The Affordable HealthCare Decision

[dusty]

Why has Lazik and breast augmentation surgery gone down in cost (in absolute dollars) by over 400% in the past 10 years but other medical cost gone up? I am shocked that Ed knows what things cost. If any of us was paying for care we would ask the cost and effectiveness. Because insurance pays for everything and lawyers sue if enough tests are not run costs are out of control. I don't have dental insurance and I shop for lower costs, the same does not happen for medical expenses where insurance pays for everything.

You either pay an awful lot for your insurance OR you have been unbelievably fortunate. Wait a few years. Believe me, typical health insurance DOES NOT pay for everything.

Do a little bit of research and you will find that Affordable Healthcare will not pay for everything either.

[Gene Howe]

TANSTAAFL!
Just a few things to start with in replacing the abomination called Obamacare. Medical savings accounts, catastrophic coverage, portability, open competition and Tort Reform.
We pay cash although we are both eligible for Medicare. Dental/vision services are discounted. Dr. visits are also discounted.
Wife had a knee replaced due to an auto accident. The other driver's insurance was not enough to cover all the costs. We scrutinized every bill from the hospital and surgeon. After all bills were received and over charges were eliminated, we negotiated an over 9K discount when cash was offered.
Even dr.s and hospitals like cash.

[fjimp]

I intend to keep my remarks brief and in order to keep my blood pressure under control do my best to ignore the discussion.

First I earned my living working at assisting people to find health Insurance. I always felt good about my work, even when I had to send folks in another direction. Secondly I have never in my life seen a true solution come from politicians in Washington DC. Third that law is over 2,800 pages and that does not include the regulations to govern it. Fourth The President of our country guaranteed the American people that this law would reduce the cost of insurance and medical care for everyone. That is not the case and never will be, costs have risen faster than predicted since its passage and will in fact rise higher than anyone can ever possibly believe. Fifth each of the neat things people like about this law will by nature of adding additional benefits increase costs. Unfortunately they will rise so fast they will break the bank. Finally one cannot reform health care simply by regulating insurance and adding warm fussy benefits. Until all aspects of providing health care are reformed costs will run away. This my friends is the future of health care under the new law. If it's your bag, more power to you. Enough said with these comments the soap box is retired to the darkest corner of the closet. I am not intending to follow this discussion any further. Jim

[charlese]

Although checking fixed income and bad deal - I really don't know what the various outcomes will be. Yes, the law is mostly in effect, however there will likely be changes made. How much this will affect the taxes of everyone in the U.S. I don't know. If the end deal is very costly it will be mostly added burden to my offspring and yours.

If not amended, where are we going to get all the needed doctors??????

After being active in government most of my career, I know not to jump to conclusions prior to the absolute done deal.

[dusty]

Although checking fixed income and bad deal - I really don't know what the various outcomes will be. Yes, the law is mostly in effect, however there will likely be changes made. How much this will affect the taxes of everyone in the U.S. I don't know. If the end deal is very costly it will be mostly added burden to my offspring and yours.

If not amended, where are we going to get all the needed doctors??????

After being active in government most of my career, I know not to jump to conclusions prior to the absolute done deal.

We have a shortage of doctors already. It can only get worse with the probable increase in demand for care.

I have been fortunate, so far, in that my medical needs have been met but I do have to look a lot harder for some specialties. I have been turned away twice by offices that "do not accept Medicare Patients".

[camerio]

[quote="paulmcohen"]Because nothing is FREE, Europe is bankrupt, Britain is "killing" really sick seniors to make room for younger people, Canadians come to the US when they are really sick.

I believe that Canadian who go south for care, are the one that can afford to pay for the care they seek. It is not reimbursed by our Canadian health insurance. Some Canadians were sent south because there was too long list for some tests, the Canadian system then paid for that.
I do not believe you meant that Canadians who were seeking treatments in the US did not pay and Americans had to pay.
Many Americans now come to Canada for treatments and operations in private clinics because it is less costly than in the US. They pay the price of those services that they seek.
I do not want to comment any further on the debate, but you should see yourself from outside your country sometimes ....
Read and listen to something else than you own media who are just trying to up their cut by reporting falsehoods and listen to Farmer, what he says makes a lot of sense.
There is no perfect system, but at least some are trying to make it better for the rest of the society in which we live in.

[jm51]

I'm from the other side of the pond so just telling it as it is seen from here. Even then, I'm biased, right wingers see me as a pinko and lefties see me as a tool of the rich. Me, I'm against bs, whichever side of the fence it comes from. I also have a problem with fence sitters. lol

To most of us over here, your views on health care are viewed as bigoted. You don't care what happens to Joe the good neighbour (or yourself) as long the 'welfare queen' from the other block does not get free treatment.

Doesn't seem right to mention the name but a real good (American) woodworking guy that put single driver speakers back on the map went belly up due to health problems. He went from 'I am' to 'widows fire sale'. If you think that is ok then we are from different planets.

btw, you guys spend more on public health care than we do.

[easterngray]

I am a 50 year old married male working a full time blue collar job and raising a small family in Massachusetts - home of RomneyCare.
When the economy went south and unemployment rose my boss dropped the 50 percent insurance contribution and I had to pay 100 percent of the cost of a family plan if I wanted to keep my family insured. My workplace has less than 10 employees so they are under no obligation to offer an insurance plan. I got my own family plan to the tune of just under $1,400 a month. It is a plan with a pretty high deductable. I have no idea if ObamaCare will make health insurance affordable, but RomneyCare has done no such thing. Alec

[JPG]

I'm from the other side of the pond so just telling it as it is seen from here. Even then, I'm biased, right wingers see me as a pinko and lefties see me as a tool of the rich. Me, I'm against bs, whichever side of the fence it comes from. I also have a problem with fence sitters. lol

To most of us over here, your views on health care are viewed as bigoted. You don't care what happens to Joe the good neighbour (or yourself) as long the 'welfare queen' from the other block does not get free treatment.

Doesn't seem right to mention the name but a real good (American) woodworking guy that put single driver speakers back on the map went belly up due to health problems. He went from 'I am' to 'widows fire sale'. If you think that is ok then we are from different planets.

btw, you guys spend more on public health care than we do.

Per capita?

[paulmcohen]

You either pay an awful lot for your insurance OR you have been unbelievably fortunate. Wait a few years. Believe me, typical health insurance DOES NOT pay for everything.

Do a little bit of research and you will find that Affordable Healthcare will not pay for everything either.

They pay for everything, then they send me a bill for what I owe. I did not mean they cover 100% of the cost, I literally meant they pay. At point of service I have no idea what things cost and sometimes I get a bill from the provider with some crazy number, then I get a statement from the insurance company listing what they paid, what I owe and what the provider needs to write off. In the most recent case I got a bill for over $2,400 from the provider, the insurance company sent me a check for $95 and said I own the rest. When I questioned it they said there was an error and send back the check. I got another bill for $2,400 for a different procedure, I owed $240, the insurance company paid $1,600 and the company wrote off the rest.

If I had paid cash the cost would have been $600. This whole thing is crazy.