Medical costs during retirement

[~bs]

A very high percentage of what I treat every day is SELF-INDUCED disease. We already have the "cure" for much of what is driving up healthcare costs. The problem is nobody wants to use that cure.

I do understand that lifestyle choices account for many of the chronic diseases plaguing americans, but unless you can think of a way to get people to voluntarily change their habits enmasse, a medical breakthrough solution is the next best thing.

[disneysteve]

I do understand that lifestyle choices account for many of the chronic diseases plaguing americans, but unless you can think of a way to get people to voluntarily change their habits enmasse, a medical breakthrough solution is the next best thing.

Yep, we need a breakthrough that will allow people to sit on the sofa all day binge-watching Netflix, eat and drink whatever the heck they want, smoke and drink to their heart's content, not take their medicine, and still live a long healthy life. Get back to me when you've got that figured out.

Seriously, I honestly think modern medicine is part of the problem. The breakthroughs and treatments we've come up with have just made it even harder to get people to do the right thing.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

And some of it is that healthcare is so expensive people don't go for preventative care. And people are so suspicious of socialized medicine but yet let's try and take away medicare? Yes do it and see what happens? The USA already funds socialized medicine but only for a part of the population. And they are happy with it.

Want to lower costs? Put it across all levels of people.

[disneysteve]

And some of it is that healthcare is so expensive people don't go for preventative care.

And the ACA took care of that, covering preventative care like mammograms 100%. Of course there is a cost for that, but doing regular mammograms is a whole lot cheaper than treating late stage breast cancer.

[txex86]

And some of it is that healthcare is so expensive people don't go for preventative care. And people are so suspicious of socialized medicine but yet let's try and take away medicare? Yes do it and see what happens? The USA already funds socialized medicine but only for a part of the population. And they are happy with it.

Want to lower costs? Put it across all levels of people.

Sure single payer 'may' lower individual's costs, but then the decisions as to who gets care and who doesn't comes into play. rationing health care is alive and well in most, if not all, socialized countries with single payer. Charlie Gard's situation, the 11 month old from Britain, who has been in he news recently comes to mind.

https://spectator.org/the-charlie-gard-case-and-its-obvious-implications/

[disneysteve]

Sure single payer 'may' lower individual's costs, but then the decisions as to who gets care and who doesn't comes into play. rationing health care is alive and well in most, if not all, socialized countries with single payer.

Rationing health care is alive and well right now in the US even without a single-payer system. I could tell you all kinds of stories of cases where a patient has been unable to get the care that we or other doctors were advising because their insurance company wouldn't approve it.

[txex86]

Rationing health care is alive and well right now in the US even without a single-payer system. I could tell you all kinds of stories of cases where a patient has been unable to get the care that we or other doctors were advising because their insurance company wouldn't approve it.

Same with the child in Britain cited above. The difference is that in the US you could raise the money, just like the British family did, and be treated. The British Health Service will not let this child leave the hospital for treatment here in the US. Read the article/opinion piece I linked.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

huge difference is that in UK everyone has bare minimum. Here you don't. So in US it's class based on what sort of job you have and what you can afford. Not so elsewhere. And for what we pay to have such poor medical outcomes? Is awful. No one can deny the US is not leading in health but our costs are above and beyond everyone elses.

[txex86]

huge difference is that in UK everyone has bare minimum. Here you don't. So in US it's class based on what sort of job you have and what you can afford. Not so elsewhere. And for what we pay to have such poor medical outcomes? Is awful. No one can deny the US is not leading in health but our costs are above and beyond everyone elses.

Where do you get the idea that the UK "has the bare minimums?" According to the British National Health Service website, http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/.../overview.aspx, they cover everything from preventative care to cancer to end-of-life hospice. Regardless, with single payer you will have panels such as the one in Britain and Sweden and Japan making decisions regarding your healthcare. I don't want that and I can't believe others do either.

Single payer may seem like a panacea in that your "out of pocket" is less, but the taxes are much higher and eat away at discretionary spending. An analysis of Europe's taxing phenomenon:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/calculator-compare-taxes-might-pay-u-s-developed-nations/

[LivingAlmostLarge]

At least the panels aren't for profit. Who makes decisions? Insurance panels for profit in the US. Tell me otherwise and I'll laugh. Heard of lifetime caps on payouts? Well there goes your care for cancer or MS or Parkinsons.

