I am getting notices in the mail now from my health insurance carrier, Cover Colorado, a state program based on adverse selection – that is, Cover Colorado can only offer insurance to people who have been deemed potentially unprofitable by private insurers
What a country.
In October we are going to be faced with a decision – we will have many policies to choose from, offered by private insurance companies. That’s how it is framed for us. More accurately, we will be forced to choose from a wide range of crappy policies from the insurance cartel within which competitors are friends and customers are the enemy.
What a country.
So-called “Cadillac” policies, which are referred to in other countries as “basic care,” are gone. We’ll have Coke/Pepsi choices. When we are dealing with a cartel, competition degrades choices. Example: One company decides that it will no longer cover physician office visits. You’d think that others would jump in and attract clients by covering office visit coverage. Not so. None will cover office visits. Competition is a downward spiral.
What a country.
Customers, who learned nothing of insurance in their basic schooling, are now told they can “choose” among a wide range of policies, all in various shades of brown. There will be no bright colors offered. They will understand only one real choice: $$$. Good basic health care coverage will be unaffordable. They will select the cheapest policy they can, as their budget is already stressed. This will mean high deductibles and co-pays, and no coverage for office visits.
What an effing country!
Once these policies are in place, people will no longer visit doctors for routine matters, as it only adds to their already-high medical costs caused by insurance premiums. Instead they will let conditions fester until they are emergent. Since emergency room coverage is subject to the same restrictions as other health care, we’ll have our old system firmly in place again, with hospitals and collection agents chasing people around trying to seize what little cash flow they have left after premium payments.
Just like now in this crazy effing land, people will die due to lack of basic health care, and go bankrupt when forced to seek out care by conditions that were preventable and treatable prior to that time. Collection agencies will hound them. Democrats will wonder why they aren’t grateful.
The cause of all of these problems, one through ten, top to bottom, side to side, is the profit motive. In health care, it’s fucking us over. Royally.
What a country.
___________
Footnote: Many people have wondered why the name “Affordable Care Act,” or ACA, was chosen for this bill, since that is the one thing it does not offer. A leaked memo from the internal discussions about the matter indicated that a PR agency had offered several choices, but that “Healthy Forests Initiative” and Clear Skies Bill” were already used and did not seem topical anyway. Obama’s personal favorite, “Twisting the Knife,” was thought to be confusing, as people would confuse TTN with TNT, the television channel. They settled on Affordable Care with a hearty guffaw, rejecting the last choice offered by Obama, Justice and Decency in Health Care Act, or the “JDA Bill.” Obama, who holds a JD, or “Juris Doctor” degree, thought it would be a great inside joke, as it would really mean “Just Die Already!”
Piece of Mindful 
Aren’t you eligible for Medicare in a couple years?
Ya know that wonderful, efficient, financially secure system of government based care.
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It is financially secure for the near term, next ten years or so. It would be completely viable were it not a private sector reimbursement scheme, subject to all of the fraud and gouging and cost shifting that goes on there.
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It would be completely viable were it not a private sector reimbursement scheme, subject to all of the fraud and gouging and cost shifting that goes on there.
Completely, huh. Yeah.
And as if the public sector you so uncritically tout doesn’t have the same problems.
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Every country with a public system performs better and cheaper than ours. What part of objective reality troubles you? Is it the objective, or the reality?
End of debate.
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I know it’s foolish to repeat information about health care costs and ourcomes to the hearing imparied, but: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/10/health-costs-how-the-us-compares-with-other-countries.html
We’re not #1, not by a long shot. But in the U.S. it’s not what or where you are, it’s what you think you are.
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In running their business, private health insurers continually face a choice between asking health care providers to contain their costs or passing on higher costs to patients in higher premiums. Many of them find it hard to do the former.
Sounds like health care providers have a good union.
It is difficult to untangle precisely why prices are higher in the U.S., but two things are apparent: U.S. physicians get higher incomes than in other countries and the U.S. uses more expensive diagnostic procedures.
So who is going to get a hair cut here? I find it interesting that big spending, big government leftists are going to cut all this cost in health care.
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Quote by H.L. Mencken.
“As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at least and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
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We have had morons in office before and after Mencken. Bush was not the first. The office of president is, as I see it, a mere reflecting pond for the American public. If that thought does not trouble you, it should.
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It indeed troubles me, but I’m more prepared than most.
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Interesting. Have you ever sat down to alphabetize your illusions? This one falls under the letter C, as in “I have Control over my own destiny.”
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We were having a debate?
