Americans brace to start New Year without healthcare
More than 20 million Americans are preparing for steeper healthcare costs in the New Year because of expiring subsidies.
For Ms Bannister's family, the increased cost of healthcare means putting off other spending: "We were saving for a home, and saving money for that is going to take way longer if we have to spend $11,000 a year on healthcare that we barely use."
That's bananas, and that's still not as much as some other people are gonna be on the hook for. Someone else in the article said they're being charged $30,000 for insurance for the year. How the fuck are the upcoming generations supposed to afford to pay for housing, food, and essentials when half of their paycheck (or more?!) is going directly to health insurance?
It appears that the choice many are going to opt for is to simply forgo insurance. Which is really extra fun because that means even if they're injured in an accident they didn't cause, they can still be on the hook for thousands of dollars if they are taken to a hospital. Not to mention, it's totally normal for a person to need to see doctors for various reasons, elective or otherwise. It might actually make sense to start figuring out what the non-insured charges are for my usual annual visits and see if we can try saving a few grand next year by opting out of insurance as well. What other recourse does one have except to try to secure a job that pays their medical benefits fully...
...and don't forget, having insurance coverage doesn't mean you won't be paying anyway! I'm getting charged over $1000 for taking an ambulance to the hospital after being struck sitting in my truck at a red light. (Due to all kinds of other ridiculous rules regarding insurance, nobody's insurance is covering it, leaving me to hope my health insurance will... They kicked in what they thought is appropriate and sent me a bill for over $1000)....I supposedly have pretty decent insurance and we've been paying about $700/mo for 2 people through my wife's plan. Can't wait to see whether that's gonna double or triple! Perhaps that'll just make our choice for us and we'll start rolling the dice as well.
How the fuck are the upcoming generations supposed to afford to pay for housing, food, and essentials when half of their paycheck (or more?!) is going directly to health insurance?
That's the cool thing! They aren't!
Republicans want health care tied to employment so that you are forced to choose between your job and your life.
If you want a slightly based view on how this system got developed, the Acquired episode on Epic is a great listen.
The US system of healthcare was invented around the same time as the UK's and we got a choice on how to handle it.
TL;DL: there was a salary cap on many jobs due to WW2 and companies offered health insurance as a way to make their jobs more attractive. Back then most people didn't have health insurance nor was it needed so this was considered a fringe benefit. Labor unions, frustrated by the lack of political movement on salary cap, fully supported private health insurance.
It appears that the choice many are going to opt for is to simply forgo insurance. Which is really extra fun because that means even if they're injured in an accident they didn't cause, they can still be on the hook for thousands of dollars if they are taken to a hospital.
Added bonus: Less people on insurance means higher rates for the rest as the pain can't be spread around any more.
I'm not in the US so any comparisons are pretty much worthless, but 30k/year sounds just ridiculous. Myself and my wife make slightly above average by local standards but if we'd need to cough up another 2k/month for insurance that just wouldn't happen. With mortage and other living expenses with kids there's practically nothing left from what we make. Sure, we could cut our expenses a bit, we're living pretty comfortably, but there's no way we could squeeze 2k/month out of our "non necessary expenses".
But, again not being in the US, that's taken care of via taxes. 30+% is a lot out of salary but at least I don't have to save for college fund nor worry about visit to hospital/doctor.
That bites. I had insurance offer to pay 900$ for my 4k ambulance ride (involuntary) , despite my insurance clearly stating 50$ co pay. I signed the check to the ambulance company from my insurance and they kicked me a bill for the 3k$ and change remaining. Send that to BCBSRI, they denied it. I had to appeal and remind them of the policy I had where JT clearly stated 50$ co pay for ambulance and they finally coughed up the rest as a "one time exception". Fucking racket this shit is they were just hopeful I wouldn't go through the 3 months or so of bullshit and being harassed by collections companies to pay. Never gave the collections a penny and medstar ems can SUCK MY DICK fuck those guys.
I’m getting charged over $1000 for taking an ambulance to the hospital
It's $5000+ here.
they can still be on the hook for thousands of dollars if they are taken to a hospital.
And the only way out of that is to never give your name if you go to a hospital. The problem with that plan is they have no records to work from like medical history, allergies, etc, so the outcomes will be worse.
Don’t do this if you’re a brown person. You’ll find yourself in an ICE facility.
That's a good tip! I would hate to be in a position where i needed to use it but what else are you supposed to do? It's absolutely bonkers how much they charge for this shit
Worlds greatest country ladies and gentlemen 🤦🏻
Because universal healthcare is socialism and you don’t want to pay too much taxes.
ftfy: Because universal healthcare is socialism and you don’t want billionaires to pay too much taxes.
