ah, the healthcare mystique
Posted 08-23-2009 at 11:21 PM by vertigo0923
such a loaded topic these days, with so much untruth floating around and its so hard for some to pluck the real from the unreal. and its surprizing to me that no one has picked up on the fact that naturally, big insurance companies would not want these proposals to pass, to save their own skins and their own profits, which, during the last 7 yrs exceeded a 400% increase. and these very companies hold some very public figures in their pockets. lets get down to brass tacks: the uninsured cost us a bundle. they really do. there has never been anything on the table about increasing middle class or even upper middle class taxes to pay for it. this is a myth propagated by those very folks that do NOT want it to pass. they use words like 'socialism' which is 'deja vu' to anyone who was either alive or took the initiative to google not-yet president reagan as he called 'medicare' the rush to socialism. by his predictions, we'd be a socialist country now. instead of having secure seniors, knowing their premiums won't go up and they won't be able to afford their health care, even though to commercial insurance, they become a 'cost' and not a 'profit'. this is the very reason medicare was created.
emergency rooms are NOT primary care operations, and they were never meant to be. and the cost is prohibitive. and, since the people using them for regular care are poor, and can't pay those high costs (as compared to say, $85 bucks to see a regular pcp) well, those costs get passed on to us. not a good thing. the rumors of 'forced government abortions': false. see the 'hyde amendment' forbidding the federal government to pay for abortions. however, look at your own private insurance policy to make sure you are not paying for others to have them. commercial insurance DOES cover abortion. why? because its cheaper for them than a delivery, or even the pediatric care of a child. and lest we forget, commercial insurance is a FOR profit business, a lot of profit, actually.
death panels: ridiculous. we have end of life consults now, our physicians simply don't get reimbursed for it. people, families and the patients....need to know their options from their doctors...whether they can be cured, or are simply going to endure a painful treatment that will sustain them another week or so in abject misery. i have seen this, and i've seen the patient himself opt out with that living will: 'do not resuscitate' 'do not intubate' 'no heroic measures'....or, they have the choice to take every heroic measure that modern medicine can offer. this is NOT a 'death panel'.
i'm seeing people paying $800 to $1000 bucks out there, as a MONTHLY premium!!!!!!! you realize that not everyone can afford that, right? and that, in fact, is a ridiculous price, especially if you're basically healthy. maybe a little long in the teeth (kidding) but basically healthy. that's robbery.
so our president has 'suggested' a public option that resembles the federal employee option, which is quite affordable and can follow you anywhere. there is no restriction on who you can see, far from it, my own coverage far surpasses many people i know on local ppo plans, and certainly hmos. i feel quite lucky. i wish everyone could feel that secure about their healthcare. for some reason, they'd rather believe the rumors, which i truly feel were started by the insurance company plants themselves. a man in an 'anthem blue cross' uniform (should have at least changed!!!!) was in attendance yelling at one of those town halls! and you'd trust these folks? 400% increase in profit in the last 7 yrs? on your backs? but again, its all about choice. there's never been any word that you'd not be able to keep your current insurance, there's just been talk of offering a choice to those who think they could do better with the public option or those who have none at all, but don't qualify for medicaid or medicare.
to quote the president:
"I don't have to explain to you why it's important to pass health reform for the 46 million Americans who don't have health insurance," President Obama said. "But it's just as important to explain to the Americans who do have health insurance, which is the majority of Americans, that they understand what health reform means for them."
Cutting through the right-wing noise and misinformation machine, the President explained that health reform is basically about expanding choices, controlling the cost of care and providing new consumer protections.
Health reform will allow people who are satisfied with their current insurance plan and doctor to keep them, President Obama said. "If your employer provides you health insurance on the job, nobody is talking about messing with that."
For people without health insurance, the President went on, there will be a number of high-quality, affordable options made available in a virtual insurance marketplace called an exchange. Obama explained that millions of people without insurance are working in small businesses or are self-employed and simply can't afford expensive premiums.
"What we want to do is give them a menu of options that they can choose from and then a little bit of help in terms of making their premiums more affordable," the President indicated.
"We're going to have a marketplace where people can select the plan that works for them," Obama said. "A majority of those choices will be private insurance options."
"Now, one of the options we want to provide them is a public option," he added.
