Fined For No Healthcare Inc fine me I Dare ya

[Echo_of_thunder 1]

okay this should also go into Venting and I may get a ban or warning on it but honestly I really do not care. Saw this and it pisses me off so very much fining for no healthcare Yea I so have some but really it not that good. So many Americans do not have any at all, Not because they can not get it but because they do not have the Blanking money to get it.
America is turning into Amerika. all thanks to Mr Obama. I call him Mister because I refused to vote for him on the grounds of what? His Health care plan. Rip off of whos? Hitler Hilary Clinton.

How would you like to be sick at have to go into the hospital then told at the door Oh you have no insurance, we will have to fine you $3800 on top of your $20,000 hospital bill! I think NOT!!

[TheDisturbedOne 1]

Bull Crap. Obama, leave healthcare as it is, and don't screw it up anymore. Sure the system isn't perfect, but you are going to wreck it.

[Mordent 0]

So...quick check: if you haven't got medical insurance currently you get lumped with the hefty bill for your medical care? And this insurance costs how much exactly? Sounds a bit like a no-brainer to me - assuming that it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, of course (pun intended ). The important thing here is that you get a choice in the matter, right? That's the issue? If that's the case, then I certainly agree. If they're simply going to fine anyone who hasn't got medical insurance then why not just up taxes to essentially ensure that everyone has medical insurance?Finally, a medical system that has a chance of being a bigger flop than the NHS!

[adriantc 0]

I don't thing getting fined for no healthcare is a good thing, but the reform (called overhaul in the US) of the health system is a much needed thing. America is on a sitting bomb. A bomb based on national debt and with a trigger called healthcare and social security. It's going to be 12 trillion (over 80% of the GDP). And according to Obama's plan it's going to get even worse (100% of the GDP by 2014). Why is healthcare and social security a problem? Because now there are a lot more people working and paying contributions rather then people receiving contributions. That is because last 20-30 years there was a baby boom in the USA. But some day in the future all those paying will become people who need to receive (pensions and healthcare because they are old). So where now is + billions a year will be - billions a year. It's going to be a huge problem... It's gonna make this crisis look like children's play. Not to mention secondary effects like borrowing vast amounts of money from China which translates into getting America dependent and under the control of China.

So a healthcare overhaul is a very needed thing for the US. It may sound bad, but the americans just get too much healthcare, social security, investments and other with paying way too small taxes. And this situation creates mountains of debt. Healthcare should be just the first step. In my opinion this crisis has marked the end of the wild capitalism some envisioned. All the social benefits must now be adapted to the situation. You may not like it, but healthcare is a must.

PS: Watch I.O.U.S.A. if you want to understand the inner workings of this failing system!

[sheepdog 10]

I saw Obummers speach last night, I have to say, I was fuming pretty good by the time it was over. He did talk about MANDATORY health insurance, just like we have mandatory car insurance now. This is just crazy. It's the middle income people that will be strangled by this new regulations. Health insurance is EXPENSIVE!!! Many hundreds of dollars per month, when most people are struggling to deal with the inflated economy, job losses, or job cut backs, the high cost of living. Being forced to pay out even more of your income is just crazy. Taxes going up, mandatory insurance, pretty soon we will be working for absolutly nothing but to exist. The politicians have it all wrong as usual. The problem with health care in the United States is not the lack of good care, or the lack of insurance, it's the bloody dang cost of hospital visits. It should NOT cost a years worth of your income for a 1 day hospital stay. If hospital costs weren't so inflated, people wouldn't even need insurance. In the event of an emergency, reasonable rates would allow monthly payments to cover the bills. A short stay in the hospital should not cost more than a new car that you will drive for years. In some cases, the bills for a hospital stay are more than a persons own home is worth. This is just NUTS!!!

[jlhaslip 4]

Here in Canada, where I live, there is a Federal Health Care initiative which applies all across the Country. Each Province (State) sets its own fee structure. It is a Universal Health Program. All citizens belong to the program, and the costs are based on your ability to pay. In the Province I am in (British Columbia), the fees are as follows:

Single $54/month
Double $96/month
Three or more $108/month

I have friends in the USA who are charged over $750 per month for a family of 4 and the Canadian program covers more stuff.

Income subsidy starts at $28,000 per year and down. An annual income of $20,000 or less is fully subsidised.
More details on the Premiums can be found here.

Our system is not perfect, but it assures that the citizens are not devastated by an illness, and, yes, there may be some issues with the program in place, but for the general population it is a god-send.

The Government program here in Canada reflects our willingness to act collectively for the benefit of others. Unlike the programs in the USA which turns an eye from those less fortunate. You might call it Communism. We call it fair. Many more have benefited from the program than have been hurt by it. I think those factions in the US that oppose a Government/Universal Health Care Program need to re-think the value of a collective system rather than the "I have money so I deserve it" system you have there now. Our system is far more humane. Socialist or not.

[TheDisturbedOne 1]

The politicians have it all wrong as usual. The problem with health care in the United States is not the lack of good care, or the lack of insurance, it's the bloody dang cost of hospital visits. It should NOT cost a years worth of your income for a 1 day hospital stay. If hospital costs weren't so inflated, people wouldn't even need insurance. In the event of an emergency, reasonable rates would allow monthly payments to cover the bills. A short stay in the hospital should not cost more than a new car that you will drive for years. In some cases, the bills for a hospital stay are more than a persons own home is worth. This is just NUTS!!!

