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BKH70041

(961 posts)

33. Pffffft! Good Luck With That

Tue Oct 29, 2013, 09:54 AM

Oct 2013

When I was in my teens and early 20's I was invincible. A lot of young men feel the same way. I didn't go to the doctor unless I was really, really sick. For what other reason should I go? There wasn't any as far as I was concerned, and young men are the same way today.

So why should they pay $600 a year for insurance for something they probably won't even use? That's a hard sell. $600 can buy a lot of beer. $600 is filling up the car with gas 15 times. $600 could be several months of groceries for a single man. A very hard sell. And what society thinks doesn't mean anything to them.

In ACA, short of holding a gun to their head, it's not going to happen. If it doesn't happen, the foundation of ACA becomes a lot less stable.

My solution is Medicare for all, and in order to keep your Medicare from year to year you have to have a physical. No physical, you pay a big fine. That's about the only way you're going to get the preventive healthcare needed to catch things early and keep costs down.

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Where do our sons learn not to go to the doctors? Does that now create a social burden? [View all] HereSince1628 Oct 2013 OP

That's a great point, and I just want to add my opinion from here polly7 Oct 2013 #1

American waiting rooms have similar messages...not seen unless you are there HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #2

We get so many commercials / psa's on a lot of our local tv channels stressing polly7 Oct 2013 #4

A Check on Physicals FarCenter Oct 2013 #3

Sort of doesn't look like basic preventive care available under the ACA HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #7

I think the real 'social problem' is the built in promise of profit for Insurance Companies. Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #12

My stepson died at 41 of a massive heart attack. Probably preventable. SharonAnn Oct 2013 #55

Did you have his cholesterol level measured during the autopsy? FarCenter Oct 2013 #59

Lately we have learned that cholesterol is not the problem, inflammation is. grasswire Oct 2013 #78

And statins probably work as anti-inflammatories, rather than by cholesterol lowering. FarCenter Oct 2013 #79

exactly grasswire Oct 2013 #81

It doesn't matter how statins work; it only matters that they do FarCenter Oct 2013 #82

"No one questions the importance of regular exams for (insert demographic here)" lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #70

The question is whether a routine exam results in finding something that can be prevented FarCenter Oct 2013 #72

Doesn't that mean though that the long term cost for men should be higher? Fumesucker Oct 2013 #5

Yes, certainly for preventive care and early treatment HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #10

I'm not sure which part of my post you're agreeing with Fumesucker Oct 2013 #13

Well, your claim seems to reference a data point... HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #17

Silly me, referencing data when everyone knows better Fumesucker Oct 2013 #20

Where is some proof that all things being equal, men have a 'habit' of not seeing doctors while Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #16

It's widely known that men don't seek medical care...here are newspaper articles HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #18

+1. That idea deserves consideration. bemildred Oct 2013 #26

The lifetime cost for women's health care is 1/3 more, largely due to longer lifespan. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #56

"if you're well enough to crawl to the bathroom, young man, you're well enough for school!" MindPilot Oct 2013 #6

Yes, but a study not long ago also suggested machismo was a factor HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #21

Girl here. My mother said the exact same thing. ScreamingMeemie Oct 2013 #23

Boss said work's more important n/t seabeckind Oct 2013 #8

I'm sure that attendance rules for work do influence people's choices. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #31

Do you have any sort of figures or stats to support your assumption that men as a whole have Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #9

I can't make the Census Bureau's Stat link work... HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #15

Going to more appointments is not much proof of your assertions Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #24

Another reference to the Census Bureau analysis HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #29

So 57% vs 74%? A 15 point difference is all this is about? Interesting take to lump all men Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #37

Actually, those numbers are on percents of people having vistis, not numbers of visits HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #51

74% is 30% more than 57% lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #85

The difference you cite is in percents for each seeing a doctor at least once HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #92

This message was self-deleted by its author seaglass Oct 2013 #11

See post #6 Fumesucker Oct 2013 #14

That poster says he does not go to the doctor because of how his Mother dealt with doctors. Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #28

I understand that for this to work everyone has to have insurance. That's what the liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #19

I suspect we've always been subject to the will of culture HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #25

but people will still play football and people will still let their children play football. liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #27

You can also think about the introduction and acceptance of seat belts and car seats HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #30

I know people that don't wear seat belts, and I know people who only wear seat belts because liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #35