On this point, the President slammed right-wing misinformation tactics about this aspect of health reform. No one will be forced into a public insurance program. It will be one of many choices in the exchange, much like what members of Congress already have as part of the federal employees health benefit program, Obama pointed out.
and now with regards to the fed program itself:
''The administration has studied the federal benefits program, which gets high marks for efficiency, to get ideas for its own health care proposal.
Obama's description of the federal plan is accurate. Under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, federal employees and elected officials can choose from an array of plans, ranging from very basic options that have high deductibles and only carry catastrophic coverage to more expensive coverage that is more comprehensive. It is the largest employer-sponsored program in the world, covering over 9 million employees, retirees, former employees, family members and former spouses, according to the Office of Personnel Management's Web site.
People who opt for the same package will get the same treatment, said Michael Ornstein, a spokesman for the Office of Personnel Management.
"The benefits, co-pays and deductibles are no different whether you are a career employee like myself or an elected official," he said.
For the most part, janitorial staff on Capitol Hill are federal employees, said Eva Malecki, communications officer for the Architect of the Capitol, the office involved in the day-to-day operations of the Capitol complex.
"We do have a few contract workers," she said. "But the majority are federal employees and are therefore covered by the federal employee benefits program. The custodial staff has access to the same benefits as members of Congress."
We should note that while janitors and members of Congress can choose from the same menu of plans, members of Congress generally have more money to spend on, well, anything. Many members of Congress are millionaires.
But Obama is right that lawmakers and janitors are eligible for the same benefits, deductibles and co-pays.''
so there you have it, and i don't, for the life of me, understand the vitriol directed at this idea. we all know our healthcare system is deeply flawed. yet, there are those who would rather leave it status quo, with more people filing bankruptcy over medical claims, than figure out a way to get them insured. i don't think we can keep this pace up. with bankruptcies, come home foreclosures...and so on and so on....a very nasty slippery slope.
i wish we weren't such a divided nation that we just don't listen to each other anymore.
emergency rooms are NOT primary care operations, and they were never meant to be. and the cost is prohibitive. and, since the people using them for regular care are poor, and can't pay those high costs (as compared to say, $85 bucks to see a regular pcp) well, those costs get passed on to us. not a good thing. the rumors of 'forced government abortions': false. see the 'hyde amendment' forbidding the federal government to pay for abortions. however, look at your own private insurance policy to make sure you are not paying for others to have them. commercial insurance DOES cover abortion. why? because its cheaper for them than a delivery, or even the pediatric care of a child. and lest we forget, commercial insurance is a FOR profit business, a lot of profit, actually.
death panels: ridiculous. we have end of life consults now, our physicians simply don't get reimbursed for it. people, families and the patients....need to know their options from their doctors...whether they can be cured, or are simply going to endure a painful treatment that will sustain them another week or so in abject misery. i have seen this, and i've seen the patient himself opt out with that living will: 'do not resuscitate' 'do not intubate' 'no heroic measures'....or, they have the choice to take every heroic measure that modern medicine can offer. this is NOT a 'death panel'.
i'm seeing people paying $800 to $1000 bucks out there, as a MONTHLY premium!!!!!!! you realize that not everyone can afford that, right? and that, in fact, is a ridiculous price, especially if you're basically healthy. maybe a little long in the teeth (kidding) but basically healthy. that's robbery.
so our president has 'suggested' a public option that resembles the federal employee option, which is quite affordable and can follow you anywhere. there is no restriction on who you can see, far from it, my own coverage far surpasses many people i know on local ppo plans, and certainly hmos. i feel quite lucky. i wish everyone could feel that secure about their healthcare. for some reason, they'd rather believe the rumors, which i truly feel were started by the insurance company plants themselves. a man in an 'anthem blue cross' uniform (should have at least changed!!!!) was in attendance yelling at one of those town halls! and you'd trust these folks? 400% increase in profit in the last 7 yrs? on your backs? but again, its all about choice. there's never been any word that you'd not be able to keep your current insurance, there's just been talk of offering a choice to those who think they could do better with the public option or those who have none at all, but don't qualify for medicaid or medicare.
to quote the president:
"I don't have to explain to you why it's important to pass health reform for the 46 million Americans who don't have health insurance," President Obama said. "But it's just as important to explain to the Americans who do have health insurance, which is the majority of Americans, that they understand what health reform means for them."
Cutting through the right-wing noise and misinformation machine, the President explained that health reform is basically about expanding choices, controlling the cost of care and providing new consumer protections.
