Hospitals / Doctors now refusing to take Medicare

[Excaliber]

Medicaid is essentially welfare. Those who are poor enough to qualify for it, all ready have it, this bill won't change that. Illegal aliens have access to emergency care all ready, this bill won't change that either.

There are two groups that have access to health insurance all ready, this bill won't stop them from receiving adequate health care. The very poor and those who can afford health care all ready.

In between are millions of regular hard working families and small business' that don't have access to decent health care for a variety of reasons. They make to much to qualify for Medicaid and not enough to purchase insurance in the private sector. So they wait, until their life threatening health crisis brings them to deaths door, until they have lost their job, their house, their family and spent all their assetts trying to survive. THEN they will qualify for Medicaid, a not a minute sooner.

If we do NOTHING that middle group who cannot afford decent health care will continue to grow larger. Health care costs will continue to go up. It's only a matter of time before many of those crying and whining about what it may cost them in tax dollars will be joining that middle group.

The Republican and Democrat parties alike recognize that SOMETHING has to be done. I'm still waiting to hear the game plan from Republicans, if they would STFU for a minute, quit whining and crying about it all maybe they could actually come up with a game plan? Some positive suggestion? Something besides "sit, wait, not now, not us, let's think about it some more." Times up, time to move on, time to get it done, with or without them.

[Dan40]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

The Republican and Democrat parties alike recognize that SOMETHING has to be done. I'm still waiting to hear the game plan from Republicans, if they would STFU for a minute, quit whining and crying about it all maybe they could actually come up with a game plan? Some positive suggestion?

The Republicans HAVE come up with suggestions, good suggestions. Summarily rejected by the power hungry Democrats in control.

TORT REFORM, a Republican suggestion-REJECTED!
Allow interstate insurance competition. a Republican idea-REJECTED

That second one would interfere with States Rights, but then so do hundreds of pages of the Democrat bills under consideration.

A true solution to both health care and insurance costs, NO POLITICIAN CAN PUT FORTH.
That is catastrophic coverage instead of today's first dollar coverage.

Lets use $1000 a month as a family coverage cost or $12,000 per year. A tough number for an individual or a business to pay. Take HALF of that and make it the individual's responsibility. So the insurance company pays nothing until the insured has spent $6000 for the year. Relieved of the first dollar coverage, the insurance company could easily drop the other half from $6000. to $3000. [$250. a month instead of $1000.]
2 or more things happen, 1. people pay for all the little things, AS THEY SHOULD. And 2. They begin to EXAMINE all medical costs and SHOP for the best deal. Which puts competitive downward pressure on medical costs. [this is proven by the cost drops seen in medical procedures not covered by insurance]

Net by 2014, Family spends [covered by insurance $4000 in 2010] now in 2014 they spend $3000 for the same care, but out of pocket. $3000 out of pocket plus $3000. catastrophic coverage premium=$6000. in 2014 when the normal insurance would have climbed to $14,000 or $16,000.

[Ron61]

Dan,

Lets use $1000 a month as a family coverage cost or $12,000 per year. I like your ideas but that would be more than 1/2 of many retired and disabled peoples incomes around here. And with no Cost of Living increase on their Social Security for two years many of them are really hurting as they raised their Medicare Premiums and that lowered the amount they do get. And contrary to what the politicians said, the cost of living for seniors did go up just as it did for them. Myself I would never use my insurance for anything but a huge hospital or medical bill, and believe me I have paid a ton of medical bills the past few years. I would like to see some fair way to have people covered but this pork bill is not it IMHO.
But some of the people that I know get around $1500 a month and that is all they have for income and they still have to pay the ever increasing utility, grocery, and other bills. Take even $500 of that away from them and they are not going to be able to make it. And I am talking of people that own their homes and don't have house payments or car payments but exist within their means. I am more fortunate than many and know it, but I still hate to see people forced to buy something they can't afford.

Ron

[Dan40]

Originally Posted by Ron61

Dan,

Lets use $1000 a month as a family coverage cost or $12,000 per year. I like your ideas but that would be more than 1/2 of many retired and disabled peoples incomes around here. And with no Cost of Living increase on their Social Security for two years many of them are really hurting as they raised their Medicare Premiums and that lowered the amount they do get. And contrary to what the politicians said, the cost of living for seniors did go up just as it did for them. Myself I would never use my insurance for anything but a huge hospital or medical bill, and believe me I have paid a ton of medical bills the past few years. I would like to see some fair way to have people covered but this pork bill is not it IMHO.
But some of the people that I know get around $1500 a month and that is all they have for income and they still have to pay the ever increasing utility, grocery, and other bills. Take even $500 of that away from them and they are not going to be able to make it. And I am talking of people that own their homes and don't have house payments or car payments but exist within their means. I am more fortunate than many and know it, but I still hate to see people forced to buy something they can't afford.

Ron

I was referring to Ernie's imaginary group that cannot afford insurance. Not those on Medicare. If the Government wanted to help those on Medicare all they have to do is eliminate Medicare Supplement insurance so people would stop wasting money on supplements. [the same supplements that made me over $100,000.00 a year by themselves.] and which I do not own one now that I'm on Medicare. Supplements cost Medicare beneficiaries from $100 to $400 per month. A waste of money, Medicare is good insurance by itself.
Supplements are part of the first dollar coverage problem. Same as Major Medical Plans, Cadillac or not, for people under 65.
It is simple, if any insurance is going to cover anyone from the first dollar on, the insurance company MUST charge more than a dollar for every dollar covered. Regardless if they ever have to pay a claim or not.
Catastrophic coverage means the sick have an exposure LESS than their un-affordable insurance premium. The healthy save that premium expense. Those that cannot afford coverage now have a shot at a much lower premium. (Some would remain uncovered, but perhaps fewer than REMAIN exposed under the ridiculous plans proposed by our idiot legislators). And MEDICAL costs would be pressured down by competition.

Insist on first dollar and Government coverage as Ernie does and costs and problems are GUARANTEED to increase. 200 years of Government programs history has taught all but the liberals, that is a certainty.