People with common sense post on this OPEN MIKE

[Gigi]

Originally Posted by lilywhyte

[/b]

Yet you said later: I don't support health reform as it is being pursued now.

Moreover, why the abusive language, gigi? It's unattractive and unpersuasive.

What, you can't decide whether you're lilywhyte or bassman, lol?

As for the quote, that's the same thing I said earlier. If you're looking for a fight, look elsewhere, as it is obvious that you have nothing in your arsenal on this topic besides personal attacks.

[Gigi]

Originally Posted by lilywhyte

Not quite what you said earlier. Be civil and demonstrate REAL discussion.

You should probably take your own advice. I notice you still have nothing to add on the actual thread topic.

[workerbee]

Originally Posted by Gigi

What kind of form should there be? Maybe they can make it really simple and not ask for any info at all so anyone can just sign up without substantiation. See, this is one of the reasons it is difficult to fight fraud in government programs. Everyone wants the government to fight fraud until they, themselves, have to do something inconvenient that would help to fight it.

Gigi
LOL fraud... see medicare. No just the basics.
Do you eat unhealthy food?
Do you take unnessecary risks... rollerskate, surf, sky jump, smoke (well maybe not smoke), ride a motorcycle, do you, have you in the past or are you planning to own an evil firearm? ( they are very dangerous you know)
Do vote progressive or conservative?

Fight fraud... funny stuff.

[Ex_GI]

Why is everybody calling it "Healthcare Reform", when nobody is talking about reforming healthcare? We're not even talking about reforming Healthcare COSTS. All that is being discussed is how we pay the obscene cost of healthcare.

First bring down the cost of healthcare and maybe the cost of helathcare insurance will come down!

[mlatoman]

Originally Posted by lorn

Most people who presently have government sponsored plans rate their satisfaction very high. So I'm not worried. I'd trust the government over a corporate goon whose primary concern is the insurance company's profit.

Spend some time at a VA hospital and get back to me. Tell me if you'd rather have surgery there, or at Hopkins, GBMC or Good Sam.

To be frank, at this stage of the game there's very little I trust with the government. All they are are elected, and re-elected (ad nauseum) goons who think they know what's best for you and I, without ever really listening to....you and I.

[lilywhyte]

Originally Posted by Gigi

What, you can't decide whether you're lilywhyte or bassman, lol?

As for the quote, that's the same thing I said earlier. If you're looking for a fight, look elsewhere, as it is obvious that you have nothing in your arsenal on this topic besides personal attacks.

Reread what you wrote.

Your thug-like response is frightening.

Cease and desist.

[cantabene]

My private insurer for Medicare Part D refused to pay for two thirds of the medications prescribed for me this past year. IMO we very much need a public option.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by cantabene

My private insurer for Medicare Part D refused to pay for two thirds of the medications prescribed for me this past year. IMO we very much need a public option.

For what reason?

[Slapperhead]

Originally Posted by lorn

I'd trust the government over a corporate goon whose primary concern is the insurance company's profit.

Yeah, cause those in the government aren't concerned about their "profit".

[Slapperhead]

Originally Posted by Gigi

What kind of form should there be? Maybe they can make it really simple and not ask for any info at all so anyone can just sign up without substantiation. See, this is one of the reasons it is difficult to fight fraud in government programs. Everyone wants the government to fight fraud until they, themselves, have to do something inconvenient that would help to fight it.

I'd just get those good folks at ACORN to help me fill it out.

[Gigi]

Originally Posted by Brian

For what reason?

Could have been something like the formulary changed. (Yes, the drug formulary can change and drugs can be taken off after people sign up for the year.)

[jadedsue]

Originally Posted by cantabene

My private insurer for Medicare Part D refused to pay for two thirds of the medications prescribed for me this past year. IMO we very much need a public option.

that makes me think Medicare Part D needs to be fixed; not all health care in the US. Seems like they cannot even get Medicare right and now they want to screw w/all health care -- yea, i think that is a good idea

[LadyHollman]

Odd how the same prescriptions (from the same companies) cost 40% less at Walmart & Walgreens if I do not use my insurer's prescription card.

Something is seriously not right in the big picture.

I hear a lot of health care premiums will rise considerably come Jan 2010.

The way the premiums have been rising over the years, IMO, not many would be able to afford health care in say 5-10 yrs .... lots of businesses will drop the option if the prices get too high.

[LadyHollman]

As for the Reform Bill, I'm waiting to read a summary (of the completed version) before deciding what I think.

Not a single Congressman or Senator has come on teevee and said what is actually in the Bill ... the guts of it. In all their going back and forth none mention anything of substance. I recall one Senator complaining about the "wording" yet he never said what the "wording" was that gave him concern ... no quotes, no particulars, nothing.

