House to vote Thursday on ObamaCare repeal...[updated...House Passes]

[Maj. Bill Martin]

People have paid money for health insurance and shouldn't  be penalized for getting sick 

If people lose their jobs, they can continue paying for their employer for health insurance via COBRA.  And if they do that, then they will have continuous coverage and pre-existing conditions will not be excluded.  Or if it is retirement, medigap, as others have explained.

If they lose their jobs and cannot afford to continue paying for health insurance, then exactly who is going to pay for it?
 

[Maj. Bill Martin]

This isn't rocket science, but you people just love surrendering without a fight... oh... except in-fighting on how to BEST KEEP YET ANOTHER FRICKIN' GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT THAT WILL BANKRUPT US.

You're wrong on this point.  Perhaps the biggest accomplishment of this bill is that it converts the Medicaid expansion entitlement that was created by the ACA into a non-entitlement block grant to states.  Which, unlike entitlements, must be re-appropriated every year.

You just LOVE your government entitlement programs, don't you? Fools.

No.  That's exactly why some of us are desperate to get a bill passed that eliminates this one.  It's why an all-or-nothing approach is unacceptable, because "nothing" means that entitlement program will remain in place.

[Mom MD]

We need a one line bill.  Repeal Obamacare.  Period.

I am sitting at a conference watching my 30 year career go right down the toilet 3 years ahead of when I need to retire. I dont know what the next generation going into medicine is going to do. I can say that no longer does medical school appeal to the best and brightest, nor should it.  Better careers can be made in fields that pay more and actually offer a life style.  Get used to your doc from a 3rd world country with questionable training.

/rant off

[Maj. Bill Martin]

We need a one line bill.  Repeal Obamacare.  Period.

I am sitting at a conference watching my 30 year career go right down the toilet 3 years ahead of when I need to retire. I dont know what the next generation going into medicine is going to do. I can say that no longer does medical school appeal to the best and brightest, nor should it.  Better careers can be made in fields that pay more and actually offer a life style.  Get used to your doc from a 3rd world country with questionable training.

/rant off

Americans complain about the cost of health care, while simultaneously demanding the best doctors, cutting edge drugs, and instant access.

Doesn't work.

[Emjay]

Oh, and @Emjay, to answer your question more directly - "what do you suggest" - here are 9 suggestions I've been throwing around since before the Obamacare debate:

(from another thread - http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,260354.msg1307421.html#msg1307421)

This isn't rocket science, but you people just love surrendering without a fight... oh... except in-fighting on how to BEST KEEP YET ANOTHER FRICKIN' GOVERNMENT ENTITLEMENT THAT WILL BANKRUPT US.

You just LOVE your government entitlement programs, don't you? Fools.

Try to calm down.  You do not have to call other people fools.  The first bill that was proposed could not pass or even get a vote.  Nancy Pelosi says this bill will be taking food out of the mouths of babies.

I didn't ask what bill you wanted or what you wanted.  We were discussing what we could actually get passed at this time.

@bolobaby  and by the way, please don't send me any more private messages.  I deleted the other one you sent without reading it and any future ones will receive the same fate.

[Emjay]

We need a one line bill.  Repeal Obamacare.  Period.

I am sitting at a conference watching my 30 year career go right down the toilet 3 years ahead of when I need to retire. I dont know what the next generation going into medicine is going to do. I can say that no longer does medical school appeal to the best and brightest, nor should it.  Better careers can be made in fields that pay more and actually offer a life style.  Get used to your doc from a 3rd world country with questionable training.

/rant off

Opinions about the health bill aside, I am really sorry that you are being forced to retire before you are ready.  Good luck.

[bolobaby]

Oh, @Emjay, I see what you are doing. Bringing up the ONE and ONLY private message I sent over a month ago to make it seem like I somehow have a keen interest in you. You're really have these fantasies about people obsessing over you.

So here are three quick responses:

1. You *did* ask what I wanted. Your exact words were, "What do you suggest?" You can't even admit what you did when the evidence is plainly in the prior post. That makes you a liar.

2. You're patently uninformed. This is basically the SAME bill as the prior bill with a petition for waivers allowed to the states. So don't tell me how the first bill was so much worse. The fundamentals of this bill are exactly the same as the prior bill, just generously lathered in some kabuki theater to make it look like a "fresh start."

