Insurance is gambling, with the added screw that it also pays for others. We're betting that we'll have an insurable event and they're betting that we won't, but the odds were worked out long ago and they're still fine-tuning.

The reason that health insurance cost so much is those darn sick and old people. Without those people the rates for health insurance would be much, much lower.

Saw an episode of "Man in the High Castle" a series on Amazon which is an alternate version of history where the Nazi's won WWII. The main character is driving a truck through Indiana when it breaks down. While trying to change the tire a state trooper pulls over and helps him. While changing the tire they notice these ashes floating down. The trooper says that it is no problem, "The hospital is over the next hill and today is Tuesday when they get rid of the old and terminally ill".

In response to simoneales:

Simply covering everyone was not the answer and not the reason for all the push back. The failure to address containing costs doomed it as a viable plan.

It's great to have compassion and especially when it's not your money you want to see spent. Understanding the costs involved caused many to push back. It was forewarned that the dollars and cents did not add up. To add insult to injury were the statements by Mr. Obama about costs going down and being able to keep your own doctor. He knew that was a lie as he spoke. He is not a dumb person. Smart people know when they are telling the truth and when they are not.

I don't want to care for less fortunate out of my medical premium plan. Doing so raises the fees to the point where I can't afford the plan in the first place.

I am OK with being in a pool of paying customers just like auto industry.
I know that some years I'll be putting the money in the piggy bank and during others I'll be taking money out.

The idea of contributing to the society as a whole and it being a for profit corporations (ie. insurance companies) does not sit well with me.
That's what taxes and SS program is for.

It might seem cold hearted, but as a hard working, 1st generation immigrant, I don't want to hear that it's too hard to be successful or that this country doesn't have opportunities

The problem is that before the ACA you were paying for the less fortunate because hospitals were over billing providers to make up the losses they incurred due to the uninsured using the emergency room as a doctor, and other unpaid care.

The real core of the problem, the wrong people (the insurance and the drug companies) get to establish the cost of medical treatment in our country. The doctors that save lives don't get to even set their own price for service. The insurance companies decide what they will pay after service is rendered. How would any of us react if after we installed a state of the art entertainment system, the interior decorator decided how much we would be paid?

I cannot speak to Australia but my UK friends don't have much good to say about the speed or quality of care.

Frederick

It's easy to throw off on the medical system in America when we are picking up the R&D costs for the rest of the world.

AFAIK, DR's accept "in network" pricing from insurance companies which a good amount cheaper than if you just came in off the street. It is pre-determined and accepted pricing though, to get that insurance companies clients in the door.

The customer often doesn't know what it will cost til services are rendered and often can't decline anyway if they want a good quality of life.

One thing that pisses me off is when people who were born in the US are part of families that are generational welfare recipients and when someone asks why they don't get a job or do something like graduate high school they say "I can't". Bullshyte! People who come here without knowing ANY English and have nothing but what they're carrying can learn it in a very short time, get a job, buy a house, maybe own a business in a very short time.

Half of succeeding is just showing up. People need to show up and this applies to most of life- whether it's their education, a job or their health, they need to think past their next day or meal. Eating bad food and not bothering to learn to cook is no damn excuse for their bad health. I'm sure a lot of people fall into the group of "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak", so they may know they need to get in shape, but they just can't bring themselves to start. Call it 'lazy' or something else, but this country is in sad shape. In the '60s, Kennedy started the President's Council on Physical Fitness and school kids had to perform various activities in Phys Ed class. I seriously doubt this would fly now, since we need to coddle kids who "just can't" do these things and forcing them to try would make them sad. The obesity epidemic is costing us far more than anyone wants to admit. Add smoking and drug/alcohol abuse- the cost is staggering.

When will someone in Washington say:
"Some people can't care for themselves, through no fault of their own- what do we do with them? What about old people? Should we euthanize them? Should a limit be placed on how long we live? At some point, they are no longer viable organ donor candidates, right? What's the point of letting them live?"

I am not an advocate of going and doing a "logan's Run" on old/disabled/ or negative return individuals. Many need more access to choices of employment, food, education and access to affordable services.
Many are personal, poor choices that get the lower income individuals into a death spiral that is hard to get out of. There is not an easy fix here.
Certain cultures, which absolutely involves lifestyle, prosper and others do not because of choices, there will always be poor and rich. Socialism is not going to fix this.
Socialism is legalized stealing and does not fix the issue of Stupid vs Smart.

I think to some degree the current welfare programs encourage "stupid".

Make that "to a very large degree" then add lazy, useless, and demanding to that stupid thing.

Why work when uncle will give you everything you need so you can just hang around all day waiting for that next handout?

And complain that it's not enough?

Socialism is not going to fix this.

The reason socialism failed is because the people who worked hard were not rewarded over the people who worked the bare minimum. There was no incentive to work your ass off when the other guy who did nothing was paid the same amount. It also encouraged corruption because that was the only way that someone could get ahead of the next guy.

How many checks did you guys write to police officers today? Which of the roads did you build?

I think some of you might be confused about what socialism is. This sort of confusion had people fainting in the 50's whenever they heard the evil dirty word communism. It wont bite you. You can climb down from the chair now and quit screaming like a little girl.