I'd rather a government than an insurance panel for profit tell me what I can or cannot afford.

And if you are so against socialized medicine then get people to give up medicare. It's going broke and we pay 1.45% or 3% of our incomes to that. That's way less than people pay on premiums now.

[txex86]

At least the panels aren't for profit. Who makes decisions? Insurance panels for profit in the US. Tell me otherwise and I'll laugh. Heard of lifetime caps on payouts? Well there goes your care for cancer or MS or Parkinsons.

I'd rather a government than an insurance panel for profit tell me what I can or cannot afford.

And if you are so against socialized medicine then get people to give up medicare. It's going broke and we pay 1.45% or 3% of our incomes to that. That's way less than people pay on premiums now.

There aren't lifetime caps now. Legislation now being considered continues the unlimited cap requirement and no discrimination of pre-existing conditions.

I don't want anyone, an insurance company or the government, making a decision about my health care.

If you actually read anything linked above, you would realize there is no free lunch when it comes for paying for medical care. It comes out of your pocket in the form of premiums/deductibles or taxes.

Get people to give up Medicare? Nowhere did I suggest anything of the sort. Perhaps you should back away from the computer and calm down.

[Gailete]

Get rid of Medicare? Please no. Many times since I have been on it, I have literally thanked my friends and family for paying into the program so that I can have the healthcare that I need. And it isn't free. I pay well over $300 a month for mine and the supplemental policies. That is 1/4 of my SS amount that actually makes it to my bank. In return, I try to make sure I'm not wasting health care dollars, I was scheduled for a $5K+ test that when I heard the parameters knew I couldn't cope with them so canceled the test and told the doctor why. I'm as frugal with my Medicare as I can be, but by using it, it helps me to be a functioning member of society, contributing what I can. I appreciate the fact that I have it. I also paid into the program for almost 30 years myself.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

You can't have free market healthcare without caps and discrimination against pre-existing conditions. That means the market pricing of premiums will be obamacare. Can't happen.

If people hate the socialized medicine which Galiete proved my point people like socialized medicine when they have it. And to take it away would never happen.

But how can you have a free market and lower premiums? If you aren't allowed to discriminated against sicker and older people then how is it different from Obamacare? It's not.

[Smallsteps]

there is no perfect system and many people do not look deeper then their own personal experience to see the down side or how it really works. I am always amused at how many people take sound bites or half truths to make their case.
I am not claiming to know all about healthcare as it varies by area also but basic common sense would show why Obamacare was destined to fail. There are reasons why some pay more for coverage preexisting conditions cost money period either the person pays the extra or you take from someone else. No one was held accountable in that there really was NO enforce the Mandate a simple box saying yes on taxes?? private insurance without subsidies do NOT require a SSN so how is IRS going to verify??
.People could sign up at hospital when they went in for a problem .... try buying Auto insurance at the scene of an accident or buy life insurance 10 minutes before a person passes away ..... How many people would pay a one size fits all insurance on car regardless of model of car or driving record???? It is insane that so many think MEDICAL insurance can be same price for all ...
Most that call for Medicare for all .... do not have people in their lives on Medicare do not see that they only cover certain things often limited amount of tests per year for example and like insurance they are others costs/ premiums for patient. Not to mention how hard in some area it is to find a "competent" provider that takes low reimbursement.

[Gailete]

When I was in college in Canada in the mid-70's, I was covered under the socialized medical program. It had been years since I had had any insurance at all. My medical then covered so much more than Medicare does now. My last nursing job before I couldn't work anymore was doing utilization review. We used to joke about it, but it wasn't funny. Medicare doesn't care if you can see (no glasses coverage), chew (no dental), or hear (no hearing aids). I don't know what Canada's coverage includes these days, but I knew some of it was provided by a special tax on health and beauty aids that you would buy at the store, such as band-aids, feminine hygiene supplies, etc. I felt that I was at least helping to support my healthcare.