Comment by lotsofpulp | Hacker News Reader

Comment by lotsofpulp | Hacker News Reader

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Yes, it's funny to me how so many educated adults are in this conversation, when the problem is mostly political.

On one hand, you have a population that believes that no one should be left to die if they show up at a hospital (probably due to their religion and whatnot).

A significant portion of the same population also believes that everyone should stand on their own two legs and that offering healthcare to all via increased taxes is socialism.

Conclusion: We end up with a system where all costs are distorted and people are given this illusion that they buy access to subsidized health care (aka health insurance), but they get to satisfy their egos by pretending to deserve the health insurance they have and they get the satisfaction of knowing that their neighbors aren't getting free handouts from their taxpayer money.

Side benefit for employers: You get a trump card over an employees' mobility because the best value for health plans is via health insurance plans tailored for employers, ideally white collar due to the type of work.

> On one hand, you have a population that believes that no one should be left to die if they show up at a hospital (probably due to their religion and whatnot).

No. It's a sign of national pride to have a country where people aren't left to die in the streets. In fact, countries with higher levels of social services such as national healthcare are also more irreligious than the countries where people do in fact die in the streets.

> On one hand, you have a population that believes that no one should be left to die if they show up at a hospital (probably due to their religion and whatnot).

Or out of simple self-interest. Having health insurance doesn't guarantee you'll always show up at an ER capable of demonstrating to the hospital's satisfaction that you are insured, with the necessary documentation (e.g. after a car accident or a mugging).

by law, emergency care has to be provided without regard to the patient's proof of ability to pay.

This is part of why so many emergency rooms close.

howlin: People never or almost never "die in the streets". That's just scary FUD, not reality.

They certainly do in many parts of the world. I personally saw the dead body pickups in India. Seems like the parent aspires an American health care system more similar to the developing world.

Oddly enough, the American health care system is so broken that for many people that would be an improvement.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_tourism

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