| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/2/2009 11:00:10 PM | like a lot of others...i've been thinking a lot about health care............i've thouht up something that makes sense to me.......just wondering what others think.
first of all.we need limited tort.....the amount people can sue for in malpractice.......also.......if someone brings a malpractice suit and loses.then that person pays ALL legal and court costs....also..lawyers are limited i how much they can charge in malpractice suits.
the second part of my idea is this......back when i started working.the mid 70's.........one HUGE bennifit was getting major medical from your employer......not these pay for everything health benifits some folks have now.....but major medical....basically.........paid for everything that required a hospital.....everyday colds and flu........you paid out of your own pocket.......perscription insurance was usually with major medical..............now,,,,,a lot of small companys had to drop offering major medical because they didnt have enough employees....thats where blue cross blue shield came in....they offered the same policy to several small companys.allowing them to "join forces" as it were.......to lower costs.
my idea is this,,,,,,,,if.......IF.....the government is going to stick their fingers into health care.why not go that route.....require the insurance companys to offer major medical to anyone.be it a small company or indivudal to purchase it at group rates.....maybe charge an additional $5 a month to those who might use maternity benifits.............seems to me that this would be the most affordable way to do it
the insurance companys would be drawing payments from a huge segment of people...AND.tax money wouldnt be needed to pay for it
like i said...its just an idea,,,,,to me.it could work.............i'm just curious as to what others think | |
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wudger
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Joined: 12/20/2007
Msg: 2 | |
| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 5:46:43 PM | I think this sounds like a pretty good system.
from an NY Times section today.
September 18, 2009, 4:48 pm
Health Care Abroad: Switzerland
By Anne Underwood
Timothy Stoltzfus Jost is a law professor at Washington and Lee University and frequently writes on comparative health care policy. His work includes an examination of insurance coverage in Switzerland and a comparison of the Swiss and Dutch systems. He spoke to the freelance writer Anne Underwood.
This is the fourth in a series of posts describing health care delivery in other countries. Previous posts have described Canada, Japan and France.
Q.The Swiss health care system relies on public-private approaches that have been recommended as models for the United States. What are the similarities?
BY THE NUMBERS
Switzerland
Life expectancy: 82
Infant mortality: 4 per 1,000 live births
Health spending as a percentage of GDP: 11.3
Percentage of health spending that is private: 40
Doctors per 10,000 people: 40
Source: World Health Organization. U.S. statistics.
A.In 1996, Switzerland instituted an individual mandate by which people are legally required to purchase health insurance in a competitive market. People buy coverage from private insurers, and the government provides subsidies for those who can’t afford coverage. About a third of the population receives subsidies.
Q.Is there an employer mandate, too?
A.No, it’s an individual mandate. Group health insurance does not exist in Switzerland.
Q.That’s a major difference between the Swiss system and most of the proposals in Congress. Are there others?
A.The most important difference is that health insurance in Switzerland is provided by nonprofit insurers — though some are affiliated with for-profit companies that offer supplemental policies along the lines of Medigap in the United States. The basic benefit package is defined by law and is quite generous. Maximum drug prices are regulated.
Q.Do many people buy supplemental insurance?
A.About a third of the population purchases voluntary supplemental insurance that covers things like private hospital rooms and dental benefits.
Q.Do the Swiss have a choice among policies and insurance companies?
A.They do. The policies differ mainly on deductibles. The standard annual deductible is 300 Swiss francs, or about $200 for adults. There is no deductible for children under 18. Individuals can reduce their premiums by electing plans with higher deductibles — up to 2,500 Swiss francs, or about $2,000. Once the deductible has been met, you pay coinsurance of 10 percent of covered expenses, up to a maximum of 700 Swiss francs. For brand-name prescription drugs, you pay 20 percent of the price if there’s a generic equivalent.
There are also some managed care plans, in which about 12 percent of the people are enrolled.
Q.In the United States, it can be quite confusing trying to purchase an insurance policy on your own. How do the Swiss navigate the system? Is there a national insurance exchange like the one that’s being proposed here — a sort of marketplace where it’s easy for people to go and compare policies?
A.There is no insurance exchange, but Internet comparison sites are available and forms are standardized to minimize switching costs. Most people, however, stay with their insurer and seldom switch.
