Originally Posted By hopemax > BTW, I think concerns over costs that DAR and others have raised are completely legitimate. We do have to have a way to pay for this, and Obama has been too vague and he's (understandably) been too unwilling to explain how it will work. But I don't think concerns about cost are valid reasons not to do it. I think we can find reasonable solutions. < Here's the thing though, private industry has already figured out how to pay for it... simply send you a bigger bill. Yesterday, I saw a Business Week article that was talking about a recent survey among employers and the good news that some employers are planning on ending salary freezes and reinstating 401K's. But the survey also included answers about health care. <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/investing/insights/blog/archives/2009/08/employers_plan.html" target="_blank">http://www.businessweek.com/in...lan.html</a> * 66% of companies that increased the percentage that employees pay for healthcare premiums do not expect to reverse that decision. *40% of employers are planning to shift more healthcare costs to workers by increasing the percentage of premiums they pay. * 41% of respondents expect to increase the deductibles, copays or out-of-pocket maximums for their 2010 health care plans. DAR is worried about how the possibility of his taxes going up, how the Government can absorb the costs of the health care. Is he worried about how much his premium is going to go up, his deductible, his copay, his out of pocket maximum? Is he worried about how these extra costs are going to affect the economy? Will his friends and family, have to tighten their belts to pay them, will they go into debt to pay them, or will they just cancel their coverage? What would millions of Americans canceling their policies mean for the job security of front line insurance company employees?
Originally Posted By ecdc >>Is he worried about how much his premium is going to go up, his deductible, his copay, his out of pocket maximum? Is he worried about how these extra costs are going to affect the economy? Will his friends and family, have to tighten their belts to pay them, will they go into debt to pay them, or will they just cancel their coverage? What would millions of Americans canceling their policies mean for the job security of front line insurance company employees?<< That's all ok because it's done by private industry and private industry is run by Jesus H. Capitalist, so anything they do is a-ok.
Originally Posted By hopemax DAR and others are following the trail of bread crumbs of what MIGHT happen, and are freaked out about it. I just would like to know if those same people have followed the trail of bread crumbs if things stay exactly the same as how things are now. Examined the effects it will have on themselves, their friends, their family, small businesses and the economy as a whole. Because, really, what is more likely to happen, radical change or the status quo?
Originally Posted By TomSawyer One of the reasons premiums are going up is because the investments that insurance companies use for their reserve funds have gone down in value. I think a lot of people are going to be very surprised how much their health insurance premiums are going to increase next year.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I'd like to share a story of failure of socialised medicine (not).<< Just to chime in with my story of not-socialized medicine, starting in late June ... I had an entire painful month between the primary care visit, and being able to get an appointment with the podiatrist. If I was under the UK system, I wouldn't be in pain right this minute, and wouldn't have missed several extra days of work. And this is by far the best HMO I've ever been under. Thanks a bundle, free market.
Originally Posted By mawnck By the way ... going back several pages, I had to respond to this. >>But see if there was a private DMV entity you would have the option to go to another place.<< You mean AAA? Yep, we've got it here in crazy liberal California.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer Almost all of the license offices in Washington are private businesses. And they still suck.
Originally Posted By Princessjenn5795 Dave, maybe you can tell me if this true but I have heard that in the UK the doctors get bonuses when their patients lose weight or quit smoking or make other healthy lifestyle choices. If so, I wish we could adopt similar structures here...that would certainly help with reducing healthcae costs.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Indeed there are positive incentives for these sorts of things, yes!
