Politics It's the economy, stupid! Gas, healthcare, & chickens!

Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Register Log in
If the American automakers are stupid enough to follow this, they will be out of business. Reducing fuel economy will not lower prices enough to have an impact. And this will prevent them from selling in foreign markets.

 
Interesting couple of comments in response to this column that I hadn't fully considered... I am now 1000% against employer based health insurance of any kind.

I suspected a hidden killer lurked inside my body. Here’s what I found.​


Like many emerging technologies, this one can improve our lives, make us miserable or both. Nobody knows yet which it will be.

1000036273.jpg

Nine out of 10 doctors agree: I am a highly creative hypochondriac.
Using medical expertise I obtained from the internet, I have successfully misdiagnosed myself with, among other things: heart disease, pancreatitis, liver and kidney disorders, a blood platelet deficiency, malignancies of the colon and prostate, Lyme disease and memory loss (although I don’t recall exactly when that was). The pain I sometimes get when I sleep on my side? Must be cancer. Headache after a hard workout? Brain aneurysm. My tombstone will say, “I told you so.”

So, naturally, when I first heard the longevity gurus touting full-body MRI scans a couple of years ago, I was ready to sign up. Here was a chance to examine my body from cerebrum to metatarsal and locate abnormal spots as tiny as 2 millimeters. Never again would I have to conjure up imaginary infirmities. I could now reassure myself that I was healthy — or prove beyond all doubt that I was gravely ill.

But it’s a bit more complicated than that, both for the worried well like me and for the many others who don’t share my knack for self-misdiagnosis.
The new technology that powers these full-body MRIs — something called diffusion-weighted imaging (don’t ask me to explain) combined with the pattern recognition of artificial intelligence — has the potential to save our lives by revealing budding cancers, silent aneurysms and other hidden would-be killers before they become deadly.

But the scans cost $2,500 a pop and insurance won’t pay. Worse, for every cancer these MRIs find, they produce a slightly greater number of false positives that require a biopsy, with the potential for infection and bleeding and emotional distress. Even when the scans don’t produce a false positive, they almost always come up with some vague and disconcerting abnormality.

Like many emerging technologies, this one can improve our lives, make us miserable, or both. Nobody yet knows which it will be, because we’re the first humans to have the option of examining our innards with such clarity. Will we feel better after viewing our insides? Or will we become anxious about things we hadn’t even thought to worry about?

Read More



1764968703835.jpeg

1764968710301.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • 1764968799682.jpeg
    1764968799682.jpeg
    560.3 KB · Views: 0
How does the forum member who started this thread think the economy looks?
 
Phatguysrule said:
Interesting couple of comments in response to this column that I hadn't fully considered... I am now 1000% against employer based health insurance of any kind.

I suspected a hidden killer lurked inside my body. Here’s what I found.​


Like many emerging technologies, this one can improve our lives, make us miserable or both. Nobody knows yet which it will be.

View attachment 78109

Nine out of 10 doctors agree: I am a highly creative hypochondriac.
Using medical expertise I obtained from the internet, I have successfully misdiagnosed myself with, among other things: heart disease, pancreatitis, liver and kidney disorders, a blood platelet deficiency, malignancies of the colon and prostate, Lyme disease and memory loss (although I don’t recall exactly when that was). The pain I sometimes get when I sleep on my side? Must be cancer. Headache after a hard workout? Brain aneurysm. My tombstone will say, “I told you so.”

So, naturally, when I first heard the longevity gurus touting full-body MRI scans a couple of years ago, I was ready to sign up. Here was a chance to examine my body from cerebrum to metatarsal and locate abnormal spots as tiny as 2 millimeters. Never again would I have to conjure up imaginary infirmities. I could now reassure myself that I was healthy — or prove beyond all doubt that I was gravely ill.

But it’s a bit more complicated than that, both for the worried well like me and for the many others who don’t share my knack for self-misdiagnosis.
The new technology that powers these full-body MRIs — something called diffusion-weighted imaging (don’t ask me to explain) combined with the pattern recognition of artificial intelligence — has the potential to save our lives by revealing budding cancers, silent aneurysms and other hidden would-be killers before they become deadly.

But the scans cost $2,500 a pop and insurance won’t pay. Worse, for every cancer these MRIs find, they produce a slightly greater number of false positives that require a biopsy, with the potential for infection and bleeding and emotional distress. Even when the scans don’t produce a false positive, they almost always come up with some vague and disconcerting abnormality.

Like many emerging technologies, this one can improve our lives, make us miserable, or both. Nobody yet knows which it will be, because we’re the first humans to have the option of examining our innards with such clarity. Will we feel better after viewing our insides? Or will we become anxious about things we hadn’t even thought to worry about?

Read More



View attachment 78106

View attachment 78107
Click to expand...

They don't want people to get cured.
 
To be clear:

Medicare For All Act of 2022 would have eliminated co-pays, deductibles, and any monthly premium. It would have expanded care to include vision, dental, hearing, and mental care. There would be a 2.2% income tax increase.

So for the average salary of $66,622 you would pay $122.15 before taxes, or $91 per per month after taxes. So that would be $46 every 2 weeks, or $23 per paycheck if you get paid weekly.

That would be your only medical expense. Regardless of how long you stay in the hospital or how much medication you need or anything else. And that would cover your whole family. Unless your spouse also works and then they would pay the same.

And you would be able to go to any doctor or health care provider in the country.

*Edit* There would also be a 7% employer paid payroll tax (which is also likely less than they were paying for their share of your premiums, unless they are just a shitty employer).
 
Phatguysrule said:
To be clear:

Medicare For All Act of 2022 would have eliminated co-pays, deductibles, and any monthly premium. It would have expanded care to include vision, dental, hearing, and mental care. There would be a 2.2% income tax increase.

