DEBATE: is health care a right or a privilege?

[Toby'sFriend]

It most certainly is not a 50/50 split.

thanx. Then I'll be contacting the State of Illinois Official website that I directly copied/pasted that from earlier to let them know they screwed it up.

 

[disfountainofyouth]

Ditto Bob! It's a privledge...

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by christineann
Got Blue Cross Blue Shield - available nationwide.

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Would you mind if I ask if this is through your employer - and just a "ball park" of what you pay?

The reason I am curious is because I have friends who moved out of state that pay a much lower premium than they did here - but even the one here (Blue Cross Blue Sheild) is significantly higher than the one I carry for my DH.. Also, with many of the health care plans here the rates go up and down according to what county you live in - something I will have to check into before we move..

Do you have full coverage or only catasrophic?

Thanks in advance for whatever info you are willing to share..

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by C.Ann
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Well that's interesting - because aren't you in fact playing the "what if" games while planning for your OWN future? "What if" this happens - will I be prepared? "What if" I need specialized care - do I have that aspect covered? "What if" my wife and I are both seriously ill - do I have the necessary coverage?

If you never played the "what if" games, then you wouldn't be able to participate in a debate at all - or certainly not this one..

I plan for the future... I don't consider that to be playing a game at all. Preparation is part of life and it is a responsibility each person has.

When I purchase homeowners insurance, I am not playing a game -- what happens if my house burns down. I am being a responsible homeowner in planning for the unexpected, so that IF it does happen I am PREPARED.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
what happens if my house burns down.

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You just did it right there.. LOL It's impossible to "plan" for the furture without playing the "what if" game...

 

[christineann]

I have BCBS through my employer, who pays almost all of my premium, and I pay about $300/month for my kids. We have full coverage with a deductible, co-pay, prescription card. We have been told that it will go up soon. When I first became single, I had three part time jobs, so I had no benefits and paid my own health insurance. When I turned 40 it went up though I had never made a claim, so I changed to one full time job with benefits. This job is a lot more stressful than my previous work situation, but it is necessary.

My earlier post was (in part) a vent about a family member, who my folks put through college but found that a 40 hour work week just doesn't "fullfill" him, so he works part time and relies on the government to take care of his kids' health care. Hope I didn't come off sounding insensitive - I'm just frustrated with this particular situation because he also hits my parents up for money.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by christineann
I have BCBS through my employer, who pays almost all of my premium, and I pay about $300/month for my kids. We have full coverage with a deductible, co-pay, prescription card. We have been told that it will go up soon. When I first became single, I had three part time jobs, so I had no benefits and paid my own health insurance. When I turned 40 it went up though I had never made a claim, so I changed to one full time job with benefits. This job is a lot more stressful than my previous work situation, but it is necessary.

My earlier post was (in part) a vent about a family member, who my folks put through college but found that a 40 hour work week just doesn't "fullfill" him, so he works part time and relies on the government to take care of his kids' health care. Hope I didn't come off sounding insensitive - I'm just frustrated with this particular situation because he also hits my parents up for money.

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Thanks for sharing.. And no - you didn't come across as insensitive.. I know all about "family" members aka leeches.. There's 2 in my family and quite a few in my DH's family.. There's a big difference between not being "able" to pay and "choosing" not to pay..

 

[damo]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
Of course we're not doing it so that you can provide health care for your citizens. But for you to imply that somehow your priorities are more noble than ours when you depend on us to take care of your number one priority (self defense) is more than a little disingenuous.

And I did that where? Quote please.

 

[dmadman43]

Originally posted by C.Ann
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You just did it right there.. LOL It's impossible to "plan" for the furture without playing the "what if" game...

That's true. So, the question is, why don't people pay for health insurance just like they pay for car insurance, life insurance, homeowners insurance? I think some people believe it is a right because many have jobs where the bulk of their health insurance costs are covered. They never have to think about providing it for themselves, but they think nothing of paying for car insurance, life insurance, homeowner's insurance. Why isn't there there govt funded car insurance? Why isn't there govt funded life insurance? Afterall, everyone will eventually die.

So, that leaves me baffled as to why I should have to pay for someone else's health insurance.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by dmadman43
That's true. So, the question is, why don't people pay for health insurance just like they pay for car insurance, life insurance, homeowners insurance?

