“It’s not an overstatement to say that if we solve the healthcare spending problem we solve the federal deficit,” said health economist Martin Gaynor of Carnegie Mellon University, who was not involved in the new research.
What is this guy smoking? Does he not see the $17 trillion in debt we have which we will need to make interest payments as far as the eye can see? And most likely in the future at rates significantly higher than the 0.2%-2.5% rates we are currently paying? Does he not see current deficits of around $1.2 trillion that we’re having difficulty with the sequester just cutting $85 billion which is about 7% of the deficit and about 2% of all federal spending? Does he not see the Social Security problem which is probably around a $40 billion underfunded future benefit that’s not even included in the above? This guy must be a desciple of Obama who continues to say we don’t have a debt problem. This the same guy as a Senator who told us how GWB’s $400 billion deficits would ruin the country and were a burden on future generations while he haplessly goes on running up regular $1.2 trillion annual deficits. Both guys are jokes.
Its never ceases to amaze me how can spin the English language to make a house built of cards sound good. Who else would you interview in medical insurance than the Kaiser foundation when looking for a positive story of BO care?
Another well vetted point is that higher deductibles reduce medical care visits. You bet it does! When fuel goes up, I drive less too. When we add health care insurance to the 20 million+ that can’t afford it and don’t currently use it, will the costs go back up? Their premiums and deductibles will be paid by the govt (us) so they have no reason to limit their visits. They are also new insurance customers and net new patients for doctors. Seems like those of us paying the bills that can’t afford to go to the doctor will support the non-working able-bodied population that are home eating bon-bons.
Why is a guy who did not participate in the study commenting on it? This article sounds like an ad for Obamacare. Everybody knows that costs have skyrocketed in the past 3 years. The economy has been in the tank and the jobless ranks are at a high because they don’t count the ones who have given up looking. Technology may help curb the costs some, but when you have a law that is three times more expensive than promised, it is unsustainable. I saw a video a few days ago using an iphone. It has an App with a small attachment and a doctor can do an EKG on the phone and show it to the patient. It has several other good uses as well. Why order a $3,000 test when you can get it faster and cheaper with this technology?
I don’t even know where to start with this. So here we go. This guy says yippee to the fact that there are fewer new technologies and fewer new drugs and people are paying more out of their pocket because of high deductibles? And he proclaims it’s a good thing that you can get your broken neck fixed in a drive through? Oh goody! And that yes people are going to the doctor less because they can’t afford it, but they’re nowhere near “rock bottom” in how infrequent they can go”???????? And the best one where doctor’s are encouraging one another not to provide tests that don’t benefit their patients. Really?? Were they doing that alot? You know, giving MRI’s where a brain tumor was suspected? Because that seems unnecessary.
Almost every example cited here of why the costs are coming down is because the healthcare system is not being USED. Innovators aren’t innovating, doctor’s aren’t looking very hard for your medical problem, and the people can’t afford to go to the doctor to get their “maybe cancerous mole” removed? So, if we don’t HAVE HEALTHCARE, will it be FREE?????????? Yes, it will be free when we do not utilize the system!!!!!!!!
Let’s see… An economist from Carnegie Mellon, TWO from Harvard, a Harvard professor, and several other noteworthy professionals versus 3 bitter guys who post on an insurance blog. Who am I going to believe???
Libby it’s not a matter of the bloggers here contradicting the facts…the facts are the facts….the difference here is what those facts mean in conclusion…….there is some happy go lucky spin being put on this study. None of the facts they present are good news for the healthcare system and they sure as heck aren’t some sort of favorable testimony about Obamacare. If people are not improving the system, and people are not using the system, it’s bad news. Some of the worst people in history came out of Harvard, including Barack Obama. Not impressed. Common sense does not factor.
Hey Libby, how about using a fact based argument? Feel free to refute anything we say or offer a counterpoint if you wish. But your argument that because some “moted” economists said something it has to be true is pretty lame. I’d love to have you refute any of the points I made in my argument. Have at it.
Dave, I have a degree in Economics and these so called professors are of the Keynsian Prolific Government Spending school of Economics. Ivy League professors are about as liberal as it gets. They apparently don’t see how $17 Trillion in debt is a bad thing and think we can spend our way to prosperity. Some of the liberal politicians that voted on this mess like Baucus and others see the light at the end of the tunnel and it happens to be an oncoming train.
That’s right, Libby, Agent is right….Harvard types are glassy eyed liberals and I’d choose the opinion of a hard working farmer over one of those jacks anyday of the week. Your party blew it and it’s going to be a humorous implosion.
