Health Insurance Rant

Why should we give a shit about the alleged opinion of just one unidentified person?

Do you know why I believe Canada's system is better? Because the composite empirical data overwhelmingly indicates so--Canadians have longer lifespans, lower infant mortality rates, are less likely to die from curable disease, can purchase medications for prices not obscenely unconscionable, and are immeasurably less likely to be driven into bankruptcy and deep economic despair because they got sick. And, of course, there's also the simple fact that Canada always ranks above us in every credible global study that's done ranking the world's health care systems.

These are facts. Facts unchanged by whatever your mom's Indian doctor supposedly said today.

 

I'm curious about two things here: 1) Are we talking Native American "Indian" or Eastern hemisphere "Indian"; and 2) Why is it so important to the discussion that this doctor's Indian-ness be emphasized?

 

Why should I give a shit what YOU think? You and your buddy typefitter make grand assumptions based on zero knowledge. But keep on being you.

 

India Indian.

 

Perhaps because what I said is premised on objective data and provable facts. Very much unlike your vague hearsay recollection of what your mom's doctor supposedly said.

And, I must say, that's the first time anyone's called typefitter my buddy. That would represent a distinct contrast from some of our past exchanges.

 

My system that gets me within a degree or two (since she has no idea what 94 degrees is, and I have to convert everything for her) . . .

Take Fahrenheit, subtract 32, divide by 2, add a degree or two. Takes me about four seconds.

Body temperature: 98.6 - 32 = 66.6/2 = 33.3 + 2 = 35.3

Real number is 37C

 

IMHO this discussion has veered in a substantive enough direction that further comment belongs on the politics thread. HOWEVER, I will raise one other point w.r.t. to SpeedTchr-Mom-Doc-Hates-Typefitters-Utopia-Gate ...

It bugs me that we -- well, some -- attribute to physicians so much wisdom with respect to health care policy given how little said policy has to do with medicine. If I want a medicine question answered, a physician's who I'll turn to. If I'm asking about a health care policy question, I might be interested in what a physician says ... but I'm more likely to not give a rat's patoot.

 

*saved for next time higher education policy comes up*

 

I give. Canada is utopia, we should all be so lucky to live there.

Doc -- this particular physician didn't say she hated the Canadian system. She simply pointed out that it is a very faulty system, based on her interactions with it through numerous medical situations. I tend to trust professionals who have actually dealt with the system at that level, rather than the word of some rando on a message board. YMMV.

 

A lesson the Ben Carson experience demonstrated. One can both be a brilliant neurosurgeon and a clueless loon about matters outside neurosurgery.

 

Well, I could totally manage the hell out of a major-league bullpen, though.

 

Fortunately, this situation will resolve itself. Ragu can just choose to go without health insurance, pay the fine, and the market will adjust to offer him health care as he would prefer it.