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Can you tell me what Congress' excellent health care system is? How is it different from the other federal employees (who have regular health insurance like most people who have it through their employer).
Health care reform was a cornerstone of Obama's platform, and many voted for him for that very reason...it took more than simply the Democratic vote for him to win so handily. Of course the right was against it...it doesn't benefit the AMA, big pharma or the insurance companies. But thanks to the idiots who put ideology before the well-being of their fellow Americans, we'll never know what Obamacare would have been like.
We're already feeling the start of it now with increased premiums.
Business will feel it in 2014 if they have that magic employee number of 50.
And in 2014 $65K/year declares you "poor".
That took about 15 seconds to find...try using a search engine yourself. It's fun and easy.
Well, of course I knew what health insurance Congress had. I wanted you to tell me what, in your mind, qualified it as "...and benefiting from the type of excellent health care system that they apparently think is too good for the rest of us." I guess it's a matter of opinion what constitutes "excellent" healthcare that is too good for the rest of us.
Now, I am not a fan of Congress either but I really dislike over-the-top sound bytes that are misleading. Why would you say they have that when according to your own link they have:
Members of Congress have good health insurance by any standard, but it’s not free and not reserved only for them – and it’s not government insurance. House and Senate members are allowed to purchase private health insurance offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which covers more than 8 million other federal employees, retirees and their families.
It’s not a "single-payer" system where the government acts as the one and only health insurance company. As President Bush’s chief of personnel Kay Coles James said in 2003, while lecturing at the conservative Heritage Foundation, "the FEHB program is not centralized, government-run health care." It has drawn praise both from conservatives and liberals, including President Obama, who held it up as a model for his own health care proposals. According to the Congressional Research Service, the FEHBP offers about 300 different private health care plans, including five government-wide, fee-for-service plans and many regional health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, plus high-deductible, tax-advantaged plans. All plans cover hospital, surgical and physician services, and mental health services, prescription drugs and "catastrophic" coverage against very large medical expenses. There are no waiting periods for coverage when new employees are hired, and there are no exclusions for preexisting conditions. The FEHBP negotiates contracts annually with all insurance companies who wish to participate. There is plenty of competition for the business; FEHBP is the largest employer-sponsored health plan in the U.S.
Those who don’t like their coverage may switch to another plan during a yearly "open season" period. To help with the choices, FEHBP conducts an annual "satisfaction survey" of each plan with more than 500 members and publishes the results.
Like other large employers, the government pays a large share of the cost of coverage. On average, the government pays 72 percent of the premiums for its workers, up to a maximum of 75 percent depending on the policy chosen. For example, the popular Blue Cross and Blue Shield standard fee-for-service family plan carries a total premium of $1,120.47 per month, of which the beneficiary pays $356.59. Washington, D.C.-based employees who prefer an HMO option might choose the Kaiser standard family plan. It carries a total premium of $629.46 per month, of which the employee pays only $157.36.
In addition, members of Congress also qualify for some medical benefits that ordinary federal workers do not. They (but not their families) are eligible to receive limited medical services from the Office of the Attending Physician of the U.S. Capitol, after payment of an annual fee ($491in 2007). But services don’t include surgery, dental care or eyeglasses, and any prescriptions must be filled at the member’s expense.
House and Senate members (but not their families) also are eligible to receive care at military hospitals. For outpatient care, there is no charge at the Washington, D.C., area hospitals (Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center). Inpatient care is billed at rates set by the Department of Defense.
We're already feeling the start of it now with increased premiums.
Business will feel it in 2014 if they have that magic employee number of 50.
And in 2014 $65K/year declares you "poor".
All that and more in Obamacare.
We've beaten that dead horse enough. Health care premiums have been rising quite a bit since before I even heard Obama's name.
We're already feeling the start of it now with increased premiums.
Business will feel it in 2014 if they have that magic employee number of 50.
And in 2014 $65K/year declares you "poor".
All that and more in Obamacare.
There are plenty of corporations of all types connected with health care who are scrambling to make an extra buck. My friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in August; they spent 4 months doing tests before trying chemo (although they put the portal in immediately). He had his 1st chemo treatment on a Tuesday in mid-December, and it blew a hole in his stomach. He lasted until that Saturday, and basically simply bled to death. So many lymph nodes were involved initially that the doctors knew it was terminal, yet they kept doing unnecessary tests and treatments. Fiscal caveats pale in comparison to that type of needless suffering just to benefit the few. I may speak from emotion, but compassion trumps some things.
Well, of course I knew what health insurance Congress had. I wanted you to tell me what, in your mind, qualified it as "...and benefiting from the type of excellent health care system that they apparently think is too good for the rest of us." I guess it's a matter of opinion what constitutes "excellent" healthcare that is too good for the rest of us.
