OT: Health and Auto Insurance and Sharing The Wealth

[Guest guest]

I have read the many posts on this topic with a great deal of interest.

 

For those who do not wish to purchase insurance, I understand the sentiment

because the insurance companies are making huge profits off the privilege.

 

In a car accident, it's possible to be the responsible party and also be

injured, in need of care and rehabilitation and be unable to work to pay not

only for your care but the care of the person you injured. After

rehabilitation, there is a chance that neither one of you will be able to

support yourselves for life. Anyone who has seen a young person with a serious

head injury knows what I am talking about.

 

I used to work as a corporate human resources director and one of my

responsibilities was to manage the health insurance plan offered to the

employees. (Ironic because I've always been interested in natural and

alternative health care.)

 

I witnessed this: In a group of 300 employees, most of the young, strong,

healthy employees without health conditions chose not to spend their money on

coverage. They chose to keep their money, spend it on beer and cigarettes or

whatever.

 

The folks with chronic health conditions, those who needed medication and

treatments on a regular basis could not afford to be without coverage. So they

took the coverage because they had no choice.

 

The kids who chose no coverage were SOL if they became seriously ill. It's a

bit like gambling. A few lost out.

 

The problem was that the folks who needed and relied on the coverage had to pay

much higher rates because nearly everyone who bought into the plan was high risk

or had a chronic condition. If every single employee in that company had opted

for the coverage, the rates would have been cut in half.

 

That was over fifteen years ago, and I guess many of those young adults who

didn't feel they needed coverage have probably changed their minds now that they

are older.

 

One thing that seems clear to me that maybe others don't agree with - everything

we do affects everyone else in society. The person with serious personal

problems who drinks and uses illegal drugs thinks it's his own business and he

isn't hurting anybody is wrong. He hurts everybody. The person who isn't ready

to handle the worst misfortune because he doesn't believe it will happen to him

hurts all of us when we have to pick up the tab.

 

Even the worst criminals in our prisons get some form of health care when they

need it, and I'm willing to bet that sometimes it's better health care than a

law-abiding citizen gets if he happens to be uninsured.

 

I think that empathy, compassion and personal responsibility are good values to

have.

 

Susan

[Guest guest]

Hi Susan, I'm just curious about your statement that someone who drinks and uses

drugs and thinks it's their business and isn't hurting anyone is wrong. Just

wondering because if that person is my neighbor and drinking and smoking

something in the privacy of their own home and not driving around how is that

hurting someone? I used to be one of those young persons who opted not to get

insurance but it wasn't because I was spending the money on alcohol or

cigarettes. I had an employer who offered me a raise or health insurance.

Being young and hoping the odds were on my side I decided to take the raise

because I lived alone, had rent, bills, and a second job to cover it all so the

money just seemed more important at the time. Susan

 

, " Susan " <nineyearfocus wrote:

>

 

>

> One thing that seems clear to me that maybe others don't agree with -

everything we do affects everyone else in society. The person with serious

personal problems who drinks and uses illegal drugs thinks it's his own business

and he isn't hurting anybody is wrong. He hurts everybody. The person who

isn't ready to handle the worst misfortune because he doesn't believe it will

happen to him hurts all of us when we have to pick up the tab.

>

 

>

> Susan

>

[Guest guest]

My opinion is that you and anyone else who thinks like you do should not be

required to purchase Health Insurance .. the opportunity is there .. but its

your choice.

I totally agree with you Butch, BUT you know people will go to the ER and

have to get treated and if they can't pay then all of us have to pay for it (and

please don't tell me that if there is a major car accident, head trauma, weeks

in the ICU, lengthy recovery etc, that anyone except of very few people (and

believe me rich people are smart enough to have health insurance) can pay for

that), that's why I agree with this bill that everybody has to have insurance.

Also another reason is what about the children, they don't have a voice, if

their parents choose to have no insurance, what if a child gets a serious,

expensive illness, the child can't be treated or we have to pay for it.

And by the way I own my house and of course I would be very stupid to not have

insurance, and I considered earth quake coverage also, but living in Florida I

decided no to buy that coverage. BUT illness or accident can strike any time.

Dagmar