The Current Events, News, and Politics Thread
03-09-2017, 11:38 AM
#8482
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Say you buy your phone crap every 2 years for around $600. Pre-ACA health care not through an employer for a family of 4 was around $400-500/month (not sure what it costs today +/-).
He's an ******* for comparing something that costs $600 (if both parents get phonzzzze) a year to something that costs $6000 a year.
He's an ******* for comparing something that costs $600 (if both parents get phonzzzze) a year to something that costs $6000 a year.
the use of "iphone" in his statement was a metaphor.
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03-09-2017, 11:58 AM
#8484
Is it though? I feel like basic math skillz are lacking these days.
For masterdebater sake lets say there's a family of 4 with 2 full time working parents making minimum wage.
Their take home is $2000/month. $500/month for healthcare is literally 25% of their post tax income.
$1500/month probably won't afford you tooo manyz iphonzzzze. Hell I know people with car payments that big.
I was destitute for most of my academic career and couldn't afford phonzzze or tv or healthcare or anything really (curious sideways glance at all you college kids trying to build turbo cars). You get used to working with these small $ numbers to make ends meet.
What if something were to have happened to me whilst in my studies? Should I have been left to rot in my closet sized apartment?
Soooo where am I going with this?: What do you really want? Prioritize a certain level of "Job" as important enough to have earned healthcare?
Leverage healthcare as a motivator? "Be smarter than you are or your kidz die!"
Push everyone to join the military so they can get veteran benefits?
I'm genuinely curious.
For masterdebater sake lets say there's a family of 4 with 2 full time working parents making minimum wage.
Their take home is $2000/month. $500/month for healthcare is literally 25% of their post tax income.
$1500/month probably won't afford you tooo manyz iphonzzzze. Hell I know people with car payments that big.
I was destitute for most of my academic career and couldn't afford phonzzze or tv or healthcare or anything really (curious sideways glance at all you college kids trying to build turbo cars). You get used to working with these small $ numbers to make ends meet.
What if something were to have happened to me whilst in my studies? Should I have been left to rot in my closet sized apartment?
Soooo where am I going with this?: What do you really want? Prioritize a certain level of "Job" as important enough to have earned healthcare?
Leverage healthcare as a motivator? "Be smarter than you are or your kidz die!"
Push everyone to join the military so they can get veteran benefits?
I'm genuinely curious.
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03-09-2017, 12:02 PM
#8485
I demand $15 an hour! Ok... but we'll be cutting our work force due to Burger-flipping robot replaces humans on first day at work and you are being let go.
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03-09-2017, 12:03 PM
#8486
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I'm actually curious how MA stacks up here. I've been on state funded insurance twice: once when I couldn't work due to an injury where it allowed me to get surgery and enter the workforce again and now because I'm a full time student without an income.
The healthcare economic arguments have always confuddled be because it's absolutely nothing like the purchasing of say...an iphone.
If you're under or uninsured you pay more for services than insurers do due to bargaining power. If you don't pay, then everyone else is on the hook anyway and it's far cheaper to pay for basic preventative care than to take care of folks when they have to get an ambulance ride to the ED.
We pay for it one way or the other. The cheaper way in the long run apparently irks some people.
The argument that folks are tired of stipending other people by paying their premiums is kind of bizarre because that's pretty much the definition of what insurance is...
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03-09-2017, 12:04 PM
#8487
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I demand $15 an hour! Ok... but we'll be cutting our work force due to Burger-flipping robot replaces humans on first day at work and you are being let go.
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03-09-2017, 12:09 PM
#8488
I demand $15 an hour! Ok... but we'll be cutting our work force due to Burger-flipping robot replaces humans on first day at work and you are being let go.
But I would never target something with the small $$ size of the fast food industry.
Its much more lucrative to automate a high paying job in the energy industry or manufacturing sector.
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03-09-2017, 02:24 PM
#8491
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Portland,OR
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It will take a revolution to fix the costs of health care and higher education in the United States. Higher education institutions and the US medical profession are for profit entities. What possible reason would they ever allow universal health coverage and higher education be paid by for our taxes . All of this bull**** would go away regarding the ACA or whatever Trump is putting into play (Tax Credits?!) Far be it from actually getting something useful for the taxes we already pay.
