toggleswitch2
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- May 23, 2008
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And thansk for calling me Mr. Switch rather than Miss Swish.
Much appreciated. *LOL*
Much appreciated. *LOL*
Coakley Conceeds - Brown Wins MA Senate Seat
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runematic
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runematic
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relax and laugh. no harm or poking meant. Then search around and watch as Hitler discovers other things. I liked when he found that Space Mountain was closed for refurbishment when he was planning to go to Disney World.
Mr. Brown will soon join this list of raging hypocrites...
I think he already joined.
He supported the 2006 Massachusetts Health Care Bill, which is very similar to that being bounced around in Congess.
But in order to get elected, he came out against the federal version.
Sheer political hypocracy. He'll fit right in with no on-the-job training needed.
I think he already joined.
He supported the 2006 Massachusetts Health Care Bill, which is very similar to that being bounced around in Congess.
But in order to get elected, he came out against the federal version.
Sheer political hypocracy. He'll fit right in with no on-the-job training needed.
actually, not.
I don't know Mr. Brown personally. I don't even live in Massachusetts anymore. But the 2K6 bill which penalized people who didn't buy private insurance...means that a lot of the folks Iknow STILL don't have insurance 'cause they can't afford to buy it (they make too much for the sliding scale from the state and not enough to buy it on the market) and so now they are still not covered yet paying state penalties.
So...I can understand it.
I don't know Mr. Brown personally. I don't even live in Massachusetts anymore. But the 2K6 bill which penalized people who didn't buy private insurance...means that a lot of the folks Iknow STILL don't have insurance 'cause they can't afford to buy it (they make too much for the sliding scale from the state and not enough to buy it on the market) and so now they are still not covered yet paying state penalties.
So...I can understand it.
What amazes me . . .
is that everyone, Democrats and Republicans alike, don't agree that we must address how the expense of American healthcare affects our ability to compete on an international level. Look at the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler and you'll see that healthcare costs had a lot to do with their problems. Both Japan and Germany have retained significant manufacturing which contributes heavily to their continued prosperity while a huge part of our manufacturing capabilities have been shut down due to costs, even though labor here is no more expensive than in Japan and Germany. Health care costs isn't the only reason for this but it's a big one. We are becoming a nation of smaller businesses which are expected to be able to shoulder some of the highest healthcare costs in the world when even large corporations can't do it. I am by no means a socialist, but at this point only the government has the resources to do anything about it. For us to succesfully compete with third-world countries means making the most of our better efficiency, which becomes a joke when you realize that our healthcare system is patched together mess that siphons off a disproportionate amount of money for the insurance and legal professions. I would never support dismantling this system by force, but there damn well should be some more efficient competition; after all, being competitive is supposed to be the American way.
is that everyone, Democrats and Republicans alike, don't agree that we must address how the expense of American healthcare affects our ability to compete on an international level. Look at the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler and you'll see that healthcare costs had a lot to do with their problems. Both Japan and Germany have retained significant manufacturing which contributes heavily to their continued prosperity while a huge part of our manufacturing capabilities have been shut down due to costs, even though labor here is no more expensive than in Japan and Germany. Health care costs isn't the only reason for this but it's a big one. We are becoming a nation of smaller businesses which are expected to be able to shoulder some of the highest healthcare costs in the world when even large corporations can't do it. I am by no means a socialist, but at this point only the government has the resources to do anything about it. For us to succesfully compete with third-world countries means making the most of our better efficiency, which becomes a joke when you realize that our healthcare system is patched together mess that siphons off a disproportionate amount of money for the insurance and legal professions. I would never support dismantling this system by force, but there damn well should be some more efficient competition; after all, being competitive is supposed to be the American way.
well that is certainly true.
Preventative medicine? Using cheaper medicines when necessary and when they work? Figure out if the >50% of USAians who take maintenance doses of prescription medicines actually need them? Who knows?
I'm healthy -- my healthcare costs are cheap but the lifestyle cost is expensive: I eat right (I estimate it costs me 1-2 hours/day to have sit down meals and wash the dishes), exercise (1 hour/day), and try and sleep enough. I drink alcohol but rarely. At nearly 45, I am 15 pounds overweight BUT have a BP of 112/70, a cholesterol of 165, and other similar good things.
It isn't genetic. I have 2 siblings who are in crappy health. I have a mother with kidney problems and a dad who died from cancer at a young age (smoke 3 packs a day and drink a 12 pack, as well as agent orange exposure and who knows what else DOES take its toll).
I'm NOT gloating. I'm not. What I AM saying is that taking charge of your own destiny is one way to lower your cost of health care. The biggest nuisance I now have is middle age presbyopia - but that is normal.
Obviously were I to contract cancer, or have a car wreck, or whatever, that would be expensive. But I'm thinking that a big single cost to our healthcare expenses is the constant small to large costs that go on...and on...and on.
Hunter
Preventative medicine? Using cheaper medicines when necessary and when they work? Figure out if the >50% of USAians who take maintenance doses of prescription medicines actually need them? Who knows?
I'm healthy -- my healthcare costs are cheap but the lifestyle cost is expensive: I eat right (I estimate it costs me 1-2 hours/day to have sit down meals and wash the dishes), exercise (1 hour/day), and try and sleep enough. I drink alcohol but rarely. At nearly 45, I am 15 pounds overweight BUT have a BP of 112/70, a cholesterol of 165, and other similar good things.
It isn't genetic. I have 2 siblings who are in crappy health. I have a mother with kidney problems and a dad who died from cancer at a young age (smoke 3 packs a day and drink a 12 pack, as well as agent orange exposure and who knows what else DOES take its toll).