Exactly. I think health insurance should be used exactly in the way car insurance is used. You go for a physical, you pay the $60 or whatever, instead of your $5-$30 copay. If you need an operation or something major done, health insurance would take care of that. Imagine how much money would be saved. In an analogy of cars, wouldn't car insurance go up if it covered oil changes, tire replacement, and your 90,000 mile service?

Here in Canada, where I live, there is a Federal Health Care initiative which applies all across the Country. Each Province (State) sets its own fee structure. It is a Universal Health Program. All citizens belong to the program, and the costs are based on your ability to pay. In the Province I am in (British Columbia), the fees are as follows:
Single $54/month
Double $96/month
Three or more $108/month

I have friends in the USA who are charged over $750 per month for a family of 4 and the Canadian program covers more stuff.

Income subsidy starts at $28,000 per year and down. An annual income of $20,000 or less is fully subsidised.
More details on the Premiums can be found here.

Our system is not perfect, but it assures that the citizens are not devastated by an illness, and, yes, there may be some issues with the program in place, but for the general population it is a god-send.

The Government program here in Canada reflects our willingness to act collectively for the benefit of others. Unlike the programs in the USA which turns an eye from those less fortunate. You might call it Communism. We call it fair. Many more have benefited from the program than have been hurt by it. I think those factions in the US that oppose a Government/Universal Health Care Program need to re-think the value of a collective system rather than the "I have money so I deserve it" system you have there now. Our system is far more humane. Socialist or not.

Sure it covers everybody, which I am not opposed everybody who wants insurance being covered, but I have heard major drawbacks. Long waiting lists for family doctors, waiting in hospitals for days for treatment. I read from Fox News that a Canadian woman was fed up of the care in Canada, came to the USA and got tests done at the Mayo clinic (one of the best clinics in the United States) and the doctors in Canada refused to look at the results. They kept her waiting for treatment (I believe it was cancer), and she ended up getting treated in the USA.

I'm not saying the USA's system is perfect, the insurance companies are denying people coverage for the stupidest reasons, and in turn, people are dying, but I'd rather stick with private coverage.

jlhaslip, I haven't ever gone to doctors offices or hospitals in Canada. Are they anything like what is being reported (long lines, waiting for family doctors)? Maybe you can give me insight, since what is being reported can be biased (in either direction) by who is reporting it on the news.

[Saint_Michael 3]

Before I complain can someone clear this up for me, does it matter if your working or not that your required to pay that fine, because right now I am unemployed student and I be damn if they get a single penny from me. No wonder everyone has been an in uproar last few months, heck I also see a lot of people going to jail because no one will be able to pay that fine, especially families. Trying to figure out how the government thinks everyone is rich all of a sudden, my parents barely get buy as it is, granted they are retired and get social security, but that isn't enough.I tell them straight send me to jail as I will not be paying a single dime for that BS health bill.

[TheDisturbedOne 1]

I'm 99% sure that employers are required to pay a fine if they don't provide healthcare. As for the unemployed, I'm not completely sure, I'm reading as much of the bill as I can as fast as I can, but it takes a long time. If they do put you in jail, I'm sure your friends here at Xisto could arrange a bail bond. There's no way we can lose our #1 spammer.

[jlhaslip 4]

jlhaslip, I haven't ever gone to doctors offices or hospitals in Canada. Are they anything like what is being reported (long lines, waiting for family doctors)? Maybe you can give me insight, since what is being reported can be biased (in either direction) by who is reporting it on the news.

Like any service, there are demands for them. Long lines? I don't know of any. I usually make an appointment and get in to see the doctor in a timely fashion or, if I am really in need, go to an Emergency Ward at a Hospital for extremely prompt service.And another thing about the Canadian medical system, they serve first and worry about the insurance later. The Doctor or Hospital gets paid regardless of my Insurance status. This means that when there is a traffic accident, you are taken to the Hospital and the required treatment is given, even if you are not covered by the program, so tourists are often treated medically and released from care. Then they are billed at the prevailing rates, so if they have Travel insurance, no worries.
Long time lines might be an issue with Specialists, given that their services may not be available 24/7 at all facilities in all towns, but generally, most Canadians are content with the services provided.
Indeed, I am aware of Canadians that travel out of country to receive medical treatment. Two scenarios come to mind immediately. In the first instance, people travel out to seek treatments which are not yet available in Canada. Not all treatments are approved in Canada, usually for the fact that some treatments are still experimental. A local lad is needing to go to Israel for a treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and he must pay the costs by/for himself. There have been community fund-raising events to allow him to attend. There will be no cost recovery from the Medical system since the treatment is not presently covered by the program.
Other friends have traveled to Europe for knee/hip replacements since their pain was great and the surgery was required to be done on their own schedule, so he paid for the flights and surgery in order to accommodate his own schedule. The option was to enter the queue and have the surgery done on the system's schedule which would have taken longer and likely would have been inconvenient with respect to their work schedule. They had the surgery doen when it was convenient for themselves, not for the convenience of the system.
As for waiting for a Family Doctor, like many other places in rural Canada, my town is sometimes inconvenienced by a Doctor leaving, but in a very short time, another Doctor appears to take their place. It doesn't happen often, but the available Doctors take up the slack and work a little harder/longer to fill the temporary void. I do not know about other parts of Canada and can not speak to the available services in all places.

The Canadian system may not be perfect, but in general terms, it works well. If you look long enough and hard enough, you will likely find flaws in it, but given that Canada has 30-some Million people, about one-tenth of the population of the USA, and is larger in area, there are bound to be issues with the distribution of services and their timeliness, but probably less issues than the problems seen in the USA with the lack of a national Healthcare system.