Rant, Rant, Rant....Warning... Rant

[4cruisin]

I am about to explode from anger. A person I know got hurt at a hobby, not work related. He is mid 20's, unmarried with 2 children. He had the option through work of having health benefits and disablity insurance...chose not to pay his 50% share of health insurance. Now, he needs surgery and is looking for free medical care. His gf is pregnant with 3rd child....still not married. Kids rec'v free care through state. He expects us as tax payers to foot the bill for his thousands of dollars in "free" medical care when the majority of us spend our hard earned money on our health insurance premiums. He should also get neutered while he's in there.
Sorry, but this just gets my goat. Talk about the entitlement mentality. It makes me sick.

What's the point of working hard, being responsible and not expecting others to pay for your problems? I should quit my job, go on welfare and get the best medical care.

Flame away...I really couldn't care less. This is so maddening to me.

 

[luvwinnie]

I am about to explode from anger. A person I know got hurt at a hobby, not work related. He is mid 20's, unmarried with 2 children. He had the option through work of having health benefits and disablity insurance...chose not to pay his 50% share of health insurance. Now, he needs surgery and is looking for free medical care. His gf is pregnant with 3rd child....still not married. Kids rec'v free care through state. He expects us as tax payers to foot the bill for his thousands of dollars in "free" medical care when the majority of us spend our hard earned money on our health insurance premiums. He should also get neutered while he's in there.
Sorry, but this just gets my goat. Talk about the entitlement mentality. It makes me sick.

What's the point of working hard, being responsible and not expecting others to pay for your problems? I should quit my job, go on welfare and get the best medical care.

Flame away...I really couldn't care less. This is so maddening to me.

The POINT is to have your self-respect. People like him make me very angry also!

 

[Chicago526]

I try not to think about things like this. I'm a big believer in Karma, and people like this guy will get what they deserve in the end!

 

[minniecarousel]

What is it with people choosing NOT to have health insurance?! I just don't understand it.

 

[MoniqueU]

But we all DESERVE free national health care and someone else should always pay for it, just not the people in our tax bracket.

 

[paigevz]

Hey, I know what you're talking about.

I get the same way. I especially get mad that I can't get my kids quality preschool education because we make too much money for the federal programs and too little money to be able to have me stay home so that my kids can be put in a good preschool program since they're only 2-3 days a week or half days.

I used to get even angrier when I taught Pre-Kindergarten in the public schools, so was giving all my expertise and creativity to all these kids, and sending my own to a great daycare, but one where he wasn't getting nearly the same level of education. I didn't fault the kids I taught, especially the ones who qualified by legitimate language, disability or income with the parents doing the best they could, just wondered why my own couldn't get the same, especially since I was the one teaching it!

It would burn my butt when some of these parents would stand outside the classroom (I could hear it throught the wall of the portable I was in, this was usually the PM class I overheard while eating my lunch) bragging to others about how they got their disability and hiding out from the "spies" trying to catch them doing something physical, or how they told their kid not to answer us on their language testing so they'd test in as ESL even though they didn't speak another language, or how they were trying to get pregnant again so that when this one was in K next year full time "they" wouldn't make them go to work, or how they were trying to get disability on their kids, but I wouldn't say they were disabled, and why couldn't I just fill the paper out, it didn't hurt me any, did it? (yeah, lady, it just means I'm paying for your kid's check, and there's nothing wrong with him!)

 

[4cruisin]

What is it with people choosing NOT to have health insurance?! I just don't understand it.

I would think that there is/should be a law that if your employer offers insurance (which should be mandatory btw) and pays at least 50%, your should be mandated to accept it and pay the other 50%.
There are people out there, (mentally ill, physically disabled for instance) that should be covered under free care but not someone that is employed and has access to insurance. I am so disgusted by this. This guy is such a loser too. Maybe that's why it's bothering me so much. His life is so messed up by his own choices and now we are forced to pay for it. He does tons of drugs and is so irresponsible (sp) it is ridiculous.

