Canadian Healthcare from a Canadian...

[MTK]

Originally Posted by MTRedskinsFan

12) I can spend what money I have left after taxes on booze, cigarettes, junk food and anything else that could kill me, but I am not allowed by law to spend my money on getting an operation I need because that would be jumping the queue. I must wait my turn unless I am a hockey player or athlete, then I can get looked at right away. Go figure. Where else in the world can you spend money to kill yourself, but are not allowed to spend money to get healthy.

Sorry to break it to you but your friend is lying through his nicotene plated teeth. My family did business in Canada for over twenty years during which health care was a regular topic. Nobody in Canada is forced to use the government system, that's total bullshit. There's a private system and a public one. Lots of people use some form of private health insurance for family care, and let the government pay for major operations.

As a grad student I studied health care among all the industrialized nations.
1. We spend almost twice per capita as the OECD average
2. Infant mortality rate is higher here than in all other fully industrialized countries
3. Longevity among Americans is lower than average
4. Medical error and death due to medical error is literally off the charts in America compared w/ other industrialized nations.
5. Appx 22,000 Americans die every year because they are refused treatment for not carrying health insurance

We already established that this email he posted was one of those cheesy email forwards and not from his actual friend.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I did mine online, cost me $25 a month for internet service.

I think it's good that you have your MBA, and I know that Temple's Fox School of Business and Villanova's Business School both offer classes online. But they don't allow you to go through the entire program by taking online classes, they require you to take some in person.

Those are just two reputable schools in my area. I don't know what some other reputable MBA programs do. But I do know that if you get a degree from University of Phoenix or Strayer, or something like that, employers consider it to be not even worth the paper it's printed on.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

I think it's good that you have your MBA, and I know that Temple's Fox School of Business and Villanova's Business School both offer classes online. But they don't allow you to go through the entire program by taking online classes, they require you to take some in person.

Those are just two reputable schools in my area. I don't know what some other reputable MBA programs do. But I do know that if you get a degree from University of Phoenix or Strayer, or something like that, employers consider it to be not even worth the paper it's printed on.

Is their MBA program accredited? If not you're right, it's pretty much worthless. There are plenty of employers out there that won't touch someone with a non-accredited degree.

When I was thinking of going back to school I briefly entertained the idea of doing an online program, but in the end I don't think you can compete with the value of going to class and interacting with your peers and professors. I know that my program was very heavy on presentations and group work. Looking back now it was an invaluable experience for me.

[djnemo65]

My mom taught a couple online courses at her college and basically said they were a joke. It's more about the University finding a way of increasing its revenue than it is about actually providing a quality educational product, at least according to her. I never took one so I can't speak from experience, although something about the whole idea of never meeting your professor always seemed a little off to me.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Is their MBA program accredited? If not you're right, it's pretty much worthless. There are plenty of employers out there that won't touch someone with a non-accredited degree.

When I was thinking of going back to school I briefly entertained the idea of doing an online program, but in the end I don't think you can compete with the value of going to class and interacting with your peers and professors. I know that my program was very heavy on presentations and group work. Looking back now it was an invaluable experience for me.

No, Phoenix is not accredited by the AACSB (see link below). If the school doesn't require applicants to take the GMAT, then it's not accredited by the AACSB.

Employers essentially disregard degrees from these schools, because they know that if the student had the GMAT score to go to an accredited program, they would have. Phoenix, Strayer, and programs of this nature end up with students who couldn't get into the legitimate, accredited programs.

Accredited Programs.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by djnemo65

My mom taught a couple online courses at her college and basically said they were a joke. It's more about the University finding a way of increasing its revenue than it is about actually providing a quality educational product, at least according to her. I never took one so I can't speak from experience, although something about the whole idea of never meeting your professor always seemed a little off to me.

I took an online class as an undergrad and I had mixed feelings on it. It wasn't totally online either, we had class once every 2 weeks. The rest of the time we had to post on a message board just like this, the prof would post topics to discuss from our readings and we were required to post a certain amount of times and we were basically graded on our posts. So it was kinda interesting and a different format from what I was used to, just not sure if that format would work well with all courses.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

No, Phoenix is not accredited by the AACSB (see link below). If the school doesn't require applicants to take the GMAT, then it's not accredited by the AACSB.

Employers essentially disregard degrees from these schools, because they know that if the student had the GMAT score to go to an accredited program, they would have. Phoenix, Strayer, and programs of this nature end up with students who couldn't get into the legitimate, accredited programs.

