News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by nicoburns on Wednesday January 27, 2021 @07:02PM (#25935999)
And theae kinda of prices are why I'll probably never choose to live in the US. How do people live with the possibility that a freak accident could completely and permanently finacially ruin them.

The highest medical bill I've ever paid is £8.50. Of course I pay National Insurance to cover the costs of the healthcare system. But as far as I can tell that's no more expensive than what people in the US pay despite their insurance having not nearly the same coverage.

Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by throwawayboise on Wednesday January 27, 2021 @07:22PM (#25936280)
> How do people live with the possibility that a freak accident could completely and permanently finacially ruin them

They have insurance. And if they don't, they declare bankruptcy. It's not permanent. It's a seven-year ding on your credit rating.

Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by ksenzee on Wednesday January 27, 2021 @09:00PM (#25937142)
Yes. This is the piece people don't seem to understand. Bankruptcy doesn't ruin your life. It just makes it hard to get credit for seven years.
Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by Teever on Thursday January 28, 2021 @05:52AM (#25940415)
I think the piece that people don't seem to understand is how you can live in a country where bankruptcy is presented as a normal part of life.

I have never declared bankruptcy and there isn't really a situation that I can foresee where I will need to.

Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by hamilyon2 on Thursday January 28, 2021 @04:35AM (#25939968)
Do you sell all your assets, like realty where you live in, personal possessions, car, tickets to vacation you happen to buy beforehand? Or declaring bancrupcy is really harmless and easy?

I am genuinely interested.

Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by ksenzee on Thursday January 28, 2021 @05:05PM (#25950063)
It varies by state. There's a list at https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/bankruptcy-exemption.... Basically you can keep stuff like the house you live in, your not-flashy car, household goods, tools of your trade, a small amount of personal property (if you own, say, a nice musical instrument or some jewelry worth $2k or whatever). As a general rule, anyone rich enough to have to sell property in a bankruptcy already has health insurance.

And please don't take any of this as a defense of the current abominable US system. I lost my dad to complications of untreated diabetes because he didn't have health insurance. What I'm saying is that people who should declare bankruptcy often don't, because they think bankruptcy will ruin their life. It won't. It protects you from predatory lenders and gives you a fresh start.

Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by nicoburns on Sunday January 31, 2021 @07:30AM (#25978315)
> As a general rule, anyone rich enough to have to sell property in a bankruptcy already has health insurance.

Isn't the issue that health insurance often doesn't cover everything. And that it's very difficult to get health insurance at all if you have pre-existing or chronic conditions (exactly the people who need it the most).

Re:The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company by sneak on Thursday January 28, 2021 @12:56PM (#25945784)
It also costs you all of your assets.