I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Off-Topic => Political Debates - Thick Skin Required for Entry => Topic started by: kickingandscreaming on April 04, 2017, 03:42:59 AM
-
They're at it again. Trying to force another version of trupm/ryan"Care" on the population. This one is just as awful as the other. and undermines coverage for pre-existing conditions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/upshot/freedom-caucus-health-care-pre-existing-conditions.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/house-gop-health-care-alive_us_58e30030e4b0f4a923b14b10?a2sj8jrudq0bpgb9&
-
It is a di-helical screw (goes in no matter which way you turn it) since those with the pre-existing conditions are, in general, going to be those least likely to be able to afford the higher premiums.
Remember the slogan "From each according to his ability; to each according to his needs".
-
What's laughable is these same people were rolling on the floor crying a temper tantrum fit over "death panels" when end-of-life care appointments were brought up as a covered benefit on the ACA. What in the honey-loving world do you call this??? How can one support this and still call themselves "pro-life"??? When will these honkey-tonk hypocrites stop their lying and just call themselves "pro-fetus", because once that baby takes its first breath, the poor thing is on its own in "Repubdiculous Republicon" world.
KarenInWA
-
The same basic problems face Comrade Trump the moderate conservative divide, please one side to get the votes loose votes on the moderate side. But even if they bridge the house gap it's doubtful the end product would be acceptable to the Senate. Only 3 moderate Senators of Republican ilk would need to oppose the bill to cause it to fail. Now is when popular pressure on Republicans can keep this bill from see the light of day.
-
Well the public despised the original AHCA that was pulled. Now they are working on the Zombie Trumpcare plan that would gut protections of pre existing conditions and essential health benefits. I'm sure that will go over real well. Some good news though is a very recent Kaiser Health poll shows that the public will hold Trump/GOP accountable for whatever happens to the ACA because they control all the power. Most want fixes made to the ACA. I imagine the plans they have floated have made the ACA even more popular. Letting the ACA explode like Trump has said may backfire on them. They are still clinging to that big fat tax cut for the rich gained by pushing tens of millions out of heathcare with medicaid cuts and lousier more expensive policies. They are still having problems in the house bridging the divide between moderates and the Freedom Caucus. God willing they will fail again. Its funny how none of them want to claim leadership for this crappy bill.
http://kff.org/health-reform/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-april-2017-the-fall-of-the-ahca-and-next-steps-for-the-aca/
-
The fundamental problem with Obamacare is that it attempts to keep prices down by overcharging a subset of the population (those healthy individuals not on employer plans) to balance out the difference. The problem is that those people are the ones most likely to be on employer plans and not part of a population group with a lot of high $$ patients.
They should have just spread the redistribution charge across the entire population, rather than sticking it to a small percentage of the population.
Remember, no law mandates that insurers participate in the exchanges, and we are going to see more states either price people out of the exchange market or lose all exchange providers.
The "broken" nature of Obamacare will only become apparent when someone is told "No subsidized policy for you, market rate only" because the exchange in that person's state is empty.
You know the govt is lying to you when it comes up with a fancy title .
Bank secrecy act: an act requiring the banks to disclose info to the feds
Nixon monetizing the dollar: revoking the redeemable in metal nature of gold and silver certificates
Affordable care act: Affordable? Really?
Patriot act: Yeah, patriotic stuff like secret courts and secret dockets for existing federal courts
-
The one thing that makes sense is to keep Obamacare but make Medicare one of the choices . And if the insurance companies want to play have them sell advantage, hmo, or medigap policies.
-
The one thing that makes sense is to keep Obamacare but make Medicare one of the choices . And if the insurance companies want to play have them sell advantage, hmo, or medigap policies.
The medical system could collapse if a larger portion of the public than now starts paying Medicare rates.
My $450 wrist xray (that would probably be private insurance paid at $200 or so) was about $55 Medicare paid. Hospitals are not going to tolerate a double digit percent increase in the number of patients treated at that fee schedule.