Health reform will allow people who are satisfied with their current insurance plan and doctor to keep them, President Obama said. "If your employer provides you health insurance on the job, nobody is talking about messing with that."
For people without health insurance, the President went on, there will be a number of high-quality, affordable options made available in a virtual insurance marketplace called an exchange. Obama explained that millions of people without insurance are working in small businesses or are self-employed and simply can't afford expensive premiums.
"What we want to do is give them a menu of options that they can choose from and then a little bit of help in terms of making their premiums more affordable," the President indicated.
"We're going to have a marketplace where people can select the plan that works for them," Obama said. "A majority of those choices will be private insurance options."
"Now, one of the options we want to provide them is a public option," he added.
On this point, the President slammed right-wing misinformation tactics about this aspect of health reform. No one will be forced into a public insurance program. It will be one of many choices in the exchange, much like what members of Congress already have as part of the federal employees health benefit program, Obama pointed out.
and now with regards to the fed program itself:
''The administration has studied the federal benefits program, which gets high marks for efficiency, to get ideas for its own health care proposal.
Obama's description of the federal plan is accurate. Under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, federal employees and elected officials can choose from an array of plans, ranging from very basic options that have high deductibles and only carry catastrophic coverage to more expensive coverage that is more comprehensive. It is the largest employer-sponsored program in the world, covering over 9 million employees, retirees, former employees, family members and former spouses, according to the Office of Personnel Management's Web site.
People who opt for the same package will get the same treatment, said Michael Ornstein, a spokesman for the Office of Personnel Management.
"The benefits, co-pays and deductibles are no different whether you are a career employee like myself or an elected official," he said.
For the most part, janitorial staff on Capitol Hill are federal employees, said Eva Malecki, communications officer for the Architect of the Capitol, the office involved in the day-to-day operations of the Capitol complex.
"We do have a few contract workers," she said. "But the majority are federal employees and are therefore covered by the federal employee benefits program. The custodial staff has access to the same benefits as members of Congress."
We should note that while janitors and members of Congress can choose from the same menu of plans, members of Congress generally have more money to spend on, well, anything. Many members of Congress are millionaires.
But Obama is right that lawmakers and janitors are eligible for the same benefits, deductibles and co-pays.''
so there you have it, and i don't, for the life of me, understand the vitriol directed at this idea. we all know our healthcare system is deeply flawed. yet, there are those who would rather leave it status quo, with more people filing bankruptcy over medical claims, than figure out a way to get them insured. i don't think we can keep this pace up. with bankruptcies, come home foreclosures...and so on and so on....a very nasty slippery slope.
i wish we weren't such a divided nation that we just don't listen to each other anymore.
Total Comments 10
Comments
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Yes medicaid does cover abortions--this footnote is under statehealthfacts.org-50 state comparisons,womens health category-womens health, medicaid policy, abortion under medicaid " the federal Hyde amendment passed in 1977, bans state use of federal medicaid $ to pay for abortions unless the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest,or the abortion is necessary to save the life of the women. States can use their own funds to cover other medically necessary abortions Etc..... By the way I personally do not have any problems with this--only the cases of using federal or state gov $ for providing a pro-choice, selfish, self centered women an abortion for birth control purposes. I support with $ our local Life Choice Care Center, which is doing a yomans job of teaching and directing young women away fron the heartless and unhealthy pro-choice attitudes to a mature, unselfish and responsible life-choice life. Put your $ where your heart is!
Your federal employee bc/bs health insurance is not a gov run health care plan. Bc/bs is a commercial private insurance provider with a contract for providing health care to a large group of gov employees. Your out of pocket rates are comparitivly inexpensive because of the large group,less hazardious work place and possibly gov sharing of the cost as a perk of employment. the public option envisioned by the health care reform would be simular to gov run medicare. Everyone receiving a payroll check pays 1.45 % each pay period matched by their employeer for medicare--i did for 40 years since its inception in 1965. For all of this money i now get hospital Part A free coverage. If I want to go to a Doctor or have a medical exam such as X-ray I pay $ 96.4 each month for medicare part B, then if I want the medicare deductables and co-pay covered I have medicare supplement coverage with a large group such as AARP for $159.00 per month. then $32.5 per month for the donut hole medicare part D. In other words --this great fraud and waste medicare gov run program which I and my empoyeer paid into for 40 years cost me and my wife $575.8 per month to have hassle free medical service under medicare..I don't under any illusion believe the federal gov can start from scratch a medicare simular program gov run option for thoe under 65 and and keep it self supporting--huge subsidities will be required--even with 40 years of head start for me, it is reported the medicare system will be broke by 2017--where will that leave you--have your husband stay employed with VA until he's 90 or go on medicaid
I condone the death penalty!
