Health Care Bill will pass, despite OBSTRUCTION !- Page 2

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:19pm

There is virtually no truth in Roxy's post. I can't tell if it's deliberate lying, or just the result of listening to bad information.

[kelzama]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:25pm

MB, actually as the system stands now, many health care practitioners lose money when they treat medicaid patients. Adding 30 million people (plus preexistings) to an insurance roll must increase costs. Someone's going to pay, and it ultimately will be taxpayers. All of us.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:26pm

Jane, the bill is available for you to read.

http://democrats.senate.gov/reform/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.pdf

All of this is public knowledge. No one is trying to hide anything on us. It is a very complicated issue-- one that can not be explained by the pundits. And of course politicians on both sides of the aisles are going to tell they want you to hear.
Also, check out the Congressional Budget Office's report.

[kelzama]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:32pm

Seriously. You link to the 2074 page document that was released in its final form three days ago and think this is enough time for anyone to digest the contents in their entirety, let alone read the whole thing?

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:36pm

Wendilin, I read for about 5 minutes, as I'm in the kitchen running back and forth trying to cook. But what I see looks too good to be true. for instance, if most of the goals promised are actually reached, then i don't see how quality of coverage can possibly be ensured, as is promised. If something is too good to be true, then it probably is. So far what I've read sounds like a bonanza for everyone.

However, you can't have it all without sacrificing quality and probably other things too. We'll see.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:41pm

The way that the government makes up for the cost of covering those with pre-existing conditions is through the government mandate, which will increase those enrolled in the insurance plans.

If there was no mandate, it would be difficult to force insurers to take on the risk of those with pre-existing illness.

The biggest way to bring down costs (IMO) is to go after fraud in the system (especially in the Medicare system) and to get doctors to talk to each other and no do repetitive tests. Getting the electronic records working back and forth should ease up on each doctor feeling the need to redo a test just to protect him or herself.

I think this will be a good first step.

[kelzama]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:46pm

Seems logical but: Can you imagine the doc who trusts another doc's tests, and misses something because of it? Or a whole diagnosis based on someone else's (erroneous) test results? Or a doc not being able to follow a hunch because someone else started on another course? Unless some tort reform happens so docs don't feel they need serious CYA, it's not gonna happen.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:53pm

I don't expect anyone to have time to read a 2700 page document by 915 tonight. However, I was simply stating that the information is out there for you to decipher on your own rather than trusting whatever the politicans or pundits are saying, which is obviously not 100% accurate.

I teach government and I always tell my students don't get your information from the politicians or Anderson Cooper (even if he is yummy). Get it yourself.

[kelzama]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 7:59pm

And how are we the voters to let our representatives know our opinion if we ourselves don't have the time to read the bill? The bill was crammed through; no one had adequate time to comprehend the whole thing. That in itself is a huge sticking point for many.

[bethnor]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 8:24pm

And how are we the voters to let our representatives know our opinion if we ourselves don't have the time to read the bill?

but isn't this true of the vast majority of bills that are signed into law?

if i said that 1% of the american voting population read and comprehended every law that was signed before it came to pass, wouldn't you find that shocking? i know i would.

[Jane2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 8:32pm

Perhaps this bill comes closer to affecting our lives (and deaths) than any other.

[cathycollie]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 8:44pm

Health care is a right that everybody should pay for.

If we can force everybody to pay for war (through taxation) WE SHOULD force everybody to pay for healthcare and cover everybody.

[kelzama]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 8:45pm

bethnor, absolutely. I doubt anyone reads every bill except maybe paid lobbyists. But I at least expect (albeit idealistically) my legislator to be able, by reading the bills, to vote knowledgeably on a topic, particularly one with broadsweeping ramifications such as this one. IRS in charge of due dilligence? Chills my blood.

[cathycollie]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 8:54pm

Nothing is perfect.

