A wise women (or man) once said "follow the money".

[Wry Catcher]

So my question is very simple. Where do all the $ billions go?

If it is true that the health care industry is spending $ millions to stop health care reform, isn't that information a valuable lead?
If it is not true, and simply Demoratic propaganda, what does the Democratic Party hope to gain by lying?

Edited for clarity, my original post was poorly constructed.
The Question:
Where is the money being spent by consumers today going? How much of our money is spent on patient care, prevention and treatment? And how much goes to profit?

 

[nodoginnafight]

hey wry - good to see you.

It was claimed on here yesterday (no verification provided) that a lot of the health industry money was going to the blue dog democrats because they are viewed as the potentially most effective blocks to some of the more aggressive reforms.

Does that necessarily vilify the blue dogs? I don't know.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Morning Nodog...hope all is well with you.
My question needs editing, it was poorly constructed, so let me do so here, and in the original post.

Where and to whom are the $ Billions being paid by consumers today going? Who profits, and how much of the consumers cost actually goes towards patient care?

 

[nodoginnafight]

Who profits, and how much of the consumers cost actually goes towards patient care?

I see - sorry. Not the first time I've missed the point and probably not the last.

An interesting point was made to that very effect by another poster on my healthcare poll thread. It's anecdotal, but interesting.

 

[bodecea]

It was Deep Throat when talking about the Nixon WH and Watergate.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Right! Now it seems another 'deep throat' is needed. Too many (me included) are uninformed and too many hope to keep us so.
Of course there is an ideologic split, some see health care as any other industry, and others (me included) se health care as a 'public utility'.

 

[Diuretic]

Right! Now it seems another 'deep throat' is needed. Too many (me included) are uninformed and too many hope to keep us so.
Of course there is an ideologic split, some see health care as any other industry, and others (me included) se health care as a 'public utility'.

I think the issue has been cloaked in ideology to obfuscate it. People find it easier to act out of a gut reaction than to sit and think about the issue itself. How health care is managed isn't an ideological issue of itself, it's a practical, public policy issue. Vested interests who fear a loss of profits have painted it as an ideological issue to try and mobilise opposition to the current plans.

 

[xsited1]

So my question is very simple. Where do all the $ billions go?

...

In my house, they go to Toys R Us.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Am I to assume Xsited1 that you do not have health insurance, have health insurance paid for by your employer, or are a citizen (or subject) of a nation which provides universal coverage?
Most Americans, I assume, who have health insurance make monthly payments towards this insurance, plus co-pays on the purchase of service and goods (medicines).
My question, how much of what we pay goes to patient services? And how much into profits and enormous salaries?

 

[Fatality]

what does the Democratic Party hope to gain by lying?

a propaganda win.

but then the demo party has always lied. saw bob beckle admitting to using paid plants to disrupt republican town hall meeting in the past, he said they always did, and do it. demos think everyone behaves like they do. they have gotton a fistful of Americanism and they like the good little reactionaries they are sent out union faggots to harras old people.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Yes, a partisan point of view, simply not on point; they rarely are when posted by extremists.

 

[Wry Catcher]

So I ask again, where do the dollars go? Each month, hundreds (?) of millions of dollars are paid to insurance companies. What percentage of these dollars actually goes to patient care?
It's a simple question. I'd really like to know.
[I suspect - simply because I so dislike insurance companies - that as much as half go to corner offices, large power boats, country club memberships and European vacations, private jets, end of year rewards and fees to lawyers skilled at denying benefits to those unlucky enough to get ill.]

Maybe the issue of health care needs to be redefined. Let's call it Insurance Reform. Let the government collect the fees and pay the doctors and other providers of health care for their services. Let the insurance companies go to hell, and their sales personnel and CEO's can be retrained to find new jobs which are actually productive.

 

[dilloduck]

So I ask again, where do the dollars go? Each month, hundreds (?) of millions of dollars are paid to insurance companies. What percentage of these dollars actually goes to patient care?
It's a simple question. I'd really like to know.
[I suspect - simply because I so dislike insurance companies - that as much as half go to corner offices, large power boats, country club memberships and European vacations, private jets, end of year rewards and fees to lawyers skilled at denying benefits to those unlucky enough to get ill.]

Maybe the issue of health care needs to be redefined. Let's call it Insurance Reform. Let the government collect the fees and pay the doctors and other providers of health care for their services. Let the insurance companies go to hell, and their sales personnel and CEO's can be retrained to find new jobs which are actually productive.

Are you under the illusion that there will be no money wasted on a system run by the government ?---that all fat cats and profiteers will be eradicated and we will know we all the money goes ? Do you think that the unaccounted for billions "lost" in bailouts was just a fluke ?
Stopping Peter from making a big profit only to allow Paul to waste and lose it benefits no one. It's basically the argument of people who do not like competition because they lose when they play.

 

[Diuretic]

Competition? Is there competition in the US health care industry?

 

[dilloduck]

Competition? Is there competition in the US health care industry?

It's a moot point. The larger agenda of health care reform is similar other political battles we've see in the past.
Why should we care whose pocket the money ends up in as long as we get the best health care we can for the most reasonable price ?

 

[xsited1]

Am I to assume Xsited1 that you do not have health insurance, have health insurance paid for by your employer, or are a citizen (or subject) of a nation which provides universal coverage?
...

That about covers it. I'm also human.

 

[Diuretic]

Am I to assume Xsited1 that you do not have health insurance, have health insurance paid for by your employer, or are a citizen (or subject) of a nation which provides universal coverage?
...

That about covers it. I'm also human.

Rumourmonger!!!

 

[editec]

Morning Nodog...hope all is well with you.
My question needs editing, it was poorly constructed, so let me do so here, and in the original post.

Where and to whom are the $ Billions being paid by consumers today going? Who profits, and how much of the consumers cost actually goes towards patient care?

FYI, last I checked...

About 70% of premiums paid to private HC insurers goes to patient care costs.

Another 25% of those premiums covers the administrative costs of the insurance companies (including things like advertising, bribing our POLS. paying their CEOs obscene amounts of money and whatnot) .

Finally about 5% of premiums goes to profit.

FYI of Medicade and Medicare dollars 98% goes to paying for HC, and the other 2% goes to administrative costs.


Rather exposes the lie about how inefficient government programs are compared to private corporations, doesn't it?

Feel free to do your own reasech to confirm mine.