US medical system

[jenscats5]

And to pile-on yet another issue... Americans are one of the most extreme break-and-fix cultures in the world. We just don't do prevention well at all -- not just in healthcare. It would take at least one, if not two full generations of indoctrination in schools to teach kids about the causal nature of health maintenance and long-term well being.

I'd love to see us start that kind of education, but realize that the marlboro-packing tobacco grower in rural North Carolina is going to show-up at school and ask "why the fuck are you telling MY child how to live????!!!!".

That's why that will never happen......also it's bad for "big bidness" to practice prevention such as healthy living & exercise - the big tobacco co's and Kraft will go out of bidness.....

 

[fistfullofsteel]

my dad just had an mri recently and that alone cost a cool $1,000. you could buy two pairs of prada shoes or two pairs of nice italian shoes with that $1,000.

 

[Razorguns]

Is it true that if you dont have insurance you cannot just walk into a hospital if something is wrong with you ?

Damn, In Canada we should be thankful that we can just walk into any hospital and get healthcare !!!

what is the percentage of people that do not have insurance in the states ?

how much is an average visit to the hospital if you had to go ?

thanks for the info

ask any mexican. they have no problems getting er care, cancer treatment, kidney transplants, you name it.

r

 

[Huckster]

ask any mexican. they have no problems getting er care, cancer treatment, kidney transplants, you name it.

r

exactly.

 

[gotmilk]

larger cities have public hospitals for this reason. Private hospitals can refuse care but have to treat if it looks like you are going to die. They can treat you and ship you off to another hospital.

Here in Maine, we have Dirigo Health for the uninsured. It's a pooling of profits to cover the expenses by the uninsured.

 

[rykertest]

I wish there was an insurance company that would offer health care only to those that fit a certain height/weight average, don't smoke, don't drink, excercise, etc ;and offer those people very affordable healthcare because they at least try to be healthy. But, some fat lard butt would sue for discrimination I'm sure.

 

[mrplunkey]

That's why that will never happen......also it's bad for "big bidness" to practice prevention such as healthy living & exercise - the big tobacco co's and Kraft will go out of bidness.....

I've thought about this one before. Wouldn't you guess that food companies would shift to "fat free" or "low carb" products and just keep going? I'd think those big businesses would make money either way -- and perhaps more because presumably the healthy stuff would sell for a premium.

Now true vice companies like cigarettes and beer would be hurting for sure.

 

[jenscats5]

I've thought about this one before. Wouldn't you guess that food companies would shift to "fat free" or "low carb" products and just keep going? I'd think those big businesses would make money either way -- and perhaps more because presumably the healthy stuff would sell for a premium.

Now true vice companies like cigarettes and beer would be hurting for sure.

You would think so - but the desire to be healthy just isn't there in the US.....for example the Atkins brand has been pulled off a lot of shelves cuz it just wasn't selling......

 

[PWTurbofan]

You would think so - but the desire to be healthy just isn't there in the US

EXACTLY. Instead, Americans would rather gorge themselves on McD's and KFC and then sue the companies for their health woes. Because fried shit would still be so much healthier minus the trans fats.

We had a couple chicks from our Dublin office in our office this week, and I took them to lunch. They were amazed at the portion sizes handed to them at lunch. Lucky for them, I was around to eat their leftovers

Then again, it's more than just diet...it's lack of activity. I was eating at this restaurant downtown and sat next to this smokin' Italian (like no speaky English ital) chick. She housed down a course of pasta followed by a tuna steak as a second course, and was skinny as a rail. You can be she works her ass off to stay in shape. When I was growin up, I was always outside playin and doin sports; kids today would rather be stuck in front of a computer or the boob tube.

 

[Razorguns]

ask any homeless guy who uses us hospitals as hotels to stay for te night and get a free meal - all at your expense.