3. Just so you don't get any further misconceptions about me caring one iota about you, allow me to add you to my ignore list. Permanently. Goodbye.

[Mom MD]

Opinions about the health bill aside, I am really sorry that you are being forced to retire before you are ready.  Good luck.

Not being forced to retire yet, I can't.  But the job is evolving into something I no longer want to do.  The government needs to get out of our healthcare, both from the patient's side and the provider's side.  For example they make pain control part of what we are graded on for "value based purchasing" which determines rewards and penalties for reimbursement. Now we have an out of control opioid crisis partly of their making that we are being penalized for. The government improves nothing by its meddling.  Sorry, I'm really angry this AM...

[Emjay]

Oh, @Emjay, I see what you are doing. Bringing up the ONE and ONLY private message I sent over a month ago to make it seem like I somehow have a keen interest in you. You're really have these fantasies about people obsessing over you.

So here are three quick responses:

1. You *did* ask what I wanted. Your exact words were, "What do you suggest?" You can't even admit what you did when the evidence is plainly in the prior post. That makes you a liar.

2. You're patently uninformed. This is basically the SAME bill as the prior bill with a petition for waivers allowed to the states. So don't tell me how the first bill was so much worse. The fundamentals of this bill are exactly the same as the prior bill, just generously lathered in some kabuki theater to make it look like a "fresh start."

3. Just so you don't get any further misconceptions about me caring one iota about you, allow me to add you to my ignore list. Permanently. Goodbye.

@bolobaby

Well, I guess there's no particular point in saying goodbye since I'm now on ignore.  I'm not trying to tell you anything about the bill as there seems to be very little point in trying to tell you anything.

[Emjay]

Not being forced to retire yet, I can't.  But the job is evolving into something I no longer want to do.  The government needs to get out of our healthcare, both from the patient's side and the provider's side.  For example they make pain control part of what we are graded on for "value based purchasing" which determines rewards and penalties for reimbursement. Now we have an out of control opioid crisis partly of their making that we are being penalized for. The government improves nothing by its meddling.  Sorry, I'm really angry this AM...

I totally agree with you ... obviously the government interference is untenable, anything they meddle in just gets worse. 

I had to laugh about the foreign doctors comment because I could not pronounce the names of any of the doctors who treated my husband during his last stay in the hospital.

[Jazzhead]

You're patently uninformed. This is basically the SAME bill as the prior bill with a petition for waivers allowed to the states. So don't tell me how the first bill was so much worse. The fundamentals of this bill are exactly the same as the prior bill, just generously lathered in some kabuki theater to make it look like a "fresh start."

Ah,  but that changes DOES substantially improve the bill,  because it allows the states an alternative to community issue insurance,  where those unlucky to be stuck in the individual insurance marketplace have to pay the cost of the sickest Americans.  Paying for the care of the sickest Americans should be the responsibility of all, not just an unlucky few.   Risk pools funded by general tax revenue create the conditions for insurance companies to offer flexible, affordable insurance again. 

[driftdiver]

Americans complain about the cost of health care, while simultaneously demanding the best doctors, cutting edge drugs, and instant access.

Doesn't work.

@Maj. Bill Martin
Sure it works.   While those 3 things are expensive and the instant access gets abused they aren't really the major factors that cause healthcare to be so expensive.   I'd suggest that these things are far more significant.

- out of control regulations (everything from billing, practice management, inventory, licensing)
- insurance company overhead
- malpractice / legal risk
- consolidation within the healthcare organizations (health systems buying up smaller hospitals  / physicians offices being bought by health systems = less competition)
- lack of compensation for uninsured / illegals
- below cost reimbursement rates for medicade / medicare
- massive amounts of fraud
- govt reporting requirements

I worked with a fairly large hospital that spent 9% of its $1B annual budget on auditing its billing one year.

[Sanguine]

Not being forced to retire yet, I can't.  But the job is evolving into something I no longer want to do.  The government needs to get out of our healthcare, both from the patient's side and the provider's side.  For example they make pain control part of what we are graded on for "value based purchasing" which determines rewards and penalties for reimbursement. Now we have an out of control opioid crisis partly of their making that we are being penalized for. The government improves nothing by its meddling.  Sorry, I'm really angry this AM...

And, I'm getting to the age I'm going to need people like you.   

[geronl]

It pretends to repeal Obamacare but creates a new welfare program for "pre-existing conditions". Suddenly more people than ever will have those.

