I did work in an insurance executive’s house once. The huge house was on a peninsula he built into good size lake he’d had dug out… in the middle of a huge swath of land.
Tim, you’re actually performing a vital public service here. By framing medical care in the context of a high-tech future, you’re exposing (intentionally or not) how truly absurd the U.S. privatized healthcare system is, with its plethora of individual payers, most of which exist for one reason alone: funneling cash into rich folk’s pockets, not healing people or keeping them well.
It boggles the mind why, in America, so many are dumb as dirt about this concept. They’ve bought in wholesale to the capitalist party line which claims — often contrary to the evidence — that private for-profit corporations provide superior goods and services than the public sector.
The American Dream is no longer built on aspiration and achievement, but corporate greed, windfall profits and gouging the public. Yet, still we live like Kings compared to many other countries (so long as we are willing to turn a blind eye to the poverty within our own borders). It is a self-destructive system and will, eventually, inevitably come crashing down.
Positive thought for the day. The other thoughts are even worse. ; )
Well Insurance has always been a scam. You pay it, with the anticipation, your going to have a bad accident and the insurance company, is betting you don’t. (How can that not be a scam?) But these guys work for Dirk Raider and of course the insurance company is going charge high premiums. They know what is going to happen, Dirk Raider Storm Troops always have bad accidents.
Americans have a problem with being unable to comprehend that the rest of the industrialized world does a better job of providing health care for their citizens than our for profit cesspool. My wife is nurse at an ICU and routinely watches people die (rather expensively BTW) because they could not pay for preventive treatment- the other day she watched a young mother die because the health insurance she purchased was not part of the ACA programs but was something she could afford. She had a previously undiagnosed medical condition that appeared suddenly and she needed a liver transplant to survive- and her private for profit insurance would not pay for it- by the time she got enough financial coverage it was too late and she died leaving her young children without parents (her husband had died earlier). The smug twerps that come on here posting about the ‘private sector’ fail- or IMO deliberately and maliciously refuse- to admit that illness is not profitable inasmuch as treating an illness is a money losing proposition- the sick person is not able to earn money while still having expenses and their return to health puts no additional money in anyone’s pocket- thus the best financial way to deal with illness is to not pay for it and any for profit model will always result in decisions being made based on that. A ‘benefits all of society’ model – such as public highways and public education – where it is understood that all of society benefits from having an educated citizenry and all of society benefits from an efficient transportation network and in both cases everyone pays for it even if some people don’t directly use it because, again, everyone ultimately benefits. The rest of the world seemingly understands this and has a form of public health system along side their public education and public transportation systems while in America we prefer to spend more (as a nation and individually) to get less just so some scumbags can get really rich.
Yeah, funny how “you’re now forced to buy insurance” has benefited … wait for it … the insurance companies! Oh wow, do you suppose this has anything to do with the law of unintended consequences?
If you’re up interested in government run healthcare, you don’t need to look any further than the VA hospitals. I just now got off the phone with a very good friend who’s in one. He was in Viet Nam and exposed to agent orange.He’s had 4 back operations this year, all for the same thing and is in worse shape now than a year ago when it started. Today he was notified the VA hospital is doing some maintenance Tomorrow(Sunday) and Monday. All heat and hot water will be turned off for two days. It’s going to be in the 30’s and 40’s. What if someone needs surgery Sunday or Monday? Well, sorry no can do.Oh, and getting in to begin with requires an act of Congress. You can’t just go in. MRIs and xrays take months to schedule.
mddshubby2005 over 4 years ago
Dirk Raider is now Dirk Trader!
Aussie Down Under over 4 years ago
Dirk Raider has no worries, he’s part of the 1%.
juncarlo over 4 years ago
I am sure that behind that helmet, Dirk must have a smile malevolent.
Gent over 4 years ago
Buy stock, eh? Suuure. That’s going to end well.
cdward over 4 years ago
Only in America. And Dirk Raider’s ship.
Masterskrain Premium Member over 4 years ago
What a Dirk head…
donlackie over 4 years ago
I did work in an insurance executive’s house once. The huge house was on a peninsula he built into good size lake he’d had dug out… in the middle of a huge swath of land.
ACK! Premium Member over 4 years ago
Pure capitalism at work. Business is business, and profit is the only priority.
NeedaChuckle Premium Member over 4 years ago
That is what makes us the best in the world!!! Oh, wait – what? Oh, I see. Okay! That is what makes us the 38th BEST in the World!!
