The primary problem with your argument is that you assume the insurance will be there when you get sick. Unless your independently wealthy it won't last for long. You have to be able to continue to pay the premiums even though you're no longer working because of your illness or injury. In addition to just paying the premiums you have to be able to fund your co-pays, your co-insurance and your deductible. Then you also have to fund out of network, experimental treatment and costs of treatments the insurance companies finds to be unreasonable. This is how the old system works and this is how Obamacare works. If you suffer a catastrophic injury or chronic illness the system is designed to get you to consume your assets as quickly as possible and get you off the for profit insurance companies rolls. You end up broke, sick and on Medicaid.
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Originally posted by: Chilcoot
It's all well and good to have a healthy fantasy life and think that we're immune from the reality of the human condition. Perhaps we believe we are a cowboy out riding the range, or a pirate looking for buried treasure, or the pilot of a spaceship. All great fantasies.
But in our waking moments, we should realize that we're made of flesh and blood, and that our bodies are not immune to disease or damage. And some kinds of disease and damage are very expensive to heal, often beyond our means to afford. And so, if we can, we get health insurance, and make sure it's good enough to cover us.
Now maybe BobOrme is fabulously wealthy and can afford the best of care without insurance. I doubt it, he's described himself as a former stock car pit crewmember and a former pool hall manager. All fine occupations, but not the sorts of things that typically lead to great wealth.
But maybe he is crazy rich. Is it really too much to require him to also buy insurance, insurance that (1) will pay for his own care if need be, and (2) contribute towards the care of others.
Sure, maybe he'll live to 100 and never get a cough. But wouldn't he want to be part of a system that can do so much good for the less fortunate, and will replace a health care system that's truly one of the worst in the developed world? Cubans justifiably laugh at our outgoing health care system. Cubans!
Well, apparently for BobOrme, it is too much to ask. Sad, really. Hope you never get sick, Bob, be well.
Originally posted by: Chilcoot
QuoteYes, totally agree. And it's a point we can't make often enough.
Originally posted by: Tutontow
Chilly to clarify my point, you were trying to show how Bob more than likely would go broke if he had a major illness, I was just trying to show that in todays world your bills can go well beyond 100 or 200K. Jatki is a prime example of a responsible person who paid for insurance and more than likely is damn glad he did.
It's all well and good to have a healthy fantasy life and think that we're immune from the reality of the human condition. Perhaps we believe we are a cowboy out riding the range, or a pirate looking for buried treasure, or the pilot of a spaceship. All great fantasies.
But in our waking moments, we should realize that we're made of flesh and blood, and that our bodies are not immune to disease or damage. And some kinds of disease and damage are very expensive to heal, often beyond our means to afford. And so, if we can, we get health insurance, and make sure it's good enough to cover us.
Now maybe BobOrme is fabulously wealthy and can afford the best of care without insurance. I doubt it, he's described himself as a former stock car pit crewmember and a former pool hall manager. All fine occupations, but not the sorts of things that typically lead to great wealth.
But maybe he is crazy rich. Is it really too much to require him to also buy insurance, insurance that (1) will pay for his own care if need be, and (2) contribute towards the care of others.
Sure, maybe he'll live to 100 and never get a cough. But wouldn't he want to be part of a system that can do so much good for the less fortunate, and will replace a health care system that's truly one of the worst in the developed world? Cubans justifiably laugh at our outgoing health care system. Cubans!
Well, apparently for BobOrme, it is too much to ask. Sad, really. Hope you never get sick, Bob, be well.
