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**Astrochik**

Quote:The expansion of health insurance and government entitlements created “free money” and thus the explosion of healthcare costs. The solution is simple and “impossible”: we all pay cash.

Here’s why healthcare (a.k.a. sick-care) costs cannot be reduced; the entire system is based on vast pools of “free money”:

The corporate-America or union/government employee who goes to the doctor pays a few dollars for a visit and drugs; the “real cost” is of no concern. Ditto the “real costs” charged to Medicare and Medicaid.

The link between the “consumer” of healthcare and the provider has been broken for decades

There is no “free market” in healthcare–there isn’t any market at all. We live in a Kafka-esque nightmare system in which “some are more equal than others” and hundreds of thousands of dollars are lavished on worthless tests, procedures and medications for two reasons:

1. Because there’s “free money” to pay the bills

2. So-called “defensive medicine” in which worthless tests are administered to stave off random (sometimes valid, sometimes nuisance) malpractice lawsuits.

There is a solution so simple and so radical that it is “impossible” (and of course you’re reading it here):

Shut down insurance and all government entitlements, and return to the “golden era” of the 1950s when everyone paid cash for healthcare. Here are the costs of childbirth as of 1952 at one of the finest hospitals on the West Coast, The Santa Monica Hospital:

Read the rest HERE

Heartflowers

**Convicted Criminal**

My great-grandmother didn't have enough cash in the late 1940s, and so they let her die from breast cancer without any medical treatment at all. That's how it was in Canada back then before they had health insurance.

**Astrochik** · (This post was last modified: 04-14-2012 01:32 AM by Astrochik.)

Convicted Criminal Wrote:

My great-grandmother didn't have enough cash in the late 1940s, and so they let her die from breast cancer without any medical treatment at all. That's how it was in Canada back then before they had health insurance.

I'm sorry to hear that Heartflowers

Lots of people die with treatment, too. I know that is no consolation, but it's true. The "conventional" treatments for cancer are not that effective. To my understanding, if a person lives five years beyond it, statistically they consider it to be successful, even if the cancer comes back later and kills them.

But it's a bad memory to know your grandma died without doctors even trying to save her, because of money. I'm not suggesting that people can't finance larger expenses, however, and many medical treatments leave people deeply in debt, even with insurance...

The system in the US seems to be the most corrupt with the insurance companies and Big Pharma milking every last bit of value out of it.

I don't really know exactly what's the deal with Canada's medical system. Perhaps it's much better than what we have.

Billions are wasted here on needless tests, and health insurance is unaffordable for many people. I remember spending $25 to go to the doctor, that was the price, not the co-pay.

Prescriptions here are much more expensive than in other countries, for the exact same drugs. The FDA is corrupt to the core. Natural remedies are outlawed or suppressed.

It's tragic and criminal.

**LoP Guest** lop guest User ID: 67097 04-14-2012 02:01 AM

In addition, bust the licensed medical monopoly by ending all regulation and allowing anyone to put up a shingle. There could be a competitive two-tiered system of licensed and unlicensed doctors, naturpaths, shamans, etc.

**Guitar Doctor**

If doctors are such nice people why don't they work for free and live like paid monks or clergy living off donations and peoples generosity.

Actually some doctors do that, voluntary work in strange places.

A lot of Doc's do it at the start of their careers to get some experience under their belt and others do it after they have made it sort of thing.

Other are just greedy bastards who love the status of the job, those ones will do anything for cash.

In NZ a doctor at the bottom end just a GP will get $90,000-100,000 working in a small town.
At the top end a Doc can make 3 million a year if they work for the public hospital [salary and shifts] and private at the same time. A fast track to cash.

Our health care is free here it is part of what you taxes pay for.
If you don't want to be on a waiting list for an operation you can pay for private health-care and have it done quickly or instantly.

Non-urgent surgery can take some time in NZ depending on what it is.
Urgent surgery is done as quick as anywhere.

We all pay taxes and it is recognized that if you don't look after your fellow man they will turn on you in desperation.

Any country is judged by how it treats it's mentally unwell, poorest people and criminals.

**Astrochik**

LoP Guest Wrote:

In addition, bust the licensed medical monopoly by ending all regulation and allowing anyone to put up a shingle. There could be a competitive two-tiered system of licensed and unlicensed doctors, naturpaths, shamans, etc.

**Navion2**

Cross the border to Tijuana and pay cash to see a doctor ...and get to talk to him , not his staff. And get cheaper lab work. I lived in Mexico many years. Was able to see them occasionally...because I paid "out-of-pocket" . Here ( California ) , it's an economic disaster to see even an "assembly-line" MD , so you don't go , and the problem becomes worse. Unless you have "old-style" insurance , which no one has anymore. [ Well ,
.gov workers do ]

**The Martini Maven**

i remember as a small child the family doctor made housecalls

black leather bag and all..

yes bring back cash systems

and not this add on employment perk as well as insurance b.s.

**Astrochik**

Navion2 Wrote:

Cross the border to Tijuana and pay cash to see a doctor ...and get to talk to him , not his staff. And get cheaper lab work. I lived in Mexico many years. Was able to see them occasionally...because I paid "out-of-pocket" . Here ( California ) , it's an economic disaster to see even an "assembly-line" MD , so you don't go , and the problem becomes worse. Unless you have "old-style" insurance , which no one has anymore. [ Well ,
.gov workers do ]

most drs will see you for cash - mine is GREAT!

**The Martini Maven**

The Martini Maven Wrote:

i remember as a small child the family doctor made housecalls

black leather bag and all..

yes bring back cash systems

and not this add on employment perk as well as insurance b.s.

diagnostic fees are like toll roads... they never get paid for chuckle

**Astrochik**

The Martini Maven Wrote:

The Martini Maven Wrote:
i remember as a small child the family doctor made housecalls

black leather bag and all..

yes bring back cash systems

and not this add on employment perk as well as insurance b.s.

diagnostic fees are like toll roads... they never get paid for

**The Martini Maven**

Astrochik Wrote:

most drs will see you for cash - mine is GREAT!

true

they will astrochik

we have no insurance currently

and our primary charges us between $30-$50 dollars a visit cash depending

and Rx he does over phone/fax

i rarely go to the doc but hub does

i got obscure medical shit but can live with it for the moment

have for over 10 years so what's another few months/years?

chuckle

**The Martini Maven**

Astrochik Wrote:

The Martini Maven Wrote:
The Martini Maven Wrote:
i remember as a small child the family doctor made housecalls

black leather bag and all..

yes bring back cash systems

and not this add on employment perk as well as insurance b.s.

diagnostic fees are like toll roads... they never get paid for

it's true!

you get it!!!!! Cheer

**Astrochik**

The Martini Maven Wrote:

Astrochik Wrote:
most drs will see you for cash - mine is GREAT!

true

they will astrochik

we have no insurance currently

and our primary charges us between $30-$50 dollars a visit cash depending

and Rx he does over phone/fax

i rarely go to the doc but hub does

i got obscure medical shit but can live with it for the moment

have for over 10 years so what's another few months/years?

if you are ever in the area -

SEE MY DR!!

Cheer

**EndTheFed**

Some of us don't have a choice to not see the doc. I am trying to stave off loss of function in my legs because of deteriorating back issues. On SSDI and have medicare and I still have a $1500 stack of copay bills I may get paid off in 10 years.