Physician Speaks Out, Be Very Scared!

[Winter_123]

If the system that you and Winter admire so much with its pre-ex, its UW, and its long list of exclusions, coupled with the fraud of both parties... doc billing and carrier rescission, is so terrific and doing such a wonderful job, why are there so many people without coverage? (Oh silly me... they are ALL illegal, young, stupid, and irresponsible... at least in Maine and Maryland.)

I live in a state that has the health insurance features that you admire so much. No pre-x here. Guaranteed issue all the way.

So, shouldnt your question be: if the system you admire so much is so great why does my state have the second highest rates in the country and one of the highest rates of uninsured? You can get back to me later on that.

In addition (and I know this is a new thought for you lib Californians), even if a program is progressive and well-intended, if it is not ultimately affordable the system will collapse and fewer people-not more- will end out with benefits. California is a classic example. You libs want a system that will insure every illegal immigrant and their dog and everyone else. Just charge it to the state. As a result, though, there is no state in the Union that is more actively involved right as we speak in trying to cut benefits to the truly needy. A direct result of funding the marginally needy for too long. This is the future of the nation if we continue down this path. You think California is a worker's paradise so I dont expect you to want anything different for the country other than what you have there. Or perhaps I should say, what you don't have.

 

[Winter_123]

The problems is... how are you going to get the carriers to create plans like this and expect them to make a profit?

Can't be done. Only a single payor government plan can do this.

."

Wait, you are beginning to act as though health reform is an added cost to society. Obama has assured us right along that it is actually a savings or revenue neutral.

Actually, this issue is at the heart of Pelosi's directive to the dems to focus on attacking insurance companies now. Everyone knows, especially after the CBO report, that there is no way you can cover more people and at a lower cost per capital and not but the expense side of the equation right through the roof. Since the "health reform as a cost reduction strategy" thing is completely bogus and everyone knows it, the enemy must be the insurance carriers now. However, even Al says that there is no way this is not going to be costly to the carriers so only the government can do it (I guess because it is free if the government does it).

Barney is a single payer guy and so is Al. Birds of a feather flock together I guess.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

If you're for NO gov't intervention how would you like, for example, your power/gas bill to go up 28% a year every single year until one day you're paying $1,000/mo for electric and a 3rd of the country is living without power?

Actually, history has taught us that "government intervention" has always led to two things; higher costs and poorer quality.

"Change" at the fringes, and re-arrangement ain't gonna get it anymore. The warfare/welfare state the USA has become is unsustainable economically for much longer...real CHANGE will come...it's a question of whether we want to wait for more major financial crisies to happen...

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Well, don't know. The gov't broke up the phone monopoly. Remember when we paid 25 cents a minute for long distance? Didn't "Ma Bell" scream and cry about how costs would soar if the gov't broke them up? Lol. Sometimes the gov't needs to step in.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Well, don't know. The gov't broke up the phone monopoly. Remember when we paid 25 cents a minute for long distance? Didn't "Ma Bell" scream and cry about how costs would soar if the gov't broke them up? Lol. Sometimes the gov't needs to step in.

You've got it exactly backwards, and solidify my point very nicely. Thanks!

The deregulation of the airlines and telephone companies (and lower costs resulting from it) is classic "free-market" economics at it's best.

It wasn't more government involvement and regulation - it was less! To the extent that the government has to "intervene" to break up illegal monopolies and the like, that's what they're there for - and that's all.

That's a far cry from screwed-up, socialist health insurance regulations and laws.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Oh, I agree with your point. All I'm saying is gov't absolutely has to step in to keep businesses...well, semi-honest. What would they be paying without minimum wage laws? right around $1.20/hr.

However, the gov't plan competing with the private carriers is an insane concept and as far as I know, not found anywhere else.

Maybe the gov't can open up a grocery store, charge half the amount for food, take a few billion dollar per year loss, put all public grocery stores out of business then after 10 or so years jack everyone's taxes since it can no longer afford to run the stores.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

All I'm saying is gov't absolutely has to step in to keep businesses...well, semi-honest. What would they be paying without minimum wage laws? right around $1.20/hr.

The thing that keeps business the most "honest" is the free market, which works better than any government could ever hope to! History proves it.

The only thing "minimum wage laws" accomplish is to stifle employment and opportunity, and keep the oppressed masses oppressed and dependent upon government.

That way, politicians can keep promising them little favors which keep them oppressed - but keeps their vote. The sad fact is that most people would prefer being a slave to being free and having true liberty - as long as the government is throwing them a bone every once in a while...

If you can only sell your time for $1.20 an hour or whatever, so be it! There is no shortage of opportunity for people to improve their skill-set to make their hours worth more on the open market.

As an example, over the last forty years we have thrown literally billions of dollars at the black community. While there have been strides, on the whole, they're in the same sad shape they were, maybe worse!

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Minority Business Development Agency Interactive Web Portal :: Home


The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce is the only federal agency dedicated to advancing the establishment and growth of minority-owned firms in the United States.

(whites need not apply)

 

[Winter_123]

Do you care to elaborate on this? What program did my Federal tax dollars go to where the money could be received by blacks ONLY?

ACORN?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yeh. Just imagine if we had gone all the way and made Ma Bell the public option so that we had really good competition. There would be no waste because things would be really efficient by letting them not only compete but make the rules too. I bet the rates would be even lower now.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Do you care to elaborate on this? Billions to blacks? Whites were excluded? Only blacks could get the money? Billions? What are you talking about? What program did my Federal tax dollars go to where the money could be received by blacks ONLY?

I racked my brain trying to think of any "affirmative action" plans for old, white Jewish guys over the last forty years, but I couldn't think of any...