You stated--I do NOT like to discuss pro-choice with non pro-choicers--Contrarian views can reinforce your beliefs by solidifying your understanding of the facts. Emotions and self interest should not color the facts especially if selfishness and self-centeredness is involved. You see our little non-diatribe exchange has brought out the fact that federal $ DO pay for some abortions an I'm OK with it. Your OK and I'm OK and we are both great Gator lovers--and I"m thanking about doing my first blog ever on this site--it will be about our great coach and his players Core Value System.
you know you are the first person I've ever even commented to.Posted 09-23-2009 at 04:30 PM by dayne62 
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when he retires from the v.a., he gets to keep those bennies, and they kick in same time medicare does. when we're sixty five. so again, as i've argued, we got no horse in this race, just trying to tell y'all what you're missing but lots of you don't want to listen or consider how it might just help your lives. you are one of these. so there is no more more reason to discuss. this is my opinion on why we need reform in healthcare, as i see things wrong done everyday, or people who don't have it,(working poor,as non working poor have medicaid) of course i understand that raped or women pregnant from incestual relationships are covered, but i consider those different. those were NOT sought out 'sexual encounters' and therefore should be covered. and should not be considered in the same league as someone who 'oops i'm preggers' ....our healthcare system bankrupts people everyday. i see people on here defending our healthcare with snippets like 'people come from all over the world etc etc' yeah, well i never said there was anything wrong with the care itself, just the access. believe me i understand the facts. i have been working in this field for a very VERY long time. i understand what they (insurance companies) do than most who have NOT worked in it. abortions provided for raped women is definitely the least of the problems our system endures.Posted 10-09-2009 at 06:41 AM by vertigo0923
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Vertigo, all of us cannot work for the Gov.!!--some work in industry to provide infrastructure for your use and $ to the Gov for your salary and bennies--thank us and be grateful there are still a few enterprising workers still in our society that have the logic and insight to know every one cannot be a gov. worker, be on welfare or somehow feed at the Gov trough--there is a real world out there and big gov.and gov. intervention is not the answer. Have a "sense of history" and you will know!
Posted 10-11-2009 at 10:50 AM by dayne62
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no we can't all work for the government, and no, its not just for my use. first off, i am a civilian employee, at a civilian teaching hospital, and pay my taxes just like you and everyone else. my husband is the 8 year veteran of the military who chose to help other veterans, and continue his federal service, and even with that, he pays taxes that also assist in paying his salary. i don't call it 'feeding at the government trough' and find that insulting when the person you are referring to served his country, active duty, for eight years...for your protection....he put his life on the line. and now, he takes care of the veterans who come back injured and sick from these wars.
i call that sort of dedication 'honorable' not 'feeding at the government trough'* and i wonder, have you served your country to the extent that my husband has?
so you can 'thank him' and while you're at it, thank me, as i'm the one that makes sure your medical services get coded correctly which gets those charges billed correctly, and i look out for the patient, as i wouldn't want to pay for something i haven't received. and having been a patient, i understand the problems one can encounter getting a claim paid correctly. i try to make it as easy as possible.....again...for the patient.
*i am absolutely SICK of this particular cliche'Posted 10-11-2009 at 03:48 PM by vertigo0923
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also, 44000 people die each year for lack of healthcare coverage. its also a fact that people who have health insurance live longer. can you address that issue? because someone needs to, this is america, and those stats have no business being part of the american life.
also dayne, if i sounded harsh on the post above this, i apologize. but it really makes me angry when people don't appreciate that all government workers aren't slugs taking YOUR money. it makes me very angry indeed. taking care of sick and dying vets is not a cakewalk, nor was serving 8 yrs active duty, and for that, the least my husband should expect, is NOT to be called some sort of bum abusing the 'government trough'Posted 10-11-2009 at 04:10 PM by vertigo0923
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Free health care for vets. by the gov is a just thing since the gov helped ruin their health and free health care to native americans and all descendants is done by the fed. gov i suppose as a result of stealing their land and putting them on reservations, but gov subsidized health care reform for the 27-47 million uninsured or not adequately insured is misfeasance or probably malfeasence by the Baucus committee, since the estimated $ 829 billion cost will come from 400 billion saving in medicare ( unbelieveable this is happening and the gov admits it and hasn't corrected it to date) and the remainder from new taxes and penalties. Of course the President has promised not to sign any reform that adds increased taxes to the middle class( if he does he will be what that congressman called him).
