shakeybrainsurgeon
Contributor
I agree. But that is not true in every state. In Pennsylvania, even cheaper state schools will run residents about 15 to 25 K... there are no "city" schools. And, not surprisingly, in-state students have a HARDER time getting in (because they pay less). It's not just health insurers that care about cash.
Recent analysis suggests that the more expensive schools are indeed not worth the money, if judged by future earnings of their graduates. Yes, Harvard grads make more than East Elsewhere state grads, but that's because Ivy League schools attract more intelligent, wealthy and motivated students in the first place. In other words, if we switched Harvard's freshman class with some community college's freshman class, the community college grads would probably make more money when they finished. It's the student body, not the institution, that seems to make the difference.
Also, studies show that if an 18 year old really has 160K or more in hard cash and, instead of going to college, put it into investments and instead worked as a Walmart greeter, he or she would have more money by age 65 than a harvard grad. Thus, a college degree may be worth it for job satisfaction, prestige and other intangibles, but it is fast outpricing itself as an economic advantage.
As for how wonderful the "free" Canadian system is, when I was last in Nova Scotia, a lobster fisherman bragged about how he had used some family connections to get his hip replacement moved up. Now, he could get it in 12 months instead of 18! American patients have become so spoiled (if I can't get someone in for an MRI or epidural steroid injection IN ONE WEEK there is hell to pay) they will never tolerate this.
Anyone who believes the Canadian health system is better should see an American proctologist to have their craniums extracted. Preferably in one week or less. Or perhaps they should go to Albany, or Detroit, or Chicago, or Erie and see how many Canadians are in American hospitals getting treatment. Canadian care is great until you actually get sick. And it isn't free, look at their tax system. It's horrific.
As for the millions of uninsured, I can't tell you how many nights I spent (including nearly every New Year's Eve for ten years) pulling blood clots out of uninsured people's heads who never paid a dime and never will. We send bills, they toss them. No one is going to jail or is going to be denied necessary treatment because they can't or won't pay. I never saw a cent for these procedures (one guy sent me a tie, but it was an UGLY tie). True, someone who can't pay isn't going to get an elective knee scope or six months of massage therapy for a bad back but, hey, guess what. They won't get these things in Canada either.
As the doctors on this board will tell you, people will get the care they need regardless of the ability to pay. In fact, because they jump through no insurance hurdles, the uninsured and underinsured often get MORE care FASTER than those with insurance.
