1_point_1_day_ago: Now’s a pertinent time to look at the kind of money big healthcare spends on our elections:
https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=H&recipdetail=A&sortorder=U&mem=Y&cycle=2016
How much this industry lobbies:
https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/indus.php?id=H&year=2016
And where big pharma stands in terms of lobbying, compared to *all other industries*:
https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?showYear=2016&indexType=i
And how many of their lobbyists are moving through the revolving door:
https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/top.php?display=I
What’s that phrase? Ignore the money? No, that’s doesn’t seem right.
datsallvolks: American health business is only about $$$$. Emergency medicine in US is good. Disease treatment, especially long-term, is deplorable. It is the treatment of symptoms without dealing with causes. There is too much specialization instead of holistic treatment. It needs to go back to being non-profit.
SwoloBaggins: So you have a law that requires everyone to purchase insurance (unless they pay a hefty fine), limited to zero competition for said insurance (some states have only one provider), and private insurance companies that have a fiduciary obligation to their shareholders to maximize profits (they could actually be sued if they don’t)? What could go wrong?
TruBlue: Australian here. My daughter was rushed to hospital last week received top notch timely care by great pediatricians and hot nurses in a modern hospital. Total cost $20. I had two surgeries in the past couple of years total cost $0. Feel sorry for you guys.
MsKim: Quality of trauma care is excellent. Quality of chronic healthcare issues treatment is terrible. FTFY
ScarpaDiem: I just don’t understand why Republican voters can’t see the benefits to universal healthcare. Shit, all those old ass, racist motherfuckers would benefit the most from better Healthcare.
Weirdbhamcall: With my deductible it’s like I don’t have insurance anyway. I pay in full for everything except 2 prescriptions. I don’t qualify for medicaid but I’m breaking the bank paying in full up front to see my Dr.
Disc1022: I’ve always wondered why everyone keeps talking about insurance costs and Obamacare and now Trumpcare but no one ever wants to talk about the elephant in the room and that is the cost of medical services; doctor visits, prescription medicine, emergency room visits, etc. When a hospital charges $75 for a couple of Tylenol then it is obvious the very first thing that needs to be seriously addressed is the cost and how it is justified. Bring down the costs to a reasonable level and every other healthcare related issue will disappear. And no, the LA Times is wrong, the quality of American healthcare is the best in the world, thus the reason most people give up trying to get decent care in their own countries and come to the US for help.
nooneshsh: In my country, when you spend too much on something and get little results, it means someone is stealing from that money.
Emichuu: I’m lucky my parents got me on a decent insurance plan (still sucks though) before my health issues really began but it’s too expensive for me to pay the bills myself. Yet, had my health been taken care of properly the first time most of all this could have been avoided, I’d be a productive citizen instead of needing assistance; wouldn’t be mostly living my life in bed with all this pain the way I am right now, struggling for 15-16 years so far. My disability check started out less than the cost of my own insurance which I needed because Medicaid wasn’t always used especially for the doctor visits needed. They have randomly stopped paying for certain and important medications before without warning as well. I couldn’t qualify for more money because I had never “officially” worked beyond working for my parents at 14 but that’s because I got sick as a minor.
I used to be an athlete with dreams but the healthcare I’ve received has crushed that. Too many heartless doctors, misread scans and misdiagnoses. It wasn’t until I got involved with my own health (which some doctors hate by the way) that things have begun to improve but I’m still recovering and struggling. I feel like I’m on my own in finding the specialist I need currently which I’m betting will be out of state and traveling is difficult for me as it is. I can’t rely on my GP to help guide me, I have always had to do it myself no matter the GP.
I’ve had two major surgeries including open heart in two years, my mom has been hiding the bills from me not to upset me. I feel terrible that I’m this huge burden to my family, can’t help but think what’s the point sometimes… The open heart wasn’t needed until some doctor screwed up nearly killing me and because he screwed up the hospital that I’ve gone to for years have been pretty harsh on me lately, they sure take care of their own instead of their patients. I’ve been getting the runaround when it comes to records, at one point they even told me that no records exist on a certain highly recommended procedure that started me down this path. It didn’t make me better but much worse, it messed up the circulation in my legs to the point that I can’t walk for long or well in general. Another procedure, both pretty simple, made it even worse that I needed open heart surgery out of state. I recommend you collect your own records after because if they screw up, they may not play nice.
Now, the two main doctors I do see regularly… well, I don’t actually see them anymore. It’s the PAs that do all the work despite the difficulty of my case. The nurses and physical therapists have mostly been wonderful though and I am so grateful for them, they seem to have a higher chance of being more understanding. I’m fortunate I also have a family helping me out otherwise I’d be SOL. Not all doctors are bad, it’s not a black or white situation, but it seems like it’s easier for the lazy ones and harder on the good ones with this system.