-
The hospital is STILL making money at $55. That is the part that has to be drawn down. FAKE Prices.
-
What's laughable is these same people were rolling on the floor crying a temper tantrum fit over "death panels" when end-of-life care appointments were brought up as a covered benefit on the ACA. What in the honey-loving world do you call this??? How can one support this and still call themselves "pro-life"??? When will these honkey-tonk hypocrites stop their lying and just call themselves "pro-fetus", because once that baby takes its first breath, the poor thing is on its own in "Repubdiculous Republicon" world.
KarenInWA
This is a cold hateful post. I thought you ALL were inclusive and diverse and tolerant.... BS! :grouphug; WOW nice!
-
The hospital is STILL making money at $55. That is the part that has to be drawn down. FAKE Prices.
Only on an incremental cost basis, not on a fully burdened cost basis.
Do you think the clinics we use could survive if every patient paid the Medicare rate?
I know when I travel, Medicare pays the MD less than $8.00 to prescribe my treatment - and that's before taxes and overhead are taken out. Probably nets the MD enough for a coffee and Dunkins and maybe a muffin.
-
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle. For example, when I go for my monthly labs, Quest Diagnostics bills my insurance $374. They get paid $38. If everyone only paid $38, I doubt the clinic could stay open. But is the right answer $374? Doubtful.
The hospital is STILL making money at $55. That is the part that has to be drawn down. FAKE Prices.
Only on an incremental cost basis, not on a fully burdened cost basis.
Do you think the clinics we use could survive if every patient paid the Medicare rate?
I know when I travel, Medicare pays the MD less than $8.00 to prescribe my treatment - and that's before taxes and overhead are taken out. Probably nets the MD enough for a coffee and Dunkins and maybe a muffin.
-
Well they just left town for two weeks. Back to the districts. Let the town hall roasts begin.
-
I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
QFTMFT
-
For the first time in my life, I signed up to attend our Congrescritter's town hall. It's specifically on Health Care but he is a bright shiny blue Democrat so I am not sure what really he is going to say other than he's going to vote no on anything the GOP proposes. I'm mostly going just to see what it's like to attend a town hall.
Well they just left town for two weeks. Back to the districts. Let the town hall roasts begin.
-
For the first time in my life, I signed up to attend our Congrescritter's town hall. It's specifically on Health Care but he is a bright shiny blue Democrat so I am not sure what really he is going to say other than he's going to vote no on anything the GOP proposes. I'm mostly going just to see what it's like to attend a town hall.
Good, this whole healthcare debate will last for years into the future. Its good for friendly people to hear views on the issues because if they stay in power they will have ample opportunity to help improve things for their constituents.
-
I signed up to attend our Congrescritter's town hall.
Do you get to ask real questions, or are questions screened, approved and scheduled advance?
Remember Hillary was told about a town hall question in advance, right down to the rash on the face of the person who would be asking. This could not have happened if they were impromptu unstaged questions.
I am reminded of when Lisa Simpson was instructed to say "Mr Burns, you campaign has the momentum of a runaway freight train. Why are you so popular?"
-
So far, all I have read is that the town hall is free and open to the public. You could register online if you wanted (which I did) but I have not seen anything yet that says that questions are only supposed to be approved in advance. I'm just curious to see if anyone who opposes ACA shows up and what our Rep. has to say to him/her.
I signed up to attend our Congrescritter's town hall.
Do you get to ask real questions, or are questions screened, approved and scheduled advance?
-
Here in New Jersey in a place called Morristown there is a Republican Congressman named Frelinghausen ( Not sure of the spelling but I think I am in the Ballpark) Since the ACA raised its head citizens have been packing his local office demanding that he met with them they even paid for a bus to go to Washington to see him at his office. They. Saw him as he ran out. This group is getting larger and larger. And none of these people are being paid to do this. Basically is the absolute reverse of the tea party with a more moderate bent. If
-
The one thing that makes sense is to keep Obamacare but make Medicare one of the choices . And if the insurance companies want to play have them sell advantage, hmo, or medigap policies.
