Re:The cost of two weeks in an pediatric/infant ICU
by marcinzm on Thursday July 29, 2021 @09:09AM
(#27996065)
The question was about how can people be anti-universal healthcare. As you pointed out the group most impacted are those who are poor but not so poor as to be on Medicaid. You also need to exclude ex-military as they have VA benefits. And those over 65 who are on Medicare. That's not a majority or close to it of the population.
Re:The cost of two weeks in an pediatric/infant ICU
by da_big_ghey on Thursday July 29, 2021 @09:23AM
(#27996232)
partially fault of stringent regulation on pain medication because often it is consisting of controlled substance. bad penalties if doctor is not careful enough about giving to anybody.
Re:The cost of two weeks in an pediatric/infant ICU
by ceejayoz on Thursday July 29, 2021 @09:40AM
(#27996400)
It's an example, but it's hardly unique to pain treatment. Any specialist is going to bill out at a couple hundred bucks for a quick visit, and might be scheduling 3-6 months out; that's entirely your financial responsibility if you haven't met your deductible.
Anything that requires ongoing treatments or regular doctors' visits is going to be largely inaccessible to a low-income person on a high-deductible plan.
The wait time for an American at the poverty line seeking care for an expensive but non-emergency chronic condition can be effectively infinite.
My wife receives treatment for chronic pain. Getting treatment at a pain clinic started required five visits (including being able to physically get there in the first place), lab work, etc. Each of those required a hefty co-pay, and someone on a Bronze ACA plan will have a multi-thousand dollar deductible to meet before even those kick in.
If you're working minimum wage and have a pain condition, treatment is likely inaccessible, even if you technically have fully subsidized health insurance.