Actually she has proven 2 things
1-She is not just a soccer mom but a 100% bonafide extreme politician who is willing to stretch the truth( actually lie) to satisfy her followers such as the comment that she made about President Obama’s health plan would kill Grandma which for those of us in the Insurance business who studied the proposal knows that it was a lie and was actually a benefit for the elderly that they now have to hire an attorney to advise them.
I just wonder what she would have done back when her child was born with Autism if she was like a lot of Americans that have no healthcare?
2-Her comment about Rush Limbaugh using the Retard language is disappointing as it appears she will side with her Party whatever the situation.
Now she is a political pundit who most centrists and Independents will find just as disgusting as they find most candidates.
The “insurance reform” as the Obama administration has named this reform is only 1 piece of the pie. Those are all good ideas that could help to lower costs…Which is the point of all of this. They are several other segments in the healthcare industry that need to take it on the chin just as much as insurance companies are going to. Doctors, Hospitals, Pharmacuticals, Medical device makers, etc all need to tighten their belts as well. Our current system is broke cause these segments know that ultimatly they can charge much more due to the fact that the insurers could just pass the cost increases on to the consumers.
I would love to see health insurance become the responsibility on the people rather than their employers. The government could make this affordable by giving individuals and families hefting tax deductions. I know one thing is for sure. If we all made medical decisions based on costs of the procedure and service then we would all become much more aware of the rediculousness that the healthcare industry gets away with in pricing. If you don’t agree with me go to a doctor or the ER and find out how much something will be if you have health insurance vs. if you don’t have health insurance. You will pay less if you don’t have health insurance cause they know that they can charge more to the insurers thus driving up the cost of our health insurnace over time.
Put me in the oval office, I’ll get this Bull**** fixed the right way.
You hit the nail on the head. The best way of reducing costs is actually converting the health care industry back to a competitive model rather than the quasi-socialist model it has become. If the Republicans truly believed in the Free Market, they would be pursuing viable reforms instead of this drop-in-the-ocean silliness they’re offering. The Democrats, of course, are offering only to fix some problems by making others worse.
* Cut Down on the MANDATES — let me pick the coverages I WANT, not what Gov’t thinks I need.
* Allow individuals to get tax deductions for their premiums!!
* Expand HSA’s and other High Deductible Health Care plans – the Dems have been fighting them since the GOP and GWB got it passed in 2003!! Now more people have HDHC plans than belong to HMO’s!!
* TORT REFORM, nuff said!
Just a group of simple ideas that don’t gut our present system in favor of socialism.
No. I agree with the republican proposals. American have let thier health go to pot, and now we all have to pay for people who do not take care of themselves. The waste and abuse of the system should have been taken care a long time ago. We didn ot need a 2000 page document to explain all this.
I agree that the pre-existing conditions exclusions must be dropped. I don’t agree with the Dems that the way to prevent people from waiting until the last minute to buy coverage is to mandate everyone buy insurance. That is unconstitutional. Instead, after a brief amnesty period to allow the uninsured to buy coverage, implement a waiting period of 1 year to coverage pre-existing conditions AND change the bankruptcy laws so medical debt can no longer be wiped away if it is due to your failure to have insurance.
Some Republicans, including Senate “Finance Committee member Charles Grassley, call for barring insurers from excluding people with pre-existing conditions and argue that the reinsurance program would allow for coverage of those people who wait until they get sick before purchasing insurance. Reinsurance pool premiums would be higher than regular insurance”
GRASSLEY THINKS REINSURANCE IS LIKE GOVT. MONEY, THEY WILL NOT MISS IT??? iDIOT, THEY ARE FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES WHICH WILL NOT JUST EAT COSTS AND THEY ARE ALREADY PAYING A PORTION ON QUOTASHARE DEALS. If the legislators do not know what they are talking about, HOW will they fix it??
Keep it the way it is. Let uninsured go to Britain and Canada for their free ride…
This could have been avoided without all the back and forth hoopla years ago. The thing is that both the democrats and the republicans have good ideas. The ideal thing is to meld the ideas into a comprehensive plan that will benefit everyone. Tax cuts and rebates are well and good, but how does that help some families that scrimp and scrape just to pay the bills that they have now? I can’t tell you how many times we’ve come close to dropping our health plan even though my company is helping with the cost because we could use the money to make the mortgage, living expenses, the childrens college tuition, etc. Back end fixes are not an answer, we need a plan that will reduce the front end of the costs and allow it to be truly affordable for all people.
No sacred cows!!
The only way we will benefit from Healthcare Reform is if we have no sacred cows.
1. Doctors can not make a million dollars a year, Lets subsidize their education rather than their salary. They need fee schedules. They should not be able to own rehab and testing labs where they send us for test to prove something they already know. Why do we have to pay one doctor to get a referral to another doctor? That’s crazy. Give us a prescription that lasts for our life if we have a disease that requires we take medicine for life.
2. Insurance companies need standard policy forms like we have in personal auto and Homeowners policy. HO3 H05 HO8. etc. They also need an excess profit law where they must return a certain profit back if they make too much money. Establishing affordable premiums should be easy to develop, due to the law of large numbers and mortality tables and an extraordinary amount of statistical data available to actuaries. Carriers are entitled to a fair profit, key word fair when it comes to health insurance. I don’t care if the make a fortune on my car insurance I can always find someone to insure my car.
3. Pharmaceutical companies need to sell us their medicine for the same amount they sell to Canada and only make a certain profit margin after R & D.
4. Lawyers- We need to get them out of the business of sucking on society. We need National mandatory Tort reform for those blood sucking leaches.
5. Congressmen are not allowed to take any political contributions from any entity which is involved in heathcare. Insurance Companies, Lawyers, Doctors. Etc. You see what happened when Dodd and Frank got sweetheart deals from Countrywide and expounded how Freddie and Fannie were in great financial shape as federal regulaters were warning them about collapse . We all almost went broke. Oh by the way all congressmen and senators will be required to take whatever plan they establish for us and pay half the premium. While we are at it they have to forgo their current retirement plan of %100 percent of their annual salary and replace it with Social Security. But they shouldn’t worry; we as their employer will pay half of this benefit like our employers do for us. Welcome to being and American citizen.
6. Get Chiropractors out of healthcare. For goodness sakes my vet has more training than they do. News flash! They are not doctors..
7. Hospitals can’t charge $3000 for an emergency room visit. They should be paid by the hour and that does not include the waiting room. $15. Aspirin. Give me a break. If someone is going to die and believe me doctors know this, don’t keep me alive for 3 miserable days with life support so you can charge my insurance or my family 25k more.
8. Computerize our health records and allow us to send them to any doctor we want, whenever we want. Health insurers and any other entity including the government can not obtain them without our written consent every time they are retrieved. That does not mean we sign it or not get insurance. Doctors seem to think this will save a tremendous amount of money and be able to treat patients better. Oh well, they get it, if it saves us money.
9. All employers are required to pay half the health insurance premium for their employees, all employees will be required to pay the other half. Any employer paying 100% of the premium should get an additional tax benefit to the corp or the corporate shareholders if a sub s corp. This would lower cost due to the ones who have it now pay for the uninsured. We should be able to take our insurance with us when we leave an employer and the previous employers plan not affected regarding our claims, etc. No group rates based on age, everyone pays the same. That includes the poor or the rich. Healthcare is not a right it is a privilege remember no sacred cows and that includes us.
10. NO GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AFTER THESE ITEMS ARE DONE. LETS SEE WHAT HEALTH INSURANCE COST’S AFTER THIS.
President, I believe you are mistaken and the opposite is true with respect to the following:
“If you don’t agree with me go to a doctor or the ER and find out how much something will be if you have health insurance vs. if you don’t have health insurance. You will pay less if you don’t have health insurance cause they know that they can charge more to the insurers thus driving up the cost of our health insurnace over time.”
I recently had a surgery which took about 4 hours in the OR and one overnight in the hospital. It was planned and pre-approved by my insurance. The hospital forgot to input all of my coverage information into their billing system, so I received the bills as if I didn’t have any insurance. The total was $57,000.
Of course, my heart just about stopped, I called the hospital billing office and got the system corrected.
The next bill I received, showed the total amount charged to my insurance company was $12,000.
So, when they thought I didn’t have insurance the charge was almost 500% higher.
Everyone remember that the Dems did not need the republicans to pass their healthcare bills. They could have done it without them if they wanted to.
DO NOT FALL FOR THIS PARTISAN ATTEMPT TO DISTRACT YOU FROM THE TRUTH. They want you to think that the reason we do not have healthcare reform is because of the republicans. NOT TRUE!!!!! IT WAS DEMOCRATS THAT BAILED ON OBAMA AFTER MA VOTE AND VA GOV RACE, NJ GOV RACE AS WELL! No one wanted it!!!
Vote them all out, Democrat and Republican. Time for a conservative revolution where individual responsibility is rewarded and our personal freedoms are not taken away. Enough of the 2 party system which by itself is paralizing to our ability to govern and is based on one party being able to control things regardless of what is best for our Nation and the citizens of our Country. Sick of the political posturing of both republicans and Democrats.
Good Point TN. I agree these politicians need to compromise. Those people who have good jobs and their employer pays most of the premium for health insurance, just do not see that they are in the minority now. I have paid for my health insurance for over 10 years now and the last 3 years it has gone up 70%. But I am a lucky one because I still have a job. Those without jobs just go without in many cases.
Point is we need to start somewhere and get some kind of plan out there for these people now.
OK, what about my underwriting friend who was laid off Sept. 2008, has yet to find a job, and who has a heart condition? All her benefits (unemployment & COBRA)have run out. What if a person just CANNOT AFFORD health insurance? Have you priced it lately? If I have to make a choice between my home & health insurance, guess which I’ll pay for.
Wouldn’t it be nice if all these comments and the opinions of the millions of others who don’t have the advantage of this forum could somehow be put under the noses of those who will be involved in the bi-partisan meeting???
I’m sorry “not president” but you really don’t understand the pricing system here. The high number you saw was billed charges, the low number is the amount the hospital has agreed to after the insurance company negociated the charge.
So does Obama think we are all idiots. He thinks he can blame the republicans for being obstructionist when it was his own party that did not pass the legislation!
Why is it the republicans that have to come up with something. they only have 41 votes in the Senate. Dems are now only 1 vote from a super majority still.
Since the writer in No. 9 correctly states that healthcare is a privelage and not a right then why are we having a discussion about insuring the uninsured. A big reason health care costs are so high is because people receive healthcare who don’t pay for it. Refuse care to people who do not pay for it. Seems crass, but we have to make some tough choices. The easiest one for me to make is not to help people who are here illegally and not to help those who have not helped themselves.
Who is blaming the Republicans. Your mad at the President because he is attempting to include everyone in coming up with ideas for a better system. The Republicans hate it so I would love to see what they can come up with.
I didn’t read all of your list, but I disagree with 1,2, and 9. I disagree with 1 because if there wasnt an oppertunity to make a bunch of money as a doctor, there would be less insentive to become a doctor. We are already hurting for doctors. I disagree with 2 because its not acutarily sound. Lets say that they do have to pay back a portion of profit that they make, what happens when the following year they have a HUGE amount of claims, and because they had to pay back a decent amount of profit, they can not pay the claims for a heavy claim year and thus become insolvent? Then ALL of the people insured with them would have to go shopping elsewhere. If the company charges too much, the insured will take their business elsewhere, so they have to travel a fine line between charging enough to stay solvent and make a profit, and keeping the rates low enough so that their current book doesn’t walk out the door. So you are sugestting that the insurance companies “spread the wealth”, and I right? You don’t want them to keep all the profit that they have earned. Sounds like soliclism to me, but I could have a wrong definintion of it. I disagree with number 9 because there are many small business that can not AFFORD to pay for health insurance for their employees. Forcing companies to pay for something is bad for business, and what is bad for business is most of the time, bad for the economy.
