Obamacare. Verdict Is In

[MDC 5,957]

You can't have Open Borders AND Single Payer.

 

Pick one.

 

Sweden is learning this lesson as we speak.

Single payer. Next question.

[KSB2424 3,087]

Single payer. Next question.

Cool with me.

 

Close the borders, kick out illegals and set up single payer. It could work. It's the "Country Club" model.

 

Limited members, who all pay dues and get cool stuff. Got to keep out the rift raft to work though. Can't have both.

[NorthernVike 2,080]

This guy gets it.

Why don't you and your doctor buddies take a 90% pay cut and help America out? You fockers are only guessing anyhow.

[Reality 2,711]

Why don't you and your doctor buddies take a 90% pay cut and help America out? You fockers are only guessing anyhow.

I'm always stunned to read pens comments on the ACA, I work in healthcare, deal with doctors on a daily basis. I've yet to meet one who has a single good thing to say about it.

[penultimatestraw 473]

Why don't you and your doctor buddies take a 90% pay cut and help America out? You fockers are only guessing anyhow.

Physician pay is only about 10% of medical spending, so that still would't solve the problem. I'd be wiling to take a pay cut, if a bunch of other cost control measures were implemented - malpractice reform, eliminating the bulk of insurance middle people and providing realistic limits on futile end-of-life care, to name a few.

 

But many of my peers wouldn't be willing to make such a sacrifice, as intelligent, hardworking people can easily find more lucrative careers. I'm sure Dr. Dgb would fill the void though.

 

Would you take a 90% pay cut for the betterment of society?

[penultimatestraw 473]

I'm always stunned to read pens comments on the ACA, I work in healthcare, deal with doctors on a daily basis. I've yet to meet one who has a single good thing to say about it.

I suspect you work with a skewed physician demographic. Older sub-specialists in private practice are most against it, while younger employed doctors are fairly ambivalent. I identify more with the latter.

[KSB2424 3,087]

Cool with me.

 

Close the borders, kick out illegals and set up single payer. It could work. It's the "Country Club" model.

 

Limited members, who all pay dues and get cool stuff. Got to keep out the rift raft to work though. Can't have both.

No one responded to this. But the real answer is .......this exact opposite.

 

America is a place where we invite everyone, and why? Because here, you can make your own way.

 

Where anything is possible....for any and everybody. America is open borders coupled with personal responsibility.

 

It's why Trump and especially HRC are awful. Neither are what America is about.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,929]

Only in backwards lib-bot world can a piece of legislation referred to as Obamacare be blamed on republicans, even though no republicans voted for it and have been trying to repeal it since it came about. Someone call Ripley.

[penultimatestraw 473]

Only in backwards lib-bot world can a piece of legislation referred to as Obamacare be blamed on republicans, even though no republicans voted for it and have been trying to repeal it since it came about. Someone call Ripley.

It's called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. And I don't think many people are blaming it on republicans.

[Mike Honcho 4,136]

It's called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. And I don't think many people are blaming it on republicans.

Ignore him, he's trying to twist what I said into blaming the GOP. It's an asinine conclusion based strictly on everything has to be an argument, black/white and winners/losers. Sometimes I forget where I am and try to have conversations with give and take, and the exchange of ideas, it wasn't recieved well.

 

Carry on good Dr. and ignore the trolls.

[MDC 5,957]

Cool with me.

 

Close the borders, kick out illegals and set up single payer. It could work. It's the "Country Club" model.

 

Limited members, who all pay dues and get cool stuff. Got to keep out the rift raft to work though. Can't have both.

I'm all for closing the border. My issue is trying to do that by putting up a focking fence. The GOP must know that doesn't work. If you want to stop the flood of illegals you've got to start by hammering people who employ them. I'm talking jail time.

 

To be more clear I think a single payer plan should cover necessary surgery and other expensive treatments on up through catastrophic injury or illness. Otherwise we should move to a cash based model for simple checkups and minor HC needs.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,929]

It's called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. And I don't think many people are blaming it on republicans.

