[geeks] now Health Care

[Sandwich Maker]

" From: Lionel Peterson <lionel4287 at verizon.net>
" 
" []
" 
" The reality is, if you show up at an Emergency Room in America, you get
" treated. Maybe not right away (it's called triage, not rationing), but
" (as I understand it, and I am not an expert on the matter), our system
" is skewed towards waiting for bad things to happen, rather than try and
" prevent problems from ever occuring.

it's so skewed because many can't afford preventive care, and
emergency rooms have to treat you even if you can't pay.  and
emergency care is about the most expensive way to treat a problem, and
-someone's- paying for it.

one side effect around here is that many hospitals have closed their
emergency departments, since they're not allowed to turn patients away
for financial reasons and they can't afford to run them as free clinics.

the new ma healthcare laws are aimed at this.  everyone has to have
coverage, but the state doesn't provide it.  it is progressively
subsidized for lower incomes, 100% if you make <$15k or so.  the goal
is that this preventive care will be cheaper than emergency room care.

already many more families have signed up than were anticipated.  will
it work as intended?  we'll see.  it seems to be a fairly intelligent
plan afaict.

" Also, we have an ever-expanding
" laundry list of things "basic health care" is supposed to cover,
" including health club memberships, stop smoking clinics, etc. All have
" value, but do they really belong in employer-sponsored health insurance?

these all come under the heading of preventive care.  if they help you
to avoid serious health consequences they save money in the long run.

would you rather stop smoking or get lung cancer?
--
increasing cigarette tax is imho a slippery slope in the wrong
direction.  making it a profit center would put increased sales in the
govt's interest...  have you ever known a politician to walk away from
money?
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh at an.bradford.ma.us                       and think what none thought