Healthcare in America

[Meatball]

I know there was a thread earlier, but that crazy nazi chick derailed the shit out of it and it was closed.

The debate in America over healthcare reform is heating up, and this particularly hilarious yet telling story prompted me to post this.

Democrats Co-Sponsor GOP Amendment

In a nutshell, GOP obstructionist Senators proposed an amendment to the current Healthcare reform bill that would require all members of congress to enroll in the public option.

And the Democrats loved it. Several even jumped to co-sponsor the amendment. It's hilarious, but it also shows something.

The Republicans believe their own bullshit. These GOP Senators think that this whole reform movement is just a way for the Democrats to increase the size of government and turn American into a communist state. They thought they'd catch them by proposing that they themselves use the plan being proposed for the rest of the country. The Democrats would vote it down, and then the GOP would have a nice little talking point about how hypocritical and elitist they were. They honestly thought the Democrats would balk at the idea, because they honestly don't understand the debate, and they honestly believe the shit they've been saying for months. This is another way the Republican Party has shown that they are truly out of touch with reality. They've been so poisoned by lobbyists and talking points that they believe the alarmist garbage they repeat.

Now, there is talk of another amendment requiring members of congress to shop for health insurance on the market like everyone else, until the healthcare bill goes live (sometime in 2013, I believe). I wonder how many GOP Senators will appreciate the health insurance market then?

That said, the fact that the vote to even debate the bill nearly came down to a filibuster shows how fucked up, unhealthy, and partisan the US lawmaking system has become.

[binny]

I remember that crazy girl. Very delusional. I heard about this and was jumping up and down. Most Repukicans are delusional and follow the lead of whoever is writing them the biggest check. It's sad that the American people are paying with their live over this. I see no problem with government run health care. Medicare for everyone. It would be great, but sadly I don't see it happening in my lifetime

[Pippy]

Medicare for all would be a start, but that program is also flawed. They need to clean up the paperwork mess, streamline a little... I saw some messed up red tape watching my father run a practice in the States. But it would be a start. I have some doubts about America being able to function a single-payer system though, a lot of people would find that idea repugnant. In some peoples opinions they have no obligation to ensure anyone's health but their own...

I worry if ObamaCare is the change we need, or a change for the worse. I admit to being a little behind on this issue, but last I heard the plan was supposed to cost less (or "save money") AND help the about 50 million w/o insurance. The only idea I have heard about achieving that was a criminal penalty for refusing to purchase the state approved (but still wholly private) policy. So people who right now cannot afford health care coverage will be fined? That will solve the problem?

I don't really go in for that Republican, Democrat thing... It's make believe, like wrasslin'. Isn't that getting more and more obvious? Republican Bush, war in Iraq. Democrat Clinton, still war in Iraq (unofficial). Republican Bush again, still more war in Iraq. Obama the Christ-child of the democratic left, and still the same tired war (or wars)... There are obvious policy decisions that are longer term, and over the heads of the acting president...

I don't mean to split off, but there are obvious policy decisions about health care too. About profiteering in the absolute worst way. Lets hope America has the gumption to fix all that ails her, not just proper health care reform, but all the thousand other messes she's in.

Still an American, if only in the responsibilities I have been asked, and the rights given along with them,
A true 3 percenter patriot!
-Pip

[Meatball]

My problem is that the Obamacare proposal doesn't address the issue to astronomical administrative costs. Adding a "public option" only makes more paperwork for doctors and patients to wade through.

About the low income people, they would be provided with subsidies based on their income. I can't imagine they're going to require the poorest of the poor to pay much out of pocket. To be completely honest, I don't know the details. I'm definitely in agreement with you that mandatory insurance via government coercion isn't the best way to go about it.

The problem is that despire the efforts to reform the whole mess, almost all of the solutions being debated still cling to the profit model of the insurance companies. The best solution would be to abolish these companies, or at least regulate them heavily enough that the interface between a patient, doctor, and insurance company never varies. This would drastically reduce the whole mess of paperwork and administrative costs associated with insurance.

The whole aversion to single-payer is really too bad, though.

[Autumnlicious]

Not certain by what you mean by "astronomical administrative costs". I distinctly recall that 15-20% of all profit made in a private health care insurer went to administrative costs, while 5% in the equivalent medicare agency was spent on administrative costs.

I do agree with you that the profit component of health care is by far the most unstable and problematic part of the entire fiasco. Putting a price on good health leads to rather unfortunate circumstances - how much money would anothers life be worth to you? Regardless of the monetary component, I've noticed that many people seem to forget that even if caring for another requires an enormous amount of resources in the now, the existing problem can be used to spur innovation in the present and reduce in the future the drain of resources inherent in certain conditions.

In other words, current costs are not an excuse to provide health coverage - they should instead fuel innovation in reducing costs through technological advancements, not through simple denial or attrition of fees.

[Meatball]

Also hilarious

Mitch McConnell takes the position that Medicare is just right. Don't cut it! Now don't expand it!

[Eilonnwy]

I am pissed off about removing the Public Option for changing medicare for 55+

What.

The.

Fuck.

It doesn't help the millions of people who are under 55, and I'm pissed off that Democrats are seeing this as a win.

Expand medicare for everyone and then I'll consider it a fucking success.

[Meatball]

The public option is definitely critical to real reform. Anything less is a cop out and a waste of time. Anything more, *cough*singlepayer*cough* is more than welcome to anyone but the insurance companies and those anti-government types.

[theVOID]

Your country really has some fucking issues i tell you. Universal healthcare is so last century.

[binny]

My creepy nephew is 37 and has no insurance, my brother is 49 and has no insurance, my brother-in-law is 41 and has no insurance. What the fuck are they suppose to do? This is a slap in the face as far as I'm concerned. No public option means that CIGNA will still continue to rake me and my family over the coals with huge deductibles and monthly premiums along with every other stipulation they can find not to cover us for even a hang nail. I'm sick.