Get The Super Greeedy Wealth Extractors Out Of Health Care. We Need Single Payer NOW!

Hello Althea,

Althea said:
Composure? On more than one occasion, he's improperly attributed someone else's comments to me, and lumped me in with some of the idiots I happen to have on ignore.

'Composure' isn't the first term I think of when I see Nordberg's work.
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I'm sorry to hear that. Personal attacks are all too common, here. The posts that focus solely on the issues are the stand-outs, the most convincing. Anybody can slide and make things personal. It's special when somebody actually talks about just plain politics. And in Nordberg's case, the vast majority of his posts are high on quality and low on trash. Just goes to show how even one slip-up sullies 10 good posts. The good news is when people stick strictly to the issues, in time they build character. Anyone can turn around a lousy posting style and become more of a voice of wisdom. Time is a useful tool.
 
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Althea

Althea said:
Yes. We have the only 'for profit' healthcare system in the world.

With a public option, we would at the very least see an improvement to Medicare.
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I would totally support that.

If insurance companies want to practice what they preach then a Public Option would be good competition. They could show that the for-profit model can do it cheaper than a government-run insurance plan every day. If they really believed their arguments they should have nothing to fear from a government-run Public Option plan. They should be able to show that they can deliver health care more efficiently, and for a lower cost than the government which "can't do anything right." What are they afraid of? Having to back up their own words? Let the consumers decide. Let fair competition ensue.
 
Althea,

Althea said:
That's not really fair. Obama gave private insurance companies one last chance to do the right thing, before a single payer or public option was put into place.

In exchange for covering pre existing conditions, no limits on annual coverage, a laundry list of 'free' preventive procedures, and a limit on CEO pay, the govt. guaranteed insurers that Fed money would be available in the event of massive claims that weren't predicted. A risk corridor program that has been in place for Medicare forever. Futher, there was Fed money available for cost sharing between companies that did well, and those that didn't.


Congressional Republicans did away with both guarantees, in an attempt to kill the ACA for political purposes. ACA was meant to be a foundation to be built upon. In an attempt to make Obama 'a one term POTUS', Republicans worked tirelessly to take healthcare away from millions of people. They still do it to this day.
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We are but pawns in their greedy quest for ever-more profits.

Unless we vote in mass numbers.
 
PoliTalker said:
Hello Althea,



I'm sorry to hear that. Personal attacks are all too common, here. The posts that focus solely on the issues are the stand-outs, the most convincing. Anybody can slide and make things personal. It's special when somebody actually talks about just plain politics. And in Nordberg's case, the vast majority of his posts are high on quality and low on trash. Just goes to show how even one slip-up sullies 10 good posts. The good news is when people stick strictly to the issues, in time they build character. Anyone can turn around a lousy posting style and become more of a voice of wisdom. Time is a useful tool.
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I tend to agree, which is why my ignore list is so lengthy.

I'm sure the two cases I referenced were more about him posting too quickly, and addressing the wrong member. The last time it happened was about 1 week ago, and he referred to me as being brainwashed by trump.

Imagine that. I quoted the post 3 times for clarification, but he fled the scene.

I do agree about the content of the vast majority of his work.
 
PoliTalker said:
Althea



I would totally support that.

If insurance companies want to practice what they preach then a Public Option would be good competition. They could show that the for-profit model can do it cheaper than a government-run insurance plan every day. If they really believed their arguments they should have nothing to fear from a government-run Public Option plan. They should be able to show that they can deliver health care more efficiently, and for a lower cost than the government which "can't do anything right." What are they afraid of? Having to back up their own words? Let the consumers decide. Let fair competition ensue.
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The only sticking point will always be the same...costs for meds. I don't see how pharma companies can be forced to lower prices, no matter who supplies the actual healthcare.
 
PoliTalker said:
Althea,



I don't see how.

It doesn't cover everybody.

It's not truly universal.
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As opposed to what was in place before ACA, the new law created a set of mandatory coverages for every policy. The only difference was premium costs, which were tied to max OOP levels.

Previously, people had different policies with many exclusions that they didn't know about until it was too late. I posted the definition of 'universal' coverage in this thread previously.

