Q. What if the public gets their way due to 72% of the public being opposed to the law and elects Mit Romney and gets a majority in the Senate? Have you ever heard the word REPEAL?
Sarah, When we saw how this legislation was introduced and all the lies, deception, back room deals, bribery of lawmakers to pass a bill without reading it, it is no wonder that more than half the states opposed it and a significant majority of Americans in about every poll except for Media Matters and Move On.org. It is the worst legislation ever passed by Congress and is blatantly Unconstitutional. If the Supremes make a favorable ruling and allow it to stand, this country is history. I agree with Doubting Thomas. Are we going to be a Socialist/Marxist country or a Constitutional Republic which believes in Capitalism, not Marxism where the government controls every aspect of our lives?
Agent; Show Me a single place in the Constitution where Capitalism is mentioned. While we are a Constitutional Republic we are not I say again are not an absolute Democracy i.e. absolute majority rule. I will also point out that Socilaism, Marxism or any other economic doctrine is included in the Constituition. This raises the question as to weather you could pass a basic civic exam.
…”This raises the question as to weather you could pass a basic civic exam”.
Your lack of knowledge as to knowing the difference between weather and whether raises my question as to whether or not you truly have command of the English language.
dmcandady, Where is healthcare mentioned in the constitution? Where is the Federal Govermnents power over the states rights to impose such a law? Actually the 10th amendment does just the opposite. Read the document.
I was at a college campus in CT recently and in their student union, there are posters all around that read “Socialism: The Radical Idea of Sharing”. Our kids are being BRAINWASHED to believe this BS!! They have no idea what true socialism is!! This administration HAS TO BE STOPPED OR WE WILL BE A SOCIALIST NATION BEFORE WE KNOW IT!!
I wish it weren’t so, but IMHO the definition of a Republican or Tea Party supporter should include “someone who has health insurance through their employer and/or who has never been seriously injured or ill”.
It must be tough looking at this whole issue if it’s personally irrelevant. Somewhat like allowing only men to testify on issues dealing with contraception or EOP.
Here in Texas we have always had a High Risk Pool that people could go to. Other states could do the same thing if they so wanted too. It should be on a State level not a federal level to take care of ones people. PERIOD. Besides … it’s going to be on your TAX dollars even more so if they require everyone to have insurance. Opposed to right now .. you are only having to pay for the actual procedures.
Yes, and Texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the USA We have High risk pool in KY, and HIPAA requires ALL states to have a vehicle to capture the uninsured when they lose COBRA etc So they already HAVE their high risk pools you see. Now what?
Dear Reader – this is not the venue for valid or substantiated comments. That’s the job of the reporters.
Our job is to simulate and stimulate modern discussion in America by being biased. Anything else wouldn’t be entertaining or cathartic. No one converts anyone through postings here, and I enjoy the input of the good folks on the other side of the web-aisle. It’s refreshing!
The fact that many of us are affiliated with the Insurance Industry does not excuse us from forming opinions based on rational thinking. You don’t owe blind support to those who spend millions of $$$$$$$ to confuse you.
Does PPACA help the citizens of the USA?
Most industrialized nations of the world cover their citizens with quality healthcare as a right not a chance.
Does being wealthy mean you ignore the millions of uninsured?
All American citizens should have more than an Emergency room as their source of healthcare.
Try to be more than biased A-holes, if possible !
Brandon – I wish you and your family good health in Texas. Just close your eyes and imagine you didn’t have a job with a package. Then, think of your spouse coming down with a nasty unnamed disease. Or your child gets hit by debris in a windstorm.
Can you afford to pay for the “actual procedures” out of pocket? The only thing coming out of my pocket is lint. And if you have a 401(k) with a decent figure, that figure might end up looking like a skeleton as you pay what you have to, from what you have to pay.
I spent a few minutes trying to find out what university studies cost in England – each person who elects to go on with their studies pays all of L9,000 regardless of whether it’s a top-level or a local school.
If we could only get the first 12 years of school right, wouldn’t it be great to have level college costs for our kids as a right, not a privilege?
I don’t want a socialist country. I want to feel that I get what I earn. If it only weren’t for the middle managers in my way.
