Health Care Reform thread

[rjs246]

No. I wish I had never gotten involved in this conversation or started paying attention to politics. The idiocy that comes out of people's mouths is astonishing.

[ATV]

More video of unintelligent people trying to seem intelligent...

http://crooksandliars.com/media/play/wmv/9901/

[phillymic2000]

LOL, the first was a total plant and a bad one at that. The second two, ummmmm no threat except she be a little crazy

[rjs246]

Oops. Almost there.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/16/health.care/index.html

[ATV]

This version was dead before it began.

[rjs246]

A quick hitter on what's in the bill.

How much does the bill cost, and will it add to the deficit?
In a press release accompanying the release of the bill, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus says the legislation would cost $856 billion over 10 years and would not increase the deficit. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which put the bill's total cost at a lower $774 billion, says the bill would actually reduce the deficit by $49 billion between 2010 and 2019.

Lots of really good questions and answers here. BTW, Time has done an excellent job of presenting clear explanations of some pretty complex issues over the past year or so since I started paying attention.

[rjs246]

An interesting way to compromise on young people who might otherwise choose not to be covered due to relative youth and good health...

The exchange would also offer a high-deductible plan for adults under 25. This plan would be cheaper than the bronze plan and is referred to as a "young invincible" policy.

This is a perfectly reasonable, equitable, market-driven solution to the abortion question that will definitely unquestionably be turned on its ear by knee-jerk pro-lifers.

Would federal funds be used to finance abortions?
Those eligible for federal subsidies to purchase insurance through exchanges would be able to choose from at least one plan that covers abortions beyond those in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother (the exceptions that Medicaid and other federal programs currently allow) and one that doesn't. Those private plans that do offer the services would have to segregate funds internally to make sure that only individual premiums, and not federal subsidies, pay for actual abortion services.

In the health-insurance cooperatives, coverage for abortion services would not be explicitly prohibited. Consumers owning and operating the cooperatives would be able to decide if they want to cover abortion.

[MadMarchHare]

We have an option similar to that at Abbott.  The way to make it work is to take out a big FSA to cover the deductible.  That, or hope you never get sick.

[rjs246]

FSA = Flex Spending Account?

[Diomedes]

federal socialist assignment

[bowzer]

An IBD/TIPP poll found the following:

– 45% of doctors polled said they would consider leaving their practice or retiring early if the proposed health care bill was to pass

– 65% or 2 out of 3 practicing physicians polled say they oppose the plan

– 72% of doctors polled disagree with the administration's claim that the government can cover 47 million more Americans with better quality care and at a lower cost

[PhillyPhreak54]

I want to see the government do something about the goddamn medical malpractice policies that is/has been driving good physicians out of practice.

[bowzer]

I want to see the government do something about the goddamn medical malpractice policies that is/has been driving good physicians out of practice.

To reach a fair compromise, the bill should definitely include tort reform.
The marketplace idea sounds good, in theory.  I want both sides to start trying to hammer that out.  More competition will bring prices down without a public option.

[PhillyPhreak54]

I want to see the government do something about the goddamn medical malpractice policies that is/has been driving good physicians out of practice.

To reach a fair compromise, the bill should definitely include tort reform.
The marketplace idea sounds good, in theory.  I want both sides to start trying to hammer that out.  More competition will bring prices down without a public option.

I agree. It bugs the shtein out of me how sue happy the country has become. One of my doctors when I was a kid was driven out of practice because of the malpractice insurance.

[bowzer]

I want to see the government do something about the goddamn medical malpractice policies that is/has been driving good physicians out of practice.

To reach a fair compromise, the bill should definitely include tort reform.
The marketplace idea sounds good, in theory.  I want both sides to start trying to hammer that out.  More competition will bring prices down without a public option.

I agree. It bugs the shtein out of me how sue happy the country has become. One of my doctors when I was a kid was driven out of practice because of the malpractice insurance.

This country is too sue-happy.  A woman was just awarded some dollar amount in the hundreds of thousands for burning her mouth on a hot pickle?

It's becoming a joke. 

And the malpractice insurrance in PA is absolutely out of control.