152 replies to this topic

[Carl G]

 

As a general rule, any law that is passed by Congress should apply only to them for at least one year before it can affect the general public.

[tsukiji]

I agree with the sentiments expressed above: a society has a duty and ethical obligation to care for those in need. 

 

Like so many other things wrong with our government, there are tremendous gaps between intent, implementation and abilities to abuse the system (both for the advantage of the public or the government).

 

We have serious problems with people pushing their Values on others while confusing ethical and value positions. Things get confusing and complicated and can be bad for society in general as they get poorly implemented through policy.

 

I found this article interesting: http://townhall.com/...utm_campaign=nl

[Chris]

The more I hear about this plan, that young folks have to sign up in droves to pay around $100 a month..........   Not going to happen.   I think the penalty for the young and poor, which are most of them, is $95 a year if they don't.  That is assuming they do their taxes, which is a big assumption.   We can't get folks to stop abusing drugs, drinking, smoking, dropping out in 9th grade, having risky sex, driving too fast, etc...   What makes our big government think they are going to be responsible now and sign up to get health care for $100 a month....?   Many will, a vast majority won't.  Folks like me, who studied hard, earned a degree or two, planned for the future, found a job with the best benefits we could, are going to pay a boat load of money out of our checks to pay for this big government folly....   I will be watching with great interest as this falls apart and we have to do it over.....    Chris 

[The Average Joe]

I have yet to hear ONE real doctor in support of this plan. And no, spokesmen for special interest groups don't count.

[bordercolliefan]

I will be watching with great interest as this falls apart and we have to do it over.....    Chris 

 

I'm not sure I care if the program has problems and we have to do it over.  We were in a rut where no one (read, no Republicans) had the political will to fix a broken system, while insurance companies laughed all the way to the bank at our expense.  Doing something is better than doing nothing.  At least we've broken out of our inertia.  As problems arise, we'll fix them.  Who knows... maybe we'll end up with a single payer system, which is what a lot of us want anyway. 

[tsukiji]

BCF, I agree we have issues with our health care system. People that truly need help aren't getting it. It's frought with abuse. And cost for quality is poor. Something needs to be done.

But, I think there are more fundamental things that require attention. We have an ethical and cultural crisis that is resulting in tremendous waste and inequities. This is manifested in our economic state and misdirected priorities.

This focus on healthcare is treating, at best, a symptom of our national ills and not a root cause.

We're in a race to the bottom. We should be focused on how we make things better rather how to cut/distribute costs. Grow rather than tighten the figurative belt.

[Carl G]

 

I'm not sure I care if the program has problems and we have to do it over.  We were in a rut where no one (read, no Republicans) had the political will to fix a broken system, while insurance companies laughed all the way to the bank at our expense.  Doing something is better than doing nothing.  At least we've broken out of our inertia.  As problems arise, we'll fix them.  Who knows... maybe we'll end up with a single payer system, which is what a lot of us want anyway. 

 

Most everyone will agree that our health system is broken.  I personally believe ObamaCare is not the answer.  However, as a Republican, I am frustrated with my party's lack of a serious proposal to help solve the problem.  Or better yet, a series of proposals that stand on their own to address the individual problems.  For a "solution" to any big problem, large, monolithic bills are horrible due to pork, unintended consequences, etc.  I would love to see a proposal on tort reform, another on preexisting coverage, another on portability, another on opening up competition, etc.

 

This quote below is from http://money.usnews....-lousy-villains.  I personally think that a 3.4 profit margin isn't outrageous.

 

Overall, the profit margin for health insurance companies was a modest 3.4 percent over the past year, according to data provided by Morningstar. That ranks 87th out of 215 industries and slightly above the median of 2.2 percent. By this measure, the most profitable industry over the past year has been beverages, with a 25.9 percent profit margin.

[tsukiji]

I agree with the point: if you're going to disagree with something, offer an alternative.

 

But I think the larger issues at hand is not health care per se. Yes it's broken but the impact can be somewhat mitigated but addressing other more fundamental things:

 

1) No more earmarks / pork barrel funding

2) Eliminate waste and inefficiencies in government, including the military. And no more "$100 hammers"

3) Address the economy, off-shore outsourcing, cheap imports -- get employment and productivity up

4) No more free rides (in general; obviously there will be exceptions). If you're getting EBT, welfare, any type of benefit other than SS and you're not employed, the government will put you to work in some sort of community service until you find employment. (whatever -- skills based or not. Accounting, janitorial, road cleanup, removing graffiti, re-shelving books at library / public universities. Whatever). No one gets free money anymore.

5) Eliminate abuse and fraud (no more billion dollar computer systems that never come online, no more empty buildings, no more SS scaming, no more tax fraud, no more Enrons, no more sub-primes, no more -- period). We need detection and severe penalties.

6) Focus on priorities -- recent example, is our societal priority HS football fields/teams or books and infrastructure? Pick one since we apparently can't do both at the moment.

 

Fixing things like abuse, fraud, waste and the economy may help to minimize the scope and costs of things like affordable health care. Let's not treat symptoms that will tend to spiral out of control. Let's address the root causes. Let's learn to fish, instead of expecting someone to hand us a fish.

[bordercolliefan]

 

Most everyone will agree that our health system is broken.  I personally believe ObamaCare is not the answer.  However, as a Republican, I am frustrated with my party's lack of a serious proposal to help solve the problem.  

Well, this is ironic, too.  Why not give credit where credit is due?  "Obamacare" is really "Romneycare," which was enacted several years ago in Massachusetts and has been a great success.  My understanding is that Massachusetts now has less than 3% uninsured, and it is an economically vibrant state, with far more money going to schools than in California. 