At 32, I had a great job with six figures, great benefit package and a solid investment/retirement portfolio. Unfortunately I became very ill, could not get diagnosed or treated and eventually was forced to leave my job thereby losing my health insurance. I was able to support myself with my savings for four years while I tried various treatments, all to no avail, but then…I won’t bore anyone with details, and I sincerely hope that those who are determined to see the Affordable Care Act annihilated never face a serious illness for which there are few answers. People might be surprised how little doctors actually know. I was.
Thanks, Reality – so glad to see that you and a few others get it; I cannot imagine going through life with such little compassion.
Oh, America…God help us!
March 23, 2012 at 10:50 am
JB says:
Like or Dislike:
0
0
Exactly – and that’s the problem with liberal commentary.
I am not and will never be an Obama supporter. However, one facet of the healthcare bill that I do support is allowing my 21 year old son to remain on my health insurance. I pay approximately $100 monthly out of my pocket and my employer pays nothing for this coverage. This is actually $48 less per month than he paid for an individual policy. I would guess most insurance companies make money from the premiums paid for the 19-26 year olds and hope that employers and insurance companies reconsider their position on age limits if the healthcare bill is stricken down.
Lynninms, This bill could have made allowances for covering kids longer without all the mandates and ugly stuff the Progressives put in it. This bill could have been simplified down to 100 pages in lieu of 2,700 pages. They could have put Tort Reform in it, allowed companies to sell across state lines to create competition without creating a monstrocity, but they chose the Progressive way and this bill is so oppressive on so many levels that it will basically bankrupt the country if allowed to stand. Already, the CBO rescored it and it has already doubled in size. It cannot stand as written and Congress needs to go back to the drawing board with a bill that makes sense and free of Progressive thought.
To “reality bites” – good answer! Articulate and succinct, and it ends on a positive note. We should all adopt your attitude in this hectic business! Maybe it would make it easier to deal with our less congenial clients…
If this health care bill is such a great deal, how come the President won’t be covered under it?…….nor the House……nor the Senate……Nor anyone who is a “friend” of the administration.
Looks like only the “chumps” will be the lucky ones.
This article must have been written by a proponent of the bill, regardless of ability to pay a hospital emergency room that gets any funding from the US gov. cannot refuse to treat you, if you doubt it make a run to your local hospital on a Saturday night and listen to the people in the waiting room. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF HEALTH CARE IN THE USA,
First this article simply lays out the facts, I can see no bias in the content. Second this bill is designed to address the issues such as using emergency rooms for primary care. Third all the “free market” solutions hinge on the false assumption that we in fact enjoy “free markets”. There are no free markets in this country or in the world for that matter.
I realise that there are those who will dispute My contention that there are no free markets and will be more than happy to debate that issue with them. You can find Me at http://theconstitutionalistblog.com
Maybe you’re confusing “free markets” with “forced markets”? Certainly, even “free” markets are subject to externalities and variables over we may have little or no control. I believe the “free” refers to the individuals freedom to enter or exit the market as they see fit.
If, in their own judgement, the external forces seem favorable, they will participate. If not, they may choose not to participate or participate in a more limited way. The individual’s choice is what makes it “free”…maybe it should be called “free-will” markets?
“Emergency room” health care does not deal with preventive care. When people see a physician for periodic check-ups and tests, Emergency room care is reduced.
All citizens who pay for health coverage face higher premiums due to the uninsured who ONLY have access to an Emergency room.
If you THINK Emergency room health care is the answer to properly caring for the uninsured, I think you should throw some psychiatric care into YOUR personal budget.
“Insurance companies would be required to accept people with pre-existing medical problems, no longer allowed to cherry-pick the healthy to keep costs down. They would also be forbidden from imposing higher premiums on people in poor health, and limited in what they could charge older adults.
If that happens, premiums in the individual health insurance market would jump anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to various forecasts from economists.”
This is already happening; don’t be fooled. I know many who are stil selling health insuane and premium renewals are sky rocketing. One agent I know is making a pretty good living re-writing all of his clients to another carrier at a lower premium.
“Insurance companies would be required to accept people with pre-existing medical problems, no longer allowed to cherry-pick the healthy to keep costs down. They would also be forbidden from imposing higher premiums on people in poor health, and limited in what they could charge older adults.
If that happens, premiums in the individual health insurance market would jump anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to various forecasts from economists.”
This is already happening; don’t be fooled. I know many who are stil selling health insuane and premium renewals are sky rocketing. One agent I know is making a pretty good living re-writing all of his clients to another carrier at a lower premium.
