F' ing Health insurance...

[300 H and H]

CRAP!

My private policy has doubled in a couple of years to the tune of $900+/month...At 51 and in good over all health, this seems a bit on the high side of things. This is for just myself not the rest of the family. I rarely go to the doctors office, so this isn't because they see red flags on my account. Just steady, and large increases over the passt 3-4 years. SO the problem with health care is getting worse not better? What about the cost cutting that I thought was going on....With double digit increases each year, hard to see any cost savings.

With the rest of the family at around a grand a month, this is getting a bit rediculous. The money train has to lead some where. And it needs to be stopped and reversed. Can Mitt do that for me?

Pissed off tax payer

Kirk

 

[joec]

Obamacare hasn't gone into effect yet for the most part and won't till 2014. So far all it has done is include kids up to 26 and seniors on Medicare drug costs by closing the donut hole.

That has been the problem with health insurance in this country since it first appeared, prices keep going up every year regardless.

 

[thcri]

That has been the problem with health insurance in this country since it first appeared, prices keep going up every year regardless.

Joec, it seems to me a lot of times you put the blame on the insurance companies and I don't think you can totally blame them. Sure Obama care has not started yet but Obama care does regulate what the insurance companies will be able to charge and 90% of insurance companies already meet that standard. So nothing changes after.

What about the medical providers. Geeze who's making money when the insurance company/me when a piece of gauze is $5.00, using a machine for ten minutes is $1,500.00. An insulin shot is over $80.00 when if I administer that my self it is less than $5.00.

 

[joec]

Joec, it seems to me a lot of times you put the blame on the insurance companies and I don't think you can totally blame them. Sure Obama care has not started yet but Obama care does regulate what the insurance companies will be able to charge and 90% of insurance companies already meet that standard. So nothing changes after.

What about the medical providers. Geeze who's making money when the insurance company/me when a piece of gauze is $5.00, using a machine for ten minutes is $1,500.00. An insulin shot is over $80.00 when if I administer that my self it is less than $5.00.

I put the blame on insurance companies because since they forced employers to supply it to their workers the prices where stable and started going up then. Medical costs especially drugs are much cheaper overseas than here, because we unlike other countries don't negotiate with them on price. The drug companies are also among the biggest lobbyist groups hence we pay more too.

Obamacare won't lower the prices either but will probably push them up also. He just added more to their rolls and the tax payer will pick up the tab for those that can't afford their premiums. However a hospital can't turn anyone away even if they can't pay so they put those costs on to all of us.

Insurance companies all of them regardless if life, homeowners, car etc are a rip off period. Just another form of legal theft.

 

[300 H and H]

I blame the prviders of health care as well. Competition between hospitals to have the newest and best equitment are a problem as well. Why have 3, 10 million $ scanners in the same city, just miles apart. I look at the monumental buildings they have built in my conservative state and shake my head at the ammenties and the huge amounts of wasted space divoted to artriums and other wastefull spending on the buildings they have built....To standards that are very expencive to build. I have to wonder who holds the purse strings at these busines's, and there "nothing but the best" attitudes, no matter the cost. Our local hosipal administrater just added 15 million adition to the local hosptial as a long term plan. (declining population here as well) Then he left for another institution....and left us with the bill.

Insurance AND health care providers have us by the balls/boobs here...and they are sqweezing as hard as they can, with out killing the patient.....Or so they think.

Regards, Kirk

 

[joec]

I blame the prviders of health care as well. Competition between hospitals to have the newest and best equitment are a problem as well. Why have 3, 10 million $ scanners in the same city, just miles apart. I look at the monumental buildings they have built in my conservative state and shake my head at the ammenties and the huge amounts of wasted space divoted to artriums and other wastefull spending on the buildings they have built....To standards that are very expencive to build. I have to wonder who holds the purse strings at these busines's, and there "nothing but the best" attitudes, no matter the cost. Our local hosipal administrater just added 15 million adition to the local hosptial as a long term plan. (declining population here as well) Then he left for another institution....and left us with the bill.