I am not a huge fan of Michael Moore's sensationalism, but I appreciate the perspective provided by his film Sicko; especially when he asked the physicians in the UK and France if they were comfortable with their jobs. They said yes, they get to actually treat patients based on what they think is best, not what an HMO dictates. When asked if they made enough money they said yes they obtained their medical degrees w/o incurring debt, they have a great home, great car and they did not understand the need to have multiple homes and multiple cars, a common fixture among physicians here. I think the same can be said about universities here in the US. The faculty are generally very good, and are not compensated for the amount they work, they do it because they love it, sometimes, they are not even allowed to keep doing research because they are studying something that the government now thinks is made up science. Talk to any environmental scientist with funding from the NSF and see how they are feeling right now. Faculty are usually given the worst rooms on campus to teach or have their labs, whereas the administrators typically have the newest buildings, rooms etc. Tuition at most universities is high because of the administrative loads not what faculty are using. In the minds of the administrators, a university is not healthy unless it is erecting some new building or stadium. It is inconceivable to a faculty member in Europe that sports are in a university or that the coach of these teams are usually the highest paid individual at the school. Admins in the US could care less if their faculty actually have the resources to teach well or do their research, even if it only means a classroom with sufficient lighting and desks. I was considering a job at the Univeristy of Georgia and I was told that I would not be allowed to park in the faculty lot serving the building my lab/office would be housed because they rent the spots out on football weekends.
Most EU universities cost about $10K/ year which includes food, housing, and transportation back to the states. The tution costs are negligible with the majority of this $10K being for room and board. https://www.topuniversities.com/stud...-study-germany
In comparison tuition room and board for most US universities easily averages $20-25,000/year. Then there are the training programs offered by countries like Germany for individuals who don't want to attend a university or are academically ineligible for a university degree. Instead of learning to say would you like fries (frites) with that or for a Euro more I can supersize your meal, these individuals can receive training for many well paying jobs in tech, automotive, and other manufacturing fields.
Here we are stuck, if you don't spend the money and get a higher degree, what job prospects wait for the majority to make a living wage to support yourself, and pay for health care?
It's going to have to get much worse before this gets fixed because right now what is happening in our congress and executive branch is that they treating the symptoms not the problem. This is independent of the political party in power.
I am not a huge fan of Michael Moore's sensationalism, but I appreciate the perspective provided by his film Sicko; especially when he asked the physicians in the UK and France if they were comfortable with their jobs. They said yes, they get to actually treat patients based on what they think is best, not what an HMO dictates. When asked if they made enough money they said yes they obtained their medical degrees w/o incurring debt, they have a great home, great car and they did not understand the need to have multiple homes and multiple cars, a common fixture among physicians here. I think the same can be said about universities here in the US. The faculty are generally very good, and are not compensated for the amount they work, they do it because they love it, sometimes, they are not even allowed to keep doing research because they are studying something that the government now thinks is made up science. Talk to any environmental scientist with funding from the NSF and see how they are feeling right now. Faculty are usually given the worst rooms on campus to teach or have their labs, whereas the administrators typically have the newest buildings, rooms etc. Tuition at most universities is high because of the administrative loads not what faculty are using. In the minds of the administrators, a university is not healthy unless it is erecting some new building or stadium. It is inconceivable to a faculty member in Europe that sports are in a university or that the coach of these teams are usually the highest paid individual at the school. Admins in the US could care less if their faculty actually have the resources to teach well or do their research, even if it only means a classroom with sufficient lighting and desks. I was considering a job at the Univeristy of Georgia and I was told that I would not be allowed to park in the faculty lot serving the building my lab/office would be housed because they rent the spots out on football weekends.
Most EU universities cost about $10K/ year which includes food, housing, and transportation back to the states. The tution costs are negligible with the majority of this $10K being for room and board. https://www.topuniversities.com/stud...-study-germany
In comparison tuition room and board for most US universities easily averages $20-25,000/year. Then there are the training programs offered by countries like Germany for individuals who don't want to attend a university or are academically ineligible for a university degree. Instead of learning to say would you like fries (frites) with that or for a Euro more I can supersize your meal, these individuals can receive training for many well paying jobs in tech, automotive, and other manufacturing fields.
Here we are stuck, if you don't spend the money and get a higher degree, what job prospects wait for the majority to make a living wage to support yourself, and pay for health care?
It's going to have to get much worse before this gets fixed because right now what is happening in our congress and executive branch is that they treating the symptoms not the problem. This is independent of the political party in power.
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03-09-2017, 02:39 PM
#8492
Boost Czar
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Modern America:
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
Americans: we don't like this.
