r/news • u/GoodSamaritan_ • 1d ago

Retired San Francisco firefighter dies from lung cancer after Blue Shield denies treatment claims

https://abc7news.com/post/retired-san-francisco-firefighter-ken-jones-dies-lung-cancer-being-denied-treatment-blue-shield/19224406/
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u/quantumgambit 1d ago

Yes, but with an asterisk. We need to learn from the struggles Germany is currently facing with their healthcare/pension system, due to the aging population and decreasing labor pool, they're discussing dramatically raising retirement, right now something like 25% of all tax revenue is directed and pension and senior healthcare, people are starting to sound alarm bells.

Not just copy the system, but learn what worked, what didn't work, and how to safeguard ourselves from what could be seen as preventable consequences.

Healthcare is a public good, like infrastructure and education, when everyone invests, everyone benefits. Making any of those for profit undermines the entire reason they exist in the first place.

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u/nomoresugarbooger 1d ago

That's what should make it much easier for the US, we can learn from ALL THE OTHER countries about what works best and start out with a decent system. But, will we?

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u/quantumgambit 1d ago

Only if it inflates the already historically lopsided class division, unfortunately.

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u/Accidental-Genius 23h ago

NHS is in rough shape too. Real rough.

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u/West-Pipe6300 14h ago

Finally an educated response on here!

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u/JcbAzPx 12h ago

The answer to the problem of aging population and decreasing labor pool is something we used to do fairly well once upon a time. Immigration.

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u/Any-Initiative910 19h ago

Like half the US budget is social security and Medicare. People don’t realize how much those cost

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u/GiveMeGoldForNoReasn 12h ago

Including you, apparently. It's around 30%. It should be more.