United States Health Care: Federal & State - Opinion

[BIGMAN131307]

All this talk about Universal Health Care, and Obama's push for health care, yada, yada, it's ticking me off. The House & Senate say it's such a hard thing to figure out. I say their all full of it. We've already got programs that earn money, why aren't they using them. There are also lots of untapped resources out there. Lets look at some of them. You can post your opinions below if you like.

1:

The state lotteries are supposed to provide funds for education. That is fine, but what about casinos & race tracks?

Lets see if this makes since for every $1 million they make, $1 hundred thousand goes into the Federal/State Health Care System. They'll get the money back during the course of doing business.

2:

What about those recycling trucks driving around the cities. Why the heck aren't they "recycling". There using up tax payers gas money, but there not doing there job.

The trucks have divided sections for a reason. The recycled products can most likely be processed and sold back to manufacturers for percentage of the original purchase price.

3:

Why is only Beer & Soda taxed? There's an awful lot of other products produced using the same packaging materials. Let me name a few: Iced Tea, Water, Juice, etc.

Heck Hawaii does it, why doesn't every state. Psst the little extra they'll charge will be worth it come garbage day.


4:

Cigarettes & Tobacco are actually not being used too poorly. But it still can be much better. Many states are using the tax on tobacco to help people quit smoking. Their offering free starter packs (gum/patches) for them to quit.

But why not use some of that money in the health care system? They could take $0.25 of each $1.00 spent on cigarettes & tobacco for the health care system.


5:

Traffic Fines & Violations are plentiful throughout the country. So why aren't they being used efficiently. Yeah some of those fines collected
are buying some police some cool toys, I mean new patrol cars,
radios, etc. But there is so much more it can do.

Lets see, the basic fine can be used as normal. Violations like DUI, DWI, drugs, suspended license, stolen cars, can be used to help to provide funds to the health care system.

*NOTE Fine $$ amounts are estimated*
*HCS = Health Care System*

Fine: Parking ticket - $50 goes to city
Fine: Seat belt - $150 ($100 goes to city / $50 goes to HCS)
Fine: Using Cellphone - $250 ($100 goes to city / $150 goes to HCS)
Fine: Speeding - $300 ($100 goes to city / $200 goes to HCS)

These amounts will increase $50-$100 with each incident.

Fine: Drugs - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS)
Fine: Suspended License - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS)
Fine: Stolen Car - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS)



Fines like DUI & DWI should get a real overhaul.


Fine: DUI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS)

When the above time served and fines are paid, provision IYDNK will
be used. If You Drink No Keys will garnish the wages of person convicted
of DUI. It will be tacked on like another tax. But this tax is only for those convicted of DUI. Those convicted again risk of their current FINE level x 3. If convicted a third time then their out.

1st offense:

DUI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS)

2nd offense:

DUI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS) x 3

3rd offense:

DUI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS) x 6
After time served and fines paid they can't own a vehicle for 3 years. In that 3 years if they get another fine it increases by 3 months. But it will increase by 3 years if another DUI.


Fine: DWI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS)

When the above time served and fines are paid, provision ICDC will be used. I Can't Drive Correctly will garnish the wages of person convicted of DWI. It will be tacked on like another tax. But this tax is only for those convicted of DWI. Those convicted again risk of their current FINE level x 3. If convicted a third time then their out.

1st offense:

DWI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS) Vehicle is impounded until time served and fines paid. Vehicle returned only after "MANDATORY" drunk class is taken and passed. If course is not taken within 3 months of regaining license, vehicle is lost. Vehicle is sold and all money received for it goes to HCS. Person license suspended another 3 months. Person must take "MANDATORY" drunk class and pass before the end of the 3 months. If not they can't get their license for 3 years.

2nd offense:

DWI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS) x 3 Vehicle is impounded until time served and fines paid. Vehicle returned only after "MANDATORY" drunk class is taken and passed. If course is not taken within 3 months of regaining license, vehicle is lost. Vehicle is sold and all money received for it goes to HCS. If not they can't get their license for 3 years.


3rd offense:

DWI - Jail/Prison time & fines ($25 of each $100 goes to HCS) x 6. Vehicle is impounded until time served and fines paid. Vehicle returned only after "MANDATORY" drunk class is taken and passed. Vehicle must be sold within 3 months. They can't own a vehicle for 3 years. In that 3 years if they get another fine it increases by 3 months. But it will increase by 3 years if another DWI. If course is not taken within 3 months of regaining license, vehicle is lost. Vehicle is sold and all money received for it goes to HCS.


