• From: Montreal Canada
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,543
  • Reputation: 3

Topic: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

I don't typically go off web design and programming, but this is simply criminal:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Medical bills are involved in more than 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies, an increase of 50 percent in just six years, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

More than 75 percent of these bankrupt families had health insurance but still were overwhelmed by their medical debts, the team at Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School and Ohio University reported in the American Journal of Medicine.

As a Canadian, I have to say that I don't understand why Americans put up with this? Amazing.

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Stefan

Practical web design training videos: KillerSites University

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  • From: Los Angeles
  • Registered: January 23, 2009
  • Posts: 36

Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

Nor I, Capitalism to the extreme, Greed....

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  • Gender: Female
  • From: San Antonio, TX
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,893
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Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

I grew up in Germany, and medical care was basically free.  They do pay co-pays of sorts now, but it's still nothing to cause any kind of financial hardships.  I still have not gotten used to having to pay so much for health care here in the US - and the fact that affordable health insurance is not readily available.

However, from what I hear in the Canadian health care system, one encounters ridiculously long waiting times to just get in and see a doctor or have a procedure done.

I'm hoping there's a perfect balance in there somewhere, and it gets instituted soon.

Just because my computer is online does not mean that I am.
a&b WebDesign

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  • Gender: Male
  • From: Golden, BC
  • Registered: January 13, 2009
  • Posts: 527

Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

However, from what I hear in the Canadian health care system, one encounters ridiculously long waiting times to just get in and see a doctor or have a procedure done.

Yup. I had to wait a whole day last time I booked a doctor's appointment. Other than that, I had a knee operation booked within 3 weeks. Not too shabby. I guess it depends on where you live and the 'local' resources. Overall, I like the Canadian system.

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  • Gender: Female
  • From: San Antonio, TX
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,893
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Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

A day isn't bad - and the wait times I hear of may very well be based on local circumstances, not reflect the entire Canadian Health system, but I do have similar 'reports' out of 2 different regions in Cananda - Toronto area and around the Falls.

Just because my computer is online does not mean that I am.
a&b WebDesign

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  • Gender: Male
  • From: Golden, BC
  • Registered: January 13, 2009
  • Posts: 527

Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

And Heart related surgeries are the worst offenders, I am told.
I pay $28.00 per month for Medical services. Prescriptions not included. It would include hospitalisation if required. A friend in the States pays $700 per month for a nearly identical plan. Ouch!

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  • Susie
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  • From: Columbus, OH
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,144

Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

$28.00 per month?!  I can't even imagine.  I closely identify with your friend paying $700 per month.

Susie
Auxano Creative / Twitter / Facebook

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  • Gender: Female
  • From: San Antonio, TX
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,893
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Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

It is crazy in the States - even with TWO insurances, some surgery I had a couple years ago ended up costing me around $1,500 out of pocket AFTER insurances paid.

Just because my computer is online does not mean that I am.
a&b WebDesign

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  • From: Montreal Canada
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,543
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Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

However, from what I hear in the Canadian health care system, one encounters ridiculously long waiting times to just get in and see a doctor or have a procedure done.

The Canadian system is far from perfect, but the US media throws out a bunch of BS regarding it so as to dumb down people. They don't want Americans to realize how much they are being shafted.

For some non-critical procedures, you can wait. But for anything painful, serious etc ... you get in right away. One thing that should be noted is that in Canada, everyone goes to the hospital putting more pressure on the system. Whereas in the US, 45 milion don't go at all - less pressure.

If any politician tried to move Canada to a US type system; they would be strung up and there would be riots in the streets. That should tell you about how Canadians feel about our 'terrible' health care system.

PS: no one ever went BK because of medical bills in Canada.

Stefan

Practical web design training videos: KillerSites University

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  • dms
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  • From: Southeast Missouri, USA
  • Registered: December 22, 2008
  • Posts: 102

Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

Great post! 

It is beyond belief as to why we continue with our present system as it bankrupts not just Americans, but America - it's all about self-serving greed.

I'm 48 years old with no formal education and trying to learn a new skill (web design) to provide for my family.  I have always been a severe asthmatic, so health care for me in America with a preexisting condition was a joke, not to mention totally unfordable. At the age of 32 I became deathly ill and had no health care. Prior to become sick, I was quoted over $800 a year just for me, which did not cover anything to do with the cardiovascular system and no prescription coverage. I just could not afford the coverage for myself, which would have not covered my problems when I did become ill.  I have never recovered financially and chances are I never will. At the time I owned a water conditioning business, car wash, 3 video rental locations and two small commercial buildings. Keep in mind that these were well leveraged and I really was not making much money, just building equity and working my ass off.  I became very ill for about 5 years. Sold everything and lived off the equity, until my wife finished school. So far we have avoided bankruptcy.

I'm amazed when talking to most in America's. When I mention the Canadian system, I hear story after story about how you Canadians are crossing over to America for by-pass surgery, etc..    The Republican spin doctors are followed blindly by so many in this country, we may never see a system for all Americans. We can do better!

I do hope President Obama can shake things up a bit and make some changes. Maybe health care isn't a right as an American, but it sure in essential to life no matter where you live.

BTW. How much in taxes do you pay for your health care and how much does the average Doctor make a year in Canada?

Thanks for the post. I for one am very jealous of your system.

Last edited by dms (June 6, 2009 6:35 am)

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  • From: Montreal Canada
  • Registered: December 19, 2008
  • Posts: 3,543
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Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

I hear story after story about how you Canadians are crossing over to America for by-pass surgery, etc..

That frankly sounds like total BS .. it's too expensive in the US!!

For things like by-pass, you get good care. It's when you get to not so life threatening things, that is where you can deal with the problems of the system. Again, no one goes broke because of health care. Canadians decided long before I was born that health care was a right. Certain things in life should not be commercially driven:

- police
- fire prevention
- health care

Doctors make about $150k a year in Quebec .. with experience AFAIK. It may not seem like much, but the cost of living up here overall is far less.

As far as taxes go, I couldn't say what percentage goes to health care. But I do know that individuals pay more taxes in Canada. For example, if you make over 60K you loose 1/2. But, you don't pay health care and you don't have high crime in most of our cities. In Montreal, a city of 3.5 million, I can walk around in the 'dangerous' parts of town at 2 am with new worries.

On the other hand, our corporate tax rate is far lower: 22%. Funny, we are far more left than the US, but we have the healthiest banks in the world (they weren't so greedy) and we have far less debt. Up until just this year in fact, we had surpluses for about 15-20 years.

Stefan

Practical web design training videos: KillerSites University

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  • dms
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  • From: Southeast Missouri, USA
  • Registered: December 22, 2008
  • Posts: 102

Re: Medical bills involved in 60 percent of U.S. personal bankruptcies.

I found this to be a good read on electronic medical records and another example of American Greed.

w w w.techdirt.com/articles/20090624/0317105346.shtml

Mark

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