Republicans' #1 Priority...

Repealing 'Obamacare' Will Define Republicans in 2011

So, can someone enlighten me? What is it about getting more health care and more affordable health care to more people that is such a problem?
Is it simply the requirement for everyone to offer it? If so, that was a requirement from the private insurance industry, not the government...what else is so bad about this law?

And, why do the Republicans feel it must be repealed, instead of modified?

Do people who previously could not afford, or could not get, health insurance, and who now can, really want this repealed? Do most Americans really want to go back to the days when an insurance company could reject a consumer because of a pre-existing condition (such as pregnancy)?

Or do parents whose college graduate child can not get a job with benefits in this economy really want to lose the ability to keep that child on their policy until a job w/benefits becomes available? Do we really want to return to the point where very little preventive medicine/treatment is covered by insurance...and too many people w/out insurance flood the emergency rooms for so-called "free" care which taxpayers then pick up...
So, other than the mandate, why else is this the Republicans #1 goal?

Timely -

Florida lawmakers face growing burden with Medicaid | jacksonville.com

I wonder how much it will cost to cover an additional 2-3 million people? That's nearly double the current number, which currently cost the state around 20 billion. Lets assume that jumps 10-15 billion... how do the democrats expect Floridians to fund that? I assume you all have this all figured out, right?

We cannot pay for this. Tort reform, fixing the pre-existing condition issue and a prohibition on dropping the sick would have been a great start to fixing the problem without bankrupting the country.

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Florida lawmakers face growing burden with Medicaid | jacksonville.com

I wonder how much it will cost to cover an additional 2-3 million people? That's nearly double the current number, which currently cost the state around 20 billion. Lets assume that jumps 10-15 billion... how do the democrats expect Floridians to fund that? I assume you all have this all figured out, right?

Timely -

Florida lawmakers face growing burden with Medicaid | jacksonville.com

I wonder how much it will cost to cover an additional 2-3 million people? That's nearly double the current number, which currently cost the state around 20 billion. Lets assume that jumps 10-15 billion... how do the democrats expect Floridians to fund that? I assume you all have this all figured out, right?

What do you bet we start hearing about a state income tax again? They will probably frame it that "only the rich will pay" and once passed soak all of us.

I should add, after doing a little research preliminary estimates ffrom some groups place the costs for the state somwhere in the area of 2 to 3 billion once full implemented. I find these numbers a little suspect though considering the current system costs the state 20 billion a year.

As I read the article, Medicaid is growing and costing so much because of how many people are on it and being added to it because of the economy............and it mentioned that they are concerned how possible reform attempts in the health care bill will add to that.

Regardless of the health care bill being passed, Medicare is expensive and more and more people are using it.

So the Republican approach to this is to simply blame the other side? That'll help. :sarc:

Why SPECIFICALLY do you feel it needs to be repealed? Why can't it be amended/revised?

How would you do it differently/better?

Why SPECIFICALLY do you feel it needs to be repealed? Why can't it be amended/revised?

How would you do it differently/better?

Timely -

Florida lawmakers face growing burden with Medicaid | jacksonville.com

I wonder how much it will cost to cover an additional 2-3 million people? That's nearly double the current number, which currently cost the state around 20 billion. Lets assume that jumps 10-15 billion... how do the democrats expect Floridians to fund that? I assume you all have this all figured out, right?

I should add, after doing a little research preliminary estimates ffrom some groups place the costs for the state somwhere in the area of 2 to 3 billion once full implemented. I find these numbers a little suspect though considering the current system costs the state 20 billion a year.

Panama City- Bay Medical Center?s CEO, Steve Johnson is facing the same problems faced by most heads of multi-million dollar organizations?poor finances.
In Bay Medical's case, Johnson says the hospital's biggest problem is treating uninsured patients who can't pay the bill.
<a href=&quot;http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/wn.loc.wjhg/home;wnsz=10;sz=180x60;ord=[timestamp]?&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;><img src=&quot;http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/wn.loc.wjhg/home;wnsz=10;sz=180x60;ord=[timestamp]?&quot; width=&quot;180&quot; height=&quot;60&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; alt=&quot;&quot;></a>
"We've got a situation where our uncompensated care has grown about 11 million dollars in 2001 to 33 million dollars now. That?s a 300 percent increase since 2001.?
Couple that with a bad economy, and changes in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and you can understand why Bay Medical Center is struggling financially.
In an effort to control the crisis, the hospital's board of trustees is looking for someone to refinance the hospital's debts.
"The uncompensated care trend is not a sustainable business model that we cannot not address. We have to be dealing with that along with the issues around Medicaid and issues around health reform. So I think taking action is appropriate," said Johnson.
The board has contacted a number of healthcare management companies like Sacred Heart to discuss refinancing possibilities.
Johnson insists the hospital is not for sale.
When asked if a refinancing deal would mean a change in the hospital's management structure, Johnson says it's too early in the process to determine those type of details, but he does says once a deal is in place, you and other patients will see very few changes.
"At the end of the day, it will be transparent. We've got this beautiful new facility. We've got great staff. We've got great doctors. I can assure you that it would be totally transparent whatever happens."
When they began planning and building the new 80 million dollar patient tower facility, the economy was booming.
If he had known then what type of economic environment he'd be facing today, Johnson says the hospital probably would have delayed the tower project."
The bigger issue is the changes in the hospital's Medicaid reimbursement.
"Effective July of next year we'll have a new reimbursement system under Medicaid that's probably going to cost us another seven figures in reimbursement cuts," Johnson said.
Despite Republican promises to repeal the Obama Healthcare Reform Bill, Johnson isn't confident that will take place.
Even though there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the effects of these future changes, Johnson says the hospital's current debt is a certainty, and needs to be addressed sooner than later.