Health Survey

[TNT]

My life insurance policy through work doesn't even make me pay higher premiums because I smoke (you wouldn't believe how little I pay considering all the things I have going against me. I think other companies would charge me $11,000 a year on a $10,000 policy).

However, my health insurance company's prescription plan will pay for anti-smoking drugs, plus they reimburse us a portion of the costs for going to anti-smoking programs (along with with gym memberships and stuff like Weight Watchers).

[Seshat]

PLease tell me that the socialized health care systems have bs like this. that way i wont be so upset over this.

Sorry, I can't. Not and be honest.

Australia's socialised health care system covers everyone universally for the things it covers. My doctors will do 'just in case' screening scans (for my aphasia, I got a scan of my brain) because it benefits the patient, and costs the system less in the long run to do 'just in case' scans than to treat patients with problems spotted late.

If I have a broken bone, I know I can get a cast that day. Our emergency rooms don't have people with colds or ringworm or other minor things, because everyone with a medicare card can see the GP of their choice. (Medicare cards are issued to every citizen, and I think to people on long-term visas.) Everyone on a low income can request a 'health care card', and most doctors will 'bulk bill' people with health care cards: ie, they bill the government directly. For people without health care cards, doctors will sometimes bill them, then the patient takes the receipt to Medicare and gets a refund for the standard payment.

Unfortunately, at the moment Medicare doesn't cover dental work, but that was an issue in the last election and will probably be corrected during the current government's run. It also doesn't cover glasses and contact lenses, but does cover the eye checks, which is an odd discrepancy in my opinion. I'd think it should cover at least basic lenses and inexpensive frames, and contact lenses for people whose problem is not correctable with glasses.

Australia does have two parallel health care systems: the public and the private system. The private system only applies to specialists, hospitalisations, and the things Medicare doesn't cover; but most specialists see both public and private patients. The private system does three things that the public system doesn't: you can choose which doctor in a hospital treats you, you can have a more comfortable hospital room, and you can jump the queue.

The public system treats people in order of assessed need then in the order in which they entered the queue, so if your assessed need is low you can be waiting a long time. The private system treats people in whatever order they get an appointment.

(Though the cardiac specialists, I found, keep some appointments open for emergencies. My husband's first appointment with the cardiac specialist was within a few days: once it turned out he was going to be okay, he got the 'followup care' appointments which meant waiting weeks sometimes. Which strikes me as fair enough.)

Neither system penalises you for bad habits, though my private insurance fund will reward you if you do the basic preventative medical checks. It doesn't care what the results of the tests and checks are, just that I'm doing them. It has some silly slogan like 'take care of yourself and we'll take care of you'.

[Becks]

Hey, if someone will pay for things to help me quit smoking, I'll be all for it.

[blas]

Fortunately, no, we do not have to pay for the classes. I'm pretty sure they can't MAKE us quit, but I'm sure the point is to be informational and whatnot. But at the same time, I don't see them paying for Chantix or anything else to help me quit smoking. So if they really want us to quit, why don't they shell out some dough?

[crazylegs]

PLease tell me that the socialized health care systems have bs like this. that way i wont be so upset over this.

Sorry to disappoint you but...

No.

Healthcare is free to all in the UK, whatever the injury, condition and circumstances. Like in Oz you'll get Just In Case scans (ie my Dr thought I had Marfan syndrome, cue a day of being prodded and having more heart scans than I knew existed). I can walk into any hospital with any condition that requires immediate attention and get treatment. Prescriptions are a flat rate, and those on low income, certain diseases and certain ages get them free. If you can find an NHS dentist your dental work is greatly reduced.

[alphaboi]

In Missouri it's actually illegal for employers to discriminate against people who lawfully use alcohol and tobacco products when they're not at work.

[AnqeiicDemise]

My husband got a talking to yesterday because his production's been low since he started.......








hanging out with other fellow bullseye employees during lunch.





He also got a verbal warning about wearing headphones while off the clock.




Since when can the job place be in control of what you do on your free time and who you can/cannot be friends with? -grumble-

[Geek King]

But just because i dont like to be really physically active, doesnt mean i should be denied insurence.

I have to be devil's advocate on this one. Why shouldn't they be able to deny you insurance? If you have a condition or habit that would cost them more to pay for than they would take in from you, it makes sense not to sell you insurance. Insurance as a business works because they get paid more than they pay out. If you take that away from companies, they will stop selling insurance, and you're out of luck all the same.

Note: I'm not saying they should be able to dump you if you take ill after getting insurance. That is a scummy practice that should be stomped out when it rears its ugly head.

[Boozy]

In Missouri it's actually illegal for employers to discriminate against people who lawfully use alcohol and tobacco products when they're not at work.

Makes sense. If a society deems alcohol and cigarettes legal, then you really can't discriminate against people using them.

The legality of smoking creates some bizarre situations. The government of Canada taxes the hell out of smokes, and then turns around and spends the money on public service announcements telling people not to smoke. Pushing a boulder up a hill only to have it roll down the other side.

Also, cigarette taxes go towards covering health care expenses (due to the increased costs involved in treating smokers under a socialized health care system.) Robbing Peter to pay Peter.

Logically, it just makes no sense. It would be far more rational to either make cigarettes illegal or just leave smokers alone. Even though I am currently a smoker, I have to say, I favour the former. Help me help myself!

[zzapp the witch]

I watched Sicko. If socalized medicine was on the bill in America, and would be managed like that in Britian, I'd vote it in. I don't mind paying taxes that would not only take care of my kids, but my elderly neighbors.

The ONLY reason I trust my care at the VA (Veterans' Hospital) is because I have volunteered ove 1800 hours at this hospital when I was 12-18. I know all the docs. Do I get extra attention? Yes. Making friends in the right fields works to an advantage.

I'm scared to send my kids to a doc I've been "assigned" to, we have some major fuckups around here that never seem to be taken to task on what bad doctors they are.

[Tria]

A prominent world-wide private hospital system has just enacted a new hiring policy where they have stated that they will not be hiring any new employees that use tobacco. They will test all new applicants using Cotinine test which will detect any and all tobacco in the applicant's body. Those who receive a positive Cotinine test will not be offered employment, but can reapply after 90-days and will be referred to a free tobacco cessation program paid for by the clinic.

Sucks if you're a nonsmoker living with a smoker.

[Sylvia727]

Sucks if you're a nonsmoker living with a smoker.

I hadn't thought of that. What if you work in a bar? I wouldn't think they could discriminate since it's legal for everyone else and you yourself aren't violating their policy. Are they going to track down everyone who comes within 100 feet of you and make them put out their cigs? Cigs are still legal, y'know.

[Tria]

I hadn't thought of that.

I have smoker friends, I grew up in a house with two people smnoking two packs a day. Not I don't have ny right to tell my friends not to smoke in their houses.... My place however leaves them freezing on the balcony. It's a perverse joy of mine.... Breathing, yanno.