Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#31

Post by malvosenior » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:24 PM UTC

knuththetruth wrote: post #23

malvosenior wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realize that it was under democratic leadership that healthcare costs shot up so much. Obamacare increased my monthly payment almost 2X.

...implementing a healthcare policy cooked up by conservative think tanks in the 1990s. The rest of the developed world shows that anything short of national healthcare system is an expensive mistake.

So the democrats are not to blame for implementing it? I don't see how you can single out any particular party for this situation and if I had to, I'd go with the people that actually jacked up my premiums (democrats).

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#32

Post by isolli » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:24 PM UTC

malvosenior wrote: post #13

komali2 wrote: post #8

Do republican politicians, and others in charge of maintaining this healthcare farce we have, have some sort of training in "convince the downtrodden to vote for things that make their lives harder" or is it just something natural? I say this as a Wisconsin emigrant that watched my home state shoot itself in the face time and time and time again.

You do realize that it was under democratic leadership that healthcare costs shot up so much. Obamacare increased my monthly payment almost 2X.

All the Obamacare horror stories paraded in 2010 were easily debunked. Everyone acknowledged that some people would be hurt in the transition. The surprising fact was that it was so hard to find someone who was convincingly, demonstrably hurt.

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#33

Post by whatok » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:25 PM UTC

maxxxxx wrote: post #24

malvosenior wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realize that it was under democratic leadership that healthcare costs shot up so much. Obamacare increased my monthly payment almost 2X.

In all fairness health care costs were shooting up long before Obamacare. Obamacare just did nothing to change that trend.

What's the first word in the act's name?

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#34

Post by brookhaven_dude » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:25 PM UTC

rayiner wrote: post #15

komali2 wrote: post #8

Do republican politicians, and others in charge of maintaining this healthcare farce we have, have some sort of training in "convince the downtrodden to vote for things that make their lives harder" or is it just something natural? I say this as a Wisconsin emigrant that watched my home state shoot itself in the face time and time and time again.

Do democratic politicians have some sort of training in maintaining the farce that more things should be handled by government, when governments in Illinois, California, New York, etc.--democratic strongholds where Republicans cannot be pointed to as the scapegoats--are on the verge of bankruptcy? I don't think, deep down, republicans think the current system is better. They just don't trust whatever replaces it won'…

I wonder if you just proved his point by supporting Republican politicians.

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#35

Post by kurthr » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:25 PM UTC

pettersolberg wrote: post #3

They spend so much, because it's basically Health Business not Care.

Well, yes... but it's not really the insurance companies fault. They're regulated and can only make a percentage of total costs so they need spending to increase so they can deliver growth to their stockholders. They negotiate higher prices for the consumer with the large medical services and drive out low cost providers so they can provide stable dividends. They make collecting benefits or reading a bill impossible and renege on agreed payments so that they can pay their employees to live in the style they are accustomed to.

Actually, I hate the player as much as the game. It's disgusting.

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#36

Post by Bender_Donaghy » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:27 PM UTC

malvosenior wrote: post #13

komali2 wrote: post #8

Do republican politicians, and others in charge of maintaining this healthcare farce we have, have some sort of training in "convince the downtrodden to vote for things that make their lives harder" or is it just something natural? I say this as a Wisconsin emigrant that watched my home state shoot itself in the face time and time and time again.

You do realize that it was under democratic leadership that healthcare costs shot up so much. Obamacare increased my monthly payment almost 2X.

You also realize that medical bankruptcies almost ceased to exist once The Affordable Healthcare Act started to work.

Source: I've been in the Medical Field for 20+years.

We used to get 3-4 bankruptcy notices a month for our small single practice office, the bankruptcies were not usually from us, but because if you're in my office you're usually deep in the medical system. Now we get one or two a year because those people still choose not to have medical insurance.

The problem is we have higher than average healthcare costs, but it's not the doctors fault, it's the 15 million employees in the US that are nothing but middlemen, look into the Buffet, Bezos, Dimond project and their stance on Healthcare, it's the future.

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#37

Post by malvosenior » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:27 PM UTC

isolli wrote: post #32

malvosenior wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You do realize that it was under democratic leadership that healthcare costs shot up so much. Obamacare increased my monthly payment almost 2X.

All the Obamacare horror stories paraded in 2010 were easily debunked. Everyone acknowledged that some people would be hurt in the transition. The surprising fact was that it was so hard to find someone who was convincingly, demonstrably hurt.

From Forbes:

"premium increases averaged about 60 percent from 2013, the last year before ACA reforms took effect, to 2017"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2017/03/22/yes-it...

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#38

Post by nkw » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:28 PM UTC

komali2 wrote: post #8

Do republican politicians, and others in charge of maintaining this healthcare farce we have, have some sort of training in "convince the downtrodden to vote for things that make their lives harder" or is it just something natural? I say this as a Wisconsin emigrant that watched my home state shoot itself in the face time and time and time again.

So I like to think I'm pretty darn on the liberal side of the spectrum, but the (ACA if Democrat) (Obamacare if Republican) was overall a giant handout to the health insurance companies while carrying forward almost all of the pre-existing problems with health care in the US (see the charts in the original article). Both parties share substantial amount of blame for the current state of health care in the US.

It is honestly such an entrenched and complex problem I do not see any way it is going to be fixed (or get better) anytime soon.

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#39

Post by gdaxthrowaway » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:28 PM UTC

I spend 0$ on healthcare in US. Government pays for everything. That's easy. Hide your income and get a Medicaid.

Re: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care–In 12 Charts

#40

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 31, 2018, 3:28 PM UTC

jcadam wrote: post #26

komali2 wrote: post #8

Do republican politicians, and others in charge of maintaining this healthcare farce we have, have some sort of training in "convince the downtrodden to vote for things that make their lives harder" or is it just something natural? I say this as a Wisconsin emigrant that watched my home state shoot itself in the face time and time and time again.

You're seriously blaming the ACA on Republicans?

[deleted]