Woah, I though I'd never finish that. But I think that will help provide funds for the HCS.

***************************************************

Ok, one last thing about Universal Health Care. I think I understand the basics. Tell me if I got this right.

We have two guys, both are pumpers with the same experience and pay rate. One has Universal Health Care the other does not. Here is a detailed listing of the benefit of Universal Health Care as I was told.




Health Care for Immigrants:

If the Immigrants come here "legally", then they can get Health Care after a certain period of time. It is BS having them come here for a month to bleed our Health Care then run back home. So restrictions should be enforced.

If Pierre got into a car accident and is bleeding to death, then of course he
will get emergency care. But if FiFi wants to come here to get her low cost/free boob job she needs to wait in line. She'll need to live here for three years and become a citizen first.

As for Paco, don't bring Maria over here 9 months ready to pop. That little
bundle is not wanted here. At least not in that way. If you truly want to come to this country than do it right. Have your child back home first. Come here legally on your own first. Don't use your unborn child for a free ride. The people in this country will respect you more if you do it right.

As for Illegals we've got a big problem here. We need some Federal & State regulations to track them down. Well as many as we can. We do have state workers that could actually do their damn job for once.

Places that can be used to track down illegals:

State & Federal Benefits
DMV
Hospitals
Doctors / Dentists
Schools
Video Stores
Liquor Stores & bars
Electronic Stores
Airports
Bus Stations
Rail Stations
Cruise lines

Mainly any place where your id needs to be identified.

Once identified they each will have a complete federal & state background checks. Any know criminals will be detained and sent to their home jails.
As for the rest they will have the opportunity to become citizens. They'll have a set amount of time to do it in. If the fail to become citizens, they will be deported. Those deported will have to pay a fine to attempt to become a citizen next time. All those fines will be use for the HCS.


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Well I hope I made my point clear. If you have any thoughts on my ideas
post away. Any questions about my ideas, ask away.

[thomas_w_bowman]

Sorry, I have to differ on 2 major points.
1) The Government does nothing to 'Earn' Money, it 'takes' money. Ant it manages it very poorly. Why not balance Social Security first...?
2) There is to be no Competition nor choice with the 'Single Payer' Plan.
Today you can get medical coverage that will vary a great deal in Premiums and coverage - but with 'Competition' as described, here's what it is and what will happen.
a) "Single Payer" claims 'Fair' Competition, yet is not only subsidized, but plans to tax all OTHER Medical Insurance to partly cover the subsidies. Also coverage will be mandated, right down to deductible, as well as what's covered - for whom... Chronically ill may have less access than the 'healthy' (see "Logan's Run").

They will surely levy more taxes - but even so will not have enough to cover the artificially low 'Single Payer' premiums ("Deficit Spending"), this will effectively discourage employers from offering anything but "Single Payer" plans - killing off all other Medical Insurers in short order.

Examples of currently proposed taxes - and mandatory coverages:

Obama science chief: Abortion can save planet
John Holdren's textbook says forced sterilization may become necessary
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=110604

'15 tax increases' in Baucus-Obama plan
http://live.radioamerica.org/loudwater/ ... 012909.mp3

Breaking down the Baucus bill
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27256.html

Poll: Americans agree on health insurance
But Obamacare out of step with Zogby-O'Leary respondents
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=109836

From the survey, it seems that America disagrees with Senate and Congress.
So - some reform could be agreed on - but was voted against already:

"Some say that Americans should be allowed to purchase health insurance from providers in different states possibly creating more competition and driving down the price of health insurance. Do you agree or disagree?" the poll asked.

More than 82 percent said they agreed, and only about 7 percent disagreed.

Regarding the proposed Obamacare "Independent Medicare Advisory Council," which purportedly would make decisions "to deny payment for procedures it deems unnecessary or futile," not even one voter in three supports the idea.

Nearly 59 percent opposed the creation of such panels, dubbed "death panels" by critics

A federal proposal that would fine Americans for not purchasing health insurance is a bad idea, according to 70 percent of respondents, and a good idea for 18 percent

Regarding support for new taxes on employer-provided health care benefits, only about 12 percent agreed and nearly 78 percent said no.

Likewise, 75 percent said no when asked about raising taxes to fund a government-run health insurance program for the 26 million Americans who can afford insurance but choose not to buy it or the 12 million illegal aliens who lack health insurance. Only 15 percent said that should happen. (What's the percentage of illegals ? 15%?).