Thank you Jim. I was going to comment to “not president” but you beat me to it.
To Not President:
If you think that a 4 hr surgery and an overnight stay only costs 12K, then you are sadly mistaken. The 12K wouldn’t even cover the cost of the Anesthesiologist for that surgery. I hope your health is better since the procedure, but with regard to cost you are mistaken.
If anyone is looking for some common sense solutions and don’t believe that there is that kind of leader in the republican party now, then look for Paul Ryan out of Wisconsin. We’ll see him on the ticket in 2016. I don’t know the guy and am not from Wisconsin, but everything he has called for is right in line with “common sense” thinkers like many of the readers on here.
Not everyone has let their health go to the “pot” as you say. I know a number of hardworking people that were either born with a condition that has worsened or developed a condition by no actions of their own. Yet they are being denied health coverage completly or being charged outrageous premiums. If these people are paying taxes and they cant get health coverage than there is a problem. Futhermore, I know of hospitals that will keep patience against their will to run up bills. Overcharging for services rendered half the time the nurse sees you not the doctor. C’mon something needs to change.
Okay, so what about the ones who are working and cannot get health coverage, the people who are paying taxes. Health reform is not just about the unisured, its about the overcharged, the people with pre-existing conditions who want to pay for coverage but are denied. Perhaps you should stop looking at one aspect. Not everyone in this country is trying to get a free ride. By the way I agree that if you are here illegally and not paying taxes you should not be entitled to free health care.
This is Obama-Lite. It is more rhetoric and nothing of substance.
First, they have to get over the “states” hurdle to cross state lines. Pooling already happens in our state of CT and it doesn’t reduce costs.
The whole idea of employer-sponsored plans needs to go away. The disconnect created by them between the consumer because the employer pays the bill is partly to blame, as is the fact that provider can charge what they want as long as the “insurance” pays – not the consumer. Why should Americans have their employers choosing their healthcare for them, anyway?
If insurers were required to community rate – except for age, gender and marital status – and be required to assume coverage for all pre-existing conditions – without the state governments mandating low copayments and elective procedures as being covered, then we would see a difference in the expense.
If everyone were to split their insurance premium between a High Deductible Individual Health Plan and a Health Savings account, people would be able to direct their healthcare dollars as they see fit and to manage their own care.
We don’t need any more bureaucracies, because the system in it’s current state with emnployers paying and managed care companies rationing, is simply a quasi-governmental system already. ObamaCare is simply the government’s rendition of what the private sector already is doing, and how does that fix anything?
I’m not in favor of giving any healthcare to anyone who does not pay for it. The fact that you pay taxes does not entitle you to healthcare any more than it entitles you to a new pair of Nikes. Just because someone else has something that you cannot afford does not entitle you to it. There are many things that can be done to control costs, such as Tort reform and requiring pharmaceutical companies to not provide drugs worldwide on the backs of Americans. Any solution that provides additional subsidies – i cannot support.
A conservative revolution? Well that sounds like you want to mandate that everyone become a conservative. Some indivduals are responsible they work pay taxes but get denied health coverage is that the reward you were speaking of? By the way you should research how that “tea party” was started don’t forget to jot a list on your hand of items to bring for your conservative tea party.
If it were possible to put all the energy spent debating this into actually fixing it. Too many people are trying to be “right”. Too many people spend more time belittling the other person’s idea, and flexing their mental muscles. When it all comes down the the bottom line, the nitty gritty, the gristle on the bone, something has to be done. It may not be the right thing at first and may need some tweaking. It might aggravate a few or even a lot of people keeping forums like this humming for a long time to come, but something has to be done. All that’s getting done now is everybody puffing out their chest and telling everyone how “you’re wrong and I’m right” and nothing is being done in the meantime to solve the problem.
Notright, I hear your concern and I agree with you. Those people that lose their job and have a pre-existing condition should have an outlet in which to purchase affordable coverage.
These people should be eligible for a state pool plan in which the government subsidies the added cost to insure an individual with (for example) cancer. These people have a legitimate problem and I for one have no problem in helping these people out. What I don’t want to do is subsidize people who have never made an attempt to purchase insurance their whole lives and then come to the marketplace now expecting to get affordable coverage.
The fact is, that we can subsidize cases like you described and the cost to do so would not be a 900 billion dollar reform bill. Your problem can and should be solved, but it should be just 1 piece of the legislation with the other pieces going towards reducing costs for the 80% of americans that pay into the system.
I’m in the P&C side so here is my analogy:
If I own a nursing home and didn’t have coverage for the first 10 years I was in business, then go to an insurance company to purchase coverage in the 11th year asking for them to pick up any exposure since the business began. I ask them to cover all incidents that occured during that time that could develop into potential claims. 11 year retro date essentially. I am going to get a price that is very expensive. To expect that an insurance company to take on that kind of risk for a small premium would be foolish. That Insurance company will go out of business quickly. To ask the health insurers to not have some underwriting guideliness is to ask companies to not make a profit. That is not a solution that works for the majority of the country that prefers that the private markets control the health industry.
I read the constitution and there is nothing that says the government should pay for your health insurance. Last time I looked the Bill of rights didnt address it either.
So if your out of work, your out of health insurance because someone would have to pay for it for you. well thats America, If you dont like it leave, go to France and take our President with you.
“No one has a right to healthcare”
But they do have a right to live.
“I don’t believe I should support those who can’t afford their own healthcare”
OK, just grab a shovel and help us bury these folks.
Funny how liberals (progressives) argue. They always resort to factless emotional outburst of illogical statements followed by ridicule, you know the writing on the hand thing.
Well lets look at your Hope and Change so far, what has it got us? 10% unemployment, Terrorist being given their rights they do not have. A Senate openly giving billions in kickbacks for votes. A communnist being appointed as a Czar. and a Treasury Secretary who didnt pay his taxes. A President and chief of Staff who makes fun of mentally disabled kids, calling them retarded and all this with the use of a teleprompter. I didnt even get into what Biden has done. And by the way no significant legislation passed!
I am not saying to give away healthcare, make it affordable for people with pre-existing conditions. Stop denying people with pre-existing conditions. The only reason many Americans have healthcare is because their employers are paying a large portion. Now if that was not the case how many people on here ranting could afford to do so. I am not talking free healthcare…my issue is make it available for the ones who want to pay for it. By the way Nikes and healthcare or two different things no comparison whatsoever. I am paying for social security that I probably won’t see, taxes has a lot to do with it. Republicans are yelling cut, cut well how about we put them to good use…fix healthcare.
Actually, you are sadly mistaken I am neither a liberal or a conservative I stand up for what is right. Hope and Change did not get us 10% unemployment greedy Americans, businesses, mishandling of funds got us 10% unemployment. Not supporting American owned businesses and American made products got us 10% unemployment. Not imporving our products or taking responsiblity that got us 10% unemployment. People need to start looking at themselves Mr. lets be responsible for ourselves. If you are talking about making fun of mentally disabled children Palin did that to her own child. Thanks for your factless emotional outburst of illogical statements followed by ridicule. What facts did you just point out? Not a one.
I am amazed and saddened by some of the comments here from my fellow insurance professionals. Half of my social circle of insurance buddies are now laid off. We’re all over 50, a couple of us are over 60. I am not eligible for COBRA so I’ve been uninsured for almost a year. I have several minor pre-existing conditions but I take care of myself the best I can. To have someone suggest my fellow uninsured Americans and I take leave of our country to get medical care elsewhere is a slap in the face to someone in need. My forefathers arrived in this country as indentured servants. My family worked and struggled and paid our bills as long as we could.
These ideas do seem reasonable but that is because with few exceptions, they would not change much, reduce costs much or bring more people into the system.
You’re wrong on the simple changes that can be instituted. Each of these I’ve listed DO result in lower costs. State Mandates are completely ot of control. Let me pick and choose which coverage is right for me and my family. Make sense — sure — we use the same for other insurance — auto/property — different limits,…
If I “owned” my policy I could shop much more effectively, and across state lines if necessary. Give me the tax deduction instead of my company! That is a union BS instituted program to help keep employees beholden to their employers!
Check the others over that I’ve listed and then you’ll see that the concepts are indeed effective.
* Cut Down on the MANDATES — let me pick the coverages I WANT, not what Gov’t thinks I need.
* Allow individuals to get tax deductions for their premiums!!
* Expand HSA’s and other High Deductible Health Care plans – the Dems have been fighting them since the GOP and GWB got it passed in 2003!! Now more people have HDHC plans than belong to HMO’s!!
* TORT REFORM, will lower the costs of defensive medicine, nuff said!
Just a group of simple ideas that don’t gut our present system in favor of socialism.
You say “make it affordable”. That’s just another euphemism for make someone else pay for your share. Nike and Healthcare are definately the same thing. They are both a privelage, neither is a constitutional right. Yes, one is much more critical than the other. As for your comment about the only reason most can afford healthcare is because their employer is paying for it. Don’t kid yourself – YOU are paying for it in the guise of a lower wage. If the employer wasn’t paying for it your salary could be higher. We all pay for that. It’s merely disguised as a lower wage and/or higher product price. Their passing on those cost – trust me on that one. As far as making it available for those who want to pay – i’m for that also – as long as they pay the same that i am if they are similarly situated from a health perspective.
At least Palin didn’t read her entire speech from her hand like the commander in chief who has to read his entire speech from a teleprompter!! And without it, he sounds like a bumbling idiot requiring a breathalyzer for asthma!!
Yeah I say “Make it affordable” and I’ll keep saying it. My “share” as you like to say is in excess of $12,000 per year not counting deductibles, co-pays, prescription costs, etc. I don’t really care if I pay more or less than everyone else, long as my family is protected. What I DO care about is if I can afford to keep my family protected. Everyone is all for fixing things as long as it doesn’t cost them a dime. It’s NIMBY all over again. “I believe that the healthcare system is flawed but don’t ask me to pay for fixing it” It’s sad that a country built from the ground up by selfless hard working caring individuals, has become selfish, greedy, self centered and cold. And don’t tell me if I don’t like it to leave, I’m going to stick around and watch the implosion process as a million people in unison shout “It’s not my problem”
Republicans do have some good Ideas, Tea Party people have better ideas and all I have seen from the left is have someone else (rich, who are disapearing)pay for my expanded free coverage.
Baby Boomers like you who have had their hands in the pockets of society, singing protest songs, being yuppies of the ’80s, and now are whining because they are victims of the circumstances they created – let’s shed some crocodile tears for you!
The younger ones – children of us Xers are the ones who will be and are paying your tab. This economic crash is all the doing of your generation – the baby boomers who have had it as best it could be from the ’50s ’til the crash. You stuck us with that jerk Obama because he is as radical as your college professors were.
All I can say is get a job, push carts, clear sewer drains, drive a limo – do anything where they’ll get you some health insurance, and stop blaming the rest of us because you are to arrogant to settle for what you must to get by.
