One Reddit user was curious to know what people thought cost too much but should actually be free. Many people contributed to this conversation, and here are some of the best responses.
Dying
michaeljung via DepositPhotos.com.
People still pay a ton even after they die. According to one user, “I keep telling my wife to just dump me in the middle of nowhere in the woods. Don’t even have to bury me.
Literally just went through this with my father-in-law. In our state, the cheapest “casket” you can buy for cremation is basically a piece of wood for the bottom with cardboard sides. $200. I could build this for about $10. It’s criminal, in my opinion.”
Another one explains why this is the case, “Coffins, renting out a church for those who r religious, or even just cremation, thousands of dollars, and even then there are stories of those who don’t fit in coffins and have their heads cut off and put on their stomach just to fit.”
Hospital Parking for Doctors
Doctors do not feel like they should pay for hospital parking. One outright laments this saying, “As a doctor, I refuse to pay for hospital parking.”
Someone put this into perspective, saying people take advantage, “My local hospital has a free parking lot for “the ER”. You never were able to park there if you went to the ER, and they kinda handled it by a permanent day security guard just standing in the lot asking everyone who parks where they are going. And it’s still basically a ****show.”
Professional Athletic Stadiums
According to another user, owners of professional teams should pay for their stadiums, not the government, “It shouldn’t be the taxpayers paying for $ multimillion arenas for professional teams. The owners of the teams should be paying for their own stadiums and renting it out for events on off-season. Putting that burden and risk on taxpayers is outrageous.”
College Transcripts
Apparently, in some institutions, transcripts are charged, as one user points out, “Those should be free to ship, process and get copies of.”
Tax Preparation and Filing
If the government knows how much we owe, why do they make us file taxes, wonders one user, “What’s hilarious is people can file their taxes wrong, and then the government can say “actually you owe us this much money.”. Like, ok, if you knew that, why don’t you just send bills to people – you already have access to all our records, don’t make us fill something out that you already know.”
Insulin
The cost of insulin was exposed recently through a misplaced tweet, “Eli Lilly, manufacturer of insulin, recently (Dec 22 I think) announced that they would be capping out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month. A surprising move as this came after the Twitter blue check mark fiasco where someone impersonated them and announced Insulin would now be free, which caused their stock to take a hit,” said one user
Air at the Gas Station
Some gas stations still charge for air, says one user, “A shockingly large number of gas stations either charge for it or have removed their pumps. I’ve never paid for it at a station, but I know they exist. Thankfully air compressors aren’t that expensive.”
Dental Plan
Several members say that dental plan insurance is expensive. One says, “Whole body care should all fall under medical insurance. Which should NOT be tied to employment.”
Another adds, “The insurance is a joke. Invisalign is $5k not covered. Meanwhile, good dental care prevents more serious health problems that they will cover. Seems the insurance companies could save money by covering dental procedures, but teeth are considered a luxury item by the insurance industry.”
Ambulance Rides
If you can help it, do not get sick in the US, according to another user, because ambulance costs will ruin your finances, “When I was little, I had a medical emergency where the ambulance was called.
The very kind paramedics checked me over and explained to my parents that it would save them a ton of money if they loaded me into my parents’ car and met us at the hospital instead of using the ambulance.”
Therapy
Therapy is a widespread and costly affair; according to several people, “I am solidly lower middle class and in therapy. My job just offers decent health insurance. I get your point that it’s treated more as a luxury by the way it’s priced and covered in healthcare, but plenty of poor and middle-class folks are in and are able to budget for therapy.”
Health Care
One user says that healthcare is still more expensive than it should be, “Idc what your “political beliefs” are. If you work 40h a week and you pay taxes, you should get it for free for, at the very least, way cheaper than it currently is. Our tax money (in the USA) goes to all types of bull*** that is less important than healthcare.”
Abortion
Abortion should be free because it means one is not ready to care for a kid, as one user points out “Facts. If people can’t afford an abortion, how are they gonna afford taking care of a kid.”
Divorce
Divorces are expensive in the US. One user puts it lightly “It’s like getting your heart ripped out through your wallet.”
Education
Education in public universities should be free according to one user, “It’s in the countries best interests to have a well-educated public. The government will recoup the cost from taxation, so it’s a win-win.”
Feminine Hygiene Products
No woman should suffer from a lack of sanitary products; as one user notes, “It should be covered under health care, but they charge an arm and a leg for something that women have no control over,”
Childbirth
Even with the best healthcare, it’s still like $10k out of pocket. Like, should we just not have kids and leave society to crumble? It’s already trending in that direction.
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This article was produced and syndicated by A Dime Saved.