I went without health insurance for years and I have epilepsy. The constant fear I was in daily, no Republican understands.
I made $17 an hour and health insurance was $400 a month. Now it would be closer to $1700 a month looking at my options.
Any time, any day I could have a seizure and would be homeless.
I suggest all people who voted to raise our premiums by 3 times should have their health insurance taken away.
I suggest all people who voted to raise our premiums by 3 times should have their health insurance taken away.
In a sense that is precisely what is happening. Just with a lot of collateral damage.
My partner also has epilepsy and has to take anti-convulsants every day. If it weren't for subsidized Canadian Healthcare, I don't know if he would've been alive to meet me when he did.
Yet we pay for Israel to have free healthcare, free college, unlimited weapons for genocide and to bribe our politicians. Nothing will change in America until we end the Israeli occupation of our government
But by God we can carry a gun, puh-raise JEE-zuz-ah!
Oof. Remember just a few years ago when saying "the Jews control the country" would get you labeled as an insane conspiracy theorist and you would get banned on every social media platform?
Things certainly flip flopped quick!
Not the “Jews” a foreign government that is committing a genocide. Any ethnostate claiming a divine right to power should be considered dangerous.
Nice Zionist move there bud, conflating Jews and Zionists. That's exactly the message Zionists want.
But you’re not wrong I and a lot of other people were kept in the dark about this particular problem for most of our lives. The facts changed people’s minds en masse
Don't conflate anti Jewish conspiracies with the state actions of Israel. That's antisemitic of you.
I've been either self employed, or worked for a very small company for 25+ years, and never had reasonable access to insurance.
With the covid era subsidies, we finally had insurance for the first time for the last few years.
Between the policy doubling in price, and the loss of subsidies we would have been paying way almost $2000 a month, so now we don't have insurance again.
I'm self employed. I haven't had health care in nearly 7 years. It's idiotic for me to pay 700$ a month for something I rarely if ever need. It would be nice to have for the occasional use, but it's far cheaper to pay cash then bother with the scam.
Ironically, insurance companies are shooting themselves in the foot by alienating people like you. If they had a reasonable cost option, healthy folks would be more likely to go, "Eh, it's worth having the coverage just in case." But when they make it this absurd, they're limiting their customers to those more likely to depend on insurance, i.e. those most likely to file expensive claims and/or hit their deductible.
But hey, that's the kind of thing that happens when you can't see beyond short-term profits. Late stage capitalism at its finest.
It's honestly starting to look like your better off without insurance. When the hospital kicks you the bill, pay 20 a month max so they can't kick it to collections and ruin hr credit and just do 5-20 a month untill you croak. Fuck em theyll never get paid in full this way but u don't have to financially ruin yourself in the process.
So how much further are the GOP and Trump going to be allowed to go before enough people are out in the streets demanding their removal from office and arrests? (or for their heads to be removed)
Americans will never take the action necessary to remove bad politicians who are destroying their lives. Never. The politicians will allow them to vote, only because they can manipulate the narrative during elections using excessive campaign contributions, making the public blame their neighbors instead of the corruption at the top.
Thanks for that lazy, vague nonsense. Very actionable.
REPUBLIANCans are too complicit to even riot, they almost never do. they make up alot of the recipients for medicaid/care, and aca. having just DEMS , progressives do it, is not enough, unless both sides actually protest together, which is unlikely nothing will change. which is why the protests were largely ineffective.
Most Americans will either have no idea why their premiums skyrocketed or reflexively blame Democrats
The USA has $961 billion defense budget for 2026 and a piss poor healthcare system.
I think that's called 'war budget' nowadays. . .
Isn't it nuts that the USA spends over twice that on Healthcare and its still shit?
Nuts? No. It's logical when the entire system is built to the benefit of heartless capitalists. What it is is enraging.
Luigis unite??
Vote for Republicans, lose affordable healthcare.
Vote for Democrats, gain affordable healthcare.
I implore anyone who didn't vote, voted conservative, or voted 3rd party to write that down on a piece of paper and keep it in your wallet so the next time you vote you have a cheat sheet with you.
Won't help.
2028: "Oh, I just can't vote for [candidate]. They're not a True Progressive. I'm voting Green to feel real clean!"
Ah, this must be all the greatness I keep hearing about.
Is anybody else seeing Christopher Walken's face in the top left of this picture when you look at the bottom right of it? I think I need a nap.
That nap sounds like a great idea :D
Uhhhh no?
Did you figure out what it was? I'm experiencing the same symptoms!
Paywall.
Just like at the hospital!
