patrick.net

The people are certainly getting a fair choice this go-around. If they want to put Republicans back into power again, so be it. Their funeral not mine. The one example we can take from Weimar Germany is that democracy does not always work so well.

Did you even read it?

"We will enact real medical liability reform;" - I agree wholeheartedly with this

"allow Americans to purchase health coverage across state lines;" - this too

"empower small businesses with greater purchasing power;" - allow small companies to group together to spread the risk - good idea

"and create new incentives to save for future health needs" - Make HSA's permanently available? I use an HSA - I like THAT

"We will protect the doctor-patient relationship," - no bureaucrats making choices - leave it up to the doctor? sweet

"and ensure that those with pre-existing conditions gain access to the coverage they need." - I only wonder why if the "GOP cannot STAND the idea that people with pre-existing health conditions be covered" would they put this in there?

"We will permanently end taxpayer funding of abortion and codify the Hyde Amendment." - Political grandstanding with their base - but I'm pro-life so this is a plus for me. If I could only find a politician that was against abortion AND the death penalty...

I just hope whatever they do it'll be slightly shorter than the War and Peace legislation the Democrats produced...

Had 8 years to do it, nothing done.

All talk unfortunately.

8 years of buffoonery - extended to 10 so far with the current moron-in-chief. But it is disingenuous to post what he did when the exact opposite is in their so-called "pledge" - I bet Vicente has read the entire health care bill too?

Yes--they did such a wonderful job with the prescription drug plan. Let's let the Republicans remake Health Care too.

They got me with nothing else other than the Bastards "HAVE" to read these 30,000 page bills of fluff, and corporate reach arounds, out loud for the Voting public to hear.

I love the sincerity of this, and see how the "Rights" rush to gain control, this will bite them in the ass, when they finally do gain control. The Republicans aren't exactly Saints, and are a little on the Kettle/Black side on this. Now the biggest thing that makes me want to print a copy and ball it up and open it then ball it back up again until it's as soft as Charmin Ultra and use it for my morning constitution, is where they use "Transparent".

Modern politics has learned that while the Voting public views that phrase as synonymous with a clear looking glass where you can see the soup being made in the kitchen. Where actually it is quite successful verbiage where the invoker of that phrase can be as cryptic and secretive as they care to be and no one in the Voting public challenges the Irony.

I oppose any measure or politician that uses "Transparency" as it's a prelude to fraud and deceit.

I would like to see the Liberals go back to the Drawing board and get a "National Health care system" right, instead of this Ode to Corporations POS that this lot is subjecting America to. And I would like to see the Bums on the Hill have the Audacity to try to read the Crap they have been running down the pike the last decade.

but that's wishful thinking. This aint nothing but the Republicans, playing Come along lately jumping on the band wagon, getting a Midget with a broom, sweeping out the incumbents, and calling for "CHANGE".
The last time I heard that battle cry, I couldn't crap right for a month.

tatupu70 says

Yes–they did such a wonderful job with the prescription drug plan. Let’s let the Republicans remake Health Care too.

Exactly what is wrong the the prescription drug plan? It's insurance. Not a monthly fast pass. Obama's removal of the donut hole is not helping any one. Go ahead and remove the donut hole. Either way, you will still need to meet the $4550 Out of pocket before you get any decent coverage. Either you pay 100% in the donut hole and get an accelerated method to get to the $4550 Out of Pocket, or just die a slow and painful death, paying a high percentage for a medication, making it longer for you to get into the catastrophic coverage phase. Since you hit the catastrophic coverage phase much later into the year, the insurance companies pay even less. And I bet the cost will be more for plans without donut holes. Of course, it was presented as it being 'better.' The insurance carriers are probably laughing.

The only way to help these Part-D plans is to lower the Out Of Pocket, which has been creeping up every year.

Vain says

Exactly what is wrong the the prescription drug plan?

It costs too much--it was a giveaway to Big Pharma...

I think the Obama health care bill is actually pretty good. Not great, but definitely better than the take-all-your-money system we had before.

I can't read the whole thing, but it's clear to me that:

1. Insurers can't just drop you for getting sick.
2. Insurers won't be able to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions.
3. Premiums are limited by the requirement that insurers spend at least 80% of premiums on actual health care.

So the insurance company CEO's pay isn't going to go up when premiums get hiked. That's the critical point.

