Health Care: Why this Election Matters

[sukie]

Health Care: Why this Election Matters

Well, I just got my medical/dental insurance renewal notice in the mail. And like most Americans I see my premiums are going up. But I have a choice: either I can pay a 50% higher deductible, more out-of-pocket expenses, and pay a small premium increase, or I can bite the bullet and take a whopping 13% premium hike.

According to a recent health care survey, premiums across the country rose by more than twice the rate of inflation, hitting working families the most, especially workers who have seen their employers cut their benefits or who just don't get any benefits.

I suppose my other choice is to not seek treatment for what ails me at all. My insurance company was even kind of enough to send me a brochure on how to avoid going to the doctor, eating more vitamins, and doing breathing exercises to reduce stress. Thanks guys!

And because I am new to the plan, the few medical expenses I incurred over the past year were either only partially covered or not covered at all due to an extensive waiting period.

You can pay thousands of dollars for health insurance, but when you actually need it the company really sticks it to you by raising your premiums. That's the "free" market for you.

Thanks to the free market – for most of us it costs and arm and a leg -– there is no end in sight for skyrocketing insurance premiums. Thanks to George W. Bush and the do-nothing Republicans, there is no plan on the legislative agenda to aid working families with their health care needs.

But with Democrats in control of Congress after the November 7 election, a plan like Rep. John Conyers' Medicare-for-all bill (H.R. 676) would be up for serious consideration. With this bill, at a minimal cost to individuals and employers, all medical needs would be covered. Medicare could use its bargaining power to keep prescription drug prices under control, and the size of the insurance pool would help control rising medical costs. According to some estimates, for less than half of the cost of an unnecessary war in Iraq, every person in the country could receive low-cost, quality health care coverage. Learn more at www.healthcare-now.org.


for more lies and scare tactics...
http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/4186/1/32/

[JLB]

Yikes hide your wallets people.

[sukie]

Crap and I had a banner year. Oh well.... Maybe the Dems controlling everything will knock me down to lower middle class and I can get the freebies.

[JLB]

Free thats right join the growing army of what do I have coming at his expense.
He can afford it why should I bust my ass and earn it.

[nehemiah]

if you want to live past 15, you should go to a better school.

poor people deserve to die, anyways.

****ing scum of the earth.

[JLB]

Everybody likes free but is it free really NFC.

[Mouldsie]

nys might give me health insurance (i have a meeting tuesday), otherwise im f'd. havent been to the doctor in 2 years

[JLB]

if you want to live past 15, you should go to a better school.

poor people deserve to die, anyways.

****ing scum of the earth.

We all love the poor people don't we.
We just don't want to join them.

[nehemiah]

nys might give me health insurance (i have a meeting tuesday), otherwise im f'd. havent been to the doctor in 2 yearsno whinging.

you should have gone to a better school, my man.

tough noogies for you!

[JLB]

nys might give me health insurance (i have a meeting tuesday), otherwise im f'd. havent been to the doctor in 2 years

I for one hope you get what you need.
Good luck Evansrocks!!!!!

[Mouldsie]

....oh yea and I definately deserve getting sick or not being able to get surgery i need done for being a poor college kid, im glad you realize it too nehe. I take responsibility for my douchebag ''father's'' actions. If only I was a better son...

[K-Gun]

nys might give me health insurance (i have a meeting tuesday), otherwise im f'd. havent been to the doctor in 2 years

You are required by law to have Health Insurence. It costs like $1,500 through UB.

[Mouldsie]

no whinging.

you should have gone to a better school, my man.

tough noogies for you!

no

i shouldnt have gone to school

thats why im in this mess.... i decided to spend money on higher education, and now i pay the consequences.

[nehemiah]

....oh yea and I definately deserve getting sick or not being able to get surgery i need done for being a poor college kid, im glad you realize it too nehe. I take responsibility for my douchebag ''father's'' actions. If only I was a better son...:D





you know i'm kidding, right? :poke:

[emo]

You are required by law to have Health Insurence. It costs like $1,500 through UB.