The office of president is, as I see it, a mere reflecting pond for the American public.
Just like our health care system is a reflection of the American way of doing things, whether it is done “publicly” or “privately”. The VA has much the same dynamics and results as any other health delivery system in this country.
This has been seen before. “Our military procurement system is too expensive, with poor results. Let’s copy the French system, which has better results for less cost.” So we copied the French system, and thing sucks even more now.
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VA is well-run and efficient, and unlike our private system, enjoys high approval in its clientele. It has streamlined its operations, computerized its patient information. There are no wait times to speak of. Libertarians are anxious to dismantle this government owned and run system not because it has failed, but because it has succeeded and exposes libertarians as stupid or fraudulent or both.
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The VA has had its problems in the past. It helps that it is watched over by an energetic band of brothers. Would be nice if we could have a society wide energetic band of brothers joined by blood and soil, but lately we seem anxious to extinguish such.
My exposure here is to the Indian Health Service. Not very encouraging.
I’m becoming less and less a fan of libertarians.
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Not very encouraging? Hmm. Where do YOU go for IHS care? For you see, a buddy just went up to Browning to get his DENTAL work done….for free! He has no complaints at all! Nor do any of the many Indian folks I know. Hell, they’ve got it made!
And band of brothers? Not hardly. The VA system sucked for many years after Nam. It was the politicians PANDERING to the military that improved it! It is much better now, but only because the country has poured gazillions into the military industrial complex. If you’re gonna have ignernt kids volunteering to fight senseless wars, you gotta make the VA care look decent! That’s all. Volunteering is the key word here. If you draft’em, f*ck’em! But if you’re ever gonna get them to join, you’d better improve! It’s simply economics.
And as far as a “band of brothers”, it’s a band of GREEN CARD ARMY dudes and kids without a job! Your sense of the situation is comical, dude.
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Start your education here, freddy!
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4584.htm
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Troll.
From a Yahoo site:
A new congressional report says the military is not a mirror of society.
There are proportionately more blacks and fewer Hispanics in the military than in the population as a whole, according to a report on demographics of the all-volunteer force, released Friday by the Government Accountability Office.
…
• Whites are underrepresented in the military. The U.S. work force is 71 percent Caucasian— or other ethnic groups included as whites — while the military is 67 percent white.
• Blacks are overrepresented, comprising 17 percent of the military and 11 percent of the civilian work force
• Hispanics are underrepresented, making up 9 percent of the military and 11 percent of the work force.
…
• Deaths of U.S. troops in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom also have been disproportionate to ethnic makeup of the military, the report states. Based on the 1,841 deaths and 12,658 wounded service members as of May 28, when the report was being prepared, 71 percent of the dead are classified as white, 9 percent as black and 10 percent as Hispanic.
————————
Note well who is doing the dying.
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… to get his DENTAL work done….for free!
Yes, stuff is free. I see you’ve learned your lessons well.
It was the politicians PANDERING to the military that improved it!
Kind of my point, but I don’t put much stock in politicians being the ones that improve things.
The military is selective about who it recruits. If you are in the bottom 30% of intelligence, you don’t get in.
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“Politicians” is a meaningless word as you use it here. I would instead use “government.” Or, “us.” Corporations are nothing more than private bureaucracies, but are saddled with investors. By definition they must avoid sick people, poor people, old people. So they cannot run a health care system. By definition.
Nothing is free. But government health care is cheaper and more efficient due to its structure, free of the profit motive.
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“the military is selective about who it recruits”, said freddy.
bwhahahahahahahahahahaa!
Yeah, right, freddy! Where did you serve again? Me? Nam.
Start you education here, freddy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_100,000
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So you were in the moron corps? Figures.
How are the rabbits doing?
Today’s military is selective. Note the re-norming of ASVAB. It was found that low-rent recruits cost more than they contribute. As in most areas of life. The key is to be in a position where you can be selective.
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bqwhahahahahahaha!
Too funny, freddy. Spoken like a true draft dodger/chicken hawk! Dude, the military don’t change. The ONLY thing that changes is the ways chicken hawks get out of their obligation to serve! Ask a vet, dude. Ask a vet! You PAINFULLY obviously never served. Hence, you haven’t a clue!
Go rent The Last Detail and maybe Platoon. Get yourself up to speed, freddy.
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So you learn about the world through movies? Interesting.
The experience with units like yours is what led the military to become more selective over time. Plus, the equipment and training today requires at least average intelligence to be effective. The army of today is much different than the Vietnam era organization. I’m wondering if we can maintain/increase our tech abilities.