Q.Are the policies expensive?
A.Yes. In 2004, 40 percent of households — or one third of individuals — received subsidies.
Q.Is there a public option in Switzerland?
A.There is no government-run plan to compete with the private nonprofit plans. But health insurance is considered social insurance. It’s not a for-profit enterprise.
Q.Can the Swiss go to any doctor they want?
A.For the most part, although there are some managed care plans with networks. Otherwise, the Swiss have a free choice of physicians and specialists. There is no “gatekeeper” system limiting their access to specialists.
Q.What does the Swiss health system do particularly well?
A.They’ve achieved near universal coverage. But even before the reform, 96 percent of the population was covered. They’re a very risk-averse society. The culture is that you just don’t go uninsured. Now, with reform, they’re close to 99 percent. But the country is still struggling with how to handle individuals who fail to comply with the mandate — mainly the poor and recent immigrants.
Q.How is the quality of care?
A.The quality of care is excellent. Waiting times are not reported to be a serious problem in Switzerland, and most people can get the services they need quite expeditiously. Modern, high-technology services are readily available. Coverage of some new drugs and procedures, however, is reviewed for effectiveness, and some drugs and procedures available in other countries may not be available in Switzerland if they are not considered to be cost-effective.
Q.What is your biggest criticism of the Swiss system?
A.It hasn’t done well at controlling costs. Switzerland is second only to the United States in the percent of G.D.P. spent on health care. It’s also second to the United States in the rate of health care inflation. Probably the most important reason is that Switzerland is a wealthy nation, and wealthy nations spend more on medical care. But a particular problem is that the Swiss use more health care resources than even we do in the United States, with more doctors, hospitalizations and certain high-tech procedures.
Q.So competition among companies doesn’t keep prices down?
A.In theory, insurers compete with each other to bring down prices. In fact, it doesn’t work all that well. There is also enough wiggle room in the system that insurers are able to cherry-pick — to attract enrollees who are good risks and get rid of those at higher risk. As long as insurers have control over the plan design and some control over the premium classifications, they can manipulate the risk pool. For example, if they give good service to the healthy and less adequate service to the less healthy, the less healthy may try to move on to another insurer.
Q.What is the most important lesson Americans should learn from the Swiss system?
A.You can achieve universal coverage through an individual mandate, coupled with subsidies for people who can’t afford health insurance. But it’s not going to get you cost control unless you enact further measures | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 6:15:10 PM |
my idea is this,,,,,,,,if.......IF.....the government is going to stick their fingers into health care.why not go that route.....require the insurance companys to offer major medical to anyone.be it a small company or indivudal to purchase it at group rates.....maybe charge an additional $5 a month to those who might use maternity benifits.............seems to me that this would be the most affordable way to do it
the insurance companys would be drawing payments from a huge segment of people...AND.tax money wouldnt be needed to pay for it Where are you getting the idea that "tax" money is going to have to pay for any of it?
Why would "tax" money have to pay for any of it?
What about people who can't afford to buy it? What about that?
I think there is a major segment of those who are uninsured who just could never afford to buy any kind of insurance ... not even major medical.
What would you offer them? | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 6:49:55 PM | If you were to open up competition across state lines you would have 300 insurance companies competing for business; offer tax breaks to those below the poverty line; create clinics that offer affordable health care through government grants--as much as I hate government hands outs I could accept this as long as their was a cap--and private donations; keep the tax free medical saving accounts; get all medical files online and let people take ownership of their medical history; tort reform across the board; ownership of individual policies so you can pick the policy that's best for you; and let people purchase catastrophic insurance for those just in case scenarios.
But I know the libtards would hate all this because it would involve personal responsibility and that's a bad word when it comes to the left. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 7:04:22 PM | whteshark, what do you mean by "personal responsibilty"? Many hard working folk have lost jobs and now work at a much lower wage and cannot afford insurance. Im sure food and shelter are their 1st priority.
