Gymnast Social Media Megathread

[JaJa]

will never not find the idea of donating to the healthcare of strangers, absolutely fucking bonkers

Strangers with a compelling story and serious need………why would helping them be bonkers?

 

[Matilda23]

Crazy that life or death medical help costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to the sick person and their family. Any updates on Mary-Lou?

 

[MaryClare]

Strangers with a compelling story and serious need………why would helping them be bonkers?

Because it’s in the richest country in the world, and people are relying on the goodwill of others when they get sick

 

[rlayt]

This is true. No one should go broke getting life saving treatment. Medical care ratings I have seen show Usa is 10th in quality of medical care in the world. In theory capitalism works for quality and innovation but in practice it isn’t working for everyone. CEOs get richer and it does not trickle down.

The system ran over Mary Lou and she’s getting a bail-out the rest of us don’t get. We buy insurance, save and prepare and hope it doesn’t happen to us.

 

[Concorde]

Crazy that life or death medical help costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to the sick person and their family. Any updates on Mary-Lou?

About 10 years ago, a night in the hospital for observation without insurance would have cost me $12,000. I don’t even want to know how much higher that figure is today.

 

[onodian]

Because it’s in the richest country in the world, and people are relying on the goodwill of others when they get sick

This is truly how i feel a lot of Europeans look at this. The us is probably still the best system for the people who can really pay it, but these stories just sound crazy from here.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

This is truly how i feel a lot of Europeans look at this. The us is probably still the best system for the people who can really pay it, but these stories just sound crazy from here.

Yes, this. I can see why people make donations, and I suspect I would too if I lived in a society where the system created that situation in the first place. It’s all the various steps leading up to that point that don’t compute.

 

[Chewy]

Crazy that life or death medical help costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to the sick person and their family. Any updates on Mary-Lou?

 

[JaJa]

This is truly how i feel a lot of Europeans look at this. The us is probably still the best system for the people who can really pay it, but these stories just sound crazy from here.

But for the most part people absolutely do have access to medical care. Those of us who can afford private pay/and or insurance take care of ourselves. There is Medicaid for those who do not. Anyone who is sick and goes to a hospital will be treated. While its true that insurance premiums are expensive and many insurance plans do not offer terrific coverage, most people manage. I would like to know what MaryLou’s excuse for not having insurance is.

 

[MaryClare]

But for the most part people absolutely do have access to medical care. Those of us who can afford private pay/and or insurance take care of ourselves. There is Medicaid for those who do not. Anyone who is sick and goes to a hospital will be treated. While its true that insurance premiums are expensive and many insurance plans do not offer terrific coverage, most people manage. I would like to know what MaryLou’s excuse for not having insurance is.

If the system is foolproof, why do so many people go bankrupt from paying for medical care? It doesn’t add up.

 

[rlayt]

I would like to know what MaryLou’s excuse for not having insurance is.

Same. With her circumstances you have to ask about personal responsibility and choice.

 

[JaJa]

If the system is foolproof, why do so many people go bankrupt from paying for medical care? It doesn’t add up.

It’s not foolproof. But it’s not very common for people to go bankrupt paying for medical care. It just isn’t. And most hospitals will forgive large portions of your debt if you show financial need.

 

[RedBirdie]

Two-thirds of bankruptcy filings cite medical costs.

 

[JaJa]

Two-thirds of bankruptcy filings cite medical costs.

Right. But it’s not like it’s “common” for people to file personal bankruptcy. I’m not saying it never happens, I’m not saying it’s ever ok for someone to go without medical care for financial reasons. But it’s not that common and likely often preventable. If you really can’t afford it there is a safety net. It’s called Medicaid,

 

[Laura722]

It’s not foolproof. But it’s not very common for people to go bankrupt paying for medical care. It just isn’t. And most hospitals will forgive large portions of your debt if you show financial need.

Not my experience at all.

