- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
Summary
Rising frustrations with the U.S. healthcare system have been amplified by increasing insurance claim denials and mounting costs.
Patients report prolonged battles to access doctor-recommended care, with surveys showing one in five privately insured Americans faced denial in 2022.
Anger has intensified following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, spotlighting issues like AI-based claim reviews and profit-driven practices.
While Trump’s upcoming administration proposes deregulation and privatization, critics warn this could worsen access.
Public distrust persists, but significant reforms appear unlikely as partisan debates stall progress in Washington.
Yes, we’ve had socialized healthcare for ages. You just aren’t allowed to have it unless you’re old, very poor, disabled, or a vet. So they mean privatizing Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA
Also active military get universal healthcare, too. Damn communist service members…
Isn’t that just…Cobra insurance?
No. COBRA is continuation of benefits. For example, when you lose a job, you have the option to continue that same plan but paying for it yourself.
Most people don’t even bother because it’s typically far more expensive than anything else you can get.
Thank you. I’ve never used it so I had no idea.
Cobra is just the right to pay the employer portion of your health insurance after you leave your job so you don’t lose health insurance. Most americans skip it because they’re shocked to see just how much their employer subsidizes their health insurance
This is part of why there is such a push to decouple insurance from employment. Especially as corporations increasingly recognize they can both escape the tax demand of socialized health care and also escape the social contract of providing health insurance by moving more and more jobs to 1099/contractor positions
So remember when you are eyeing up that contractor job at amazon/doordash/uber/zocdoc/etc that is probably never going to unionize (if they have their say anyway): the 30-40k you earn there is really like 6-12k less (more if you want good insurance or support a family) because you will have to supply your own health/vision/dental (or you can just let yourself ignore all preventive care and/or keep your fingers crossed that you never have an inevitable health issue that will bankrupt you with your meager salary). Also keep in mind you get no retirement benefits. Good luck relying on social security/the national pension with musk and co continuing their assault on it. I don’t blame you if you take the job, we all gotta make ends meet, but try to get out asap because they will literally work you to death for a pittance
It’s also retroactive. There’s a deadline but I can wait and if I get another job before I get sick, I’m good. If I get sick and haven’t found another job, I can decide to pay for COBRA and I’m covered
Thank you for the explanation. I’ve never had to use it so I had no idea. I thought it was just some super cheap plan that barely covered anything.