[Gigi]

Originally Posted by jadedsue

that makes me think Medicare Part D needs to be fixed; not all health care in the US. Seems like they cannot even get Medicare right and now they want to screw w/all health care -- yea, i think that is a good idea

Unfortunately, the same could be said of private insurers, as well. In the case of Medicare Part D, the drug plans are private insurance plans.

[a_ponderer]

Originally Posted by cantabene

My private insurer for Medicare Part D refused to pay for two thirds of the medications prescribed for me this past year. IMO we very much need a public option.

That's exactly opposite my Medicare Part D experience. Sometimes my copay for a 90-day supply of a generic costs me less than $2 (at Walmart)!

There's an old saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And it sure ain't broke for me... Not to mention the fact that liberals aways want to spend someone else's money.

Originally Posted by LL

What we are being told about this reform, and what is actually in writing, are two different things, much like the bail-out bills.

You, too, have noticed that the pro-Obamacare politicians are accomplished spinmeisters?

Originally Posted by LL

Their philosphy is, the public doesn't always know what is good for them, so just do whatever it takes to get it passed, and we'll worry about the ramifications of lying to /misleading the people, after the fact.

Excellent common sense observation.

[johman]

Originally Posted by JamieGrey1

If you don't mind my asking, where do you get your health insurance? And what does it cost you?

Reading all the entries to date, I couldn't help but notice that you dd not receive an answer to your simple questions. My guess is that had you asked the same questions of many here who are opposed to health care reform efforts, you would not have received responses to your questions from them either.

I think it's probably safe to assume that many are happy with the current state of health care in this country and feel comfortable about their ability to pay for it. They may have some gripes about some things, but in general they are satisfied to keep things just the way they are. They may or may not feel badly about those less able to secure health care security for themselves, but as long at they are able (financially speaking that is) to maintain that security for their needs and that of their loved ones... that's all that matters to them. The prospects of changing the status quo frightens, as well as angers them. And to be fair, there is good reason to be fearful of much of the change that is proposed in both the Democrat and Republican offered versions of the bill. Neither of which as hastily created, a satisfactory effort at being acceptable to the needs of all people all of the time.

There is much about the Democratically sponsored bill that I am either Leary of... or absolutely opposed to. As written it is a complex piece of legislation that seems to serve as many special interest groups as it does the populace that it is supposed to help. Little wonder that if passed... it is not intended to take effect for several years to come. And anyone who thinks the effort is not going to cost huge amounts of money to sustain, is simply not living in reality.

The Republican version of the bill is nothing to be proud of either. In comparison to the counter bill, it provides hardly any relief at all to those who seek medical care insurance, or those hopeful of keeping the insurance they now have. While it is shorter in length to read (about the only thing Republicans can be credited for), it is woefully short of effort to answer the needs of those demanding change. And neither bill adequately addresses inflationary runaway health care costs, the ridiculously high costs of prescription medicines, or much needed tort reforms.

Personally, I'm all for an effort to reform health care in this country. I'm just not excited about the efforts made in this direction thus far. While there is at least some effort to build popular consensus, it is also quite clear that many are opposed (for whatever reason) to actually seeing that effort succeed. I don't know if either bill is going to be passed and I know I am not going to be completely happy regardless of which one becomes law. But I will be very disappointed if this issue is placed on the back burner to be ignored as it has been for far too long.

[lorn]

Originally Posted by mlatoman

Spend some time at a VA hospital and get back to me. Tell me if you'd rather have surgery there, or at Hopkins, GBMC or Good Sam.

To be frank, at this stage of the game there's very little I trust with the government. All they are are elected, and re-elected (ad nauseum) goons who think they know what's best for you and I, without ever really listening to....you and I.

Actually, veterans do rate their satisfaction higher than those with private insurance. There have been problems, but veterans seem pretty happy in general.

[lorn]

Originally Posted by Slapperhead

Yeah, cause those in the government aren't concerned about their "profit".

I don't know what you mean by this. They aren't, actually. But profit is the primary goal of insurance companies -- they want to maximize what they take in and minimize what they pay out. That's the whole way they work. Luckily, government regulations attempt to minimize how badly they can screw over their customers.

[Eastside Terp]

if so inclined, you can fix a lot of what most folks think is wrong with health care without a 2,000 page, $ 2 trillion monstrosity that creates dozens of new federal bureaucracies and has government takeover ~ 30% of the US economy......

btw, many of the problems today are a direct result of existiong government regulations as the health care industry / insurance industry is already one of the most heavily regulated industries....