Gov't: okay we'll step outside the limits of the constitution and fix it
::things get worse::
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03-09-2017, 04:57 PM
#8495
Elite Member
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Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: New Fucking Jersey
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Total Cats: 143
As an aside, the 'safety' argument against reimportation of drugs from Canada always gets a laugh outta me.
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03-09-2017, 10:21 PM
#8496
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: New Fucking Jersey
Posts: 3,890
Total Cats: 143
That said, I'm in MA and as a full time student I qualify for "free" state health care. When I was working for a few years, my employer gave us healthcare at a subsidized rate. One of the other hospitals in the area actually charged for their plans based on a sliding scale where the least paid employees would pay a certain amount and the higher paid employees would pay more. I thought it was a pretty solid system. I believe the employer was subsidizing the plan as well.
Justifications and all that, I put the money I got from selling a few toys after starting school and some savings and wheeling and dealing money (and the theoretical cost of healthcare) into the turbo fund. I call it my sanity fund as well. As long as I don't have to take extra loans to pay for school, I'm content. I decided to go to a state school for these reasons. My cost of attending my preferred school was going to be 2x as much a year.
It will take a revolution to fix the costs of health care and higher education in the United States. Higher education institutions and the US medical profession are for profit entities. What possible reason would they ever allow universal health coverage and higher education be paid by for our taxes . All of this bull**** would go away regarding the ACA or whatever Trump is putting into play (Tax Credits?!) Far be it from actually getting something useful for the taxes we already pay.
I am not a huge fan of Michael Moore's sensationalism, but I appreciate the perspective provided by his film Sicko; especially when he asked the physicians in the UK and France if they were comfortable with their jobs. They said yes, they get to actually treat patients based on what they think is best, not what an HMO dictates. When asked if they made enough money they said yes they obtained their medical degrees w/o incurring debt, they have a great home, great car and they did not understand the need to have multiple homes and multiple cars, a common fixture among physicians here. I think the same can be said about universities here in the US. The faculty are generally very good, and are not compensated for the amount they work, they do it because they love it, sometimes, they are not even allowed to keep doing research because they are studying something that the government now thinks is made up science. Talk to any environmental scientist with funding from the NSF and see how they are feeling right now. Faculty are usually given the worst rooms on campus to teach or have their labs, whereas the administrators typically have the newest buildings, rooms etc. Tuition at most universities is high because of the administrative loads not what faculty are using. In the minds of the administrators, a university is not healthy unless it is erecting some new building or stadium. It is inconceivable to a faculty member in Europe that sports are in a university or that the coach of these teams are usually the highest paid individual at the school. Admins in the US could care less if their faculty actually have the resources to teach well or do their research, even if it only means a classroom with sufficient lighting and desks. I was considering a job at the Univeristy of Georgia and I was told that I would not be allowed to park in the faculty lot serving the building my lab/office would be housed because they rent the spots out on football weekends.
Most EU universities cost about $10K/ year which includes food, housing, and transportation back to the states. The tution costs are negligible with the majority of this $10K being for room and board. https://www.topuniversities.com/stud...-study-germany
In comparison tuition room and board for most US universities easily averages $20-25,000/year. Then there are the training programs offered by countries like Germany for individuals who don't want to attend a university or are academically ineligible for a university degree. Instead of learning to say would you like fries (frites) with that or for a Euro more I can supersize your meal, these individuals can receive training for many well paying jobs in tech, automotive, and other manufacturing fields.
Here we are stuck, if you don't spend the money and get a higher degree, what job prospects wait for the majority to make a living wage to support yourself, and pay for health care?
It's going to have to get much worse before this gets fixed because right now what is happening in our congress and executive branch is that they treating the symptoms not the problem. This is independent of the political party in power.
