Comments on: GOP Stumbling In Health Care Fight

Politico: Some Republicans Worry Party Has Waited Too Long To Establish Counterproposal To Democrats

[butterfly462]

God, what's it like to need surgery and find out your insurance company won't pay for it? Or what about AFTER you have the surgery and they back out? What's it like to lose your home and everything you own because you are left with the bills? What's it like to be charged an arm and a leg for your drugs? Or to find out that the drug you're taking isn't the one you thought it was?

Just curious.: )
Posted by erasmus111

Where do you get this stuff from? I have been covered by good insurance plans for almost 60 years and these things have never been an issue. There are plenty of comprehensive medical plans to choose from. With a little research, people can find quality health plans with few or no surprises.
Posted by rhs648 at 1:56 PM : Apr 20, 2009

Either you just like to live in your own fantasy world and make things up, or you are trying to convince us that there is no problem just because you say so, or you are the luckiest American that has ever lived.
Health care is too expensive for anyone not on an employer sponsered program. The premiums are too high with very high deductables and very limited benefits. Let's take me, for instance. I know you really don't care because your world is so great. Every year I have had to apply for new health coverage because the premiums automatically go up by at least $50 per month after a year. As I approached the time of year again this year I recieved my standard letter that notified me that my premium was going up from $147 to $198. About 2 weeks later I recieved another that said it would go to $220. This is how much I am supposed to pay for a $5000 deductable policy that only pays for Dr. visits adn Rx's. They do not pay for any labs, that means no x-rays, no blood work, no pap test(the Dr. visit for this is payed for but not the cost for the lab to read the test, now that is insane), urinalysis, you know all those little things that help the Dr. know what is worng with me. So if I get what you are saying, you really think that paying $220 a month for a $5000 deductable policy that covers pretty much nothing is just great for Americans. Why would they need something that is resonably affordable that actually pays for tests that Dr. use to determine illnesses and keep people alive? Is that really ok with you.
See I don't mind paying for health insurance. I really don't, but I do expect something decent for the money I am paying. I will NOT be robbed by these insurance companies every month while thay take my money and provide sh*tty service. I expect more than that. Sorry if that offends your bright little fantasy world.
Has anybody told you that it's not all about you. There are others in the world. Empathy is a good quality. Walking a mile in someone elses shoes seems to have disappeared from basic humanity.

[erasmus111]

Ok fine, but then you replace it with the government bureacract middle man. So instead of the insurance companies negotiating prices with the doctors, drug/medical companies, and hospitals, its the government negotiating and setting the prices.

Posted by Troll_Mage at 1:37 PM : Apr 20, 2009

Here, in Canada, I wouldn't say that the government is necessarily the "middle man". The insurance company sets the price, but the government is "regulating" it. In other words, they will not allow them to jack up the prices and take us all for a ride, like yours. Yours are out of control. They are greedy.

The government is looking out for the people's best interest. That's what they are supposed to be doing. They work for the PEOPLE.

The insurance company states it's prices and says what they will cover. The government makes sure they stick to that. Whatever the company says it will cover, it covers. There is no changing the rules or backing out.

In your country the insurance companies tell the doctors what they can do and can't do. They don't control the doctors here. The government does not control what the doctors do. If my doctor/specialist says I need a test, I get that test. If he says I need surgery, I get that surgery. He doesn't have to discuss it with anyone before making that decision.

I can choose whatever doctor I want. Most of us have had the same family doctor for years. We can go whenever and however often we like. If I need to see a doctor today, and can't wait until tomorrow, there are many clinics I can go to and need no appointment.

Also the government regulates the prices on our drugs. They keep track to make sure that they aren't jacking the prices up, like they do in the U.S.

[babooph]

Ins. co sucks more than 1/3 of health care $ & in return supplies paperwork & claim denials-only the powerful US propaganda system has kept them in it this long.

[erasmus111]

Posted by erasmus111

Where do you get this stuff from?

Posted by rhs648 at 1:56 PM : Apr 20, 2009

Where do I get it from? I get it from the STORIES, here on CBS, and from many people posting comments. Are you telling me that CBS and all the people that comment on here are lying?

Maybe you have a great healthcare plan because you have the money, but there are thousands of people out there that don't have that kind of money.