I have seen bucket loads of medical bloating of the insured. Scenario: A patient has an appendectomy and it hurts like hell to cough or deep breath. The patient developes a condition know as atelectasis. Instead of having a nurse teach the patient to splint and deep breath ( which would correct the problem for no charge) the doc orders a pulmonary consult. This helps his colleague cash wise. The pulmonologist then orders an arterial blood gas, Pul function testing, nebulizer treatments. This justifies the cost of the consult and the hosp makes $$$.
Did the patient really reaquire all this? In some cases yes but in the majority no.
This is exactly why healthcare needs to be reformed. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 7:05:05 PM | why would tax money have to pay for it?...............where do you think obama and congress are planning to get the money to pay for their plan?
the more people in a group policy.......the cheaper it gets.....yes.i realise that we are never going to see medical coverage for $10 a month.....but it is possible to make it affordable for most families............and for those that are living around the poverty level.....there are already several programs providing medical coverage.
lots of people have mentioned canada and europe as examples of socilised health care.........friends i've talked to in canada dont really like their system.....though they all live in rural areas where the medical resources are somewhat limited......but all 3 of them talk about going to a clinic with a high fever.waiting 3 to 4 hrs.......and be given a couple asprins and told to go home........one girl almost lost her hearing because it too 2 weeks to actually see a dr about a severe ear infection............then waiting 4 days for EMERGENCY surgery.
i have another friend who lives in scotland.......he says that for the most part.........he and the people he knows would rather keep the 30% of their paychecks that go to healthcare tax and buy their own policy.
what the solution is......i dont know.........i offered one for discussion......................but i'm pretty certain that we as a country DONT want the government to run it.........lets not forget.....several years ago the government took over and ran into the ground the infamous bunny ranch in nevada.........now........if you cant make a profit running a whorehouse with a liquor license.....how the heck are they gonna run something as complicated as national healthcare? | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 7:39:33 PM |
lots of people have mentioned canada and europe as examples of socilised health care.........friends i've talked to in canada dont really like their system.....though they all live in rural areas where the medical resources are somewhat limited......but all 3 of them talk about going to a clinic with a high fever.waiting 3 to 4 hrs.......and be given a couple asprins and told to go home........one girl almost lost her hearing because it too 2 weeks to actually see a dr about a severe ear infection............then waiting 4 days for EMERGENCY surgery.
I am a Canadian living in a major city in Western Canada and I was diagnosed with cancer last year at this time. I have absolutely no complaints about the health care system or the care that I have received throughout my journey. It has been nothing short of stellar.
While there have been media reports that we are experiencing a shortage of family physicians in my province, I personally have never been without one. There are ample walk-in clinics in my city that are utilized by those who do not have their own family physicians and if you choose to utilize a walk-in clinic, you may very well wait up to 4 hours to be seen by a doctor. Unless your family physician is on holiday, to have to wait 2 weeks to see a family physician is not the norm nor is waiting 4 days for emergency surgery in any city in my province. One who chooses to live in a rural area simply cannot expect to have the same calibre of medical options as is available in an urban area. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 7:55:35 PM |
why would tax money have to pay for it?...............where do you think obama and congress are planning to get the money to pay for their plan? I'd like to see that in writing ... not just answering a question with a question ... give me a link. Give me some solid information as to where it absolutely states our taxes will go up. Make sure it's not Republican propaganda.
and for those that are living around the poverty level.....there are already several programs providing medical coverage. Perhaps in "LA-LA Land", but not in the real world. I'm afraid I'm gonna have to request another link here. Again, give me some solid information as to where it absolutely states our taxes will go up. Make sure it's not Republican propaganda.
lots of people have mentioned canada and europe as examples of socilised health care ...
i have another friend who lives in scotland....... Ya and I lived in Germany for 10 years with their socialized medicine and never had a problem.
he and the people he knows would rather keep the 30% of their paychecks that go to healthcare tax and buy their own policy. That's an exaggeration if I ever saw one. Give me a link on that one too. I've lived under those circumstances and so I'm not gonna be easy on you.
You can blow smoke up a lot of a$$es ... especially the ones who are gullible and just couldn't possibly know better, but I've lived it ... just talking about it and repeating the Republican propaganda is just not going to cut it.
... but i'm pretty certain that we as a country DONT want the government to run it. Gee that's bad luck then ... because what are you all gonna do when you go on Medicare? It's run by the government and I don't know anyone on Medicare that would give it up for going it on their own as you describe.