I know what it's called. I said referred to. You read that as well as the democrats who voted for Obamacare did. Well done

[Frank M 181]

I'm always stunned to read pens comments on the ACA, I work in healthcare, deal with doctors on a daily basis. I've yet to meet one who has a single good thing to say about it.

 

Less unnecessary tests are being ordered. It somewhat fixed that problem.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

 

Less unnecessary tests are being ordered. It somewhat fixed that problem.

I would assume that tests across the board are down and probably a majority of them were/are unnecessary.

[Frank M 181]

I would assume that tests across the board are down and probably a majority of them were/are unnecessary.

 

It's incredible how many unnecessary tests used to be ordered. For example, there are quite a few test cascades for various leukemias where you would order one test based on the results of another, then a test based on the result of the second test, and so on. Physicians would order them all at once so they wouldn't have to follow up, and in the majority of cases, the first test was all that was required. Or if a test for a mutation in a certain gene was ordered, they would order tests for any gene that was even remotely related to the one that was indicated.

 

Plus insurance companies used to just pay for most tests without regard to cost. 500, 600, 700% or higher markups wasn't uncommon. That cash cow is now dead, and we've been trying to cost contain ever since the ACA was instituted.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,653]

you ever notice how many times Dems use Affordable Care Act, like they just can't accept its Obamacare, since hes so wonderful

[Hardcore troubadour 12,929]

you ever notice how many times Dems use Affordable Care Act, like they just can't accept its Obamacare, since hes so wonderful

Now they do. Before it was all Obamacare, all the time. Obama even said he liked it being referred to as such.

[BLS 313]

I'm astonished that people don't realize that government intervention in this market has destroyed the integrity and affordability.

 

If we just let the damn thing go back to being run by the free market, prices would drop overnight.

New insurance companies would pop up everywhere. Price competition would go down. Gouging by hospitals and clinics would stop.

 

Our government sells us that they work for us and try to protect us. But the people that run the government are for sale and I don't remember, nor know anyone, that paid for favors from them. Big business pays for them.

 

Get the damned government out of it. We need a reset.

[rholio 339]

I'm astonished that people don't realize that government intervention in this market has destroyed the integrity and affordability.

 

If we just let the damn thing go back to being run by the free market, prices would drop overnight.

New insurance companies would pop up everywhere. Price competition would go down. Gouging by hospitals and clinics would stop.

 

Our government sells us that they work for us and try to protect us. But the people that run the government are for sale and I don't remember, nor know anyone, that paid for favors from them. Big business pays for them.

 

Get the damned government out of it. We need a reset.

You were doing good until you got to "integrity and affordability"... that was gone already. Obamacare sucks. What it replaced, also sucked.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,929]

You were doing good until you got to "integrity and affordability"... that was gone already. Obamacare sucks. What it replaced, also sucked.

Sucked less

[TimmySmith 2,782]

You were doing good until you got to "integrity and affordability"... that was gone already. Obamacare sucks. What it replaced, also sucked.

The middle class went from paying for everyone to paying for everyone with higher premiums under penalty of law. The 1st worked better.

[rholio 339]

The middle class went from paying for everyone to paying for everyone with higher premiums under penalty of law. The 1st worked better.

Worked better,and still sucked ass. Obamacare didn't wreck the healthcare system, it was already wrecked. Want to blame something, start with HMOs.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,653]

I'm astonished that people don't realize that government intervention in this market has destroyed the integrity and affordability.

 

If we just let the damn thing go back to being run by the free market, prices would drop overnight.

New insurance companies would pop up everywhere. Price competition would go down. Gouging by hospitals and clinics would stop.

 

Our government sells us that they work for us and try to protect us. But the people that run the government are for sale and I don't remember, nor know anyone, that paid for favors from them. Big business pays for them.

 

Get the damned government out of it. We need a reset.

 

you mean capitalism in a capitalistic nation, who would have thunk it

[Hardcore troubadour 12,929]

Worked better,and still sucked ass. Obamacare didn't wreck the healthcare system, it was already wrecked. Want to blame something, start with HMOs.

