The coming healthcare police state

[mykidslovedogs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinaco I can't help but feel that our overall system is working for 75% (unacceptable IMO)... and is woefully inadequate in terms of optimizing it (in a balanced way) for all of us.

From a statistical standpoint, approx 13% of the entire USA population is uninsured.

About 7 1/2% of the USA population is uninsured because they can't qualify for state programs AND can't afford insurance. The rest of the uninsured can either qualify for state programs but either don't know how to sign up or aren't interested in signing up, OR they can afford some kind of coverage but choose not to buy it.

Only about 1.4 million of the uninsured population considers themselves "unhealthy" (.004% of the American population) see page 11 of the kff.org document below - IMO this is the worst case scenario to be both unhealthy AND uninsured. Notice how small the percentage is.

Here are the most recent actual stats taken by the Kaiser Foundation if you want to see them: http://www.kff.org/uninsured/upload/2005DataUpdate.pdf

Here's a video that goes over who the uninsured are:

Free Market Cure - Uninsured in America

[Freein05]

The whole system is broken. Medicare is making a change in how it pays doctors and hospitals. It will no longer pay for mistakes. Health Insurance companies should do the same. Why should a doctor or hospital get paid to fix a mistake made during your treatment. Here is a link to the article. Object left after surgery? Medicare won't pay - Health Care - MSNBC.com

How much does such poor treatment play play into the cost of medical care?

There are so many health issues out side of your control setting risked based system would be unfair to everyone. For example the air pollution is so bad in many parts of the US people who breath the air lungs are damaged something like the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. What about the person who smokes all of their life and never gets lung cancer does he/she get a refund on all of the extra premiums they paid? Remember the majority of the people who smoke do not get lung cancer! I do not smoke so I have no bone to pick here but many people seem to be trying to lay the blame on a broken system on one group of people.

[FinallyRetired]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykidslovedogs Only about 1.4 million of the uninsured population considers themselves "unhealthy" (.004% of the American population) see page 11 of the kff.org document below - IMO this is the worst case scenario to be both unhealthy AND uninsured. Notice how small the percentage is.

Are we back to billions of people in the U.S.? 1.4M is .46%, say, half a percent, of the US population, not .004%. Unless you think there are 30 Billion Americans, in which case it really is .004%

Oh, and I'm sure the Kaiser people polled all of those who are uninsured to figure out how many are "unhealthy." Why, all those folks are really doing great, except for the .004% of them.

But it's much worse than that. If I look at page 11, as you suggested, I find 21.5M nonelderly in poor or fair health, of which 4.3M, or 20.1%, are uninsured. That means 1 out of 5 Americans in fair or poor health are uninsured. Sounds pretty lousy to me. And these are numbers from the insurance people!

[UncleHoney]

While we're kicking around unhealthy lifestyles why not include drivers that run stop signs and red lights and cruise at 80 mph in the left lane on the freeway while talking on the cell phone and sipping a Starbucks? That should be worth a few demerits from the health insurance people.

Then there are those people that stop at Mickey D's and get a Double Big Mac and Giant fries.........

And the joggers that dash across an intersection without even looking.......

[chinaco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykidslovedogs From a statistical standpoint, approx 13% of the entire USA population is uninsured. About 7 1/2% of the USA population is uninsured because they can't qualify for state programs AND can't afford insurance. The rest of the uninsured can either qualify for state programs but either don't know how to sign up or aren't interested in signing up, OR they can afford some kind of coverage but choose not to buy it. Only about 1.4 million of the uninsured population considers themselves "unhealthy" (.004% of the American population) see page 11 of the kff.org document below - IMO this is the worst case scenario to be both unhealthy AND uninsured. Notice how small the percentage is. Here are the most recent actual stats taken by the Kaiser Foundation if you want to see them: http://www.kff.org/uninsured/upload/2005DataUpdate.pdf Here's a video that goes over who the uninsured are: Free Market Cure - Uninsured in America

You are correct. 25% was a bit high... I winged the number.

I think the actual numbers vary a bit from study to study. A Dept of Health and Human Services (2005) shows 16% uninsured Plus 13% on Medicaid (welfare). That total approaches 29%.

If those same welfare recipients earned just a little more... they would not qualify for welfare and be part of the working poor that can't afford health insurance.

The net result is close to the same... If one cannot work and achieve what one can get on welfare... why work.

[mykidslovedogs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoonToRetire Are we back to billions of people in the U.S.? 1.4M is .46%, say, half a percent, of the US population, not .004%. Unless you think there are 30 Billion Americans, in which case it really is .004% Oh, and I'm sure the Kaiser people polled all of those who are uninsured to figure out how many are "unhealthy." Why, all those folks are really doing great, except for the .004% of them. But it's much worse than that. If I look at page 11, as you suggested, I find 21.5M nonelderly in poor or fair health, of which 4.3M, or 20.1%, are uninsured. That means 1 out of 5 Americans in fair or poor health are uninsured. Sounds pretty lousy to me. And these are numbers from the insurance people!

Sorry - When I divided 1.4/350 I forgot to roll the decimal two places. Still, .4% is a very small percentage of the entire American population....

[Beststash]

The healthcare industry in this country is a total scam.

Health care spending in the United States has increased by $621 billion since 2000 to $1.9 trillion this year, and current expenditures for health care services account for about 24% of the increase in the gross domestic product between 2000 and 2005, according to a report by researchers at the Boston University of Public Health. The report found that per capita health care spending in the United States on average is double that of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Britain, which provide universal health coverage to residents. The report stated, "Current U.S. spending should be adequate to cover all Americans."

Peace

[mb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykidslovedogs Only about 1.4 million of the uninsured population considers themselves "unhealthy" (.004% of the American population)

Really, really bad math!

Since there are about 300 million people in the US, the percentage off by a factor of 100 assuming the the value of 1.4 million is correct.

MB

[mykidslovedogs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mb Really, really bad math! Since there are about 300 million people in the US, the percentage off by a factor of 100 assuming the the value of 1.4 million is correct. MB

I know - I forgot to roll the decimal two places. Still, .4% of the entire population is still a very small number. That's basically the point I was trying to make.