 

No system is perfect, and the truth is we're going to have to get a lot more serious about "rational rationing" unless we want to pay a load more taxes for pricey high-tech treatments that really don't do much to prolong life. Case in point:  our now-deceased client, aged 93, suffering from dementia and other assorted medical conditions-- $600,000 in medical treatment in the last 3 weeks of his life (paid for by Medicare/Medi-Cal, of course).  That money could have sent 6 kids to college and benefited our economy for decades to come.   

[Carl G]

Well, this is ironic, too.  Why not give credit where credit is due?  "Obamacare" is really "Romneycare," which was enacted several years ago in Massachusetts and has been a great success.  My understanding is that Massachusetts now has less than 3% uninsured, and it is an economically vibrant state, with far more money going to schools than in California. 

 

No system is perfect, and the truth is we're going to have to get a lot more serious about "rational rationing" unless we want to pay a load more taxes for pricey high-tech treatments that really don't do much to prolong life. Case in point:  our now-deceased client, aged 93, suffering from dementia and other assorted medical conditions-- $600,000 in medical treatment in the last 3 weeks of his life (paid for by Medicare/Medi-Cal, of course).  That money could have sent 6 kids to college and benefited our economy for decades to come.   

 

I've wondered if it would be cheaper to simply insure the uninsured rather than change everything about the healthcare system.

 

I think at some level the "rational rationing" is already occurring.  My grandmother developed heart problems and the solution was to get a pacemaker.  However, the doctor said she wasn't healthy enough and likely wouldn't survive the surgery.  I've always wondered if her age, 99, and her mental health, dementia, caused or contributed to the doctors recommendation.

[camay2327]

Maybe this will help some of us.  Read this article from the San Jose Mercury News.

 

It sounds like I don't need to worry since I have Medicare A & B, and TRICARE for LIFE.

 

But I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't change too.

 

-----------------------

 

 

Obamacare and insurance exchange: 10 essential things to know

 

It's new. It's kind of complicated. It's often confusing.

And Tuesday is the big day when something called an "insurance exchange" opens in California and every other state because of the Affordable Care Act -- Obamacare.

 

We know. Your head's already hurting.

 

But listen up. We've put together a Top 10 list of things you should know about the new health care reform law. Use it as a primer. And check back for more stories to help you sort it all out.

 

1) First off, , the federal government shutdown will not stop Tuesday's launch of the insurance exchanges. The portion of the federal budget funding the new programs is untouchable.

 

2) Newsflash: The new insurance exchange, called Covered California,

might not apply to you.

The insurance exchange is mostly for people who are uninsured, or self-insured and think they can get a better deal. If you already receive medical insurance from your employer or from a government program like Medicare, the VA or Medi-Cal, you don't have to do anything. You're already covered.

 

... go to the below website for the rest ...

 

http://www.mercuryne...ce?source=email

[Carl G]

THANK YOU President Obama and the U.S. Congress for ensuring that my sister and others like her will be able to have health coverage.  My sister is an elder care giver who works 45 hours a week and makes about $10 per hour.  Her employer doesn't offer health insurance and she can't afford the full cost of private health insurance, especially now that she is age 50. 

 

Glad that you all are so well-off and have always had such great jobs that you have no trouble getting health insurance.  Must be nice to be you!!  I would love it if my sister could have a cushy office job with full benefits, but having been learning-disabled (what they used to call "slow") her whole life, that wasn't in the cards for her. 

 

Perhaps you can find it within you to think generously toward my sister and others in the same boat instead of grousing about the expansion of basic health care... she may be taking care of you when you are old or sick!!

 

BCF - I'm curious if your family members have been able to sign up yet.  Do you know what their deductions and co-pays turned out to be?

 

I've heard news stories of widespread troubles with the exchanges, but haven't heard anything about CA's.  I know many want to criticize the administration about all the problems, but I'm not one of them.  Being a developer I understand how difficult it is to startup a new and complex system.

[giacomo]

The joke is on all of us. Affordable Care Act. Where is the "affordability".  We're a family of 5 that has great coverage w/ Anthem paying just a shade under $600month. Starting January 2014 we'll be paying almost $1300 for same care. Would Obama have gotten re- elected had everyone truly understood the ramifications of Obamacare.  We'll never know since we got Obummer for another 3 years. Ouch....Impeachment anyone?

[bordercolliefan]

The joke is on all of us. Affordable Care Act. Where is the "affordability".  We're a family of 5 that has great coverage w/ Anthem paying just a shade under $600month. Starting January 2014 we'll be paying almost $1300 for same care. Would Obama have gotten re- elected had everyone truly understood the ramifications of Obamacare.  We'll never know since we got Obummer for another 3 years. Ouch....Impeachment anyone?

Sorry, I don't buy that you have "great care" for $600/month for 5 people.  Not possible in today's health care environment.  Please post the terms, conditions, exclusions, and "small print" of your plan so we can judge how "great" the coverage is. 

[bordercolliefan]

 

BCF - I'm curious if your family members have been able to sign up yet.  Do you know what their deductions and co-pays turned out to be?

 

I've heard news stories of widespread troubles with the exchanges, but haven't heard anything about CA's.  I know many want to criticize the administration about all the problems, but I'm not one of them.  Being a developer I understand how difficult it is to startup a new and complex system.

My sister is out of state.  I believe she told me about $300/month.  Very typical for a 50 year old woman. 

 

I'm not surprised there were computer glitches with millions of people trying to get on the system on Day 1.  Hellooo!!! - coverage is not required until Jan. 1st.  I guess it shows how much hunger there is out there for health coverage.  Coincidentally, I went on CoveredCA yesterday out of curiosity and had no trouble viewing the plans.  I did not click through to acutally buy one.