Firt of all, Dave, I didn’t see anywhere in the article where he said we don’t have a debt problem. Can you point that out to me?
Second of all, Agent, you got your economics degree in 1912 and alot has changed since then. When you have a masters or doctorate from Harvard, come see me.
oh please libby, the “elite”…see what Obama’s elitist Harvard attitude has gotten him? He hasn’t succeeded in one thing he has done in over 4 years. The good old “hey, guys, what can we do here” doesn’t work for him because of his narcisstic ego. He think he knows everything so he fails to ever say “educate me” about anything. Watch how much you learn when you agree you don’t know everything. The Saudi’s did not get their ROI for paying for his tuition.
Libby, Dave is referring to the debt problem we have, and that IT WILL BE EXACERBATED UNDER OBAMACARE. You seem to have read the article in black and white, with full acceptance of content and conclusion, and gave no independent thought to anything being said. If that’s what you’re taught at Harvard, I’m glad I wasn’t invited.
Stupid, Agent, Dave…someone ask Libby what she thought of the Benghazi hearings yesterday or of the press conference that the families of the Navy Seal VI team had today. What does she think of Obama and his administration now? Is anyone that worships at the feet of Obama going to listen to what is going on in this administration or are they all going to continue to support this man and the likes of hillary clinton?
Perplexed – what in the hell does Benghazi have to do with dips in health care spending? And FYI – I don’t worship at ANYONE’S feet. I know Obama and his administration have made mistakes. There is not a president in history that has not. You will never hear me stand up and say he is the best POTUS we ever had and as a matter of fact, I have criticized him on several occasions. On the other hand, I will not let remarks like “he hasn’t done anything in the last 4 years” and “everything he says is a lie” and “he is a Muslim” and “he’s a communist” go unchallenged. Those statements are just not factually correct. You don’t have to like him. I had a serious problem with Dubya, so I can empathize with you. Just don’t go overboard with the slander.
May 9, 2013 at 11:59 am
Libby says:
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Dave said: “This guy must be a desciple of Obama who continues to say we don’t have a debt problem.”
The economist said in the article: “It’s not an overstatement to say that if we solve the healthcare spending problem we solve the federal deficit,”
I know you are Stupid, but there’s a BIG difference between the deficit and the debt. Again, show me where he says we do not have a debt problem…
“It’s not an overstatement to say that if we solve the healthcare spending problem we solve the federal deficit,” said health economist Martin Gaynor of Carnegie Mellon University, who was not involved in the new research.
What is this guy smoking? Does he not see the $17 trillion in debt we have which we will need to make interest payments as far as the eye can see? And most likely in the future at rates significantly higher than the 0.2%-2.5% rates we are currently paying? Does he not see current deficits of around $1.2 trillion that we’re having difficulty with the sequester just cutting $85 billion which is about 7% of the deficit and about 2% of all federal spending? Does he not see the Social Security problem which is probably around a $40 billion underfunded future benefit that’s not even included in the above? This guy must be a desciple of Obama who continues to say we don’t have a debt problem. This the same guy as a Senator who told us how GWB’s $400 billion deficits would ruin the country and were a burden on future generations while he haplessly goes on running up regular $1.2 trillion annual deficits. Both guys are jokes.
Its never ceases to amaze me how can spin the English language to make a house built of cards sound good. Who else would you interview in medical insurance than the Kaiser foundation when looking for a positive story of BO care?
Another well vetted point is that higher deductibles reduce medical care visits. You bet it does! When fuel goes up, I drive less too. When we add health care insurance to the 20 million+ that can’t afford it and don’t currently use it, will the costs go back up? Their premiums and deductibles will be paid by the govt (us) so they have no reason to limit their visits. They are also new insurance customers and net new patients for doctors. Seems like those of us paying the bills that can’t afford to go to the doctor will support the non-working able-bodied population that are home eating bon-bons.
Why is a guy who did not participate in the study commenting on it? This article sounds like an ad for Obamacare. Everybody knows that costs have skyrocketed in the past 3 years. The economy has been in the tank and the jobless ranks are at a high because they don’t count the ones who have given up looking. Technology may help curb the costs some, but when you have a law that is three times more expensive than promised, it is unsustainable. I saw a video a few days ago using an iphone. It has an App with a small attachment and a doctor can do an EKG on the phone and show it to the patient. It has several other good uses as well. Why order a $3,000 test when you can get it faster and cheaper with this technology?
