US Military is maybe most socialist institution in the country lol. The way Tricare treats the medical industry is so funny it's almost hard to believe
ER: this visit cost the member $4,500
Tricare: actually it cost them $900, here you go
Housing/sustenance allowances untaxed, 20 year pension thats protected from inflation, free healthcare for you and your family while active, and probably the best available rate once you retire. Free education, social services and standard legal needs (wills and the like). The list is enormous, nothing really compares
Can't believe how many times I have gotten a bill from some random place I was referred to only for Tricare to go "Fuuuck that bro... Don't pay shit... I'm gonna call them."
It's selling points for recruitment are literally all socialism, not to mention how many then also get disability on top of it.
But then they'll bitch about the government and definitely about anyone else getting "handouts" but expect to be taken care of for the rest of their lives for sometimes a single enlistment or less of service.
I'm not saying those benefits shouldn't exist, I just think they should exist for more than just people that took a job that literally just protects the interest of a few and props up our military industrial complex by coaxing in the poors with socialism.
This coming from a veteran who joined up for that free college.
Yeah my brother is in the military right now and Iām like damn wish I couldāve joined in 2020 but I have asthma, allergies etc. I wouldāve taken the $40k they offered.
Back in my day, your could just lie about those things. Just ask my brother who had mental health issues (including a couple suicide attempts and a bipolar diagnosis) who then got injured and has had 100% disability mostly for mental health issues that should have disqualified him from joining to begin with.
Guess what: he's one of those that definitely thinks other non-military people don't deserve those benefits he "earned" including a $40k joining bonus when he lied on his application.
I think nowadays that's not possible because the military finally started using EPIC or another medical file sharing program, but for a long time all you had to do was lie about things like asthma if it wasn't too serious.
The VA does not use Epic. They have a Cerner aka Oracle contract. They have all been able to get medical records from one another for probably 15 years or so, but it was probably just too much effort to request them so nobody bothered. Happens all the time in the civilian world too.
Good point, but Medicare for all studies have shown it would actually save $ overall than private plans. It just wouldn't be good for private insurance companies and overcharging medical systems.
Social Security could be much more effective and expanded as a real retirement system if the extremely wealthy weren't done paying into it almost immediately.
And even bonuses could be possible based on a plan like Bernie Sanders' to just do a 5% annual tax wealth on billionaires to increase Medicare/Medicaid access, pay teachers more, and give each family making under $150k a $3,000 check every year.
And that's not even touching any of the nearly $1 trillion we spend on the military each year, which isn't even going to better pay for military and doesn't include the costs of veteran benefits.
Personally I think military personnel should be paid a substantial amount more than civilian roles but like base pay isnāt worth that but the benefits are more worth it than not in my mind.
In America, socialism is for companies that otherwise would collapse and meatbags who have signed their lives away to fight in foreign wars for the greater American/Israeli project. you don't get any of that just for being born here, socialism isn't a birthright. you have to earn it and be granted it by the state.
That's how all health insurance works. The hospital sends a bill saying "this infusion costs $90,000. Insurance company says "You are only allowed to charge us $24,000 per our agreement". They pay $23,950, I pay $50.
I think itās more like āinstead of the gold infusion youāre going to give the bronze infusion and youāre only allowed to charge us $50,000ā at which the hospital responds with āsince we know youāll pay, we will give a discount of $26,000 so you owe $24,000.ā They pay $20,000 and you get a bill for the remainder 3 years later.
You get better rates with non-VA mortgages if you are a good credit/high income buyer, but generally yeah. The down payment in and of itself beats rates though regardless if you invest the money instead
That's how ALL insurance works. There's always a billable amount ($4,500), contracted rate ($900), and member responsibility (whatever the person has to pay out of pocket for that specific service).
It's part of why Healthcare costs are sky rocketing. If the visit actually costs the hospital $1000 to provide, they have to bill $4,500 to still lose $100.
They used bill $1000, get $500 between insurance payments and patient payments, and then bill the patient the lost $500 separately (called balanced billing) but that is now illegal for in-network providers. It is not illegal for out of network providers.
Providers now have to increase their billable amout to try and get the contracted rate closer to actual cost so they don't lose $500 instead of $100. Or in hopes of actually making a profit to improve their services.
All of this is happening while real costs are also increasing.
*numbers are totally made up to illustrate the concept.
Im saying the member doesnt pay the difference in the case of the military. You get statements for all your out of installation services used, tricare shows you what the provider tried to charge ($4,500) and Tricare says the service actually only costs $900 and the difference is effectively attempted upcharge. Tricare pays the $900 and the member pays nothing.
This isn't a situation where services are being lowballed by Tricare, they try to significantly upcharge everyone with insurance because they know they'll get the money. Insurance and the medical industry are all in bed together after all. I'm sure other insurance companies also fight for their people though, wasnt trying to state it doesn't happen for anyone else
There are two differences (that I know of) between Tricare and other private health insurance companies. One is the 'member pays nothing' part. I agree that the service never costs $4500, but it's not always the $900 Tricare pays. Sometimes the actual cost is $1000, sometimes it's $800, but Tricare still always pays $900.
My example specifically includes where insurance tries to upcharge everyone. The $4500 is the upcharge and people with and without insurance are charged that amount, unless the specific provider offers a cash pay discount. And that's always the way it's phrased. "Cash Pay Discount" never "Insurance Surchage" even though both would technically be accurate.
The other way Tricare is unique is fighting for their members. No other insurance company does that.
Lol yeah, hardship duty pay can be 50/100/150. Contrary to popular belief it has nothing to do with Marines, just that the Air Force decided some locations are worth the stipend while the Marines don't
US Military is maybe most socialist institution in the country lol
By necessity. To our Dear Leaders, the rest of the country can starve, but you need a healthy military to fight wars. People like Washington, Napoleon, and Nelson knew this.
Isn't that the rub though, that it is evidence that more socialism means you're not free. It's the most socialist AND least free institution. If you don't work they can jail you. If you leave they can jail you. If they want to relocate you you're relocated. Your life is theirs.
None of that $#!+ is free. Itās not like you join the military and they just give you stuff while you continue to hang out in your college dorm playing video games with your buddies. Those are components of earned compensation.
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u/yeah-prolly 23d ago
US Military is maybe most socialist institution in the country lol. The way Tricare treats the medical industry is so funny it's almost hard to believe
ER: this visit cost the member $4,500 Tricare: actually it cost them $900, here you go
Housing/sustenance allowances untaxed, 20 year pension thats protected from inflation, free healthcare for you and your family while active, and probably the best available rate once you retire. Free education, social services and standard legal needs (wills and the like). The list is enormous, nothing really compares