It’s just a poor system overall, another poor system of the US. Healthcare should be based more on care than profit. Not that it was news to me but in the documentary, “Saving Capitalism” they mentioned the lobbying that goes on. The things that get passed under our noses… I never knew how bad it was until I was truly ill and then it eventually became a chronic thing, once labeled chronic it’s like they give up on you. Like it’s okay that I remain disabled but I want to work, I want to move on with my life and I’m not alone, far from it. Although, often average people with decent health don’t understand why I’m still struggling. My own dad has trouble understanding why I’m not getting the help I need.
Loose-ends: In most of the western world outside of the US it’s referred to as “Socialized Medicine” based on the premise that it’s both immoral and unethical to take advantage of and profit directly off any accidental misfortune beyond someone’s control that compromises their health and ability to live that has already victimized them without victimizing them any further by exploiting them in that way.
In short their “inalienable right to life…” is actually respected and upheld and not contingent on any ability to pay in order to hang onto their lives or the liberty and pursuit of happiness that are completely meaningless without that.
It’s no good to have what you think are the best ideals and principles if you and the government you live under are unwilling to honestly live up to them in the thought, word, and deed that makes their truth “self-evident”. You need look no farther than that to know exactly what is wrong with the US at this point in it’s history.
StefanYellowCurry: Our quality of healthcare is not garbage, it’s just expensive.
Lasterba: The QUALITY of our healthcare is the best in the world. The EXPENSE is garbage.
If you have money and need something done, you come to the USA.
luda_59: We also unhealthy as fuck tho take that into consideration
Arkfort: Half true. We do spend more on health care but it is not trash. Go to any country with socialized health care and rephrase your title. I will agree though, we are nowhere close to getting what we pay for.
TherealPattyP: The big pharma for you.
R3almOfR3ality: Preach!
musicmanxii: I got a $5000 bill from my ER the other day for tests that told me what I already knew. They didn’t even help solve the problem I went in for. On top of everything I told them I don’t have insurance and wouldn’t be able to pay for their tests, yet they didn’t listen. Guess who isn’t getting 5000 dollars?
Ne007: Muh-victims
-QZ-: 5.8 trillion dollars on war.
Eyedeafan88: Healthcare should not be about profit
RumpleForeskin1982: “U.S. spends more on healthcare than any other country”
We spend more on taxes than any other country. Health insurance is just a hidden tax.
The Govt. rakes in billions from companies like http://hicgroup.com/ thru corporate taxes.
They are playing the same game as the church. [God loves you, and he needs more money!!!]
Rogue_Jogan: idk yesterday i called the clinic because i had chest pain, saw a doctor the same day, got prescribed medicine and didnt pay a single dollar…obamacare works for me, not sure how the rest of the USA is fairing but LA times is full of shit so i never believe them, and im from LA.
Joe_LeFlores: What’s even funnier is your *own doctor* will even explain (divulge) to you how you are getting shittier care due to network guidelines. Like a MASH tent with people you can’t even understand from third world countries giving you “hmo-approved” chemicals and procedures, and then getting throttled by the clinic and the hmo.
Romek_himself: thats because the richs take the biggest part out of it …no other country pays so much to CEOs than USA does
people have to understand the money pool is limited … when richs take more and more than there is less left for the 99%
analglandjuice: Cuz all you Americans cry “SOCIALISM!!!!1” when universal healthcare comes up..
When more than half of them can’t even define socialism..
Roman420: BULLSHIT
digits: Yooooo This article is trash. Alot of people in this thread really dont know the details.
Just because its an article doesnt mea n its opinions are true. And look at how they come to conclusion.
Trying to compare expenditure for healthcare to countries with government controlled universal care. Is absolutely the most retarded shit i can read. LOL WTF who writes this fucking trash. Also comparing life expectancy is automatically grounds for poor healthcare????? Haha this article is so bad.
Let me clear some shit for you guys. IT IS EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WE HAVE THE BEST CARE. We actually pay our doctors. Keep up the demand. MAYO CLINIC ANYONE????
World known. People from everywhere come to US for care.
Israel for example HIGHEST population of medical professionals. But where do they go for serious specialties and care? The f**king USA.
In universal healthcare, don’t have the same supply of doctors and care to provide its citizens. Gotta wait months for procedures. Doctors are limited. Because its govt run… its shit. Theres no funding or need to expand. Its terrible and you fucks dont know.
F**kTheClippers: That’s bullshit. American healthcare itself is the best in the world. It’s your insurance that’s garbage. I’ve worked in healthcare for a long time and see it all first
hand. If you have good insurance and are a compliant patient, no attitude or self entitlement, you’ll get what you need and feel great in no time. This headline is an insult to anybody who works in healthcare and sacrifices so much to treat their communities
aesthetic-as-f**k: Obamacare is an absolute joke. I’m self employed so I have to buy that crap. High deductible, no healthcare to be found. Instead of healthcare it should be called what it is, which is a tax increase. All it did when that drone-bombing cocksucker passed it was confiscate an extra week of my hard earned salary so he could give it to other people in exchange for votes. I’m so glad all these losers can go get their medicaid and their fucking pain pills and ativans. Fuck literally anyone who supports this shit and smugly thinks they’re doing some moral good. You’re thieves. F**k you.
Truth bomb DROPPED
American Health Care
Whaddaya Say?