Insurance AND health care providers have us by the balls/boobs here...and they are sqweezing as hard as they can, with out killing the patient.....Or so they think.

Regards, Kirk

Most hospitals are now owned by big corporations too. Medicine has become big business and no longer run by the doctors and nurses. I still remember the days of good teaching hospitals such as Duke University or Doctor's Hospital in Miami as well as when doctors made house calls. To day few GP but mostly all specialists with high dollar price tags. They charge for procedures not outcome with few able to get simple checkups in many areas except the emergancy room. Don't forget Doctors have insurance too and their costs are constantly going up also.

 

[thcri]

I put the blame on insurance companies because since they forced employers to supply it to their workers

I did not know there was such a law or that the health insurance companies forced anyone to buy insurance. I believe even today I don't have to provide health insurance to or for my employees. Of course that is now changing with Obama Care.

 

[loboloco]

I put the blame on insurance companies because since they forced employers to supply it to their workers the prices where stable and started going up then. Medical costs especially drugs are much cheaper overseas than here, because we unlike other countries don't negotiate with them on price. The drug companies are also among the biggest lobbyist groups hence we pay more too.

Obamacare won't lower the prices either but will probably push them up also. He just added more to their rolls and the tax payer will pick up the tab for those that can't afford their premiums. However a hospital can't turn anyone away even if they can't pay so they put those costs on to all of us.

Insurance companies all of them regardless if life, homeowners, car etc are a rip off period. Just another form of legal theft.

Mak, once again, you are blaming the wrong people. government created the employer coverage. Insurance companies went along by providing 'group coverage' plans. Prior to this, health insurance was provided on an individual basis.
Also, it is a government mandate that hospitals provide care irregardless of insurance or the ability to pay.

 

[joec]

Mak, once again, you are blaming the wrong people. government created the employer coverage. Insurance companies went along by providing 'group coverage' plans. Prior to this, health insurance was provided on an individual basis.
Also, it is a government mandate that hospitals provide care irregardless of insurance or the ability to pay.

Yes I know, thank you Richard Nixon and his buddy with the HMO. Before that how many have even thought about having medical insurance. Oh and please don't refer to me as Mak, birthday boy. You guys have already run him off.

 

[loboloco]

Yes I know, thank you Richard Nixon and his buddy with the HMO. Before that how many have even thought about having medical insurance. Oh and please don't refer to me as Mak, birthday boy. You guys have already run him off.

Sorry joe, brainfart. But Mak ran himself off. Actually the insurance thing goes back to FDR.

 

[thcri]

Mak, once again, you are blaming the wrong people. government created the employer coverage. Insurance companies went along by providing 'group coverage' plans. Prior to this, health insurance was provided on an individual basis.
Also, it is a government mandate that hospitals provide care irregardless of insurance or the ability to pay.

Yes I know, thank you Richard Nixon and his buddy with the HMO. Before that how many have even thought about having medical insurance. Oh and please don't refer to me as Mak, birthday boy. You guys have already run him off.

Sorry joe, brainfart. But Mak ran himself off. Actually the insurance thing goes back to FDR.

Keep it civil guys. No need for attacks.


But Joec, even though the plans were created, no one had to or was forced to buy in them right? You either opted in or out and the employer coverage being that you could put every one in a block was cheaper than people buying individual.

 

[loboloco]

thcri, not an attack on me or by me. I just accidentally typed Mak instead of joe. He was correct to call me on it.
As I typed I just had a brainfart.

 

[joec]

Keep it civil guys. No need for attacks.


But Joec, even though the plans were created, no one had to or was forced to buy in them right? You either opted in or out and the employer coverage being that you could put every one in a block was cheaper than people buying individual.

Actually I don't think so at the time it was mandatory over a given number of employees. It was fairly inexpensive too when it started but like all insurance it tends to always go up. Only the unions weren't covered under it as they had to negotiate to get insurance.