I'm NOT gloating. I'm not. What I AM saying is that taking charge of your own destiny is one way to lower your cost of health care. The biggest nuisance I now have is middle age presbyopia - but that is normal.
Obviously were I to contract cancer, or have a car wreck, or whatever, that would be expensive. But I'm thinking that a big single cost to our healthcare expenses is the constant small to large costs that go on...and on...and on.
Hunter
taking charge of your own destiny is one way to lower your c
BINGO!
Ask any senior (especailly females) what they would do different if they could live life all over again. #1 Answer: Take better care of themselves when they were younger.
BINGO!
Ask any senior (especailly females) what they would do different if they could live life all over again. #1 Answer: Take better care of themselves when they were younger.
Our health care system is already socialized. In the U.S., anyone can walk into any county health clinic with a serious medical problem and get free treatment, and we all pay the cost for that treatment.
For any insurance system to work, an adequate number of healthy people must be paying more money into it than they're taking out, to compensate for those who're doing the opposite. Imagine if the only people who carried automobile insurance were the ones who regularly got into accidents? As crazy as that sounds, that's basically the situation we have in our current health care system, and it's not working.
One case in point is my dad. For 35 years he paid the premiums on his health insurance policy, without making a single claim. Then he came down with cancer (which was successfully treated with radiation), and the response of his insurer was to raise his monthly premium to $1100, more than the mortgage payment on his home. After shopping other insurers, none of whom would even offer him a policy, his only option was to drop his insurance altogether and go on Medicaid. Now we're all paying for his health care. Thanks a lot, guys. Much appreciated.
And this is what Republicans have offered so far as a "solution" to the health care crisis.
For any insurance system to work, an adequate number of healthy people must be paying more money into it than they're taking out, to compensate for those who're doing the opposite. Imagine if the only people who carried automobile insurance were the ones who regularly got into accidents? As crazy as that sounds, that's basically the situation we have in our current health care system, and it's not working.
One case in point is my dad. For 35 years he paid the premiums on his health insurance policy, without making a single claim. Then he came down with cancer (which was successfully treated with radiation), and the response of his insurer was to raise his monthly premium to $1100, more than the mortgage payment on his home. After shopping other insurers, none of whom would even offer him a policy, his only option was to drop his insurance altogether and go on Medicaid. Now we're all paying for his health care. Thanks a lot, guys. Much appreciated.
And this is what Republicans have offered so far as a "solution" to the health care crisis.
uh, last I noted...
...this was also all that the democrats were offering as well.
"YOu must buy health insurance."
And yes, our healthcare is already socialized. it's a dirty little secret that healthcare, with its out of control costs, is paid for 60% by federal government. This is medicare/medicaid/VA/federal subsidizes to public hospitals/etc. This stat was quoted to me in the late 90s when working in healthcare IT.
But you know, Medicaid is 'the public option.' Alas, given its low reimbursement rate (mostly because of its high administrative overhead I would imagine) many, many, many providers have opted out of it...because they cannot make cost of doing business from it. Why? Well, insanely structured regulation is one...high malpractice insurance another...yes a doctor may make a big salary, but, he also dedicates his entire life to medicine, doing little else. What cost a life?
Ultimately there is no good solution. At least your dad HAS medicaid. Under a different public option scheme he wouldn't be treated as he is no longer 'economically viable.'
Hunter
...this was also all that the democrats were offering as well.
"YOu must buy health insurance."
And yes, our healthcare is already socialized. it's a dirty little secret that healthcare, with its out of control costs, is paid for 60% by federal government. This is medicare/medicaid/VA/federal subsidizes to public hospitals/etc. This stat was quoted to me in the late 90s when working in healthcare IT.
But you know, Medicaid is 'the public option.' Alas, given its low reimbursement rate (mostly because of its high administrative overhead I would imagine) many, many, many providers have opted out of it...because they cannot make cost of doing business from it. Why? Well, insanely structured regulation is one...high malpractice insurance another...yes a doctor may make a big salary, but, he also dedicates his entire life to medicine, doing little else. What cost a life?
Ultimately there is no good solution. At least your dad HAS medicaid. Under a different public option scheme he wouldn't be treated as he is no longer 'economically viable.'
Hunter
The above is exactly why something needs to be done to provide an alternate, lower-cost alternative to traditional private insurance provided healthcare. Certainly, caps should be provided on malpractice suits for any government sponsored program. If you don't like the caps, then buy private insurance. It's just wrong for the nation to rely entirely on a system that won't provide reasonably priced insurance for many people, thus giving them no option but to exhaust their savings and then go on Medicaid. And, as noted, this costs all of us lots of money.
Another big problem is what happens to emergency rooms across the country when they are increasingly clogged with people who don't have insurance but are ill. This situation forces the hospitals to absorb a significant amount of the cost of caring for the uninusured. Quite a lot of hospitals have determined they can't afford to do this and have closed their emergency rooms. No matter how fine your insurance may be, if you're injured in an area underserved by emergency rooms you may very well die in the ambulance as it passes closed emergency rooms on its' way to a hospital with an open one.
Another big problem is what happens to emergency rooms across the country when they are increasingly clogged with people who don't have insurance but are ill. This situation forces the hospitals to absorb a significant amount of the cost of caring for the uninusured. Quite a lot of hospitals have determined they can't afford to do this and have closed their emergency rooms. No matter how fine your insurance may be, if you're injured in an area underserved by emergency rooms you may very well die in the ambulance as it passes closed emergency rooms on its' way to a hospital with an open one.
