Universal Health Care...

[Jeepster80125 0]

With employer help or not its still almost impossible to afford.

And that's what needs to be addressed. Cost.

[CaneBrain 95]

And that's what needs to be addressed. Cost.

this is like saying the thing that needs to be addressed about the Ebola virus is how it kills you so fast.

[Jeepster80125 0]

this is like saying the thing that needs to be addressed about the Ebola virus is how it kills you so fast.

Funny.I think people are mis-informed when they say they want socialized medicine, that it's the answer to all of our problems. That's not the answer, reducing costs is. Reducing malpractice liability, reducing hospital profits, reducing the 7-14% annual rise in health insurance premiums, reducing costs for new medicines and new technologies.Just because you're slightly more aware of how things work doesn't mean everyone else is. Have anything to add, or are you just being insulting?

[El Guapo 8]

Funny.I think people are mis-informed when they say they want socialized medicine, that it's the answer to all of our problems. That's not the answer, reducing costs is. Reducing malpractice liability, reducing hospital profits, reducing the 7-14% annual rise in health insurance premiums, reducing costs for new medicines and new technologies.Just because you're slightly more aware of how things work doesn't mean everyone else is. Have anything to add, or are you just being insulting?

He's a dirty Jew Lawyer, don't listen to him.

[CaneBrain 95]

Funny.I think people are mis-informed when they say they want socialized medicine, that it's the answer to all of our problems. That's not the answer, reducing costs is. Reducing malpractice liability, reducing hospital profits, reducing the 7-14% annual rise in health insurance premiums, reducing costs for new medicines and new technologies.Just because you're slightly more aware of how things work doesn't mean everyone else is. Have anything to add, or are you just being insulting?

"serious face": Reducing costs is the key but my point with my jopke was that reducing costs will require a complete overhaul of everything related to health care (which some people think socialized medicine will accomplish). Some doctors make way too much which leaves a lot of doctors making not enough to justify what they go through to become a doctor. Health care companies throw gobs of money at candidates so they can get preferential laws later. The fact that drugs cost so much more here than they do basically anywhere else in the world doesnt help. I mean look at all the things you say need to be changed (have their costs reduced). That is basically everything!The current system is completely broken and that is why you see so many people championing socialized medicine. They think that everything needs to change. I dont think socialized medicine will make the problem better or worse. It would just be a different kind of suck.

[CaneBrain 95]

He's a dirty Jew Lawyer, don't listen to him.

I am a hygenic Jew who cannot find employment as a lawyer. You can still listen to me.

[Loismustdie 0]

"serious face": Reducing costs is the key but my point with my jopke was that reducing costs will require a complete overhaul of everything related to health care (which some people think socialized medicine will accomplish). Some doctors make way too much which leaves a lot of doctors making not enough to justify what they go through to become a doctor. Health care companies throw gobs of money at candidates so they can get preferential laws later. The fact that drugs cost so much more here than they do basically anywhere else in the world doesnt help. I mean look at all the things you say need to be changed (have their costs reduced). That is basically everything!The current system is completely broken and that is why you see so many people championing socialized medicine. They think that everything needs to change. I dont think socialized medicine will make the problem better or worse. It would just be a different kind of suck.

We need to seriously stop using the phrase "completely broken" unless you can think of another place in the world you would rather get into a car accident right now. Nowhere? Really? Big surprise.

[El Guapo 8]

I am a hygenic Jew who cannot find employment as a lawyer. You can still listen to me.

One day without a shower and a job and your out. OK?

[CaneBrain 95]

We need to seriously stop using the phrase "completely broken" unless you can think of another place in the world you would rather get into a car accident right now. Nowhere? Really? Big surprise.

London. It would be interesting to crash on the left side of the road.And this argument is completely unpersuasive. If America gets a D- on the health care test and everyone else gets an F (not agreeing with these grades just a hypothetical), should I celebrate? Not to mention every independent ranking of the health care systems of countries disagrees with you. They all just hate America though.

[vbnautilus 48]

We need to seriously stop using the phrase "completely broken" unless you can think of another place in the world you would rather get into a car accident right now.

Definitely not Japan. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29013386/Injured man dies after rejection by 14 hospitalsTOKYO - A 69-year-old Japanese man injured in a traffic accident died after paramedics spent more than an hour negotiating with 14 hospitals before one admitted him, a fire department official said Wednesday.The man, whose bicycle collided with a motorcycle in the western city of Itami, waited at the scene in an ambulance because the hospitals said they could not accept him, citing a lack of specialists, equipment, beds and staff, according to Mitsuhisa Ikemoto. One of the 14 finally admitted the man when the paramedics called it for a second time.

