Thread: What do you think will happen when...

Originally Posted by DPflaumer

My plan: I'm studying international business and German/Russian right now, so I for one am moving to Europe. Liberal policy and health care that works. Fingers crossed on Sweden or Denmark...

Scandinavian countries score pretty high on QoL indices. But have you seen the price of beer there?!

Denmark it is then, just pop down to Germany for a quick liter

The trick in Scandinavian countries is to take a ferry to go on a "booze cruise"

Taxes in Denmark are quite high, especially the tax to put a car on the road. There are, of course, tricks to get around this... they do have nice Audi TT "pickups" there.

Originally Posted by commiecat

I think we currently spend more than that with our existing health care program. What numbers are you citing and comparing here?

Those were cited as likely premiums for the average family with about a 40-50K income with Gov't subsidies.

Not up to speed on this, but I would think any comparisons to the current monthly cost are invalid because the current system is failing. There are fewer and fewer particpants so the costs for the remaining insured go up at an ever increasing rate.

What evidence is there that the system is failing?

I'm hoping for a revolution if it's signed into law.

Originally Posted by honedright

What evidence is there that the system is failing?

We pay to much, we get too little, our outcomes are worse than most other countries, health Insurance Companies are some of the wealthiest Companies in the U.S even during hard times, eventually few will be able to afford insurance at all. Is that enough?

I think the existing system is caught in a death spiral.

This is the spiral:
Costs go up to cover medical services for the uninsured.
Since costs are rising insurance premiums must go up as well.
As premiums rise fewer folks can afford insurance coverage.
The number of uninsured families rises.
Therefore costs go up to cover medical services for the uninsured.

I found this quote on the first google hit I opened:
The cumulative increase in employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have raised at four times the rate of inflation and wage increases during last decade. This increase has made it much more difficult for businesses to continue to provide coverage to their employees and for those workers to afford coverage themselves.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that job-based health insurance could increase 100 percent over the next decade. Employer-based family insurance costs for a family of four will reach nearly $25,000 per year by 2018 absent health care reform