She didn’t memorize that speech and she is an idiot, proven time and time again. McCain may have had a chance if not for his poor choice of a vp. You can go to Alaska with her and look over at Russia and put on your resume foreign policy experience. I have nothing against telepromters or writing on your hand but when you can’t recall your core so called beliefs than I have a problem. If that is the best rebuttle you can come up with out of that enitre paragraph than obviously you have nothing of value to say.
You are why this country is going down the tube, you and others like you. No one on here is looking for a handout. You better hope you never fall on hard times as you will eat your own words.
Hey the comment about Sarah Palin did that to her own child. WOW! are you that scared of her or just that rude.
by the way all of these statements are facts you disputed before. When Bush left 5.6% Unemployment rate. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the reason for the financial meltdown. Do your homework and let me repeat what I stated before.
Well lets look at your Hope and Change so far, what has it got us? 10% unemployment, Terrorist being given their rights they do not have. A Senate openly giving billions in kickbacks for votes. A communnist being appointed as a Czar. and a Treasury Secretary who didnt pay his taxes. A President and chief of Staff who makes fun of mentally disabled kids, calling them retarded and all this with the use of a teleprompter. I didnt even get into what Biden has done. And by the way no significant legislation passed!
ALL FACTS, Lets hear your emotional outburst of ridicule.
Wow – got busy at my job, and see a lot of you are busy here.
What I was saying is that your point that it is cheaper to go to the ER without coverage than with it was wrong.
I saw both bills and the uninsured was close to 500% higher. I understand the Ins Co negotiated the prices. That was pretty obvious.
YOU said it was cheaper at the hospital for the uninsured. My bills did not reflect that.
Rather than arguing with me, perhaps it would help if you clarified that point you were trying to make. Because either I didn’t understand the point you were trying to make or you were wrong. It is totally possible that I misunderstood you, why don’t you help me understand what you really meant.
I stopped reading any more of these post’s after yours. You are trying to be proactive instead of just *****ing about the current situation. Thank you! I sgree with your comments and you should forward them on to your congressman or woman.
I’m really curious what “format” Obama plans for the summit. Wondering if he plans to act like a mediator, or what.
I don’t see any way Obama came come out looking like anything other than a fool.
One good thing is that he won’t be able to “offer a carrot of offshore US drilling” in exchange for Repubs votes on Healthcare. In other words, no bribes like the Dems took, particularly on TV!
Did you see Obama’s published “strategy”??? He actually verbalized that his plan is to offer Republicans the opportunity to come his way, and when they don’t, he’s going to “blame it on them”. Woo Hoo! Will need popcorn and a beer for this movie!!!!!!!!!
What? Democrats had a super majority of the Senate and house for the last year!
They didnt discuss the 300 Billion to Louisianna or the Nebraska medicaid deal with the republicans. Sounds like you are watching too much MSNBC!
DONT BUY THIS BLAME THE REPUBLICAN CRAP! YOU HAD CONTROL OF BOTH HOUSES AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY LEGISLATION DONE! WHY? BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY WANTS SOCIALISM!
Total liberal crap! Two blatten errors. 1. Sarah Palins child has downs syndrone, not Autism. 2. She was upset at Rush for using the term retard, Just as she was upset the our PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF STAFF, not a radio show host! used the term retard.
DO YOU HAVE A CHILD WITH DOWNS SYNDRONE?
THEN SHUT UP!
Funny how liberals are so concerned about civil rights but not for mentally disabled kids or for womens rights. WHY ARE YOU SO SCARED OF HER? She holds no political office and the more you bash her for no reason with factless hateful opinions without regards to any political position but because she wrote on her hand or has a daughter who got pregnant. SO WHAT!
A woman who actually looks good (unlike Clinton or Pelosi), strong views and good grasp of fiscal responsibility for government, She hunts and fish and baits her own hooks, in touch with her role as mother and wife and has good morals.
Wow! with a record like this, Who would want to follow this leader! LOL…..
HOW FUNNY WAS THIS? Biden took credit yesterday for the Iraq surge and the scheduled removal of troops that Bush negotiated in August of 2008. Iraq is a much better place now! LOL……
Patrit Act extended last week by congress and the Obama Administration requested it?
Gitmo- Still open for business?
Trials of Terrorist in NY? What happens if KSM gets off?
YOU PROGRESSIVES ARE JUST OUT TO LUNCH! I CANT WAIT UNTIL NOV 2010 AND 2012!
1st it does not matter what the illness is, what does matter is that there are many people in similar situations that do not have health Insurance because they lost their job and cannot afford Cobra and no other Health Insurers will provide coverage denying these families the best of care.I would think we would all want this corrected.
2nd-Sarah Palin did make a comment that the Healthcare reform package would deny coverage to the elderly and in her words would kill grandma and i was disappointed that someone of her stature would make such a comment without researching the facts herself and I do not care who made a comment about a child being a quote”retard” it is wrong and hateful and she should have blasted him for it. lastly I supported John McCain and Sarah Palin not only with my vote but also donated to their campaign because on most issues such as cap and trade, Immigration,gun control and moral issues i simply do not support The position of President Obama.
In addition I have heard many opponents of reform quote the Lewin group as proof that reform would not work however i did not hear any of them admit that the Lewin group was owned by United Healthcare.
How non-biased was that study!
NONE of the media outlets are fair and balanced unless it would be PBS and it has become impossible to get to the real truth on any issue without doing your own research.
The Republican Party seems to be leaning so far to the right that most Americans are left out and the Democratic Party in like manner is so far to the left that most Americans are again left out.
I do not support or agree with a persons position because of their Political Party nor do I support them because they drive a pick-up truck or fish or base it on who has the best TV ads but instead base my decision on their voting record which is easily accessed on votesmart.org however many are to lazy to do their homework.
by the way neither President Obama nor John McCain have a very attractive voting record.
As anyone in the Health Insurance Industry knows it is impossible in a free market system to mandate that health insurers cover pre-existing conditions,remove lifetime limits on coverage or buy across state lines without Health Insurers raising prices thus resulting in more Uninsured Americans than we have seen in our lifetime.
A Public option or exchange is the only way to keep prices in line and a public option will not be cheap.
I am sure Social Security and Medicare were hotly contested issues but most of us are glad that they are in place.
The issue is not about Sarah Palin or any other individual or Political Party but what it is about is doing what is right however with so much bickering nothing gets done period but I guess we can’t complain about the politicians arguing when blogs such as this are full of it as well.
Unfortunately, the Republicans don’t have five puppet news organizations behind them to offer their ideas for reform..ABC CBS NBC CNN and MSNBC…we have ONE source of television media which gives Republicans air time. It’s harder to reach the idiots below who are only watching the five liberal stations…but, fortunately, many of those who are watching the liberal five, have gotten smart and realized what an extreme liberal the President and this Democratic Congress is, and that it is NOT WORKING for them, and they’ve broadened their intake of news to Fox.
And, since we all know 60% of Americans are AGAINST Obama’s version of reform, it’s pretty lame that five media outlets can’t do the job of one Fox….tell BOTH sides of the story.
Autism??? 2 years after Sarah hit the media and the lib below things her son has autism??? Thanks for illustrating your ignorance.
AP
updated 22 minutes ago
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder is leaving open the possibility of trying professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed before a military commission instead of the civilian trial originally planned for New York City
IS THIS NOT HILLARIOUS! WHAT LEADERSHIP DO WE HAVE IN WASHINGTON NOW!
Reading through this litany of vitriolic tripe aka “political talking points” makes one nauseous. The ubiquitous “dichotomy of ideologies” is so played out and juvenile.
“I’m right. You’re wrong.”
“I’m good. You’re bad.”
“It’s not my fault. It’s your fault.”
“I’m not to blame. You’re to blame.”
Judging by the contributions to this comment board it would appear that the answer to “why nothing gets done” should be crystal clear. It is more important to be “unquestionably right” and to have someone or something to “blame”.
If this board is any testament to contemporary American culture then we all should be ashamed.
Actually it’s not a blame issue at all. It’s pure illustration of the fact that there are essentially two opposing sets of philosophies subscribed to by Americans….those that support personal freedom, capitalism/free markets, and limited government intervention versus those who support entitlement, heavy handed government involvement and regulation, and the concept of government as the protectors of people.
We’ve just never before in history had such an extreme version of the latter attempting to take away the desires of the former.
That is democracy at it’s best, and I’m proud to have the freedom to express my desire for the former, while ATTEMPTING to show those that desire the latter, that shifts from democracy to other forms of government typically take place in incremental steps….like we are seeing now.
I truly believe that the majority of those whose beliefs are more liberal, don’t realize that it’s not the issue of agent compensation in New York, it’s the issue of getting the government out of your life that matters. It’s that when we don’t condone and promote earning alot of money like we always have, that the latter group doesn’t realize that will eventually trickle down to reduced entitlement….when the tax revenues aren’t there to support their entitlement any longer. Perhaps that’s wishful thinking, but evidently a large number of Americans DO UNDERSTAND THAT, and that is why Americans are angry, and Congress may very well find itself replaced, and the President with no further ability to push his extreme agenda.
No, it really isn’t a “blame game conundrum”, it’s a “solution conundrum”.
The majority of U.S. citizens believe the current “progressive” proposals involve a distinctly socialist angle, which some may even call a vast redistribution of health. Some posts incorrectly use the terms “health insurance” and “healthcare” interchangeably, which belies a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. Some even posit that without health insurance an individual would not have any access to health care, thereby resulting in certain premature death.
I have seen the words “greedy” and “selfish” used to describe those who resist the notion that it should be the proper role of government to take from some “more” fortunate group (defined as what? by whom?) to give to some “less” fortunate group (again, defined as what? and by whom?)
Certainly name-calling and mud-slinging have no place in civil discourse. But neither does sugar-coating seriously flawed proposals or lying about the implications, and those who engage in such tactics have rightfully earned themselves a position of distrust and disdain.
Yes, there is a dichotomy of ideologies,
but it is neither played out nor juvenile. We, as a nation, are at a fork in the road, and many believe that taking the left road will ultimately lead to diminished freedom and liberty for ALL citizens. The US Constitution was designed to protect individual citizens FROM the majority and FROM unreasonable government intrusion. Some who understand this and are willing fight for it may get a little over-zealous or emotional, but that doesn’t make them wrong.
Far from being ashamed, I’m proud and thankful that so many understand that too much government involvement in our daily lives, no matter how well intentioned and no matter how wonderful the short-term comfort, can be a very dangerous thing and, sometimes, when “nothing gets done” it’s a good thing.
The US Constitution was designed to protect individual citizens FROM the majority and FROM unreasonable government intrusion.- JB
Preamble of the U.S. Constitution
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”-http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Preamble
This same constitution gives congress the ability to tax. While ten important amendments clarified the new government’s apprehension of government based on the experiences of being a British colony as written in the Preamble to the Bill of Rights.
“THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent starts of its institution.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.”[4]- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights#Preamble
But, what I believe you may have misunderstood to be constitutional is in fact a call for revolution, with a tinge of self doubt, as written in the Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”- http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/doi/text.html
Most of the constitution and Bill of Rights reads like antithetical solutions to the experiences of a British colony feeling bent over the barrel by a nefarious monarchic empire. Whereas the cry for freedom and liberty predates both the constitution and the Bill of Rights taken into context it is a quite simply what it is title: A Declaration of Independence from a perceived British tyranny.
To suggest that the founders were so prescient as to foresee our contemporary travails is a difficult stretch for me.
Your contribution is well written and I thank you for your perspective.