[CaneBrain 95]

Definitely not Japan. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29013386/Injured man dies after rejection by 14 hospitalsTOKYO - A 69-year-old Japanese man injured in a traffic accident died after paramedics spent more than an hour negotiating with 14 hospitals before one admitted him, a fire department official said Wednesday.The man, whose bicycle collided with a motorcycle in the western city of Itami, waited at the scene in an ambulance because the hospitals said they could not accept him, citing a lack of specialists, equipment, beds and staff, according to Mitsuhisa Ikemoto. One of the 14 finally admitted the man when the paramedics called it for a second time.

fair is fair. This makes me feel better about some things we do in America, health care wise. What a debacle. Remember when Japan was going to replace us as the next superpower?

[El Guapo 8]

fair is fair. This makes me feel better about some things we do in America, health care wise. What a debacle. Remember when Japan was going to replace us as the next superpower?

That was always tongue in cheek. Their average height is only 5' 7", i mean, cmon, really, a bunch of 5' 7" guys running the world.I DON'T THINK SO!

[CaneBrain 95]

That was always tongue in cheek. Their average height is only 5' 7", i mean, cmon, really, a bunch of 5' 7" guys running the world.I DON'T THINK SO!

you might never see them coming!I read somewhere once that the majority of Navy Seals are relatively short for a variety of reasons. Anyone know if that is true?Japan is like our mirror. We are great at short term solutions and thinking about the here and now. Japan is great at thinking 50 years ahead but sometimes misses/ignores the problem right in front of them.

[hblask 1]

This was the second story lately of someone dying in Japan from things that are routinely treated here. I wonder what the death toll needs to reach before people realize central planning doesn't work?

[El Guapo 8]

I read somewhere once that the majority of Navy Seals are relatively short for a variety of reasons. Anyone know if that is true?

Most military positions have a height and weight range. I think pilots can be a max 6'2" and that is rare.Seals have to fit in tight spots, they don't want a 6'5" 225lb yoked guy as an assassin.He would be carrying the SAW in the ARMY.

[FCP Bob 1,312]

This was the second story lately of someone dying in Japan from things that are routinely treated here. I wonder what the death toll needs to reach before people realize central planning doesn't work?

I think for all Western societies the coming years will be ones of rationing health care as no society is going to be able to pay for everything that everybody wants or in a lot of cases needs.In places like Canada and Japan the rationing results in waiting times and in this case a lack of emergency service and is spread over the entire population and not decided totally by somebodies economic situation.In the US the rationing takes the form of a large number of people having little of no health coverage while those who have the best coverage have the best care possible and for the most part the rationing is one of economics with those with the most money having the best care.No country is going to be able to keep spending more and more of it's GDP on healthcare forever and every country really needs to take it's ideological blinders off and come up with solutions that make sense for them. In Canada it would be impossible for our universal system to go back to a private insurance one and it's going to be very very hard for the US to move towards a Canadian or European system even if it is the best one which is another debate since the health care cultures are so different.

[CaneBrain 95]

good timing for the purposes of this argument: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090204/ap_on_...ildren_s_healthbasically, it sounds like everyone likes sCHIP but the GOP wants to restrict access to people who they believe CANT get private insurance under any circumstances. they estimate of the 4 million kids covered under this bill that 2.4 million of them could have gotten private insurance instead. if I am following the argument right that means the GOP believes it is better to make the lower middle class pay for their own kids insurance in the private sector rather than making the taxpayers as a whole pay for 2.4 million kids to get free health insurance coverage through the government. Discuss.

[El Guapo 8]

Income too high for welfare but too low for private health care.

Huh? I have Kaiser for my Kids with all the bells and whistles. It is $100 a month for each individually, but as a family we have gotten it down to $460 a month for all four of us. I don't understand these statements. I could go get health insurance on my kids tomorrow for $60 a month or less. That is a cell phone bill.

[hblask 1]

good timing for the purposes of this argument: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090204/ap_on_...ildren_s_healthbasically, it sounds like everyone likes sCHIP but the GOP wants to restrict access to people who they believe CANT get private insurance under any circumstances. they estimate of the 4 million kids covered under this bill that 2.4 million of them could have gotten private insurance instead. if I am following the argument right that means the GOP believes it is better to make the lower middle class pay for their own kids insurance in the private sector rather than making the taxpayers as a whole pay for 2.4 million kids to get free health insurance coverage through the government.Discuss.

It seems obvious beyond controversy that if someone CAN get private insurance they should, rather than pass the cost on to strangers. I'm not sure why this is even a question.If you are wondering whether a tax on the poor (cigarette taxes) to pay for health care for upper-middle class kids is fair or moral, my vote would be no, it's not.

