U.S. health insurance: the largest Ponzi scam?

U.S. health insurance system, known as "the best this country one of the things done." However, as the deepening financial crisis, it becomes increasingly obvious shortcomings. Experts say the current health insurance system is the plundering of the younger generation, one day it will bear the burden fall apart. In this sense, it's like the world's largest next to the scam.


The elderly: a doctor is a kind of social

In the United States Florian Labosada Palm Beach, Florida retirement community, people live an enviable life. Where there are paved marble floors, crystal-clear swimming pool, delicious dining, as well as the picturesque lakeside apartment. Labosada retirement communities from the United States has been named Forbes Top Ten "Magnificent Palace" retirement communities.

Residents Qiao Tena said: "We live here and sweeter than honey."

So, how much money does stay in this community?

"Around 350000-500000 U.S. dollars," remarked one resident Sam Barth said.

This is just the initial cost of occupancy. Come here to live in old people are successful people have disposable income. In addition, they also enjoy generous health insurance, the vast majority of medical costs paid by taxpayers on their behalf.

"Medical insurance, I think it is the most wonderful thing," said resident Marilyn Herron.

Another resident Henglibeike agree with that, he said that the health insurance is "the best in this country one of the things done."

Of course, they love the health insurance, who do not want to get free services? It is precisely because the existence of medical insurance, their medical care almost all free of charge, even if there is a little expenditure, but also very cheap, so some of them go to the hospital every few days.

"That is our social life," Herron joked.

Young people: This is the theft of our

But the Harvard Business School professor Ling believes that a young person's medical insurance fraud. "We give young people left a legacy of what?" She said, "we are actually stealing, it is wrong."

ABC's "20/20" program group interview with three high school students in Dayton, Ohio. They are very keen on helping the elderly, is a food distribution center's volunteers, but they are critical of the medical insurance system that the system forced them to pay medical expenses for the wealthy elderly.

Students said: "They lived 300000-500000 mansion, but do not pay their own medical expenses, how they think is morally?"

Another student, David Zhake Jia said: "The health care system, in fact, is the looting of our generation."

American Enterprise Institute policy expert Andrew Biggs, the students justified complaints. He said: "Government spending for the elderly and children ratio is 6:1, in fact, children in the poverty rate is much higher than the elderly poverty rate."

As the students in Senkang Si Constable said, this is like "from the hands of people who need help to win money to help those who do not need to help people."

For the young people complain that Labosada residents in the community respond? Most elderly people think that, over the years, their monthly wage income must be deducted a sum of money for retirement, and now enjoyed by all, they would have paid in advance.

Residents Henglipoer said: "I paid for it 40 years. We are now life is deserved."

Crisis: The Financial Tsunami brewing

Indeed, the elderly pay for medical insurance for many years, but today's Medicare beneficiaries are getting their pay for two to three times the original.

A retired billionaire Pete Peterson, said the medical insurance system "is not only unfair, but downright immoral."

Peterson believes that the medical insurance system is not only a question of fair, but also about ability to pay. The name of the charitable foundation he warned that if no measures are taken to promote the Government's financial reform, health insurance system about to collapse.

"Medical insurance system is brewing a financial tsunami," Peterson said.

The U.S. government in 1965 to create health insurance system, then every 6 months in the working-age segment of Americans to pay a medical insurance beneficiary; Today, as people are living longer, the elderly increased substantially, about 4 in the working-age segment of the United States who should pay for a health insurance beneficiaries. As the baby boomers enter the retirement stage, the situation would be far worse.

Government's commitment to the present, based on the medical insurance and then invest an additional 34 trillion U.S. dollars, which is equivalent to 30 games to launch the war in Iraq. In today's young people into retirement before the current health insurance system, destined to fall apart. In this sense, the current health insurance system like the world's largest Ponzi scam.

"Medical insurance system can not guarantee any return of this generation," said Constable.

But Labosada residents believe that the present medical insurance system should bear the additional costs, although it has already paid that are not necessary elements, such as Viagra.

This sounds alarming, but the elderly need them. In fact, what they need and often can get anything, because their hands have their votes, but also a huge number. So, if a politician tried to promote the campaign to reduce health insurance expenses, the old people would say: "Well, you pay the election expenses it, do not expect to get anything from me."

Change: is not an easy

Hecilinge and Peterson believe that the elderly should be to make some sacrifices: Medical insurance for people age, the need to improve, or reduce the affluent elderly free service.

"We need the medical insurance system, raising the personal obligation," Hecilinge said, "If you have no money, good, you can enjoy medical insurance; If you can pay for medical insurance, then up to you to pay."

American Association of Retired Association has objected to the proposal. It believed that the health insurance deficit by eliminating waste and reform of the medical services as a solution. AARP legislative policy director David said: "We have to do is to make better use of medical information technology and medical records."

Then, the computer can solve all the problems? "Of course, they can not solve all the problems, but it can contribute to the health care system more effective," said .

But the Congressional Budget Office said that the reforms advocated by not save much money, will not bring real different, but opinionated.

Over the past 10 years, the American Association of Retired Association to lobby the Government to implement its vision of health care reform a total cost of 150 million U.S. dollars. It is also advertising to remind legislators: We are staring at you.

"The U.S. Retirement Association does not want to see people lose their health insurance," said .

But Peterson insisted that someone will eventually give up some of the content of medical insurance. He has been engaged in a lonely war, because many elderly people are not aware of the shortcomings of the current health insurance system.

Happily, when "20/20" program group to Labosada tenants the health insurance system in the current predicament, some people express their new ideas.

"I have heard young people say, strictly from a monetary point of view, they said yes," Pearl said, "When they came to us this age, may not have medical insurance of."

They understand the medical insurance system faces financial crisis does not really want to plunder the wealth of the younger generation. "Let them go to change the law it, when they have the right to vote, they can achieve," McCarthy said Labosada residents.

Of course, this will not happen overnight.

: The U.S. private enterprises will participate in the efforts to reduce health care expenditure

May 10 the U.S. media reported that six major U.S. medical and insurance organizations prepared to work with President Barack Obama submitted a letter expressing his willingness to help the government, starting next year to 10 years, the U.S. health care expenditure growth rate reduced by 1 year .5 percentage points, a total savings of about 2 trillion U.S. dollars. Click here to amplitude, the planned implementation of the fifth year, a four homes a year could save an average of 2,500 U.S. dollars for medical expenses.

The U.S. government announced last year, statistics show that U.S. households in 2007 the average annual income of about 5 million.

The U.S. health care spending highest in the world. According to government statistics, the United States in 2007 medical expenditures of 2.2 trillion dollars, up 6.1% over the previous year. This figure accounts for 16.2% of gross domestic product, equivalent to 7421 U.S. dollars per capita expenditure.

Government anticipates that from 2008 to 2018, average annual health care expenditure will grow by 6.2%. Click here to rate, by 2018, the U.S. health care spending will account for one-fifth of total economic output.

Although the United States health care expenses are huge, but long-term existence of efficiency and equity. Over 300 million Americans, approximately 46 million people without health insurance.

"The New York Times" report, the six health care and insurance organization, said cost-cutting ways to take active measures to obesity, including war, coordinated medical care, control of chronic diseases, reduce unnecessary tests and procedures, development of standardized documents and increased insurance claims information technology, such as the creation of electronic medical records.

Reported that the efforts of private enterprises and institutions can only be a partial solution to the problem of rising medical expenditures, most of the decrease in expenditure is also the need to reform existing laws and regulations to achieve.