Republicans pushing to privatize Medicare and cut outlays again

[Ausm]

Is this going to be a winning strategy during an election year? Brb after forwarding this to my hardline Republican parents who LOVE their Medicare...LMFAO.

http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_n...-move-republicans-offer-medicare-alternatives

 

[soundforbjt]

That'll sure help them with the senior vote.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

They could easily fix Medicare if they would let everyone pay into and use it, ie: single payer healthcare. Amazing how this works in every single other first world country. The problem with Medicare is government shouldering the burden for the oldest, sickest, and most expensive leaving private insurers to profit over everyone else.

 

[dank69]

Everyone knows the best way to make something more affordable is to add profit into the equation.

 

[bradley]

We need to stop these damn seniors from borrowing against Medicare and Social Security... or basically stealing from a lock box and raiding the trust. I do believe the average age of the Senate and House is well above 60yo. lol

 

[tweaker2]

To the loyalist Repubs who depend on gov't services like Medicare and Social Security to maintain a somewhat decent standard of living, please don't be hypocrites and do refuse these services on the principles and ideology of your Repub Party so that the rest of us can continue to enjoy the benefits these programs provide.

 

[hal2kilo]

To the loyalist Repubs who depend on gov't services like Medicare and Social Security to maintain a somewhat decent standard of living, please don't be hypocrites and do refuse these services on the principles and ideology of your Repub Party so that the rest of us can continue to enjoy the benefits these programs provide.

Polls indicate even Teabaggers luv'm sum gubment money.

http://wonkette.com/443778/teabagge...e-and-medicaid-when-polled-about-it-of-course

 

[Anarchist420]

Means testing would be a much less harmful idea. Tax payers could save at least 1/2 alone off Part D if the government would end patents and pay for only generic and/or imported drugs. They could then save at least another 10% if there was an annual medicare fee of 2/3 of income after the first $30k in non social security income. Tax payers being forced to pay private companies for all seniors and name brand american drugs won't save anywhere near that.

Also, people younger than 26 should be taken out of the SS/MC system. They should never be eligible for benefits and they should never have to pay the withholding tax.

 

[Ausm]

Means testing would be a much less harmful idea. Tax payers could save at least 1/2 alone off Part D if the government would end patents and pay for only generic and/or imported drugs. They could then save at least another 10% if there was an annual medicare fee of 2/3 of income after the first $30k in non social security income. Tax payers being forced to pay private companies for all seniors and name brand american drugs won't save anywhere near that.

Also, people younger than 26 should be taken out of the SS/MC system. They should never be eligible for benefits and they should never have to pay the withholding tax.

Keep chugging the Repuglican Kool-aid bro.

 

[senseamp]

Government hands off my Medicare!

 

[shira]

To the loyalist Repubs who depend on gov't services like Medicare and Social Security to maintain a somewhat decent standard of living, please don't be hypocrites and do refuse these services on the principles and ideology of your Repub Party so that the rest of us can continue to enjoy the benefits these programs provide.

This is an excellent point.

When Warren Buffet stated that rich people should pay more taxes, the righties on this forum countered that Buffet is a hypocrite if he doesn't voluntarily send in more money to the IRS.

That's an absurd, illogical argument, of course. But any righty who claims it's valid should be held to the same standard (hoist by their own petard, so to speak): Any 65+ righty arguing that Medicare should be privatized should refuse to use Medicare.

 

[nobodyknows]

That'll sure help them with the senior vote.

Speaking of being hoisted on their own petard.

 

[Jaskalas]

Republicans pushing to privatize Medicare and cut outlays again

Imagine a country in which Republican states are free to do this, while you are free to pursue UHC in Democrat states. Obviously only the most extreme States would be able to pass them.

HOWEVER,

One of these methods is better than the other. If yours is as sucessful as you pretend it is and the alternative is so terrible - then folks across the nation can see it for themselves, with their own eyes.

