Plight of America's Homeless Families
#63
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Who picks up the tab for school meals? (nice idea though)
Yes, the family was without health insurance for a few months a few years back.
The ER is exactly that, for Emergencies.
I feel like I should be apologizing for working for the last 20 years, paying my bills, being responsible, making good decisions for the most part...
Yes, the family was without health insurance for a few months a few years back.
The ER is exactly that, for Emergencies.
I feel like I should be apologizing for working for the last 20 years, paying my bills, being responsible, making good decisions for the most part...
#65
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Maybe I'm just in favor of a hand up, versus a hand out...
And I do feel terrible for hardworking families who cant afford insurance, it is nothing short of a travesty.
#66
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
#67
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Round here people just go, pay the cash (out of pocket) and get what they need, its an option anyway.
Of course I know not everyone has the cash.
#68
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Uh, what's a pharmacist going to be able to do for you? Without an Rx, they can't do anything.
Around these parts, as soon as a doctor hears you have no health insurance, they aren't going to treat you. They'll like as not send you directly to the ER.
Around these parts, as soon as a doctor hears you have no health insurance, they aren't going to treat you. They'll like as not send you directly to the ER.
#69
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Regarding the ER - one way in which those with insurance can try to keep costs down is to go to urgent care instead if one is still open. That's not a wise plan if one is afraid they are having a heart attack, but is entirely appropriate for that sprained ankle. People with insurance ARE too quick to default to the ER, and that does drive up costs.
It's all about whether we're going to have a long-term focus, or only a short-term one. We're living in a country when not long ago, CEOs made 30x the salary of the average worker. Today that figure is 300x. By cutting off our noses to spite our face, we continue to widen the gap between the haves and the have nots.
Side note as this is all over the news currently. "CUT FUNDING TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD!!!" What is left out is that 0% of federal funds go toward paying for abortions, what federal funding is received by Planned Parenthood goes toward cancer screening, wellness care and contraception.
It's all about whether we're going to have a long-term focus, or only a short-term one. We're living in a country when not long ago, CEOs made 30x the salary of the average worker. Today that figure is 300x. By cutting off our noses to spite our face, we continue to widen the gap between the haves and the have nots.
Side note as this is all over the news currently. "CUT FUNDING TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD!!!" What is left out is that 0% of federal funds go toward paying for abortions, what federal funding is received by Planned Parenthood goes toward cancer screening, wellness care and contraception.
#70
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Regarding the ER - one way in which those with insurance can try to keep costs down is to go to urgent care instead if one is still open. That's not a wise plan if one is afraid they are having a heart attack, but is entirely appropriate for that sprained ankle. People with insurance ARE too quick to default to the ER, and that does drive up costs.
It's all about whether we're going to have a long-term focus, or only a short-term one. We're living in a country when not long ago, CEOs made 30x the salary of the average worker. Today that figure is 300x. By cutting off our noses to spite our face, we continue to widen the gap between the haves and the have nots.
Side note as this is all over the news currently. "CUT FUNDING TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD!!!" What is left out is that 0% of federal funds go toward paying for abortions, what federal funding is received by Planned Parenthood goes toward cancer screening, wellness care and contraception.
#71
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
I wish they had an urgent care here, the nearest on is 45 miles away. So we either ride out the weekend/night and go see the doc in the morning or go to the ER (15 miles away)
I think some people don't really get it unless they have experienced it or know someone really close who is going through tough times.
We didn't have insurance for about a year in the 80's, doctor visits and prescriptions seemed so much more affordable back then. I saw the doc twice and paid cash and got one prescription. Things with insurance companies have really got out of hand and over priced.
I think some people don't really get it unless they have experienced it or know someone really close who is going through tough times.
We didn't have insurance for about a year in the 80's, doctor visits and prescriptions seemed so much more affordable back then. I saw the doc twice and paid cash and got one prescription. Things with insurance companies have really got out of hand and over priced.
#72
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Spot on. I don't think the average American realizes that Planned Parenthood does not receive any federal funding for abortions. They do have some private donors which can help defray the costs for low-income women who want an abortion, but that's entirely private.
#73
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
Spot on. I don't think the average American realizes that Planned Parenthood does not receive any federal funding for abortions. They do have some private donors which can help defray the costs for low-income women who want an abortion, but that's entirely private.
#74
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
The argument is that giving them federal funds allows them to use private funds for abortion, whereas if you starve them of the former they will have to use more of the latter for non-abortion services. Imo, as long as abortion is legal, it's outrageous to attempt to treat PP like this.
#75
Re: Plight of America's Homeless Families
There are two reasons for that (it used to be 100,000 not too long ago). Firstly every time there is a reduction the local German communities kick up a fuss as they are largely dependent on business from U.S servicemen. Secondly NATO. Article 5 of the NATO treaty requires the Alliance to come to the aid of member-states if their territory comes under attack. Whenever there are plans for a withdrawal the other member states object and say the U.S is in danger on not being able to live up to it's responsibilities (and certain Eastern European countries are still afraid of Russia)
Both of those reasons are pretty silly in my opinion. There is no reason why we (as in the U.S) should be indirectly funding a large chunk of Germany's national defense budget which they should be funding themselves. Secondly local businesses will suffer in a withdrawal, but c'est la vie. Plenty of U.S bases have been shutdown with limited thought given to the impact on local commerce.
Next year you and I will spend more than more than $2,700 each on [defense] programs and agencies. Therefore I think when we start looking at deficit cuts the military is going to have to be high up the list.
Both of those reasons are pretty silly in my opinion. There is no reason why we (as in the U.S) should be indirectly funding a large chunk of Germany's national defense budget which they should be funding themselves. Secondly local businesses will suffer in a withdrawal, but c'est la vie. Plenty of U.S bases have been shutdown with limited thought given to the impact on local commerce.
Next year you and I will spend more than more than $2,700 each on [defense] programs and agencies. Therefore I think when we start looking at deficit cuts the military is going to have to be high up the list.
However when you look back at when military action was approved by NATO for Bosnia and Kosovo, it was the US that that did all the heavy lifting and bore the cost of the military action. I suspect the same thing will occur if a no fly zone is established over Libya and if anything goes wrong, it will be the US that gets blamed.
I would think that Europe with a population of about double of the US should be able to provide a cohesive military force to handle these military actions.