It's ok for the Insurance industry to rob us blind, but anyone who tries to help is a communist nazi.
WASHINGTON — The average cost of job-based family health insurance climbed 5 percent to $13,375 in 2009, making this the 10th straight year that health care premiums have increased faster than workers' wages and overall inflation have.
Healthcare needs an overhaul to be sure. I feel they have a few good ideas, but they don't get that a larger portion is just junk !! Much like the stimulus, they had a good idea, but acted incorrectly.
__________________ I keep tellin ya Doc, I'm in pretty good shape considerin the shape I'm in !!
"More than 8 out of 10 people support covering the uninsured, curbing costs, creating an insurance-purchasing exchange, and preventing insurers from dropping coverage or refusing to accept people with preexisting medical conditions. Majorities say employers should have to offer insurance and individuals should be required to have coverage.
Americans are less sure of the plan as a whole. At least half say they don’t think Obama can fulfill promises such as passing legislation that doesn’t add to the federal budget deficit, preserving the Medicare trust fund and producing savings to help pay for drugs for Medicare patients."
See the specific distinctions there? Nobody's screaming "socialism" or anything like that. Not most people, anyway.
See the list of things people support? See the specific concerns?
"The poll conducted Sept. 10-14 finds that 48 percent of respondents favor Obama’s plan, while 42 percent oppose it. A Sept. 9 speech the president made to a joint session of Congress didn’t change most minds, as slightly more respondents say it made them more likely rather than less likely to favor the plan."
So really, this is just about funding issues. People want what Barry's selling. But the issue really seems to be, what's it gonna cost and how will we pay for it?
Very valid questions, and I think the sometimes-insane opposition will force him to answer those questions and pare the sucker down to manageable levels.
"Three of four poll respondents support an employer mandate and 59 percent back the idea of requiring everyone to get health insurance, just as they’re obliged to have auto insurance to drive.
The poll also shows that Obama may have succeeded in using the speech to Congress to dispel some allegations spread about Democratic proposals. Majorities reject as distortions or scare tactics assertions that have served as talking points for opponents.
More than 6 out of 10 respondents say they don’t believe that Obama would set up 'death panels' to decide who gets care or that government money would be used for abortions. Similar percentages reject the idea that Obama plans to ration care or cover illegal immigrants."
Sorry Mr. Wilson. The people weren't buying it.
Toldja.
"Even so, a slight plurality says it’s better to pass health-care overhaul legislation that may have some flaws and unexpected consequences than to do nothing at all. And 54 percent say Obama is doing more to reach out to Republicans than vice versa, compared with just 22 percent who say the Republicans are trying harder to find common ground."
Once again, I'd be loving it if the Republicans would throw out some constructive suggestions, a little "no, that's not a good idea, this is what we should do."
Has anyone written their Republican reps asking about that? Because honestly, that would be awesome to hear some damn suggestions for a change. It would be a great platform to get some votes and seats in the midterms.
Well they did offer a bill that would require verification of ciizenship that was shot down by the Dems. Who then offered and passed their own after the Prez was accused of lying. I think that there is enough blame to go around for all. I don't really care which party they belong to they all need to go.
You want to know what's driving up the cost? People who go to the E.R. because they have a headache and don't have any insurance. Illegals who go to the E.R. with no insurance, and last, but not least, malpractice suits because LaShonda had a "crack" baby and now wants to sue the OB/GYN because of it!
__________________ Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.
DITTO! Cut out the damned chaff and junk, and the rest will be far easier to accomplish! Find and eliminate the choke points and efficiency will improve.
BUT.... do NOT cut out what works already! You DON'T save the patient by dumping him into a hole and bringing in a new body!
Coel, thinking locally about what some of these "progressive" ideas are going to accomplish, here are a few just off the top of my head:
1. The requirement of employers to provide insurance for all employees-This will most likely drive my stepson and many other small business owners out of business as the economy has killed profits to the point that it's a challenge to keep the doors open from week to week.
2. Requiring insurers to accept pre-existing conditions-Wow, where do I start on this one? I wonder how many insurance comaoies will even exist if this passes? Think about how many "discount" insurers are going to fail after being forced to pay for uncle Ned's $300,000 lung transplant, brought on by 40 years of smoking, 2 months after he buys into their policy?
3. Forcing everyone to be insured-How many people is this going to put on the welfare rolls that aren't quite there yet? On another note, if everyone is required to have insurance, but we aren't providing it to low-payed illegals that can't afford it, do they have to leave?
My forecast: wrecked economy, many businesses folding, unparalleled unemployment, insurance co's folding (and asking for gov't assistance), and the majority of people dependent on the gov't for survival.
Coel, thinking locally about what some of these "progressive" ideas are going to accomplish, here are a few just off the top of my head:
1. The requirement of employers to provide insurance for all employees-This will most likely drive my stepson and many other small business owners out of business as the economy has killed profits to the point that it's a challenge to keep the doors open from week to week.
