So I was already paranoid...

[reinbeau]

Did you read Wifezilla's post on how not-well the programs are working here in Mass? It doesn't work. Hoping it will isn't going to change it. I'm not trying to argue, but the proof is already there. I'm amazed at the amount of money people think can be spent - is there no end? More government isn't going to work, it's just going to cost, and cost, and cost you and I more.

 

[VT-Chicklit]

reinbeau said: Did you read Wifezilla's post on how not-well the programs are working here in Mass? It doesn't work. Hoping it will isn't going to change it. I'm not trying to argue, but the proof is already there. I'm amazed at the amount of money people think can be spent - is there no end? More government isn't going to work, it's just going to cost, and cost, and cost you and I more.

You are correct. Unfortunatly, along with the ever increasing cost to feed the government bureaucrats that will over see the program there will be ever decreasing availability and poorer quality of the care that will be dispensed. Just think about the care that the VA dispenses to our vets. The doctors and nurses try to provide the best care that they can, but the red tape and regulations make that difficult. Those regulations and red tape also eat up alot of the money that could be better spent on care for the vets.

Another thing to consider . . . When services are "free", people tend to use them more indiscriminately. Colds, sniffles, sore throats and ear aches that can be treated with over the counter meds will be brought to an MD for perscriptions of antibiotics (dont work for any of these illnesses) and cough meds. We currently don't have enough GPs now, because the money is in "Specialized Medicine". What do you think will happen when the government takes much of the profit out of it and adds even more red tape and paper to shuffle. Many doctors will not take medicare and medicade patients now for that reason. It will only get worse.

Additionally, there are many people that do not have insurance now by choice. Instead of getting insurance, they play Russian Roulette with their health and finances. They would rather spend their premium money on a new car payment or a pool or a bigger house with a bigger morgage and so on . . . You cant mandate responsability. I dont know what the perfect ansewer is, but putting the government in charge of it will insure that it is a boondoggle!

 

[Beekissed]

Just think about the care that the VA dispenses to our vets. The doctors and nurses try to provide the best care that they can, but the red tape and regulations make that difficult. Those regulations and red tape also eat up alot of the money that could be better spent on care for the vets.

Not really into the subject but was idly reading through during a bout of insomnia......

....and just have to say this. I found out an interesting thing the other day. One of my patients was a vet and using the VA for medical equipment and supplies. He was issued a brand new electric hospital bed, a new Hoyer lift and sling, deluxe air mattress and a new wheelchair. His wife was told that they did not require the items to be returned to them when she was done with them!

Approx. $4350 worth of items, lightly used, sitting in a home that no longer needs them. Multiply that by just how many vets are out there being taken care of in the home.

The VA doesn't have a program to recycle these items for their own use and for other vets, nor do they have a place to donate them for anyone else to get their use.

The VA is just as mismanaged as the rest of our government and has plenty of money to afford better health care for their vets....apparently!

 

[justusnak]

Approx. $4350 worth of items, lightly used, sitting in a home that no longer needs them.

Bee....tell your friend...that the Hospice would take them, if she wants to donate them. Our hospice takes just about anything they can get...to help other patients.

 

[FarmerChick]

My father in law has had many heart troubles (surgery etc.) and colon cancer (surgery etc) and all with the VA hosptial. They treat him perfect here in NC.....that VA hospital does it right for the vets. I don't know about the "whole" issue of VA hospitals, but ours is a great one with great care!

 

[Wifezilla]

The VA is a good example of what will happen with nationalized care. While some hospitals DO give good care, others are horrible. There was a 20/20 expose (or some other investigative news show...can't recall which one) showing the horrible care of wounded vets at Walter Reed. It has been fixed now, but it took national attention to get things changed that should never have happened in the first place.

There were times when retired vets in Colorado Springs had to drive to Denver for care when there was a hospital right here at Fort Carson. Why? The government said so. That's why.

Care will NOT be the same for everyone. It will end up being inconsistent as all get out.

And saying the reason health care is failing because not enough people are signed up for insurance is like saying the Titanic wouldn't have sunk if it only had a lot more passengers.

 

[Big Daddy]

It only makes good sense that a national health care plan with different rates based on income would cost much less than private health plans. Naturally there will be abuse and waste just like anything in life right down to your kid that pours a full glass of milk and drinks half. Just like your kid the waste has to be monitored and controlled. It will never be stopped. They want to set up a bunch of clinics that people with colds and sniffles and other minor things can go to. Currently those people are going to emergency rooms because they can't afford to pay a Doctor in a box clinic and they don't qualify for Medicaire. Clinic cost for sniffle visit approx 100.00. Same problem at Emergency room 800.00. There are thousands of people out there with no coverage that get a serious illness and don't go to the doctor because they don't have coverage. Then they go to the emergency room after it has changed to a life threatening illness and it cost thousands of dollars and leaves them crippled for life. We are one of the few civilized countries in the world that still allows this to happen. Health care is a necessity for a lot of people. Yes it will cost more overall. Those of us that have private health care should see a drop in our overall cost because of competition. I will keep my private health care unless there is a hug difference in cost. At my age I have quite a few health concerns. If I was younger and very rarely went to the doctor I would opt for the govt plan. If I was low income I would be very thankful for the national plan.

As far as Social Security goes. They will fix that when the health care issue is resolved. For all the people that complain about SS and feel that we should all be saving and investing on our own. I say shame on you. I for one don't want to see a bunch of old people standing on the corner begging. There's a lot of people right now that are glad that SS is around since the crooks on Wall Street squandered all their money with their greed. The fix is to raise the cap on SS contributions. Social Security would be doing just fine if it weren't for the baby boomers and the longer life expectancy now. This recession has proven how sound the stock market is.

 

[Wifezilla]

You have quite a few predictions in your post Big Daddy, and I think we will be able to see in the next few years if you are right.

I predict costs will rise, care levels will fall, private insurance rates will spiral out of control, care will become rationed, and more people will be as bad or worse off than they are now.

Of course, a large majority of our health issues are diet related, and since the government ENCOURAGES people to eat the very things that are making us sick while subsidizing the inustry that produces the garbage in the first place....

Well, lets just say I envision a total train wreck.

 

[sylvie]

I LOVE Medicare!!! I want a single payer system exactly like Medicare for myself!
Dh is on it and we also picked up a Medigap policy for that percentage which Medicare doesn't cover.
It has been 5 years, using assorted hospitals, and from our perspective has been a very well run program. In fact it is run much better than the three private insurance companies that we previously had. His last insurance company dropped him retroactively when he became sick. We were left with a stack of hospital bills that we are still going to court over now.

Big Daddy-there was supposed to be healthy competition when the Medicare Part D drug plan was created. We dropped the Advantage plan (an alternative to Part D) and bought a cheap Part D and the Medigap policy which ended up cheaper for us by a huge margin.
All Part D and Advantage plans have risen quite a bit since they began and insurance company players dropped out of that market. I'm not sure that this would inspire that much competition after seeing Part D.

 

[dacjohns]

Social Security would be doing just fine if it weren't for the baby boomers and the longer life expectancy now.

Rather simplistic view isn't this? I think it is a bit more complicated.