Ok, I'm done ranting now. Thanks for listening. I feel a little better.

 

[Kae]

What is it with people choosing NOT to have health insurance?! I just don't understand it.

I don't get it either. Around here people well go work across the road for an extra .50 an hour and not worry about benefits. One of the girls who worked my sister, her husband wanted to cancel theirs because it was $75 out if each paycheck.

Kae

 

[nliedel]

While I agree we need to be responsible I know that we pay a fortune for our health care. We are lucky it is not health care or food but my for my friend it is. She does not have insurance right now because it would take more than half her paycheck. There has to be another way.

 

[4cruisin]

But we all DESERVE free national health care and someone else should always pay for it, just not the people in our tax bracket.

No, personally, I think we should have equitable health care for all. Certainly not free, nothing in life is free. Even in Canada, the health insurance is not all it's cracked up to be...long waits for specialists etc. It makes no sense that I pay our co-premium for decent health coverage but Joe Schmoe can get the same care (or better) w/o paying a dime.

What is the sense in me paying for coverage when I could get the same thing w/o paying anything. This guy is not disabled. There is no reason why he should not be forced to pay for his children's and his medical care either by paying a co-premium or by paying a fair price for medical treatment. Before his "accident" he was gainfully employed with a very good wage, plenty of overtime. He spent his money on clubbing, going to Vegas for long weekends, drugs and partying and yes, I do know this for a fact. He has no money saved and lives week to week, barely.

 

[mickeyfan2]

This is the entitlement mentality.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I would be really nervous if we didn't have any kind of health insurance. We have really good coverage through the town DH works for. In the town I work for, if you don't choose to take their insurance, you have to bring in proof that you have coverage through something else. I don't know if this is a town rule, state rule, or just something they tell us to scare the kids into taking insurance

Jen

 

[mickeyboat]

I feel the same way sometimes. I sign our company's paychecks, and it burns me when I see people who don't take the insurance, don't belong to the 401(k) program, and claim exempt for tax purposes.

And then there are certain of DH's relatives who keep having children to take advantage of the state's very generous welfare provisions. They take a taxi with their kids every morning to bring them to day care and school, take the taxi back home, then back again to pick them up in the evening. What about taking the taxi to work so you can afford to buy a car. Then they use their grandparents's address in town so their kids can go to school here.

I know there are many people who need the assistance, but I also know there are many people who abuse it.

Denae

 

[laura001]

I live in Canada, don't have to worry too much about health care itself, but that does not stop the feeling and thoughts of utter disgust at people that depend on "the system" to take care of them. Albeit there are people that do use the system for short periods of time while they find a way to put themselves in a better situation, I have no problem with that.

I do have a problem with my DH and I both working, paying our taxes, contributing to the economy, paying our OWN child care expenses and I would guess about a hundred other children's also over the years, sending our children to University where they do not qualify for any government loan program or work program (because we make too much money) PPPHHHHHUUULLLLEEEEAAASSEE!!!! We get up every morning, work our butts off, come home, run our kids all over, keep the house clean, cook meals, pay the bills etc etc etc...we don't sit at home and wait for someone else to do it for us. Some days I feel like such a moron, it boils down to self respect I guess, I just couldn't do it any other way.

I guess you have to look at it as this:

You can own and be responsible for what YOU do, what someone else does or is is something you have no control over.

then you could add:

and until they can figure out how to "own" it.....you are paying for it

 

[robertsmom]

What is it with people choosing NOT to have health insurance?! I just don't understand it.

Well, I might get flamed for this, but I don't care. Not all of us CHOSE not to have health insurance. The insurance offered through my job is astronomical. If I were to take it, my son and I wouldn't have a roof over our heads. That's just the way it is. Please realize that not everyone with no insurance is a lazy, good-for-nothing. Some of us DON'T have a choice.

