Posted on 08/12/2009 8:19:50 AM PDT by libh8er
Hawking is no more or less valuable than the local plumber. His “brilliant mind” is full of self-aggrandizing error, so I think I favor the plumber at this point.
For a clear and accurate picture of hoe governnment health care actually kills people by denying them care try: http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/_wsj_american_cancer_care_beats_the_rest.htm and http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2M0ODk0OTNkZjkwNGM4OGMyYTEwYWY3ODUzMzFiOTc=
So an insurance company never killed someone by denying them care?
Thanks. I appreciate additional information. What I really appreciate is a balanced and complete presentation of information. Cherry picked information can do more harm than good. To hear you tell it, it almost seems as though Britain's socialized medicine provides free, complete, and timely medical care for all.
“Defending the stupid IBD editorial and attacking straw men like “ZOMG THE NHS WUD KILL HAWKING” makes it really hard to fight Obamacare on the merits.”
Would you care to fight Obamacare on its merits? In your opinion, what is wrong with Obamacare?
you can change insurance com[anies,
You can change insurance companies.
You can change insurance companies.
They can limit, and do, but they can’t keep you from paying for it yourself. You won’t have that freedom with this bill. Coverage will be limited and care will be rationed.
Oh there will be great health care for the wealthy and the elite. It’s the middle class and poor who are being controlled and manipulated.
No, they didn't. Little story. My daughter needs a prescription medication to keep her alive. Earlier this summer, the insurance company removed this medication from the covered drugs. It costs around $500 per month out of pocket. I pay for it myself every month. I refuse to accept the covered drugs, as they have proven not to be as effective. I have since found another insurance plan that will cover the drug, because, as of now, I have a choice about my health insurance.
The fact that an insurance company refuses to cover something doesn't mean you can't get it. At that point, you make a decision as to whether you want the treatment, if it's necessary, and is it worth the cost.
Hospitals and doctors do a LOT of charity work. There are people that owe hospitals amounts they'll never be able to pay, and the hospitals will accept $50 a month, or whatever you can afford. During one medical emergency, a family member got a $7000 helicopter ride that was not covered by insurance. I negotiated some of the price down and paid them $100 a month until we were square. I didn't have to have charity, but without going into details, I've got three people in my family that have had to have extensive long term treatments.
Right now I've got too much debt and will spend the next few years digging out, but all of my family are doing fine. I've been fortunate to have good insurance, but you have to get involved in your own medical decisions, and that includes cost decisions. No insurance policy covers everything, and sometimes you have to have something that insurance doesn't cover. As of now, there's someone out there that will perform the procedure and work with you on the payment plan.
The insurance company can't tell me what treatment I can receive, only what treatments they will cover. The government wants the power to tell me what procedures I can receive and outlaw alternatives.
He was diagnosed while he was still in college, long before he got famous.
That isn’t the issue or what is involved here. What is involved here is not a young man just diagnosed, but an older man with a progressive disease presenting with pneumonia. If he hadn’t been the famous Dr. Hawking, would he have received the same care?
I don’t know about ALS, but my father in law lives in UK, had a pretty bad stroke, and the care he received was just as good as any I’ve seen over here. And he ain’t famous.
“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the UK, where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.”
Thats probably one of the most unfortunate things i’ve heard said in this debate.
Is this what we are reduced to ? Making things up without any effort to check the facts ?
Richard, I’m happy to hear that your family has received the treatment they needed. Obviously, any just system should preserve the option of paying for procedures/drugs not covered out of pocket.
However, the charity work that hospitals and doctors do result in higher fees and premiums for everyone. People who cannot pay are being treated at the expense of those who can pay. I don’t think we should rush into “reform,” but what we have now is already an engine for wealth redistribution. I don’t think we do ourselves any favors by pretending it’s perfect.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.