Oh and I might add at that time the health insurance business was on the ropes as no one had it nor wanted it. Perhaps you can find the video that used to be on you tube from the nixon tapes when he cut this deal to mandate it. It was also part of Sicko but knowing how you guys feel about liberals I don't suggest you watch that movie. You will also hear what the plan was to offer it cheap now, raise the price and give less service later. It is pretty clearly stated in the video too.


I found the excerpt from Sicko of Nixon and his chief of staff discussing it if you want to watch it.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QkgUkM0o6Q"]Nixon Launches the HMO's - What a SICKO - YouTube[/ame]

 

[300 H and H]

Private policy holders take it up the a$$ with out lube IMHO. No competion, for rates, and it takes actuall workers to service private holders. So costs get shiffted to us when the groups plans expences get out of line. They want to keep the groups business, and refuse to raise rates, and pass the buck IMHO to the privates. We are the bottom rung on the ladder, it is obvious to me. They charge what they want, cause they know I will pay.

Regards, Kirk

 

[tiredretired]

It's a vicious circle guys. Legalities force doctors to do many tests that would otherwise not be needed. Spiraling costs force hospitals to raise costs to keep their heads above water. Many uninsured are being subsidized by those of us who pay. Just like the uninsured motorist. HMO's raise their rates in an effort to stay ahead of the curve. Not pretty.

 

[300 H and H]

Cann't argue that either, TR...

Another example. In my capitol city, they was a large long term expansion to the West. This eventally was deemed a large enough "migration" that health care providers, The two largest Hospital's began out there with first clinics. But over some years, one of them decided that they needed to build an entire hospital out on the very West side. With in a years time the other one annouced plans to build a new facility as well. Then the pissin match really began, and the size and eye appeal of the proposed buildings were taken up a notch or two....Now 5 or 6 years later they are full....of empty beds! So who do you suppose is paying for that? I kinda think we all are. And how many times has this sort of thing happend in how many cities aross the country?... We are some times the victums of our own desires, as has been said...We have spent huge sums in competition with the other providers of the same service. This has run up costs and caused massive duplication of expencive to own equitment. And the advancements in technology have been wonderous, but with a very real cost, of obsolecence and replacement.

I don't know what the answer is and do't pretend to. But I will certainly be talking to the agent who handles our insurance very soon about this latest round of increases. And what if any thing a private policy holder can do to reduce the premium.

Regards, Kirk

 

[Dargo]

Obamacare hasn't gone into effect yet for the most part and won't till 2014. So far all it has done is include kids up to 26 and seniors on Medicare drug costs by closing the donut hole.

That has been the problem with health insurance in this country since it first appeared, prices keep going up every year regardless.

Back in another life, you know, when I was employed by a company, I sold group health insurance policies along with other insurance policies. Hell, I'm still licensed to be your auto insurance agent. Anyway, most all health insurance companies told us to expect between 1 to 1 1/2% increase in premium costs per month. Sure enough, way back then insurance went up between 12% to 18% a year. Then, if one person in the group had a LOT of medical expenses, the insurance company would hint that they should get rid of that person or their group would be dropped. IMHO, illegal as hell, but I assure you that is exactly the way most all of them operated if the group was under 100 employees.

I don't feel badly at all about having 7 knee surgeries, 1 shoulder surgery, 1 elbow reconstruction, a ruptured appendix along with my daughter having brain surgery. I've paid in around a thousand bucks a month for the last 25 years or so and, other than my kids being born, our health insurance company hasn't had to pay anything over the years. With a grand deductible per person each year, it has to be something like a surgery to even pass the deductible. So, besides having paid out $300,000 in premiums, I'd bet that I've paid out at least a hundred grand in expenses that were not covered such as my deductible amount and my 20% after the deductible.

Most don't want to hear it, but after going to so many hospitals with my daughter in the last couple of years, I've been told that only about 35% of the people having expensive in-patient procedures actually have insurance and pay their portion as owed. Therefore, as to not operate at a loss, rates are jacked up to cover the losses. Going over my daughter's 'detailed' medical bill, I saw that they charged $50 for a nurse to bring her 2 Tylenol tablets, with water. That's beyond crazy! There again, I feel the nurses and physicians (and other hospital staff) should be paid for their profession and, if more than half don't pay, what else are they going to do?

