White House allows big firms to dodge health reforms

[Two Thumbs]

NYT: Obama lets firms dodge health reforms - Health - The New York Times - msnbc.com

As Obama administration officials put into place the first major wave of changes under the health care legislation, they have tried to defuse stiffening resistance — from companies like McDonald’s and some insurers — by granting dozens of waivers to maintain even minimal coverage far below the new law’s standards.

The story is long, but it's interesting.

Why, if the plan is so good, would they offer waivers when there are already penalties in place for those that don't buy insurance?

Seems that they should just fine McDonalds and the others for not following the law.

 

[rightwinger]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

 

[Two Thumbs]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

 

[blastoff]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

Hmmm...Government Health coverage. Is that a euphemism for Amtrak?

 

[DiamondDave]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

Time to reform regulations and not have a government option... you could find many more deals if competition were more wide open and more groups (HOA's, local clubs, lodges, etc would have the ability to deal with the insurance companies and offer group insurance to compete against individual and employer plans)

The government does not exist to be your personal safety net for your personal upkeep

 

[rightwinger]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

 

[rightwinger]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

Hmmm...Government Health coverage. Is that a euphemism for Amtrak?

Amtrak does a very good job on profitable routes. I take it all the time.

The problem with Amtrak is that they cannot choose to run only on profitable lines. Those nasty Red States insisted that Amtrak provide coverage in their regions whether it is profitable or not

 

[masquerade]

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

 

[Full-Auto]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

LOL Yes the government denies more people then anyone.

US government is the largest denier of healthcare - Bing

 

[gatortarian]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

Well since the government has no profit motive and can pass laws to punish private firms. I'd say the concern has to do with strangling good firms to leave only the government option left. How do you compete with an entity that doesn't have to make money and sets the rules of the game?

 

[rightwinger]

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

Why else would you fear allowing people to choose the Government plan if it is so bad?

People would find the Govt plan more desireable because of the huge pool of people in it and the marginal overhead compared to private plans.

Govt would do a better job than private insurance companies

 

[Two Thumbs]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

Now you are just making things up. Why do we have to explain this every time?

Medicare is hundreds of millions over budget AGAIN,[ or is that still?]

Ok, I'm gonna help you out with a personal story;

I worked as a CSR for a company that did Med Sup Part D in Cali, and Cali only. There were around 200 of us, and each week we averaged 2 calls where the member would tell us, "I'm not dead." Medicare had declared them dead and canceled thier ins. Let me be clear. Medicare, with out ANY proof that the member died, declared them dead, and canceled, ended, shut down, thier Medicare and private insurance. The member called medicare and medicare lied and told them to call us, the only thing we could do is have them call medicare back. It takes about 3 months for medicare to fix the issue and have the person declared alive. We never were told how many people died b/c they no longer had or could get insurance.

And you 'want' these idiots to run it for millions more? And you think they will do a great job?

Damn dude, wake the hell up and smell the reality.

 

[rightwinger]

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

Well since the government has no profit motive and can pass laws to punish private firms. I'd say the concern has to do with strangling good firms to leave only the government option left. How do you compete with an entity that doesn't have to make money and sets the rules of the game?

A boogey man defense?
Why would the Government care if they are competing with private companies? They are not looking to make a profit. The Govt plan would be more efficient and lower cost.

The American people would benefit

 

[gatortarian]

The government plan is to get everyone on government health care so they can tell everyone what to do. Don't smoke, don't eat fatty foods, wear a seat belt or helmet, and on and on. It's about control. Progressives aren't happy unless they are telling other people how to live their lives.

 

[rightwinger]

It's become an expensive benefit to offer.

But a government would be a comical and unconstitutional option. I also don't think I need to remind you of how poorly the government runs anything.

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

Now you are just making things up. Why do we have to explain this every time?

Medicare is hundreds of millions over budget AGAIN,[ or is that still?]

Ok, I'm gonna help you out with a personal story;

I worked as a CSR for a company that did Med Sup Part D in Cali, and Cali only. There were around 200 of us, and each week we averaged 2 calls where the member would tell us, "I'm not dead." Medicare had declared them dead and canceled thier ins. Let me be clear. Medicare, with out ANY proof that the member died, declared them dead, and canceled, ended, shut down, thier Medicare and private insurance. The member called medicare and medicare lied and told them to call us, the only thing we could do is have them call medicare back. It takes about 3 months for medicare to fix the issue and have the person declared alive. We never were told how many people died b/c they no longer had or could get insurance.

And you 'want' these idiots to run it for millions more? And you think they will do a great job?

Damn dude, wake the hell up and smell the reality.

Do we need to turn this thread into horror stories about how private insurance companies screwed people over?

 

[Two Thumbs]

We wouldn't have these problems if people had the option to choose Government Health coverage.

Major Corporations no longer want to be in the health care business......Time to implement the Govt Option

Hmmm...Government Health coverage. Is that a euphemism for Amtrak?

Amtrak does a very good job on profitable routes. I take it all the time.

The problem with Amtrak is that they cannot choose to run only on profitable lines. Those nasty Red States insisted that Amtrak provide coverage in their regions whether it is profitable or not

That's b/c it's government funded. they get millions a year from us so yeah, they either turn down our money and run for profit or take orders from us.

 

[gatortarian]

A boogey man defense?
Why would the Government care if they are competing with private companies? They are not looking to make a profit. The Govt plan would be more efficient and lower cost.

The American people would benefit

Lower cost? How? By refusing service? By telling doctors what they can charge? They are already exempting large corporations from the new rules. If you don't have any influence you get nothing. I don't want politics to decide my health care quality and availability.

 

[Full-Auto]

Really?

They are running Medicare more efficiently than private insurance right now. If you think the government would do such a bad job, why do you fear it?
If people have an option between their private insurer and the lousy government plan...what do you have to lose?

What you fear is that the government plan will be lower cost and provide better service than your private plans

Now you are just making things up. Why do we have to explain this every time?

Medicare is hundreds of millions over budget AGAIN,[ or is that still?]

Ok, I'm gonna help you out with a personal story;

I worked as a CSR for a company that did Med Sup Part D in Cali, and Cali only. There were around 200 of us, and each week we averaged 2 calls where the member would tell us, "I'm not dead." Medicare had declared them dead and canceled thier ins. Let me be clear. Medicare, with out ANY proof that the member died, declared them dead, and canceled, ended, shut down, thier Medicare and private insurance. The member called medicare and medicare lied and told them to call us, the only thing we could do is have them call medicare back. It takes about 3 months for medicare to fix the issue and have the person declared alive. We never were told how many people died b/c they no longer had or could get insurance.

And you 'want' these idiots to run it for millions more? And you think they will do a great job?

Damn dude, wake the hell up and smell the reality.

Do we need to turn this thread into horror stories about how private insurance companies screwed people over?

It would be easy enough to counter with government horror stories. The recent release of dems infecting blacks also applies. BTW they were told they were recieving treatment.

 

[gatortarian]

Do we need to turn this thread into horror stories about how private insurance companies screwed people over?

Do I need to point out that you can sue an insurance company but you can't sue the government? If a company breaks their contract there are ways to rectify the situation. Not true with the government.

 

[gatortarian]

Since I can't post links yet:

This the headline to NY Times article:

"New York Asks to Bar Use of Food Stamps to Buy Sodas"

A glimpse into the future for those on governmental health care.