit to the local pediatrician to $1.00 a visit at the HMO. The doctor that I had kept upping the price for single visits and I simply could not afford to pay the costs. When kids are little you see pediatricians a lot.

A couple of years after I was using this service, my state government decided that they too liked this idea. They began diverting welfare patients to my HMO and things began to go downhill from there. Fortunately, as my kids got older I hardly noticed the changes in service.

Sure the monthly premiums went up every year, but then I realized that the occasional visit was no longer costing me a dollar or two. The visits now were $20.00 or more, and any prescriptions were also much higher priced. I suppose that folks who get a lot of medications notice that stuff, but for someone such as myself who might get an Rx a few times every couple of years, a 2000% increase in price is noticeable. Believe it or not, some medications are 4,000% priced more now. (Is $40.00 a 4000% increase over a dollar?)

I have pretty much enjoyed good health as have my kids while they were eligible for the program as dependents, but the costs had increased enormously, outpacing inflation for sure.

More noticeable was the problem with actually getting to see my own personal physician. An appointment for a biannual physical can take months to get. A visit to see a Dermatologist for example can result in a wait of 4 months.

These issues were not factors when I first used this HMO. The state of Massachusetts caused the initial problems, and I expect things to get much worse now that we all will have "free" health care.

I have so many stories that I could share just from personal experiences and from friends and family.

Health care should not have government intrusion. We are in for a very big mess.

My advice for people is to stay healthy.

I got into an HSA in FEB. It's great...just like in the 60s-70s catastrophic coverage at an affordable cost.

FWIW, Michael Reagan had an analogy 'bout 6 years ago i.e. How expensive dining out would become if it was mandated (like health care).

I didn't find it on his web site, but maybe you could email him.

I'm bumping this to the top to see if there are any other responses/opinions folks have on this issue. I'm looking for your inputs, comments and experience with HSAs and the health care "industry" in the US.

Our Canadian Freeper brothers and sisters, please chime in - - I want to know how you think you've been served by the Canadian health care system.

Thanks all! You've been a great audience!!!!

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