Here, we don't have to be rich to have health care. Everybody has health care. And the best health care. The rich don't get better health care because they can pay more.

[rhs648]

It would be nice to know details such what is covered, how it is covered, and what it costs before we entrust our dollars to a goverment sponsored univeral health care plan. What if the premiums are 10, 20 or 50% greater than they are now? Will we be choosing our own doctors and hospitals? No one has provided any details yet expect us to be supportive.
Posted by rhs648 a

Too bad we weren't so discriminating when we decided to jump into Iraq with both feet on the basis of supposed WMDs. Would it ease your mind if we promised you that Iraqi oil revenues would pay the entire cost of the healthcare transition?
Posted by omega39-2009

The topic is about the Republicans stumbling on health care suggestions, not the war in Iraq. So far, we haven't heard anything solid from those proposing universal health care. Please enlighten us on the costs, what is covered, what will be excluded, and who determines what will be rationed or covered, and whether we choose our own doctors. How can anyone make a rational choice without this information? Would you buy a home not knowing its cost, the value of other homes in the neighborhood, the quality of schools in the area, or whether the home is in a high crime area? We should know the details before dumping what we have for something unknown.

[rhs648]

God, what's it like to need surgery and find out your insurance company won't pay for it? Or what about AFTER you have the surgery and they back out? What's it like to lose your home and everything you own because you are left with the bills? What's it like to be charged an arm and a leg for your drugs? Or to find out that the drug you're taking isn't the one you thought it was?

Just curious.: )
Posted by erasmus111

Where do you get this stuff from? I have been covered by good insurance plans for almost 60 years and these things have never been an issue. There are plenty of comprehensive medical plans to choose from. With a little research, people can find quality health plans with few or no surprises.

[omega39-2009]

It would be nice to know details such what is covered, how it is covered, and what it costs before we entrust our dollars to a goverment sponsored univeral health care plan. What if the premiums are 10, 20 or 50% greater than they are now? Will we be choosing our own doctors and hospitals? No one has provided any details yet expect us to be supportive.
Posted by rhs648 a

Too bad we weren't so discriminating when we decided to jump into Iraq with both feet on the basis of supposed WMDs. Would it ease your mind if we promised you that Iraqi oil revenues would pay the entire cost of the healthcare transition?

[rhs648]

It would be nice to know details such what is covered, how it is covered, and what it costs before we entrust our dollars to a goverment sponsored univeral health care plan. What if the premiums are 10, 20 or 50% greater than they are now? Will we be choosing our own doctors and hospitals? No one has provided any details yet expect us to be supportive.

[Troll_Mage]

Posted by iam4honesty

Credientials? Eh really just a very interested medical consumer. Hold a Bachelor's in International Relations and almost finished Information System Technology Degree, worked last 12 years in various satellite and communications engineering contracts for various companies under numerous contracts. Really just reading the various medical topics and lack there of... articles from various sources (mostly from the left it seems), you get a pretty good idea what people want, but little to nothing on the impact to the existing medical industry and what the impact will be to future and current research.

The single payer type universal healthcare system, sounds nice, getting rid of the overhead and profit of the "insurance company" middle-man. Ok fine, but then you replace it with the government bureacract middle man. So instead of the insurance companies negotiating prices with the doctors, drug/medical companies, and hospitals, its the government negotiating and setting the prices. Grant you the government will have a huge advantage in setting those prices, seeing as they will be the sole "single payer" - with all the consequences that will incurr. Though what about mal-practice lawsuits? That's something that still needs to be solved! Mal-practice solution needs to include proper compensation to the victims while not bankrupting the system and doctors. Mal-practice insurance premiums are also a big part of the medical bill - that many lawyers - on the left and right don't want to change.

Single payer system or other... if the intent is to bring down the cost of medical services in the U.S. then you must bring down the salaries of the service providers - doctors and nurses, drug, technology, etc. While I am sure there will be some cost savings from the for-profit system's overhead and profit it is not overwhelming majority of the cost. That's going to be issue and how to pay it either way (taxes - instead of insurance premiums...ok)

GOP Stumbling In Health Care Fight....yeah, they're still learning to walk upright!