“Insurance companies would be required to accept people with pre-existing medical problems, no longer allowed to cherry-pick the healthy to keep costs down. They would also be forbidden from imposing higher premiums on people in poor health, and limited in what they could charge older adults.
If that happens, premiums in the individual health insurance market would jump anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to various forecasts from economists.”
This is already happening; don’t be fooled. I know many who are stil selling health insuane and premium renewals are sky rocketing. One agent I know is making a pretty good living re-writing all of his clients to another carrier at a lower premium.
We probably all feel compassion, so bashing writers for their lack of it is off base. The argument comes down to one of HOW to provide for our fellow citizens who have the misfortune to become ill or injured, knowing that people earning $10/hour cannot hope to buy shelter, food, AND afford health insurance.
What most of us who oppose Obamacare contend is that his plan (Congress’s, really) is not the answer. Look at Medicare. In 1965, at the outset, it was projected to cost $12B in 1990. Care to guess how well those govt. forecasters did? Actual cost in 1990 was over $90B. Now we are over $450B. Medicaid has similar unsustainable cost growth. Obamacare will , too.
The whole package needs to be scrapped and rewritten to something that sets federal guidelines, but lets the states run their own programs.
Obamacare’s hefty tax bill
Supreme Court should strike down penalties against health care freedom
By Emily Miller
The Washington Times
Friday, March 23, 2012
President Obama promised to make health care more affordable, but instead he’s done the opposite. The White House and congressional Democrats slipped 20 new taxes into the Obamacare legislation to raise $500 billion to help pay for the new entitlement’s $2.6 trillion cost. It’s now up to the Supreme Court to provide relief.
“Knocking out the requirement that Americans carry insurance would not be the end of Obama’s health care overhaul. There’s a lot more in the 900-plus pages of the law.”
It’s 2,300 pages, referencing tens of thousands of other pages. Pelosi infamously said “We have to pass it so you can find out what’s in it.” No one was able to read the entire monstrosity before it was voted on. Not even congress.
The problem with Obamacare and it being declared constitutional is not the law itself, it is what happens after it is determined to be constitutional. Here are some things that could happen as a result of it being declared constitutional. Actually Social Security was not constitutional in my opinion, but it was never allowed to be challenged due to the time that it was created.
1. Government requires you to purchase an annuity for your retirement outside of social security. (That would be good for you and the government)
2. Government declares alchohol,tobacco, soda’s and McDonalds illeagal to purchase.
3. You must purchase vegtables and your red meat will be rationed. Vegitarians could even get a tax break.
4. You must purchase a toyota prias, oh wait! no, a Chevy volt built by Government motors (GM). A moped will do though.
5. Every homeowner will be required to purchase a windmill and place it on your roof for generating electric.
Can you see some other items that the government might like for you to purchase for the benefit of others? The list is endless.
The Supreme Court when it upholds PPACA is able in its decision to properly define our national health insurance problems. Approval of Obamacare will not permit the wholesale approval of any and all items which you have listed.
The fact that healthcare produces 1/6 of our national GDP certainly places it in a special situation category.
We have seen how millions of Americans do without significant health care.
The status quo is unacceptable. Our citizens deserve better- much better.
Sarah, It looks like Media Matters and Moveon.org bloggers have invaded IJ. They are like an insidious virus on the computer just like Obamacare is on Healthcare.
Around 84.7% of Americans have some form of health insurance; either through their employer or the employer of their spouse or parent (59.3%), purchased individually (8.9%), or provided by government programs (27.8%; there is some overlap in these figures).[53] All government health care programs have restricted eligibility, and there is no government health insurance company which covers all Americans. Americans without health insurance coverage in 2007 totaled 15.3% of the population, or 45.7 million people.[53]
Among those whose employer pays for health insurance, the employee may be required to contribute part of the cost of this insurance, while the employer usually chooses the insurance company and, for large groups, negotiates with the insurance company.
In 2004, private insurance paid for 36% of personal health expenditures, private out-of-pocket 15%, federal government 34%, state and local governments 11%, and other private funds 4%.[54] Due to “a dishonest and inefficient system” that sometimes inflates bills to ten times the actual cost, even insured patients can be billed more than the real cost of their care.
Q. What if the public gets their way due to 72% of the public being opposed to the law and elects Mit Romney and gets a majority in the Senate? Have you ever heard the word REPEAL?