Andrew Sleeth over 4 years ago
Tim, you’re actually performing a vital public service here. By framing medical care in the context of a high-tech future, you’re exposing (intentionally or not) how truly absurd the U.S. privatized healthcare system is, with its plethora of individual payers, most of which exist for one reason alone: funneling cash into rich folk’s pockets, not healing people or keeping them well.
It boggles the mind why, in America, so many are dumb as dirt about this concept. They’ve bought in wholesale to the capitalist party line which claims — often contrary to the evidence — that private for-profit corporations provide superior goods and services than the public sector.
grocks over 4 years ago
Yep, about sums it up.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault over 4 years ago
And why do they have enough money to buy stock?!?!??
Have they stopped buying coffee?!?!?!?!!!
Plods with ...™ over 4 years ago
…using your retirement plan.
geese28 over 4 years ago
“These are not the coverages we’ve been looking for.”
ChessPirate over 4 years ago
And a riff on the “I am your father” line:
“Who’s your daddy now, huh?” ☺
Snoots over 4 years ago
The American Dream is no longer built on aspiration and achievement, but corporate greed, windfall profits and gouging the public. Yet, still we live like Kings compared to many other countries (so long as we are willing to turn a blind eye to the poverty within our own borders). It is a self-destructive system and will, eventually, inevitably come crashing down.
Positive thought for the day. The other thoughts are even worse. ; )
tripwire45 over 4 years ago
Obamacare is anything but “affordable”.
blakerl over 4 years ago
Well Insurance has always been a scam. You pay it, with the anticipation, your going to have a bad accident and the insurance company, is betting you don’t. (How can that not be a scam?) But these guys work for Dirk Raider and of course the insurance company is going charge high premiums. They know what is going to happen, Dirk Raider Storm Troops always have bad accidents.
1MadHat Premium Member over 4 years ago
And you wouldn’t believe how expensive to bribe (er, donate to) colleges to poorly do studies that all show how wonderful their newest poison is.
JohnMiller2 over 4 years ago
Americans have a problem with being unable to comprehend that the rest of the industrialized world does a better job of providing health care for their citizens than our for profit cesspool. My wife is nurse at an ICU and routinely watches people die (rather expensively BTW) because they could not pay for preventive treatment- the other day she watched a young mother die because the health insurance she purchased was not part of the ACA programs but was something she could afford. She had a previously undiagnosed medical condition that appeared suddenly and she needed a liver transplant to survive- and her private for profit insurance would not pay for it- by the time she got enough financial coverage it was too late and she died leaving her young children without parents (her husband had died earlier). The smug twerps that come on here posting about the ‘private sector’ fail- or IMO deliberately and maliciously refuse- to admit that illness is not profitable inasmuch as treating an illness is a money losing proposition- the sick person is not able to earn money while still having expenses and their return to health puts no additional money in anyone’s pocket- thus the best financial way to deal with illness is to not pay for it and any for profit model will always result in decisions being made based on that. A ‘benefits all of society’ model – such as public highways and public education – where it is understood that all of society benefits from having an educated citizenry and all of society benefits from an efficient transportation network and in both cases everyone pays for it even if some people don’t directly use it because, again, everyone ultimately benefits. The rest of the world seemingly understands this and has a form of public health system along side their public education and public transportation systems while in America we prefer to spend more (as a nation and individually) to get less just so some scumbags can get really rich.
ekke over 4 years ago
Yeah, funny how “you’re now forced to buy insurance” has benefited … wait for it … the insurance companies! Oh wow, do you suppose this has anything to do with the law of unintended consequences?
Radish the wordsmith over 4 years ago
What is our health care plan again?
If you get sick, die quickly.
dwindy54 over 4 years ago
If you’re up interested in government run healthcare, you don’t need to look any further than the VA hospitals. I just now got off the phone with a very good friend who’s in one. He was in Viet Nam and exposed to agent orange.He’s had 4 back operations this year, all for the same thing and is in worse shape now than a year ago when it started. Today he was notified the VA hospital is doing some maintenance Tomorrow(Sunday) and Monday. All heat and hot water will be turned off for two days. It’s going to be in the 30’s and 40’s. What if someone needs surgery Sunday or Monday? Well, sorry no can do.Oh, and getting in to begin with requires an act of Congress. You can’t just go in. MRIs and xrays take months to schedule.