 

[KristyJ]

But for the most part people absolutely do have access to medical care. Those of us who can afford private pay/and or insurance take care of ourselves. There is Medicaid for those who do not. Anyone who is sick and goes to a hospital will be treated. While its true that insurance premiums are expensive and many insurance plans do not offer terrific coverage, most people manage. I would like to know what MaryLou’s excuse for not having insurance is.

You’re a lawyer, right? And I believe in a coastal blue state? I will simply say it is hard to see the roadblocks sometimes when you’re in a privileged situation. There is a gap between those who can easily pay and those who qualify for full Medicaid in many states, and not all those in the gap can afford the ACA plans available to them at this point in time. Some of the plans also have very high premiums (often because the people who need the care they offer cannot afford the monthly payments to have lower premiums), meaning they cause financial stress anyways even if the individual is insured. I have friends in both of those groups, and I worry about them often. I was once in that high premium, low service group and had to pay out of pocket for an “elective” surgery that was needed to repair a stress fracture. I’m thankful I had family who could help with the cost so that I wasn’t crippled for longer.

 

[JaJa]

You’re a lawyer, right? And I believe in a coastal blue state? I will simply say it is hard to see the roadblocks sometimes when you’re in a privileged situation. There is a gap between those who can easily pay and those who qualify for full Medicaid in many states, and not all those in the gap can afford the ACA plans available to them at this point in time. Some of the plans also have very high premiums (often because the people who need the care they offer cannot afford the monthly payments to have lower premiums), meaning they cause financial stress anyways even if the individual is insured. I have friends in both of those groups, and I worry about them often. I was once in that high premium, low service group and had to pay out of pocket for an “elective” surgery that was needed to repair a stress fracture. I’m thankful I had family who could help with the cost so that I wasn’t crippled for longer.

Even as I was writing my replies I was telling myself much of what you have written. Honestly. And not only are premiums high, co pays are high on many of these lousy insurance plans. The thing is I tend to mostly see people at two ends of the spectrum. People like myself who have good insurance plans and don’t even use them half the time opting instead for concierge medicine. Or the people I see through pro Bono work who are basically destitute and have Medicaid. But you are all correct, it’s the folks in the middle who have trouble and I know I just don’t see a lot of that. I was just wrong about this. Still……what’s up with Mary Lou Retton?

 

[QuietColours]

You’re a lawyer, right? And I believe in a coastal blue state? I will simply say it is hard to see the roadblocks sometimes when you’re in a privileged situation. There is a gap between those who can easily pay and those who qualify for full Medicaid in many states, and not all those in the gap can afford the ACA plans available to them at this point in time. Some of the plans also have very high premiums (often because the people who need the care they offer cannot afford the monthly payments to have lower premiums), meaning they cause financial stress anyways even if the individual is insured. I have friends in both of those groups, and I worry about them often. I was once in that high premium, low service group and had to pay out of pocket for an “elective” surgery that was needed to repair a stress fracture. I’m thankful I had family who could help with the cost so that I wasn’t crippled for longer.

Not to mention once you meet the deductible, there’s still often a percentage before you hit the out of pocket max. And the issues that come up if part of your treatment can’t be done in network (even if it’s all at the same hospital) or if your insurance and the doctors treating you disagree when the emergency treatment ended and it would have been safe to transfer you someplace in network. Which you will probably find out about after you’ve received thousands in care that the insurance won’t cover. And disputing any of it is an absolute nightmare and takes a huge amount of time and energy, which people traditionally have a lot of when dealing with serious health issues.

 

[JaJa]

Which you will probably find out about after you’ve received thousands in care that the insurance won’t cover. And disputing any of it is an absolute nightmare and takes a huge amount of time and energy, which people traditionally have a lot of when dealing with serious health issues.

I actually despise insurance companies. They are almost evil. In the business of denying claims.

 

[JDB]

Instead of discussing this in depth here, we should make an off topic section with a thread about American healt- oh… right…