Here come the health care cuts

[Jammie]

I am saying that the original figures were 3.5% and 6.5%, but I don't know where that will end up. So in reality~no, the amount is not $35 per month and 65 per month, but I think we're on the same page now with percentages.

And I'm sorry, but I don't have a link that shows the savings cost of electronic records. But I'm sure you'll hear the full story since you are keeping up on this.

Middle income and higher income people don't have to buy into this. They can keep whatever they have. Joining this healthcare plan is NOT a requirement.

And yes, since my medical care (and yours from what I'm gathering) will be drastically reduced because EVERYONE will be able to have health insurance of some kind. You can keep your own. You can stay with your employer's health insurance OR you CAN buy into the new policies that the govt. will offer. It's totally your choice.

As for the propaganda that has been circulating about how THEY will choose your Drs. for you, it's simply not true. It's the case right now with most insurance companies.

The ONLY people who will not gain from this are those of you who make over a quarter million dollars per year. You may lose some of the benefit of writing off charitable contributions, mortgages, and medical expenses.

I'm sure that many of you watched the President's speech where he took his healthcare reform plan to the AMA in Chicago today. There are still some specifics missing since the plan hasn't totally been debated and put together yet, but everything we've discussed so far was quite clear in his message.

And Katiana, I'd love to be your employee. You and your DH sound like my employer. Someone who truly cares about their employee. Will you send me an application, please? It doesn't matter what I have to do~I'll do it. LOL

[Katarina Witt]

I agree with you on the above, shorebaby (!). Our immunization program lets us do a lot, like see if the child is missing any (some of you would be surprised how easy this is to do when looking at a sloppy, handwritten record, with smeary stamps and so forth), what is recommended and when, and so on. It will also let us recall everyone who needs a Hib booster when the national shortage is over. If there is a concern about a specific lot #, it lets us look up our lots in a matter of seconds, instead of having to go through thousands of paper records. These type of applications are great!

[Jammie]

Health Care Reform - AARP Bulletin Today

Just found a good source for tracking this to go along with the news stories and the President's speeches.

Today he compared the cost of two separate areas~McCallen, Tx. vs. El Paso, Tx. The cost was astronomical in McCallen because many more tests were ordered and other things.

AARP mag also has an interesting article. Nine people in Central Tx. accounted for 2,678 ER visits in one year. They had no health insurance so they couldn't get preventative care or visit clinics so they used the ER. They figured that since one ER visit averages 1,000, the total cost for those nine people was 2.7 million. Now who do you think is absorbing that cost? Our counties are paying for part of it, but they haggle with the hospitals. SO, in other words, tax dollars paid for most of it. Part of it was absorbed by elevated costs by those who are insured.

It's just so obvious that it's a mess the way it's currently being done. And as far as horror stories~they abound and they're scare tactics. I know someone who grew up in Canada and still visits there regularly. She laughs at our healthcare system and our fear of the Reform or any type of National Healthcare.

I also know someone who visits France on a regular basis and also chuckles at us for even having second thoughts. People like that see what is offered in other countries firsthand and it's not the scary horror stories we hear about.

[NSHL10]

Sorry if I've come across as obnoxious on some posts, it s just very frustrating to read/hear constant manipulations of the proposed plan by members of the administration. One day...we're taxing health insurance, next day we're not. Why the lack of transparency? I thought transparency in government was what Obama was all about. Its disappointing to see him resort to politics as usual during such an important issue that will change many dynamics of society. Stop with the campaigning and tell us: Medicare/caid providers will be cut x dollars per visit; the following procedures will no longer be covered ; your premiums for the govt plan will be X dollars; and your tax increase will be x dollars. Healthcare businesses need this information to determine if they can continue to operate.

Another aspect of his plan that I'm furious at is no mention of any tort reform. Blaming doctors for all of the spending is wrong (particularly since those in HMO plans are actually monetarily penalized for ordering too many tests) when lawyers force you to practice defensive medicine. A good example is back pain with radiating leg pain. Everyone knows it sciatica with a disc compression, but you need to order an MRI to rule out a million to one chance of a spinal tumor so your not sued if it is cancer. Is that the doctor's fault that the MRI was ordered?

I just wish Obama would be more upfront about this plan. Stop campaigning, stop hiding behind congress, stop trying to be our pal. Be a leader and put your cards on the table and intelligently and rationally with verifiable numbers make your presentation to the American people for this plan.

[shorebaby]

Originally Posted by fopt65

Sorry if I've come across as obnoxious on some posts, it s just very frustrating to read/hear constant manipulations of the proposed plan by members of the administration. One day...we're taxing health insurance, next day we're not. Why the lack of transparency? I thought transparency in government was what Obama was all about. Its disappointing to see him resort to politics as usual during such an important issue that will change many dynamics of society. Stop with the campaigning and tell us: Medicare/caid providers will be cut x dollars per visit; the following procedures will no longer be covered ; your premiums for the govt plan will be X dollars; and your tax increase will be x dollars. Healthcare businesses need this information to determine if they can continue to operate.

Another aspect of his plan that I'm furious at is no mention of any tort reform. Blaming doctors for all of the spending is wrong (particularly since those in HMO plans are actually monetarily penalized for ordering too many tests) when lawyers force you to practice defensive medicine. A good example is back pain with radiating leg pain. Everyone knows it sciatica with a disc compression, but you need to order an MRI to rule out a million to one chance of a spinal tumor so your not sued if it is cancer. Is that the doctor's fault that the MRI was ordered?

I just wish Obama would be more upfront about this plan. Stop campaigning, stop hiding behind congress, stop trying to be our pal. Be a leader and put your cards on the table and intelligently and rationally with verifiable numbers make your presentation to the American people for this plan.

I am with you. The administration was way off on their estimates on the recovery, unemployment is much higher than they budgeted for. Meaning the deficit will be larger than they estimated and maybe even greater than CBO estimates.

There is no reason to rush through healthcare. We are spending way too much money as it is. Rushing this thing will result in two things a terrible program and an expensive program. Even Charles Rangel even estimates the cost at $1 trillion so it will probably cost double.

This is such a monumental shift and effects every American I don't think it would be unreasonable to present it as a referendum to the American people.