A Health Care Opinion

[Big Black Dog]

The United States Constitution does not provide for health care. It isn't a "right" guaranteed to you by our constitution. For this reason, I feel Obama, and the Democratic Party have absolutely no business trying to push government controlled health care onto the general public. With that said, I do believe that our current health care insurance, and health care in general, needs to be overhauled.

In a nutshell, health insurance should be affordable to every person in America. If you choose to purchase it, that is your business. If you choose to not purchase it, that's your business also. It should not be "free" and a gift from our government. It should, however, be provided by insurance companies at a price that every American could afford if they truly wanted to obtain it.

A policy that is provided by XYZ Company should provide the very same coverage that health insurance provided by ABC Company provides. All of the health care policies should cover the very same medical conditions and that is EVERYTHING that is necessary to promote and provide for good health for yourself. It should not cover things like abortion, plastic surgery, tattoo removal, etc. I'm talking about truly elective kind of things. If you want elective plastic surgery to make your nose look different, then you can pay for that yourself. Same thing with new breasts. If you want breast inhancement you can pay for that yourself unless this surgery is recommended by your doctor due to breast cancer surgery or the like. If a procedure your doctor recommends is necessary for your good health, then the insurance company should cover it fully but not for elective kinds of things.

There should be no deductables or co-pays. You pay your insurance company their monthly payments and your medical insurance is then paid for in full for whatever your doctor says you require. Doctors could not charge anymore for a procedure then what the insurance company will pay.

Dental care should be included with health insurance. All the same guidelines should apply.

All prescriptions should be free. They should be covered in full by your insurance company because after all, prescription meds are a part of your medical care directed by your doctor.

You should be able to obtain any doctor you wish to provide your medical care. The insurance companies should have no part of that decision. This is your decision to make and it should be. Not somebody elses.

Now, except for passing these kind of laws concerning health care and health care insurance, the US government has absolutely no business with their fingers in the pie.

These are my ideas when we talk about health care reform. What are yours?

 

[Big Black Dog]

All I hear is crickets...

 

[johnrocks]

I'd like to see govt. and corporations get completely out of the equation and tax the living hell out of employers that offer such insane crap as group health, never couple employment with insurance,imho.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I'd like to see govt. and corporations get completely out of the equation and tax the living hell out of employers that offer such insane crap as group health, never couple employment with insurance,imho.

I once worked for a corporation that provided very very good group health insurance. It's the only corporation that I ever worked for so I can't compare it to anything you might be talking about. My experience with the health insurance that this particular corporation provided employees was very positive. As a worker bee, I had to pay into the plan but when they promoted me to a supervisor it was then free.

 

[johnrocks]

I'd like to see govt. and corporations get completely out of the equation and tax the living hell out of employers that offer such insane crap as group health, never couple employment with insurance,imho.

I once worked for a corporation that provided very very good group health insurance. It's the only corporation that I ever worked for so I can't compare it to anything you might be talking about. My experience with the health insurance that this particular corporation provided employees was very positive. As a worker bee, I had to pay into the plan but when they promoted me to a supervisor it was then free.

IMHO,that's part of the problem,to you it was free,also,if you get laid off ,what then,COBRA for 18 months which is high as heck? This is my plan.

1. Repeal the HMO Act of 1973 which requires all but the smallest employers to offer their employees HMO coverage, and the tax code allows businesses, but not individuals, to deduct the cost of health insurance premiums. The result is the insane coupling of employment and health insurance, which often leaves the unemployed without needed catastrophic coverage.

2. Repeal the ERISA Act of 1974 which is a federal law that sets minimum standards for retirement and health benefit plans in private industry. This attracted special interests to insert things from wet nurses to maternity in group plans,these minimal standards have raised costs and took away our freedom to choose the coverage we want as individuals.

3. Introduce legislation that gives tax credits for individuals to buy their own insurance,be it comprehensive or high deductible catastrophic or Medical Savings Accounts.