I am not a huge fan of Michael Moore's sensationalism, but I appreciate the perspective provided by his film Sicko; especially when he asked the physicians in the UK and France if they were comfortable with their jobs. They said yes, they get to actually treat patients based on what they think is best, not what an HMO dictates. When asked if they made enough money they said yes they obtained their medical degrees w/o incurring debt, they have a great home, great car and they did not understand the need to have multiple homes and multiple cars, a common fixture among physicians here. I think the same can be said about universities here in the US. The faculty are generally very good, and are not compensated for the amount they work, they do it because they love it, sometimes, they are not even allowed to keep doing research because they are studying something that the government now thinks is made up science. Talk to any environmental scientist with funding from the NSF and see how they are feeling right now. Faculty are usually given the worst rooms on campus to teach or have their labs, whereas the administrators typically have the newest buildings, rooms etc. Tuition at most universities is high because of the administrative loads not what faculty are using. In the minds of the administrators, a university is not healthy unless it is erecting some new building or stadium. It is inconceivable to a faculty member in Europe that sports are in a university or that the coach of these teams are usually the highest paid individual at the school. Admins in the US could care less if their faculty actually have the resources to teach well or do their research, even if it only means a classroom with sufficient lighting and desks. I was considering a job at the Univeristy of Georgia and I was told that I would not be allowed to park in the faculty lot serving the building my lab/office would be housed because they rent the spots out on football weekends.
Most EU universities cost about $10K/ year which includes food, housing, and transportation back to the states. The tution costs are negligible with the majority of this $10K being for room and board. https://www.topuniversities.com/stud...-study-germany
In comparison tuition room and board for most US universities easily averages $20-25,000/year. Then there are the training programs offered by countries like Germany for individuals who don't want to attend a university or are academically ineligible for a university degree. Instead of learning to say would you like fries (frites) with that or for a Euro more I can supersize your meal, these individuals can receive training for many well paying jobs in tech, automotive, and other manufacturing fields.
Here we are stuck, if you don't spend the money and get a higher degree, what job prospects wait for the majority to make a living wage to support yourself, and pay for health care?
It's going to have to get much worse before this gets fixed because right now what is happening in our congress and executive branch is that they treating the symptoms not the problem. This is independent of the political party in power.
Med school requires 4 years of undergrad unless you go to a 7 year program from high school (save a year). No matter how they swing it, prestige matters and rigor matters. Odds are that your local state school satellite campus does not have the resources to help you get in and trust me... those resources are worth their weight in gold. Point being, many who are interested end up going to a swanky private school if their state schools aren't great. In my case, I had an awesome state school, but it was cheaper to go to a private school because they threw money at me. Rakinn in all that moolah as an immigrant on a green card, whadduppp. I probably waxed poetic about the immigrant experience, but hey being a brown immigrant to the US in the 9/11 era isn't what most people would describe as fun. Some people get called four-eyes some people get called osama. Same difference... I did have to renounce my Indian citizenship when I became a US citizen (Indian rules not US), so I guess I'm stuck here. (I say that in jest. I'm pretty ******* grateful for the opportunities I've had here).
But I digress...
Some of my peers spent 30-60k a year on college. A ******* YEAR. Now, if they went to a private med school, they're going to be paying on the upper end of that for four more years. That's like...what? A half a mill in debt by the time you graduate med school? Alright, what's next? Residency! Loans are accruing interest (oh yeah, and because of the rule change, there's no grace period while you're a student. Isn't that nice?). Residency pays diddly squat, so you're looking at basically paying off your loan interest and some of the principal while you're working 80+ hours a week for 3-5 years. Add another year or three if you want to do a fellowship. Debt burden is pretty insane.
This is why so many folks coming out of school want to go into things that pay super well with less regard to their actual interests. Couple in dealing with insurance companies and bureaucracy, which is ridiculous because you take time away from what folks are actually trained to do and good at, and you have a nice high burnout rate. And so the cycle perpetuates...
And still physician salaries are such a tiny part of the pot. You see all this talk about less reimbursement because doctors are paid too damn much but no one wants to talk about the costs required to get those pretty numbers.
When you talk about insurance, say car insurance, I can think of all the benefits of having car insurance. Mine really looks out for me in case of an incident. I've basically never heard of anyone talking about how great of an experience folks have with medical insurance. I've legitimately seen doctors call and fight to get services that are covered under the policy because half the time someone won't bother or the patient won't know the difference between whats covered and what's not because it's friggin complicated.
I personally don't think that hospitals and medical insurance should be for profit. There are a few awesome examples of companies that make tons of money while being non-profits and everyone makes money and is happy and they reinvest the money to benefit the company and the people they serve. I have no issues with private corporations (as long as they pay taxes yada yada yada), but healthcare in my mind is different as a inelastic good where people can't really be price sensitive.
That said, I'm interested in seeing data regarding how many people drop out of the workforce for treatable conditions and what the cost:benefit analysis would be if they had stayed in the workforce longer after getting care (and paying back into the system re:taxes etc.).
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