Better start saving your pennies so you can do the "private" thing and won't have to reduce yourself to "government-run" medical insurance.
Do some real research ... sometimes doing the research can be a real learning experience and one learns that they too have been a victim of having smoke blown up their a$$.
You wanted to discuss this ... I'll be waiting for the links. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 8:21:11 PM | .
If you were to open up competition across state lines you would have 300 insurance companies competing for business;
tort reform across the board;
There are not 300 companies.... more like 7 majors... You want the Federal government to regulate Tort and Insurance?
This will never happen, The insurance companies will never allow it..........
Why..........1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act
They are exempt from anti trust laws... Price Fixing laws...
.
Leahy introduced the Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act to repeal the antitrust exemption that was established in the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act.
The two key provisions of the Health Insurance Industry Antitrust Enforcement Act will repeal the federal antitrust exemption for health insurance and medical malpractice insurance companies for flagrant antitrust violations, including price-fixing, bid rigging, and market allocations, and subject health insurers and medical malpractice insurers to the same good-competition laws that apply to virtually every other company doing business in the United States.
http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200909/091709a.html
Tort reform falls under the same law....
Many states (over 14) passed tort reform.... Premiums did not go down...
offer tax breaks to those below the poverty line;
People below the poverty level only pay FICA...
ownership of individual policies so you can pick the policy that's best for you;
Yo want to ban business health coverage?
Most large business' self insure. There is no policy, it is administered by a major insurance company, United Health the largest.
The major Corp make money insuring their employees... They will not be real keen insuring former employees.....That is why COBRA ends at 18 months....
Lower the Medicare age, or eliminate it.....
Increases the pool size with younger less expensive members........ Coat less than the $60-85 billion we are going to give the H/C insurance companies...
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 8:37:02 PM |
I am a Canadian living in a major city in Western Canada and I was diagnosed with cancer last year at this time. I have absolutely no complaints about the health care system or the care that I have received throughout my journey. It has been nothing short of stellar.
Tink, are you trying to introduce a first-party testimonial of YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE into an American political discussion? Good Heavens, woman, don't you know the rules and customs down here? That type of behavior just won't do, young lady!
In all seriousness, I hope that your cancer treatment is going well...it's an insidious disease. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/3/2009 10:13:37 PM | | At the risk of beieng banned I will call a spade a spade raxarsr is a fool and idological dimwit. You sir neend to get a brain. Tort reform is a red herring offered up by the big business republicans. Medical malpractice settlements make up a small percentage of all jury awards. And like a conservative racist who's little girl is impregnated by an undesirable that runs to the abortion clinic, you would sue the pants off a doctor who botched your care. Medicare for all who do not have insurance is a good plan for the US then we can compete with the rest of the industrialised countries who have it. You look like a you're on medicare now aren't you? oops you are younger than me! | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 2:13:02 AM | rax
I think you have some good ideas and much simplier than the ideas coming out of washington. It should be simplified down to where there are not so many loopholds.
cotter read the bills the irs is in charge of collections and enforcement. Sounds like a tax to me. also they are planning on dropping medicare plus which is probably the best thing they have going. Look at the bills they are proprosing. I has nothing to do with the quality of your care it boils down to you being beholding to them for everything. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 6:11:20 AM | "oilhauler" (Message 12) ...
cotter read the bills the irs is in charge of collections and enforcement. Sounds like a tax to me. also they are planning on dropping medicare plus which is probably the best thing they have going. Look at the bills they are proprosing. I has nothing to do with the quality of your care it boils down to you being beholding to them for everything. I posted that I wanted links to the proof of the questions I posed ... and I also posted that I don't want or need any Republican propaganda.
The task was originally assigned to the OP who is making the suggestions and wants input. It seems to me if someone else is going to jump on the task ... then at least post links and not propaganda, otherwise ... let the OP do the research and come up with the real answers.
One never knows ... could be an enlightening assignment ... eh? | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 7:16:07 AM | .
I don't want or need any Republican propaganda.
A Florida Congressman said it last week.... The GOP H/C plan is a blank piece of paper ....Nothing
They offer nothing.......
