Frankly, no one has any idea how Obamacare will end up and how much it will cost because so much of the law deals with the creation of new panels and organizations to handle healthcare, and gives to them and the Secretary of Health authority to promulgate new rules and regulations. Read the law if you think otherwise.
What is clear though is that $500,000,000 is to be cut from Medicare under Obamacare for payments to doctors and hospitals, among others, and that can't be good for people relying on Medicare for their health care.
Those cuts, in themselves, do not increase cost to the patient however. They will reduce the availability of service to the patient. Doctors will just not accept Medicare Patients. That is already happening.
What is perplexing to me is that my medical coverage by the Air Force is being cut back which forces me to go out on the open market for medical service that is no longer provided at the Air Force Hospital.
It makes blood boil when I hear the politicians tell me that resolving the deficit and balancing the budget will not be done by riding on the backs of seniors and military members.
"Making Sawdust Safely" Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Dusty, I set on a hospital district board. We are a small community with a very large number of SS/ medicare and medicaide patients. I don't pretend to understand all of this, and I am not sure how it should be fixed, but I can tell you that when medicare cuts what they will pay, or does not raise what they will pay, there are only two things my district can do. 1, We accept the amount from Medicare and write off the rest, or 2. We raise our rates on other things that are not paid by Medicare. For the most part, any savings to medicare become costs to some other entity. We receive tax support from the community and because of that we never turn down new medicare patients who live in the district, but may doctors in the area have done that. There is always a point at which the number of Medicare patients that a practice can treat become to big a burden and may destroy the practice. I don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head, but about 70% of all billing codes pay less than our cost if they are Medicare. Medicaide is often worse
pennview wrote:Well, Obamacare cuts $500,000,000 from Medicare, so I guess they need to hike premiums to cover the shortfall. Just something to think about over the next 14 months, but all of the Republican candidates for president say they will undo Obamacare if elected.
Thanks for noticing that. There certainly is a difference between half of a billion and half of a trillion. Must have been thinking of the half billion dollars taxpayers lost in the Solyndra bankruptcy.
pennview wrote:Thanks for noticing that. There certainly is a difference between half of a billion and half of a trillion. Must have been thinking of the half billion dollars taxpayers lost in the Solyndra bankruptcy.
When real money is lost - someone is usually a BIG WINNER. I wonder who the winners are in the Solyndra deal?
I'd be willing to bet that if we were able to follow the "money trail" there would be names posted along the way that we all recognize.
"Making Sawdust Safely" Dusty
Sent from my Dell XPS using Firefox.
Like one of the other post said, I am so surprised at how much stuff people hear or read on the internet and start stating it as fact to others.
I just laugh at how ridiculous some of the stuff is. If anyone was awake during high school government class would know it was not true.
Radio and TV talk show host don't believe 1/2 of what they say themselves. Their job is to get people all worked up.
Anyway, healthcare.......... There is no one who can say for sure what the new healthcare law will or will not do. The thing I do like about it is it is getting everyone to talk about the problem and what should be done about it.
I have been insured all my life. I worked my job for 25 years and paid my insurance like one should. One day company was shut down and we lost our insurance the day we walked out. I was on COBRA but that has just ran out. Some people I worked with has preexisting health issues and can't buy insurance for any price.
"Prove to all the world Metal rules the land"
-Judas Priest, Heavy Duty.
cincinnati wrote: I was on COBRA but that has just ran out. Some people I worked with has preexisting health issues and can't buy insurance for any price.
Depending on State of occupancy the portability laws related to the actual completion of Cobra benefits allow a one time guarantee issue of individual coverage. The costs can be prohibitive and replacement coverage must be obtained within 63 days of the end of COBRA benefits. What varies is the vehicle that is available. In some states it would be an individual plan in others a state pool will be the vehicle. This has been the law for several years. How it will change under the new mess of a law I am still uncertain. Fjimp
F. Jim Parks
Lakewood, Colorado:)
When the love of power is replaced by the power of love the world will have a chance for survival.
The first issue I noted on that link is that you must first be totally uninsured for a minimum of six months. I wonder if preexisting conditions would be covered immediately or require some sort of waiting period first. I would definitely check that out. May I also suggest finding a well trained agent now while you still have options. One good way of doing so is to visit http://www.nahu.org on that web site they have a great agent search feature. One can type in their zip code and find a list of member agents. The acronym stands for National Association of Health Underwriters. I( have served my clients as an independent Health Insurance Agent for nearly 28 years. I have been a member since 1991 and in fact served in many different positions locally and nationally. These folks truly are the best of the best and excellent at finding the best solutions. Save yourself headaches and try it out. Fjimp
F. Jim Parks
Lakewood, Colorado:)
When the love of power is replaced by the power of love the world will have a chance for survival.
fjimp wrote:One good way of doing so is to visit http://www.nahu.org on that web site they have a great agent search feature. One can type in their zip code and find a list of member agents. Fjimp
Sorry but I didn't find that feature. Do ya have to be a member first?
SS 500(09/1980), DC3300, jointer, bandsaw, belt sander, Strip Sander, drum sanders,molder, dado, biscuit joiner, universal lathe tool rest, Oneway talon chuck, router bits & chucks and a De Walt 735 planer,a #5,#6, block planes. ALL in a 100 square foot shop. .
.
Bob