4. Introduce legislation that gives tax credits for "negative outcomes" insurance that people can purchase prior to an operation that would remove costly litigation yet preserve trial by jury we hold so dear in this country,it could drive down liability costs and the consumer would be able to set the value they want on their property which is their body.

5. Introduce Tax Credits for people who take a large amount of prescription medicine,this could help those in need without creating bureaucracy such as Medicare Part "D". We could also do this for people who take care of their parents or children to relieve burdens.

6. Remove any limitations on Medical Savings type accounts. This would expand access,it's the fastest growing market there is and could grow faster without the constraints govt. places on them.

7. Allow insurance companies to sell nationally and allow all insurance companies to participate, Mutual Companies,non profits,Property and Casualty,you name it,open up the competition.

8. Give huge tax credits to companies wanting to open Doc in a Box type clinics in towns,in the Wal Marts,Wal Greens and Targets nation wide. This would releive pressure on ER rooms, a lot of times a child may get sick late at night and the only place to go is ER,this could alleviate that since these type places are open at night and on weekends.

How you like?

 

[sealybobo]

I'd like to see govt. and corporations get completely out of the equation and tax the living hell out of employers that offer such insane crap as group health, never couple employment with insurance,imho.

I once worked for a corporation that provided very very good group health insurance. It's the only corporation that I ever worked for so I can't compare it to anything you might be talking about. My experience with the health insurance that this particular corporation provided employees was very positive. As a worker bee, I had to pay into the plan but when they promoted me to a supervisor it was then free.

We all used to have great healthcare. Slowly but surely its starting to suck for more and more of us. And for some its unaffordable.

You are just afraid that you are going to pay more and get less. Understandable. You are wrong, but I understand.

Truth be told — with each passing day, more and more Americans are unable to get the health care they need, when they need it. Skyrocketing co-pays and deductibles and soaring insurance premiums are crushing our family budgets and small businesses. Unless we act now, these problems are guaranteed to get worse and worse.

Under reform, American families will get the stability and security they deserve. They'll no longer have to fear losing health care coverage if they lose or switch jobs, going bankrupt if they become seriously ill, or being denied coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition. Reform will ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable insurance.

We all have a stake in this and for the 14,000 Americans who are losing their health insurance each day —

The White House - Blog Post - The President's Press Conference - Full Video

 

[Big Black Dog]

[How you like?/QUOTE]

I don't know. I have to think about it a bit. On the surface, I think my plan is much simpler. Yours seems a bit complex. Give me a bit of time to chew it over a little and ponder it all. I do like the ideas of the Doc in the Box at places like Wal-Mart - especially the ones that are open all night. Have to ponder the rest.

 

[Big Black Dog]

We all used to have great healthcare. Slowly but surely its starting to suck for more and more of us. And for some its unaffordable.

You are just afraid that you are going to pay more and get less. Understandable. You are wrong, but I understand.

Truth be told — with each passing day, more and more Americans are unable to get the health care they need, when they need it. Skyrocketing co-pays and deductibles and soaring insurance premiums are crushing our family budgets and small businesses. Unless we act now, these problems are guaranteed to get worse and worse.

Under reform, American families will get the stability and security they deserve. They'll no longer have to fear losing health care coverage if they lose or switch jobs, going bankrupt if they become seriously ill, or being denied coverage because of a pre-existing medical condition. Reform will ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable insurance.

We all have a stake in this and for the 14,000 Americans who are losing their health insurance each day —

I stand by my convictions. The US Government has no business in the health care business. It's unconstitutional.

 

[Big Black Dog]

johnrocks - I think your plan is too complicated. I like mine better but I do like a couple of things in your plan and they are the Doc in the Box at places like Wal-Mart and elsewhere. I also like your ideas about Medical Savings Plans. You misunderstood about my plan. In my plan, individuals pay for their own insurance. It wouldn't be paid for by any company. That would end the Cobra problem. Also, my plan would be affordable enough that anybody that really wanted health insurance could afford to buy it. The cost of it would not be out of anybody's means.

 

[Emma]

The United States Constitution does not provide for health care. It isn't a "right" guaranteed to you by our constitution.

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.