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That's a good question.. If they have the money available to pay for health insurance, I don't know why they wouldn't..

However, if they don't have the money I don't see how they can pay.. Or perhaps they're able to pay part of it, but not all of it..

Can't really compare health insurance to car insurance, life insurance or homeowner's insurance though.. While all of those things are good to have, they aren't necessary to stay alive..

 

[AirForceRocks]

Originally posted by damo
And I did that where? Quote please.

What did this quote mean, if not an implication that your priorities are right while ours are wrong?

You're right - we don't spend billions on the defense budget. I personally would rather spend the money on healthcare, but I guess it's about point of view.

As I said before, it's easy to preach about the importance of spending money on healthcare when you don't have to pick up the total bills for your own defense.

 

[damo]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
What did this quote mean, if not an implication that your priorities are right while ours are wrong?



As I said before, it's easy to preach about the importance of spending money on healthcare when you don't have to pick up the total bills for your own defense.

Sorry AFR, I should have clarified when I asked for a quote. I meant a quote actually from me, not another poster. If you are going to accuse me of implying something please refer to a quote that I made.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by C.Ann
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You just did it right there.. LOL It's impossible to "plan" for the furture without playing the "what if" game...

Try reading what I posted again. That was an example of the what if game I said I was NOT playing.

 

[dmadman43]

Originally posted by C.Ann
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That's a good question.. If they have the money available to pay for health insurance, I don't know why they wouldn't..

However, if they don't have the money I don't see how they can pay.. Or perhaps they're able to pay part of it, but not all of it..

Can't really compare health insurance to car insurance, life insurance or homeowner's insurance though.. While all of those things are good to have, they aren't necessary to stay alive..

I would be REALLY interested to see how many people are going without health insurance but are able to pay for car insurance. Or are going without health insurance but are able to pay for cable TV. Or are going without health insurance but are able to pay for beer and cigarettes. Or are going without health insurance but are able to make a car payment.

 

[dmadman43]

You're right - we don't spend billions on the defense budget. I personally would rather spend the money on healthcare, but I guess it's about point of view.

So, the next time planes fly into a building, or a train station is blown up, I guess we can all take comfort in the fact that those people that were killed would have had govt funded healthcare.

We spend billions on defense because the Constitution allows for tax dollars to be used for that.

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by dmadman43
So, the next time planes fly into a building, or a train station is blown up, I guess we can all take comfort in the fact that those people that were killed would have had govt funded healthcare.

We spend billions on defense because the Constitution allows for tax dollars to be used for that.

And the Constitution says nothing about the gov't. providing healthcare or health insurance for every citizen. There needs to be some limit on what we expect the government to do. Some things, like healthcare and health insurance, are best left in the private sector.

 

[dmadman43]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
And the Constitution says nothing about the gov't. providing healthcare or health insurance for every citizen. There needs to be some limit on what we expect the government to do. Some things, like healthcare and health insurance, are best left in the private sector.

And nobody has yet to give me a compelling reason why I should pay for your healthcare. I mean, wouldn't that take more money from my that I could use to pay for healthcare insurance? Please don't tell me the govt can better decide how to spend my money.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Eeyore1954
Try reading what I posted again. That was an example of the what if game I said I was NOT playing.

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Sorry, but somewhere in your line of thinking - while planning for your future - you have to consider the "what if's" of every situation or there would be no need to make preparations..

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by dmadman43
I would be REALLY interested to see how many people are going without health insurance but are able to pay for car insurance. Or are going without health insurance but are able to pay for cable TV. Or are going without health insurance but are able to pay for beer and cigarettes. Or are going without health insurance but are able to make a car payment.

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A good example of why there is no need for "new" programs - just better management of the ones that are currently in place..

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by C.Ann
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Sorry, but somewhere in your line of thinking - while planning for your future - you have to consider the "what if's" of every situation or there would be no need to make preparations..

Maybe YOU do, but I don't. When I purchased a home, I bought a homeowners insurance policy; bought a car, purchased auto insurance; got married, bought a life insurance policy. In none of those instances did I sit around wondering "What if...". Being a responsible person, I purchased what I needed to protect my investments and family and transfer a large portion of my risk to another entity.

Just because this is the way YOU operate, don't assume everyone else does the same thing.