Republicans using Healthcare as a political game.

Now there are some in this town who are content to perpetuate the status quo, who are in fact fighting reform on behalf of special interests. There are others who recognize the problem but believe " or perhaps hope " that we can put off the hard work of insurance reform for another day, another year, another decade.

Just the other day, one Republican Senator said " and I’m quoting him now " "If we’re able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Think about that.

This isn’t about me. This isn’t about politics. This is about a health care system that is breaking America’s families, breaking America’s businesses, and breaking American’s economy.

We can’t afford the politics of delay and defeat when it comes to health care. Not this time, not now.

I'm on the fence for single payer.

I think there should be single payer for catastrophic illnesses....or illnesses over a certain dollar amount.

But I think supplemental or private insurance should be shut out of the picture. Nor should the option to pay cash.

Yep. I meant "should not".

When I think of single payer, I immediately think of Canada, and there they've shut out everything BUT the single payer (the government) (from what I understand), and that, I believe, causes lower quality care for everyone.

Are there single payer countries out there that allow private insurance and cash options? If so, aren't they then multi-payer?

I don't see competition as anything but a good thing. In any field.

To your previous posts...if a private option can provide a better system than the government, then they will have no problem staying in business.

If there are private companies who are successful and providing a better system of care than the government option, then it gives the government options something to strive for.

I think the public option is necessary precisely TO provide competition - right now, it currently doesn't exist in any meaningful fashion for the consumer.

I don't see competition as anything but a good thing. In any field.

maporsche wrote:

I don't see competition as anything but a good thing. In any field.

You mean, competition is good when a private company financed by premiums competes with a government system financed by taxes?

Of course the government is cheaper. It gets someone else to pay. Or, are you suggesting the overall, total cost will be less for the same treatment?

This is planned so everyone has health insurance. Just not very good insurance.

The only difference is that, under Obamacare, you will not be able to go to a commercial health provider with check in hand and get the service you were just denied.

I'm sure they love their work, as you do yours. Under the Medicare schedule, my doctor is required to accept a 35% discount. How many legal business have net income in excess of 35% that you know of? Bernie Madhoff perhaps, but I said legal business.

He must really love the work, though. When existing patients go on medicare, he doesn't kick them out of the practice. He could. He is not required to accept Medicare patients, and it would be easier not to.

Shouldn't this work as an example that the health care industry will not in fact disintegrate under the new model?

I'm sure gross margine (not net income) often exceeds 35%. Factor in the staff and fixed expenses, it isn't there. Please, don't even suggest that staff could be cut under a government operated system.

Quote:

Shouldn't this work as an example that the health care industry will not in fact disintegrate under the new model?

No. If true, he would also accept new patients with Medicare. I don't know of a single doctor in Farmington that does. Also, there are no HMOs currently operating in town. Blue Cross has a PPO plan. Their two - count 'em TWO, preferred providers would provide you a chuckle if you knew their reputations.