Health Care Plan... clicky poll

Halo79RN

 [Poll]

KrisBriMcBunny

I dont know much about it but I do know something needs to be done mainly the medical providers needs to stop padding their bill knowing the insurance company will pay for it. 

amiamish

I don't know much about it...

So Long Astoria

I've been heavily involved in the fight for UHC for about 5-6 years now (petitions, groups, etc). I think it's fantastic that we finally have a leader who will address the obviously broken system.

DandR

I"m not a fan of hte plan, I'm not a fan of the current system and I"m not a fan of UHC.

People need to take a little more ownership to their health....if you smoke, then quit, if you are fat, then lose weight, if you need to exercise, then do it...and if you are healthy, then health care is going to be cheaper for you.

Just like if you are a sh!tty driver, you pay more for car insurance.  If you are a safe driver, you pay less.

Every doctor's appt, every unneccesary trip to the ER, will cost YOU more....not EVERYONE ELSE.

Just think if we were a little more "frugal" about our own health, shopped around more, like we do for EVERY other good or service we buy how much money would be saved.

"Really?  a heart surgery is going to cost $10,000 here?  The hospital 5 minutes away is charging $7,500." 

Instead the attitude is "well, that's why I have insurance" or "who cares, insurance will pay."  OR EVEN WORSE (for tax payers) "who cares, they have to accept me at the ER and SOMEONE else can pay"

healthcare is the only "industry" where we aren't frugal or try to make a difference.

Sooo--to get better drivers, we have drivers ed...its a small fee, but lowers car insurance...so have classes on how to be healthier, Shoot, I bet some insurance companies would pay for people to take classes like that...or if we pay, then we get a discount for applying it to our life. 

I don't know, there needs to be a change...that's all I know. 

karen6784

Amen D&R! 

Brideofranken

DandR:

I"m not a fan of hte plan, I'm not a fan of the current system and I"m not a fan of UHC.

People need to take a little more ownership to their health....if you smoke, then quit, if you are fat, then lose weight, if you need to exercise, then do it...and if you are healthy, then health care is going to be cheaper for you.

Just like if you are a sh!tty driver, you pay more for car insurance.  If you are a safe driver, you pay less.

Every doctor's appt, every unneccesary trip to the ER, will cost YOU more....not EVERYONE ELSE.

Just think if we were a little more "frugal" about our own health, shopped around more, like we do for EVERY other good or service we buy how much money would be saved.

"Really?  a heart surgery is going to cost $10,000 here?  The hospital 5 minutes away is charging $7,500." 

Instead the attitude is "well, that's why I have insurance" or "who cares, insurance will pay."  OR EVEN WORSE (for tax payers) "who cares, they have to accept me at the ER and SOMEONE else can pay"

healthcare is the only "industry" where we aren't frugal or try to make a difference.

Sooo--to get better drivers, we have drivers ed...its a small fee, but lowers car insurance...so have classes on how to be healthier, Shoot, I bet some insurance companies would pay for people to take classes like that...or if we pay, then we get a discount for applying it to our life. 

I don't know, there needs to be a change...that's all I know. 

danderpants, I can agree on some of these points, but what about those pesky cancer carriers? what could they have done?

how about people born with illness and disease?

how about people who are sickly and not rich enough to afford the higher premiums of a person of their health status?

it is a bit different than driving carelessly.

( I am a huge proponent of UHC. I do not see any other option that makes more sense, but we've discussed that at length during the election....where's lucy fox.)

hopefulmom

D and R...there are healthy people (eat right, exercise, don't smoke, etc) that get cancer, MS and other life threatening diseases.  Obviously overeating and smoking (and many other things) are causing a crisis...but there are a lot of people who get illness and are fit...look at the babies born with health issues.

I don't agree with the plan they are putting out there right now.  I've worked for a hospital and for doctors.  They are dictated by the insurance companies.  The doctor may charge $150 for a new patient visit but insurance will only pay $80.  When you think of the overhead (nursing staff, front desk receptionist, doctor) who takes care of that patient in a 15 minute period...plus supplies and all the other overhead (malpractice insurance, utilities, etc) that brings down the visit to about $10-20.  In reality that is not much for expert medical advise.  Lawyers make more than that and no one's life is on the line.  On top of that...if the physician accepts Medicaid they get a whopping $28 a visit!

I think if people that are currently receiving Medicaid and shouldn't be are taken off of it (illegals, welfare frauders, etc)...people who should be on it could be added at no additional expense to the taxpayers.  People definitely "milk the system".  We've had patients that have BCBS that pays everything but a $10 copay and Medicaid picks up the $10!  The DH/father is working full-time and has good health insurance (and they are HIS kids)...they just aren't living with him (at least that is what Mom says...although for us they all have the same address!).  Don't get me started!!  Sorry it is a pet peeve of mine.

DandR

I also can't control hail on my house, or lightening striking it and burning it down.  I can't control other drivers texting or drunk drivers.

Insurance takes account for the things we can't control.....thats sort of the "built in" price. 