 

[4cruisin]

What some people consider astronomical is irrelevant. When it comes to health insurance, I don't not believe it should be elective. When my dh was unemployed years ago, we had no health insurance. We were newly married and didn't have a pot to ...well you know... but I made the choice to purchase a catastrophic health insurance policy for us. By making that choice, we ended up cutting way back on other things, like food. We ate a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, pasta and meatless meals but I felt it was important to make sure we could get medical attention if we needed it. I did not want to go on welfare or food stamps. You can always find a way to pay for things that are important....it's just a matter of priorities.
Please don't think I'm slamming you, I am just pointing out that some people have different priorities and mine is being responsible for my family and not expecting others to pay for my care.

There is always a way to make ends meet. I don't care if you have to get a 2nd job, babysit, deliver newspapers etc. It's a matter of what is important to you.

 

[iwaseeyore]

Well, I might get flamed for this, but I don't care. Not all of us CHOSE not to have health insurance. The insurance offered through my job is astronomical. If I were to take it, my son and I wouldn't have a roof over our heads. That's just the way it is. Please realize that not everyone with no insurance is a lazy, good-for-nothing. Some of us DON'T have a choice.

I work in the healthcare industry and you have no idea the number of people without insurance. Some pay, most don't. I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago and heard that the number two reason for personal bankruptcies is medical bills. So to the person above I hope you stay healthy. The real question is what drives the cost of healthcare.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Well, I might get flamed for this, but I don't care. Not all of us CHOSE not to have health insurance. The insurance offered through my job is astronomical. If I were to take it, my son and I wouldn't have a roof over our heads. That's just the way it is. Please realize that not everyone with no insurance is a lazy, good-for-nothing. Some of us DON'T have a choice.

I agree with you. Years ago when I was a single mom, I opted out of the health insurance benefits and the retirement program. I was working full time making just over $9 an hour, and had a baby to support, on just my income. Putting a roof over our heads and food on the table were the number one priorites in my life during that time. If we got sick, I paid the $75 doctor visit at the local clinic, and prayed that neither of us came down with a major illness or had a serious injury. Sure, some people can work two or three jobs to make it happen, but in my situation that wasn't possible because I couldn't afford daycare for a second job on weekends - as it was, my mother watched my dd during the week. Anyhow, not everyone who opts out is doing it just to save a few pennies. Some people do it because they simply have no other choice. And with the rising cost of healthcare,fuel, housing and cost of living, it's not getting any easier. There will always be those who abuse the system, but to assume that everyone who opts out of health coverage is doing it because their priorities are out of check or because they feel entitled to something free is wrong. Today, I'm very grateful and fortunate that my dh's employer offers good benefits and we can afford to pay our share for them.

 

[mickeysgal]

I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago and heard that the number two reason for personal bankruptcies is medical bills. So to the person above I hope you stay healthy. The real question is what drives the cost of healthcare.

I had heard something similar...that a main reason for a lot of personal bankruptcies is because of medical emergencies - and this was to people WITH health insurance. I guess they hit maximums? I've also heard that most families are one major illness away from bankruptcy.

Something in this country has GOT to change. We need AFFORDABLE and AVAILABLE healthcare. These go hand in hand. Yes, you can find healthcare, but if you have health care issues already, its likely you can't come close to affording it or you can't get your problems covered...which is why you needed health care in the beginning.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I work as a medical case manager in a hospital, and in my state, this man would not get Medicaid unless he had an injury/illness that was expected to last a minimum of a year. There is no state-paid insurance coverage for adult men over 21 and under 65 otherwise (unless they are totally and permanently disabled) in my state. I know this varies from state to state.

I am definitely in favor of a national health care system--I see people all the time who don't get the health care they need because they can't afford it. It's mostly large companies in Florida that provide health insurance, and it's very expensive. Many smaller employers don't offer it because of the cost.I think health care should be provided to everyone, just like education. I don't have any kids--I'm not complaining about the huge property taxes I pay to fund education, because I think it makes our world a better place, just like health care!