Accredited Programs.

Thanks for the info, pretty much what I thought. And those schools aren't cheap either, so you're paying good money for a crap degree.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Thanks for the info, pretty much what I thought. And those schools aren't cheap either, so you're paying good money for a crap degree.

Yeah, there's actually a lot of consumer outrage out there over programs like that.

[djnemo65]

This is an interesting article that explains a lot of the problems people have with the U of Phoenix

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/ed...11phoenix.html

Very interesting stuff. Glad I didn't study there.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Please explain how that proved your point? I am not sure you know what the arguement is about here.

BTW- by your last comment, you obviously jumped into the argument not knowing the base.
We were talking about a program that paid for your tuition, all you needed to do was come up with whatever other expenses there were, which are minor.

ps- $889 for NEW books per year is damn cheap. Cut that in half for used books and you're looking at around $225 per semester.

So let's look at the figures SS supplied for us. (BTW NMSU is a branch here in Carlsbad)
$1162 - Tuition and fees
$4602 - Room and board
$889 - Books and supplies
$1980 - Personal expenses
$1500 - Transportation

Take away Tuition if you are on the program we were discussing, take away room and board because I already live here as does everyone that goes to NMSU in Carlsbad. Personal Expenses is for financial aid purposes, but that is why you work a full time job to pay for your own personal expenses. Transportation is taken care of by yourself as well. That leaves approx. $225 per semester (as I showed by cutting books in half by buying used). I'll even throw in a few more dollars and bring it to $500 per year.
If you can't afford $500 a year to go to college, there is nothing you can afford.
Nice link SS. Thanks.

You're acting like that's pocket change. And, really, not everybody lives within a descent communting distance of a university. Moreover, most, if not all of those government programs that pay for tuition require you to attend full time. While some of us (like myself) are smart enough and strong enough to work full time while attending college full time, I wouldn't recommend that to everyone. It's academic suicide for most students.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by jsarno

You quoted me at $200-$300 per NON TUITION..IE: Books. You didn't even realize what you were quoting. SS proved that she is correct with those figures. Unless I am not understanding you because you are betting me $200-$300 per credit hour or something. Not understanding what you're getting at.
Again...don't jump into an argument if you don't know what is going on.

Sorry. I read it wrong. My bad. I'm not saying you can't cut corners with things like books and transporation (if you happen to be lucky enough to live within 25 miles from the school,) but what I am saying is that it isn't always possible. It isn't always possible to go to the cheapest schools (and by the way, you do get what you pay for,) as it isn't always possible to get the cheapest health insurance (which is what this thread is really about.) What you have to realize is simply saying, "go find cheaper insurance" isn't always going to be possible. Saying things like, "go to the cheapest college" isnt' always possible either. Believe it or not, not everywhere is like New Mexico. Sometimes you do have to settle for what is available.

[jsarno]

By the way, I apologize, I forgot to call the DOL today...sorry, I was busy, I will do so tomorrow.

My online program was and is fully accredited Matty, and not all online degrees are crap like you are suggesting. Most colleges are doing online courses / degrees now, and some will even wire you into an actual class.
I didn't see my college on that list, (didn't look hard either) but that is not the only list of accredited universities.
This is a site that my degree is accredited by:
Higher Learning Commission - HLC Home

That is a list of colleges / universities that are held to higher standards.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Sorry. I read it wrong. My bad. I'm not saying you can't cut corners with things like books and transporation (if you happen to be lucky enough to live within 25 miles from the school,) but what I am saying is that it isn't always possible. It isn't always possible to go to the cheapest schools (and by the way, you do get what you pay for,) as it isn't always possible to get the cheapest health insurance (which is what this thread is really about.) What you have to realize is simply saying, "go find cheaper insurance" isn't always going to be possible. Saying things like, "go to the cheapest college" isnt' always possible either. Believe it or not, not everywhere is like New Mexico. Sometimes you do have to settle for what is available.

That is a valid argument. I am assuming that most of you live in a college dense area. I lived in an extremely college dense area when I lived in Boston and there were always a ton of colleges to choose from.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I did mine online, cost me $25 a month for internet service.

I'm curious (as well as the others in this thread) as to where you got your MBA for $25 a month. After all, all accredited schools charge a lot more for Master programs than bachelor programs.

[dmek25]

how did we go from discussing health-care, to online schooling? just wondering