I was thinking the same thing...I'm forced to have health insurance through UB anmd I've been realyl sick a few times over teh last year and I went there and am thrilled I did. They do a really good job there

[Mouldsie]

You are required by law to have Health Insurence. It costs like $1,500 through UB.

yea they sent me a letter saying i needed to get it by october otherwise i guess i become a criminal. they said i need to apply to family health plus and sent me a big ass packet to fill out so thats how i got the meeting.

I'll look into UB if they dont approve me, is it any good? idk if i like the idea of bing forced to pay 1500 by law for something when my funds are already stretched pretty far. puh

[sukie]

no whinging.

you should have gone to a better school, my man.

tough noogies for you!

Should have finished school... that's more like it.

[K-Gun]

yea they sent me a letter saying i needed to get it by october otherwise i guess i become a criminal.

Do you qualify for Family Health Plus, income wise?

[Mouldsie]

:D





you know i'm kidding, right? :poke:

well, i dont have a frontal lobe....

[Mouldsie]

Do you qualify for Family Health Plus, income wise?

yea i think so (i got the forms and thats why i have a interview).
thats what i was on as a kid.... Child Health Plus... so i would think so

being in a blue state's not so bad, i wouldnt have ever had my wisdom teeth removed or found out that i had a stress fracture in my leg or just had any checkups if not for that program. i couldnt imagine how terrible it would be if a child got seriously sick and they couldnt be treated.

[JLB]

yea i think so (i got the forms and thats why i have a interview).
thats what i was on as a kid.... Child Health Plus... so i would think so

being in a blue state's not so bad, i wouldnt have ever had my wisdom teeth removed or found out that i had a stress fracture in my leg or just had any checkups if not for that program. i couldnt imagine how terrible it would be if a child got seriously sick and they couldnt be treated.

Its a great program good luck!!!

[Mouldsie]

I was thinking the same thing...I'm forced to have health insurance through UB anmd I've been realyl sick a few times over teh last year and I went there and am thrilled I did. They do a really good job there

do you actually go to the medical school rather than a doctor? i know the dental students at ECC treated me when i was a youngin because they do it for real cheap.

last time i was at a doctors they said i might need my tonsils removed, then my insurance expired... im just worried that i wont be able to get that done if needed.

[Mouldsie]

Its a great program good luck!!!

thanks, i know im being real sarcastic and whatnot but i have experienced the positive side of these things and i dont necessarily know if the US has the best health system in the world.

[sukie]

So you are never planning on working? Either you will get coverage as a bennie or you will be able to afford it then.

[Mouldsie]

I figure, **** it.

http://www.handfulofsand.com/images/blog/lebowski.jpg




wth is a bennie? lol

[sukie]

benefit

[Mouldsie]

My main point is that I think that saying that everyone's on their own in terms of health care is just not right. It goes against the government's main responsibility which is to protect it's citizens (i follow the "we give up some freedom for our protection" and "we give the gov't power" things). That is one area where big government does good IMO.

but it's also dumb to make sukie pay out the nose for insurance when mouldsie gets cheap coverage

it should be free for both of us i think.
havent really thought about this much until now. im gonna go run on it.

[sukie]

Bullshit. Why wasn't the government paying the doctors in the late 1700's then? You feel you should be governmentally protected from a tonsilar infection? Broken leg? Hernia?

[K-Gun]

Bullshit. Why wasn't the government paying the doctors in the late 1700's then? You feel you should be governmentally protected from a tonsilar infection? Broken leg? Hernia?

If prisoners in Attica have a right to health care, then so does everyone else. Btw, bad idea looking to how medicare worked in the 1700's for guidence. How'd voting work back then?

[sukie]

1800's then. The general public are not prisoners... silly comparison.

[Mouldsie]

1800's is even worse

[Mouldsie]

what's your argument sukie? what do you base your position on? im young and impressionable, mold me into a good voter.

[sukie]

1800's is even worse

You are talking voting. If it was a governmental duty it would have been done. Nope it wasn't and isn't a governmental responsibility.

[sukie]

what's your argument sukie? what do you base your position on? im young and impressionable, mold me into a good voter.