[strategy 4]

Huh? I have Kaiser for my Kids with all the bells and whistles. It is $100 a month for each individually, but as a family we have gotten it down to $460 a month for all four of us. I don't understand these statements. I could go get health insurance on my kids tomorrow for $60 a month or less. That is a cell phone bill.

you don't care about your kids if you're not paying iphone rates.

[Jeepster80125 0]

"serious face": Reducing costs is the key but my point with my jopke was that reducing costs will require a complete overhaul of everything related to health care (which some people think socialized medicine will accomplish). Some doctors make way too much which leaves a lot of doctors making not enough to justify what they go through to become a doctor. Health care companies throw gobs of money at candidates so they can get preferential laws later. The fact that drugs cost so much more here than they do basically anywhere else in the world doesnt help. I mean look at all the things you say need to be changed (have their costs reduced). That is basically everything!The current system is completely broken and that is why you see so many people championing socialized medicine. They think that everything needs to change. I dont think socialized medicine will make the problem better or worse. It would just be a different kind of suck.

I guess we're on the same page. Holy shit.Also,I just bought this tshirt

[Dr_Jeff 0]

I find it funny that health care premiums continue to rise by 6-7% every year, but re-imbursement to us doc's continues to go down every year. Co-payments for patients are at an all time high as well. Many of my patients now have $30-40 co-pays. I see more and more patients every year to make the same or slightly less money every year. I am seriously considering leaving the healthcare field, and getting more rental properties.Having the goverment run healthcare would be even worse. Medicare and medicaid are the worst when it comes to payment. All other health insurance companies base their prices off of what medicare will reimburse. In attempts to drive down costs, medicare cuts services that they will pay for, and in turn, other insurers are able to do the same. However, if the standard of care requires that the patient needs such treatment, you must provide it for the patient even though medicare will not reimbuse you for it. You are supposed to collect from the patient. Blood from a stone comes to mind. In other instance, they won't pay for certain tests, but if those tests aren't done, you can't get paid for the treatment. (example:Xrays-> treatment of back pain, medicare won't pay for the xrays, but you must provide proof that they were done to get paid for treating sciatica)Our system is terrible now, but I feel it is better than socializing it. The costs would become astronomical. Many people avoid going to doctors because they don't have insurance, and can't afford it. Imagine if they suddenly had someone else paying the bill. They would be showing up at the office everytime they have a sniffle.The future is murky at best, at least from my vantage point.

[hblask 1]

According to research published in Forum for Health Economics and Policy, community ratings regulations (which require insurers to offer the same rate to every individual, regarless of age, gender, or health status) raises premiums by 10 to 17 percent for individuals and 21 to 33 percent for families.Guaranteed issue regulations, which require insures to offer coverage regardless of a group's or individuals health status are also expensive. For example, in New Jersey, premiums are twice as high as those charged for similar individual and family policies offered in Pennsylvania. Regulations which prevent insurers from excluding specific doctors or hospitals from coverage also drive up costs.

[Jeepster80125 0]

According to research published in Forum for Health Economics and Policy, community ratings regulations (which require insurers to offer the same rate to every individual, regarless of age, gender, or health status) raises premiums by 10 to 17 percent for individuals and 21 to 33 percent for families.Guaranteed issue regulations, which require insures to offer coverage regardless of a group's or individuals health status are also expensive. For example, in New Jersey, premiums are twice as high as those charged for similar individual and family policies offered in Pennsylvania. Regulations which prevent insurers from excluding specific doctors or hospitals from coverage also drive up costs.

A legislator here in Colorado has introduced a bill to stop medical insurance companies from rating females higher than males, saying it's discrimination. Of course it's a woman who introduced it.What a dumbass. Women have much higher utilization, that's why their rates are more expensive. Just like males pay higher car insurance premiums because they have higher and more expensive claims. She doesn't realize that she'll pay more for community rates. It's infuriating to see politicians attempt to take control of our insurance policies, especially when it's so obvious they're completely clueless.

[Loismustdie 0]

A legislator here in Colorado has introduced a bill to stop medical insurance companies from rating females higher than males, saying it's discrimination. Of course it's a woman who introduced it.What a dumbass. Women have much higher utilization, that's why their rates are more expensive. Just like males pay higher car insurance premiums because they have higher and more expensive claims. She doesn't realize that she'll pay more for community rates. It's infuriating to see politicians attempt to take control of our insurance policies, especially when it's so obvious they're completely clueless.

You just have issues with women, we all know it. But, so do I, so preach on, brother.