Are you saying that you are no longer disgusted by strong opposing viewpoints? Or are you admitting that democracy is actually WORKING here…..which it is….
How about sharing what you perceive to be the benefits of entitlement, heavy government intrusion and regulation, as well as government perceiving itself as protector – in every regard – of it’s incapable citizens?
Do you recognize that without capitalism, tax revenue cannot support this country? Not even our own national defense? Do you agree that to abolism capitalism at this critical financial juncture could very well be the perfect opportunity for radical muslims to kill you, when we cannot afford our national defense?
The concepts I suggested DO reduce costs. Maybe if you were actually involved in business operations and insurance you would understand that reducing the costs is not as difficult as Barack Hussein Obama or the rest of the goose stepping Democrats that controll Congress suggest.
But wait — since January 2007 when Democrats (including BHO) took over Congress, unemployment has gone from 4.5% to 10% and the last GOP budget deficit was $160 billion vs the Democrat Congress Deficits that have been $450 Billion and $1.4Trillion (soon to be $1.7Trillion), with an intellectually defunct Congress like that it is no wonder you find them appealing — they must be related to you!
Joe,
While I do not agree with you on Medicare and Social Security I very much agree with you on 99% of your idea’s on points 2 through 8.
I have a situation where a Health Insurer denied life sustaining care for a young girl 23 years old and thus I would rather have Government between me and my doctor than most Health Insurers.
Bt the way in the case of this girl I understand that the family has legal counsel and I would not want tort reform to block them from seeking action against such an outrageous denial of service especially now that Medicaid has stepped in and is providing this care.
So much for Government Intrusion!
In regards to point 9 I am concerned that many people working for close to minimum wage jobs simply would not be able to pay for healthcare even with reform however I do not think that the Republican Party will do anything if it helps President Obama politically.
Maybe what is needed is to abolish both Parties period because these Politicians on both sides have not figured out yet that it is not about them but instead is about the American people.
What is even more apparent is the fact that if you and I can come to some kind of common ground without hate filled remarks and comments then it would seem to me that our Employee Elected officals could do likewise.
Ken,
Medicare and Social Security are broke! Why would we want to start a new one. I am not happy to have Social Security, becuase it will not be there for me or you. Sarah Palin was right when she said the health reform bill was going to kill Grandma and Grandpa. 700 billions of cuts, where do you think they would cut. 40% of our healthcare dollars are spent on end of life issues. Chemotherapy, Surgeries, ICU and Nursing home care. THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO CUT!
Yes I agree Republicans are not listening, Democrats are out to lunch wacko’s. The only way to solve this issue is with a free market solution with real savings addressed. Here is my solutions that no one would support but need to be done to actually solve the problems we face. Too bad the Unions, Insurance industry, Bar associations, AARP or any other group would scream and run from.
No sacred cows!!
The only way we will benefit from Healthcare Reform is if we have no sacred cows.
1. Doctors can not make a million dollars a year, Lets subsidize their education rather than their salary. They need fee schedules. They should not be able to own rehab and testing labs where they send us for test to prove something they already know. Why do we have to pay one doctor to get a referral to another doctor? That’s crazy. Give us a prescription that lasts for our life if we have a disease that requires we take medicine for life.
2. Insurance companies need standard policy forms like we have in personal auto and Homeowners policy. HO3 H05 HO8. etc. They also need an excess profit law where they must return a certain profit back if they make too much money. Establishing affordable premiums should be easy to develop, due to the law of large numbers and mortality tables and an extraordinary amount of statistical data available to actuaries. Carriers are entitled to a fair profit, key word fair when it comes to health insurance. I don’t care if the make a fortune on my car insurance I can always find someone to insure my car.
3. Pharmaceutical companies need to sell us their medicine for the same amount they sell to Canada and only make a certain profit margin after R & D.
4. Lawyers- We need to get them out of the business of sucking on society. We need National mandatory Tort reform for those blood sucking leaches.
5. Congressmen are not allowed to take any political contributions from any entity which is involved in heathcare. Insurance Companies, Lawyers, Doctors. Etc. You see what happened when Dodd and Frank got sweetheart deals from Countrywide and expounded how Freddie and Fannie were in great financial shape as federal regulaters were warning them about collapse . We all almost went broke. Oh by the way all congressmen and senators will be required to take whatever plan they establish for us and pay half the premium. While we are at it they have to forgo their current retirement plan of %100 percent of their annual salary and replace it with Social Security. But they shouldn’t worry; we as their employer will pay half of this benefit like our employers do for us. Welcome to being and American citizen.
6. Get Chiropractors out of healthcare. For goodness sakes my vet has more training than they do. News flash! They are not doctors..
7. Hospitals can’t charge $3000 for an emergency room visit. They should be paid by the hour and that does not include the waiting room. $15. Aspirin. Give me a break. If someone is going to die and believe me doctors know this, don’t keep me alive for 3 miserable days with life support so you can charge my insurance or my family 25k more.
8. Computerize our health records and allow us to send them to any doctor we want, whenever we want. Health insurers and any other entity including the government can not obtain them without our written consent every time they are retrieved. That does not mean we sign it or not get insurance. Doctors seem to think this will save a tremendous amount of money and be able to treat patients better. Oh well, they get it, if it saves us money.
9. All employers are required to pay half the health insurance premium for their employees, all employees will be required to pay the other half. This would lower cost due to the ones who have it now pay for the uninsured. We should be able to take our insurance with us when we leave an employer and the previous employers plan not affected regarding our claims, etc. No group rates based on age, everyone pays the same. That includes the poor or the rich. Healthcare is not a right it is a privilege remember no sacred cows and that includes us.
10. NO GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AFTER THESE ITEMS ARE DONE. LETS SEE WHAT HEALTH INSURANCE COST’S AFTER THIS.
You say we need “free market solution with real savings addressed” and then y ou go on a socialist talking points tear! Income limits, cost caps, subsidized education,… are all part of the problem with health insurance and health care right now.
Your first paragraph was great — but then your digression showed you don’t have a good grasp of what free market forces actually are.
By reading my earlier posts you get a little idea of what are more free market oriented solutions. (all though I mention tort reform, that is a last ditch effort to rein in frivilous lawsuits — I don’t think lawyers should have caps on their percentage income such as is stipulated in FL).
I think we are all in agreement that this is a real mess to say the least and I am sure many of you probably know of Employers doing away with Healthcare as an Employee benefit not to mention the unemployed,people with pre-existing conditions,small family owned and operated businesses closing their doors etc..and lets face it with 20% rate increases like my customers received this week(Including my family)we are taking taking money out of the economy that could be used for other purchasing that would benefit the economy as a whole.
While my Insurance went up in excess of $150.00 per month I can handle it but what about those less fortunate that simply do not have the resources to pay this type of Increase.
I find it hard to accept the price gouging that is going on when we see the record profits made by these insurers.
I still do not see how we will ever get costs down without the so called dirty word (Public Option) or Medicare for all to keep these Insurers honest if that is possible.
I do believe in a free market system but how much profit is enough?
Much like Utilities there is going to have be some controls put in place in addition to the changes such as Joe mentioned and with most Politicians being lawyers I really do not think we will ever see real Tort reform.
Actuary,are you saying that tort reform will not prevent these people i mentioned earlier from filing suit for denial of coverage and if so then how will Tort reform really change anything besides the amount of award?
I do not care if you are Democrat,Republican,Independent,
Conservative or liberal we as a people should demanding that these issues be resolved.
I think the real truth is that it has been so long since our Elected Officials have had to do any real work that they do not know how and that is why they are running away instead of running for re-election.
I have heard more real debate on this blog and many with really good Idea’s than I have heard between either Party!
Tort reform deals with reigning in runaway punitive damage awards. There is no suggestion that compensatory damages should be limited. Also, the proposals I hear about have nothing to do with insurance coverage, but with medical malpractice.
As for your larger points, I think everything else you say contradicts your claim to be a free market proponent.
Actuary,
I guess we agree to disagree but that is one freedom we have in America.
I believe in a Free market system when excessive greed does not infringe upon the consumers basic health and well being which i believe Health Insurers have infringed upon that right and I also believe that it is one element that is hurting the Economy as there is less spendable income available to the Consumer.
Yes I agree where do you set the limit of how much is to much but this is getting ridiculous when people are dying because of a lack of care that many of us take for granted.
Do you believe Oil Companies should have the right to raise Gasoline prices to $8.00 per gallon just because they want larger dividends for their shareholders or what about your local Electric Utility Company doubling its rate for the same reason?
The public outcry when Gas and diesel fuel went to almost $5.00 per gallon was tremendous because people see this cost come directly out of their pocket book but when most people have Employer provided healthcare and see only their net income a lot of people do not even think about it just like taxes.
I will bet that if each person had to sit down and write a check for all their Income taxes every payday there would be a real revolt in this Country.
It is simply out of sight and out of mind.
I do think Health Insurers should be under FTC regulations as it relates to monopolies and price fixing.
We control Utility rates by our State Public Service Commission and Property Casualty Insurers are required to apply for rate increases and reductions and I think that Health Insurers should have to as well.
Ken, you misunderstand tort reform. It would not in any way prevent the girl from suing and attempting to prove that her health insurance contract provides for coverage.
It’s funny. When you cherry pick the posts in here, you actually get some very good ideas that could be implemented by both sides. Problem is they wont. Health care costs are going to continue to rise. The business of making sure that providers keep to a schedule in some arenas such as no fault, HMO’s, medicare/caid etc is too big in it’s own right. Then we have the lawyers whose job it is to either get as much as they can for themselves and their clients -or- save as much money for their clients while getting as much money as they can for themselves. With that in mind, tort reform is not going to stick unless everyone gets on the bandwagon and forces a change and even then it’s going to be challenged time and time again until someone finds a way around it which influences the cost of malpractice insurance which affects the cost of healthcare, which affects the cost of healthcare insurance. Uninsured people take a big chunk too. Just today Jackson Memorial is in the midst of layoffs due to heavy losses in excess of $200million dollars because “The combination of more uninsured patients and less funding from tax revenue has left the hospital with an operating deficit.” http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2010/02/15/daily18.html
So what we have here is a vicious circle, with all the pieces supporting each other, and everyone arguing about what should be done, but not being able to agree to a course of action.
Maybe we should just scrap the whole damnned mess and start from scratch?
Is it just me or do most of these proposals make sense?
Yes, most of them do make sense. AND they can be debated and implemented piecemeal without a need for a 2000 page bill.
Cracking down on waste and fraud in Medicare could and should be done without Congress having to do a darn thing.
Actually she has proven 2 things
1-She is not just a soccer mom but a 100% bonafide extreme politician who is willing to stretch the truth( actually lie) to satisfy her followers such as the comment that she made about President Obama’s health plan would kill Grandma which for those of us in the Insurance business who studied the proposal knows that it was a lie and was actually a benefit for the elderly that they now have to hire an attorney to advise them.
I just wonder what she would have done back when her child was born with Autism if she was like a lot of Americans that have no healthcare?
2-Her comment about Rush Limbaugh using the Retard language is disappointing as it appears she will side with her Party whatever the situation.
Now she is a political pundit who most centrists and Independents will find just as disgusting as they find most candidates.
The “insurance reform” as the Obama administration has named this reform is only 1 piece of the pie. Those are all good ideas that could help to lower costs…Which is the point of all of this. They are several other segments in the healthcare industry that need to take it on the chin just as much as insurance companies are going to. Doctors, Hospitals, Pharmacuticals, Medical device makers, etc all need to tighten their belts as well. Our current system is broke cause these segments know that ultimatly they can charge much more due to the fact that the insurers could just pass the cost increases on to the consumers.