Tort Reform...
made no difference to premiums in the 14 states that have limited rewards to somewhere around $250K....... That's Plenty if its you kid the quack messes up......
This has helped the insurance company bottom line, and frees up there legal staff
Allow insurance companies to Compete across states............. What a Joke...
The 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act makes the insurance companies (H/C and Malpractice) exempt from ANY FEDERAL anti trust laws.....
Companies can set price and territories....
Without repeal of the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act allowing cross state sales would be a Blank check.... NO REGULATION.....NO OVERSIGHT
Allow people to own their policy.....
A dirty little secret of BIG business...... They self insure, Big business makes a profit from the H/C benefit they offer.... The insurance company only processes claims....... Remember that huge Insurance cost GM carried providing H/C for its employees?
I am curious how much they made.....
I also am curious how much $$$$ The Big boys make on Janitor's Insurance.....
Multi National and Giant Corporations have ripped the country off and keep taking more....
The numbers now show that EACH member of congress has .... 6.... Health care lobbyist...
The Insurance companies and H/C interest have spent the past few months
.................. $ 400 MILLION
Sounds like a lot of people bought it...
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 7:55:51 AM | | Limit the amount that a malpractice victim could receive ? OK, let's do that....BUT...when we do that we will also limit the amount that CEO's , Board of Directors, and other executives can be paid. How about we do that..hmmm ? | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 8:13:10 AM | http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/leg/LEG%202009/092209%20JCT%20Revenue%20Estimates.pdf
Here is the link to the cost analysis of "America's Healthy Future Act 2009". The 262 page bill is also online to be reviewed, if you want to read the entire bill. ( And, it's got a lot of doublespeak and iffy languages...should, may...look into....I recommend looking at the malpractice section)
There are some interesting things to note from the ending synopsis.
1. 40% excise tax on health coverage in excess of
$8,000/$21,000 indexed for inflation by CPI-U
plus 1% and increased thresholds for over age 55
retirees or certain high-risk professions; levied at
insurer level; employer aggregates and issues
information return for insurers indicating amount
subject to the excise tax; nondeductible; high 17
state transition relief..................................................(High risk professions, elderly and pre-existing conditions penalized because they need health care more, huh?...)
2. Employer W-2 reporting of value of health benefits......(Goodbye pre-taxed health care from paycheck withholdings........the value of your new health care just became taxable)
3. Conform the definition of medical expenses for
health flexible spending arrangements to the
definition of the itemized deduction for medical
expenses (including prescription purchases of
over-the-counter medicines)....................(A government panel is telling us what is defined as a medical expense, if they don't sanction it...it isn't paid for)
4. Increase the penalty for nonqualified health
savings account distributions to 20%........................(Alternative medicine.....cancer centers...choirpractic ....biofeedback for pain management...acurepuncture....hospice...midwifes..etc.)
5. Limit health flexible spending arrangements in
cafeteria plans to $2,500 [2].....................................(you got a couple of sick kids that are in the doctor's office in a year more that $2,500 bucks...we want to keep an eye on you and your spending.....you want momma taken care of in-home....not for more than $2,500 bucks a year)
Net Total $367 billion dollars by 2019........doesn't specifically say how we're gonna fund the $367 billion...where does the government go when it needs money though????...let me conclude when the tank is eventually dry (and it's gotta be soon)...the government raises taxes. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 8:45:47 AM |
At the risk of beieng banned I will call a spade a spade raxarsr is a fool and idological dimwit. You sir neend to get a brain.
Maybe Rax's ideas and impressions are off the mark... MAYBE. He just threw up some thoughts and ideas while asking what people thought. He's remained civilized throughout the debate as he always is on every topic of discussion.
Nothing said or done warranted at all this kind of personal attack from you Snappy. Any reason at all you couldn't discuss with civility what you see wrong with Rax's ideas and make your case in a way worthy of respect?
I did decide on what my favorite charity would be. I'd give a few cents a day... the price of a cup of coffee... to help fund research to find a cure for A-hole. Maybe one day, the world can provide hope for people like you. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 9:10:46 AM | .
..... 1_smart_cookie
Now this goes to floor.... and then merge with what ever the house puts together...
The Malpractice section, Obama proposed that in his speech........