The medical system could collapse if a larger portion of the public than now starts paying Medicare rates.
This is why Medicare for all is not a simple solution, just look at dialysis. The most recent numbers are available in DaVita's 10-K filing: Davita's average dialysis and related lab services revenue per treatment was approximately $352 in 2016
So if the goal is for everyone to pay the same rate and not change anything else about the provision of dialysis then everyone would have to pay about $350 per treatment all in. So if everyone paid Medicare rates, medicare's allowed rate would need to go up by 30% - from ~$270 to ~$350. Medicare's budget would blow a hole in the US budget year after year
There is another way to look at this from these numbers - divide total operating expenses and charges by number of treatments and their cost per treatment was ~$271 which as they say they break even on Medicare's allowed payment rate. There would be savings from many fewer insurance billers and such but if everyone paid what it cost you'd be massively shrinking one sixth of the US economy and disrupting today's medical care for some more efficient tomorrow.
Some added fun with math on a Friday night using Davita's filings, they say about 12% of their patients have commercial insurance and that nearly all of their profit comes from them ... so then 13,259,505 treatments were provided to commercial pay patients, divide that into total profit ... each commercial pay treatment generated ~$545 in profit add that to average treatment cost ... on average commercial payers PAID ~$816 per treatment.
-
Quiet here after yesterday's vote. Seems like the death panel met and picked who will live and die...
I like this idea Want to take immediate revenge on House Republicans who voted to destroy health care? Here's how (https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/5/4/1658882/-Want-to-take-immediate-revenge-on-House-Republicans-who-voted-to-destroy-health-care-Here-s-how). I contributed $20 to each of the funds to unseat the at-risk republicans who supported the choice proposed by the death panel. Also tweeted each one of them individually with message "I sent $20 to any dem to unseat you b/c of healthcare vote. I'm employed w/chronic conditions, I paid $xxk federal tax '16."
-
I wanted to mention town halls. I went to a question and answer event held by the League of Women voters and attended by our Republican representative. He had received a LOT of flak about not having organized a town hall, so he reached out to the LWV and together worked out this event. I applaud him for that. While it wasn't technically a town hall, it was good enough for me. It was PACKED with people!
Volunteers from the LWV doled out cards for anyone to write their question(s). In the end, over 400 questions were submitted. The League had a panel that sorted through all of the questions to make sure there were no redundancies because many people had some of the same concerns. I don't define this as "screening", rather, I'd say they were attempting to hone the queries to a manageable level.
NONE of the questions were of the soft ball variety.
Many of the questions focused on health care. Our representative made the solemn vow before us all that he would protect people with pre-existing conditions.
He posted on FB yesterday on why he voted for the new bill and posted a scripted Q&A. As we all know, the devil is in the details. I have a particular concern about the MacArthur Amendment which would allow states to opt out of funding the provision of certain "essential benefits" as long as they presented their own plan on how they would cover this particular population with pre-existing conditions or any other population covered under these core benefits (like a husband and wife who are expecting a child). These states could then be granted a "waiver".
My question is who would determine what kind of entity would be formed to grant these waivers? Who would decide who would be in this entity? What criteria would be used to decide whether or not a waiver would be granted? Who gets to decide these things? Anyone know?
-
Iolaire and all friends on your side of the pond, I'm so sorry. I couldn't believe that news. I'm just gobsmacked.
Love, Cas
:Kit n Stik;
-
Well, the Senate still has to pass it, but they will make some pretty significant changes after taking a harder look at it. Once that is done, they will send it back to the House, and I'm not sure the House will pass it with the Senate's changes. So, things are still very much in the air. It's really scary.
-
on average commercial payers PAID ~$816 per treatment.