I would love to see health insurance become the responsibility on the people rather than their employers. The government could make this affordable by giving individuals and families hefting tax deductions. I know one thing is for sure. If we all made medical decisions based on costs of the procedure and service then we would all become much more aware of the rediculousness that the healthcare industry gets away with in pricing. If you don’t agree with me go to a doctor or the ER and find out how much something will be if you have health insurance vs. if you don’t have health insurance. You will pay less if you don’t have health insurance cause they know that they can charge more to the insurers thus driving up the cost of our health insurnace over time.
Put me in the oval office, I’ll get this Bull**** fixed the right way.
You hit the nail on the head. The best way of reducing costs is actually converting the health care industry back to a competitive model rather than the quasi-socialist model it has become. If the Republicans truly believed in the Free Market, they would be pursuing viable reforms instead of this drop-in-the-ocean silliness they’re offering. The Democrats, of course, are offering only to fix some problems by making others worse.
* Cut Down on the MANDATES — let me pick the coverages I WANT, not what Gov’t thinks I need.
* Allow individuals to get tax deductions for their premiums!!
* Expand HSA’s and other High Deductible Health Care plans – the Dems have been fighting them since the GOP and GWB got it passed in 2003!! Now more people have HDHC plans than belong to HMO’s!!
* TORT REFORM, nuff said!
Just a group of simple ideas that don’t gut our present system in favor of socialism.
John
No. I agree with the republican proposals. American have let thier health go to pot, and now we all have to pay for people who do not take care of themselves. The waste and abuse of the system should have been taken care a long time ago. We didn ot need a 2000 page document to explain all this.
I agree that the pre-existing conditions exclusions must be dropped. I don’t agree with the Dems that the way to prevent people from waiting until the last minute to buy coverage is to mandate everyone buy insurance. That is unconstitutional. Instead, after a brief amnesty period to allow the uninsured to buy coverage, implement a waiting period of 1 year to coverage pre-existing conditions AND change the bankruptcy laws so medical debt can no longer be wiped away if it is due to your failure to have insurance.
Some Republicans, including Senate “Finance Committee member Charles Grassley, call for barring insurers from excluding people with pre-existing conditions and argue that the reinsurance program would allow for coverage of those people who wait until they get sick before purchasing insurance. Reinsurance pool premiums would be higher than regular insurance”
GRASSLEY THINKS REINSURANCE IS LIKE GOVT. MONEY, THEY WILL NOT MISS IT??? iDIOT, THEY ARE FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES WHICH WILL NOT JUST EAT COSTS AND THEY ARE ALREADY PAYING A PORTION ON QUOTASHARE DEALS. If the legislators do not know what they are talking about, HOW will they fix it??
Keep it the way it is. Let uninsured go to Britain and Canada for their free ride…
This could have been avoided without all the back and forth hoopla years ago. The thing is that both the democrats and the republicans have good ideas. The ideal thing is to meld the ideas into a comprehensive plan that will benefit everyone. Tax cuts and rebates are well and good, but how does that help some families that scrimp and scrape just to pay the bills that they have now? I can’t tell you how many times we’ve come close to dropping our health plan even though my company is helping with the cost because we could use the money to make the mortgage, living expenses, the childrens college tuition, etc. Back end fixes are not an answer, we need a plan that will reduce the front end of the costs and allow it to be truly affordable for all people.
No sacred cows!!
The only way we will benefit from Healthcare Reform is if we have no sacred cows.
1. Doctors can not make a million dollars a year, Lets subsidize their education rather than their salary. They need fee schedules. They should not be able to own rehab and testing labs where they send us for test to prove something they already know. Why do we have to pay one doctor to get a referral to another doctor? That’s crazy. Give us a prescription that lasts for our life if we have a disease that requires we take medicine for life.
2. Insurance companies need standard policy forms like we have in personal auto and Homeowners policy. HO3 H05 HO8. etc. They also need an excess profit law where they must return a certain profit back if they make too much money. Establishing affordable premiums should be easy to develop, due to the law of large numbers and mortality tables and an extraordinary amount of statistical data available to actuaries. Carriers are entitled to a fair profit, key word fair when it comes to health insurance. I don’t care if the make a fortune on my car insurance I can always find someone to insure my car.
3. Pharmaceutical companies need to sell us their medicine for the same amount they sell to Canada and only make a certain profit margin after R & D.
4. Lawyers- We need to get them out of the business of sucking on society. We need National mandatory Tort reform for those blood sucking leaches.
5. Congressmen are not allowed to take any political contributions from any entity which is involved in heathcare. Insurance Companies, Lawyers, Doctors. Etc. You see what happened when Dodd and Frank got sweetheart deals from Countrywide and expounded how Freddie and Fannie were in great financial shape as federal regulaters were warning them about collapse . We all almost went broke. Oh by the way all congressmen and senators will be required to take whatever plan they establish for us and pay half the premium. While we are at it they have to forgo their current retirement plan of %100 percent of their annual salary and replace it with Social Security. But they shouldn’t worry; we as their employer will pay half of this benefit like our employers do for us. Welcome to being and American citizen.
6. Get Chiropractors out of healthcare. For goodness sakes my vet has more training than they do. News flash! They are not doctors..
7. Hospitals can’t charge $3000 for an emergency room visit. They should be paid by the hour and that does not include the waiting room. $15. Aspirin. Give me a break. If someone is going to die and believe me doctors know this, don’t keep me alive for 3 miserable days with life support so you can charge my insurance or my family 25k more.
8. Computerize our health records and allow us to send them to any doctor we want, whenever we want. Health insurers and any other entity including the government can not obtain them without our written consent every time they are retrieved. That does not mean we sign it or not get insurance. Doctors seem to think this will save a tremendous amount of money and be able to treat patients better. Oh well, they get it, if it saves us money.
9. All employers are required to pay half the health insurance premium for their employees, all employees will be required to pay the other half. Any employer paying 100% of the premium should get an additional tax benefit to the corp or the corporate shareholders if a sub s corp. This would lower cost due to the ones who have it now pay for the uninsured. We should be able to take our insurance with us when we leave an employer and the previous employers plan not affected regarding our claims, etc. No group rates based on age, everyone pays the same. That includes the poor or the rich. Healthcare is not a right it is a privilege remember no sacred cows and that includes us.
10. NO GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AFTER THESE ITEMS ARE DONE. LETS SEE WHAT HEALTH INSURANCE COST’S AFTER THIS.
President, I believe you are mistaken and the opposite is true with respect to the following:
“If you don’t agree with me go to a doctor or the ER and find out how much something will be if you have health insurance vs. if you don’t have health insurance. You will pay less if you don’t have health insurance cause they know that they can charge more to the insurers thus driving up the cost of our health insurnace over time.”
I recently had a surgery which took about 4 hours in the OR and one overnight in the hospital. It was planned and pre-approved by my insurance. The hospital forgot to input all of my coverage information into their billing system, so I received the bills as if I didn’t have any insurance. The total was $57,000.
Of course, my heart just about stopped, I called the hospital billing office and got the system corrected.
The next bill I received, showed the total amount charged to my insurance company was $12,000.
So, when they thought I didn’t have insurance the charge was almost 500% higher.
Everyone remember that the Dems did not need the republicans to pass their healthcare bills. They could have done it without them if they wanted to.
DO NOT FALL FOR THIS PARTISAN ATTEMPT TO DISTRACT YOU FROM THE TRUTH. They want you to think that the reason we do not have healthcare reform is because of the republicans. NOT TRUE!!!!! IT WAS DEMOCRATS THAT BAILED ON OBAMA AFTER MA VOTE AND VA GOV RACE, NJ GOV RACE AS WELL! No one wanted it!!!
Vote them all out, Democrat and Republican. Time for a conservative revolution where individual responsibility is rewarded and our personal freedoms are not taken away. Enough of the 2 party system which by itself is paralizing to our ability to govern and is based on one party being able to control things regardless of what is best for our Nation and the citizens of our Country. Sick of the political posturing of both republicans and Democrats.
Good Point TN. I agree these politicians need to compromise. Those people who have good jobs and their employer pays most of the premium for health insurance, just do not see that they are in the minority now. I have paid for my health insurance for over 10 years now and the last 3 years it has gone up 70%. But I am a lucky one because I still have a job. Those without jobs just go without in many cases.
Point is we need to start somewhere and get some kind of plan out there for these people now.
OK, what about my underwriting friend who was laid off Sept. 2008, has yet to find a job, and who has a heart condition? All her benefits (unemployment & COBRA)have run out. What if a person just CANNOT AFFORD health insurance? Have you priced it lately? If I have to make a choice between my home & health insurance, guess which I’ll pay for.
Wouldn’t it be nice if all these comments and the opinions of the millions of others who don’t have the advantage of this forum could somehow be put under the noses of those who will be involved in the bi-partisan meeting???
You can e-mail this to your Representatives with a note, I have.
I’m sorry “not president” but you really don’t understand the pricing system here. The high number you saw was billed charges, the low number is the amount the hospital has agreed to after the insurance company negociated the charge.
So does Obama think we are all idiots. He thinks he can blame the republicans for being obstructionist when it was his own party that did not pass the legislation!
Why is it the republicans that have to come up with something. they only have 41 votes in the Senate. Dems are now only 1 vote from a super majority still.
COMON MAN!
Since the writer in No. 9 correctly states that healthcare is a privelage and not a right then why are we having a discussion about insuring the uninsured. A big reason health care costs are so high is because people receive healthcare who don’t pay for it. Refuse care to people who do not pay for it. Seems crass, but we have to make some tough choices. The easiest one for me to make is not to help people who are here illegally and not to help those who have not helped themselves.
Who is blaming the Republicans. Your mad at the President because he is attempting to include everyone in coming up with ideas for a better system. The Republicans hate it so I would love to see what they can come up with.
I didn’t read all of your list, but I disagree with 1,2, and 9. I disagree with 1 because if there wasnt an oppertunity to make a bunch of money as a doctor, there would be less insentive to become a doctor. We are already hurting for doctors. I disagree with 2 because its not acutarily sound. Lets say that they do have to pay back a portion of profit that they make, what happens when the following year they have a HUGE amount of claims, and because they had to pay back a decent amount of profit, they can not pay the claims for a heavy claim year and thus become insolvent? Then ALL of the people insured with them would have to go shopping elsewhere. If the company charges too much, the insured will take their business elsewhere, so they have to travel a fine line between charging enough to stay solvent and make a profit, and keeping the rates low enough so that their current book doesn’t walk out the door. So you are sugestting that the insurance companies “spread the wealth”, and I right? You don’t want them to keep all the profit that they have earned. Sounds like soliclism to me, but I could have a wrong definintion of it. I disagree with number 9 because there are many small business that can not AFFORD to pay for health insurance for their employees. Forcing companies to pay for something is bad for business, and what is bad for business is most of the time, bad for the economy.
Thank you Jim. I was going to comment to “not president” but you beat me to it.
To Not President:
If you think that a 4 hr surgery and an overnight stay only costs 12K, then you are sadly mistaken. The 12K wouldn’t even cover the cost of the Anesthesiologist for that surgery. I hope your health is better since the procedure, but with regard to cost you are mistaken.
