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Stanford School of Business: " The Staggering Costs of Health Insurance “Sludge” ...Specifically, the researchers estimate, the economy loses $21.6 billion a year simply from the time employees spend on the phone with health insurance representatives. On top of that, the study estimates that companies lose $26 billion a year from extra absence on the part of employees who have to deal with health benefits administrators, and $95 billion from the reduced productivity that arises because people who spend time on the phone with health insurers are less satisfied with their jobs. " Your advice on how to deal with all of this misses the point. Why do we put up with this "sludge"? Why don't we get rid of it? Why don't we demand single payer universal health care now?

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I have yet to find a dentist in Pensacola, Florida that doesn't require upfront payment. Even some of the big firms make you put down a 50% deposit to make an appointment. Our family has good dental insurance too!

Medicare will only pay, if the medical Medicare provider bills them directly. There is no reason to pay up front for medical services.

If this isn't a case for socialized medicine, I do not know what would be. My Canadian relatives pay nothing for their medical insurance unless they decide to pay a private doctor. The best part is that they will never go bankrupt for their medical problems. No, there wait times are not as long as what is reported on the news, etc. If they have a true emergency, they are seen immediately. I have waited as long as two months to even see a doctor here in NW Florida.

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