DaVita in Kent, WA billed, and collected $5050 for each of two transient treatments while I was on commercial insurance.
-
Well, the Senate still has to pass it, but they will make some pretty significant changes after taking a harder look at it. Once that is done, they will send it back to the House, and I'm not sure the House will pass it with the Senate's changes. So, things are still very much in the air. It's really scary.
TtL there is still a chance of some developed world status? Why do they pretend on the BBC as if it's a 'done deal'? I suppose it's a form of fake news.
:sarcasm; But I'm pleased to hear it. So he's had his little 'win', but it's not over till the fat lady sings. Phew
-
Cas, maybe the BBC is just sick and tired about the people here who are whining about our health care, even tho it is not going to be a done deal ( I dont think ) any time soon. Some of the people on here ready to have a stroke, no matter what happens. Now, I think that is scary!!!
-
Well, Trump had all of the House members who voted for this monstrosity bussed over to the White House for a celebratory beer party in the Rose Garden, so I can see why it would look to "outsiders" like it was a done deal.
Jean, I hope we all don't have a stroke because we probably won't be left with affordable health care if it's left all up to that ferret faced Paul Ryan. And we all of us have a pre-existing condition, so... Do you have anything constructive to add to this discussion? Do you have any particular further knowledge about the House bill that you can share with us? What would you like to see the Senate add/delete/change in the House bill, if anything?
-
If you consider Consumer Report to be a credible source, this is an interesting article on the affect Obamacare had on the rate of personal bankruptcies due to the inability to pay medical bills.
http://www.consumerreports.org/personal-bankruptcy/how-the-aca-drove-down-personal-bankruptcy/
-
OMIGOSH!!! I was not aware that every post had to be constructive. Now that I know that rule I will be ever so careful to follow it. I have not read the bill, has any one here read it?? Personally I think it would be very constructive for all of us to read the bill, even tho, at this point all we can do is worry. Worry gets you nowhere, and the stress could possibly give you a stroke!!! No one on this post or any other post has any control over this bill, so all you are doing is worrying. Definitely NOT constructive. Calling your POTUS nasty names will not do anything for any one. But if it makes you feel good, then I suggest a new post, so you can all vent. Talk to you soon MM, I just know you are sitting and waiting for my response.
-
The ironic thing is that ESRD patients who have made it to Medicare have less to worry about that persons with other equally severe pre-existing conditions who have to buy insurance through the non-employer marketplace. Medicare patients already have access to a wide variety of supplemental policies, and the procedures for Medicare+supplements is not under attack. If I had to buy private insurance and the seller would know a priori that it would pay more in claims than my premium, I would be worried, as I would be at the mercy of the government to assist me in that theft to stay alive.
-
The ironic thing is that ESRD patients who have made it to Medicare have less to worry about that persons with other equally severe pre-existing conditions who have to buy insurance through the non-employer marketplace. Medicare patients already have access to a wide variety of supplemental policies, and the procedures for Medicare+supplements is not under attack.
First of all, we don't know how the current administration is going to "reform" Medicare.
Secondly, how about people who are pre-dialysis or who have conditions that will eventually lead them to dialysis? If they get the care they need, they might not ever have to be a dialysis patient.
Lastly, what about transplant patients who are no longer eligible for Medicare? They have one hell of a pre-existing condition. Some of those people are your fellow IHDers.
-
OMIGOSH!!! I was not aware that every post had to be constructive. Now that I know that rule I will be ever so careful to follow it. I have not read the bill, has any one here read it?? Personally I think it would be very constructive for all of us to read the bill, even tho, at this point all we can do is worry. Worry gets you nowhere, and the stress could possibly give you a stroke!!! No one on this post or any other post has any control over this bill, so all you are doing is worrying. Definitely NOT constructive. Calling your POTUS nasty names will not do anything for any one. But if it makes you feel good, then I suggest a new post, so you can all vent. Talk to you soon MM, I just know you are sitting and waiting for my response.