If anyone is looking for some common sense solutions and don’t believe that there is that kind of leader in the republican party now, then look for Paul Ryan out of Wisconsin. We’ll see him on the ticket in 2016. I don’t know the guy and am not from Wisconsin, but everything he has called for is right in line with “common sense” thinkers like many of the readers on here.
Not everyone has let their health go to the “pot” as you say. I know a number of hardworking people that were either born with a condition that has worsened or developed a condition by no actions of their own. Yet they are being denied health coverage completly or being charged outrageous premiums. If these people are paying taxes and they cant get health coverage than there is a problem. Futhermore, I know of hospitals that will keep patience against their will to run up bills. Overcharging for services rendered half the time the nurse sees you not the doctor. C’mon something needs to change.
Okay, so what about the ones who are working and cannot get health coverage, the people who are paying taxes. Health reform is not just about the unisured, its about the overcharged, the people with pre-existing conditions who want to pay for coverage but are denied. Perhaps you should stop looking at one aspect. Not everyone in this country is trying to get a free ride. By the way I agree that if you are here illegally and not paying taxes you should not be entitled to free health care.
This is Obama-Lite. It is more rhetoric and nothing of substance.
First, they have to get over the “states” hurdle to cross state lines. Pooling already happens in our state of CT and it doesn’t reduce costs.
The whole idea of employer-sponsored plans needs to go away. The disconnect created by them between the consumer because the employer pays the bill is partly to blame, as is the fact that provider can charge what they want as long as the “insurance” pays – not the consumer. Why should Americans have their employers choosing their healthcare for them, anyway?
If insurers were required to community rate – except for age, gender and marital status – and be required to assume coverage for all pre-existing conditions – without the state governments mandating low copayments and elective procedures as being covered, then we would see a difference in the expense.
If everyone were to split their insurance premium between a High Deductible Individual Health Plan and a Health Savings account, people would be able to direct their healthcare dollars as they see fit and to manage their own care.
We don’t need any more bureaucracies, because the system in it’s current state with emnployers paying and managed care companies rationing, is simply a quasi-governmental system already. ObamaCare is simply the government’s rendition of what the private sector already is doing, and how does that fix anything?
I’m not in favor of giving any healthcare to anyone who does not pay for it. The fact that you pay taxes does not entitle you to healthcare any more than it entitles you to a new pair of Nikes. Just because someone else has something that you cannot afford does not entitle you to it. There are many things that can be done to control costs, such as Tort reform and requiring pharmaceutical companies to not provide drugs worldwide on the backs of Americans. Any solution that provides additional subsidies – i cannot support.
A conservative revolution? Well that sounds like you want to mandate that everyone become a conservative. Some indivduals are responsible they work pay taxes but get denied health coverage is that the reward you were speaking of? By the way you should research how that “tea party” was started don’t forget to jot a list on your hand of items to bring for your conservative tea party.
If it were possible to put all the energy spent debating this into actually fixing it. Too many people are trying to be “right”. Too many people spend more time belittling the other person’s idea, and flexing their mental muscles. When it all comes down the the bottom line, the nitty gritty, the gristle on the bone, something has to be done. It may not be the right thing at first and may need some tweaking. It might aggravate a few or even a lot of people keeping forums like this humming for a long time to come, but something has to be done. All that’s getting done now is everybody puffing out their chest and telling everyone how “you’re wrong and I’m right” and nothing is being done in the meantime to solve the problem.
Notright, I hear your concern and I agree with you. Those people that lose their job and have a pre-existing condition should have an outlet in which to purchase affordable coverage.
These people should be eligible for a state pool plan in which the government subsidies the added cost to insure an individual with (for example) cancer. These people have a legitimate problem and I for one have no problem in helping these people out. What I don’t want to do is subsidize people who have never made an attempt to purchase insurance their whole lives and then come to the marketplace now expecting to get affordable coverage.
The fact is, that we can subsidize cases like you described and the cost to do so would not be a 900 billion dollar reform bill. Your problem can and should be solved, but it should be just 1 piece of the legislation with the other pieces going towards reducing costs for the 80% of americans that pay into the system.
I’m in the P&C side so here is my analogy:
If I own a nursing home and didn’t have coverage for the first 10 years I was in business, then go to an insurance company to purchase coverage in the 11th year asking for them to pick up any exposure since the business began. I ask them to cover all incidents that occured during that time that could develop into potential claims. 11 year retro date essentially. I am going to get a price that is very expensive. To expect that an insurance company to take on that kind of risk for a small premium would be foolish. That Insurance company will go out of business quickly. To ask the health insurers to not have some underwriting guideliness is to ask companies to not make a profit. That is not a solution that works for the majority of the country that prefers that the private markets control the health industry.
Not-right, your problem is solved.
I read the constitution and there is nothing that says the government should pay for your health insurance. Last time I looked the Bill of rights didnt address it either.
So if your out of work, your out of health insurance because someone would have to pay for it for you. well thats America, If you dont like it leave, go to France and take our President with you.
“No one has a right to healthcare”
But they do have a right to live.
“I don’t believe I should support those who can’t afford their own healthcare”
OK, just grab a shovel and help us bury these folks.
Funny how liberals (progressives) argue. They always resort to factless emotional outburst of illogical statements followed by ridicule, you know the writing on the hand thing.
Well lets look at your Hope and Change so far, what has it got us? 10% unemployment, Terrorist being given their rights they do not have. A Senate openly giving billions in kickbacks for votes. A communnist being appointed as a Czar. and a Treasury Secretary who didnt pay his taxes. A President and chief of Staff who makes fun of mentally disabled kids, calling them retarded and all this with the use of a teleprompter. I didnt even get into what Biden has done. And by the way no significant legislation passed!
Get a grip dude.
Exactly, News flash!! OUR COUNTRY IS BROKE!
If you have no money, Do you go get a credit card or find a way to stop spending?
I am not saying to give away healthcare, make it affordable for people with pre-existing conditions. Stop denying people with pre-existing conditions. The only reason many Americans have healthcare is because their employers are paying a large portion. Now if that was not the case how many people on here ranting could afford to do so. I am not talking free healthcare…my issue is make it available for the ones who want to pay for it. By the way Nikes and healthcare or two different things no comparison whatsoever. I am paying for social security that I probably won’t see, taxes has a lot to do with it. Republicans are yelling cut, cut well how about we put them to good use…fix healthcare.
Actually, you are sadly mistaken I am neither a liberal or a conservative I stand up for what is right. Hope and Change did not get us 10% unemployment greedy Americans, businesses, mishandling of funds got us 10% unemployment. Not supporting American owned businesses and American made products got us 10% unemployment. Not imporving our products or taking responsiblity that got us 10% unemployment. People need to start looking at themselves Mr. lets be responsible for ourselves. If you are talking about making fun of mentally disabled children Palin did that to her own child. Thanks for your factless emotional outburst of illogical statements followed by ridicule. What facts did you just point out? Not a one.
Yeah, our country has been broke and owned by China for forever. Nothing new there.
I’m getting teary at all the optimism and national pride going on around here. I don’t know if I can handle it.
I am amazed and saddened by some of the comments here from my fellow insurance professionals. Half of my social circle of insurance buddies are now laid off. We’re all over 50, a couple of us are over 60. I am not eligible for COBRA so I’ve been uninsured for almost a year. I have several minor pre-existing conditions but I take care of myself the best I can. To have someone suggest my fellow uninsured Americans and I take leave of our country to get medical care elsewhere is a slap in the face to someone in need. My forefathers arrived in this country as indentured servants. My family worked and struggled and paid our bills as long as we could.
These ideas do seem reasonable but that is because with few exceptions, they would not change much, reduce costs much or bring more people into the system.
Karl “Marx”? That you?:
You’re wrong on the simple changes that can be instituted. Each of these I’ve listed DO result in lower costs. State Mandates are completely ot of control. Let me pick and choose which coverage is right for me and my family. Make sense — sure — we use the same for other insurance — auto/property — different limits,…
If I “owned” my policy I could shop much more effectively, and across state lines if necessary. Give me the tax deduction instead of my company! That is a union BS instituted program to help keep employees beholden to their employers!
Check the others over that I’ve listed and then you’ll see that the concepts are indeed effective.
* Cut Down on the MANDATES — let me pick the coverages I WANT, not what Gov’t thinks I need.
* Allow individuals to get tax deductions for their premiums!!
* Expand HSA’s and other High Deductible Health Care plans – the Dems have been fighting them since the GOP and GWB got it passed in 2003!! Now more people have HDHC plans than belong to HMO’s!!
* TORT REFORM, will lower the costs of defensive medicine, nuff said!
Just a group of simple ideas that don’t gut our present system in favor of socialism.
John
You say “make it affordable”. That’s just another euphemism for make someone else pay for your share. Nike and Healthcare are definately the same thing. They are both a privelage, neither is a constitutional right. Yes, one is much more critical than the other. As for your comment about the only reason most can afford healthcare is because their employer is paying for it. Don’t kid yourself – YOU are paying for it in the guise of a lower wage. If the employer wasn’t paying for it your salary could be higher. We all pay for that. It’s merely disguised as a lower wage and/or higher product price. Their passing on those cost – trust me on that one. As far as making it available for those who want to pay – i’m for that also – as long as they pay the same that i am if they are similarly situated from a health perspective.
Your ideas reduce coverage and don’t lower costs but just pass higher costs onto individuals while letting insurers cherry pick and boost profits.
At least Palin didn’t read her entire speech from her hand like the commander in chief who has to read his entire speech from a teleprompter!! And without it, he sounds like a bumbling idiot requiring a breathalyzer for asthma!!
Yeah I say “Make it affordable” and I’ll keep saying it. My “share” as you like to say is in excess of $12,000 per year not counting deductibles, co-pays, prescription costs, etc. I don’t really care if I pay more or less than everyone else, long as my family is protected. What I DO care about is if I can afford to keep my family protected. Everyone is all for fixing things as long as it doesn’t cost them a dime. It’s NIMBY all over again. “I believe that the healthcare system is flawed but don’t ask me to pay for fixing it” It’s sad that a country built from the ground up by selfless hard working caring individuals, has become selfish, greedy, self centered and cold. And don’t tell me if I don’t like it to leave, I’m going to stick around and watch the implosion process as a million people in unison shout “It’s not my problem”
What about Tort Reform? Did I miss that part?
DID YOU READ MY NO SACRED COWS POST?
Republicans do have some good Ideas, Tea Party people have better ideas and all I have seen from the left is have someone else (rich, who are disapearing)pay for my expanded free coverage.
47 Million is Bee Ess! Stop parroting propoganda.
Baby Boomers like you who have had their hands in the pockets of society, singing protest songs, being yuppies of the ’80s, and now are whining because they are victims of the circumstances they created – let’s shed some crocodile tears for you!
The younger ones – children of us Xers are the ones who will be and are paying your tab. This economic crash is all the doing of your generation – the baby boomers who have had it as best it could be from the ’50s ’til the crash. You stuck us with that jerk Obama because he is as radical as your college professors were.
All I can say is get a job, push carts, clear sewer drains, drive a limo – do anything where they’ll get you some health insurance, and stop blaming the rest of us because you are to arrogant to settle for what you must to get by.
She didn’t memorize that speech and she is an idiot, proven time and time again. McCain may have had a chance if not for his poor choice of a vp. You can go to Alaska with her and look over at Russia and put on your resume foreign policy experience. I have nothing against telepromters or writing on your hand but when you can’t recall your core so called beliefs than I have a problem. If that is the best rebuttle you can come up with out of that enitre paragraph than obviously you have nothing of value to say.