An honest discussion should be had, without any Now ! Now ! Now ! deadlines - to make Law that will work. Accusing dissenters of Racisism and being terrorists simply highlights lack of rational discussion points, facts that might be argued rather than simply being told to "Shut Up !".

They probably need some good Forum moderators like we have here.

[BIGMAN131307]

Like I said I was only going on what I was told about it. In theory the UHC did sound good.



But I agree it should be "optional" for those that already have good health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid.

It should be "mandatory" for only those people that don't any health insurance, or don't qualify for Medicare, or Medicaid. But they can stop using it at anytime after they obtain other health insurance.

As for their choice of doctors and treatments, nothing should change for anyone. This is one major part of the problem.

***********************************************************

Here's a few examples why the current system is really flawed.

1. Small Smiles Clinic

These pediatric dentists are committing insurance & Medicaid fraud. The dentists were fitting baby teeth with crowns. Installing braces on baby teeth. This is just a small sample of their insurance fraud. They didn't even finish the extra education needed to handle children.

2.

A close senior friend of my family was admitted into the hospital, at different times. He experienced insurance fraud by the doctors "treating" him. In the first scenario he was being treated for a leg infection & heart problems. So he was being treated by three different doctors.

1. Infection / Primary doctor
2. Cardiologist
3. On-call staff doctor (who was working the entire time of admission)

During his hospital stay his old primary doctor popped his head into his room. All the doctor did was ask him how he was doing. The doctor
did nothing to treat him in any way.

After about a month after he was released from the hospital, he got the
insurance statement. The statement listed everything that they payed for.
Hospital room, meds, tests, etc. But where it listed the doctors it listed 4 instead of just 3. Just by the other doctor coming in the room and ask how he was, my friend was charged for consultation.

This wasn't an isolated incident either. The same thing happened during my friends other hospital admissions. It also occurred at different hospitals.

Now that sounds a lot like fraud to me.



It because of crap like this going on that hurts the people that really need
the treatments. Within the past couple years Medicare & Medicaid have been cracking down on the misuse of the insurance. They been verifying treatments billed with treatments actually received with customers.

But there are situations with doctors manipulating the system to help the patients. A good example is blood tests. Sometimes doctors order blood tests but the insurance companies won't pay for some of them.

ex: Jon needs to have a blood test. The blood test he needs is: ABCD

But his insurance doesn't pay for that test. So his doctor orders blood
test: ABCDE

Which is a blood test Jon's insurance will pay for. This way Jon can have the test needed, and have his insurance cover it.

There have been times when doctors have done this for everyone. This is
a way to work the system for good. I don't consider this fraud. How about you?



**********************************************************


There is a way to have affordable health care for all. It's just that nobody
wants to put "their money" into it to others. Money makes the world go round, and nobody is gonna change it.

[thomas_w_bowman]

I have a Kidney Transplant, when I did - I had overlapping insurance (I was covered for just about anything)... So the Hospital tested me for a bunch of stuff that, in retrospect - was simply not needed (and one of the 'uneeded' biopsies led to infection and complications that took months to resolve and left me with a massive scar where I could have just had minor scar.

Bottom line - we need to know about what ails us and be 'expert' enough to direct care thoughtfully. This DOES require choice - because when they choose it gets weird.

Another example, when I got the complication I mention above - Insurance wouldn't pay for 3 dressing changes per day (they'll only cover one procedure daily, no repeats), while in Hospital - that's all the Insurance was telling me ("not covered, you'll need to do the dressing changes yourself"). So what I did was insist on staying Inpatient (over $3000/day, but includes all dressing changes needed), after two days the Insurance Company suggested an 'Extended Care Facility' (under $300/day), which would do the needed dressing changes - so then I accepted a transfer. Rules can cut both ways, and the Insurer could be more helpful - or I'll use the obvious loophole and cost them 10x more...

Different experience with Medicare, they entered a wrong 'end date' for coinsurance (resulting in all claims being denied), I called and waited on hold (wonder what the wait times would have been if I'd selected Spanish ?) to numbers that all gave me different numbers till I was referred back to the original number - I wrote my Senator, who started an investigation - which got me a personal number for an advocate, problem fixed in 20 Min. - apparent problem updating entered data (Don't EVER get entered as 'Deceased', by the time that gets fixed, you may be dead because nobody will want to see you since your insurance may be cancelled...

They all suck, but private insurance has less 'runaround'...

