So I have bid my farewell of the EUOT.

[Ed Anger]

[Eddie Teach]

You're thinking: shtickbot?

I don't think he's a bot. I just think he's comfortable with the role he plays, as are most of the regulars. New posters like Pat though aren't going to have gotten bored with it.

[Drakken]

Internet arguments are there to be won. It's mightily important in life! 

Older than Y2K, but still:

[Fate]

Pat, I join you in exile.

You have been banned for the following reason:
Major Troll

Date the ban will be lifted: 20-12-2009, 08:00

[Caliga]

Jesus, why do you guys even bother?  This is coming from someone who's never been banned from EUOT, even.

[BVN]

Pat, I join you in exile.

You have been banned for the following reason:
Major Troll

Date the ban will be lifted: 20-12-2009, 08:00

You weren't very subtle, now were you...

[dps]

Who is the US system good for besides the insurance industry?

It's pretty good for most people with insurance.  There is no peace of mind with it, because pretty much everyone can fall through the cracks due to an unfortunate set of events, but it's usually good while you have it.  Of course, it's an utterly unsustainable way of things, but nothing is perfect.

It's good so as long as you never use it. Gotcha.

Actually, it kind of sucks if you never use it, too.

I graduated college and started working full time in 1984.  From then thru 1995, I never had cause to go to a doctor, not even once, yet I was having health insurance premiums held out of my paycheck the whole time.  I often thought about dropping my health insurance a lot during that time, because frankly, it wasn't clear that I needed it, but always ended up keeping it.   Many of my co-workers in roughly the same demographic group, however, didn't have health insurance, simply because they made the opposite decision.

Keep that in mind the next time someone quotes some stat about "X-million people in the US don't have any health insurance"--many of them are young, healthy people who can afford it, but don't get it because they don't think that they need it.

[DGuller]

Actually, it kind of sucks if you never use it, too.

I graduated college and started working full time in 1984.  From then thru 1995, I never had cause to go to a doctor, not even once, yet I was having health insurance premiums held out of my paycheck the whole time.  I often thought about dropping my health insurance a lot during that time, because frankly, it wasn't clear that I needed it, but always ended up keeping it.   Many of my co-workers in roughly the same demographic group, however, didn't have health insurance, simply because they made the opposite decision.

Keep that in mind the next time someone quotes some stat about "X-million people in the US don't have any health insurance"--many of them are young, healthy people who can afford it, but don't get it because they don't think that they need it.

Dude, it's insurance.  Do you understand how insurance works?  There wouldn't be a point in having insurance if everyone's premiums were related to how much they used it.  Some people are lucky and get cancer, and therefore use up a lot more services than they pay in premiums.  Some people are very unlucky and remain perfectly healthy, and thus pay their premium for nothing. 

Seriously, dropping health insurance provided mostly by your employer is one of the dumbest thing you can ever do.  Congratulate yourself on not being as dumb or ignorant as your co-workers, although kick yourself in the nuts for ever being dumb enough to even consider it.

[sbr]

Actually, it kind of sucks if you never use it, too.

I graduated college and started working full time in 1984.  From then thru 1995, I never had cause to go to a doctor, not even once, yet I was having health insurance premiums held out of my paycheck the whole time.  I often thought about dropping my health insurance a lot during that time, because frankly, it wasn't clear that I needed it, but always ended up keeping it.   Many of my co-workers in roughly the same demographic group, however, didn't have health insurance, simply because they made the opposite decision.

Keep that in mind the next time someone quotes some stat about "X-million people in the US don't have any health insurance"--many of them are young, healthy people who can afford it, but don't get it because they don't think that they need it.

Dude, it's insurance.  Do you understand how insurance works?  There wouldn't be a point in having insurance if everyone's premiums were related to how much they used it.  Some people are lucky and get cancer, and therefore use up a lot more services than they pay in premiums.  Some people are very unlucky and remain perfectly healthy, and thus pay their premium for nothing. 

Seriously, dropping health insurance provided mostly by your employer is one of the dumbest thing you can ever do.  Congratulate yourself on not being as dumb or ignorant as your co-workers, although kick yourself in the nuts for ever being dumb enough to even consider it.

That is a phenomenal response.