to Perceiver (health care and 'poverty class living')

Posted by Cecil on October 29, 1999 at 13:24:55:

I know a while back we talked about hospitals and health insurance and all the poor people who get free services, thus putting additional burden on those who pay more.
We never got that settled. Let's settle that now.

First things first, hospitals are a business, like it or not, they are a business, thus, are managed that way. If their goal is to make money, then their going to charge prices to get money. If people pay them, then they get the money. If you don't want to pay high health care costs, then shop around. Or do what I do, I go to Medical Schools to student interns and pay $30.00 cash for one visit. Or try finding a Doctor who will pay less if you offer cash upfront. I used to see another Doctor who took $70.00 per visit normally, but when I told him I didn't have insurance, but I had $35.00 cash in my pocket, we got it settled right there. He didn't have to wait 18 years for a slow health reimbursemtn company to pay him. He got it right there. And that was it. He was also independant. So if you say that to a Doctor who reports to another owner, you won't get any 'exceptions'. You have to talk to the owner, the one who makes decisions, to get special 'deals'. It's hard though, it takes time. You just have to keep looking.

Also, insurance companies, like the whole medical industry, is a business, thus, are managed like one, thus try to make money. OF COURSE these people are going to give the line that the reason they "have" to charge you such high prices is because a bunch of poor people get services for free. Most businesses do this. They all have an excuse to give for the "reason" for the high prices, OF COURSE they're going to point their fingers at others. What are they supposed to say? That they are greedy and want more money for themselves?
They get huge tax breaks for all the uninsured poor people who get 'free' services. They get public funding for each poor person's 'free' medical service. So, if they claim to be 'losing' money, therefore YOU have to pay for it, your falling for their 'lines', OF COURSE they will conveniently leave out how much th government 'helps' them with their 'poor me' losses. OF COURSE they're not going to tell you who passes money to who. That's why I put 'free' health care service in quotes. It's not for 'free'. SOMEONE is paying for it. The government. And the government is so screwed up that it REQUIRES people to NOT get either alternative or higher-paying jobs for income sources to pay for health care (and housing and so on) lest you lose your chance at trying to get a higher income opportunity. It's a Catch-22 and it drives me nuts to think how CLASHING these incentives are.

Once you receive any public funding, you have to follow all kinds of rules that literally INHIBIT you from working your way OUT of their control.
This is what drives me nuts.

What's worse is that there exists a whole group of people who DON'T MIND IT and even like it. I guess they like the security of not making their own decisions and sitting back and letting others do all the work and take all the responsability.
The other people (me) DO mind it, and CAN'T STAND the fact that I am TIED to these rules and regulations and requirements that BLOCK my way towards getting OUT.

The place I'm at now just required me to get state-funded insurance at a hospital here that pays for medical visits. If I did not get it I would lose my bed to sleep in.
It really always bothered me, because I always like to just 'do this stuff' 'on my own', but now I'm forcing myself to learn how to LIKE 'systems', regulations, rules, socio-economic hierarchies and chains-of-command and so on, in order to keep my sanity as well as survive. I am tired of trying to 'beat the system', but if the 'system' we live in is too big and beaurocratic a monster to 'outsmart'/'outdo', then the next best thing to do, is to learn how to make it work for you instead of against you.
Now that's one level operating within me for the time being. (You see, if I keep making my desire to rebel overt, then the rules and controls put on me will tighten and my time to serve will lengthen.)

Meanwhile, after I 'serve my time'. I'm going to break free and start my own place with my own incentives that are designed for all the rebels like me who do NOT like the 'system' to keep a whole class of people living off of other people's earnings through government hand-outs.

I also think these issues strongly appeal to both you and I because of the rebel/conform similarities that sixes and fours have in common.
Cecil

Follow Ups:

• Re: to Perceiver (health care and 'poverty class living') Perciever 14:48:14 11/01/99 (1)
  • Re: to Perceiver (health care and 'poverty class living') Cecil 17:08:35 11/01/99 (0)
• (health care and 'poverty class living') Tiggy. 17:17:26 10/29/99 (0)

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