Huge changes to healthcare sneaking into the stimulus bill

[fskimospy]

Originally posted by: Citrix
Eskimospy you can put your own little twist on the preamble if you want but the bottom line is that provide and promote are two very different words period.

the words are staring at you in black and white you cant cant handle the truth that the actual words are way different that what you have been spoon fed to believe.


"Silly semantics and a descent into pedantry? Not interested." figures you wouldn't want to actually read what the preamble says....

Yeah, I can't handle the truth. Apparently neither can the US Supreme Court. But people who have spent their entire life studying the law are crazy, it's not you. I swear.

 

[EXman]

Originally posted by: darom

... and with companies, if competition were properly allowed, you'd have the option to choose a different company. With a government run disaster system (which it certainly would be), you'd have no choice, and everyone in the country would be stuck with that disaster forever, since we can NEVER EVER get rid of giant government disaster institutions once they get created.

Right now insurance and pharmauceutical companies run our healthcare system. One has a choice of which ins. company to choose for a health insurance plan, but they all come to the same premise: maximize the profits by minimizing given care. Generic drugs, treatment options recommended by ins. companies, but not by your doctor etc. etc. Since when an insurance hired doctor-consultant knows more than your family doctor? WTF is a pre-existing condition? How people are supposed to treat their illnesses if they have one of these conditions?

What is a $1-2mil lifetime cap on someone's medical bill expenses? Have you seen cancer patient's bills? Example: my friend just went through one month's hospital stay with chemo therapy to treat her leukemia. She has Keiser, the insurance bill was $250k. She is there again for another month. Her cancer is back, how much would it cost to treat her in the long run? What would happen if her bills exceed $2mil dollars?

I vote for the universal health care system. US is one wealthy country that can support and take care of its citizens. I am ready to pay more taxes to support it. Give me:
a. Universal health care system with government subsidized/controlled drug prices
b. Free education for me and my kids.

We can't afford the health/education for the people? Get rid of the huge military budget, do you have a say in how much 'they' decide to spend on it?

Of course, it is not 'really' free, since we pay taxes, but you get the point. I am already paying 28% of my income, what is another 12-15%?

We were stuck with the private health care system disaster when it got launched, because not everyone was able to afford it and because it went into private greedy hands of corporations. It is _capitalism_ indeed in its true cruel nature.

The current health care system is perfect only for the people who are healthy. Period. Occasional dental teeth check, yearly physical exam. That's it.

it really isnt any different, and will just result in docs being paied even less then they deserve

Are you going to suffer and have emotional pains from doctors being underpaid? Do you have numbers to substantiate your claim? How can you formulate "what they deserve"? When you do come up with the formula, please throw in lawyers' fees there as well. I was always curious why in this country lawyers get paid 5-10 times more than others.

I was lucky to witness both systems in place: old Soviet Union health care system and today's vs. the United States'. During the Soviet Union days there was a lack of medications and long lines in clinics (2-3 hours). The government controlled the drug prices. Not a perfect system. Now it is even better - on top of the universal health care system, one can choose a private clinic. For example, you can have your teeth fixed under $100 with no wait in lines or you can go to a public clinic and do it for free. It is your choice INDEED. People who can't afford the dental care do get their treatment no matter what. So to sum it up, public and private systems CAN co-exist. Here is your choice. The income tax there is 13%.

In the US - I waited 4 hours in the urgent care hospital to get my hand stitched. I still payed co-pay for it and had to buy some drugs. I had my tooth pulled to get ready for the crown installation + some implant work a month ago. I paid just under $4,000 out of my pocket, because my health care insurance believes it is cosmetic and "who needs teeth to chew"? I am assuming I could have survived without that tooth, but why should I? I do pay for my insurance and don't abuse it. I haven't counted the crown work yet (afraid to think about it). I was in the same waiting room with a worker who needed 3 teeth replaced. He was facing a $10k bill and he was ready to burst into tears. The whole scene with the patient and the accountant discussing details on the payment was really depressing.

I am clicking 'reply' to this thread, because this subject is so close to what I feel. I do hope that things will get better in this country. I also pray for my friend in the hospital...

you know what happens to healthcare when bureucrats run it. You get screwed my kids on on our states version of SCHIP and we never get the same person and they screw up so much we have to take them multiple documents... Then guess what we still get a bill for $1000 because the state will not pay the doctor because of a technicality that they have F-ed up on making it look to them as they are not qualified.

My father in law needed a new knee at a VA hospital guess how long it took 5 years! 5 years... He's 63 now (does not look a day over 45 though) they didn't want to do it at all and finally they used some more unconventional surgery so he pretty much got it to become a guinnae pig. Rationing healthcare is not healthcare.


Government agencies cannot be sued and their customer service is ZIP! They do not care. and they cannot get fired. At least at an insurance agency they half to treat you half human.

I hear you pain for the person at the hospital. I do. But the government can't run shit efficiently and there is no one to answer to. Your screwed and it is hopeless. And at some point they willsay you're to old we will not be giving you that treatment.