44 Million Americans Poor, 51 million no health insurance

[CureCancer]

44 Million Americans Poor, 51 million no health insurance

SHAME on BANKERS who caused this.

[Melly]

bankers?

[Gee]

poor means less than 21,000$ per year ...... lol

in our country poor means less than 1000$ a year!

shame on americans!

[fab]

Shame on Shame!

[Raider]

poor means less than 21,000$ per year ...... lol

in our country poor means less than 1000$ a year!

Most American's don't get that... Their idea of poor is the pan handler, Free loaders who stand on the side of freeway off ramps slowing down traffic.... What they fail to realize is, many of these guys make well over 21K Tax FREE.

[fab]

I would take a look at the differences between China and Hong Kong. One country, two different types of governing.

[Gee]

Most American's don't get that... Their idea of poor is the pan handler, Free loaders who stand on the side of freeway off ramps slowing down traffic.... What they fail to realize is, many of these guys make well over 21K Tax FREE.

whatever their idea of poor is, only 14% are poor !!!!!!

in my country I guess over 55% are living with less than 1000$ a year with no health insurance coverage or education

Shame on americans again !!!

[fab]

whatever their idea of poor is, only 14% are poor !!!!!!

in my country I guess over 55% are living with less than 1000$ a year with no health insurance coverage or education

Shame on americans again !!!

Why is the blame on US and not your own government?

[Gee]

Why is the blame on US and not your own government?

I am not blaming us government, I am blaming american people for complaining

they should be thankful

we have a dictatorship regime, you can not complain

American people should be thankful many times !!

[fab]

I am not blaming us government, I am blaming american people for complaining

they should be thankful

we have a dictatorship regime, you can not complain

American people should be thankful many times !!

Thanks for clarification, the we agree!

[petrosc]

regarding the health insurance thing... it's the liberal health system that is the problem. Countries with a lower GDP and a worse GINI index have excellent health systems that covers most of the population. How come U.S has so many millions of people uninsured? It's because the system leaves the health insurance up to the people. "If you pay for insurance, your health care is covered. If not, too bad. Your responsibility".

Why not implement a national health care system where health insurance is required by law? I just don't get it

[Gerry]

Why not implement a national health care system where health insurance is required by law? I just don't get it

Rather than do that, the Legislatures would rather make it mandatory that a person can not be turned away from an Emergency Room and the Hospital must absorb the cost. And, the US Tax laws require those that do work to pay into a fund to cover those that do not have health insurance.

See, Petro - what you propose makes perfect sense with the exception of you have eliminated the middle man...the insurance companies.

There is too much money to be made by the insurance companies charging premiums and too much money to be paid to the law makers not to have a national health care plan.

Now, here's the odd part that I also find quite amusing...the only form of insurance payments paid to doctors and medical institutions that is paid on time and paid on a regular basis is Medicare and Medicaid - THE two government run programs.

[petrosc]

The middle man would still be there Doc, the insurance companies can enter into an agreement with the government and offer a coverage plan for a fixed monthly fee (a % of the salary). This is how we work here in Czech republic. This is not good for doctors(for many reasons) but a damn good system for the patient.

Nice to see you around, btw

[carlton]

Uninsured children are the victims here. But moreso of their own parents than "the government". Many kids are born into poverty by parents who have little ambition, and who constantly look for the next freebie and handout. This is not opinion. There is no substitute for personal responsibility.

What many Americans (and those outside the U.S.) fail to realize is that there are numerous and plentiful opportuntiies for ALL U.S. citizens to advance their education through major universites, and local technical schools and communty colleges across the entire country. Where I live, there are educational programs that subsidize low income/no income individuals rent, power, groceries while they remain enrolled in school. You would be amazed at the number of people who do not participate because it would require them to work and apply themselves. This is not a political statement, but a representation of basic human psychology and motivation (or lack thereof). Many would rather get by on the abundant welfare entitlements and have nothing required of them. True, they do not have health care. Guess where they go for medical care though. The local emergency room. Paid for by working Americans.

Many of the "poor" (not all, but many) are people who do not aspire to work for more. I know this having worked ground level in the public services sector for over 20 years. We don't need to subsidize long term irresponsible behavior & choices. The answer is to provide opportunity, and to hold all Americans accountable for learning to become more self sufficient individuals. There are 1000 sob stories and many of them are touching and authentic. But a large percentage are nothing more than excuse-making refined to an art.

I have worked with many people who commited themselves to self-improvement and consequently raised the quality of their lives by a large margin. The ONLY difference between them and others was determination and follow through. The government cannot give you character. The government cannot give you integrity. Some things in life have to be earned.

[Dotmainer.com]

44 Million Americans Poor, 51 million no health insurance

SHAME on BANKERS who caused this.

7 Million have money but dont want health insurance ?

[draggar]

The middle man would still be there Doc, the insurance companies can enter into an agreement with the government and offer a coverage plan for a fixed monthly fee (a % of the salary). This is how we work here in Czech republic. This is not good for doctors(for many reasons) but a damn good system for the patient.

Nice to see you around, btw

If the system isn't working for the doctors then you'll have fewer doctors. my father in law "retired" because he couldn't afford to be a doctor anymore (insurance costs, overhead, insurance rimbursements etc.).

The issue here in the USA is that insurance companies are gouging as much money as they can with as little payback as they can. They also pay lobbyists to recruit politicians to promote legislation that helps the insurance companies, usually at the cost of the hospitals, doctors, and pacients. They'll also "donate" large sums of money to their campaign to help keep them in office.

You cannot find a system that benefits all 3 parties (pacients, doctors / hospitals, insurance companies) especially with the greed that the insurance companies have (my father in law has seen it first hand - "we can't afford this critical operation at this time, come back next quarter). My wife is having hip surgery in November - I'm scared to see what'll happen (the last time she had this done the insurance company backed out AFTER the surgery and she got stuck with the bill).