I don’t even know where to start with this. So here we go. This guy says yippee to the fact that there are fewer new technologies and fewer new drugs and people are paying more out of their pocket because of high deductibles? And he proclaims it’s a good thing that you can get your broken neck fixed in a drive through? Oh goody! And that yes people are going to the doctor less because they can’t afford it, but they’re nowhere near “rock bottom” in how infrequent they can go”???????? And the best one where doctor’s are encouraging one another not to provide tests that don’t benefit their patients. Really?? Were they doing that alot? You know, giving MRI’s where a brain tumor was suspected? Because that seems unnecessary.
Almost every example cited here of why the costs are coming down is because the healthcare system is not being USED. Innovators aren’t innovating, doctor’s aren’t looking very hard for your medical problem, and the people can’t afford to go to the doctor to get their “maybe cancerous mole” removed? So, if we don’t HAVE HEALTHCARE, will it be FREE?????????? Yes, it will be free when we do not utilize the system!!!!!!!!
Let’s see… An economist from Carnegie Mellon, TWO from Harvard, a Harvard professor, and several other noteworthy professionals versus 3 bitter guys who post on an insurance blog. Who am I going to believe???
Libby it’s not a matter of the bloggers here contradicting the facts…the facts are the facts….the difference here is what those facts mean in conclusion…….there is some happy go lucky spin being put on this study. None of the facts they present are good news for the healthcare system and they sure as heck aren’t some sort of favorable testimony about Obamacare. If people are not improving the system, and people are not using the system, it’s bad news. Some of the worst people in history came out of Harvard, including Barack Obama. Not impressed. Common sense does not factor.
Hey Libby, how about using a fact based argument? Feel free to refute anything we say or offer a counterpoint if you wish. But your argument that because some “moted” economists said something it has to be true is pretty lame. I’d love to have you refute any of the points I made in my argument. Have at it.
Dave, I have a degree in Economics and these so called professors are of the Keynsian Prolific Government Spending school of Economics. Ivy League professors are about as liberal as it gets. They apparently don’t see how $17 Trillion in debt is a bad thing and think we can spend our way to prosperity. Some of the liberal politicians that voted on this mess like Baucus and others see the light at the end of the tunnel and it happens to be an oncoming train.
That’s right, Libby, Agent is right….Harvard types are glassy eyed liberals and I’d choose the opinion of a hard working farmer over one of those jacks anyday of the week. Your party blew it and it’s going to be a humorous implosion.
Firt of all, Dave, I didn’t see anywhere in the article where he said we don’t have a debt problem. Can you point that out to me?
Second of all, Agent, you got your economics degree in 1912 and alot has changed since then. When you have a masters or doctorate from Harvard, come see me.
oh please libby, the “elite”…see what Obama’s elitist Harvard attitude has gotten him? He hasn’t succeeded in one thing he has done in over 4 years. The good old “hey, guys, what can we do here” doesn’t work for him because of his narcisstic ego. He think he knows everything so he fails to ever say “educate me” about anything. Watch how much you learn when you agree you don’t know everything. The Saudi’s did not get their ROI for paying for his tuition.
And I haven’t seen you present one fact yet Libby.
He hasn’t done one thing in over 4 years??? He’s only the POTUS, Stupid. You’re a joke.
Libby, Dave is referring to the debt problem we have, and that IT WILL BE EXACERBATED UNDER OBAMACARE. You seem to have read the article in black and white, with full acceptance of content and conclusion, and gave no independent thought to anything being said. If that’s what you’re taught at Harvard, I’m glad I wasn’t invited.
Stupid, Agent, Dave…someone ask Libby what she thought of the Benghazi hearings yesterday or of the press conference that the families of the Navy Seal VI team had today. What does she think of Obama and his administration now? Is anyone that worships at the feet of Obama going to listen to what is going on in this administration or are they all going to continue to support this man and the likes of hillary clinton?
Perplexed – what in the hell does Benghazi have to do with dips in health care spending? And FYI – I don’t worship at ANYONE’S feet. I know Obama and his administration have made mistakes. There is not a president in history that has not. You will never hear me stand up and say he is the best POTUS we ever had and as a matter of fact, I have criticized him on several occasions. On the other hand, I will not let remarks like “he hasn’t done anything in the last 4 years” and “everything he says is a lie” and “he is a Muslim” and “he’s a communist” go unchallenged. Those statements are just not factually correct. You don’t have to like him. I had a serious problem with Dubya, so I can empathize with you. Just don’t go overboard with the slander.
Dave said: “This guy must be a desciple of Obama who continues to say we don’t have a debt problem.”
The economist said in the article: “It’s not an overstatement to say that if we solve the healthcare spending problem we solve the federal deficit,”
I know you are Stupid, but there’s a BIG difference between the deficit and the debt. Again, show me where he says we do not have a debt problem…