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Has anyone noticed that almost every thread ends up w/ a shouting match these days - b/n supporters of both parties - trying to one-up their opposition with examples of how wrong the other side is?
So I am wondering . . . what is it that we can all agree on? What is it that We the People want Congress to do for us?
I am not looking for smart quips here.
Congress is supposed to be doing "the people's business."
What is it we want from our Representatives?
Let's start with Healthcare.
If you want healthcare reform . . . forget the bills that are on the table now. Tell us what it is YOU want to be changed about the delivery of healthcare as it now exists in this country.
Please tell us what you want changed now and if you can explain WHY, that would be great (but not necessary).
For example, I want insurance companies to be prohibited from making exclusions based on pre-existing conditions.
As far as healh care is concerned I too want pre-existing condition restrictions scaled back. If we are to keep for profit insurance companies in the business then we need to find a way to pickup the costs for those who just will NEVER find insurance the through traditional companies. If we aren't going to offer a public option then we need to impose rules on the insurance companies requiring them to take a certain percentage of those "uninsurable" individuals from the pool of "uninsurables" that this country currently has. And it needs to be done without charging them an arm and a leg. As for people who just don't have any money period, the only solution is for the taxpayers to pick up the tab. Understand this, THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.
I would still perfer a combination of public/private heath care since that seems to make the most economic sense and ideally we should all have the same coverage, with very few exceptions.
I think we should all own our health insurance and have it be portable and not tied to employment.
What I want or what I think is economically feasible? Two very different things - like everything else in life.
I would like to see an state run group insurance program for those that are uninsurable (preexisting conditions), those who have employers who do not offer insurance or those that are self employed and cannot afford traditional individual insurance. I would like to see those that opt out of all insurance programs held to the fire to pay their medical bills so that the rest (insured) aren't punished for it by escalating costs.
I want my government to stay out of my personal life. Healthcare is personal to me.
I want to control costs myself, which I was able to do through our HSA account. An real example: I was able to negociate the cost I paid for medical services for my son because the specialist knew he was going to get cash and wouldn't have to file paperwork and wait for payment. He was appreciative, I was very appreciate, and I walked away from that entire experience feeling in control of my own money and health. If we had less government and corporate involvement, this could happen.
I would like to see the elimination of pre-existing condition exclusions by insurers. The way insurance should work is the profitible policies pay for the unprofitable policies. Insurers invest vast sums in actuarial models and the actuaries who build them to predict, quite accurately, the costs of insuring a person with x, y and z properties. Then they tailor policies that will be profitible based on their actuarial findings. Eliminating the risk implicit with insuring those with pre-existing conditions, i.e. a kind of risk, artificially shields the insurers from risk, which is after all their business, and seems an unfair advantage in their favor.
I'd also like to see insurance de-coupled from employment.
As far as healh care is concerned I too want pre-existing condition restrictions scaled back. If we are to keep for profit insurance companies in the business then we need to find a way to pickup the costs for those who just will NEVER find insurance the through traditional companies. If we aren't going to offer a public option then we need to impose rules on the insurance companies requiring them to take a certain percentage of those "uninsurable" individuals from the pool of "uninsurables" that this country currently has. And it needs to be done without charging them an arm and a leg. As for people who just don't have any money period, the only solution is for the taxpayers to pick up the tab. Understand this, THERE IS NO OTHER WAY.
I would still perfer a combination of public/private heath care since that seems to make the most economic sense.
Thank you, Ceece!
I am thinking that by expanding the pool of uninsured, we could make this more feasible from the insurance company's standpoint.
As for those without healthcare insurance . . .
If folks qualify for Medicaid, it is there. Where the problem comes in is with the threshold that folks have to meet on income. The poverty levels are very low, depending on how many folks make up the household.
This leaves a whole segment of our population uninsured, yet barely making ends meet.
I think there should be a plan at very low cost for those who could pay a low premium but make more $$ than the threshold on Medicaid allows.
We could raise the threshold on Medicaid and, in addition, have a system w/ graduated payments (on a scale) depending on income. This way, the government would not be underwriting everyone in the Medicaid program, and it would allow those who fall into the "working poor" category to have insurance coverage.
What I want or what I think is economically feasible? Two very different things - like everything else in life.
I would like to see an state run group insurance program for those that are uninsurable (preexisting conditions), those who have employers who do not offer insurance or those that are self employed and cannot afford traditional individual insurance. I would like to see those that opt out of all insurance programs held to the fire to pay their medical bills so that the rest (insured) aren't punished for it by escalating costs.
Those are very good and workable suggestions. Thank you Camping!
The group insurance could be state run - or it could be even a coalition of states within a region, I believe. This would increase the pool.
The situation with folks opting out of coverage . . . that is a really difficult situation to tackle. I am not sure what the answer is. I do know that some people opt out just b/c they don't think they need insurance. That is a wholly different matter than someone who can't make ends meet and so passes on employer-offered insurance.
I want my government to stay out of my personal life. Healthcare is personal to me.
I want to control costs myself, which I was able to do through our HSA account. An real example: I was able to negociate the cost I paid for medical services for my son because the specialist knew he was going to get cash and wouldn't have to file paperwork and wait for payment. He was appreciative, I was very appreciate, and I walked away from that entire experience feeling in control of my own money and health. If we had less government and corporate involvement, this could happen.
Good thread, BTW.
Why can't we all have the option of a HSA?
For many folks, this makes sense, especially if we can use pre-tax dollars.
Hahaha, I just had visions of us doing this, slowly, over the years until everyone is covered thus giving us the Universal Health Care people are so scared of now.
But yes, I agree with what you are saying. I don't know how Medicaid works but I like the graduated payment idea, and copays and deductibles are always a way to control costs too.
I also have looked into HSA's and thing thats a great idea. I'll probably go that route myself.
Has anyone noticed that almost every thread ends up w/ a shouting match these days - b/n supporters of both parties - trying to one-up their opposition with examples of how wrong the other side is?
So I am wondering . . . what is it that we can all agree on? What is it that We the People want Congress to do for us?
I am not looking for smart quips here.
Congress is supposed to be doing "the people's business."
What is it we want from our Representatives?
Let's start with Healthcare.
If you want healthcare reform . . . forget the bills that are on the table now. Tell us what it is YOU want to be changed about the delivery of healthcare as it now exists in this country.
Please tell us what you want changed now and if you can explain WHY, that would be great (but not necessary).
For example, I want insurance companies to be prohibited from making exclusions based on pre-existing conditions.
I want the COST of healthcare reduced.
Tell us what YOU want.
Tort reform...
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