The people who can't afford the price of insurance???  Is that a huge percentage of the country?  I really don't know...I do not know a single person in real life who does not have health insurance, so for my neck of the woods its 0% of people who cannot afford health insurance.  I know there are people who can't, but the percentage has got to be so small that to make UHC for that small percentage seems more ridiculous

.....I won't be able to get homeowners insurance if my house is not kept up...they come and take pictures before they insure..if something is not safe, they will tell you to fix it before they insure you.... AND they will come and reassess at times....my DH who sold insurance for a time, had to drop a home owners policy because the people had trash and junk all over their yard.the company gave them time to clean it up, said it was too much of a liabilty that someone could get hurt and dropped them.....I can't get car insurance if my car is dangerous to drive or I've proven that I am a dangerous driver by MY actions.

 

DandR

also, think of the drop in cancer rate if people stopped smoking, or now they are proving several cancers (colon I am thinking of off hand) are linked to obesity...

Sure this doesn't account for those who are genetically predisposed...some people just have sh!t happen to them.

BUT---a little ownership in your health and healthcare would go a LONG way.

 

DandR

Since i'm being a pw, my last thing is, I sort of think this is the new abortion debate.....and it will be hard for all the sides to agree....

But I still love you all!!!!!  Even if you are wrong! 

Halo79RN

bills have to be paid... self pay vs uhc vs required coverage...  problem with self pay, while it would increase competition and lower costs, many would be unable to pay still.... there would be less preventive care and more hospitalizations. increased unpaid hospital bills.   

primary care has to be available.  and no ED for ear aches. which means increase in # of GPs, NPs and PAs in general practice.  

education for improved health must be there. encourage people to have better health practices.  You cannot force people to practice a healthy lifestyle... but educate, encourage, provide the means. 

caps on malpractice rewards ...

reduce waste in the field...

why are we paying CEO and COOs in hospitals and with ins companies  so much $.  I agree they should be paid well... but ....

 

 now, dh believes we should toss the employer based system... no deals with employers.... all ins with private ins through their own plans much like auto and home owners.  he things with increased competition, ins premiums will drop.  I'm doubtful.... I think there will still be a big gap... the rich who can pay for their surgery out of pocket, upfront, will still get big deals (which they do, and I've had pt's come with a stack of cash for their hernia repairs, etc).   the poor will still get medicaid, and then there's that middle ground of households who earn the national avg, that will get screwed.. either with no coverage, or if required, a sucky coverage that they pay into but get little out of.  the national avg salary is not a lot.... hell, where we are  the low six figures is very middle class... will this plan take into consideration salary and COL into the equation of what people owe... b/c people in nyc making only $50K a year are much poorer than people in MS making $50K a year.  What about where the taxes are coming from?  should people in NY subsidize the "fattest state"  (MS)?  Should it be state based ?  federally based?  what's the answer?  many questions....

We should watch to see how Mass takes the required ins plan.  anyone from Mass?  

elm1032004

I think there needs to be reform; however, the government should not be running it.  I do not agree with long waiting lists and rationed care like you see in other places with UHC.  I don't think that the government should be making those choices.  I do think that there needs to be a cap on malpractice claims, I also think if you are insisting on tests that your doctor says are not necessary and the results prove that they were not necessary then you should have to pay (insurance should be able to opt out of covering it).  If people go in for care and can't pay then a payment plan should be worked out.  We should not just cover people who are here illegally.....I don't think tax money should pay for abortions.  They also need to take a look at all the different state mandates (each state has mandates regarding things that must be covered, for instance infertility is covered in MA since it's mandated but not elsewhere).  If the mandates were standard across the country it would cost less for insurance companies to operate in all the states.  

At the end of the day everything the government takes over ends up costing a lot more money since no one in government seems to be able to control their spending. 

The mandatory health care system is costing the state a lot of money........

hopefulmom

D and R...I think there is a lot of people who do not have health care coverage.  I have one in my own family...my oldest DS.  He graduated from college in Finance.  He has not gotten a job yet!  He works for a landscaping company and works his ass off to make $12 an hour.  If he weren't living at home he wouldn't even be able to pay for his car, car insurance, and gasoline.  Because of the type of business it is...if it is too hot (90 or over) or too rainy...they don't work and when they don't work they don't get paid.  Take 25% off that (or more) and he's down to $9 an hour.  Obviously you live were people all have higher paying jobs or employer supplied health insurance.  His finance also does not have insurance.  She is a waitress at a coney island place.  She also lives at home.  I literally know at least 10 people off the top of my head that do not have insurance...most are people who are in the service industry (hairdressers, waitresses, etc) and are younger...22-34 range.  A lot of tihese "kids" have degrees but can't get a job in their field.  Maybe it's because we live in Michigan where the unemployment is at 15.2% and that is ONLY those on unemployment...many have exhausted it or just can't get it (not on the job long enough, never got a job out of high school or college, worked part-time, etc).  Maybe a lot depends on where you live.