[BIGMAN131307]

It sucks when insurance companies try to weasel out of paying for hospital stays. I've been there too, on two different occasions I needed surgery.

The first was for hernia repair surgery. The hospital tried to release me the morning after my surgery. Apparently my insurance company at the time didn't want to pay for another day. I wasn't quite ready to leave for home. At the time I lived on the 2nd floor, with 17 steps to climb. Being 6'2", 250lbs unsteady on my feet in pain, I could bare walk to the bathroom. There was no way I was ready to climb all those steps. Once that was established, the hospital let me stay the night. The next afternoon I was released.

The next was when I had my gall bladder removed. The same situation about staying an extra day happened. Another problem I had to deal with is my seizure medications. They wanted to give me my morning medication at 8AM and my evening medication at 8PM. But I had to fight with them to get them to stick to my schedule of 6AM, 6PM. They needed to realize that if they messed my medication schedule it would cause me to have seizures. After fighting with two nurses, I was able to get the doctor to put the order in for my medications for 6AM/6PM.

***

It's good having overlapping insurance when one doesn't cover a specific
test or treatment. The other usually will cover the rest. The only problem I've experienced with overlapping insurance is explaining to check-in reps. which insurance they need to bill for a test or treatment, etc. Most of the time there is no problem. But on occasion you may get a stupid rep. that keeps billing the wrong insurance. Then you end up getting a bill for a test or treatment that would have been payed if it was billed to the correct insurance. When that happens you end up paying phone tag for several hours (if not days) trying to fix the problem.

***

The only thing I've heard bad about UHC is the wait times. Apparently in some countries with UHC patients are on waiting lists to see specialists. If that is truly the case, then UHC will not fly in the United States. I currently
see at least three specialists for my medical problems. There is no way that I'm waiting 6-12 months to see them under UHC, when I can normally get an appointment in under 3 months if needed.

[thomas_w_bowman]

Mabye you've heard the one about a guy who took his dog to the Vet - who diagnosed a prostate issue that could easily be fixed with simple surgery. After the operation, the Dog seemed to be OK going home, but the vet said it would be best to keep the dog overnight for observation.

The Guy said "I had that same surgery and I was told I could go home right away - why is the dog different ?"

The Vet replied "Your dog's not on Medicare."

[Roach412]

Like I said I was only going on what I was told about it. In theory the UHC did sound good.

in theory a lot of things sound good. in practice, none of it works the way it's envisioned.

give people a free/cheap option and the vast majority are going to take it. people who have the means to have private care will want to have the free/cheaper care...and from some of the ideas in DC those are the people that are going to be barred from getting it - which is basically the exact thing insurance companies are doing to underprivileged now (just in opposite).

the system is going to be overused, and underfunded...all because of politics. it'll crash and burn - or we'll bail it out ('we' being the "privileged" middle-class). once this thing is created, it'll never go away...just be a moneypit. any politician working against it (if in-place) will be committing political suicide (if that's even legal by then )

i'm all for helping people that need it - but i can't stand by and watch what i earn by being a productive member of society who is somewhat healthy, and takes care of themselves, be stripped from me and handed to useless bureaucratic BS. we all have have the right to life, liberty and the persuit of happiness...as long as those with any money give it to everyone without it i guess...?

i shouldn't have worked so hard to earn too much money - i could have just eventually gotten handed the money for doing nothing.

-Roach

[fussnfeathers]

Like I said I was only going on what I was told about it. In theory the UHC did sound good.

in theory a lot of things sound good. in practice, none of it works the way it's envisioned.

give people a free/cheap option and the vast majority are going to take it. people who have the means to have private care will want to have the free/cheaper care...and from some of the ideas in DC those are the people that are going to be barred from getting it - which is basically the exact thing insurance companies are doing to underprivileged now (just in opposite).

the system is going to be overused, and underfunded...all because of politics. it'll crash and burn - or we'll bail it out ('we' being the "privileged" middle-class). once this thing is created, it'll never go away...just be a moneypit. any politician working against it (if in-place) will be committing political suicide (if that's even legal by then )

i'm all for helping people that need it - but i can't stand by and watch what i earn by being a productive member of society who is somewhat healthy, and takes care of themselves, be stripped from me and handed to useless bureaucratic BS. we all have have the right to life, liberty and the persuit of happiness...as long as those with any money give it to everyone without it i guess...?

i shouldn't have worked so hard to earn too much money - i could have just eventually gotten handed the money for doing nothing.

