Question about American Health Insurance.... Off Board Topic...

[Izzy_*now*]

Hi

I happened to hear part of the debate tonight, as I made dinner, and wonder about General Health Insurance in USA.

Are certain people eligible for it and others not? Are all States different or the same?

Does one have to be employed?

What happens to a child who is no longer considered a dependent?

What is the cost?

In Ontario we have OHIP which works as I have in BC, a Care Card. I had to apply for it, and now show it wherever I go and pay nothing!

I am really interested, as I so often hear about Americans without Health Care..........Insurance?

Thanks
Izzy

[dandylife]

Izzy,
I am from the midwest (actually north central US) and I guess I'm a little out of touch. I did read an article yesterday that said that one of the states that has organized health insurance (hawaii)? was quitting it because capable people were stopping their health insurance and applying for the free stuff (!) (duh)

I think we're a long way from getting it right.

My state does not offer any kind of aid whatsoever and my personal health insurance (a family plan - independent as we have our own business) - is about $600 a month for a family of four.

We are "republicans" - not for big government - but very much for getting George W Bush out of the White House. I'm watching the debates carefully. Still undecided myself.

I hear bad things about state health care in Britain - don't know what the official name for it is. My British girlfriend who moved here to the states was visiting her mum in England when her baby got sick over there. She was terrified to take him to the doctor, though she did. The doc spent all of 16 seconds with them, and sent them off with no meds...She was glad to get back here.

What is the story with Canada - I've heard both good and bad?

Dandylife

[Izzy_*now*]

Hi dandylife,

Thanks for replying.

Oh My! If one (only) State had free health care.... It sounds expensive for private Insurance.
I expect every State has its own Government iin that case?

All 10 provinces in Canada has its own Government and each has its own Health Care Plan. Only 3/10 Provinces charge a Premium, on a sliding scale re Income.

I have lived in only 2 of the provinces, both who charge on a sliding scale, and used to do Payroll,- in one- and people were registered by a Health Care number through Employment. All the Government needed from each Employer was how many were on the Single Plan and How many were on the Married (or similar.... more than 1 person) Plan.

Then the Gov't billed the employer for its share of the Plan, as well as the Employee's share and a cheque was mailed. The employee's share was deducted at source (payroll). Some Employers provided Full Coverage, paying Employee's share as well.

People not working applied directly to the Province, but whatever, all had a number and carried it 'for life'. They were billed on a sliding scale, so an out of work, poor person just had to apply and pay nothing.

I am now in the other Province and registered as a single person upon arrival, and with my income I pay nothing. I don't work full time...part time for cig money and something to do.

It has nothing to do with how much money one has in the bank, so a billionaire, not working, essentailly couild have free coverage, as long as one did not have a working income over some meager amount ($3600.00?)


I expect the Employers do the same as the other and deduct at source, something like $11.95/mo single, $16.95/mo married...back when I was workiing some 30 years ago,

Emergency Services are never turned down but elective surgery has a waiting list, as well as non life-threatening surgery. We still have our sad tales. A man with eye cancer was on the list, not considered emergency. It was in the papers, following his progress with thumbs down on health care. I think any person on the street would have said EMERGENCY. He died before his name came up. There is a humungous amount of people in this Province awaiting hip replacement surgery.

Canada has a Pension Plan as well, so that at 65 one can receive that pension as well as the standard 'old age pension'. There is a disability plan incorporated into it, so I had worked and paid some meager amount into the plan from its inception for 9 years. I was one month short for full pension but have been receiving it since my accident, as long as I wasn't working and also received an amount for my daughter, which was tranferred to her name at age 18, and she could have it as long as she was unmarried and in school until age 25. She married at 20 and lost her share. At 65 it reverts to a Retirement Pension. Again, it never was an issue how much money one had in the bank as long as one did not have a working income over some meager amount ($3600.00?)

I receive "Old Age Pension' (I hate that name for it) and "Canada Retirement Pension."

Take care of your hip bones

Love
Izzy

[gjazz]

For the most part our (U.S.) health care system is private (excepting medicaid and medicare) and does some very good things, such as fund world-class disease and post-disaster care research.  We can cure diseases here and abroad with that kind of money going toward research facilities and universities.  On the flip side, it's true that for a very large percentage of our population, especially those most at risk in other ways, health care outside of emergency services is not affordable and thus not available. 

This is a disaster. 

I've paid my own insurance for over a decade, and for half that time had a second job just to pay insurance premiums.  And I've never had a serious (of even marginally serious) illness, and am relatively young.  I believe health care is one of the most pressing issues facing us now.  Think of a generation of kids, already marginalized in society, not having basic access to dental exams, vaccinations.  And parents who balk at taking them to the ER for marginal burns, sprains, etc.  I think we can do better.

[axa]

Hi Izzy,

At present I am living in the UK and I am amazed at the health care here.  You got to the doctor and pay nothing, also under a large number of criteria medication if free.  This is quite something for me as I have always paid to see my doctor.  There are ongoing debates about the state of the National Health Service and what is wrong with it but bottom line everyone is entitled to free health care.  A number of people choose private health care as it means accessing private facilities which may mean that you get a quicker service but not necessarily.  I am not an expert as I have been living here for a short time but it does seem impressive to me.  There is the usual stuff about queues, waiting lists etc but that seems to be common to most places - except Cuba who seem to have a pretty impressive health systme and little money but don't know much about that either.



Axa

[gjazz]

I lived in England during the 1980s and was always pretty impressed with the state of health care there.  I used both the National Health and once, a private doctor in London, and actually had a better experience overall (except the wait) with National Health.  But I've heard horror stories too.  Of course, there's no shortage of horror stories stateside.