I started the thread because the "crisis" (of mythological proportions) is starting to creep up into the mainstream... another 1.5 years it will be front page... Then after the elections it will (poof) disappear.

[chickie]

You are talking voting. If it was a governmental duty it would have been done. Nope it wasn't and isn't a governmental responsibility.

What it is not the Goverments duty??? I really do have to be responsible and cover me and my kids....man this blows! hehehehe

[shiva2999]

Tee hee hee.

Silly Americans.

[35Pete]

if you want to live past 15, you should go to a better school.

poor people deserve to die, anyways.

****ing scum of the earth.

Life is a bitch, isn't it? I didn't have health insurance from age 5-19 and ages 25-32.

Deal with it.

[dasaybz]

Once again, the hard working Americans are ****ed. These doctors get paid, and we're the ones paying them. Not these fat lazy can't get off their asses welfare ****s that are handed everything.

[JLB]

Tee hee hee.

Silly Americans.

Your on fire today!!!

Go get yourself hosed down.:arizona: :arizona:

You might overheat and then what can we do?

[Mouldsie]

Life is a bitch, isn't it? I didn't have health insurance from age 5-19 and ages 25-32.

Deal with it.

i got ****ed so **** you too!

[Mouldsie]

Life is a bitch, isn't it? I didn't have health insurance from age 5-19 and ages 25-32.

Deal with it.

what if your health/life was in jeopardy?

i wouldnt want little peter to get sick or injured and not have help, then he wouldnt grow up and contribute to society as big pete did.

[sukie]

Once again, the hard working Americans are ****ed. These doctors get paid, and we're the ones paying them. Not these fat lazy can't get off their asses welfare ****s that are handed everything.

More colorful than I would have put it but nice post.

[Mouldsie]

hey not all lazy ****s are fat. thats racist

[Mouldsie]

so we're kind of in agreement only i think all people should get care and sukie thinks none should.

but this treading the middle line that we currently do is dumb.

[dasaybz]

More colorful than I would have put it but nice post.

Thanks. I added a little bit of color to it for effect.

[TRIPLE P]

IDk why ANYONE should have access to so-called "healthcare" ****ing witchdoctors and voodoo...thats all that is.

[sukie]

Good pain meds however.

[nehemiah]

people on "welfare" get what?

cadillacs, from what i hear.

:rofl:

[sukie]

No gas for the Caddy... The Caddy is from the crack dealing... duh!

[35Pete]

what if your health/life was in jeopardy?

i wouldnt want little peter to get sick or injured and not have help, then he wouldnt grow up and contribute to society as big pete did.

So let me get this straight. I am supposed to support you and pay for your healthcare? Because otherwise you will toss sob stories at me?

Sorry. Take an aspirin.

No matter how you try to slice it, it is not the "government" that you want paying for your freebees. It is me, the taxpayer.

Request denied.

[Mouldsie]

i feel like im talking to a middle schooler sometimes not a magna cu.m laude sudent

[35Pete]

i feel like im talking to a middle schooler sometimes not a magna cu.m laude sudent

Isn't that ironic considering the players here?

[nehemiah]

magna *** laude

:rofl:

*** is asterisked out - nehemiah finds that endlessly funny.

[K-Gun]

"HEALTH CARE COVERAGE SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL" - Bob Dole

I guess some Repugnicans disagree with y'all Floridians. Hmm, maybe your iron clad interpretation of the Constitution isn't exactly "scientific."

[35Pete]

"HEALTH CARE COVERAGE SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL" - Bob Dole

I guess some Repugnicans disagree with y'all Floridians. Hmm, maybe your iron clad interpretation of the Constitution isn't exactly "scientific."

Bob Dole is a ..errr... was a crappy pol.

[K-Gun]

Bob Dole is a ..errr... was a crappy pol.

Dole doesn't sound polish to me.

[35Pete]

Well. As the bill payer I have weighed this carefully and have denied the request.

Pretty simple, don't you think?

[nehemiah]

sukie is bob dole?

:dunno:

kinda makes sense.

