Health care reform

[Radiance]

Don't buy insurance and pay the penalty. If you ever do get sick, buy insurance at that point. You cannot be denied.

Eventually, only sick people will be on insurance....and so ends private health insurance. Only a matter of time.

What happens if someone "without insurance" gets injured in a car accident?
Still insurance cannot be denied?
or will such peson need to get on a lifetime payment plan with the hospital, as I believe happens today with uninsured people.

Also is the penalty that much cheaper than the insurance premium?

ah, so many questions!?

[cptacek]

Shouldn't the car insurance pay for any medical bills in a car accident? (Especially if it is someone else's fault. That's what liability insurance is for.) Although I do get your point.

I think they still can't deny you coverage in that case, but of course 2700 pages of legelese is hard to interpret.

I bet (but don't know specifics if this is valid) that what evolves is that in the hospital waiting room part of the check in procedure is to see if you have insurance, and if you don't, sign you up at that point, even after the accident occurs.

[disneysteve]

Shouldn't the car insurance pay for any medical bills in a car accident?

At least in NJ and PA, auto insurance is primary for injuries from an auto accident. Medical insurance is secondary and can pick up charges not covered by the auto insurance.

[cptacek]

House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote - CNN.com

Under the plan now headed to Obama, individuals are required to purchase health insurance coverage or face a fine of up to $750 or 2 percent of their income -- whichever is greater. It includes a hardship exemption for poorer Americans.

Companies with more than 50 employees that don't provide coverage are required to pay a fee of $750 per worker if any of its employees rely on government subsidies to purchase coverage.

This applies to each person in the household. I think there is a cap per household.

[cptacek]

I have also read that Muslims, the Amish and Christian Scientists are exempt from the mandate because of their religion.

[KTP]

I do not have to justify my outrage. You can say whatever you want KTP. I am for life in all its forms. Your ability to rank people's right to live by their parents' situation in life says something about you, don't you think?

Hey, I didn't make any personal attacks on you like you are on me...says something about you, don't you think?

What if I don't consider a 2 month old embryo to be a people?

[tzsgti]

http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=18906

36 State bringing this to court. Some are proposing an amendment againts the requirement of the people to purchase health insurance.

This is not over yet people

[cptacek]

Hey, I didn't make any personal attacks on you like you are on me...says something about you, don't you think?

What if I don't consider a 2 month old embryo to be a people?

Oh, you weren't mocking me? Making fun of my position? That isn't a personal attack? My mistake.

Why can't she PAY FOR IT HERSELF? It is an optional procedure, after all. Like plastic surgery, laser hair removal and LASIK.

[cptacek]

I have also read that Muslims, the Amish and Christian Scientists are exempt from the mandate because of their religion.

And Congressional staffers (but not because of their religion)

[Radiance]

I have also read that Muslims, the Amish and Christian Scientists are exempt from the mandate because of their religion.

How does this work? Can I claim the mandate goes against my beliefs?

[cptacek]

I don't know, Radiance. I don't know how the government will check your religion. Don't you think it pretty unfair that some Americans can get around this mandate and others are stuck with it, because of their religion? What happened to Equal Protection Under the Law?

[jIM_Ohio]

No, I think it is going to be totally free for everybody. To pay for it the unicorns are going to poop out clumps of gold.

ROFL best post of the thread

[geojen]

People need to stop acting like we really had a choice about changing the system. Our system is unstustainable. Period. Even health insurance companies know this.

[disneysteve]

People need to stop acting like we really had a choice about changing the system. Our system is unstustainable. Period. Even health insurance companies know this.

True, but there are lots of different ways to go about fixing things so there is plenty of disagreement about what should be done and how to do it.

[jIM_Ohio]

People need to stop acting like we really had a choice about changing the system. Our system is unstustainable. Period. Even health insurance companies know this.

I would not agree with "unsustainable"
it is sustainable as long as doctor's don't mind not getting raises (for example). Or other players compromising their profits...

the issue we have is control

20+ years ago doctors were more in control over the financial well being of the system
now that shift has transferred to the health insurance companies

most health insurance companies manage care like HMOs, and HMOs did not "last" because it was not economically viable to do so (IMO) and somehow the current health insurance companies have found a way to do what HMOs did and turn a huge profit. At same time it is squeezing the bottom lines of the actual health care providers (the doctors).

it appears the next shift is letting government control the costs (more).

I do not think any of these are the ideal solution.


Whoever is in "control" of health care will make money- whether its doctor's, insurance companies, or the government... in government's case they won't make money, but they can stop the spiraling costs to programs like medicare which are a tax burden/money drain on the government.