Obama offers up cuts to SS and Medicare

[mwilliams8705]

Nope, the idea that an economy could be pure capitalism isn't grounded in reality; all economies are mixed ones. Capitalistic economies with a strong socialized safety net is by far the preferred system, as evidenced in how it has triumphed over all the other ones in the marketplace of ideas. That's why I compared capitalistic economies to communism, not to socialism. Not to mention that everyone is to some extent a socialist, even you.

And under our greatest times of growth were when it was mixed the least. It shouldn't be preferred because costs are finally catching up to us due to over spending in general because of wars and entitlements. There are some things that I agree that are necessary to government which they should handle, mainly roads and defense, which facilitate growth but don't redistribute wealth.

While capitalism is broadly the best means by which to run a system, there are numerous cases where that's not the case. Utilities are a good example. We don't want or need private companies running competing sewer lines, roads, etc. Furthermore there are some marketplaces where capitalism simply fails, and health care is one of them.

Except utilities are private.

Medical costs are both extremely high and extremely unpredictable, therefore insurance of some sort is absolutely necessary. Nobody is paying for their brain surgery out of pocket. There are also large disparities in bargaining power information, etc that prevent a free market system from functioning. Sure you can shop around for a doctor's office visit, but if you're bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound you don't have that luxury.

Hence emergencies are usually handled in where it doesn't matter. But even abuse by that happens as people use the ER as the office because they don't want to pay for healthcare.

Are you really so naive as to think that because capitalistic competition works for many things that it would have to work for everything? Absolute silliness.

No, there are some things in government where the government should handle them. Handing out benefits isn't one of them and thinking healthcare is a right isn't one either.

 

[mwilliams8705]

I like how your idea of my viewpoint included exactly zero of my points. That's pretty funny.

So you don't want free universal health care? Oh you want people to pay for it based on how much they can "afford" it.

 

[werepossum]

Anyone else find it strange that Obama is insisting we need more government employees and wants to fund them at least in part by reducing how much the actual recipients of the programs receive? It's like the purpose of these programs has now officially morphed into providing unionized public sector jobs.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

He needs to cut somewhere to partially mitigate the really expensive changes to come. Seniors aren't his fave demographic, so it's no harm to him or his party.

 

[Theb]

No. He is cash only. I went to a doctor who took insurance then went to him to see what he would do. He undercut him.

I shop around for doctors and services.

What is the name/practice of this cash only doctor?

 

[Brainonska511]

What is the name/practice of this cash only doctor?

Doctor Nick.

"Hey, did you go to Hollywood Upstairs Medical College too?"

 

[mwilliams8705]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypipes/2013/04/01/fed-up-with-obamacare-doctors-increasingly-prefer-cash-for-care/

 

[ivwshane]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/sallypipes/2013/04/01/fed-up-with-obamacare-doctors-increasingly-prefer-cash-for-care/

Interesting. It sounds good for regular care but it's not a viable solution for the big medical expenses that require longer term treatment and or surgery.

What is good about it though is that it provides more competition in the market place. It's not the silver bullet solution but it could be used in a multi pronged approach.

 

[michal1980]

these are cuts?

LOL democrats don't know what cuts are.

How many times has government 'cut' Medicare payments to DRs, only to vote to increase them every single year?

How is growing social security at .9% vs 1.5% a cut?


What about Obama's huge tax grab on IRA accounts? Save for your future, fuck you, government needs it more.

 

[Incorruptible]

Anyone else find it strange that Obama is insisting we need more government employees and wants to fund them at least in part by reducing how much the actual recipients of the programs receive? It's like the purpose of these programs has now officially morphed into providing unionized public sector jobs.

Many of these government programs are like that. Call for more government, create more idiotic bureaucracies and then hire useless bureaucrats who will vote for you since they dont care about the Constitution.

 

[Fern]

You realize that Medicare has some of the lowest administrative costs in the country already, right?

They achieve that by pushing costly functions such as billing and collecting onto the private sector. It's more cost shifting than cost reduction.

Fern

 

[ivwshane]

They achieve that by pushing costly functions such as billing and collecting onto the private sector. It's more cost shifting than cost reduction.

Fern

Here is a good article that talks about administrative costs and why you can't compare the systems.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/07/administrative_costs_in_health.html

 

[fskimospy]

They achieve that by pushing costly functions such as billing and collecting onto the private sector. It's more cost shifting than cost reduction.

Fern

Nope, even factoring those in it is more efficient.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Here is a good article that talks about administrative costs and why you can't compare the systems.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/07/administrative_costs_in_health.html

Now that's strange. The one's complaining about private insurance bring in administrative costs.

I do know this, that I spend more time per claim on Medicaid and Medicare than private insurance. The requirements for diabetic supplies are ridiculous, time consuming and wholly useless. But then again the government doesn't have to pay for providers time.