Yep, I was indeed awaiting your response, and you didn't disappoint.
Have you read anything about the bill? Oh, sorry. You don't take questions, do you. FYI, I've read as much of the bill as I can get access to, and I bet I'm not the only one to do so.
You are right, though; doing nothing but sitting around worrying is not constructive. But you know what IS? Calling your representative and making your views known. Attending events where you get to ask your representative questions. And guess what, Jean? That's what I've done, and that is what I will continue to do. We as Americans DO have control in the form of holding our representatives accountable and reminding them of their promises. Remember, the entire House is up for reelection next year, so the pressure is on (or did you not know that?).
-
I am so sad that the republicans want to toss all the people with pre-existing conditions out into a separate pool for health care insurance ! What happened to everyone being treated eaqually ? Pre-existing medical conditions are being singled out as less valuable citizens ! They should remember that everyone is just one medical diagnosis from being on the " pre-existing condition " list !
-
Yes indeedy, I said, and let me quote myself ( I have not read this bill ). I am glad you and others have. If others have, rather than listening to News stations who invariably do not report correctly. Cant even blame Bill O'Reilly any more. For those who have the time and the energy, I am grateful for them calling and sending letters to their reps, which indeed, I do. Attend rallys? No, cant do that, not physically capable and with the thugs being hired to break up rallys, I will not put my poor beat up body in that path. So, I do what I can, when I can. And I am sorry but you may think you have comtrol. Not really, but if it makes you feel better I am all for it. And Oh gosh, Oh golly, I did not know the entire house was up for re-election. HAHAHA, I am joking, of course I knew that. Have a nice day.
-
The list of preexisting conditions is out and yes dialysis is on it. So either no insurance or 5 tims the premium are a possibility for all of us under this Republican bill. We have finally seen the death panels the right has been hysterical about for the last 10 years. It's the Republican members of Congress who have chosen death for people with preexisting conditions. For the record he is not my POTUS, he is Putins choice for POTUS. As to respecting the office I believe he deserves as much respect as Obama was and is shown by the right. So as long as he is in office his title is Presidunce.
-
Not just dialysis.
It's also renal failure, kidney disease in general, transplant, diabetes, depression (which is flabbergastingly common for kidney patients, I wonder why...), paraplegia. That hits every one of us here at least once, and some of us can pretty much fill up a bingo card.
This whole thing has been so triggering. I've really been in a good mental health space since I started D and have been hopeful because of the available support in getting through this. Watching my local congressman gleefully tear down a system designed to help the most vulnerable Americans is incredibly disheartening. It wasn't perfect, but it was much better and fair than what they are proposing.
-
Yes indeedy, I said, and let me quote myself ( I have not read this bill ). I am glad you and others have. If others have, rather than listening to News stations who invariably do not report correctly. Cant even blame Bill O'Reilly any more. For those who have the time and the energy, I am grateful for them calling and sending letters to their reps, which indeed, I do. Attend rallys? No, cant do that, not physically capable and with the thugs being hired to break up rallys, I will not put my poor beat up body in that path. So, I do what I can, when I can. And I am sorry but you may think you have comtrol. Not really, but if it makes you feel better I am all for it. And Oh gosh, Oh golly, I did not know the entire house was up for re-election. HAHAHA, I am joking, of course I knew that. Have a nice day.
I am very glad that you do what you can, when you can, because your health and your life are important. I don't know what the final bill will look like, but I hope it will have all the provisions that you, Jean, might need to have a good quality of life and that will also leave you free from worry.
I don't have "control", but my vote counts just as much as Bill Gates' or Donald Trump's. The collective votes of people who may be hurt by whatever the final result of this bill count, too.
Take care of yourself, and I do hope you have a good day. The weather is beautiful here today, and if it is nice where you are, I hope some spring sunshine will be uplifting to you. Do you have a nice park or garden nearby that you can enjoy?