Salute The Flag
You’re right. Maybe he should get a job raking the sand you’ve got your head stuck in.
You are why this country is going down the tube, you and others like you. No one on here is looking for a handout. You better hope you never fall on hard times as you will eat your own words.
Idiots
Funny, you sound like a parrot of Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann.
Let’s bash Palin, but you probably also believe Maxine Waters is a genius!
Wrong again, I don’t think she is a genius. I liked McCain he would have had my vote if not for Palin.
Touched a nerve, huh? Now, go and repent and sin no more!
Hey the comment about Sarah Palin did that to her own child. WOW! are you that scared of her or just that rude.
by the way all of these statements are facts you disputed before. When Bush left 5.6% Unemployment rate. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the reason for the financial meltdown. Do your homework and let me repeat what I stated before.
Well lets look at your Hope and Change so far, what has it got us? 10% unemployment, Terrorist being given their rights they do not have. A Senate openly giving billions in kickbacks for votes. A communnist being appointed as a Czar. and a Treasury Secretary who didnt pay his taxes. A President and chief of Staff who makes fun of mentally disabled kids, calling them retarded and all this with the use of a teleprompter. I didnt even get into what Biden has done. And by the way no significant legislation passed!
ALL FACTS, Lets hear your emotional outburst of ridicule.
To Jim & President –
Wow – got busy at my job, and see a lot of you are busy here.
What I was saying is that your point that it is cheaper to go to the ER without coverage than with it was wrong.
I saw both bills and the uninsured was close to 500% higher. I understand the Ins Co negotiated the prices. That was pretty obvious.
YOU said it was cheaper at the hospital for the uninsured. My bills did not reflect that.
Rather than arguing with me, perhaps it would help if you clarified that point you were trying to make. Because either I didn’t understand the point you were trying to make or you were wrong. It is totally possible that I misunderstood you, why don’t you help me understand what you really meant.
The unemployment ate in January 2009 when Bush left office was 7.6% and rising, not 5.6%.
We are a great country. Miranda rights are not reserved for U.S. citizens only– they are for anyone accused of a crime in the U.S.
The rest of your post is just political blabber.
Sarah,
I stopped reading any more of these post’s after yours. You are trying to be proactive instead of just *****ing about the current situation. Thank you! I sgree with your comments and you should forward them on to your congressman or woman.
I’m really curious what “format” Obama plans for the summit. Wondering if he plans to act like a mediator, or what.
I don’t see any way Obama came come out looking like anything other than a fool.
One good thing is that he won’t be able to “offer a carrot of offshore US drilling” in exchange for Repubs votes on Healthcare. In other words, no bribes like the Dems took, particularly on TV!
Did you see Obama’s published “strategy”??? He actually verbalized that his plan is to offer Republicans the opportunity to come his way, and when they don’t, he’s going to “blame it on them”. Woo Hoo! Will need popcorn and a beer for this movie!!!!!!!!!
Shocking!
What? Democrats had a super majority of the Senate and house for the last year!
They didnt discuss the 300 Billion to Louisianna or the Nebraska medicaid deal with the republicans. Sounds like you are watching too much MSNBC!
DONT BUY THIS BLAME THE REPUBLICAN CRAP! YOU HAD CONTROL OF BOTH HOUSES AND HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY LEGISLATION DONE! WHY? BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY WANTS SOCIALISM!
Total liberal crap! Two blatten errors. 1. Sarah Palins child has downs syndrone, not Autism. 2. She was upset at Rush for using the term retard, Just as she was upset the our PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF STAFF, not a radio show host! used the term retard.
DO YOU HAVE A CHILD WITH DOWNS SYNDRONE?
THEN SHUT UP!
Funny how liberals are so concerned about civil rights but not for mentally disabled kids or for womens rights. WHY ARE YOU SO SCARED OF HER? She holds no political office and the more you bash her for no reason with factless hateful opinions without regards to any political position but because she wrote on her hand or has a daughter who got pregnant. SO WHAT!
YOU ARE SCARED OF HER!
A PROGRESSIVE LIBERALS NIGHTMARE!
A woman who actually looks good (unlike Clinton or Pelosi), strong views and good grasp of fiscal responsibility for government, She hunts and fish and baits her own hooks, in touch with her role as mother and wife and has good morals.
Ok all at once liberals – AHHHHHHHHHHH! ! !
Wow! with a record like this, Who would want to follow this leader! LOL…..
HOW FUNNY WAS THIS? Biden took credit yesterday for the Iraq surge and the scheduled removal of troops that Bush negotiated in August of 2008. Iraq is a much better place now! LOL……
Patrit Act extended last week by congress and the Obama Administration requested it?
Gitmo- Still open for business?
Trials of Terrorist in NY? What happens if KSM gets off?
YOU PROGRESSIVES ARE JUST OUT TO LUNCH! I CANT WAIT UNTIL NOV 2010 AND 2012!
1st it does not matter what the illness is, what does matter is that there are many people in similar situations that do not have health Insurance because they lost their job and cannot afford Cobra and no other Health Insurers will provide coverage denying these families the best of care.I would think we would all want this corrected.
2nd-Sarah Palin did make a comment that the Healthcare reform package would deny coverage to the elderly and in her words would kill grandma and i was disappointed that someone of her stature would make such a comment without researching the facts herself and I do not care who made a comment about a child being a quote”retard” it is wrong and hateful and she should have blasted him for it. lastly I supported John McCain and Sarah Palin not only with my vote but also donated to their campaign because on most issues such as cap and trade, Immigration,gun control and moral issues i simply do not support The position of President Obama.
In addition I have heard many opponents of reform quote the Lewin group as proof that reform would not work however i did not hear any of them admit that the Lewin group was owned by United Healthcare.
How non-biased was that study!
NONE of the media outlets are fair and balanced unless it would be PBS and it has become impossible to get to the real truth on any issue without doing your own research.
The Republican Party seems to be leaning so far to the right that most Americans are left out and the Democratic Party in like manner is so far to the left that most Americans are again left out.
I do not support or agree with a persons position because of their Political Party nor do I support them because they drive a pick-up truck or fish or base it on who has the best TV ads but instead base my decision on their voting record which is easily accessed on votesmart.org however many are to lazy to do their homework.
by the way neither President Obama nor John McCain have a very attractive voting record.
As anyone in the Health Insurance Industry knows it is impossible in a free market system to mandate that health insurers cover pre-existing conditions,remove lifetime limits on coverage or buy across state lines without Health Insurers raising prices thus resulting in more Uninsured Americans than we have seen in our lifetime.
A Public option or exchange is the only way to keep prices in line and a public option will not be cheap.
I am sure Social Security and Medicare were hotly contested issues but most of us are glad that they are in place.
The issue is not about Sarah Palin or any other individual or Political Party but what it is about is doing what is right however with so much bickering nothing gets done period but I guess we can’t complain about the politicians arguing when blogs such as this are full of it as well.
Unfortunately, the Republicans don’t have five puppet news organizations behind them to offer their ideas for reform..ABC CBS NBC CNN and MSNBC…we have ONE source of television media which gives Republicans air time. It’s harder to reach the idiots below who are only watching the five liberal stations…but, fortunately, many of those who are watching the liberal five, have gotten smart and realized what an extreme liberal the President and this Democratic Congress is, and that it is NOT WORKING for them, and they’ve broadened their intake of news to Fox.
And, since we all know 60% of Americans are AGAINST Obama’s version of reform, it’s pretty lame that five media outlets can’t do the job of one Fox….tell BOTH sides of the story.
Autism??? 2 years after Sarah hit the media and the lib below things her son has autism??? Thanks for illustrating your ignorance.
AP
updated 22 minutes ago
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Eric Holder is leaving open the possibility of trying professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed before a military commission instead of the civilian trial originally planned for New York City
IS THIS NOT HILLARIOUS! WHAT LEADERSHIP DO WE HAVE IN WASHINGTON NOW!
OBAMA! FIRE ERIC HOLDER!
Reading through this litany of vitriolic tripe aka “political talking points” makes one nauseous. The ubiquitous “dichotomy of ideologies” is so played out and juvenile.
“I’m right. You’re wrong.”
“I’m good. You’re bad.”
“It’s not my fault. It’s your fault.”
“I’m not to blame. You’re to blame.”
Judging by the contributions to this comment board it would appear that the answer to “why nothing gets done” should be crystal clear. It is more important to be “unquestionably right” and to have someone or something to “blame”.
If this board is any testament to contemporary American culture then we all should be ashamed.
Thank you
Actually it’s not a blame issue at all. It’s pure illustration of the fact that there are essentially two opposing sets of philosophies subscribed to by Americans….those that support personal freedom, capitalism/free markets, and limited government intervention versus those who support entitlement, heavy handed government involvement and regulation, and the concept of government as the protectors of people.
We’ve just never before in history had such an extreme version of the latter attempting to take away the desires of the former.
That is democracy at it’s best, and I’m proud to have the freedom to express my desire for the former, while ATTEMPTING to show those that desire the latter, that shifts from democracy to other forms of government typically take place in incremental steps….like we are seeing now.
I truly believe that the majority of those whose beliefs are more liberal, don’t realize that it’s not the issue of agent compensation in New York, it’s the issue of getting the government out of your life that matters. It’s that when we don’t condone and promote earning alot of money like we always have, that the latter group doesn’t realize that will eventually trickle down to reduced entitlement….when the tax revenues aren’t there to support their entitlement any longer. Perhaps that’s wishful thinking, but evidently a large number of Americans DO UNDERSTAND THAT, and that is why Americans are angry, and Congress may very well find itself replaced, and the President with no further ability to push his extreme agenda.
It’s good news Tao!
Thank you H.O.C. for the reiteration. Your convictions are duly noted, again.
No, it really isn’t a “blame game conundrum”, it’s a “solution conundrum”.
The majority of U.S. citizens believe the current “progressive” proposals involve a distinctly socialist angle, which some may even call a vast redistribution of health. Some posts incorrectly use the terms “health insurance” and “healthcare” interchangeably, which belies a fundamental misunderstanding of the issue. Some even posit that without health insurance an individual would not have any access to health care, thereby resulting in certain premature death.
I have seen the words “greedy” and “selfish” used to describe those who resist the notion that it should be the proper role of government to take from some “more” fortunate group (defined as what? by whom?) to give to some “less” fortunate group (again, defined as what? and by whom?)
Certainly name-calling and mud-slinging have no place in civil discourse. But neither does sugar-coating seriously flawed proposals or lying about the implications, and those who engage in such tactics have rightfully earned themselves a position of distrust and disdain.
Yes, there is a dichotomy of ideologies,
but it is neither played out nor juvenile. We, as a nation, are at a fork in the road, and many believe that taking the left road will ultimately lead to diminished freedom and liberty for ALL citizens. The US Constitution was designed to protect individual citizens FROM the majority and FROM unreasonable government intrusion. Some who understand this and are willing fight for it may get a little over-zealous or emotional, but that doesn’t make them wrong.
Far from being ashamed, I’m proud and thankful that so many understand that too much government involvement in our daily lives, no matter how well intentioned and no matter how wonderful the short-term comfort, can be a very dangerous thing and, sometimes, when “nothing gets done” it’s a good thing.