A couple of Hospital chains are no longer fighting claims... They resolve the issue without a lawsuit.... The cost savings has been huge...
They cut their Insurance costs in half............
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 10:33:49 AM | well snapington.since you attacked me and tried to tear apart my ideas instead of discussion them...i'll answer you........nowhere..NOWHERE,........did i suggest eliminateing mal-practice suits.........if they are warrented....then the person injured should be compinsated........where your ignorance lies on this subject in in the fact you cant see that by limiting the amount that a person can get.and limiting how much the lawyer can get....this in turn will lower a dr's insurance premiums.....which is ever dr, hospital and every ones elses largest expence..includeing pharmisists AND pharmicudical companys.....one example....my cousin is a dr....a family practioner...who was in a medical group with 6 other dr's............they had a group practice in md....[this was about 10 yrs ago].....they had to disband or face bankrupsy,why?.........their malpractice insurance was a bit over 4 million a year.....even though there had never once been a claim......much less a settlement against them. thats $4 million before they paid an electric or water bill........$4 million before they bought a bandaid or tounge depresser...........$4 million before a nurse or secritary got paid.
as to your snide comment about me being on medicare.yes i am...........i worked and paid for it for 32 years.....till i all but destroyed my right arm working.....yes.i am on disibility.WHICH I PAID FOR......yes i'm on medicaid.WHICH I PAID FOR.............and yes.........i'm trying to get off of it till i'm of retirement age...........know anywhere that will hire a 50 yr old with a bad arm?.............niether do i
and to the lady who lives under a rock to hide from republican hype.........come on out in the real world and look around................insurance for those near poverty level?..........its as close as the welefare office............just go in with your financial records.......if you are indeed deserving of it.....you can purchase at a large discount.........the same medicare that welefare recipiants...............if you earn a bit too much.....you can still insure your childern there........there are also programs such as wics i would post links......but you would just dismiss them with a flick of your wrist........so i humbly suggest you do a bit of research on your own and quit spouting "democratic" hype........i will however ask you a direct question..:if taxes are NOT going to pay for obamas health care package.........where is the money going to come from?...please.......i'm honest about wanting to know.
all i did is submit ideas that i thought were good ones.......i asked for other folks opinions to see what we...the people who need and will end up paying for health coverage | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/4/2009 11:04:42 PM | Ok Rax why don't you add up all the FICA deductions from every check you got for working and I bet that within six years you will have gotten everything you ever paid back. I know what I paid in FICA witholding back when $5.00 an hour was a good wage and minimum wage was $2.65 we paid peanuts into the system. Every time I hear some old geezer whine " I paid all my life" I just have to laugh.
You are on the dole, If you get SSI and the minimum I hear from people I know on it is $700 a month plus medicaid to the tune of thousands. A person burns through whatever they paid in rather quickly and now you are living on the tit of current workers.
As for the outragious sum you quote your cousin's practice paid I have a block of salt with me the rates I am seeing today are in the ballpark of $50,000 a year for a general surgeon. Even multiplied by six that's only $300,000 a year. So I'd guess that $4 million is a wild exageration on your part. I found numerous articles and studies showing that there is no decrease in rates when there is tort reform. The best way to lower malpractice insurance rates would be for doctors not to kill 98,000 patients a year ( National Institute Of Medicine.
And learn how to spell if you want me to not call you a dimwit. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/5/2009 3:23:06 AM | I have seen people cringe at the idea that Obama's health care plan may cost as much as 2 trillion dollars over the next 10 years.
What these same people don't realize is that the average American today pays nearly $13,000 per years on health care. If you multiply that by the 300 million Americans we have, you come up with $3.9 trillion dollars that Americans are currently spending yearly on health care. If our government can find away to do it for $200 Billion per year, then I would have to say that it would be worth it to pay our government to do it as long as we receive the same coverage. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/5/2009 5:57:31 AM | All I know is this - I work for county government. I have absolutely NO WORRIES about my health, dental, eye, prescription costs. NONE. But working in social service,
I also see how other people suffer for the lack of medical care. I have seen the problems faced by family members, and friends.
