"Waiving" goodbye to covid cost sharing.

[Harry Le Hermit]

Not sure what it all means, but apparently the cost sharing programs by insurance, hospitals, and government, related to covid are rapidly coming to an end. The rationale seems to be that vaccines are now readily available and can significantly reduce hospital admissions.

I've ran across several articles the past couple of months, but the newsfeed is more and more referring to this and mentioning much higher out of pocket costs.

We've gone from being paid to be vaccinated to being threatened with financial harm if we end up in the hospital. It doesn't seem to differentiate between unvaccinated and breakthroughs, but the media will focus the on unvaccinated, with an "I told you so" mentality. Cynical, but that is who I am.

 

[Lethe200]

We, as taxpayers, were picking up the tab (eventually) for the initial 'free' vaccines.

There is absolutely no reason why we should continue to do so, unless the US finally sees the light and institutes a national public healthcare mandate as every other industrial nation has done. We pay more for less than any other country in the world, when it comes to healthcare.

I personally do not wish to pick up the healthcare costs for people who refuse to be vaxxed. If you have objections to the vaccines, fine. But if you get sick, I fail to see why others should have to pick up the enormous costs for ICU staff and equipment.

If someone is willing to take the risks then that person should be equally willing to assume responsibility for the consequences, correct? No different than throwing $$$$ at the stock market, except in this case the infected are a danger to everyone around. Especially those I know who are unable to get vaccinated because they are seriously immuno-compromised, the way Gen. Colin Powell was. Such people are extremely vulnerable.

Not to mention the end result of hundreds of thousands of first responders who have died of COVID, trying to help everyone, regardless of vaccination status.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I understand where you are coming from but in the end who really pays.

Private insurance companies through higher premiums?
Medicare?
Medicaid?
Hospital uncollected debts/charge offs that result in increased cost of care?

IMO everyone deserves health care even if they are the cause of the illness or injury.

I don’t want to live in a country where we are stepping over the bodies of the dead and dying.