[geronl]

   Risk pools funded by general tax revenue create the conditions for insurance companies to offer flexible, affordable insurance again.

free money! free money! everybody in the pool!

[Jazzhead]

It pretends to repeal Obamacare but creates a new welfare program for "pre-existing conditions". Suddenly more people than ever will have those.

Okay by me if my insurance costs go down.   

[driftdiver]

It pretends to repeal Obamacare but creates a new welfare program for "pre-existing conditions". Suddenly more people than ever will have those.

Pre-existing conditions is a real issue.  People need to have reasonable access to healthcare.  Under our existing system (pre-obamacare) you almost had to have insurance through an employer.   With an individual plan they would cull out anyone with an existing conditions and refuse to cover.  Forcing those people into special groups at very high rates.   Which pretty much runs counter to the whole idea of insurance.

Without insurance you have very little access to healthcare these days.   Many doctors wont even take cash.  If you need a procedure you are now being asked to pay up front by many providers.   Only you don't get a cash price, you get the elevated no insurance price which is double or triple the rates paid by insurance carriers.

Our healthcare insurance system is broke and the govt is who broke it.   The govt along with all the lobbyists from insurance companies.

[libertybele]

Americans complain about the cost of health care, while simultaneously demanding the best doctors, cutting edge drugs, and instant access.

Doesn't work.

It currently doesn't work, because we're paying for every Juan and Juanita that enters into this country and if Juanita delivers a baby we not only pay for that baby but the baby then becomes a U.S. citizen! That scenario has been going on for decades. Gee, what's wrong with that picture??

[libertybele]

Not being forced to retire yet, I can't.  But the job is evolving into something I no longer want to do.  The government needs to get out of our healthcare, both from the patient's side and the provider's side.  For example they make pain control part of what we are graded on for "value based purchasing" which determines rewards and penalties for reimbursement. Now we have an out of control opioid crisis partly of their making that we are being penalized for. The government improves nothing by its meddling.  Sorry, I'm really angry this AM...

No reason to be sorry, you have every right to be angry.  I'm angry as well.

[libertybele]

Okay by me if my insurance costs go down.   

I'm glad you're under the impression that your insurance costs are going to go down. Unless they do away with free medical for illegal aliens ... it's not going to happen.  It's quite simple; you can't have more people drawing on the system then paying into the system and have costs come down.  That's one reason that Bammycare failed; the program wasn't affordable enough for those to join, leaving those that bought coverage left with continually rising premiums.  For illegals who got free medical anyways, what incentive did they have to pay for insurance? 

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Pre-existing conditions is a real issue.  People need to have reasonable access to healthcare.....Our healthcare insurance system is broke and the govt is who broke it.   

I'm kind of confused by this.  Are you saying you want the government to get completely out of the business of health care/health insurance, or just that you want it to go about it differently?

[driftdiver]

I'm kind of confused by this.  Are you saying you want the government to get completely out of the business of health care/health insurance, or just that you want it to go about it differently?

I'm saying the health care system was broke before Obamacare and is even worse now.   Just repealing Obamacare won't fix it.

Nothing they're proposing will do anything to fix the system and will only push us closer to a single payer where the entire healthcare industry is nationalized.

[libertybele]

I'm saying the health care system was broke before Obamacare and is even worse now.   Just repealing Obamacare won't fix it.

Nothing they're proposing will do anything to fix the system and will only push us closer to a single payer where the entire healthcare industry is nationalized.

Agreed.  The healthcare system is a fiasco. Bammycare needs to be repealed in it's entirety. Start out with a clean slate instead of doing some revisions and tweaks here and there nd implement a totally brand new plan that is a combination of Cruz and Paul's healthcare plans.  Both open up the free market place ... both extend health savings accounts.  In addition Cruz's plan delinks health insurance from the employer. 

[Sanguine]

The more involved the government got, the broker it got.

[corbe]

Agreed.  The healthcare system is a fiasco. Bammycare needs to be repealed in it's entirety. Start out with a clean slate instead of doing some revisions and tweaks here and there nd implement a totally brand new plan that is a combination of Cruz and Paul's healthcare plans.  Both open up the free market place ... both extend health savings accounts.  In addition Cruz's plan delinks health insurance from the employer. 

   Cruz's plan also involves Tort reform, which I think is a major necessity @libertybele