[Platt] Much of those "costs" are red tape and paperwork caused by government interference in medicine. But let's pretend, would you have paid for her medical treatment if I couldn't? (Your last sentence is factually wrong. Insurance paid her bills.)
[Arlo] First, right, that last sentence should have read "No one without insurance can afford this." Technically, Platt, I would also have been unable to cover such huge expenses, but would favor my tax dollars assisting, most certainly. Recall that in our conversation over the Schiavo debacle, I supported fully my tax dollars keeping her alive (if this is what the family wanted). In essence, my money was doing just that, because I seriously doubt that Ms. Schiavo or her caregivers paid more into insurance than was being used to treat and sustain her. So what happens? My insurance premiums go up. The insurance companies don't just eat those losses, they pass them on by raising rates, raising deductibles, limiting coverage and denying claims. So anyway you look at it, even in insured cases involving mammoth costs, we are all paying for it. If you totalled up everything you had paid into your insurance, and then add up all the bills you incurred over this time, I'm sure the second is far larger. And that extra money comes in my rates going up and my deductibles being raised. But even this I am in favor of, if it provides care to someone who needs it. As for the red tape and paperwork, not to mention shyster litigation that raises costs, yes, I agree. But certainly that doesn't explain the bulk of it. My neighbor several years back died from bone cancer. Before he was diagnosed, he required an emergency life flight from my then hometown to Reading, PA. (about 20 mins by air). His wife received a bill, the insurance had denied the claim, for $120,000 for the helicopter flight alone. Now, you tell me, what on earth is someone to do in that situation? Do we make them lose their home, their life savings, their retirement, and end up homeless and on welfare? What about when he needed round the clock care but the insurance would not pay for hospitalization? If the wife stops working, how do they eat? [Platt] If it's not a great system, why do you favor imposing it on Americans? [Arlo] Because a system that places human life over market forces is better than one that does not. A system that ensures the sick will get medication, poor or not, is better than one that lets the poor suffer. I am not a social Darwinist, Platt, all human life is sacred to me, not just those with wealth. moq_discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
