Matthew HaugheyJun 20, 2023
American healthcare is the best in the world!
1) it's tied to your job
2) how much you pay depends on each employer
3) it costs anywhere from $0 to $25,000 annually to insure your family
4) you get TONS of mail after each and every visit and you learn how to ignore the first three "bills" that arrive until the "real" bill shows up of what you actually pay
5) yes you pay for things beyond the money you pay for healthcare in general
6) keeping your prescriptions current is now your half-time job
Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 20, 2023

@mathowie no wounder even the #NHS is seen as a major upgrade despite being torn apart at it's seams due do #Brexit & #defunding!

Whereas in #Germany none of that paperwork bs exists and medical expenses are capped at 1% individual or 2% household income for all prescription medication.
https://time.com/5706668/insulin-pricing-us-germany/

Postcard From Germany: Moved For School, Stayed For Insulin

Every now and then, Katie West considers returning to the U.S. She moved to Germany for graduate school three years ago and now works as...

Time
Show threadKevin Karhan 

@mathowie #PrivatizedHealthcare inevitably results in #Greedglation, as #healthcare isn't seen as a #HumanRight that everyone is entitled to but a commodity...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNla9nyRMmQ

The real reason American health care is so expensive

YouTube
Jun 20, 2023 at 6:21pmWeb
Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 20, 2023

@mathowie The problem is that #Healthcare isn't something people can freely choose like the color of an iPhone...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO1IoKN0AkY

Why American Healthcare Is The Worst In The Developed World

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Show threadSouthern LeftistJun 20, 2023

@kkarhan @mathowie
Well, as a democratic socialist, I do believe in choice. However, a system of universal single-payer would be ideal as we'd have efficiency and equity in coverage.

I can understand the conservatives saying "gubmunt bab!", but FDR launched life-improving programs (that helped end the Great Depression) and was considered a hero. Historians say that he was not authoritarian as he did what was necessary.

Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 20, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie also there are numerous valid reasons to centralize stuff anf not commoditize them.

We don't build houses with 3 different drinking water, 2 different sewage systems, 4 different power and 5 different phone/DSL/Cable/Fiber lines and don't operate multiple competing for-profit Fire Brigades, Police Services and tolled Highways...

So why should people accept such bs woth healthcare?

After all it's not an inconvenience like not having a TV but life-threatening often enough.

Show threadSouthern LeftistJun 21, 2023
@kkarhan @mathowie
Agreed. We centralize and use that stuff. However, much of our things unfortunately come from private companies. Could you provide more comprehensive examples?
Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 21, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie Healthcare is like a Fire Brigade:

Shure that fire brigade uses commercial off-the-shelf equipment to do it's job, but the firefighters will actually do their jobs and rescue people, animals and do their best to reduce damages to envoirment and property regardless of what insurance they'll bill.

And since stuff like fire insurance (and car insurance) is mandatory (i.e. in Germany), the cost of insurance is low because a solidarity-based system spreads out costs easier.

Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 21, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie same with railroads and highways and utilities:

Because everyone is contributing to them equitably (may it he through taxes or fees, through the government or grid company) the direct costs are low for everyone compared to if everyone had to maintain their share of the road on their own.

Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 21, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie Solidarity-based - systems really can leverage the economies of scale.

For example healthcare insurers in Germany offering the mandatory SRI plans negotiate as one united block ( GKV: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitzenverband_Bund_der_Krankenkassen ) towards pharma and medical supply companies as well as licensed medical professions on how much they gonna pay for everything.

And because they cover >91% of all people in Germany from newborn to retiree, they have huge negotiative power in terms of pricing.

Spitzenverband Bund der Krankenkassen – Wikipedia

Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 21, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie

And that can be seen just with #Medicare alone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNla9nyRMmQ&t=93s

Now imagine if everyone from part-timer to billionaire and from public servant to self-employed were to contribute?

It could easily cover everyone from newborn to retiree at rates that are even lower yet provide better quality care for everyone.

Because that's how solidarity-based systems really work...

The real reason American health care is so expensive

YouTube
Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 21, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie

And that's ehy #healthcare has to be tightly regulated for the sake of everyone.

Otherwise one ends up with #MedicalDebt - based #DebtPeonage because people don't choose to have need for medical care!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNla9nyRMmQ&t=180s

The real reason American health care is so expensive

YouTube
Show threadKevin Karhan Jun 21, 2023

@south_lib @mathowie Like it sounds worse than #Somalia to me that in the #USA it's common to ask mutuals like friends, relatives and coworkers to care of one another and drive each other to the hospital in need because calling an ambulance is so absurdly expensive.

Whereas it's almost impossible to even get medical debt in Germany unless one somehow managed to eject oneself from the healthcare system, which most people even can't do so for very good reasons!