Sarah, When we saw how this legislation was introduced and all the lies, deception, back room deals, bribery of lawmakers to pass a bill without reading it, it is no wonder that more than half the states opposed it and a significant majority of Americans in about every poll except for Media Matters and Move On.org. It is the worst legislation ever passed by Congress and is blatantly Unconstitutional. If the Supremes make a favorable ruling and allow it to stand, this country is history. I agree with Doubting Thomas. Are we going to be a Socialist/Marxist country or a Constitutional Republic which believes in Capitalism, not Marxism where the government controls every aspect of our lives?
Agent; Show Me a single place in the Constitution where Capitalism is mentioned. While we are a Constitutional Republic we are not I say again are not an absolute Democracy i.e. absolute majority rule. I will also point out that Socilaism, Marxism or any other economic doctrine is included in the Constituition. This raises the question as to weather you could pass a basic civic exam.
…”This raises the question as to weather you could pass a basic civic exam”.
Your lack of knowledge as to knowing the difference between weather and whether raises my question as to whether or not you truly have command of the English language.
dmcandady, Where is healthcare mentioned in the constitution? Where is the Federal Govermnents power over the states rights to impose such a law? Actually the 10th amendment does just the opposite. Read the document.
Commie.
The question should be – Are we going to be a socialist country or a democracy?
I was at a college campus in CT recently and in their student union, there are posters all around that read “Socialism: The Radical Idea of Sharing”. Our kids are being BRAINWASHED to believe this BS!! They have no idea what true socialism is!! This administration HAS TO BE STOPPED OR WE WILL BE A SOCIALIST NATION BEFORE WE KNOW IT!!
I wish it weren’t so, but IMHO the definition of a Republican or Tea Party supporter should include “someone who has health insurance through their employer and/or who has never been seriously injured or ill”.
It must be tough looking at this whole issue if it’s personally irrelevant. Somewhat like allowing only men to testify on issues dealing with contraception or EOP.
I’m just saying.
Here in Texas we have always had a High Risk Pool that people could go to. Other states could do the same thing if they so wanted too. It should be on a State level not a federal level to take care of ones people. PERIOD. Besides … it’s going to be on your TAX dollars even more so if they require everyone to have insurance. Opposed to right now .. you are only having to pay for the actual procedures.
Yes, and Texas has the highest rate of uninsured people in the USA We have High risk pool in KY, and HIPAA requires ALL states to have a vehicle to capture the uninsured when they lose COBRA etc So they already HAVE their high risk pools you see. Now what?
The responses are nothing more than editorial comments. They are neither valid or substantiated. They are, however, clearly biased.
Dear Reader – this is not the venue for valid or substantiated comments. That’s the job of the reporters.
Our job is to simulate and stimulate modern discussion in America by being biased. Anything else wouldn’t be entertaining or cathartic. No one converts anyone through postings here, and I enjoy the input of the good folks on the other side of the web-aisle. It’s refreshing!
The fact that many of us are affiliated with the Insurance Industry does not excuse us from forming opinions based on rational thinking. You don’t owe blind support to those who spend millions of $$$$$$$ to confuse you.
Does PPACA help the citizens of the USA?
Most industrialized nations of the world cover their citizens with quality healthcare as a right not a chance.
Does being wealthy mean you ignore the millions of uninsured?
All American citizens should have more than an Emergency room as their source of healthcare.
Try to be more than biased A-holes, if possible !
Brandon – I wish you and your family good health in Texas. Just close your eyes and imagine you didn’t have a job with a package. Then, think of your spouse coming down with a nasty unnamed disease. Or your child gets hit by debris in a windstorm.
Can you afford to pay for the “actual procedures” out of pocket? The only thing coming out of my pocket is lint. And if you have a 401(k) with a decent figure, that figure might end up looking like a skeleton as you pay what you have to, from what you have to pay.
I spent a few minutes trying to find out what university studies cost in England – each person who elects to go on with their studies pays all of L9,000 regardless of whether it’s a top-level or a local school.
If we could only get the first 12 years of school right, wouldn’t it be great to have level college costs for our kids as a right, not a privilege?
I don’t want a socialist country. I want to feel that I get what I earn. If it only weren’t for the middle managers in my way.