Yes, a specific action is public education to create cultural awareness and peer pressure. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #38

I am a sugar addict. Shame does not work on me. I try my best to be healthy but it is my damn liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #39

The customer service is absolutely abhorrent. JVS Oct 2013 #22

Let us get real! daybranch Oct 2013 #32

That's the state of affairs relative to macho. I'm sure The Marlboro Man felt that way early on HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #36

Pffffft! Good Luck With That BKH70041 Oct 2013 #33

But they are at high risk for injury, accidents. They should understand that. Arugula Latte Oct 2013 #46

In the last 40 years I have been to a Dr. about once a decade. former9thward Oct 2013 #34

What has been, is not what should or must be. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #44

I think it is best to be your own Dr. former9thward Oct 2013 #47

My daughter amazes me. She will come to me and say hey mom I was feeling this way so I looked liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #49

Our young people learn from their parents and other elders. Bluenorthwest Oct 2013 #40

I'm sure calling men slackers and a burden will get them to the Dr. right away The2ndWheel Oct 2013 #41

I think "forcing" rather overstates the case to make a strawman HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #42

all I can say is good luck with that. People's apprehension to go to the doctor runs deep. liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #43

Another problem with the "habit of men"? sibelian Oct 2013 #45

I suppose never going could be a problem. HappyMe Oct 2013 #48

I don't think it's an exclusive problem of men, either HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #52

I'm not interested in getting into a gender war. HappyMe Oct 2013 #57

I work with a guy that hasn't had a physical in years tammywammy Oct 2013 #50

Making insurance mandatory will encourage men to get the preventive care they need. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #53

I'm think historic and current attitudes give legitimacy to an unfortunate pov HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #60

Young men are roughly 20% more likely to be uninsured than young women. lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #67

Certainly cost and access are important HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #71

YOU TRY GETTING A FINGER UP THE BUM!!! Capt. Obvious Oct 2013 #54

I must admit it would be difficult to do a prostate palpation self-exam HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #76

I'm just glad my doc gets me drunk first. AngryAmish Oct 2013 #87

I don't really understand that. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #89

I guess you just missed that one, then. AngryAmish Oct 2013 #91

I don't think sons are taught to NOT go to the doctors.. It's just that girls SoCalDem Oct 2013 #58

I'm not sure that being married means more preventive care visits for men HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #61

Every wife I have met has been the one who talked husbands into them SoCalDem Oct 2013 #62

I have no doubt that is true...the question is does that enable a reasonably general inference? HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #64

Men are procrastinators, to be sure SoCalDem Oct 2013 #65

It seems to be something. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #66

some women bug their husband until they go to the doctor. Sometimes it works, sometimes it liberal_at_heart Oct 2013 #63

Why I don't go to the doctor for preventive care... subterranean Oct 2013 #68

As a man, I mainly don't like ceding control to the GP or primary care physician. Gidney N Cloyd Oct 2013 #69

My experience has been different, but that's the thing about personal experience. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #73

I'm a 39 year old man. Until recently, I could count all my adult doctor visits on one hand. Xithras Oct 2013 #74

Yes, social conditioning almost is certainly involved HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #75

Of course, it may not be a bad thing. Xithras Oct 2013 #84

I'm not really sure about that. HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #86

High blood pressure among young men is uncommon. Xithras Oct 2013 #90

I see, it's about the way you see fair-sharing personal risk HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #94

so, you are defending not taking care of your health basically. well for one thing, bettyellen Oct 2013 #99

Proof of that? AngryAmish Oct 2013 #88

Girls are start visits to the doctor early in life liberal N proud Oct 2013 #77

Really? My visits started at age 9 and happened annually HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #80

Our atletic physicals were done in school by a retired osteopath. liberal N proud Oct 2013 #96

Do you know if such physicals are still required for kids? HereSince1628 Oct 2013 #97

They are required now liberal N proud Oct 2013 #98

Maybe this will inspire them to take advantage of their coverage lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #83

Average persons insurance plan - don't get sick. Rex Oct 2013 #93

Such a relief to break the employment for insurance chains!! bettyellen Oct 2013 #100

Conservatives think illness is a moral failing. It's not just macho. Manifestor_of_Light Oct 2013 #95

"Social burden"? Maybe. Is the fact that they're dying also a consideration? n/t lumberjack_jeff Oct 2013 #101

I didn't go for many years gopiscrap Oct 2013 #102