True, but you just won't say that Obamacare made a bad problem worse.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,653]

True, but you just won't say that Obamacare made a bad problem worse.

 

Obamacare is like putting duct tape on a flat tire, sure it might seem ok on the surface, but the problems its going to create long term could be catastrophic

[rholio 339]

True, but you just won't say that Obamacare made a bad problem worse.

Where the fock do you get that from? Seriously, take your meds you delusional fock.

 

Obamacare made a bad situation worse. The bad situation wasn't full of "integrity and affordability", it was full of unneeded tests and delays in the hope the person dies or recovers before they get expensive.

[MDC 5,957]

Rholio gets it. When it comes to healthcare we have one party with bad solutions and another that doesn't think there's a problem.

[penultimatestraw 473]

I would assume that tests across the board are down and probably a majority of them were/are unnecessary.

 

You'd be wrong in your assumption.

[penultimatestraw 473]

It's incredible how many unnecessary tests used to be ordered. For example, there are quite a few test cascades for various leukemias where you would order one test based on the results of another, then a test based on the result of the second test, and so on. Physicians would order them all at once so they wouldn't have to follow up, and in the majority of cases, the first test was all that was required. Or if a test for a mutation in a certain gene was ordered, they would order tests for any gene that was even remotely related to the one that was indicated.

 

Plus insurance companies used to just pay for most tests without regard to cost. 500, 600, 700% or higher markups wasn't uncommon. That cash cow is now dead, and we've been trying to cost contain ever since the ACA was instituted.

There still are a sh!t ton of unnecessary tests, especially in the hospital. But it aint all the doctors' fault. There is tremendous pressure by hospital administration, insurers and patients to make rapid diagnoses and discharges, such that methodical, step-by-step testing rarely is favored over a shotgun approach.

[penultimatestraw 473]

you ever notice how many times Dems use Affordable Care Act, like they just can't accept its Obamacare, since hes so wonderful

Dont know to whom you refer, but I have never spoken or typed 'Obamacare' until now. It's a stupid name.

 

But I'm not a democrat either.

[penultimatestraw 473]

I'm astonished that people don't realize that government intervention in this market has destroyed the integrity and affordability.

 

If we just let the damn thing go back to being run by the free market, prices would drop overnight.

New insurance companies would pop up everywhere. Price competition would go down. Gouging by hospitals and clinics would stop.

 

Our government sells us that they work for us and try to protect us. But the people that run the government are for sale and I don't remember, nor know anyone, that paid for favors from them. Big business pays for them.

 

Get the damned government out of it. We need a reset.

It sucks now, and it sucked before the ACA was created. Free market economics doesn't work well for medicine, as the consequences of not buying the product are sometimes life-threatening.

[Hardcore troubadour 12,929]

Catastrophic insurance is required. Everyone pays 50 bucks to go to the DR or ER. No subsidy for that. Everything in between you get a bill. Can't pay it? Figure out a way or we garnish what you got. Buy insurance for the gap if you want. That's the extent of the governments involvement for individuals healthcare. My work is done here.

[drobeski 3,061]

It's a complete failure, guilty as charged.

[gocolts 300]

Dont know to whom you refer, but I have never spoken or typed 'Obamacare' until now. It's a stupid name.

 

But I'm not a democrat either.

I have heard everyone from news anchors to Nancy Pelosi say "Obamacare".

[penultimatestraw 473]

I have heard everyone from news anchors to Nancy Pelosi say "Obamacare".

I'm not saying people don't use that name, but it doesn't change how I feel about it.

[penultimatestraw 473]

Catastrophic insurance is required. Everyone pays 50 bucks to go to the DR or ER. No subsidy for that. Everything in between you get a bill. Can't pay it? Figure out a way or we garnish what you got. Buy insurance for the gap if you want. That's the extent of the governments involvement for individuals healthcare. My work is done here.

