Health Care

[bluepinecones]

Couldn't get quote to work this am; following from Soos this morning:

I cannot believe that health care bill passed the House vote last night. It will be very interesting to see what happens to my Medicare insurance now, if the bill gets passed by the Senate and becomes law.......and how much more I will have to co-pay or pay somewhere to compensate for all the baloney in those 1990 pages of crap. We seniors are those getting the cuts, while the out-of-workers and homeless and other 'poor' people will reap the benefits.

I would like to know what is going on in other parts of the country. Just the threat of more government intervention has already had a major impact here. Blue Cross Blue Shield of AL is the major insurer in state. For 2009, a Medicare Advantage policy with them was reasonably priced and came with decent coverage and minimal co-pays. Just got the annual change notice to of things to come for 2010. A 100% increase in monthly premium and anywhere from 10 to 250% increase in co-pays, a dramatic drop in what will be covered and at what rate, and the list goes on and on. All of these changes go into effect on 1 Jan.

The impact does not stop there. My long time family doctor recently sold his practice and stated the reason as not having the freedom to treat his patients as he believed would be in their best interest. He told me that between the government and insurance company dictates, he simply could not practice good quality medical service any more. That is a very sad state of affairs. He was a good doctor with a large number of medicare clients.

[OutandAbout]

The whole health care "reform" is just a big fat mess. According to the last polls, depending on which you see, around 55% of the people do not want it. What does it say about our congress when they ignore us and vote against our wishes. How can a bill be constitutional when nobody even bothers to read it, but votes for it anyway? The bill didn't pass by that much and makes me wonder what was promised to those sitting on the fence. It doesn't sound like the senate has the votes to pass it now. Harry Reid doesn't seem too positive lately. I think anyone, either congressperson or senator, who votes for the bill without reading it should be fired. We certainly don't need a congress like that looking after our interests.

I think Soos is right, seniors and the "rich" (it will also include the middle class, despite what they say) will get hit hard, while the few million that couldn't get coverage will "reap the benefits". This passage will result in a lot of doctors leaving the profession and more potential doctors not even entering it. There will be no incentive for them to do so. This is just so wrong on so many levels.

Just my 1/2 cent. Linda

[avalen]

no 2 cents from me cause I haven't got a clue whats gonna happen

[ohlucy05]

Unfortunately, I believe that ALL Americans are going to suffer if this legislation passes in the Senate. And costs will go up and service will go down. I realize that there are many people that do not have health insurance because of loss of job or inability to get insurance but if you believe the true statistics that is 3 to 4 million not 40 million. When was the last time that people went to the hospital and did not get served? I worry about the idea of 1900 page + legislation and people not reading the bill. What happened to keep it simple stupid....

I have a sinking feeling about this legislation. And if it passes and becomes law there is a point of no return. The other problem is that many people are out of work. We need to work on that and get the deficits in check before we spend 1 trillion more dollars. I also worry about the debt that I am leaving my children and grandchild. Off my soapbox. And by the way...do you know anyone who was in favor of all of this legislation? I know NO ONE which may not mean much but it scary to say the least.

ohlucy

[Marslet]

You know, I just usually read and don't post a lot, but I have to say I take exception to Cedar's remark about the "middle class" needing to get hit harder by taxes and other things. I realize that on this forum we can voice our opinion without having to worry about consequences. We are part of that middle class, and I can assure you, we are not rich, and we pay more than our fair share of taxes. If people without insurance go to a hospital, then they will not be turned away. Of course, after they stabalize you, you may be transported to what in the south is known as a "charity hospital", which means you do not owe a damn cent for your care (and the care is good). I don't know what they do in New York, your care may be different from ours.

[Sparkle]

I came from a country with socialised medicine. If you are pregnant you get all your doctors visits and dental care free. When the baby is born it has free health care and dental until they are 18. When my father reached the age he was no longer able to stay in his house, there was a government agency that helped him sell it at fair market market price and put the money in the bank of his choice. Now, about once a year he would write and say, what do you want? I haven't spent enough! He had to spend a certain amount of money each year, supposedly on himself, or he would be taxed higher. He would rather I got it the they did.
If you get a devastating illness you can concentrate on getting well, not worrying about how the dickens am I going to pay for this.

