For all you conservatives who are against reform, would this make a difference?
Would this make it more acceptable?
On another note. It is ironic, that people opposed to reform keep saying they dont want government running things, and that they don't want people getting handouts.
But the insurance companies get $166 BILLION, yes BILLION, a year in handouts from the government.
What if that $166 billion was given back to taxpayers.
I suppose the general population doesn't think of the billions and billions of dollars that the insurance company makes as a hand out. It is a theft! People are going to have to give one way or the other. If not in tax to change the program, it will be in higer premiums to keep the insurance companies in CEO's. You are going to have to pay one way or the other. Which is it?
ReplyDeleteI agree that the present system needs work, and yes, the Billions going to insurance companies is ridiculous. But, a government ran system is not the answer. If they can reform spending and healthcare without the government ran option, then yes, I would be open to hearing their ideas. I can't comment any further until I hear what those ideas may be.
ReplyDeleteMy question is, if insurance companies are making record profits, why would the government give them billions of dollars? Sounds like a stupid government policy at work to me. Another reason we don't want them running anything else. But I do agree we need some type of reform. Did anyone see the article about Canada's health care system today?
ReplyDeleteThe government can't run Social Security, the U.S.mail, or anything else they are involved in. Why would we want them handling our health care system?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the news with Canada's healthcare system ILBR? Do you have a link?
ReplyDeleteMy question is, if insurance companies are making record profits, why would the government give them billions of dollars?
ReplyDelete----------------
Exactly the point! Where do you think that money comes from - right now its from your Kids and Grandkids!
But, add to that the regulations that favor the business side of the industry and reduce, dscourage or elminate the competition and allow them to determine who they cover and why!
Then the money that is spent on the Government
mandates, social programs and litigation!
BD had a post about mandating sick days for employees!
Where do they think all that money comes from and how do they expect the private sector to keep afloat?
I visited recently with a local businessman who is in the medical supply business. He is busy and it is kind of recession proof - but his cost of the products keeps going up - and the Government controls what he recieves for products supplied through their programs!
Should he make a fair profit? Sure,why else would he take the risk of a business!
Doesn't that seem like an ufair distribution -
to give large sums of money to the insurance companies and then regulate or short change the vendors?
BTW: I do understand that the government body who gives money to the Insurance companies is not necessarily the same one that regulates the local vendor. (Federal vs. State) It is still Government!
ReplyDeleteI did a post on it sometime back. It has been well documented that more is spent by the government on handouts to businesses, than is spent on welfare for people.
ReplyDeleteIt has been well documented that more is spent by the government on handouts to businesses, than is spent on welfare for people.
ReplyDeleteAugust 17, 2009 5:41 PM
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Lets hope responsible businesses would employ
workers and provide benefits or expand their businesses or even pass some onto charity.
But, Welfare in itself is a "blackhole"!
I know there are those who weren't dealt a fair hand in life and those who have messed up or simply don't care!
But, to avidly pursue and support a society with welfare is socially and morally wrong
if it is by their choice!
Thats just it, every one is saying they don't like the program that this administration is presenting but I don't see any other alternatives. Has anyone else seen any???? All I hear is how much money we are spending. We have spent enough on the wars to finance a healthcare program.
ReplyDeleteSince you brought up war, what happened to Obama getting us out of Iraq? I guess pulling up stakes and leaving the Iraqi people to defend themselves wasn't as easy as you anti war people thought it would be. I guess Obama has learned a thing or two about it since he went from being just a candidate with lots of empty promises to POTUS.
ReplyDeleteI don't see that he has given us empty promises....some may say the glass is half empty. Some say it is half full....his promise to me is half full....We have down scaled and it is much better then before. We do have a plan to downsize and have done that...patience patience patience.
ReplyDeleteI am still not in favor of the health bill, regardless of a public option or not. I have read through bill 3200 (took about a week reading at night), and there are still too many things I don't really care about. One is an optional program to allow Home Visitation for families with small children or expectiong children. It is a voluntary program, but the states get money for the people they visit. What stops the state from mandating visitations, in order to get money? There is no provision saying they can't mandate it. They also will provide well-trained staff to facilitate these visitations. I've seen some state workers. I'd rather not have some of them giving young families advice on raising their children.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds a lot like communism to me. Coming into your home to make sure you are doing things right.
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to Obama saying this healthcare plan was not about going to a one payer system? Just last week byte daily was on here arguing that there was no plan for a one payer system in the bill. But now, when the public option is dropped, or at least being talked about being dropped, Democrats are up in arms that they aren't going to get their one payer system. There are all kinds of articles out yesterday and today griping about dropping it.
ReplyDeleteIt is dishonest to pass something by telling people it is going to be one thing when you know damn well it is going to be something else entirely. The old "bait and switch".
Seems like dems have wanted the single payer option all along (just like we knew they did), but they knew we (the majority of Americans) wouldn't go for it, so they dressed it up as something else. How many times did they deny that they wanted exactly what they are fighting to keep now?