[deconstruction]

We all love the poor people don't we.
We just don't want to join them.

Yeah, lets see, so people make upwards of 50,000 and don't have decent health insurance.

Wake up JB, its not just the "poor" people anymore.

[deconstruction]

Once again, the hard working Americans are ****ed. These doctors get paid, and we're the ones paying them. Not these fat lazy can't get off their asses welfare ****s that are handed everything.

Yeah, how about you guys spend a night at ECMC in the emergency room. Then you tell me about how good public health is.

Allright, everybody follow me: Booo hoo, I have to give up $250 dollars a year so that I can have affordable health care. Sob! Poor me! I can't believe that anybody wants to limit free marked dynamics! Wait, I know, lets off all the poor people. Can't do that, well, lets let them bleed to death. Forget the fact that growing health premiums have nothing to do with poor people! **** the facts!!! Get rid of those benefit suckers, that will be really cool. Then I can buy a new liner for my pickup, and a new gun rack! Hot damn!

[shiva2999]

I've got health care up the ying yang and I pay nothing for it.

Thank you Canada.

[г]

If prisoners in Attica have a right to health care, then so does everyone else. Btw, bad idea looking to how medicare worked in the 1700's for guidence. How'd voting work back then?

LOL Leeches were expensive

[gilchristfan]

"HEALTH CARE COVERAGE SHOULD BE UNIVERSAL" - Bob Dole

when did he say that? He musta been drunk.

He is pushing kids to eat a good breakfast these days though. Him and former nemesis George McGovern.

[shiva2999]

Bob Dole needs walking around money...

http://marc.perkel.com/archives/000375.html

Bob Dole withdraws $8000 week in cash?
Riggs Affair Sparks 'Suspicious Activity' Alert on Dole


WASHINGTON -- The Riggs National Bank scandal has led to unexpected fallout, including "suspicious activity reports" on former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci, Friday's Wall Street Journal reported.

As often as once a week, Mr. Dole's assistant walks around the corner from his Pennsylvania Avenue office in Washington to a branch of Riggs Bank, where she withdraws as much as $8,000 in cash. For walking-around money, Mr. Dole keeps a wad of $100 bills in the breast pocket of his shirt. "I probably use a credit card four or five times a year," Mr. Dole confesses. "I don't even have a wallet."

Mr. Dole's affinity for cash was of no concern to anyone until recently, when federal regulators pawing through the books of scandal-tarred Riggs spotted the large withdrawals and called them to the attention of management. In short order, the bank filed "suspicious activity reports" on Mr. Dole and another prominent Washington figure, Mr. Carlucci, questioning whether the two men might have violated federal laws against money laundering.

...more...

[gilchristfan]

Bob Dole needs walking around money...

http://marc.perkel.com/archives/000375.html

Bob Dole withdraws $8000 week in cash?
Riggs Affair Sparks 'Suspicious Activity' Alert on Dole


WASHINGTON -- The Riggs National Bank scandal has led to unexpected fallout, including "suspicious activity reports" on former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci, Friday's Wall Street Journal reported.

As often as once a week, Mr. Dole's assistant walks around the corner from his Pennsylvania Avenue office in Washington to a branch of Riggs Bank, where she withdraws as much as $8,000 in cash. For walking-around money, Mr. Dole keeps a wad of $100 bills in the breast pocket of his shirt. "I probably use a credit card four or five times a year," Mr. Dole confesses. "I don't even have a wallet."

Mr. Dole's affinity for cash was of no concern to anyone until recently, when federal regulators pawing through the books of scandal-tarred Riggs spotted the large withdrawals and called them to the attention of management. In short order, the bank filed "suspicious activity reports" on Mr. Dole and another prominent Washington figure, Mr. Carlucci, questioning whether the two men might have violated federal laws against money laundering.

...more...

Not surprising. he grew up in a farming community in the depression. Real stuff it in the matress types.

But then, remember when Newt got censured by the Senate and had to pay a fine of like $150,000 and Bob Dole paid it off for him? Dancers don't take credit cards anyways.