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It doesn’t change, freddy. A grunt is a grunt, no matter what war or police action. I could sit down with any kid from Iraq, and we would be brothers. I know, I have. Same old shit with different and newer toys.
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p.s Mark, please jump in over at cowgirl’s. Those obummercare folks are pissing me off. They all love it and I’ll be damned if I can figure out why!
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“Band of brothers?” This will bounce off, but it is management structure that creates the efficiency. The driving force in the private health care sector are Wall Street investors. They demand ROI only, putting constant cost cutting pressure on insurers, who invariably turn around and cut services and benefits. VA is not saddled with a rentier executive bureaucracy bleeding billions off the top.
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When we get to this point, I don’t disagree with you. BUT…supposedly the Wall Street investors are providing the money to run the thing, and they expect a return on their money. If you cut them out, the money comes from elsewhere…taxpayers, I suppose. And then we’re running another post office. Which is okay, I’m not being snarky, but all these enterprises have similar problems, and are subject to the American way of doing things, i.e. big and expensive.
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The meme that the post office is inefficient is nonsense. No private contractor could begin to touch what it does — serve the entire country no matter location; pay good wages and benefits, and keep executive rent seeking at a minimum.
The idea that Wall Street investors demand “efficiency” is word play. They demand a “return on investment”, and don’t care what methods are used to get that return. So in case of the PO, as with the health insurance cartel, services are minimized, prices maximized, outlying customers eliminated.
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In my experience, it is a lateral move from investors clamoring for more “efficiency” and bureaucrats calling for more “shared sacrifice” etc. There is a zeitgeist with these large groups, where the guys doing the power points increase, while those doing the actual work are squeezed.
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Again, note that move from our health care system to that of any other industrialized country is not a “lateral” move. Again, objective reality.
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I don’t think you have much experience with these things. It’s hard to wind these things down. Sure, it’s theoretically possible to install a Singapore type system in the US, but more likely a new label gets slapped on the current way of doing things.
Do you really think it is possible to cut workforce, wages, and fees to achieve what you want? And don’t give me the line that you are just going to cut out the fat cats doing hookers and blow.
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Um, no. Try the MILITARY! You see, freddy, the really GREAT thing about being a Pubbie is NOT the you’re born again, but that you were born yesterday! Everything is new to you every day! Interesting way to live, dude!
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New incentives replace old ones. people react to stimuli. If the health care system is left dangling out there, rent seekers will grab it, and have. If they are kicked out, everyone adjusts accordingly. You have this notion that America is different.
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And you have the notion that everyone can be turned into a Japanese or a Scandinavian with the proper incentives. I suppose if you start nine months before birth…
Example: Tennessee started a program to cover everyone in the state. Tenncare, I believe. To make it work, they had limits to procedures and to what extent. What killed it was that activists went to court with sob stories and demanded more and more be added, until the thing collapsed back into what we have today.
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That is a transition problem. If they don’t plan for huge costs at the outset, they are doomed to fail.
The problem is pent up demand – so many people have conditions and ailments and are avoiding seeing doctors due to high costs. Then coverage comes along and they run to get it, all at once. the strain on the system is enormous, but it is a snake swallowing a pig. It will pass and things will calm down.
Again, Americans are not different.
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The pig here is longer than the snake. Limits need to be imposed at some point.
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Also, note that the trollish guy pulls the race card RIGHT AWAY. Right out of the gate. Get Whitey. My kind of guy. Got to love it.
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Please note it is he who used the word “free,” which I avoid except when I refer to self-employment.
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Huh? Hey, Freddy, au contraire, cupcake. It was actually YOU who mentioned the IHS first. Here it IS, trolly polly!
“My exposure here is to the Indian Health Service. Not very encouraging.”
You see, Ferdy, I’m thinkin’ that you’re full of it, and I’m calling you on it. Please LIST your “experiences” with the IHS that were “not very encouraging”, for I don’t think you have any. But you see, I DO! I have tons of Native friends who use it all the time. I’m sure that they will be more than willing to scrutinize your “experiences” for accuracy!
One SHOULDN’T pretend to be something they’re not on the blogs, for it’s too easy to be found out for a fool and pretender! And that’s sucks, ’cause then you gotta find a new handle and new identity! BTW, what’s your next handle gonna be?? tee hee.
I’ll wait.
Oh, and as far as the VA care? Been there, done that if you want’a talk about that too. I still use’em ’cause it’s all I got until I get proctologied by Obummercare by Max Fawkus! Cheers.