The law made it possible for virtually everyone to be covered. The vast majority of states tried to kill the law by refusing to participate, which is how you get the overlaps.

Universal coverage does not mean 'free'. Of course, neither is single payer.
 
Nordberg said:
Easy, make them compete. We give them monopoly powers.
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Well, then you get into patent law, and it starts us down a slippery slope. We could impose special taxes for gluttonous profits, which could fund a program to reduce costs for meds.
 
Nordberg said:
It is a lot more than Medicare fraud, although that is bad. https://www.nhcaa.org/resources/hea...urces/the-challenge-of-health-care-fraud.aspx

Most Medicare fraud is done by doctors and labs. Often the doctor owns,or is a partner, in a lab and they charge for tests not done of overcharge. Same for durable goods. We are being cheated like crazy in our present system.
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And institutions like Vanderbilt. But that can't be accepted, so again the poor must be demonized as scapegoats.

Vanderbilt hospital to pay millions over Medicare fraud allegations
https://www.tennessean.com/story/mo...ns-over-medicare-fraud-allegations/505862001/

Know what Vanderbilt did?

Froze salaries and wages of the little people in their employ.
 
Hello Althea,

Althea said:
The only sticking point will always be the same...costs for meds. I don't see how pharma companies can be forced to lower prices, no matter who supplies the actual healthcare.
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I bet they have a big mark-up for profit. There's got to be room for huge savings. They're sticking it to us.
 
Hello Fentoine Lum,

Fentoine Lum said:
Competition in the american economic system is a myth.
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I don't think it is really possible to have competition in something like health care. When you need it you're not in a position to shop around. and they know it, so they stick it to ya.
 
Drugs are made in 60 countries and for a few number of corporations. The idea that the US is different is wrong. It is only in what we permit PHARM and medical corporations to do.When PHARM decides the price we get what we have looting and fleecing. We do not permit Canadian drugs to enter. We pretend they are lower level drugs and people believe that. It is amazing how well we can be fooled .
It is past time to have universal non profit medical care in the US. Without that many Americans will suffer and die so medical corporations can mae more money.
 
Celticguy said:
And the fraud is closer to 500b.
AMA got medicare written to maximize revenue
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Total Medicare spending is only $700 billion. You are saying $500 out of 700 billion is fraud? Seems somewhat high. Many doctors are not taking new Medicare patients because payments are so low.
 
Frank Apisa said:
As long as people can get food by simply taking it from food shelves...they will.

It is illegal...and can be made right by enforcement.

Yeah...there are the kinds of fraud problems you mention, but we can deal with that and with fraudsters.
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There are billions of Medicare billings--there is no way to check even a small number of those. Law requires payments to be made within a specified period and even if inspectors find fraud the company is using a new address and name.

Much of it is not actually fraud but waste. For example, chiropractors who send vans around picking up kids after school and giving them back adjustments (in offices with food and video games) or dentists who give children root canals or companies who provide seniors with access equipment.

A solution is to only allow equipment and supplies to be provided by established vendors with competitive bidding but that was rejected because it would primarily benefit the larger businesses and small medical supply vendors would lose business. There is a trial program in some areas allowing competitive bidding which has saved 40%.
 
Fentoine Lum said:
And institutions like Vanderbilt. But that can't be accepted, so again the poor must be demonized as scapegoats.

Vanderbilt hospital to pay millions over Medicare fraud allegations
https://www.tennessean.com/story/mo...ns-over-medicare-fraud-allegations/505862001/

Know what Vanderbilt did?

Froze salaries and wages of the little people in their employ.
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In my area, they caught various Russian run (go figure) fake clinics that billed Medicare for millions in bogus claims. It seems as if they catch at least one per year.
 
PoliTalker said:
Hello Althea,



I bet they have a big mark-up for profit. There's got to be room for huge savings. They're sticking it to us.
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Their argument is R&D costs, but the truth is dividends and CEO pay/bonuses eat up tens of millions per year.
 
Flash said:
Total Medicare spending is only $700 billion. You are saying $500 out of 700 billion is fraud? Seems somewhat high. Many doctors are not taking new Medicare patients because payments are so low.
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I keep hearing that but I have not found it difficult to get a doctor when you are on Medicare.
 
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