POLL - Do you have Health care coverage? If you are one of the "lucky" Americans that do, is it adequate?

Question

According to Filmmaker Michael Moore,50 million Americans, 9 million of them children, live without health care coverage. takes on the U.S. health care system in a new film.

In his new film "SiCKO",Michael Moore takes on the U.S. health care system as he turns his attention to questions like this and WHY while those that are insured are often driven to poverty by spiraling costs or wrongly refused treatment at all.

Please indicate YES or NO - on health care coverage.

Then feel free to share you story - postive or negative about the "American" health care system.

Read more about the issue here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070519/hl_nm/cannes_sicko_dc;_ylt=Any1DDOZWHPvec9VhN_UTz3q188F

Answer 1

I don't have any health insurance but I do for my Daughter. It is called U Care. I pay a small fee each month for it, but I can't get it only my daughter. It has worked wonderfully for her.

Answer 2

The real issue is the cost of health care, not the cost of insurance. Dependance on insurance has helped drive up the cost of medicine.

Employer funded health insurance started as a fringe benefit to help companies retain good employees. Now we think it is a right. Why do we think that a system where private industry should would provide insurance for employees and then tax those employees to pay for all the people without health insurance is the answer? Why should a business provide insurance if the government is going to pay?

So we could go to socialized medicine funded by the government and have a system similar to Canada which is collapsing. I work with college students each day who think Student Health Service physicians "Can't be good or they would be in private practice making more money!."

We all want the best health care, but we don't want to pay for it.

A physician in private practice is an independant business owner. He or she has to pay rent, pay the utilities, buy the equipment, and pay employees. Guess what, a doctor's office staff expects health insurance too!

The amount a physician is actually paid by Medicare is dropping. Medicaid payment is so low that a physician can not afford to see those patients and keep the doors open. Health care costs go up, but government funding goes down.

Then you take a hollywood producer who only knows how to edit film. This person has never worked in healthcare or the government, but now is an expert in both. He only shows you what he wants to and does not have to be accountable for the truth.

Want to make healthcare more affordable? Pay your medical bills cash up front. That would eliminate the need for thousands of jobs for clerical workers processing insurance claims. Personally I can't do that, so I need my health insurance plan. (Employer pays some, I pay some.)

What's a major expense for a physician? Liability and other legal fees of course. The "sue syndrome" in our country is a major contributor to the soaring cost of running a medical practice. I don't want to reach a point where intelligent people don't go into medicine.

Besides, what are the two of the biggest heath issues in our country? Smoking and obesity. Does Michael Moore care to comment about one of those?

Yes, we have a problem. However, Hollywood and Hillary do not have the answer either.

Answer 3

Good old Michael Moore! I'm a bedridden invalid 56 years old, Receiving social security, and I get Medicare which covers nothing, like a normal doctor's visit . it doesn't cover most medications and only helps out if you're in the hospital. I can't afford supplemental insurance because I'm not 65, they want $700.00 a month for medical insurance. If I did that I could not pay to live. It's a real catch 22.

definitely something needs to be done in America to help people get proper medical care. For being the richest country in the world it sure treats its citizens poorly. Look at all of the homeless people because it costs so much to live even in a dinky little apartment. Who has the money for first and last months' rent+security?

What I had to do was leave the USA and move to a third world country where I can get medical care very cheaply and can afford an apartment on social security. People are always asking me in this country why I don't go back to the USA. When I explain in detail what's going on with medical in America they are absolutely shocked. Other countries can't believe America does so little for the poor.

God help America.

Answer 4

YES
My insurance is pretty good. I pay some out of pocket expenses, but it is better than paying all of it. I have not had any problems with them refusing me treatment. If we had government insurance like in Canada then we would all wait months to see a doctor. Worse yet if we had a real emergency it would take forever to see a doctor because everybody would be at the ER for every little thing that went wrong. This is just my opinion.

Answer 5

Yes, I have health coverage, but I wouldn't if not for hubby paying the $325.00 a month it's costing us due to me being laid off last December. It's killing us economically as we have no tax deductions really, except our home, and we are barely surviving economically.

I have sleep apnea and must have a machine to breath at night, so it's imperative to staying alive that I continue my health coverage, not to mention my high blood pressure, and my depression.

Answer 6

yes i have health care thank god i have a long term illness. it has good with my bills so far.