I've studied the Health care bill and I don't hate it

[old_gregg]

as someone looking at a new insulin pump, the device tax is a really, really bad idea.

[Mormon Red Death]

as someone looking at a new insulin pump, the device tax is a really, really bad idea.

the more and more I read about this law and its consequences its turning more into a really bad idea. I didnt hate it at first but I think this entitlement program will be absolutely horrible for the USA.

[Mormon Red Death]

From everything I've seen, this bill will only make insurance more and more expensive.

This is the chief reason why obamacare is now on my hated list. The unintended ramifications are going to be gigantic.

[Indy Coug]

This is the chief reason why obamacare is now on my hated list. The unintended ramifications are going to be gigantic.

[il Padrino Ute]

This is the chief reason why obamacare is now on my hated list. The unintended ramifications are going to be gigantic.

I'm happy to see that you've finally seen the light.

[TexTechCoug]

From everything I've seen, this bill will only make insurance more and more expensive.

It is meant to eliminate private insurance, which it will do by driving up the cost.

Our Dear Leader is fond of saying "Why are private insurance companies afraid of a little competition from the government?" Mostly because you can't compete with an entity that runs deep in the red in perpetuity and makes all the rules, you smug ass hole.

[Omaha 680]

It is meant to eliminate private insurance, which it will do by driving up the cost.

Our Dear Leader is fond of saying "Why are private insurance companies afraid of a little competition from the government?" Mostly because you can't compete with an entity that runs deep in the red in perpetuity and makes all the rules, you smug ass hole.

Yes. It's hard to compete with the people who own the money printing presses.

[The_Douger]

It is meant to eliminate private insurance, which it will do by driving up the cost.

Our Dear Leader is fond of saying "Why are private insurance companies afraid of a little competition from the government?" Mostly because you can't compete with an entity that runs deep in the red in perpetuity and makes all the rules, you smug ass hole.

Exactly.

How can you compete with an entity that isn't required to be solvent on it's own?

[Indy Coug]

Exactly.

How can you compete with an entity that isn't required to be solvent on it's own?

The CLASS Act, the government's long term care insurance program, was abandoned because they actually required it to remain solvent.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/66423.html

[The_Douger]

I think they should have to be solvent and compete in the marketplace like any other insurance. The only reason they have any market share is because they play by a different set of rules.

[Goatnapper'96]

the more and more I read about this law and its consequences its turning more into a really bad idea. I didnt hate it at first but I think this entitlement program will be absolutely horrible for the USA.

It is going to do what most people thought it would do. The health care system is a mess. It has been for a long time. However, the cost of health care is what is driving this train and this addressed that minimally. Some of the incentives for checkups could help over the long haul with catching illnesses before they get really expensive to take care of. However, there is no way politicians could ever really fix what is driving health care costs up in this country. The all you can eat aspect of health insurance morphing into pre-paid health care. A certain segment of the population is expensive due to no fault of their own, their bodies are just not working right. That is who insurance is meant to protect. Another segment is expensive because they live irresponsibly and their medical costs are a social cost or have been since we recognized that our values will not allow people to die from not being able to afford health care. Part of this bill incentivizes irresponsibility as the fact that folks pay $90 a month to not be insured but can then get coverage as soon as they get ill. The actuaries are having a nightmare accounting for that cost and it will be seen in the premiums of those who have health insurance and my guess is it will also be seen in hospitals charging more for the actual health care. I am not a fan of moving in this direction but I just wish politicians treated people like adults. If you don't get health insurance your penalty should be just as much as what health insurance costs.

On the other hand Republicans have nothing to pull string about. They did shit about this issue forever and let the Democrats control the issue. They would be smart to leapfrog them and recommend some form of a single payer system /increase of medicaid that gives everyone coverage but makes it so basic that the think tanks at Berkeley have a field day with how the disadvantaged are being taken advantage...I mean what else are we supposed to do with the disadvantaged other than take advantage of them? But seriously we know where this disaster is going to end and if the Republicans just sit idly by thinking that the trainwreck is going to renew some red, white and blue desire to let the market fix it - they got another thing coming. If they push for the issue they might have some ability to control the long term costs...hardy har har!

[Goatnapper'96]

It is meant to eliminate private insurance, which it will do by driving up the cost.

Our Dear Leader is fond of saying "Why are private insurance companies afraid of a little competition from the government?" Mostly because you can't compete with an entity that runs deep in the red in perpetuity and makes all the rules, you smug ass hole.

I once read an article by EJ Dionne about the various disastrous efforts of individual states to incorporate some form of ubiquitous health insurance financed by the state. His conclusion was they all failed which obviously, in his opinion, justifies the need of a strong central government to take care of this as states are just incapable.

Duh, law requires that states balance their budget. As long as this country can borrow like we have since Reagan, save a few years the last half of the 1990's, we can do this. Once we have to start paying for the services our strong central government provides - the middle class will declare war on the poor. I hope the poor live it up while they can because the rich ain't gonna pay for it that just ain't how they roll. Eventually the middle class will be stuck with most of the bill and they ain't gonna be none the happy when they find out how much it really costs.

[TexTechCoug]

The real issue is that health care has become a "right." As such it has to be provided to everyone at any cost. Health care dollars are thrown right and left at people who assume no responsibility for themselves and by doctors who could care less about carefully stewarding a scarce resource.

Essentially, we throw good money after bad on the super elderly and extremely sick, and do so without a conscience.

Health care costs are also up because advancement and technology in health care is astounding. We are treating patients who 30 years ago would have been considered to sick. Most of our cancer treatment is palliative, but that doesn't mean that it isn't big business (note the Cancer Centers of America adverts all hours of the day on TV.)

The government will end up as a single payer and then the "death panels" will kick in. I, as a physician, have no problem with death panels. We spend way too much tax payer money because we are unable or unwilling to let people die.

The health market doesn't work because information is so imperfect that no one knows what the costs are, the only way it could work is if people had better information and were equipped to use that information.