I was listening to NPR yesterday and they were talking about how the US is starting to have less and less room every year for pediatric care because pediatric care isn't very profitable compared to care for people over 60.
this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2026
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I'm diabetic with early signs of cirrhosis, I'm pretty confident that I'm going to die somewhat early and probably with a lot of medical debt.
I was thinking the other day about what steps I can take to effectively divorce my wife and leave as much to her and my kids as possible instead of insurance.
You're completely right, but you could replace for profit healthcare with for profit anything and still be right.
Exactly. Capitalism is used to extract as much money as possible and concentrate it on the 1 %
Yup capitalism is just feudalism with extra steps. Every economic system before had its moment to resolve problems of their time. But it's time to move on from capitalism. Never before have we had the ability to provide the essentials for every human on earth, and since we do now (yes not over night) we have an obligation to those that came before us to do so. Think about what humanity could accomplish if we stopped needlessly fighting each other for survival. Look at what we've accomplished while trying to kill each other. Together we are limitless.
As opposed to Communism, where they extract as much wealth as possible and concentrate it on the 0.1% (the party leadership). Especially when they go to beyond the first generation.
You're comparing best case capitalism with worst case communism.
When communists concentrate wealth, they are corrupt, the system is not working as intended.
When capitalists concentrate wealth, the system is working as intended.
Best case capitalism is not "wealth concentrates on the 1%". Best case capitalism (which in fact has happened in many places around the world) is "everyone gets richer".
In a similar way, worst case communism has also happened in many places around the world.
See why I prefer one over the other?
Where does the money come from that makes everyone richer?
You can only have more if somebody else has less (money concentration)
Where does the money come from that makes everyone richer?
You can only have more if somebody else has less (money concentration)
That's basic economics, isn't it. Wealth is increased (not just moved) in several ways in a free market system. But not only in a free market system -- in communistic systems the same thing happened as well, only in a different framework. And less efficiently in the end.
Seriously surprised more people don't just leave the country at this point
Capital flows across borders easily, labor does not. It's a state imposed arbitrage system where capital flows to the cheapest labor but labor cannot move to countries with the highest wages, thus ensuring a race to the bottom with labor rates.
Because that's not a trivial task?
It's a long and difficult process to get citizenship elsewhere. It's expensive to move or start over (even within the same country). Most people can't afford to bring their entire extended family. And you have to find a new job when you get there.
Reddit was saying for the past four years that all good Russians left Russia and only supporters of Putin choose to remain. So sounds like it's pretty easy to move.
When shit gets shit enough, it's worth any amount of effort to leave
Found the guy who's not poor
My partner and I have both dual citizenships, but not for the same countries. That gives us an advantage that others don’t have, and while we’ve been working on leaving for our own safety, it is difficult and complicated.
Not just before. Also after.
That's true and that's important additional context. Survivors get punished too.
So I worked for a big health insurance company for 11 years. Of which 4 of those I worked in international claims.
We would get these claims from Mexico sometimes for people with terminal cancer.
The companies were U.S companies. But in Mexico.
Ever see those commercials for "cancer treatment centers of America" where they promise new innovative and experimental treatments?
They used to run commercials all the time. Well all the facilities are all located in Mexico.
(Now it's been about 6 years since I last worked there and maybe these companies don't exist anymore. I hope not).
Anywho. We would get these medical claims in for literally a few million dollars.
For vitamin B shots. Water exercises. Massages.
Nothing innovative. No actual cancer treatments.
Just pain killers and vitamin B shots.
People would stay there for a month or two then die. But that's only part of the horror.
The cancer centers would not release the bodies of the person until the debt was paid.
Yeah they would hold them for ransom.
That's why desperate people would try to get the u.s health insurance company to pay some of it. But we wouldn't. Because 1. It's considered medical tourism. And 2. It's not considered legitimate health care.
We felt bad for the families whenever one of these claims came through. They would often submit it multiple times trying to get it paid. With letters begging us. Which is how we learned that these companies won't release the body of the deceased until they were paid.
They have been sued many times but still going strong.
There are lots of them but just the one I mentioned.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1878788/ Questionable cancer practices in Tijuana and other Mexican border clinics
Why is medical tourism not covered? Seemd like they should be in board with cost saving
Maybe, maybe not.
Some places are as expensive or more.
These Mexico cancer centers charge way more.
Switzerland also has expensive medical. Almost same as U.S.
Most other countries cheaper but it's hard to know if there is fraud. People go get cosmetic surgery and send in a bill for a deviated septum but it was a cosmetic nose job.
Generally only accidental or emergency care is covered for foreign countries where it's not easy to get to the u.s.
For example you get injured or have a heart attack in Mexico near U.S border, you better go to the U.S hospital if it's closer or it won't be covered.
There was exceptions made for expats living abroad.
There was one company that had like 8 families that it insured. All lived in different foreign countries.
I think they were maybe doctors.
The company was a charity that's well known but I don't want to say who. They were very good to their employees though. They paid some crazy gold platinum plan for these people. We covered everything for them and their family and even reimbursed them in their currency. Had like a $200 deductible and no copays or something crazy like that.
Best plans I've ever seen.
sounds like those places are pseudoscience just preying on the desperate.
One of my highest concerns and grievances with working towards retirement in the US. Even if you do everything ' right'. All it takes is a bad roll of the cancer dice and your family is fucked. Your hard work is washed down the drain. And there's not a single political fuck in chance of reform in our lifetimes.
I'm surprised there aren't more cancer patients who decide fuck it and aggressively crash a board meeting.
Far too many people do not see the equivalence between physical attack and financial attack. IMO, at a certain point it's just fucking self defense...
That my plan, it will be in healthcare best interest if I never get terminal cancer.
probably too sick from cancer or chemo to even perform that. maybe a distraught family member will.
Wasn't that the story behind that kid that shot the UHC CEO?
It’s not even necessarily better in places with some public healthcare. In Canada, although medical care is generally free, retirement residences are not. My grandmother is in her 90s and requires a memory care facility, which costs $8000 per month. She is very lucky to have an inflation indexed pension, and even with it her kids are having to supplement to pay the cost.
The only thing you can do is hope never to require care.
It's a good thing (for the corps) that the US is filled with mostly morons who think that's a good thing.
My terminal diagnosis plan is split. I'm not sure which one I should do. I guess it depends on how sick or how much time I have left.
it's either going to be making my death look completely accidental for the life insurance money, or go on a punisher spree until I'm dead.
All business is built to extract as much resource control as possible from everywhere. The natural goal for all business is the complete control of everything, a monopoly on all resources, with zero responsibility.
No it's not "natural," because corporations themselves are not "natural." We created them, and they've only gained more and more power and less and less accountability because we let them. It doesn't have to be that way. Being granted a corporate charter is a privilege, not a right; we don't have to let corporations that act against the public interest continue to exist.
See also: https://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporate-accountability-history-corporations-us/
Everything is natural since it all comes from nature, like us, unless you believe in something silly, like God.
Pro Tip: DEED TRANSFER TO YOUR KIDS BEFORE YOU GET SICK ffs
You have to do this at least five years in advance. Also another option is to put your assets in a trust. But if you do either of these with your house you may lose property tax exemptions like a homestead exemption.
No one plans to get sick when they do.
Only if your kids aren’t assholes.
You can call it Mercenary. That's what it is.
does not stop there also from the state. the whole medicare advantage is about billing for illnesses without effectively providing care.
That's all insurance ever.
Yep work for Allstate the "good hands" people. They fuck you anyway they can.
All capitalist business is.
You can't really pay for care.