-
If the Presidunce and his congressional minions pass the current house bill it will make dialysis too expensive for me. I just started planning for the head stone I will need if the grinches kill health care. Something like died too soon planted by Republicans.
-
I don't have "control", but my vote counts just as much as Bill Gates' or Donald Trump's. The collective votes of people who may be hurt by whatever the final result of this bill count, too.
The best part of me wants to believe this is true, but unfortunately the power belongs to the people who are paying for it. Our lovely elected officials, especially on the federal level, are obliged to raise wheelbarrows full of money every year. Hundreds of thousands. Their position depends on how much money they can raise. Half of what they do every day is fundraising in congressional call centers. And when they fundraise, they make promises. And they act on those promises to secure future funding from donors. And once in office, they also have the added edge of incumbency. It's very hard to unseat an incumbent.
So we elect the officials, but once they are in, they are beholden to the $$$ donors, not to us.
-
Hopefully the senate will add an amendment that gives each Trumpcare policy holder a $25 coupon on your choice of cremation services or maybe a casket. Seriously though, it would be hard to write a bill any worse than what the house passed. Here is an article to remind us of what Trump promised on healthcare compared to what the house bill delivers. Trump is a liar! Lets hope the senate moves it so far towards the center that the bill is stalled and unpassable by the right.
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/332164-how-the-house-healthcare-bill-measures-up-to-trumps-promises
-
My epithet will read: Died while on-hold with the insurance company.
-
Prime time, better then mine.
-
The AHCA isn't a healthcare bill in any traditional sense, republicans aren't arguing that health care outcomes will improve. The entire point is for the people covered to make the pool of money available to support healthcare smaller. The House legislation removes over 600 billion (http://www.crfb.org/blogs/jct-aca-repeal-will-cut-taxes-least-600-billion) in tax support over 10 years and it imagines less money coming into the pool from premiums - due to state waivers that would allow insurance policies that will cover less and thus have lower premiums.
It is hard to know how many states will allow partial insurance policies and so we don't know exactly how much less money will be in the pool but something on the order of 100 billion a year. But that's the house bill. To what degree the Senate will go along with with removing this much money from the pool? We don't know, but I haven't heard Senators complaining about the tax implications of the bill.
The clear republican policy preference is that there should be at least 60 billion dollars less per year available to pay for healthcare. Given that policy, the people currently receiving that medical care will not receive that care (short of coming up with the money themselves or receiving charity care).
Thus, it isn't just the house bill, the republican approach requires that 10s of millions of people receive less medical care (while thousands of people pay less in taxes). Whatever the details and side deals that $60+ billion a year paid for something, removing the funding does not change the need. Those funding cuts will lead to avoidable pain, suffering and death.
-
The 600 billion is easy to explain the republicans want a major tax cut and need to fund it so it's revenue neutral or the democrats can block it in the senate. When dealing with republicans just follow the money. They don't care about people wo die as long as they have lower taxes.
-
and it imagines less money coming into the pool from premiums - due to state waivers that would allow insurance policies that will cover less and thus have lower premiums.
Yes. This is the heart of the matter. Listen very carefully as GOP congressmen extol the virtues of this new bill's lowering of premiums. That insurance policies will cover less is the part they aren't talking about.
-
https://www.kidney.org/news/national-kidney-foundation-statement-macarthur-amendment-to-american-health-care-act
-
^ I love that, MooseMom. Thank you for posting it.
One of my senators is on the committee writing the new AHCA legislation. I'll be sending this link to him.
-
Lower costs without a single mention of MDs, hospitals, or pharma companies getting paid less. It doesn't work that way.
-
Lower costs without a single mention of MDs, hospitals, or pharma companies getting paid less. It doesn't work that way.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. We have a local community hospital that has now been gobbled up by Northwestern University Healthcare's octopus of a system. I used to volunteer there about 7 years ago, and I scarcely recognize it, anymore. I had to go there to get a blood draw, and the refurbished entry is now an "atrium", and there's also now a pianist. Oh, and there's valet parking. I couldn't help but wonder how much of the money to furnish us with a pianist could go to someone else's mammogram. Where does all of that money come from?