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ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a program that would help people.
ReplyDeleteThere are programs like that now.
Its a voluntary program where people can get advice on what is available for them.
Glad you are reading it though. Ive not gotten through it yet. Im sure there are things that are not good in it.
BUT, I just read this morning that the CEO of AIG is getting a 7 million paycheck. Insurance rates are going up and medical costs are going up. Could that be because top executives are taking an obscene amount of money for bonuses.
Im sure the reform isnt perfect, but geez louize, don't you think we have to do something. Could it be worse than our current system?
How much money - Taxpayer money - did AIG get for its share of the bailout?
Remember the insurance industry gets $166 Billion per year in corporate welfare above and beyond the bailouts.
So you dont mind the government taking all your money and giving it to rich corporations, but you dont want them going to peoples houses to give them help and advice they might need?
hmmmm
Obama said the government run option was only a part of the entire plan, and now some dems are upset about that.
ReplyDeleteThe single payer option is different than a government run program.
James, what do you think the difference is between the single payer option and a govt run program? They are just different names for the same thing.
ReplyDeleteWell i could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteBut I was thinking the single payer option was a more nefarious thing that would put the insurance industry out of business and totally socialize medicine. Single payer as in, no one having any options but to be in the federal program.
Whereas the government run program would just be a small program that would be in conjunction with current insurers, that would help people who cannot afford insurance to get it.
Govt run only in the sense that it helps people buy insurance from private insurers who are part of the program (i heard obama say that).
No one would have to be part of it.
What is the news with Canada's healthcare system ILBR? Do you have a link?
ReplyDelete------------------------------------------
Yes, I have a post on my blog about it, here is the link and story or you can find my blog by clicking on my name.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,539943,00.html
FROM THE ARTICLE:
Dr. Anne Doig, the incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association, said her country’s health care system is “sick” and “imploding,” the Canadian Press reported.
“We know there must be change,” Doig said in a recent interview. “We’re all running flat out, we’re all just trying to stay ahead of the immediate day-to-day demands.”
Canada’s universal health care system is not giving patients optimal care, Doig added. When her colleagues from across the country gather at the CMA conference in Saskatoon Sunday, they will discuss changes that need to be made, she said.
“We all agree the system is imploding, we all agree that things are more precarious than perhaps Canadians realize,” she said.
Current president of the CMA, Dr. Robert Ouellet, will make a presentation at the conference about his findings when he toured Europe in January, and met with health groups in several countries.
Ouellet has said that “competition should be welcomed, not feared,” meaning private health insurance should have a role in the public health system.
Doig said she isn’t sure what kind of changes will be proposed when the conference wraps up, but she does know that changes have to come – and fast. She said she understands that universal health care, while good in some ways, has not always been helpful for sick people or their families.
"(Canadians) have to understand that the system that we have right now — if it keeps on going without change — is not sustainable," Doig said.
There is no difference. One was leading to the other. The goal of the Democrats is to have a single payer system like Canada.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to make any type of program successful is to keep on top of it and its gonna take a watch dog group to do that. Stop problems before they blow out of proportion. Canada should of paid better attention long before things got bad. The US is the same way, should of put the brakes on the insurance companies a long time ago. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Now we're in a big mess with our health care system. One thing I do admire about Obama is his willingness to compromise on most issues and listen to others ideas. I do not think he will give up until US citizens have an affordable option for health care.
ReplyDeleteThank God! I hope you are right!
ReplyDeleteGovernment big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.
ReplyDelete-Thomas Jefferson
Can I get an Amen?
ReplyDeleteYet you dont object to huge insurance companies doing whatever they like to you, taking your money and denying claims ...
ReplyDeleteWhy are you giving the insurance companies a pass. they are the problem.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20090818/pl_bloomberg/a4u0_7_zceme
ReplyDeleteA big article on Yahoo's front page with the headline: "Democrats Demand Obama Keep Government Health Plan".
Yet, last week it was all about how it wasn't a government health plan. Simply reform of the insurance companies and such. What a bunch of liars.
@3:15, no one is giving the insurance companies a pass, it's just a choice between the lesser of two evils right now. If there is to be reform, it should be in the vein of regulating insurance companies, or finding cheaper insurance for those less fortunate. What the right has been against all along is the single payer government (Socialist) healthcare like Canada's, where government runs it all.
the dem party is divided on the issue. Some are wanting the government health plan while other want reform of insurance companies. Thats why you have different headlines sg, not necessarily people lying. Depends on whose point of view the article is written about.
ReplyDeleteOriginal post says: "What if that $166 billion was given back to taxpayers."
ReplyDeleteI say, What if the money was never taken from the taxpayers in the first place?
What's up with thinking the government needs to take our money and then give it back to us amid criticism and protesting about it being lazy bum welfare or corporate welfare or subsidy or entitlement whatever ugly label someone dreams up.
Why not just call it "our money" and not take so much of it from us in the first place?