 

[Av8r3400]

Again, the blame falls solely on government. If individuals could buy in groups, across state lines you would begin to see competition and prices would surely fall. This is all illegal at the moment.

 

[fogtender]

Obamacare hasn't gone into effect yet for the most part and won't till 2014. So far all it has done is include kids up to 26 and seniors on Medicare drug costs by closing the donut hole.

That has been the problem with health insurance in this country since it first appeared, prices keep going up every year regardless.

The health Care bill doesn't go into effect til after the election are over next year (funny how that happened), but much of the billing costs have been in effect since Obama signed the bill, we are in affect paying in advance before it goes into effect. My health care bills have doubled in the last two years.

Obama just "Gave" the IRS $500,000,000.00 dollars to hire more agents as part of the Health care system money's, so it has began to be implemented aready... Like how is that part of the Health Care program? The entire program has nothing to do with health care, it is a bunch of government programs to reinvent government and to control your life, there was very few regulation in there to actually "repair" the health care system.

Governor Palin got hammered when she talked about "Death Panels" and now that is part of the discussions. They will decide if you're too old to be in the tax paying system to pay back an operation, you will be denied the help, it won't happen at first, but it will creep in. They are already telling people to delay having cancer tests and other little items that may be cured early, but if you wait til you're shovel ready, it would save a lot of money.

This isn't going to turn out well.

But having said that, it appears that the health care bill has been thrown out in it's entirety by the Supreme Court. Their results of the case weren't suppose to be released til this next few months, but Obama's Court appointee apparently ran right to him and told him that it went down in flames. The next day, he was on National TV claiming that the Court shouldn't have the right to "make Law" by a bunch of non elected people... And this is a guy that supposedly taught Constitutional Law? Yet he doesn't know what the Court's roll is in protecting us from the Government is.

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

At one time auto insurance was not required in the state of alaska. My first election i was able to vote in i ran down and thaught this was a good idea the ads promised lower rates it never happened once it became manditory the rates sky rocketed. as for health care cost's yes wide spread use of insurance has added to the price nobody asks what it cost's also also health care proffessionals deserve a fair pay check for what they do i might add if people didnt sue for eery little thing than the doctors wouldn't have to charge so much to cover their over head. if obama wants to fix health care and make it affordable than it needs to be reformed from all angles this being lawyers doctors isurance and drug companys than maybe it will all work out but the way it is now i don't see a win

 

[FrancSevin]

Although touted as a method of reducing costs, any national health care has always increased the overall cost of health care.

Obamacare was promoted because some 30 Million peple did not have health insurance, not health care,but health insurance.

This is key.

Let us revue the proposals,
Hospitals were having to collect from people who could not pay thereby forcing them to pass those costs on to allof the others.

How is that any different than health insurance? just the collection part of the process. Now instead of hasseling the patient or their family,the staff must hassle to insurer.

Why?

Because Obamacare did not change our health care system. It just made it manditory for everyone to participate. Many of the 30 million chose not to participate.
Why? Because many had insurance thru their spuses or, parents or chose to self insure. While that represents only a part of the group, the balance had medicaid and charities to fall back on.

The health care industry did not change much but,,,,the Insurance industry loved it. Just as they love manditory auto insurance to own and drive a car.
30 million new clients with premiums paid for by extortion of either their Employers or the Taxpayers. For comparitive illumination, whatif the government mandated that we all must buy oranges instead of apples, even if we owned an orange tree of our own.

And yet, each time the law, or the President, demands they give something for free, the get to justify premium increases.
Is this a great country or what?

Here is a question as it relates to the law of the landand SCOTUS. If the Commerce Clause, which regulates interstate trade, is the justification then why can I not now buy health insurance accross State lines?