Don't forget, the IRS needs to be reformed as well.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 9:01pm

kelzama, you raise a fair point. I think there has to be some reform in the area of defensive medicine. Generally, I think I am OK at setting some reasonable standards at what does, and does not have to be done, and trying to limit liability and extra tests and expenses that way.

My Dr. is part of a large network, and they all do share the same test results, and can see the medical information. That only works because it is part of a huge network.

But, Dr. who are truly negligent and fail to meet reasonable standards of care should still be held responsible for their mistakes. It is a balancing act, and at some point, but we need to find a way to do so. Too much CYA is part of the problem in the system.

[cathycollie]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 9:15pm

Doctors need to be in charge to be held accountable.

They are currently insurance industry mouthpieces.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 9:18pm

Here are ten (Nine) benefits which come online within six months of the President's signature on the health care bill:

1.Adult children may remain as dependents on their parents’ policy until their 27th birthday
2.Children under age 19 may not be excluded for pre-existing conditions
3.No more lifetime or annual caps on coverage
4.Free preventative care for all
5.Adults with pre-existing conditions may buy into a national high-risk pool until the exchanges come online. While these will not be cheap, they’re still better than total exclusion and get some benefit from a wider pool of insureds.
6.Small businesses will be entitled to a tax credit for 2009 and 2010, which could be as much as 50% of what they pay for employees’ health insurance.
7.The “donut hole” closes for Medicare patients, making prescription medications more affordable for seniors.
8.Requirement that all insurers must post their balance sheets on the Internet and fully disclose administrative costs, executive compensation packages, and benefit payments.
9.Authorizes early funding of community health centers in all 50 states (Bernie Sanders’ amendment). Community health centers provide primary, dental and vision services to people in the community, based on a sliding scale for payment according to ability to pay.

Link

Updated On: 3/21/10 at 09:18 PM

[shira467]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 9:41pm

I'm watching C-Span, absorbing what I can.

It may not be perfect, but we need to do something.

I got out of the hospital today, and I'm grateful for my health insurance. I can't imagine how ridiculous the bill would be if I didn't have insurance.

[wendilin622]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 9:45pm

I have to admit--as a teacher I have great insurance. But while in grad school (and still on my parents insurance) I was hospitalized for 5 days. it was over $40,000. It was a pain getting insurance to cover any of it, and our final bill was still over $1000. As a grad student, there was no way I could have afforded that.... I'd still have problems writing a check for a grand....
There is no doubt that the system needs to be reformed. I think that this is a good first of many, many steps.

[shira467]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 9:49pm

I find it interesting that people are complaining about the debt this will have on the next generation. Gee, I pay Medicare and Social Security taxes NOW, and it's well known that by the time I reach 65, all that money will be gone, as will be my guaranteed protection.

So what's an extra tax when it means I can get my asthma regulated without worried?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 10:18pm

Hopefully, Nancy Pelosi will now be able to afford Poli-Grip.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 10:34pm

Pelosi just mentioned that the bill about to pass has over 200 REPUBLICAN amendments. Sure sounds as if there was a bipartisan effort coming from the Democrat side, and yet every GOP member will vote against it. We're talking rabid right-wing ultraconservative Republicans, mainstream Republicans, moderate social conservative Republicans, etc. - in other words, a wide range of views and voting records, but in their effort to destroy the Obama presidency, they suddenly all believce the exact same thing. Shameful.

[bethnor]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:14pm

i honestly don't understand the use of the buzzward "socialism," while in the same breath, many of these people call for control of healh care costs.

i mean, if a pharmaceutical company has a product that americans want, and americans are willing to pay whatever to have it... excuse me, but that's the very beating heart of capitalism and a free market, and to attempt to regulate that in any way would be an assault on those principals.

so i guess i don't get how universal coverage is any less "socialist" than regulating rising costs of health care.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:22pm

Oh Roxy! "Doctors will retire"? Seriously? THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME UP WITH?

[JohnBoy2]

Posted: 3/21/10 at 11:29pm

Namo's doctor died, rather than participate!