Health Care Hell Hole: Hawaii

[Hometown]

Several years ago when healthcare was less expensive I had to buy an individual plan.  After much research I discovered the best I could do was a $5,000 deductible and a $300 monthly premium.  It would be much higher today, several years later.

Just about everyone (Republican and Democrat) with individual plans has something similar.  And everyone with these plans say, verbatim, "we just pray that we don't get sick."

Republicans who get hysterical about the prospect of government involvement in healthcare stop and reflect on their own policies and say, "We just pray that we don't get sick."

Well guess what – you will get sick.

And if you are lucky enough to get treatment, one of the hospitals here in town will collect hefty fees to be pay for their elaborate new facilities and their full-page Tulsa World ads and their Hollywood doctors.  $750 for 10 minutes with you.

College?  Now anyone with a kid in an institution of higher learning today will tell you that it's like buying a house.  We are talking well over $30,000 a year.

Healthcare and Education today in Oklahoma, feels like real estate in California five years ago.  It doesn't make any sense.  And it's destroying our quality of life.

[Conan71]

Several years ago when healthcare was less expensive I had to buy an individual plan.  After much research I discovered the best I could do was a $5,000 deductible and a $300 monthly premium.  It would be much higher today, several years later.

Was it a co-pay plan or straight 20/80 for major medical only, did you have well-visits included in the plan?  I find there are a lot of people who don't quite understand how their deductible works on their health insurance and think it's worse than it really is.

Just about everyone (Republican and Democrat) with individual plans has something similar.  And everyone with these plans say, verbatim, "we just pray that we don't get sick."

Republicans who get hysterical about the prospect of government involvement in healthcare stop and reflect on their own policies and say, "We just pray that we don't get sick."

Well guess what – you will get sick.

And if you are lucky enough to get treatment, one of the hospitals here in town will collect hefty fees to be pay for their elaborate new facilities and their full-page Tulsa World ads and their Hollywood doctors.  $750 for 10 minutes with you.

$750??? For what procedure.  You aren't talking about an office visit are you?  Waaaaay off base.

College?  Now anyone with a kid in an institution of higher learning today will tell you that it's like buying a house.  We are talking well over $30,000 a year.

As someone who is paying for a college education for a child at OU, that's incorrect.  You are off by about 100%.  Perhaps at TU or some other private school.

Healthcare and Education today in Oklahoma, feels like real estate in California five years ago.  It doesn't make any sense.  And it's destroying our quality of life.

[Gaspar]

Hometown, you can get free healthcare, just show up at the ER without your wallet and pretend you don't speak English. You were a real sucker for buying that silly insurance.

There's even a plaque at St. Francis ED admitting that says they must treat everyone "regardless of ability to pay".  It's in Spanish too!

I only paid $20K/yr for my education at TU.  I must of had a coupon or something.

[Red Arrow]

Hometown, you can get free healthcare, just show up at the ER without your wallet and pretend you don't speak English. You were a real sucker for buying that silly insurance.

There's even a plaque at St. Francis ED admitting that says they must treat everyone "regardless of ability to pay".  It's in Spanish too!

I only paid $20K/yr for my education at TU.  I must of had a coupon or something.

I took a winter break course at TU in Jan 1972 for $35/credit hr.  3 hr course, $105. 
Starting salary for a mechanical engineer (friend, not me, I got drafted) in summer 1972 was about $11,000/yr.

[heironymouspasparagus]

The single best investment any state can make is in higher education; either college or trade school.  This has been well established for decades, and yet, we do everything we can to discourage people from going to college. 

Here's a thought; for successful students (C or better) who graduate and stay in the state for minimum of 5 years after graduation, books and tuition are free.

Too bad there aren't enough jobs for that.