At 32, I had a great job with six figures, great benefit package and a solid investment/retirement portfolio. Unfortunately I became very ill, could not get diagnosed or treated and eventually was forced to leave my job thereby losing my health insurance. I was able to support myself with my savings for four years while I tried various treatments, all to no avail, but then…I won’t bore anyone with details, and I sincerely hope that those who are determined to see the Affordable Care Act annihilated never face a serious illness for which there are few answers. People might be surprised how little doctors actually know. I was.
Thanks, Reality – so glad to see that you and a few others get it; I cannot imagine going through life with such little compassion.
Oh, America…God help us!
Exactly – and that’s the problem with liberal commentary.
I am not and will never be an Obama supporter. However, one facet of the healthcare bill that I do support is allowing my 21 year old son to remain on my health insurance. I pay approximately $100 monthly out of my pocket and my employer pays nothing for this coverage. This is actually $48 less per month than he paid for an individual policy. I would guess most insurance companies make money from the premiums paid for the 19-26 year olds and hope that employers and insurance companies reconsider their position on age limits if the healthcare bill is stricken down.
Lynninms, This bill could have made allowances for covering kids longer without all the mandates and ugly stuff the Progressives put in it. This bill could have been simplified down to 100 pages in lieu of 2,700 pages. They could have put Tort Reform in it, allowed companies to sell across state lines to create competition without creating a monstrocity, but they chose the Progressive way and this bill is so oppressive on so many levels that it will basically bankrupt the country if allowed to stand. Already, the CBO rescored it and it has already doubled in size. It cannot stand as written and Congress needs to go back to the drawing board with a bill that makes sense and free of Progressive thought.
To “reality bites” – good answer! Articulate and succinct, and it ends on a positive note. We should all adopt your attitude in this hectic business! Maybe it would make it easier to deal with our less congenial clients…
If this health care bill is such a great deal, how come the President won’t be covered under it?…….nor the House……nor the Senate……Nor anyone who is a “friend” of the administration.
Looks like only the “chumps” will be the lucky ones.
This article must have been written by a proponent of the bill, regardless of ability to pay a hospital emergency room that gets any funding from the US gov. cannot refuse to treat you, if you doubt it make a run to your local hospital on a Saturday night and listen to the people in the waiting room. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF HEALTH CARE IN THE USA,
First this article simply lays out the facts, I can see no bias in the content. Second this bill is designed to address the issues such as using emergency rooms for primary care. Third all the “free market” solutions hinge on the false assumption that we in fact enjoy “free markets”. There are no free markets in this country or in the world for that matter.
I realise that there are those who will dispute My contention that there are no free markets and will be more than happy to debate that issue with them. You can find Me at http://theconstitutionalistblog.com
Maybe you’re confusing “free markets” with “forced markets”? Certainly, even “free” markets are subject to externalities and variables over we may have little or no control. I believe the “free” refers to the individuals freedom to enter or exit the market as they see fit.
If, in their own judgement, the external forces seem favorable, they will participate. If not, they may choose not to participate or participate in a more limited way. The individual’s choice is what makes it “free”…maybe it should be called “free-will” markets?
“Emergency room” health care does not deal with preventive care. When people see a physician for periodic check-ups and tests, Emergency room care is reduced.
All citizens who pay for health coverage face higher premiums due to the uninsured who ONLY have access to an Emergency room.
If you THINK Emergency room health care is the answer to properly caring for the uninsured, I think you should throw some psychiatric care into YOUR personal budget.
“Insurance companies would be required to accept people with pre-existing medical problems, no longer allowed to cherry-pick the healthy to keep costs down. They would also be forbidden from imposing higher premiums on people in poor health, and limited in what they could charge older adults.
If that happens, premiums in the individual health insurance market would jump anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to various forecasts from economists.”
This is already happening; don’t be fooled. I know many who are stil selling health insuane and premium renewals are sky rocketing. One agent I know is making a pretty good living re-writing all of his clients to another carrier at a lower premium.
“Insurance companies would be required to accept people with pre-existing medical problems, no longer allowed to cherry-pick the healthy to keep costs down. They would also be forbidden from imposing higher premiums on people in poor health, and limited in what they could charge older adults.
If that happens, premiums in the individual health insurance market would jump anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to various forecasts from economists.”
This is already happening; don’t be fooled. I know many who are stil selling health insuane and premium renewals are sky rocketing. One agent I know is making a pretty good living re-writing all of his clients to another carrier at a lower premium.
“Insurance companies would be required to accept people with pre-existing medical problems, no longer allowed to cherry-pick the healthy to keep costs down. They would also be forbidden from imposing higher premiums on people in poor health, and limited in what they could charge older adults.