-Roach

Well, I can agree, sorta. See, I'm fighting right now to get disability, and up until today had been on state Medicaid for a couple of years. I would love to have private insurance (pays for name-brand medications that would work well with my issues), but because I have pretty severe bipolar disorder, no insurance company will take me, "pre-existing condition". Same with the diabetes, which caused the neuropathy that has me walking with a pair of canes at 40, and chronic migraines that no doctor would treat because I was young, male, and insurance wouldn't pay for treatment. (I have treatment for them now.....they put me in bed for two days at least once every couple of weeks even on the meds). Now I have to fight to even get Medicaid, I paid my premium for the month, then the next day got a letter saying I was canceled for not filling out and returning a form that went into effect after my last premium, and wasn't mailed out until AFTER the deadline to return it. Go figure. It's actually quite hard to find a doc that even accepts Medicaid, here they have to accept NY State Medicaid as well, and the doc gets paid a whopping $9 per visit. Yep, nine bucks, and it has to be billed in 15 minute increments. Docs here often make less than the factory workers they're treating. So basically, I have to find a way to pay for $2000 worth of medications a month until I get reinstated.

So yeah, I can agree to a point. I see plenty of people with handicapped tags on their cars parking their brand new extended cab trucks in the only handicapped spot at the bank and then running in, perfectly able to walk, while I can't even get medical coverage. Hardly a fair system. But at the same time, there are plenty of people who simply cannot get the help they need any other way, because of the crooked private insurace schemes. I guess the way I feel is I paid my dues, taxes for 25 years, I do deserve some compensation for all that money I poured into the system. No, I don't want to be on disability, but until I can get into school to retrain for a job (which I'll probably have to move for, unemployment in my town is a conservative 35%) I need some way to pay the rent, heat, electricity, just necessities. I'd shut off the internet in a heartbeat if the state didn't require you to have it, and you cannot use the libary because of security concerns. Kinda dumb, over half of Vermont has no 'net at all, dialup got killed when broadband hit, but none of the small local companies can afford the infrastructure, so.......no net for you, middle and southern VT.

Sorry, ranting. Been a screwed up day, and of course, all this crap gets mailed out so it hits you on Friday afternoon, so you have no choice but to stew about it for the weekend.

Obama's plan? Sucks. Kick the old folks out of the hospital sooner (if they can even get in in the first place), charge low income families more, and give tax breaks to the people who don't need the money. Typical government. About the only thing I can agree with is extending benefits to single, childless people. Finding a good, workable marriage is difficult enough, try finding a woman that will take a cripple. Not easy, to say the least, and up until recently, the fact that I was single meant no assistance at all. Even getting unemployment when my workplace closed the doors was tough, I didn't have a family to support, so I don't qualify for 90% of what others do. Guess I'm just not willing to exploit the paperwork loopholes like some people. And that, ironically, makes me a bad person.

[thomas_w_bowman]

1. Why are those in congress namely the democrats have to be in such a hurry to pass this massive health bill when it will not take effect till 2013 after the 2012 elections?

2. Why do they fight all attempts to really make public know what is in the bill?

3. Why will they not agree that public funds will not be used for abortions or for providing health care for illegal aliens?

4.If a public plan is passed why do they exempt the unions and congress from that that plan?

5. If they 10's million more people into the health system where to the additional doctors come from?

6. How can they cut 500 billion dollars from Medicare with out destroying health care for seniors?

7. How is forcing all people to buy constitutional, this idea will even be against some peoples religion?

Best 'reform' would be to allow interstate insurance sales, and some way to 'phase-in' prexisting condition coverage (Dental insurance has one wait 6-Months before major work, in Minnesota Med Insurance can only deny pre-existing coverage for the first 6 Months - there also needs to be incentive for those without pre-existing conditions to be covered - but not a 'Tax'. It needs care to avoid 'coverage after diagnosis', kind of like if we could buy homeowners Insurance after a tornado/Fire/etc.).

[Roach412]

i don't like being told what to do with my money, and my life (and my health for that matter). it's mine to do with what i please.

that being said - freeloaders and those that abuse the system should be the ones who get penalized...but what happens is the people that DON'T go for the loopholes, and the people that DON'T intentionally abuse what is being offered are the ones that are penalized. good people, law-abiding, and tax-paying citizens pay for the vast majority of other people's carelessness and pure selfishness.

like i said, there are people that need help - and they can't do it on their own. give them the ability to rise back up and help themselves again. all others need-not apply...or should be punished heavily for effectively stealing from everyone who pays taxes.

-Roach