IMO we need to get rid of the middle man (insurance companies) or find a way to reduce the influence that companies can have over politicans (conflict of interest?) before real changes can be made.

Off topic - thank you for your national dog breed, we love the one we have.

What many Americans (and those outside the U.S.) fail to realize is that there are numerous and plentiful opportuntiies for ALL U.S. citizens to advance their education through major universites, and local technical schools and communty colleges across the entire country. Where I live, there are educational programs that subsidize low income/no income individuals rent, power, groceries while they remain enrolled in school. You would be amazed at the number of people who do no participate because it would require them to work and apply themselves. This is not a political statement, but a representation of basic human psychology and motivation (or lack thereof). Many would rather get by on the abundant welfare entitlements and have nothing required of them. True, they do not have health care. Guess where they go for medical care though. The local emergency room. Paid for by working Americans.

I'd love to go back to college but there are so many roadblocks. Money is a major issues but yes there are grants, scholarships, subsidies, etc.

Time - I'm at work 9 hours a day (8 hours + 1 hour of lunch) and with on average 1.5 hours of commute time - 10.5 hours a day. Estimate 3 hours a day walking dogs, 13.5 hours. 1.5 hours for eating (including food prep), 15 hours. 1 hour getting ready in the morning, 16 hours. That leaves 8 hours a day to relax, run errands, house work, and sleep.

Many of the "poor" (not all, but many) are people who do not aspire to work for more. I know this having worked ground level in the public services sector for over 20 years. We don't need to subsidize long term irresponsible behavior & choices. The answer is to provide opportunity, and to hold all Americans accountable for learning to become more self sufficient individuals. There are 1000 sob stories and many of them are touching and authentic. But a large percentage are nothing more than excuse-making refined to an art.

This I do have an issue for. One of the (many) political emails I got from my father in law was allegedly from a medical professional. One of his pacients had expensive jewelery, bodily enhancements, drove a very nice luxury car, had a designer purse, yet her payment was medicade (I think that's the one for people who don't have insurance?). She could afford all these luxuries but wanted a handout for insurance. Why should my tax dollars allow her to enjoy her luxurious lifestyle?

[thinkingsmall]

i know many who fly overseas for medical treatment, much cheaper than treatment OR INSURANCE PREMIUMS here ! of course that does not work well in emergencies , but for elective surgeries , dental work, eyeglasses etc this works fantastic, $50- $5000 difference overseas v/s us.

One big reason why healthcare is upside down is because justice in the US is delivered through the jury system which basically is 10 UNQUALIFIED CLOWNS randomly drawn from the electoral rolls, who decide matters of life and death, and as a consequence a lawyer with a bit of a drama background can loot a doctor or a hospital of billions of dollars. This would not work if justice was delivered by qualified judges (not elected politico-judges, as is the case in the US) .

The problems in the US are not fixable, because Americans have lost sight of all points of reference or comparison, ie how other countries work this out and what better systems are out there, rather any attempts at reform are met with an islamist-like attitude of 'if you dont like it, leave', and an appalachian attittude of 'we dont care what is over there, this is where we have been and this is all we wanna know' . Many Americans for example think that there is only one medical school in China and that there is no cars in India and similar mind boggling images of the outside world.. images that are to a great extent created by foxnews and cnn and such...

[DomainsInc]

i know many who fly overseas for medical treatment, much cheaper than treatment OR INSURANCE PREMIUMS here ! of course that does not work well in emergencies , but for elective surgeries , dental work, eyeglasses etc this works fantastic, $50- $5000 difference overseas v/s us.

One big reason why healthcare is upside down is because justice in the US is delivered through the jury system which basically is 10 UNQUALIFIED CLOWNS randomly drawn from the electoral rolls, who decide matters of life and death, and as a consequence a lawyer with a bit of a drama background can loot a doctor or a hospital of billions of dollars. This would not work if justice was delivered by qualified judges (not elected politico-judges, as is the case in the US) .

The problems in the US are not fixable, because Americans have lost sight of all points of reference or comparison, ie how other countries work this out and what better systems are out there, rather any attempts at reform are met with an islamist-like attitude of 'if you dont like it, leave', and an appalachian attittude of 'we dont care what is over there, this is where we have been and this is all we wanna know' . Many Americans for example think that there is only one medical school in China and that there is no cars in India and similar mind boggling images of the outside world.. images that are to a great extent created by foxnews and cnn and such...

heh, recently some people who went overseas for sugery died due to some kind of illness found in third world countries.

[stock_post]

Never mind..

[carlton]

Time - I'm at work 9 hours a day (8 hours + 1 hour of lunch) and with on average 1.5 hours of commute time - 10.5 hours a day. Estimate 3 hours a day walking dogs, 13.5 hours. 1.5 hours for eating (including food prep), 15 hours. 1 hour getting ready in the morning, 16 hours. That leaves 8 hours a day to relax, run errands, house work, and sleep.

This describes someone (meaning you) who is certainly doing their part. That's America. Now in the socialist paradigm, take half of what you just did and then give that away to people you don't even know ... who are not willing to do one tenth of what you just described = chronically lazy. If someone cannot see the injustice & futility in this scheme, then they suffer from profound ignorance/selfishness.

... One of his pacients had expensive jewelery, bodily enhancements, drove a very nice luxury car, had a designer purse, yet her payment was medicade (I think that's the one for people who don't have insurance?). She could afford all these luxuries but wanted a handout for insurance. Why should my tax dollars allow her to enjoy her luxurious lifestyle?

Excellent example. This class of takers, users, and exploiters are poisoning the system with their chronic entitlement mentality. They are toxic to America.