The Conservative Case for Health Care Reform

[Spytheweb]

Chadman, I think my big question is what have they done to try and help control costs? Everyone talks about how much health insurance has risen and because of that we need something else but why haven't they spent the time and energy doing something about costs rather than a complete overhaul?

Small business is the key in my industries to keeping prices at a fair level. If Lowes and Home Depot start raising prices too high, then Mom and Pop come in to my city and open a hardware store that can compete because the two big guys raised their prices too high. Mom and Pop can do this because opening one store is a viable option. The same thing happens in all of the cites where Lowes and Home Depot are open. This keeps Lowes and Home Depot in check because the small business CAN compete. In Health insurance you can't do that and I feel that this is the problem. Why not develop a system where a small business could come in and compete.

Single payer will control costs and save the country 293 billion dollars and cover everyone.

 

[Spytheweb]

Please keep in mind the health care cost increases don't mean JUST price increases...

Health Care costs are due to 2 items:

1. Prices of care, and the type of care being given (more and more new technology drives up costs AS does more and more Brand prescription drugs - the ones you see on TV),

AND

2. UTILITIZATION. This is the bigger one of the two components. People demand more and more health care. This trend will not slow down - and this is the part of the cost curve that a goverment plan cannot stop - even by mandating payment levels. The only way we can get there is by rationing. Currently our health system does ration - by ability to pay. Which is how we ration everything in this country. Should health care be rationed that way? Same say yes, some say no.


It is shown that the higher the average household income of a country, the more a country spends on healthcare. So we are not outside of the norm. People demand healthcare - a lot of it.

And with 2/3 of American's now considered obese (I just read that today - WOW), it is going to get worse and worse.

We need to find a way to control utilization. The only way I know of to do it is with high deductibles and copayments. Consumers need skin in the game - so they have to pay a signficant piece too.

Our system now insulates the customer from the cost via low copays and low deductibles. This increases utilization.

Here's an example: my sister in law is a teacher - she has NO copay for doctor visits and a $2 copay on ANY brand drug. Obviously she doesn't think twice about having her or her children visit the doctor - even if some would view it unncessary.

Control health care costs?

1. Empower people with knowledge of prices (put up a board like at Burger King)

2. Make the consumer pay a signficant piece of the cost - so they have skin in the game, and

3. Stop going to F**KING McDonalds and get off the couch and stop playing XBOX (and stop sitting at the computer wrting articles on MJ"s)

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin has an answer, maybe the people in your state can keep the things the way they are and let the blue states have single payer medicare for all, HR 676.


One answer is offered by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who wants to allow states to experiment with health care systems.
Under her plan, a progressive state such as Wisconsin or Vermont could develop a Medicare-for-all program. Other states could muck around with so-called "medical savings accounts" and other gimmicks developed by the insurance industry and its political mouthpieces. The evidence of which model works best would develop over time.
Canada went this route, with single-payer enacted first in Saskatchewan. Eventually, the reforms went national.
Baldwin has proposed a House resolution expressing support for state-based innovation in health care reform. And she has pushed to ensure that this sort of flexibility is part of any plan that comes out of the House.

 

[layinwood]

Single payer will control costs and save the country 293 billion dollars and cover everyone.

Spy I could give a crap how much it costs the country.(Illegals are costing us billions and we've already heard this week that they won't be covered) I like my insurance and I know that because of this someday I probably won't have it. I don't want government insurance, I see how well medicaid and medicare works in my wife's office and all of my clients offices.


"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country." I think too many people are getting this backwards.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin has an answer, maybe the people in your state can keep the things the way they are and let the blue states have single payer medicare for all, HR 676.


One answer is offered by Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, who wants to allow states to experiment with health care systems.
Under her plan, a progressive state such as Wisconsin or Vermont could develop a Medicare-for-all program. Other states could muck around with so-called "medical savings accounts" and other gimmicks developed by the insurance industry and its political mouthpieces. The evidence of which model works best would develop over time.
Canada went this route, with single-payer enacted first in Saskatchewan. Eventually, the reforms went national.
Baldwin has proposed a House resolution expressing support for state-based innovation in health care reform. And she has pushed to ensure that this sort of flexibility is part of any plan that comes out of the House.

Great idea--and while we are at it let the Red states cut their medicade benfits to the bone--enforce illegal laws without liberal sactuary cities--and we can seperate the conservatives from the liberals and their base and let each be responsible/live with their convictions.

:0corn


How do you think you won election--by promising free rides at expense of tax payors.

As long as they are raising your taxes (if you pay any) for these social programs fine--but believe the mood of country is telling you--we are tired of being your ATM machine.

 

[ELVIS]

Spy I could give a crap how much it costs the country.(Illegals are costing us billions and we've already heard this week that they won't be covered) I like my insurance and I know that because of this someday I probably won't have it. I don't want government insurance, I see how well medicaid and medicare works in my wife's office and all of my clients offices.


"Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country." I think too many people are getting this backwards.

the sad thing here is that the amnesty is next ! so the big O won't be lying about not covering illegals.....he'll just grant an inordinate amount of citizenship..............

i have said it a thousand times, " who here, on this forum that has coverage, would trade their current situation for the fine care at the Veterans Hosptial ?"