T R Reid wrote a book, Frontline: Sick Around the World, about the health care systems of about 10 countries - Japan, Switzerland, etc. - most of which have health care systems that provide decent care for everyone for much less than we do. He himself went to each country and got care for the same condition. He found generally good care in most places, despite the variation in country and financial set up. Some have socialized medicine, But others don't and yet still work well. For example, I think he wrote that it is Switzerland that has public health care that also includes insurance companies. However their health insurance industry is very very very highly regulated, so the cost of health care remains reasonable. He was recently on Book TV and seems to be a really bright, funny and smart guy, cheerful despite the horror of our insurance industry. IMO, the only way the US health care system will ever really work again, and be affordable, is if we cut out our insurance industry entirely, or do the Swiss method and regulate them into an entirely different species of business. They are a tier of cost that we can no longer afford.
When teachers get health insurance for their families as part of their benefits., it is valued at $18,000 per year for a family of 4 - at least in my neck of the woods. This is traditional health insurance, not the disaster type with high deductibles that you have, Rick. $18,000 is a lot of money for a family - if it is not part of your benefits package at a job. --- In [email protected], "Rick Archer" <r...@...> wrote: > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Mike Dixon > Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 9:47 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [FairfieldLife] Obama to speak in Iowa City on Thursday > > > Hey Rick, keep us informed when you decide to buy Health Insurance, soon to > be law, for your family and how much the Gubmint(my tax dollars) is > subsidizing. What if you don't qualify for a subsidy?, Are you still going to > buy it or will you just wait till you or a family member gets sick, then buy > it and drop the coverage after getting well? > > I have been paying for health insurance for years. Over $400/month for my > wife and me. We have a ridiculously high deductible, and we hardly ever get > medical care anyway, so it's really just "house insurance". I agree with > Bhairtu - insurance executives belong in jail as they are murderers, and > private insurance companies should be shut down. >