"Why don't I have healthcare like Massachusetts?" Then the tide turns, people see what works and support it. Progress is made and the country moves on to the next divisive issue.

Progress is found in diversity. The more choices our 315 million people face, the sooner they recognize good ones from the bad. It's quite sad that the most diverse country on the planet still can't recognize that and we all squabble over centralized power when the REAL solution is right in front of us.

 

[Phokus]

Imagine a country in which Republican states are free to do this, while you are free to pursue UHC in Democrat states. Obviously only the most extreme States would be able to pass them.

HOWEVER,

One of these methods is better than the other. If yours is as sucessful as you pretend it is and the alternative is so terrible - then folks across the nation can see it for themselves, with their own eyes.

"Why don't I have healthcare like Massachusetts?" Then the tide turns, people see what works and support it. Progress is made and the country moves on to the next divisive issue.

Progress is found in diversity. The more choices our 315 million people face, the sooner they recognize good ones from the bad. It's quite sad that the most diverse country on the planet still can't recognize that and we all squabble over centralized power when the REAL solution is right in front of us.

Do you SERIOUSLY need proof that a true single payer system works when it WORKS ALL OVER THE FUCKING WORLD IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES? You sound like those evolution deniers who still deny evolution, even though it's been scientifically proven in a laboratory setting already.

 

[nonlnear]

I wonder what John Kerry would think of this proposal.

 

[piasabird]

I think I read somewhere that for the state to use medicare that the state had to pay for part of it.

Why does even the UK think this is a bad idea?

There have to be taxpayers for this to work. Where are the jobs?

Maybe if we quit buying stuff from China and japan it might work.

 

[Icepick]

The Republicans' answer to every issue is privatization. Further evidence that placing people into government offices who, themselves, hate government is a recipe for failure.

 

[blankslate]

I bet those companies that would benefit from medicare being privatized are drooling like the proverbial foxes outside the chicken coup...

So where are all of the dittoheads screaming get your hands off of my healthcare?

 

[ky54]

Someone show me how single payer health care will reduce the overall cost of health care while maintaining the highest level of care in the world?

 

[nobodyknows]

Someone show me how single payer health care will reduce the overall cost of health care while maintaining the highest level of care in the world?

You mean "the highest level of health care in the world" for the rich and privileged. The rest of us can all suck the hind teats.

 

[dank69]

You mean "the highest level of health care in the world" for the rich and privileged. The rest of us can all suck the hind teats.

Ky probably thinks he can stroll into any hospital and obtain "the highest level of health care in the world" at any time.

 

[Ausm]

Ky probably thinks he can stroll into any hospital and obtain "the highest level of health care in the world" at any time.

Maybe we can chip in for a CAT scan for him?

 

[blankslate]

You mean "the highest level of health care in the world" for the rich and privileged. The rest of us can all suck the hind teats.

This, if anyone really looked at all the information they see that highest level of health care only applies if your insurer doesn't find a loophole in the contract that gives them a reason to dump your sickly ass or if you're lucky enough to be able to pay for health care because you have more means than the average person.

 

[nonlnear]

You mean "the highest level of health care in the world" for the rich and privileged. The rest of us can all suck the hind teats.

I am pretty far from rich even by Democrat standards but I have a job with decent benefits. I have a MUCH higher level of health care than my family in Canada. They have to wait often for months to see specialists, and any remotely unusual procedure seems to take forever to actually get done. It's gotten to the point where I don't tell my parents about medical stuff because the contrast in our levels of service makes me feel self-conscious.

 

[dank69]

I am pretty far from rich even by Democrat standards but I have a job with decent benefits. I have a MUCH higher level of health care than my family in Canada. They have to wait often for months to see specialists, and any remotely unusual procedure seems to take forever to actually get done. It's gotten to the point where I don't tell my parents about medical stuff because the contrast in our levels of service makes me feel self-conscious.

I'm curious if you could detail for me the causation link between government paying for healthcare and a lack of specialists available to meet demand?