Ever wonder where a guy like Bob Dole, who grew up relatively poor, and has been a public servant all his life, has $150,000 laying around to pay off Newt Gingrich's fines?

Ah, the power of lobbyists.

[shiva2999]

Why is he mixed up with Frank Carlucci?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Carlucci

[gilchristfan]

Why is he mixed up with Frank Carlucci?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Carlucci


I don't know if he is. According to the article you posted, Dole and Carlucci both had suspicious activity reports filed on them by the bank, but doesn't say that they were connected.

They might be, considering that they both came to prominence in the early 70's.

Maybe Carlucci doesn't golf. As you can probably guess, either does Bob Dole.

[coastal]

Pete doesn't realize that it costs less for the government to administer healthcare insurance than it does for a private insurance company to administer it.

And you get more care from the government program too.

Pete just thinks its cool to say that he's "denied the request".

I love it when they're polite.

This is prison sex baby.

Here comes your entiltlement whether you like it or not.

[35Pete]

Pete doesn't realize that it costs less for the government to administer healthcare insurance than it does for a private insurance company to administer it.

And you get more care from the government program too.

Pete just thinks its cool to say that he's "denied the request".

I love it when they're polite.

This is prison sex baby.

Here comes your entiltlement whether you like it or not.

Someone is asking me to give them something. I said no. Pretty simple.

[anEinherjer]

nys might give me health insurance (i have a meeting tuesday), otherwise im f'd. havent been to the doctor in 2 years

Haven't been to a dr in 2 whole years? OH MY GODS!

What a mess.

[anEinherjer]

Well hell coastal, if everything costs less when the government does it, we might as well shut down every private enterprise and let the government run the whole damn show! It'll be a utopia! We'll let those who know more than we do tell us what we should be manufacturing, how much to make, how much money we can get for an honest days' work.

It'll be brilliant!

[TheGoodShepherd]

Most Americans are in favour of some form of nationalized medicine.

[TheGoodShepherd]

So let me get this straight. I am supposed to support you and pay for your healthcare? Because otherwise you will toss sob stories at me?

Sorry. Take an aspirin.

No matter how you try to slice it, it is not the "government" that you want paying for your freebees. It is me, the taxpayer.

Request denied.

Study after study shows the taxpayer actually pays LESS with public health-care.

[35Pete]

Study after study shows the taxpayer actually pays LESS with public health-care.

If, and that is a big if...no...let's assume for sake of argument that is true. Then if the private sector were to be reformed then I could save money on my insurance. But I still am not obligated to pay for anyone else's. So hypothetically I could save even more. That means more money for me.

[Mouldsie]

Haven't been to a dr in 2 whole years? OH MY GODS!

What a mess.

funny but the point is a lot of kids have it worse than me and they could be seriously ill.... i guess thats why NYS makes it illegal to go without it.

i actually need my tonsils removed and i have had a headache almost every day for the last 8 months so i'd like to see if theres anything going on there that i need to know about. it can be scary when you're a hypocondriach and you cant figure out why the hell you're always tired and have bad headaches :D
now i feel dirty i dont like getting personal on mb's

[Mouldsie]

If, and that is a big if...no...let's assume for sake of argument that is true. Then if the private sector were to be reformed then I could save money on my insurance. But I still am not obligated to pay for anyone else's. So hypothetically I could save even more. That means more money for me.

and money is life



it's all starting to make sense now....

[Mouldsie]

pete, when you had all those surgeries this year didn't you feel fortunate to have your health back and be able to carry on with things like work?

why does joe carpenter not deserve medical attention if he's hurt? i guess thats what lawsuits are for....

[TheGoodShepherd]

If, and that is a big if...no...let's assume for sake of argument that is true. Then if the private sector were to be reformed then I could save money on my insurance. But I still am not obligated to pay for anyone else's. So hypothetically I could save even more. That means more money for me.

No.

You have it all wrong.


First, there is no guarantee you would pay less taxes under a nationalized system. That is up to your congress/municipal/sate leaders.

I'm saying the government would spend less on healthcare per person and cover more people under a public system.