So for the average salary of $66,622 you would pay $122.15 before taxes, or $91 per per month after taxes. So that would be $46 every 2 weeks, or $23 per paycheck if you get paid weekly.

That would be your only medical expense. Regardless of how long you stay in the hospital or how much medication you need or anything else. And that would cover your whole family. Unless your spouse also works and then they would pay the same.

And you would be able to go to any doctor or health care provider in the country.

*Edit* There would also be a 7% employer paid payroll tax (which is also likely less than they were paying for their share of your premiums, unless they are just a shitty employer).
Click to expand...
Sounds good, but it will never happen. Hospitals, physicians, and of course insurance companies are all against it and will use their lobbyists to defeat it.
 
tlongII said:
Sounds good, but it will never happen. Hospitals, physicians, and of course insurance companies are all against it and will use their lobbyists to defeat it.
Click to expand...
That's why it's such a good idea. And why I support politicians who don't accept money from lobbyists.

I promise you the hospitals that are closing due to Medicare cuts aren't against it.

I've seen many medical professionals who are for it. Many who prefer working with Medicare over private insurance.

Doctors support the Medicare for All Act of 2023

pnhp.org pnhp.org
 
Phatguysrule said:
That's why it's such a good idea. And why I support politicians who don't accept money from lobbyists.

I promise you the hospitals that are closing due to Medicare cuts aren't against it.
Click to expand...
And I guarantee you that the majority of hospitals are against it. Private insurers typically pay medical providers a whole lot more than Medicare and Medicaid.
 
Oh and I don’t see any way we get rid of lobbyists any time soon.
 
tlongII said:
Oh and I don’t see any way we get rid of lobbyists any time soon.
Click to expand...
Don't need to get rid of lobbyists we just need to replace enough politicians who listen to them.

The only way to guarantee it doesn't happen is to stop talking about it and advocating for it.
 
tlongII said:
And I guarantee you that the majority of hospitals are against it. Private insurers typically pay medical providers a whole lot more than Medicare and Medicaid.
Click to expand...
Yes, and Most Republicans supported Trump as well... But now the leopard is eating many of their faces.

Same with private insurers. Eventually we're going to have to do what is right rather than what screws the most people.
 
There are many groups pushing for it and one in Oregon hopes it ends up on the ballot for voters in this state in the next couple years.

Ceding defeat already is harmful and destructive.
 
JfizzleBlazer said:
There are many groups pushing for it and one in Oregon hopes it ends up on the ballot for voters in this state in the next couple years.

Ceding defeat already is harmful and destructive.
Click to expand...
What good would it do to have it on a state’s ballot? It’s a federal issue.
 
I can't believe how flat the Christmas season seems this year...I don't hear the music everywhere or see much promotion or shopping or even decorations...my neighbors who always go all out for decorations haven't put anything out this year....it's as if the govt fired a lot of people and shut down for the last couple months or something.....not much expendable income and import tariffs have snuffed out stocking stuffers! Trumpenomics is dampening the holidays.
 
JfizzleBlazer said:
There are many groups pushing for it and one in Oregon hopes it ends up on the ballot for voters in this state in the next couple years.

Ceding defeat already is harmful and destructive.
Click to expand...
I thought Oregon already passed a guarantee for affordable healthcare for Oregon residents a couple years ago? It didn't impact me much until I was laid off a few months ago, then my wife's premium went up to $2k per month to add myself and our kids.

So now I'm trying to figure out our best options moving forward...
 
Phatguysrule said:
I thought Oregon already passed a guarantee for affordable healthcare for Oregon residents a couple years ago? It didn't impact me much until I was laid off a few months ago, then my wife's premium went up to $2k per month to add myself and our kids.

So now I'm trying to figure out our best options moving forward...
Click to expand...
Healthcare for all Oregon hopes to put something on the ballot for fall 2026 I believe.

www.hcao.org

HCAO - Health Care for All Oregon

Educating and advocating for quality, affordable, universal, single-payer Health Care in Oregon
www.hcao.org www.hcao.org
 
JfizzleBlazer said:
Healthcare for all Oregon hopes to put something on the ballot for fall 2026 I believe.

www.hcao.org

HCAO - Health Care for All Oregon

Educating and advocating for quality, affordable, universal, single-payer Health Care in Oregon
www.hcao.org www.hcao.org
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. This is what I was talking about

www.opb.org

Measure 111 passes, giving Oregonians a constitutional right to access affordable health care

Measure 111 makes Oregon the first state in the nation with a constitutional obligation to provide access to affordable health care to all its residents, similar to the constitutional guarantee of a public K-12 education.
www.opb.org
 
tlongII said:
I don’t think so. I don’t believe a state could fit it in their budget.
Click to expand...
They can. If it goes to vote it would have where the money comes from.

Waiting for an issue to be solved by one entity instead of doing it yourself as a state is blasphemy. If all states took that advice the amount of progress that would have been delayed in this world would be crazy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

PapaG
About Those Gas Prices...
Replies
20
Views
1K
Denny Crane
Denny Crane
Dumpy
Gas sinks to 3-year low
Replies
24
Views
3K
ToddMacCulloch11
ToddMacCulloch11
Denny Crane
$7-a-gallon gas?
Replies
24
Views
2K
Denny Crane
Denny Crane
EL PRESIDENTE
Obama: Oil Drilling hater of the environment!
Replies
0
Views
464
EL PRESIDENTE
EL PRESIDENTE
PapaG
The Obama Economy. 33 Facts Against the Recovery
2
Replies
37
Views
2K
julius
julius

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top