This is also key. Because in most states, one cannot buy catastrophic health insurance. I have it. It is relatively cheap, and it protects my assets in the eventof a catastrophic illness. Yet, it does allow me to pay, out of pocket, for standard normal health care.

It was catastrophic health issues that were used to example the plight of folks who "lost everything," "went bankrupt," to pay their huge medical bills for catastrophic care of a family member. Why did we not carve out simple, economicaly sound solution for that problem?

In a word,,,,,,,POWER.

Can you say IRS?

 

[Danang Sailor]

I go to a GP for all of my non-specialized care. He's a good man and a darn good doctor, and has never been sued for
anything, yet what he has to pay for annual malpractice insurance would allow me to buy a new Class "A" motor home
every year and have enough left over to enjoy the entire year traveling across the country, without having to spend a dime
of my own!

He does his best to hold down expenses, but of course I'm paying the cost of that (mandatory) insurance. This is one of
the hidden costs of medical care and it is huge! There are a lot of things that could be done to reduce the cost of medical
care, but the boondoggle known as ObamaCare is not one of them. Hopefully SCOTUS will overturn the whole thing.

Now, we need to figure out why Obama has given $500 million to the IRS to hire more agents for ... health care??!?
And what about all the ammo for DHS? Things are happening that do not bode well for citizens.

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

if you are going to revise health care make it affordable and don't subsadise it on the backs of the harder working also getting control of insrance companys would be a good thing as they seem to be the only ones getting anything from obama care. first gouge the medical proffession than gouge the public

 

[FrancSevin]

if you are going to revise health care make it affordable and don't subsadise it on the backs of the harder working also getting control of insrance companys would be a good thing as they seem to be the only ones getting anything from obama care. first gouge the medical proffession than gouge the public

"getting control of the insurance companies"

Are you kidding me?
Corporatism is not the answer sir......IT IS THE PROBLEM!

The solution is not Socialism, or corporatism, but private sector competition. Free markets. A concept proven time and time again in our 230+ year history.

 

[Av8r3400]

If you read the law, the IRS is the compliance enforcement body of the "Affordable Care Act". They needed to be staffed up to fulfill this mandate.

 

[Snowtrac Nome]

"getting control of the insurance companies"

Are you kidding me?
Corporatism is not the answer sir......IT IS THE PROBLEM!

The solution is not Socialism, or corporatism, but private sector competition. Free markets. A concept proven time and time again in our 230+ year history.

as i made the suggestion i did not intend that the government is the only body that can,or should make the change. i don't know the real answer but with the ridiculous liability judgements handed out these days and insurance companys running a muck i'ts a wonder anybody can afford to see a health care professional these days. i believe there is an answer out there jus not a simple one.

 

[FrancSevin]

If you read the law, the IRS is the compliance enforcement body of the "Affordable Care Act". They needed to be staffed up to fulfill this mandate.

I have read much of theAffordable care act. Which is more than most of Congress can say.

But ask yourself please, $100 Billion a year to prosecute a war on our enemies but $500Billion in one year to prosecute our citizens?

Less than half the nation (28% to 38%) now objects to the wars for which our congress voted in favor by a large majority.

More than half our nation ( 68%) objects to Obamacare which technicaly won favor in House by one coerced vote and never actualy won a majority in the Senate.

We are upside down

 

[Dargo]

I have read much of theAffordable care act. Which iosmore than most of Congress can say.

But ask yourself please, $100 Billion a year to prosecute a war on our enemies but $500Billion in one year to prosecute our citizens?

Less than half the nation (28% to 38%) now objects to the wars for which our congress voted in favor by a large majority.

More than half our nation ( 68%) objects to Obamacare which technicaly won favor in house by one coerced vote and never actualy won a majority in the Senate.

We are upside down

Obama admits that he has not 'entirely' read the bill, but somehow knows what it contains. Yeah, right. We've elected complete morons to office who actually vote for legislation that they have never read! If that isn't the pinnacle of 'do what you're told, not what you think is right', I don't know what is!!