There are a few points being confused here. The bill that was passed is health insurance reform. It is not single payer. Not socialized medicine. Will we be paying more? Maybe initially, but over the long haul, we will actually be paying less as we will not be paying for uninsured individuals the way we do now.
As of right now, if someone does not have health insurance and they rack up a big medical bill, what happens? Assuming that the person does not have Medicaid, Medicare, or a state-run health insurance option, I can tell you what is likely to happen. If the bill is from a state-run hospital or clinic (as in through the University system) or is affiliated with a religious organization, chances are that there is a program offered through the hospital or clinic to help alleviate some or all of the debt or work out whatever would be a manageable payment (which often includes a deduction from the total bill, leaving a remainder that can be paid over time, by using foundation dollars-which are earned in part by charging the people with insurance more). If the clinic or hospital is not affiliated with the state or a religious organization, the billing department will often be more emboldened about retrieving debt. Seldom are hardship programs offered through such a medical institution. What is likely to happen in that scenario is that the medical establishment will decide what is a reasonable payment each month even if it is beyond what the patient can afford. When the patient fails at being able to keep up with said payments, then the patient will be referred to a collections agency. If something cannot be worked out with the collections agency, the matter of the outstanding bill can result in a court case. Anyone who is familiar with public court records should be aware that once this happens, there is yet another cost for taxpayers, and often, even if the case is decided in the favor of the clinic (which means that someone from the clinic needs to show up in court, which is unlikely to happen most of the time), the bill will remain outstanding for a long while, perhaps, indefinitely, and without real consequence.
Now, I know, this may be an example of where government really isn't working. How do you get people who are delinquent in paying their bills to ever actually pay when there is so little enforcement? However, that is not my key point. My point is that we, as patients, we, as taxpayers, we, as insured individuals, are already paying for the uninsured. We have been for nearly 40 years.
To begin to solve the problem, carrying health insurance has to be mandatory.
Alsek, what I get from all your posts is that the taxpayers paid your medical bill. May I ask, were you under the age of 18 when you required surgery? I ask this, because there have been programs in place over the past several decades that covered the children of the uninsured, and sometimes parents as well.
I have taken issue with such programs as they essentially make children into cheap commodities. I've known people who have had children with the intent of receiving government support. I do not wish to condemn such people, because when times are tough, you do what you have to do. But as someone who has been an advocate for single and/or childless individuals, I have always deemed such programs as unfair. As someone who can never have children (not that I ever wanted to) and as someone who has had to go without insurance at times due to economic hardship, I can tell you how upset it made me, knowing that I was paying for health insurance for people who were better off than I was. I am very pleased that this bill extends programs such as Medicaid to childless adults. We are one of the most discriminated against groups out there. I have been passed over for promotions, and for jobs, all based on the fact that I do not have children. "We're giving the job to so and so because he/she needs more money to support his/her family." Do you realize how crappy that is when you are more qualified? Oh, and if you do get sick as a childless adult, expect no sympathy from your employer. Have to take short-term disability? Don't expect having a job to return to. That happened to me in 2007. Yet if you are expecting a child, you can take the full term of short-term disability for your maternity leave, no hassle, no questions asked.
All of that said, everyone knows how I feel about all of this. I am for it. I wish the bill went farther than it does. But I am still skeptical about how it will all play out. When I hear things like "oh, they won't really fine the uninsured" or that the fine will be a mere $695, I have doubts as to the enforcement. That is where government always fails. You can pass a law, but if it is not properly enforced with strict enough penalties, it will not work. It is that way with everything.