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p.s. Would you like to debate my friend Sioux Rose? I’m sure that she’s willing. Perhaps you’ve heard of her or maybe read her stuff. She’s quite prolific. Don’t run now. You’re an expert, right?
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Larry, I don’t like banning people, and won’t do so here, but I get nervous when you start commenting here. This is not Cowgirl. So here are the rules:
1. English language used, proper grammar.
2. Real names, no nicknames for people you want to attack.
3. No caps.
4. No exclamation points.
I won’t ban you, but will take down comments that violate these simple rules.
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Mark, why do you hate free speech? Hell, no one reads this site anyway? But it is yours, so adios! I’m thinkin’ that you are freddy anyway, an invention to create a little discussion. Am I wrong or what?
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I’m wondering from where comes the notion that “freedom” means other people have to take abuse?
I suppose one could fish a compliment out of this message: Tomato Guy can maintain a somewhat consistent reactionary message; or Fred’s scribblings are a worthy counterpoint to well informed indignation.
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Calling you freddy is abuse???? Wow, dude. Don’t get OUT much, do ya, freddy?
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It’s like a homeless guy living in a library. People show up who are rude and superficial, then start demanding their “rights” when the community suggests they go elsewhere. But the regulars want to be nice, so they accommodate, and the whole experience is degraded.
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No, Freddy, it’s kinda like the pervert who was caught masturbating UNDER the table at the library while leering at the cute girls, and then got mad when he got caught! Freddy, you got called out for spanking the monkey on the blogs, and you get mad when someone points that out! That’s all. Carry on, dude. But might I suggest that REAL debate is much more fun than chokin’ your chicken, dude! And speakin’ of chicken, you can’t handle a REAL debate! Hence, you must whine.
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The creep factor of your replies is pretty high. I get the vibe that this is a little too autobiographical for comfort.
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<i.does everything have to be autobiographical to you
Looks to me like you are the one who arranges the world according to what you’ve experienced. You were sure to note your Vietnam experience. You want me to debate Sioux Rose, apropos of nothing except that you know her. You get your info from movies.
That’s all okay. The problem is that you reveal a little too much of yourself in your game of one-upsmanship here.
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Larry, you exposed your lofty stupidity by thinking the IHS is run by Indians. Now you double down on your stupidity. You have to announce what is real, because it sure isn’t apparent from what you write. Your only feeble skill is rudeness. Again, I find it profoundly depressing that I have to share a society with you. It just makes it that much harder to maintain Western Civilization.
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Mark, you’re a funny dude. I’ll give you that. But seriously, does EVERYTHING have to be autobiographical to you?? That’s some serious revelation there, dude, of one who has NEVER lived, loved, read, nor EXPERIENCED life! That basement is a lonely, lonely place, amigo. But it’s safe!
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I’m not in this conversation.
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Um, Mark, I’ve ONLY graded probably a gazillion jr. high compositions. Thus, it is kinda hard to fool me even once! Freddy FITS THE PROFILE of you. Perfectly! Sorry. That’s just my professional opinion. And hey, that’s OK if it is you. I’ve got no problem with you trying to gin up your site. Some of your stuff is pretty good. That’s why I stop by. Keep up the good work.
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Too funny. Fred, which of us should be insulted?
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BOTH!
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Fred, uh, not a good time to pull out.
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Bad timing is my middle name.
Yes, Fred and Tomato Man are the same personage. But I also made up Larry just for laughs. He is one of those characters who needs court permission to be within 100 feet of a minor.
Two people can properly conjugate a verb, ergo they are the same person. Pretty faint praise.
I should be happy with this faint praise, I suppose, because I don’t have your edge, or speed, or output (few do), but a compliment from Larry makes me feel dirty.
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He is trouble. I thought he’d go away when i told him no caps.
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I’ll quit feeding him.
There is an inclination to defend oneself, to answer a charge. But sometimes prudence dictates that the swamp should be left alone.
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AddeeYOS, amigos! Come on over to Cowgirl’s site and play in the Big Leagues! It’s more fun over there. Big fish small pond, or small fish BIG pond. You decide. But I won’t blame you for staying in the minors! There’s a reason they call it the bush leagues!
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The IHS is funded, managed, and staffed by White people. My comment was not racial. That you think it was makes my point.
Your comment was creepy. That I have to live in a society with people like you is depressing.
That so many are anxious to be volunteer thought police is also depressing.
I know many administrators, doctors, and staff that work in IHS. The individuals are wonderful, but it any such system it is difficult to maintain incentives for improvement and fight off bureaucratic somnolence.
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