Healthcare... America and the rest

[Forty Two]

Republicans ramming through Trumpcare without fiscal analysis, which Obamacare had:

You mean, Obamacare, the bill nobody was allowed to read because we had to pass the bill in order to find out what's in it? LOL.

Roy, meanwhile, wrote in Forbes that “proceeding without a [CBO] score…means that members of the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committees will not have the information they need to make informed decisions about how best to revise the bill.” Roy predicted the CBO will assess that Republicans’ replacement plan will cover “around 20 million fewer Americans than Obamacare.”

http://www.newsweek.com/obamacare-repeal-cbo-564947[/quote]


Obamacare does not "cover" any Americans. Obamacare is a mandate to purchase health insurance. You either have to get it through an employer, a family member or buy it on the open market. Obamacare affords subsidies for some people, depending on income, and provides massive enforcement mechanisms involving prosecution by the IRS if you don't have insurance. But, it is not insurance. It does not provide insurance. It does not cover anyone.

When they refer to people "enrolling" they talk about people signing up to the "exchanges" which are websites on which people can put in their information to see if they qualify for a subsidy and they can buy "exchange policies."

Not even 20 million people have insurance through the exchanges, so if 20 million fewer will enroll under Trumpcare, then that wold mean that nobody would get insurance through the exchanges.

[Tero]

Me elsewhere explaining for the 100th time the "self insuring" voncept etc:

Most companies of 5000 or more are self insuring. So it is the healthcare providers that are costing them. However, providers and insurers come up with the cost of healthcare. College trained folk have lots of helpers, partly to file the claims. So basically the bureaucracy eats up the money no matter how the care is bought.

[Tero]

This may actually be just what they want. The system will bankrupt Medicaid and Medicare, but that will happen in 4 years, all that Trump has the STAMINA to handle

While the CBO scratches its head, some private bodies have already done the math. It’s not good, especially if you are a poorer or older American. The Kaiser Foundation has published an interactive map showing how much insurance costs would rise or fall for different age groups in all counties in all states. Let’s see. In Palm Beach County where Mar-a-Lago is, a 60-year-old could expect to see a 38 per cent drop in federal help to buy coverage. In Grant County, Nebraska, which fell especially hard for Trump, a person of the same age can expect $16,950 in federal subsidies now and only $4,000 in tax credits if Trumpcare passes as it is now.

“This bill would weaken Medicare’s fiscal sustainability, dramatically increase health care costs for Americans aged 50-64, and put at risk the health care of millions of children and adults with disabilities, and poor seniors who depend on the Medicaid program for long term services and supports and other benefits,“ AARP senior vice president Joyce Rogers warned Congress.

Ryan has a large enough majority, that he could lose about two dozen of his members and still get his bill through. The outlook for passage in the Senate is far less certain, however. With 52 of the 100 seats in his control, Mr McConnell would survive two defections (with Vice President called in to break a tie) but not three. A parade of moderate Republicans is already vowing not to pass the bill as is, but rather to open up it up for amendments. That, however, is when the whole process may be spin apart because the only consensus about this on Capitol Hill rests with the Democrats who want Obamacare left alone. Republicans are all over the shop.

You wouldn’t know this from Trump, who took to Twitter on Thursday to dispel all doubts about the enterprise. “Despite what you hear in the press, healthcare is coming along great. We are talking to many groups and it will end in a beautiful picture!” he wanted the country to know.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/don ... 21546.html

[Brian Peacock]

Yeah, but at least those top 0.01% of earners, you know, the ones that fund the GOP, and the big insurers, do very nicely out of AHCA thank you very much. And what's good for them is good for everyone right?

[Scot Dutchy]

Of course! Is there anyone else? In Trump's mind I dont think so.

[Tero]

Freedom Caucus republicans want a healthcare bill that allows insurance companies to sell plans that provide NO SERVICE at all:

Meanwhile, conservative Freedom Caucus members on Friday said their main concern now is that the measure does not do enough to drive down healthcare costs. They want the bill to repeal ObamaCare’s “essential health benefits,” which mandate healthcare services that plans must cover, as well as ObamaCare’s insurance regulations, like the ban on discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions.

[Tero]

insurance-man-planning-new-trump-era-plan
http://karireport.blogspot.com/2017/03/ ... p-era.html

[Tero]

it WAS satire, but in 2 years it may be the reality:
Healthy Person Insurance

Working for Atlantic Mutual, insurance agent Mark O'Connor has boldly entered the insurance market with his Light Insurance plan. This plan will cost 50 dollars a month. That's right, 50 dollars! You get one health check up with no lab work in a year. You also get one bottle of pills up to 50 dollars price. If it's 60, you pay 10 dollars. In addition you get two visits to Walgreens clinics and one flu vaccination. We have to take care of the sick and elderly after all! Healthcare in an emergency situations is covered as well. Both ER and hospital care is covered! You pay only the costs in those units that make up the deductible. At this price the deductible will be 100 000 dollars. No elective surgery, vasectomy or cancer treatment is available.

[Tero]

Liberals need to change their lifestyle! If they did not gaymarry and went to church, they would not get sick so much! Spending cash on frivolous things like iPhones!
The Amazon smart phone works just as well!

When he challenged residents complaining about possible changes to the affordability of health care to be more fiscally responsible, more jeers ensued.
"In return for not having pre-existing conditions not be grounds for refusal or high pay, we're going to have to say to people, 'You've got to continuously be fiscally responsible," Issa said.
"If you're choosing a lifestyle where you're saying, 'I can afford everything except healthcare ... '" he said before the boos drowned him out.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/11/politics/ ... index.html

[Tero]

From elsewhere:
Could it really get this bad? If so, something's terribly wrong.

http://www.therepublic.com/2017/03/12/u ... hospitals/

[Scot Dutchy]

I think that was being optimistic.

[pErvinalia]

The US really is a strange beast. The idea that universal healthcare is evil just seems to go against everything it means to be a civilised society.

[Scot Dutchy]

When it comes to health care when has the US been civilised?

[Brian Peacock]

To be fair, if someone cant make huge profits out of your illness then you don't deserve to live. It's your economic duty to monetise your sickness for the benefit of others. It says so in the bible.

[pErvinalia]

When it comes to health care when has the US been civilised?

Never. It really is a strange place. They seem to have forgotten the concept of banding together into a society for mutual benefit.