Like you I would like to see the 47 million with out adequate health care covered, but not a Gov subdized program because there is no justification like the VA and Native american reasoning.
Again you are content with your future health care even in retirement because of your husband VA employment. GM, Delta and chrysler retires also felt that way but through these Co bankrupties their retirement bennies are out the window. You and your family are and will be net consumers of federal $--taking out $ 100 and putting back in 15-25 in taxes still make you an net consumer--my working children work in industry are net providers of $ to the federal coffer--you see we all cannot work for gov ( economics 101)--My children have assessed what they see from our gov and are not counting on social security, medicare and other entitlements in retirement.
How about the star pro-choicer--Irene Vilar--15 abortions over 17 years for birth control and proud of it--Has written her memoir--every pro-choicer should buy a copy and supoport their star believer.
Non of the following has anything to do with murdering unborn babies or having fiscally responsible health care reform legislation, but I served my country 5 years in the marine corp and support with $ the Veterans of foreign wars, paralyzed veterans of america and the marine corps heritage foundation, along with special needs in my church membership.
It is absolutely undisciplined to advocate or be a supporter of any do-gooder ( another cliche') program without considering the $--after all the country in 12 trillion $ in debt and climbing partly because of the gov past atempts at being everything to everone--Have a sense of History and economics 101!!Posted 10-14-2009 at 08:49 PM by dayne62
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last comment. abortion is not the big issue in healthcare reform. its white noise for a certain party to turn their constituents attention to while they tell you that you don't want the same insurance they have. how many americans die for lack of health coverage? you can google that one. but the discussion is over.
Posted 10-31-2009 at 05:31 PM by vertigo0923
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last comment. abortion is the big issue! ck out this white noise party from cqpolitics.com midday update Oct 30th--Democratic split on Abortion is Obstacle to Health Bill--A show down is shaping up among Democrats as abortion foes press house leaders to change the HCR bill to explicitly ban abortion funding. The effort led by Bart Stupak (D- Mich ) and Daniel Lipinski ( D-Ill ) could have far reaching implications for the fate of the legislation when the house take up the HC overhaul late in the first week of nov.. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-Maryland ) points to the abortion disagreement as perhaps the most important unresolved issue as he prepares to move the measure to the floor. Mindful that abortion is a divisive issue within her caucus, Pelosi and her leadership team have sought to promote a compromise, but the anti-Abortion Democrats consider it to be to weak. Stupak said he would look for ways to work with Republicans( non-white noise party ).
Get the Abortion issue right and the funding sound and we can have a reform--but no federal funded birth contol through abortions and free-loadersPosted 11-01-2009 at 10:10 PM by dayne62
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its dumb because there was always the hyde amendment protecting against federal funding for abortions. the rest is white noise so that the righties can see right now, that it isn't the case. because i suppose no one wants to research the hyde amendment if their news network tells them otherwise. read the hyde amendment and see if anything is lacking and remember its been inplace a LONG time.
Posted 11-15-2009 at 07:45 AM by vertigo0923
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The Hyde amendment is NOT a government wide law. It is a "rider" or 'limitation amendment" that is attached annually to the appropriations bill that includes funding for the Dept. of health and Human Services and it applies only to the funds contained in that bill. It expires every Sept 30, at the end of every federal fiscal year.
the House approved Stupak/Pitts Amendment codifies current laws by prohibiting federal funding of elective abortions under ANY gov-run plan or plans available under the proposed Exchange including private insurance with federal subsidies. No more yearly need for actions on the Hyde Amendment, Smith Amendment (prohibits federal funding of abortion under the fed. employees' health benefit plan) and Indian Health Sevices amendments. The abortion funding prohititions will be LAW.
If "Stupak-Pitts" Amendment or simular gets in the Senate or house/senate final bill then not even the limited abortions allowed under Hydes will be federally funded and even Roe v Wade may be sweep aside.
The President and other pro-choicers are hyper-ventilating trying to somehow get back to the status-quo under Hydes, Smith etc.
Yes, health care reform is about Abortion and reality funding.Posted 11-19-2009 at 08:54 PM by dayne62
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