Teabaggers and Health Care

[Danno]

I see Teabaggers are protesting health care reform. Does this mean they think the current state of health care is fine?

[gmg77]

I think they reject any government interference in any part of our lives. The free market will provide if you have faith. Which sounds great in theory, but disastrous in practice. The reason we have such a profitable health insurance market is because the government already picks up the tab for ~50% of claims. Medicare and Medicaid cover the riskiest hence more expensive health populations; the old and poor. IMO free markets are great for some things like DVD players, Cell Phones and Food. But on other things free market forces just don't work. Would you look for the cheapest healthcare for your child? or a surgical procedure? No because cost is inherently linked to quality in healthcare, something you just not willing to risk unless you are forced to. Also some medical services are unplanned so its not like you can shop around for that procedure to save your life.

I love the attack that the Bill "hides" cost because it taxes us four or five years before benefits are doled out. Isnt that called fiscal responsible, you save up for what you want. Unlike the unfunded Bush tax cuts that had no balanced cutting of services and programs. I guess they where just trying to "starve the beast" but ended up almost killing it.

[Dennis_Ista]

The open market system works fine for us Ducth people for over 5 years now.

[Danno]

I think they reject any government interference in any part of our lives. The free market will provide if you have faith. Which sounds great in theory, but disastrous in practice. The reason we have such a profitable health insurance market is because the government already picks up the tab for ~50% of claims. Medicare and Medicaid cover the riskiest hence more expensive health populations; the old and poor. IMO free markets are great for some things like DVD players, Cell Phones and Food. But on other things free market forces just don't work. Would you look for the cheapest healthcare for your child? or a surgical procedure? No because cost is inherently linked to quality in healthcare, something you just not willing to risk unless you are forced to. Also some medical services are unplanned so its not like you can shop around for that procedure to save your life.

I love the attack that the Bill "hides" cost because it taxes us four or five years before benefits are doled out. Isnt that called fiscal responsible, you save up for what you want. Unlike the unfunded Bush tax cuts that had no balanced cutting of services and programs. I guess they where just trying to "starve the beast" but ended up almost killing it.

Thanks. good job explaining it. I agree about the free market sounding good in theory but not in practice. We are indoctrined to regard it very highly, almost as if it were godlike. But it has always required the warning "buyer beware" (this saying exists in many different languages and goes back a long time) which is an indication that something ain't right. If you operate from a position of integrity and honesty in such a system you are at a disadvantage. Such is the basis of our society. That why there is such a prevalence of scumbags.

[gmg77]

The open market system works fine for us Ducth people for over 5 years now.

Dont know much about the Dutch system but from wikipedia it looks remarkably similar to the Obama bill. So do healthcare exchanges, mandatory coverage and gov subsidies work? Also is "Algemene Wet Bijzondere Ziektekosten" long care gov run insurance still around providing care like our medicare and medicaid programs.

[Dennis_Ista]

They work indeed. We grantr everyone a level of care that is supported by what they can afford. If you want more coverage, you can either swicth your package to a different one, or go to another healthinsurer for mor einformation, and maybe they are cheaper. The open market system is designed to promote competition, and giving customers a chance to shopfor the cheapest option available.

The government gives out a monthly subsidising to fuel this system. More people in your healthcare insurance? Less government money for you then.

The AWBZ is a Law that gives people with disabilities or that require aid that falls outside the normal packages assistance by declaring their costs in there and deducting it from their annual IRS review.

[Danno]

I've been in insurance hell for about 6 years now. Most insurance companies won't accept me because of something that is on my medical record. I am not being treated for anything and am not on any medications. I do have insurance that keeps increasing in cost to the point that it's crazy. If I quit this insurance I'm out of luck. They will all exclude me. I pay a LOT of money for the bad insurance that I have yet a LOT of people who have no assets, or are good at making it look like they have no assets, get free health care. Included in that group are people who shouldn't even be in this country. The fact that health insurance companies can pick and choose in order to minimize their risk of paying out for health care is the fault of our elected officials who caved in from lobbyist pressure and actively made laws to screw the people. As far as I'm concerned, I will never ever support REPUBLICANS for not supporting health care reform.

[Danno]

I think one of the worst parts of a free market approach to health care is the corporate drive for profit. Would a phamaceutical company or any health care related business for that matter, be more inclinded to conduct research to find a cure for high blood pressure or would they conduct research to develop a product that would generate high profits over a long period of time. Currently much effort is being expended in finding a profitabe solution to health issues at the expense of real progress.

[goodintentions]

I am a Republican, and proud to be. And I support health care reform. Just not the way Obama wants it reformed.
I will never support my tax dollars being spent on people that are here illegally. And I will never support my tax dollars going to pay for the abortion of people who chose to not use birth control. Reform? Bring it on... but be sensible about where you spend my hard earned money.

[Danno]

The way I see it, almost every aspect of the republican version of heath care reform favors big business. They may purport to be acting on behalf of the "middle class" but I tend to not trust them. They have done little to nothing for me so far.