Now, I am not a fan of Congress either but I really dislike over-the-top sound bytes that are misleading. Why would you say they have that when according to your own link they have:
Members of Congress have good health insurance by any standard, but it’s not free and not reserved only for them – and it’s not government insurance. House and Senate members are allowed to purchase private health insurance offered through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which covers more than 8 million other federal employees, retirees and their families.
It’s not a "single-payer" system where the government acts as the one and only health insurance company. As President Bush’s chief of personnel Kay Coles James said in 2003, while lecturing at the conservative Heritage Foundation, "the FEHB program is not centralized, government-run health care." It has drawn praise both from conservatives and liberals, including President Obama, who held it up as a model for his own health care proposals. According to the Congressional Research Service, the FEHBP offers about 300 different private health care plans, including five government-wide, fee-for-service plans and many regional health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, plus high-deductible, tax-advantaged plans. All plans cover hospital, surgical and physician services, and mental health services, prescription drugs and "catastrophic" coverage against very large medical expenses. There are no waiting periods for coverage when new employees are hired, and there are no exclusions for preexisting conditions. The FEHBP negotiates contracts annually with all insurance companies who wish to participate. There is plenty of competition for the business; FEHBP is the largest employer-sponsored health plan in the U.S.
Those who don’t like their coverage may switch to another plan during a yearly "open season" period. To help with the choices, FEHBP conducts an annual "satisfaction survey" of each plan with more than 500 members and publishes the results.
Like other large employers, the government pays a large share of the cost of coverage. On average, the government pays 72 percent of the premiums for its workers, up to a maximum of 75 percent depending on the policy chosen. For example, the popular Blue Cross and Blue Shield standard fee-for-service family plan carries a total premium of $1,120.47 per month, of which the beneficiary pays $356.59. Washington, D.C.-based employees who prefer an HMO option might choose the Kaiser standard family plan. It carries a total premium of $629.46 per month, of which the employee pays only $157.36.
In addition, members of Congress also qualify for some medical benefits that ordinary federal workers do not. They (but not their families) are eligible to receive limited medical services from the Office of the Attending Physician of the U.S. Capitol, after payment of an annual fee ($491in 2007). But services don’t include surgery, dental care or eyeglasses, and any prescriptions must be filled at the member’s expense.
House and Senate members (but not their families) also are eligible to receive care at military hospitals. For outpatient care, there is no charge at the Washington, D.C., area hospitals (Walter Reed Army Medical Center and National Naval Medical Center). Inpatient care is billed at rates set by the Department of Defense.
I suppose you might have been more specific; I have no way of knowing what you're thinking when you write. Having read the link, does it sound to you like Congress muddles along without quality care? If it's so much like Obamacare, why shouldn't the RW embrace it as an attempt at "the greatest good for the greatest number possible?" Health care has moved from being "the healing arts" to a cash cow, and that benefits a few people greatly...leaving almost 50 million (MILLION) without insurance. The DH and I pay $18,000 annually for mediocre insurance...what Congress has looks good from this vantage point. Is that any more concise?
I suppose you might have been more specific; I have no way of knowing what you're thinking when you write. Having read the link, does it sound to you like Congress muddles along without quality care? If it's so much like Obamacare, why shouldn't the RW embrace it as an attempt at "the greatest good for the greatest number possible?" Health care has moved from being "the healing arts" to a cash cow, and that benefits a few people greatly...leaving almost 50 million (MILLION) without insurance. The DH and I pay $18,000 annually for mediocre insurance...what Congress has looks good from this vantage point. Is that any more concise?
I agree with you that it's good. Your initial statement made it sound like it was some gold mine though and, if I misinterpreted that, I'm sorry.
I participate in the same plan that Congress does. My cost for a family plan, BCBS, is about $450 per month (my portion). That is a good deal since my employer is paying the bulk of the premium.
I will say though, that my cost is quite a bit higher than what my private company paid for me when I was working for them.
So while many people do go around with no care or they have to buy individual (killer cost) policies, there are also many people in the private sector that probably get better health plans than Congress. Because I can tell that the Blue Cross policy they offer is really just kind of average.
There are plenty of corporations of all types connected with health care who are scrambling to make an extra buck. My friend was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in August; they spent 4 months doing tests before trying chemo (although they put the portal in immediately). He had his 1st chemo treatment on a Tuesday in mid-December, and it blew a hole in his stomach. He lasted until that Saturday, and basically simply bled to death. So many lymph nodes were involved initially that the doctors knew it was terminal, yet they kept doing unnecessary tests and treatments. Fiscal caveats pale in comparison to that type of needless suffering just to benefit the few. I may speak from emotion, but compassion trumps some things.
Exactly!
This link from FactCheck.org states that the rising costs in premiums are due to rising healthcare costs. Your friend's example of "fee for service" medical care not being in the best interest of the patient demonstrates cruellly how they are making those bucks. The Truth About Health Insurance Premiums | FactCheck.org
Because they haven't gone nearly far enough in slashing government spending.
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