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Medicaid is driving most if not all the states into bankruptcy. The idea that getting something for nothing is not working and while it may appear cheaper for you now, your taxes will have to go up, a whole lot, to pay for you and anyone else that wants a free ride.
Actually, it's rising medical costs, whether paid by public funds or private insurance, that are causing financial strain. It's quite simple to see. If medical costs rise by 6% per year, while all other costs rise at 3% on average, it's only a matter of time before medical costs become a larger and larger share of costs -- and even private insurance will be impossible to afford.
Somehow, in Europe they have been able to control these costs, which are roughly half the cost in the U.S. and cover everyone, with better medical results.
The working class should be allowed to obtain Medicaid
Absolutely not. The program is underfunded and over-utilized now, not to mention it's a bad program to begin with. There are no caps, the benefits are far more generous than any private insurance plan (think: it covers dental, eyewear, hearing aids, etc.), there are no co-pays, no co-insurance, no deductibles, no out of pocket expenses at all. The reimbursement rates to medical professionals often does not even cover the time spent with the patient, and that is being compounded by the vast medicare expansions in every state. So many doctors are refusing to accept medicaid anymore. Pretty soon, patients with medicaid won't be able to find anyone to care for them other than their local ER and we will be back to square one.
1) A national payroll tax of (making the number up) 5% each side. Like SS and medicare everyone pays. Any and all compensation is included including stock options etc but hits everyone from dollar 1.
2) 20% coinsurance and $2000 copay. You must have skin in the game.
3) A law against first dollar insurance. You must have skin in the game.
4) Everyone in.
5) A doctors visit is lets say 5x minimum wage. Basic scrips are say 3x minimum wage. Name brand is 10 minimum wage.
This is meant to make sure you get care. If you want to see a doc you will pay something.
>oh how about a better Idea....pay your own darn bill
its your body, your healthcare...your bill.....dont expect others to pay your way<
A working class person is going to pay the $1500 a month family insurance costs, how?
The irony is the couch potato gets everything free while the working stiff not only doesnt get insurance, due to his lack of insurance he will pay ~3x more for a hospital admission than the rich guy with insurace.
If there's a forced buy-in in 2014, a seperate payroll tax to pay for Medicaid would only complicate matters. That would result in the tax having to be refunded if the taxpayer can prove that he already had private insurance. The buy-in should be an option for those who otherwise would need to either purchase expensive private insurance or take the penalty.
Absolutely not. The program is underfunded and over-utilized now, not to mention it's a bad program to begin with. There are no caps, the benefits are far more generous than any private insurance plan (think: it covers dental, eyewear, hearing aids, etc.), there are no co-pays, no co-insurance, no deductibles, no out of pocket expenses at all. The reimbursement rates to medical professionals often does not even cover the time spent with the patient, and that is being compounded by the vast medicare expansions in every state. So many doctors are refusing to accept medicaid anymore. Pretty soon, patients with medicaid won't be able to find anyone to care for them other than their local ER and we will be back to square one.
This is very true. Medicaid reimbursements don't even cover my expenses. I take a loss treating people with medicaid because I feel it is my way of giving back. Medicaid and charity care comprises about 20% of my practice, which I think is fair. If they expanded it, as the OP wishes and as is mandated by Obamacare, I may get to the point where I just can't accept it anymore. The hospitals are already losing so much business, if all the good docs leave and go to physician owned facilities, the hospitals are going to be in big trouble, as will the people they serve. I don't think anybody wants that.
The cost of private insurance is such that I now insure my wife and leave myself uninsured. The only plan I can afford is the 'high deductible' plan, whereby I pay the first 10k. Since I don't get sick much, I figure I may as well take my chances that if I do get sick it will be under 10k.
There should be a sliding scale where the working person can buy in to a new Medicaid category that is fully funded by the Federal government, and available on a sliding income scale. There is profit in the healthcare sector.
The CEO of United Healthcare gave himself a 1 billion dollar bonus a few years ago. That's more than the GDP of most countries!
A 'government option' such as this would make life a lot easier for millions of Americans if Obama's forced requirement to buy health insurance by 2014 takes effect.
You don't really 'buy' into medicaid however. Also, the CEO of United Healthcare did NOT give himself a BILLION dollar bonus,
On a limited budget a deductible of 10k essentially becomes catastrophic insurance. However, your insurance plan can also be luck of the draw- for instance NJ state employees get excellent full coverage insurance for about $1-200 a month.
But before writing things like 'there should'...it has to make financial sense for a health care plan to offer lower cost insurance.
A public option, perhaps based on the VA system would've been ideal, but it didn't happen.
Absolutely not. The program is underfunded and over-utilized now, not to mention it's a bad program to begin with. There are no caps, the benefits are far more generous than any private insurance plan (think: it covers dental, eyewear, hearing aids, etc.), there are no co-pays, no co-insurance, no deductibles, no out of pocket expenses at all.
Perhaps where you live; however, this does not apply everywhere. And then you have to find a dentist, optometrist, etc. that will accept Medicaid. Getting health care with Medicaid is not as easy as some would believe.
Then you go on medicaid or insurance pays if you have paid for it. Quite different than putting everyone on medicaid as originally posted.
Except that's not what the OP said.
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