The Republican ideas already in the health care bill.
http://bit.ly/b8RGOS
The US Constitution was designed to protect individual citizens FROM the majority and FROM unreasonable government intrusion.- JB
Preamble of the U.S. Constitution
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”-http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Preamble
This same constitution gives congress the ability to tax. While ten important amendments clarified the new government’s apprehension of government based on the experiences of being a British colony as written in the Preamble to the Bill of Rights.
“THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent starts of its institution.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring, that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States, as amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all, or any of which Articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures, to be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of the said Constitution; viz.
ARTICLES in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution.”[4]- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights#Preamble
But, what I believe you may have misunderstood to be constitutional is in fact a call for revolution, with a tinge of self doubt, as written in the Declaration of Independence.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”- http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/doi/text.html
Most of the constitution and Bill of Rights reads like antithetical solutions to the experiences of a British colony feeling bent over the barrel by a nefarious monarchic empire. Whereas the cry for freedom and liberty predates both the constitution and the Bill of Rights taken into context it is a quite simply what it is title: A Declaration of Independence from a perceived British tyranny.
To suggest that the founders were so prescient as to foresee our contemporary travails is a difficult stretch for me.
Your contribution is well written and I thank you for your perspective.
Are you saying that you are no longer disgusted by strong opposing viewpoints? Or are you admitting that democracy is actually WORKING here…..which it is….
How about sharing what you perceive to be the benefits of entitlement, heavy government intrusion and regulation, as well as government perceiving itself as protector – in every regard – of it’s incapable citizens?
Do you recognize that without capitalism, tax revenue cannot support this country? Not even our own national defense? Do you agree that to abolism capitalism at this critical financial juncture could very well be the perfect opportunity for radical muslims to kill you, when we cannot afford our national defense?
I was right — you are related to Karl Marz.
The concepts I suggested DO reduce costs. Maybe if you were actually involved in business operations and insurance you would understand that reducing the costs is not as difficult as Barack Hussein Obama or the rest of the goose stepping Democrats that controll Congress suggest.
But wait — since January 2007 when Democrats (including BHO) took over Congress, unemployment has gone from 4.5% to 10% and the last GOP budget deficit was $160 billion vs the Democrat Congress Deficits that have been $450 Billion and $1.4Trillion (soon to be $1.7Trillion), with an intellectually defunct Congress like that it is no wonder you find them appealing — they must be related to you!
Oops! Marx!!
Joe,
While I do not agree with you on Medicare and Social Security I very much agree with you on 99% of your idea’s on points 2 through 8.
I have a situation where a Health Insurer denied life sustaining care for a young girl 23 years old and thus I would rather have Government between me and my doctor than most Health Insurers.
Bt the way in the case of this girl I understand that the family has legal counsel and I would not want tort reform to block them from seeking action against such an outrageous denial of service especially now that Medicaid has stepped in and is providing this care.
So much for Government Intrusion!
In regards to point 9 I am concerned that many people working for close to minimum wage jobs simply would not be able to pay for healthcare even with reform however I do not think that the Republican Party will do anything if it helps President Obama politically.
Maybe what is needed is to abolish both Parties period because these Politicians on both sides have not figured out yet that it is not about them but instead is about the American people.
What is even more apparent is the fact that if you and I can come to some kind of common ground without hate filled remarks and comments then it would seem to me that our Employee Elected officals could do likewise.
Ken,
Medicare and Social Security are broke! Why would we want to start a new one. I am not happy to have Social Security, becuase it will not be there for me or you. Sarah Palin was right when she said the health reform bill was going to kill Grandma and Grandpa. 700 billions of cuts, where do you think they would cut. 40% of our healthcare dollars are spent on end of life issues. Chemotherapy, Surgeries, ICU and Nursing home care. THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO CUT!
Yes I agree Republicans are not listening, Democrats are out to lunch wacko’s. The only way to solve this issue is with a free market solution with real savings addressed. Here is my solutions that no one would support but need to be done to actually solve the problems we face. Too bad the Unions, Insurance industry, Bar associations, AARP or any other group would scream and run from.
No sacred cows!!
The only way we will benefit from Healthcare Reform is if we have no sacred cows.
1. Doctors can not make a million dollars a year, Lets subsidize their education rather than their salary. They need fee schedules. They should not be able to own rehab and testing labs where they send us for test to prove something they already know. Why do we have to pay one doctor to get a referral to another doctor? That’s crazy. Give us a prescription that lasts for our life if we have a disease that requires we take medicine for life.
2. Insurance companies need standard policy forms like we have in personal auto and Homeowners policy. HO3 H05 HO8. etc. They also need an excess profit law where they must return a certain profit back if they make too much money. Establishing affordable premiums should be easy to develop, due to the law of large numbers and mortality tables and an extraordinary amount of statistical data available to actuaries. Carriers are entitled to a fair profit, key word fair when it comes to health insurance. I don’t care if the make a fortune on my car insurance I can always find someone to insure my car.
3. Pharmaceutical companies need to sell us their medicine for the same amount they sell to Canada and only make a certain profit margin after R & D.
4. Lawyers- We need to get them out of the business of sucking on society. We need National mandatory Tort reform for those blood sucking leaches.
5. Congressmen are not allowed to take any political contributions from any entity which is involved in heathcare. Insurance Companies, Lawyers, Doctors. Etc. You see what happened when Dodd and Frank got sweetheart deals from Countrywide and expounded how Freddie and Fannie were in great financial shape as federal regulaters were warning them about collapse . We all almost went broke. Oh by the way all congressmen and senators will be required to take whatever plan they establish for us and pay half the premium. While we are at it they have to forgo their current retirement plan of %100 percent of their annual salary and replace it with Social Security. But they shouldn’t worry; we as their employer will pay half of this benefit like our employers do for us. Welcome to being and American citizen.
6. Get Chiropractors out of healthcare. For goodness sakes my vet has more training than they do. News flash! They are not doctors..
7. Hospitals can’t charge $3000 for an emergency room visit. They should be paid by the hour and that does not include the waiting room. $15. Aspirin. Give me a break. If someone is going to die and believe me doctors know this, don’t keep me alive for 3 miserable days with life support so you can charge my insurance or my family 25k more.
8. Computerize our health records and allow us to send them to any doctor we want, whenever we want. Health insurers and any other entity including the government can not obtain them without our written consent every time they are retrieved. That does not mean we sign it or not get insurance. Doctors seem to think this will save a tremendous amount of money and be able to treat patients better. Oh well, they get it, if it saves us money.
9. All employers are required to pay half the health insurance premium for their employees, all employees will be required to pay the other half. This would lower cost due to the ones who have it now pay for the uninsured. We should be able to take our insurance with us when we leave an employer and the previous employers plan not affected regarding our claims, etc. No group rates based on age, everyone pays the same. That includes the poor or the rich. Healthcare is not a right it is a privilege remember no sacred cows and that includes us.
10. NO GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT AFTER THESE ITEMS ARE DONE. LETS SEE WHAT HEALTH INSURANCE COST’S AFTER THIS.
Ken,
You say we need “free market solution with real savings addressed” and then y ou go on a socialist talking points tear! Income limits, cost caps, subsidized education,… are all part of the problem with health insurance and health care right now.
Your first paragraph was great — but then your digression showed you don’t have a good grasp of what free market forces actually are.
By reading my earlier posts you get a little idea of what are more free market oriented solutions. (all though I mention tort reform, that is a last ditch effort to rein in frivilous lawsuits — I don’t think lawyers should have caps on their percentage income such as is stipulated in FL).
Regards,
I think we are all in agreement that this is a real mess to say the least and I am sure many of you probably know of Employers doing away with Healthcare as an Employee benefit not to mention the unemployed,people with pre-existing conditions,small family owned and operated businesses closing their doors etc..and lets face it with 20% rate increases like my customers received this week(Including my family)we are taking taking money out of the economy that could be used for other purchasing that would benefit the economy as a whole.
While my Insurance went up in excess of $150.00 per month I can handle it but what about those less fortunate that simply do not have the resources to pay this type of Increase.
I find it hard to accept the price gouging that is going on when we see the record profits made by these insurers.
I still do not see how we will ever get costs down without the so called dirty word (Public Option) or Medicare for all to keep these Insurers honest if that is possible.
I do believe in a free market system but how much profit is enough?
Much like Utilities there is going to have be some controls put in place in addition to the changes such as Joe mentioned and with most Politicians being lawyers I really do not think we will ever see real Tort reform.
Actuary,are you saying that tort reform will not prevent these people i mentioned earlier from filing suit for denial of coverage and if so then how will Tort reform really change anything besides the amount of award?
I do not care if you are Democrat,Republican,Independent,
Conservative or liberal we as a people should demanding that these issues be resolved.
I think the real truth is that it has been so long since our Elected Officials have had to do any real work that they do not know how and that is why they are running away instead of running for re-election.
I have heard more real debate on this blog and many with really good Idea’s than I have heard between either Party!
Tort reform deals with reigning in runaway punitive damage awards. There is no suggestion that compensatory damages should be limited. Also, the proposals I hear about have nothing to do with insurance coverage, but with medical malpractice.
As for your larger points, I think everything else you say contradicts your claim to be a free market proponent.
Actuary,
I guess we agree to disagree but that is one freedom we have in America.
I believe in a Free market system when excessive greed does not infringe upon the consumers basic health and well being which i believe Health Insurers have infringed upon that right and I also believe that it is one element that is hurting the Economy as there is less spendable income available to the Consumer.
Yes I agree where do you set the limit of how much is to much but this is getting ridiculous when people are dying because of a lack of care that many of us take for granted.
Do you believe Oil Companies should have the right to raise Gasoline prices to $8.00 per gallon just because they want larger dividends for their shareholders or what about your local Electric Utility Company doubling its rate for the same reason?
The public outcry when Gas and diesel fuel went to almost $5.00 per gallon was tremendous because people see this cost come directly out of their pocket book but when most people have Employer provided healthcare and see only their net income a lot of people do not even think about it just like taxes.
I will bet that if each person had to sit down and write a check for all their Income taxes every payday there would be a real revolt in this Country.
It is simply out of sight and out of mind.
I do think Health Insurers should be under FTC regulations as it relates to monopolies and price fixing.
We control Utility rates by our State Public Service Commission and Property Casualty Insurers are required to apply for rate increases and reductions and I think that Health Insurers should have to as well.
Ken, you misunderstand tort reform. It would not in any way prevent the girl from suing and attempting to prove that her health insurance contract provides for coverage.
It’s funny. When you cherry pick the posts in here, you actually get some very good ideas that could be implemented by both sides. Problem is they wont. Health care costs are going to continue to rise. The business of making sure that providers keep to a schedule in some arenas such as no fault, HMO’s, medicare/caid etc is too big in it’s own right. Then we have the lawyers whose job it is to either get as much as they can for themselves and their clients -or- save as much money for their clients while getting as much money as they can for themselves. With that in mind, tort reform is not going to stick unless everyone gets on the bandwagon and forces a change and even then it’s going to be challenged time and time again until someone finds a way around it which influences the cost of malpractice insurance which affects the cost of healthcare, which affects the cost of healthcare insurance. Uninsured people take a big chunk too. Just today Jackson Memorial is in the midst of layoffs due to heavy losses in excess of $200million dollars because “The combination of more uninsured patients and less funding from tax revenue has left the hospital with an operating deficit.” http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2010/02/15/daily18.html
So what we have here is a vicious circle, with all the pieces supporting each other, and everyone arguing about what should be done, but not being able to agree to a course of action.
Maybe we should just scrap the whole damnned mess and start from scratch?