Save the insurance executives

[Lake View Too]

To me, it almost seems like the "public option" is a way of placating the liberals and poor people without addressing the real problem. The real problem is about 40% of our health care dollars does not go to "health care". We are the only country in the world that has a profit driven health care system and it's ranked 37th in the world. There's something truly immoral about that.

 

[Bob]

To me, it almost seems like the "public option" is a way of placating the liberals and poor people without addressing the real problem. The real problem is about 40% of our health care dollars does not go to "health care". We are the only country in the world that has a profit driven health care system and it's ranked 37th in the world. There's something truly immoral about that.

you need not be poor or liberal to lose your health care and be shut out by preexisting conditions...it is criminal that most bankruptcy actions involve medical debt.

 

[Winnie]

When I was 8 years old I asked my father why people didn?t just give things (that I wanted) away. He told me that if they did, nobody would work and there wouldn?t be any things to give away. I thought about that and understood that he was correct. It?s a lesson every capitalist innately understands.

It may sound morally reprehensible to some that our health care system is driven by profit. To me it sounds like the only way to assure continued health treatment innovations that benefit everyone. It would be worse than just a shame to stifle innovation by discouraging competition and profit.

 

[Linda]

When I was 8 years old I asked my father why people didn?t just give things (that I wanted) away. He told me that if they did, nobody would work and there wouldn?t be any things to give away. I thought about that and understood that he was correct. It?s a lesson every capitalist innately understands.

It may sound morally reprehensible to some that our health care system is driven by profit. To me it sounds like the only way to assure continued health treatment innovations that benefit everyone. It would be worse than just a shame to stifle innovation by discouraging competition and profit.

I agree Winnie - Here is a good article that explains "Why Health Insurers Make Lousy Villains" Take note of profit numbers for health insurers vs. other industries.

Why Health Insurers Make Lousy Villains - Rick Newman (usnews.com)

 

[Linda]

"As always with these spot-the-celebrity political spots, it?s boring and three times longer than it needs to be simply in order to accommodate everyone involved with sufficient camera time. Not one in 10 of you will make it all the way through, but as an incentive to get you to try, you?ll discover that (a) apparently 80 percent of America is gung ho for the public option, which is news to me and to the dozens of Blue Dogs terrified of what?ll happen to them next year if they vote for this sinkhole, and (b) people who make millions churning out one unwatchable piece of bilge after another inexplicably feel no shame in accusing insurance executives of being overpaid. Here?s Will Farrell?s pay from a few of his movies, courtesy of IMDB:

Salary
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006): $20,000,000
Bewitched (2005): $20,000,000
Kicking & Screaming (2005): $20,000,000
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): $7,000,000

No one who pocketed $20 million for any movie, let alone Bewitched and Talladega Nights, has any room to talk about overpaid execs."
Hot Air ? Blog Archive ? Video: And now, an important message from celebrities on ObamaCare

 

[Matt J]

When I was 8 years old I asked my father why people didn?t just give things (that I wanted) away. He told me that if they did, nobody would work and there wouldn?t be any things to give away. I thought about that and understood that he was correct. It?s a lesson every capitalist innately understands.

It may sound morally reprehensible to some that our health care system is driven by profit. To me it sounds like the only way to assure continued health treatment innovations that benefit everyone. It would be worse than just a shame to stifle innovation by discouraging competition and profit.

That concept doesn't make sense. If everything were given away no one would produce anything? That would mean that there was nothing to give away.

The only thing health insurance companies have innovated is complex billing practices rivaled only by the IRS, pre-existing conditions, and denial of contractually obligated services. No health insurance company on the planet can claim a cure, procedure, or medical break through. Perhaps you are confusing health insurance companies with drug companies?

"As always with these spot-the-celebrity political spots, it?s boring and three times longer than it needs to be simply in order to accommodate everyone involved with sufficient camera time. Not one in 10 of you will make it all the way through, but as an incentive to get you to try, you?ll discover that (a) apparently 80 percent of America is gung ho for the public option, which is news to me and to the dozens of Blue Dogs terrified of what?ll happen to them next year if they vote for this sinkhole, and (b) people who make millions churning out one unwatchable piece of bilge after another inexplicably feel no shame in accusing insurance executives of being overpaid. Here?s Will Farrell?s pay from a few of his movies, courtesy of IMDB:

Salary
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006): $20,000,000
Bewitched (2005): $20,000,000
Kicking & Screaming (2005): $20,000,000
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004): $7,000,000

No one who pocketed $20 million for any movie, let alone Bewitched and Talladega Nights, has any room to talk about overpaid execs."
Hot Air ? Blog Archive ? Video: And now, an important message from celebrities on ObamaCare

Why not? There is no correlation between movie stars and health insurance executives. Denial of access to a movie won't end your life or cause you irreparable harm.

 

[Winnie]

That concept doesn't make sense. If everything were given away no one would produce anything? That would mean that there was nothing to give away.

It does make sense.

The only thing health insurance companies have innovated is complex billing practices rivaled only by the IRS, pre-existing conditions, and denial of contractually obligated services. No health insurance company on the planet can claim a cure, procedure, or medical break through. Perhaps you are confusing health insurance companies with drug companie?

My contention is that our current profit driven health care system is responsible for most innovations in health treatments.

 

[poppy]

It does make sense.



My contention is that our current profit driven health care system is responsible for most innovations in health treatments.

I admit this is not my field but isn't it true private companies don't do basic research? They do research on the production of drugs with great profit potential. The basic research is done by government and academic scientists funded through federal grants.

 

[Winnie]

I admit this is not my field but isn't it true private companies don't do basic research? They do research on the production of drugs with great profit potential. The basic research is done by government and academic scientists funded through federal grants.

I looked it up on Wikipedia for you:

In the United States, the most recent data from 2003[1] suggest that about 94 billion dollars were provided for biomedical research in the United States. The National Institutes of Health and pharmaceutical companies collectively contribute 26.4 billion dollars and 27.0 billion dollars, respectively, which constitute 28% and 29% of the total, respectively. Other significant contributors include biotechnology companies (17.9 billion dollars, 19% of total), medical device companies (9.2 billion dollars, 10% of total), other federal sources, and state and local governments. Foundations and charities, led by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, contributed about 3% of the funding.

So yes, it appears ~28% federal funding.

 

[Matt J]

It does make sense.



My contention is that our current profit driven health care system is responsible for most innovations in health treatments.

Again you're lumping health insurance in with drug companies and medical professionals.

Most health care break throughs come from experimental procedures. Guess what 99% of health insurance companies do not cover? If anything they are great at stifling advances since they aren't willing to take the "gamble" on experimental treatments.