American Medical Bill

[Estro Felino]

...what?

I was wondering why those medical workers need all those millions. What for. Then Nevada popped in my mind.

Also because the medical profession should be a vocation. Not a business.

 

[Father Heathen]

It's so good to have a State controlling everything.

I don't understand why you adore ideologues who believe the exact opposite.

 

[The Hammer]

Perhaps. No doubt the medical billing and insurance industry is messed up, but the OP doesn’t give me enough information to see if the bill is reasonable or not. Also, can’t Americans get insurance through the Affordable Care Act?

Idk. That's an itemized bill.

A couple blood tests, and an EKG is not worth 12k.

 

[Father Heathen]

I was wondering why those medical workers need all those millions. What for. Then Nevada popped in my mind.

Also because the medical profession should be a vocation. Not a business.

Medical workers aren't the ones profiting. It's those at the top of the rackets.

 

[Revoltingest]

It's about healthcare in Italy.

PS: I am not German, so if you want to make a point, you should bring up Mussolini and not Hitler.
Got it?

Italy supported both.
Also you praised the broader "European" heritage.
Guess whom that would include?

Spoiler: Hint

 

[Estro Felino]

Medical workers aren't the ones profiting. It's those at the top of the rackets.

I meant them, then.

 

[Revoltingest]

Italians voted for Mussolini, not for Hitler.
Tell me when Italians voted for Adolf.

Silly girl.
He was a beloved foreign leader.

 

[Father Heathen]

Italians voted for Mussolini, not for Hitler.
Tell me when Italians voted for Adolf.

They were allies.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

When my partner came down with Guillaine-Barre Syndrome, he spent 8 1/2 monthss in hospital, including 2 weeks in ICU. He had very expensive treatments (both Intravenous Immunoglobulin, 2 courses, and Plasmapheresis, 6 courses, and a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy), and physiotherapy every single day -- plus, of course, all his meals and meds. Total cost of the entire program was nearly $2 million. The cost to us was ZERO. I'll take single-payer, thank you.

 

[Watchmen]

That doesn't make it any less flippant

"Americans = fat and that's why they have shorter life spans" is kind of just a dismissive attitude to have when talking about a situation where people literally don't go to hospitals because they are scared of the astronomical fees they will face when they finally do get treatment. That's just the reality of the matter, and what the premise of thia entire thread is about

Americans have terrible eating habits that contribute to their health problems whether or not they can cover exorbitant hospital bills. Americans who choose healthier lifestyles are more likely to avoid astronomical fees simply by avoiding the hospital. So my comment wasn’t flippant at all, but was directly on point.

 

[Watchmen]

Just because one doesn't pay it doesn't mean the prices themselves aren't outrageous.

True

 

[Watchmen]

Idk. That's an itemized bill.

A couple blood tests, and an EKG is not worth 12k.

Well, we’d have to see the itemized bill and really study it to know, right? I’m sure you’re correct. It’s probably outrageous.

 

[The Hammer]

Well, we’d have to see the itemized bill and really study it to know, right? I’m sure you’re correct. It’s probably outrageous.

Of course it's outrageous.

 

[Father Heathen]

Americans have terrible eating habits that contribute to their health problems whether or not they can cover exorbitant hospital bills. Americans who choose healthier lifestyles are more likely to avoid astronomical fees simply by avoiding the hospital. So my comment wasn’t flippant at all, but was directly on point.

So you believe that both the cause of and solution to all medical issues and the costs thereof is completely dietary?

 

[Watchmen]

Of course it's outrageous.

Maybe. Maybe not. Without an itemized bill, for all I know you received the most advanced and rare blood test possible and a specialist, the best in the world, was flown in to specially treat you. I doubt it, but the devil is in the details, which we don’t have.

 

[Watchmen]

So you believe that both the cause of and solution to all medical issues and the costs thereof is completely dietary?

Nope. And I never said that.

 

[Father Heathen]

Nope. And I never said that.

Everyone knows a healthy lifestyle can help prevent potential medical issues, but how does it solve the problem with predatory rackets?

 

[The Hammer]

Maybe. Maybe not. Without an itemized bill, for all I know you received the most advanced and rare blood test possible and a specialist, the best in the world, was flown in to specially treat you. I doubt it, but the devil is in the details, which we don’t have.

Like I said. It was a CBC and an EKG. Basic routine ER stuff they do.

But that's ok. I like being dismissed.

I mean do I really have a reason to lie here?

 

[Soandso]

Americans have terrible eating habits that contribute to their health problems whether or not they can cover exorbitant hospital bills. Americans who choose healthier lifestyles are more likely to avoid astronomical fees simply by avoiding the hospital. So my comment wasn’t flippant at all, but was directly on point.

Huh... Not really, because what you are talking about at this point is access to affordable nutritious food. America has a lot of food deserts where the only options people have for their groceries are highly processed and packaged foods from convenience stores and gas stations. What are they supposed to do?

Keep in mind that a lot of ingredients and chemicals that are used in these foods that the FDA allows are banned in many other first world countries as well

FDA must do more to ban thousands of chemicals added to your food, petitioners say

The US Food and Drug Administration hasn't regulated the 10,000 chemicals added to your food, according to a petition filed Wednesday by groups representing pediatricians, the environment, public health, as well as food and consumer safety advocates.

amp.cnn.com

Not to say that Americans have great eating habits in general because many don't, but the food that Americans have access to is dictated by their circumatances for sure. I think this plays far more of a determining role than simply blaming it on low self control. That's a lazy scapegoat

That said, our health care system kind of amplifies and perpetuates this problem in particular. Going in to have a doctor let you know how your eating habits effect your health and how to correct them is expensive here - especially if you are afraid that you might find out that you need to go in and have an expensive preventative procedure done. A lot of people would rather pretend like everything is ok and just go about their business until all those preventable problems stack up into an eventual emergency room visit. This is the norm now for the majority of people in the USA.

 

[Estro Felino]

Huh... Not really, because what you are talking about at this point is access to affordable nutritious food. America has a lot of food deserts where the only options people have for their groceries are highly processed and packaged foods from convenience stores and gas stations. What are they supposed to do?

Exactly. We are speaking of workers who have a very frenetic lifestyle, with a very extenuating schedule. Who have probably just the time to go a to a fast food restaurant to eat unhealthy food.
They certainly have no time to cook healthy meals like vegetable soups or salads at home. And by the way, they are more expensive than fast food.