If Anti -Vaxxers Are Really Committed They Should Stop Seeking Medical Care; Health Ins. Costs Rise

[appalachiablue]

- Daily Kos, Aug. 26, 2021.

'When your health insurance goes up, blame your unvaccinated neighbor.'

Antivax Republicans are calling for an economic boycott—"MASS NON-COMPLIANCE" to "end this tyranny"—of vaccine mandates. That includes leaving their jobs, boycotting stores and restaurants, etc. They need to add to that list that they refuse medical care if they get sick, the logical conclusion of COVID-19 denial. Of course, that's not happening, and of course, hospitals can't refuse them when they show up at the door.

The COVID-19 pandemic has cost the U.S. health system billions, but the preventable pandemic is what threatens to break it. In just two months—June and July of 2021—hospitalizing unvaccinated adults cost the health care system $2.3 billion. Two months. Two-plus billion. By "health care system," that means everyone who pays taxes and everyone who pays health insurance premiums, including employers.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, which conducted the analysis with the Peterson Center on Healthcare, 28% of adults over 18 have refused to get the free vaccination to avoid catching COVID-19. The study uses Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) data, which can't differentiate between those who can't get the vaccine for medical reasons and those who are simply refusing to be vaccinated for whatever reason (i.e., being a white Republican under age 50).

KFF estimates that the average COVID-19 hospitalization cost is around $20,000, with Medicare costs slightly higher and private insurer costs marginally lower. The CDC data indicates 113,000 preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations in June and July—again, among unvaccinated adults. Data from May and June determined that 98.3% of the COVID-19 hospitalizations were unvaccinated people. Each of those, costing an average of $20,000, is how they ended up at $2.3 billion...

- Read More + Graphs,
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/8/26/2048357/-When-your-health-insurance-premium-goes-up-blame-your-unvaccinated-neighbor

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. $20K each? Huh ... getting my appendix out was billed at way more than that

Not that the insurance company actually paid that amount, of course, but I was only in the hospital for like 24 hours.

[appalachiablue]

2. The surgery is vital and costs

[Hugh_Lebowski]

3. Yes, but appendix surgery is incredibly routine and simple

Last edited Thu Aug 26, 2021, 07:16 PM - Edit history (1)

I suppose $20K each is believable, but everyone who ends up in ICU on a ventilator costs WAAAAY more.

I do understand how averages work, though

[Skittles]

5. that sounds ridiculously low to me, too

yes indeed

[appalachiablue]

9. Personnel for intubation, costs of Covid

hospitalization. There's a good deal of material on this via google.

MDs and nurses w training can perform intubations. The costs of Covid hospital services are staggering, millions for some. I don't know how they averaged 20k unless plenty of patients required minimum care.

Two people I know had intubation recently, a relative- twice for pneumonia during chemotherapy, and a friend on a vent for days from a stroke-like brain condition. It's serious treatment.

https://www.unitekcollege.edu/blog/a-step-by-step-guide-to-intubation/

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/breaking-down-this-miracle-covid-19-survivors-11-million-hospital-bill-2020-06-16

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. In triage, the medical profession should treat patients who were vaccinated first

[Moebym]

7. They probably get a kick out of knowing

That they helped raise the cost of health insurance for the rest of us.

[appalachiablue]

8. Given their brainwashed views on the glories

of freedum and the free market it's possible.