I don't know the answers. I don't care WHO comes up with something, I don't care if they are red or blue. All I know is that here in America, if you've got a pile of money you can get the best care in the world, and if you are poor you could die in the street. It's disgusting. SOMETHING needs to be done. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/5/2009 7:25:14 AM | .
I don't know the answers. I don't care WHO comes up with something, I don't care if they are red or blue. All I know is that here in America, if you've got a pile of money you can get the best care in the world, and if you are poor you could die in the street. It's disgusting. SOMETHING needs to be done.
The answer UHC.....................
The GOP plan don't get sick....
The human suffering the "Christians" of this country will accept is unreal.....
Besides death, bankruptcy filing... financial ruin.....
I watched a special featuring a family with a sick child... she needed continued treatment.... Due to loss of job the family insurance ended......
The solution divorce..... The only way the girl would be covered in Okla.....
More people die in the USA from lack of health care than in car ACCIDENTS .........
Whats the problem..... Insurance profits....
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wudger
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Joined: 12/20/2007
Msg: 24 | |
| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/7/2009 4:12:45 PM | closest thing we have to a thread about this now I think.
NY Times
October 7, 2009, 4:34 pm
Analysis Sees Baucus Health Bill Meeting Obama’s Cost and Deficit Targets
By David M. Herszenhorn AND Robert Pear
The widely awaited budget analysis of a pending Senate health care bill indicates that the legislation would meet President Obama’s cost target and would reduce future federal deficits by a deeper amount than previously projected.
The bill’s chief architect, Max Baucus, the Montana Democrat who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, hailed the cost analysis, which was released Wednesday afternoon by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
The budget office analyzed the bill after it was amended during seven days of debate. Its newly projected cost — $829 billion over 10 years — was up from a previous estimate of $774 billion. But it is now seen as reducing federal deficits by $81 billion, up from an earlier project deficit of $49 billion over the same 10-year period.
That would seem to be good news for Democrats and the White House. President Obama has insisted that the health care bill not add to the deficit and that the total price tag be held to about $900 billion.
“The report, I think, is quite promising,” Mr. Baucus said on the Senate floor after the budget office released its analysis. “The report is good news. Our balanced approach in the Finance Committee to health reform, I think, has paid off once again. Today the Congressional Budget Office confirmed that the American’s Health Future Act -– that is the legislation in the Finance Committee -– remains fully paid-for and reduces the deficit by $81 billion in the first 10 years.”
Mr. Baucus added: “This legislation, I believe, is a smart investment on our federal balance sheet. It’s an even smarter investment for American families, businesses and our economy. Health reform will modernize the health care system for American for the 21st century.”
The Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, dismissed the new cost analysis as irrelevant because he said that “real” health care legislation would be written in secret by the Senate’s Democratic leaders.
In its analysis, the budget office found that by 2019 the bill would reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 29 million, leaving about 25 million people uninsured — of whom one-third would be illegal immigrants. This means that the amended bill would cover roughly the same number of people over 10 years as was initially projected despite numerous changes, including some softening of penalties for people who fail to obtain health insurance as required under the legislation.
In all, the proportion of Americans with health insurance is expected to rise to 94 percent from 83 percent, the budget office said in its report.
As a result of the softening of penalties, as advocated by Senators Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, and Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, the budget office said that individuals and families who failed to obtain insurance would pay about $4 billion in penalties over 10 years, down from an original projection of $20 billion. Employers would pay penalties of $23 billion over the 10 years, down from $27 billion previously projected. | |
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| just an idea about affordable healthcare
Posted: 10/7/2009 8:06:36 PM |
require the insurance companys to offer major medical to anyone.
This is part of the problem that I've been hammering away at on other health care reform related threads and no one responds.
I and many of my friends are self-employed. Not only do we pay a *lot* more for *less* coverage than people in big groups, but we can get dropped at any time (this has already happened to me), we can be denied coverage, and any pre-existing conditions are excluded. The folks who have health insurance benefits through a company and oppose any sort of reform adamantly refuse to address these issues. They've got theirs and I guess they figure screw everyone else. Thing is, anyone who gets their coverage through their employer could lose their job, and their benefits, at any time.
There are other issues, but this is a significant one. Why can't we, and people in small companies, have access to the same coverage and same rates and same conditions as others? | |
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