[Paulette]

Cedar, I consider myself in the upper middle class and I'd love to find some of those loopholes you are talking about. I won't even tell you how much I pay in income taxes (as part owner of a business), but I do know that it seems like I am paying for a whole lot of people to have healthcare, and many other social "services". I'd much rather have the option of doing just that...helping some that are down and out to pay for their healthcare and whatever else for the year, than to give that money to Uncle Sam. But if you'd care to share the list of loopholes with me, I'd love to know the secrets! Cause Uncle Sam doesn't seem to be able to handle the taxes I pay in in a way that benefits anyone but themselves.

[Sparkle]

Nobody knows the dividing line between poor, working, middle, upper, rich. There was a politian who said 300.000 a year was just above poverty level. In that case I'd settle for poor.

[Redetotry]

I am hoping the bill won't pass in the senate but with the way things have been going who knows what will happen.

I live in Illinois and it is really scary as the state is so far in debt some of the colleges are saying after November if they don't receive some $$ they may not be able to make their payroll.

Bottom line is I think is everyone is really worried about what is going to happen to America not only with the health care issue but with the debts we already owe to other countries. I don't see how this country can turn around with so many people unemployed and no where for them to go to even hope to find employment.

[Marslet]

Cedar, I am not offended or have my feelings hurt by your post. I agree with Paulette, I won't tell you how much taxes we pay each year, but I can assure you we are already paying for a whole lot of people's healthcare. I too would love to find some loophole we could use to help us at tax time because we pay x number of dollars in just income taxes (5 figures) and still OWE more at the end of the year. We DO NOT get any money back. Sure wish I could have a little bit of what we have put in back. My husband and I have worked all our lives, never been without a job to get to the place where we are now"middle class" We have sacrificed and scrimped to get buy in our early marriage. After 36+ years we live a comfortable life, nothing out of the ordinary. This health care is going to hit us hard as we are going on Social Security retirement in mid February. It scares me as it should scare everyone.

[Acadianmom]

What ticks me off are the people that get free health care think nothing of going to an emergency room for something that wouldn't have been an emergency if they had gone to a doctor before it became an emergency. I know what I'm talking about because unfortunately I am related to some of them. Instead of taking their kids to the doctor when they have a cough or ear ache they wait until midnight and the kid is screaming bloody murder or can't breath and go to the emergency room. I spent the night with a dislocated shoulder because I wouldn't go to the emergency room. I knew I would have been there 6 hours and they wouldn't have done anything but give me an x-ray and maybe a pain pill and tell me to call a doctor the next day and would have charged me $1,500.00.

I'm with Paulette about the loopholes, our CPA must be holding out on us. We don't make enough money to hire the $500 an hour tax attorney to find them for us. When my MIL passed away we had to hire a tax attorney to fight the IRS for money they wanted. The lawyer that handled her succession charged us $20,000 and managed to include property that my DH already owned. It cost another $10,000 to straighten out the mess he made. The money she left had already been taxed at 50% and the government wanted the rest. Estate taxes are grossly unfair. Any money you leave has already been taxed to the hilt.

Martha

[Cedar518]

I have deleted my posts.

[JanetA]

Dear Cedar...
Hon, you are entitled to your opinion, so I would say don't feel bad. We learn from the others who post what THEIR situation and opinion is,, and, for me, it's all a learning experience. I don't know a lot about what OTHERS know and do or have to put up with but it's interesting to find out, and compare and sympathize.

I have read a couple of different sides to the healthcare situation, right here in our own forum. Very interesting.! In a perfect world,, it would be wonderful not to have to worry about healthcare or the quality of it that we all would receive, but intuition and facts i've learned, tell me it AIN'T gonna be anywhere CLOSE to adequate, when the rubber meets the road...
so many rumors,, so much unconfirmed misinformation!

BUT.................

the fact is: it all remains to be seen, so all we can do is sit back and wait to SEE what 'they' will INFUSE upon us. Hope it's not TOO bad or TOO late to take it back if it's wrong! The scary thing is, WHO is the expert? I happen to think NO ONE! I know our system is not the best, but we sure as heck don't want it to be made WORSE!
You are correct, Cedar, to say that the ones in the "middle" are the ones that gonna be affected the most... because they are the hardest working ppl. This idea of taxing the rich to give to the poor,, well,, you tell ME what's fair? (yes i know middle class is FAR from rich!) The debate may NEVER be settled.


God help us!

[Marslet]

Janet honey, you are preaching to the choir.

[JanetA]

I know! ! ! ... let's sing louder, wanna?