Where is this unchecked capitalism you speak of? The USA has countless checks and regs on businesses.
WHAT PROBLEM? There are corrupt people in every system. Nothing has done more to improve the conditions of the poor, than capitalism!
You have been sold on a faulty bill of goods. The real cause of our broken health care system is the legal system in the USA. For several reasons. The lawsuits against the medical profession are out of control. This also greatly increases insurance cost. Also, the lawyers and politicans have created such a huge check system/bureaucracy, most doctors spend more time on paperwork than treating patients.
Every developed country above us in rankings has universal healthcare. That's not a coincidence. The problems you are describing are inevitable in any necessary for profit system. That's why we have government firefighters rather than for-profit firefighters.
Compared to all of those countries. Our heath care providers pay way higher malpractice insurance fees And it aint close. And the legal process in those countries is way different. Result, much lower malpractice costs equals lower medical costs. The politicians and lawyers fucked up our health care system. Fix them first. https://gmedical.com/blog/international-locum-tenens-malpractice/
No, I'll take quality, reasonably priced healthcare before worrying about politicians and lawyers please. Why the hell would we keep up with the highest cost healhcare system in the world that ranks mid to low on most metrics and that people can't even afford to use? This makes absolutely no sense. It's insanity. The lawyering bullshit would be fixed in the process. Healthcare should be between the patient and the doctor. If the doctor says it is needed it should be covered. No cost out of pocket. If the doctor is commiting fraud or harming the patient they'll lose their license. And politicians should get the same healthcare everyone else gets.
The biggest mistake people on Medicare can make is signing up for a Medicare “Advantage” plan vs getting a Medicare Supplement plan. The horribly misleading Advantage plans turn your entire healthcare over to the company you signed up with. Guess what, they don’t want to pay out money for your healthcare.
I have no complaints about my medical coverage. The VA has been very good to me and my heart doctors as well. I had an EKG on Friday and this morning the heart technician called me and changed my prescription over the phone and ordered my new to be mailed to me. I think like education, medicine is a game of finding the right team and talented medical professionals. I will say we need TORT reform because doctors and medical staff have their hands tied as far as layman advice, etc. I watched my heart on the monitor Friday and asked the tech is my heart chamber was larger than normal...she said, I can tell you you have a pulse and a heart but nothing else due to legal constraints....that's something I'd like to see changed. All and all I've had a lot of medical stuff throughout my life and don't have any medical malpractice horror stories or disappointments with care I've received. America is a huge diverse melting pot of people from all over the globe...we have a complicated society compared to some countries. I had dental work done in Taiwan once and had to have it removed and redone as they didn't have drills long enough to do a root canal on Caucasian teeth...apparently Asian teeth have smaller roots.. they special ordered new drills and fixed it but we both learned something...this was in a small village, not the big city. Everything can improve. Also the older a country is, the longer people have adapted and built up resistance to their environment. If you grow up and work in Northern Minnesota and your job sends you to Alabama for the summer...your body is going to deal with stress from the heat and humidity for example. Someone who spends their life in London is probably never going to deal with adapting...it's either raining or just rained.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Just pointing out, for people who don't know. The VA is socialized healthcare. Everyone works for the government. And it's some of the best care you can get in the US. A lot of other very well off vets who qualify choose the VA over private sector.
Medicare Advantage companies overcharge and commit outright fraud that costs taxpayers millions. https://www.thenation.com/article/society/medicare-advantage-privatization-inequity-fraud/tnamp/
To clarify, my primary doctor is with the VA but my heart doctors are not...they are paid by the VA if the VA approves the procedure. Most surgeries are farmed out from the VA clinic..some are not. I believe medical care should be a civil right and no person should be turned away from treatment due to financial constraints...the hospital I use has very generous financial aid applications. If my neighbor is healthy, it's better for my health.
I signed up for that program once and never again...it is a scam. I really don't need Medicare but keep it as a backup...it's not cheap either. Next year I may just use their dental and opt out of their primary care program as the VA is mine.
The US Army does the same thing, they cover med school cost if you agree to work ion a VA for 5 years. I think it's a great program for those that dont have financial capabilities.