If that happens, premiums in the individual health insurance market would jump anywhere from 10 percent to 30 percent, according to various forecasts from economists.”
This is already happening; don’t be fooled. I know many who are stil selling health insuane and premium renewals are sky rocketing. One agent I know is making a pretty good living re-writing all of his clients to another carrier at a lower premium.
Geeze Louise! I did not mean to post that 3 times! I wish there were a delete button!
I enjoyed all three of them Always even if they were repetitive. You made your point very well.
Thank you.
We probably all feel compassion, so bashing writers for their lack of it is off base. The argument comes down to one of HOW to provide for our fellow citizens who have the misfortune to become ill or injured, knowing that people earning $10/hour cannot hope to buy shelter, food, AND afford health insurance.
What most of us who oppose Obamacare contend is that his plan (Congress’s, really) is not the answer. Look at Medicare. In 1965, at the outset, it was projected to cost $12B in 1990. Care to guess how well those govt. forecasters did? Actual cost in 1990 was over $90B. Now we are over $450B. Medicaid has similar unsustainable cost growth. Obamacare will , too.
The whole package needs to be scrapped and rewritten to something that sets federal guidelines, but lets the states run their own programs.
Obamacare’s hefty tax bill
Supreme Court should strike down penalties against health care freedom
By Emily Miller
The Washington Times
Friday, March 23, 2012
President Obama promised to make health care more affordable, but instead he’s done the opposite. The White House and congressional Democrats slipped 20 new taxes into the Obamacare legislation to raise $500 billion to help pay for the new entitlement’s $2.6 trillion cost. It’s now up to the Supreme Court to provide relief.
“Knocking out the requirement that Americans carry insurance would not be the end of Obama’s health care overhaul. There’s a lot more in the 900-plus pages of the law.”
It’s 2,300 pages, referencing tens of thousands of other pages. Pelosi infamously said “We have to pass it so you can find out what’s in it.” No one was able to read the entire monstrosity before it was voted on. Not even congress.
I wonder if just trying to lift 2,300++ pages would cause a hernia, and if the resulting injury would be covered by the law.
The problem with Obamacare and it being declared constitutional is not the law itself, it is what happens after it is determined to be constitutional. Here are some things that could happen as a result of it being declared constitutional. Actually Social Security was not constitutional in my opinion, but it was never allowed to be challenged due to the time that it was created.
1. Government requires you to purchase an annuity for your retirement outside of social security. (That would be good for you and the government)
2. Government declares alchohol,tobacco, soda’s and McDonalds illeagal to purchase.
3. You must purchase vegtables and your red meat will be rationed. Vegitarians could even get a tax break.
4. You must purchase a toyota prias, oh wait! no, a Chevy volt built by Government motors (GM). A moped will do though.
5. Every homeowner will be required to purchase a windmill and place it on your roof for generating electric.
Can you see some other items that the government might like for you to purchase for the benefit of others? The list is endless.
The Supreme Court when it upholds PPACA is able in its decision to properly define our national health insurance problems. Approval of Obamacare will not permit the wholesale approval of any and all items which you have listed.
The fact that healthcare produces 1/6 of our national GDP certainly places it in a special situation category.
We have seen how millions of Americans do without significant health care.
The status quo is unacceptable. Our citizens deserve better- much better.
Sarah, It looks like Media Matters and Moveon.org bloggers have invaded IJ. They are like an insidious virus on the computer just like Obamacare is on Healthcare.
Around 84.7% of Americans have some form of health insurance; either through their employer or the employer of their spouse or parent (59.3%), purchased individually (8.9%), or provided by government programs (27.8%; there is some overlap in these figures).[53] All government health care programs have restricted eligibility, and there is no government health insurance company which covers all Americans. Americans without health insurance coverage in 2007 totaled 15.3% of the population, or 45.7 million people.[53]
Among those whose employer pays for health insurance, the employee may be required to contribute part of the cost of this insurance, while the employer usually chooses the insurance company and, for large groups, negotiates with the insurance company.
In 2004, private insurance paid for 36% of personal health expenditures, private out-of-pocket 15%, federal government 34%, state and local governments 11%, and other private funds 4%.[54] Due to “a dishonest and inefficient system” that sometimes inflates bills to ten times the actual cost, even insured patients can be billed more than the real cost of their care.