Can't afford life-saving surgery? Go to jail to have it done!

[garbon]

When I worked in NC, they had lay-offs in the Department of Corrections because the organization wasn't prepared for "Meth Mouth". Meth heads were getting free dental work (mainly bridges and whole dentures) and it caused the dental budget to increase from a small amount to an astronomical expenditure. Prisoners would refuse parole until their false teeth were finished.

If only we had a non-prison system where meth addicts could get their teeth fixed for free!

It is odd that people want Universal Health Care but that seldom includes Dental or Vision which most people value above a lot of other medical problems.

I can have a tooth pulled for $250, and get a pair of glasses for the same price, appointment included.

To diagnose an ulcer, it cost me $7500. Not treat, mind you, but to diagnose. To treat it cost me another $150.

See the difference?

Yeah I'm seeing you make poor comparisons. Now mind you still not on the same level but one crown can set you back a couple grand.

[derspiess]

I might try out Walmart's $38 deal for a pair of glasses, for shits & gigs.  I wear contacts pretty much exclusively and only throw on my glasses if I have to get up at night for something, so little risk if they turn out ugly.

[merithyn]

Yeah I'm seeing you make poor comparisons. Now mind you still not on the same level but one crown can set you back a couple grand.

Not if you pull it. That's my point. You have less expensive options for dental and vision. They may not be preferred, but there are still ways to go about it that won't bankrupt you. That is not the case for medical.

There was no cheaper way to determine if I had an ulcer. There is no cheaper way to set a bone or treat bronchitis.

[garbon]

Yeah I'm seeing you make poor comparisons. Now mind you still not on the same level but one crown can set you back a couple grand.

Not if you pull it. That's my point. You have less expensive options for dental and vision. They may not be preferred, but there are still ways to go about it that won't bankrupt you. That is not the case for medical.

There was no cheaper way to determine if I had an ulcer. There is no cheaper way to set a bone or treat bronchitis.

Ah I see what you're getting at. Though on that front, you could always just "survive" with your ulcer (a la Mono) and just have your bones heal as they will.

[Bluebook]

What is wrong with you people?

[derspiess]

What is wrong with you people?

You tell us.

[MadImmortalMan]

I can have a tooth pulled for $250, and get a pair of glasses for the same price, appointment included.

To diagnose an ulcer, it cost me $7500. Not treat, mind you, but to diagnose. To treat it cost me another $150.

See the difference?

Somebody has to pay for that MRI machine. 

[Bluebook]

What is wrong with you people?

You tell us.

[Ed Anger]

I might try out Walmart's $38 deal for a pair of glasses, for shits & gigs.  I wear contacts pretty much exclusively and only throw on my glasses if I have to get up at night for something, so little risk if they turn out ugly.

For the love of god, don't go to Wally World for eye stuff. Please.

[derspiess]

I might try out Walmart's $38 deal for a pair of glasses, for shits & gigs.  I wear contacts pretty much exclusively and only throw on my glasses if I have to get up at night for something, so little risk if they turn out ugly.

For the love of god, don't go to Wally World for eye stuff. Please.

Have you done it?

[merithyn]

Ah I see what you're getting at. Though on that front, you could always just "survive" with your ulcer (a la Mono) and just have your bones heal as they will.

Again, you're missing my point.

A sore tooth hurts. An ulcer hurts. A broken bone hurts.

You can fix the tooth for a couple of hundred dollars so it doesn't hurt anymore. You cannot do that for an ulcer (which first has to be diagnosed so that you even know that it's an ulcer and not cancer) or a broken bone. So while yes, you could live with it, the point is that in order to live pain-free you have to spend a considerable amount more money for medical work than you do for dental.

Which is why people aren't harping about free dental or vision care. One can get by without. One cannot, really, get by without medical without going bankrupt, living in pain, or dying.

[merithyn]

I might try out Walmart's $38 deal for a pair of glasses, for shits & gigs.  I wear contacts pretty much exclusively and only throw on my glasses if I have to get up at night for something, so little risk if they turn out ugly.

For the love of god, don't go to Wally World for eye stuff. Please.

Why not? The kids have all gone there for years, and we've always had great experiences.

[Ed Anger]

I might try out Walmart's $38 deal for a pair of glasses, for shits & gigs.  I wear contacts pretty much exclusively and only throw on my glasses if I have to get up at night for something, so little risk if they turn out ugly.

For the love of god, don't go to Wally World for eye stuff. Please.

Have you done it?

My mom did some years back. Tried to tell her not to. The glasses prescribed were waaaaay off. I think they had a retard on duty that day. I wanted to shank the eye doc.

Got her to go to a real eye wizard, got her a rightous prescription.

[derspiess]

I might try out Walmart's $38 deal for a pair of glasses, for shits & gigs.  I wear contacts pretty much exclusively and only throw on my glasses if I have to get up at night for something, so little risk if they turn out ugly.

For the love of god, don't go to Wally World for eye stuff. Please.

Have you done it?

My mom did some years back. Tried to tell her not to. The glasses prescribed were waaaaay off. I think they had a retard on duty that day. I wanted to shank the eye doc.

Got her to go to a real eye wizard, got her a rightous prescription.

I'm getting my prescription from my regular eye doc

[Ed Anger]

I warned ye.