The number of people in other industrialized democracies who go bankrupt as a result of medical bills=0
The number of people in other industrialized democracies who lack access to routine medical care=0
the number of people in other industrialized democracies who feel trapped at their jobs for fear of losing their families health insurance =0
To adapt the Republican position on health care requires believing that every other country is WRONG. It also requires that every poll taken by Americans themselves is wrong that they love this health care system we have in this country.
Instead of trying to solve the problem Republicans like to " cherry pick " stories of people who were denied treatment while ignoring the very same kind of stories here in this country.
Under our free market system elderly people are priced out of the market hence the need for medicare, the poor can't afford hence the need for medicaid. Every health insurance bill passed was to address the needs and shortcomings of the system.
Medicare's problem is due almost entirely to rising health care costs. I am sure when medicare was passed no one knew costs would rise dramatically.
the dirty little secret free marketeers is this. The purpose of of an INSURANCE POLICY is to collect moneyfor policies without having to PAY OUT. Since everyone is going to need health care, this is an impossibel task. Dr. Jim your turn?
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Medicare's problem is due almost entirely to rising health care costs. I am sure when medicare was passed no one knew costs would rise dramatically.
So now let's base the whole system on the same model?
Terry, it is not going to be free, I can pay for it, you can or your grand kids can. (or the burden can be placed on a small segment of sociey)
We can limit costs by; involving patients directly in the cost of care or have someone else do so...
The latter will result in rationing either by limiting compensation or availability of care.
I listened to George Halvorson yesterday on NPR and ordered his new book, Health Care Will Not Reform Itself: A User's Guide to Refocusing and Reforming American Health Care today. He is the CEO of Kaiser Permanente and offered tremendous insight in his interview.
He is NOT for a single payer system, though he describes how superior the "government run" systems are in just about every other industrialized country. The costs in the US are substantially higher for just about every line item on a patients bill, yet our outcomes are inferior. Example - an OBGYN gets about $700 for delivering a baby in Canada, about $1,000 in Europe and $3,000 or $4,000 in the US. Yes Jim, I know, US docs have to pay the malpractice insurance, but still...
I personally hope the health care final bill will not be put on a few wealthy (small segment of the population) but reform is needed. I believe tort reform could pay for the final third Obama says will have to see. There is no amount of money that can be paid anyone who loses a child to a mistake a Doctor makes so let's not get revenge, set a max price of 1 million on medical malpractice plus if the patient needs care the rest of his or her life then pay that also, but not 35 million and up which I have seen on some cases. The President was great again tonight no double speak just plain talk no action is wrong.
Report indicates out-of-pocket costs dropped for most seniors with Medicare drug option.
The AP (7/23, Chang) reports, "Medicare's three-year-old prescription-drug plan has largely met its main goal of making lifesaving medicines more affordable for seniors," according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The analysis of "government data and past studies" showed that "for the most part, people who used to lack drug coverage saw their out-of-pocket costs drop after enrolling in the Medicare drug program." The report also said that "government spending on the Medicare drug benefit has...been lower than expected and is one of the rare federal programs to come in under budget." In fact, "the program cost $40 billion in 2007, less than the projected $66 billion." Still, researchers noted that an estimated "4.5 million Medicare beneficiaries...lack drug coverage today, the same as in 2006." They also pointed out that "between 2006 and 2009, the average monthly premium for prescription-drug plans rose 35 percent, from about $26 to $35."
Of course out-of-pocket expenses dropped, Spanky, the government was picking up the tab! $40B in 2007 - without one new penny to pay for it! Hmmm - I wonder what it will cost over 10 years...
If that is the stuff you post to brag, your ammo box must be completely empty.
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