Why Obama was elected....

[30a Saluki]

The catastrophic coverage is for older Americans with limited cash flow but assets. Young people do not, for the most part, need health care but sporadically. When I was young I paid for services as I needed them. The whole system now is so completely out of control, with cost shifting, that is not possible for most people. Look at the folks who have to pay for others, and you see a picture of great inequality. The young are already hosed on Medicare and Social security. Now in the midst of a mild depression we are going to ask them to pay the tab for the older generation and the needy. That's quite the leap. The mechanics of how you pay is not making sense. The elimination of coverage for millions runs counter to the Presidents assertions.. Something is not adding up.

The rest of the country is discovering what 100 of the 104 counties in Illinois knew a long time ago. Don't say I did not warn you.

 

[Bob Wells]

At least Nixon had the dignity to resign.

Still didn't have a choice on the other side...

 

[Leader of the Banned]

At least Nixon had the dignity to resign.

He had the threat of removal from office and a strong case against him to back up that threat. If you think this bears any resemblance to the current situation, then you are delusional.

 

[poppy]

Traders Joes just threw all their 30 hour and less employees to the exchanges. They used to provide coverage. Progress? Another group of employees who will end up with no affordable coverage and the IRS grabbing a chunk of their refund as a tax[penalty] to support those who are not working. This is the worst possible outcome.

So you blame the ACA for Trader Joes acting like assholes? They could still cover their employees but simply choose not to. It's like blaming the govt. because a company that was paying $10.00 per hour suddenly pays $7.25 because that's minimum wage law.

 

[BeachArkie]

Why is noone complaining about the ridiculous high costs of health insurance and medical care?

I am healthy, but have to pay thousands of dollars for health insurance because one car accident could wipe me out financially.

That is what needs to be fixed.

 

[poppy]

I believe Obamacare fixed that with no lifetime caps.

 

[Leader of the Banned]

Why is noone complaining about the ridiculous high costs of health insurance and medical care?

I am healthy, but have to pay thousands of dollars for health insurance because one car accident could wipe me out financially.

That is what needs to be fixed.

There are more than a few reasons for the high cost. One is that the uninsured eventually go into the emergency room, may even end up in intensive care, and don't pay a dime of their medical bill. We the insured end up subsidizing them. Another is the simple fact that being insured causes costs to go up because people are willing to get expensive treatment without bargaining as long as out of pocket expenses are low.

 

[BeachArkie]

Love that insurance company profits, hospital profits, and pharmaceutical company profits do not get mentioned.

Health care costs are high because so many different people and companies are getting rich off of them. Bribing the FDA and politicians costs money too.

 

[Leader of the Banned]

Love that insurance company profits, hospital profits, and pharmaceutical company profits do not get mentioned.

Health care costs are high because so many different people and companies are getting rich off of them. Bribing the FDA and politicians costs money too.

That plays into what I was saying. You can't very effectively charge people outrageous amounts of money if they simply turn around and walk out the door. So for one reason or another, people are willing to enlist the service of expensive doctors. One reason is that they find themselves in a life-threatening situation. You can't put a price on life. Some of these people cannot afford their medical bills and so they end up being subsidized by people who can. Another reason people end up paying high prices is because it does not cost them much out of pocket and they don't question it. It's a vicious circle and we are stuck with it. It's well known that doctors are often willing to charge the uninsured considerably less just to get their business. I think we would be much better off all along if insurance had only covered the expensive medical emergencies and everyone was insured. In the meantime routine physicals would be paid for out of pocket. Yes, people in the medical profession are getting rich, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that people are willing to pay the price without question for non-emergencies. This is ingrained in our culture.

 

[Bob]

So you blame the ACA for Trader Joes acting like assholes? They could still cover their employees but simply choose not to. It's like blaming the govt. because a company that was paying $10.00 per hour suddenly pays $7.25 because that's minimum wage law.

This is what happens when the government mandates more expensive coverage. You'll have low wage workers supplementing everyone else's health care because the employer punted them to the curb, and the alternative is too expensive. They'll pay the fine, it will come out of any refund due, and they will have no coverage. The situation is outrageous. I put the blame on a poorly thought out law that does not reward work.