-
Where does all of that money come from?
It is an attempt to attract the well insured top dollar patient who can choose hospitals.
One of the big Boston hospitals put up a new building, and then reallocated services. All the discretionary services (as in "choose what hospital will do your bypass" and "choose your kidney installer") were moved to the new building with all private rooms. All the services that attract the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" services like burn and trauma were moved to the older section with double rooms.
There are lots of expensive treatments that people do not get unless they can pay (think bypass, cancer treatment - anything non-acute). The atriums are reserved for attracting these people.
-
Where does all of that money come from?
It is an attempt to attract the well insured top dollar patient who can choose hospitals.
One of the big Boston hospitals put up a new building, and then reallocated services. All the discretionary services (as in "choose what hospital will do your bypass" and "choose your kidney installer") were moved to the new building with all private rooms. All the services that attract the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" services like burn and trauma were moved to the older section with double rooms.
There are lots of expensive treatments that people do not get unless they can pay (think bypass, cancer treatment - anything non-acute). The atriums are reserved for attracting these people.
Thanks for answering MM's question because I was wondering the same thing. This practice seems to be commonplace these days. Might also explain why someone I knew was told by the fancy new place to go across the street to the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" place.
-
I don't know if I'm a Republican anymore. I am Conservative but don't know about being a Repub anymore. Any time Paul Ryan, McShame and McConnell get excited makes me nervous. Congress in general gives me a sick feeling. I feel we are about to be given a crap sandwich and all we wanted was some reform....want insurance companies to compete across state lines and for them to keep their paws off our Medicare/Medicaid. Poor sickly people need coverage, rich fat cats don't need more riches in their pockets, doctors deserve to be paid well, pharma is out of control as are the insurance companies telling us "what's-what" and bossing us around like we have no choice...and we don't! I am literally sick over it. If we don't die from disease and illness we will die from stress and anxiety of fighting the big medical beast of beasts. And I am absolutely sick of doing it. Work your whole life since you were kid only to end up being told "NO" you can't have this and you can't have that...but if I had sat on my rear end and cried out for someone to help me, I may just be sitting pretty with all the help afforded to me. But no...work you tail off and pay your insurance premiums and deductables and copayments so you can be owned and bossed around by the insurance companies and Big Govt. And Trump? Does he seriously understand this stuff? I've seen signs that he does but I've seen signs that perhaps he doesn't really get it. Is he a One Worlder? I doubt it but sometimes....well...All I know is that our healthcare situation is a mess, no one seems happy with it and it causes more letdowns that it causes anything healthy. I'm beginning to think it is one giant corrupt cesspool. Egads!
-
Exactly. I veer pretty far left. And like you, I wanted reform -- I wanted all of us to have good services, healthcare, and infrastructure without waste, fraud, and abuse. And this is what I've been afraid of -- that politicians would use the cover of fraud, waste, and abuse not for reform, but to make radical changes that help big insurance companies and kill everyday Americans.
I think a hard right on reforms might actually work if healthcare costs in our country weren't through the roof -- lots of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, and even if you are fortunate to find good work and manage to save for retirement, something like kidney failure will wipe you out in a matter of months. That's why conservative ideas like HSAs don't work -- they will absolutely work for something like appendicitis or a broken leg, but get a bout of cancer or kidney disease and there's no way a whole lifetime of saving can help you. I wiped out my HSA on just deductibles alone.
This kind of heartless deregulation combined with outrageous healthcare costs is going to make people bankrupt and cost actual lives.
-
I knew was told by the fancy new place to go across the street to the "can't pay but we have to treat you anyhow" place.
This is called "patient dumping" and is frowned upon. Some hospitals choose not to offer certain services which makes it possible to dump patients needing those treatments.