I definitely like the idea of people paying for more out of pocket (read: less insurance BS), but that doesn't do anything to reduce the cost and inefficiency of the system, which was created way before the ACA.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Rholio gets it. When it comes to healthcare we have one party with bad solutions and another that doesn't think there's a problem.

This. As with many issues, you have the democrats, who are corrupt and utterly focking incompetent, and the republicans, who are corrupt and pretty openly don't give a flying fock about the problems of the lower half of Americans.

 

Quite a winning system we have here. All they agree on is corruption and warmongering, mostly because the military is such a good vehicle for corruption.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,653]

lol so talking to my very left wing liberal mother today about healthcare

 

I kid you not she tells me well the reason Obamacare is so bad is because its essentially Romneycare.

 

She watches CNN like 10 hrs a day

 

 

I told her I can't even talk to you if you think there is anything remotely similar to what Romney implemented in Mass

[penultimatestraw 473]

lol so talking to my very left wing liberal mother today about healthcare

 

I kid you not she tells me well the reason Obamacare is so bad is because its essentially Romneycare.

 

She watches CNN like 10 hrs a day

 

 

I told her I can't even talk to you if you think there is anything remotely similar to what Romney implemented in Mass

I don't agree with her, but Geeks regularly make far more ridiculous statements.

How are the laws similar

• State-based exchanges – Both laws create exchange authorities charged with operating health insurance marketplaces. The exchanges are internet websites where residents may compare and purchase private insurance policies that meet minimum levels of coverage. The objective of these exchanges is to drive down premium costs by increasing competition, and provide policies with similar levels of coverage for ease of comparison. Both laws also require guarantee issue, meaning consumers cannot be denied coverage due to pre-existing health conditions.

• Subsidies for lower-income households – While the amount of individual subsides vary, and the income levels for eligibility differ, both laws provide financial assistance to lower-income households so that health insurance is affordable. Massachusetts subsidizes private health coverage for families and individuals with incomes up to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The ACA provides subsidies for those earning up to 400 percent of the FPL.

• The individual and business mandates – Both laws require that individuals who can afford insurance to purchase insurance or face a financial penalty. The Massachusetts law required businesses with more than 10 employees provide health benefits to their workers or pay a $295 per employee “Fair Share” contribution. This provision was repealed in July 2013 in anticipation of the ACA business mandate. Under the ACA, businesses with 50 or more full-time employees must offer health insurance or pay a $2,000 per employee penalty, which excludes the first 30 employees. The ACA business mandate takes effect January 1, 2015.

How are the laws different

• Size and scope – The Massachusetts law applies to the 6.5 million residents of the commonwealth. The ACA covers more than 300 million people spread across 50 diverse states. Massachusetts began its reform with a rate of uninsured that was half that of the nation as a whole, and it was written to meet the unique needs of state residents. These differences led Governor Mitt Romney to oppose the ACA. While Romney’s health reform is working in Massachusetts, he believes one model cannot meet the needs of all 50 states. In addition, the ACA has a much broader scope in that it includes provisions to address healthcare provider shortages, increase wellness and nutrition programs, bolster community health centers, and adjust Medicaid and Medicare.

• Cost sharing for preventative services – The ACA requires insurance policies cover preventative services, such as cancer screenings, with no co-pays or deductibles. This provision is designed to promote wellness and diagnose disease in its earliest stages. The Massachusetts law allowed insurers to require co-pays for these services.

• Medicaid expansion – In Massachusetts, Medicaid was expanded for children, parents, pregnant women and the long-term unemployed. Under the ACA, states have the option of expanding the Medicaid program to all families and Individuals with incomes up to 138 percent* of the FPL. The District of Columbia and 25 states are currently planning to exercise this option.

[rholio 339]

lol so talking to my very left wing liberal mother today about healthcare

 

I kid you not she tells me well the reason Obamacare is so bad is because its essentially Romneycare.

 

She watches CNN like 10 hrs a day

 

 

I told her I can't even talk to you if you think there is anything remotely similar to what Romney implemented in Mass

Awesome, stop talking. Thanks!