2. Requiring insurers to accept pre-existing conditions-Wow, where do I start on this one? I wonder how many insurance comaoies will even exist if this passes? Think about how many "discount" insurers are going to fail after being forced to pay for uncle Ned's $300,000 lung transplant, brought on by 40 years of smoking, 2 months after he buys into their policy?
3. Forcing everyone to be insured-How many people is this going to put on the welfare rolls that aren't quite there yet? On another note, if everyone is required to have insurance, but we aren't providing it to low-payed illegals that can't afford it, do they have to leave?
My forecast: wrecked economy, many businesses folding, unparalleled unemployment, insurance co's folding (and asking for gov't assistance), and the majority of people dependent on the gov't for survival.
1, I believe, from having spoken to older people that at one time Employers felt a responsibility to their employees. It was taken for granted that your job would include benefits. To me the 'fine' doesn't seem that exorbitant. I'm sure the sky fell when minimum wage was introduced and of course the economy collapsed when slavery ended.
2, I completely agree. It's not in an insurance company's best interests to insure people who are ill. This leads me to believe that insurance is not the best way to deal with health issues. Insurance for better suited to help you pay for a dog walker or pay your gas bill while you are recovering rather than waving your leg sewn back on after a car crash.
3, how will making everyone carry insurance lead to forcing folks onto wellfare???? everyone pays. unlike now where I pay for those who think they don't have to. I pay taxes which pays teachers who have insurance included. I buy goods and services. The owners of those businesses include the cost of the premiums in the costs that are passed on to me.
All in all, putting an end to crazy malpractice suits will help, but I think once people realize they don't have to try to set them selves up for life because of a mistake the amounts awarded will decrease.
anyone who hits my car and leaves me walking better have insurance because i will take my pound of flesh one way or another. I have to pay uninsured motorist insurance because some Jacka$$ thinks they don't have to have insurance.
People can mouth off about their rights and freedoms once they have met their responsibilities.
__________________ A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it an appearance of being right-Thomas Paine
1, I believe, from having spoken to older people that at one time Employers felt a responsibility to their employees. It was taken for granted that your job would include benefits. To me the 'fine' doesn't seem that exorbitant. I'm sure the sky fell when minimum wage was introduced and of course the economy collapsed when slavery ended.
2, I completely agree. It's not in an insurance company's best interests to insure people who are ill. This leads me to believe that insurance is not the best way to deal with health issues. Insurance for better suited to help you pay for a dog walker or pay your gas bill while you are recovering rather than waving your leg sewn back on after a car crash.
3, how will making everyone carry insurance lead to forcing folks onto wellfare???? everyone pays. unlike now where I pay for those who think they don't have to. I pay taxes which pays teachers who have insurance included. I buy goods and services. The owners of those businesses include the cost of the premiums in the costs that are passed on to me.
All in all, putting an end to crazy malpractice suits will help, but I think once people realize they don't have to try to set them selves up for life because of a mistake the amounts awarded will decrease.
anyone who hits my car and leaves me walking better have insurance because i will take my pound of flesh one way or another. I have to pay uninsured motorist insurance because some Jacka$$ thinks they don't have to have insurance.
People can mouth off about their rights and freedoms once they have met their responsibilities.
1. Well, My stepson cares about his employees health greatly, but despite having a "thriving" business, he simply cannot afford what it would cost to insure all of them. This is not a choice, he hasn't drawn a paycheck for himself in almost a year and is frequently late on his bills. The only solutions are cut spending (we're on a shoestring budget as it is.), or bring in more income (you can't force people to spend money when they don't have it). This leaves him with several options, close the doors and put everyone out of work, provide insurance and cut pay to min. wage, or continue to pay decent wages and provide all benefits except insurance and hope for the best.
2. As far as insurance goes, folks used to get along fine without it because everyone knew that if you had a problem, you and\or your family was obligated to pay for it. Insurance is nothing more than a shell game invented by a scam artist that lured everyone into complacency caused by thinking that paying $28\mo. will solve all of your health problems. Of course when you try to collect, you find out that the $28 policy doesn't cover anything but ingrown toenails on the second toe of your wife's left foot and you should've bought the $36 policy.
3. There are many, many folks in this country who can barely afford to keep food on the table, so what happens when we shove a mandatory ins. payment down their throats? Oh yeah, we have welfare...
To me, this seems to be a clear route to gov't dependency for a lot of people in this country and will not help our economy at all. Hmmm, I wonder how hard it is to be a crack dealer?
I saw a news bit on Queens Hospital in Hawaii. They have opened up a minor emergency room just for the purpose of sending certain people to a quick care/less costly area of the hospital thus taking some of the load off the expensive emergency/trauma area of the hospital. It is not the total solution but it has helped a great deal financially. After all, you do not want a trauma surgeon looking at an earache case. A physician's assistant can handle this matter.
