How in the world did my working class parents raise 9 children between the 30’s and 60’s without health insurance? And their parents before them raised families of 7 children each from the turn of the century on with no health insurance? Health insurance for most people was unheard of before the 50’s.
>>How in the world did my working class parents raise 9 children between the 30’s and 60’s without health insurance? And their parents before them raised families of 7 children each from the turn of the century on with no health insurance? Health insurance for most people was unheard of before the 50’s.
Because a simple doctor visit cost less than today’s copays, even adjusted for the CPI. Also because a working man made about 1.5 - 2 times what the same job pays today, also adjusted for the CPI. A family car cost half what it does today. A home cost half as much. (Both adjusted for CPI)
See where this is going? Higher wages. Higher employment. Lower costs.
But....
You also needed something called “exploratory surgery” to figure out an expensive MRI or ultrasound will diagnose today. Your car back then got 8 mpg and belched out pollution and you died in a car crash. Your house was smaller and had one bathroom, 1 duplex receptacle per room, and you had to open windows for A/C.
So, the higher costs of things today can be accounted for. Even the doctor.
But, that is why your parents raised 9 kids and a family of 3 today is struggling on a blue collar wage.
As I keep saying (because I don’t want to be taken out of context by someone else), the whole system needs to change. Changing one piece, especially health care, is not a viable option if you care about lives.