Alabama congressman: “People who lead good lives” don’t have preexisting conditions

[Benton]

(05-03-2017, 06:15 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/new_study_finds_that_most_cancer_mutations_are_due_to_random_dna_copying_mistakes

According to this study, Approximately 2/3rds of all cancers aren't related to hereditary, life style, or environmental factors. Just good people livin' the right way who get ***** as part of god's plan through no fault of their own.

Yeah, that flies in the face of a half century of research. Could be accurate, but it's going to take more than one study for me to think cancer is just bad luck. And it's anecdotal, but I love near the Paducah gaseous diffusion plant. Cancer rates there are something like 3 out of every 5 workers. The likelihood that that many random people went to work for the same employer is insane.

(05-03-2017, 07:30 PM)Dill Wrote: I am not up on current health care debates. But I have heard little mention of coops. People always talk as if one-payer and free market are the only options.  And coops offer some variation.

If I remember correctly, in Germany (as of 5 years ago) anyone making over 50,000 Euros could opt out of insurance--though all manner of private insurance like ours is available. People making less than 50,000, however, are mandated to buy. But I remember at least two different levels of coop. When we began making more money we had to go up a level.

No medical bankruptcies there.

Another feature I long for is that we never had to fill out forms. Doctors just sent in the bills. You didn't have to pay and then let insurance decide whether to reimburse.  The only exception was when my daughter spent nights in the hospital (back in the 80s). We were charged 5 Marks per night--about $2.50, depending on the exchange rate.

Coops can take a lot of forms. I think ideally private companies should try to get business as opposed to setting what their profit margin should be and working out from there.