Premiums will still probably go up because of all the baby boomers aging and spending on medical care, but at least the insurers don't have everyone by the balls anymore.

tatupu70 says

Exactly what is wrong the the prescription drug plan?
It costs too much–it was a giveaway to Big Pharma…

I wouldn't consider it a giveaway to Big Pharma, maybe a give away to private insurance carriers. Many big pharmas discourage Medicare Part-D. How? If they don't enroll in it, they'll give the medicine to them for free. They only encourage them to enroll when they qualify for the Low Income Subsidy (3 dollar copay for everything all year round).

There are options for Part-D patients. There are many programs that grant money to the Part-D patients to use for copays to get them to their $4550 out of pocket. But most of the seniors are too stubborn to listen to what they have to offer. I don't blame them. Most feel they've been deceived by this Medicare Part-D deal.

Vain says

Many big pharmas discourage Medicare Part-D. How? If they don’t enroll in it, they’ll give the medicine to them for free. They only encourage them to enroll when they qualify for the Low Income Subsidy (3 dollar copay for everything all year round).

Big pharma will only subsidize meds for people who don't have any other way of getting them , and then I'm willing to bet that they get to write meds off at full price. In order to qualify for help, one must fill out an application and prove that they can't afford their meds. Many people are denied, I've seen it.

Vain says

There are options for Part-D patients. There are many programs that grant money to the Part-D patients to use for copays to get them to their $4550 out of pocket. But most of the seniors are too stubborn to listen to what they have to offer. I don’t blame them. Most feel they’ve been deceived by this Medicare Part-D deal.

The pharmacy plans didn't have to bid for inclusion in the plans, didn't have to discount their rates. Medicare is paying full price for the medications and passing along the costs to the customers, many of whom can't afford to pay for it. The Medicare drug plan is a joke - it benefits the drug plans more than anyone.

elliemae says

Big pharma will only subsidize meds for people who don’t have any other way of getting them , and then I’m willing to bet that they get to write meds off at full price. In order to qualify for help, one must fill out an application and prove that they can’t afford their meds. Many people are denied, I’ve seen it.

Elliemae, I'm actually in this industry and it's true, they give the med to them for free if the patient has no other way of getting it. But we have no way to check if they are lying, and even if we as employees know they are lying, we do not challenge them. Even when they say they have no insurance, but their pay stub has a deduction for Cigna, we take their word for whatever cover up they can think of. Most programs do not check. Even if you have a Part-D plan, just say you do not. Deny being even eligible for Medicare. There is no way for them to verify income either other than what you provide them. Verifying income is dual purpose. They screen them for low income and refer them out to public programs. They do get to write off the medication at full retail price. Giving medicine away for free is most likely as good as selling it.

There're lots of what should be done for the good of american people.

But how exactly you can do that? and where this needed money and resouces is coming from? I don't remember I heard anything like that.

Am I missing something here?

I really hate the unlimited lifetime spending limits in the new healthcare bill.

zzyzzx says

I really hate the unlimited lifetime spending limits in the new healthcare bill.

Really? You'd prefer people with cancer go bankrupt after dutily paying their premiums for 40 years? And then die?

Vain says

elliemae says

Big pharma will only subsidize meds for people who don’t have any other way of getting them , and then I’m willing to bet that they get to write meds off at full price. In order to qualify for help, one must fill out an application and prove that they can’t afford their meds. Many people are denied, I’ve seen it.

Elliemae, I’m actually in this industry and it’s true, they give the med to them for free if the patient has no other way of getting it. But we have no way to check if they are lying, and even if we as employees know they are lying, we do not challenge them. Even when they say they have no insurance, but their pay stub has a deduction for Cigna, we take their word for whatever cover up they can think of. Most programs do not check. Even if you have a Part-D plan, just say you do not. Deny being even eligible for Medicare. There is no way for them to verify income either other than what you provide them. Verifying income is dual purpose. They screen them for low income and refer them out to public programs. They do get to write off the medication at full retail price. Giving medicine away for free is most likely as good as selling it.

I'm sure that most of them are honest. I know that I'd be... which company do you work for, and what is the phone number of the help line? Not that I'm planning to make a call or anything, but...

DRUGS!!!! FOR FREE!!!

OK I've looked through this Lemon Pledge thing a couple of times now.

It talks over and over about how bad deficits/debts are.

But very little promise of cutting any spending. They of course say firmly the most expensive bits will not be cut..... you know all that stuff for old people and military. The reminds me of people in bankruptcy whose big plan is to start brown-bagging for lunch.

zzyzzx says

I really hate the unlimited lifetime spending limits in the new healthcare bill.

I really love the fact that what is it, I think 80% of health insurance premiums have to go to health care.

I also really love the no pre-existing condition constraint. As it was, if someone had a serious problem, they would actually have to worry about getting it checked out, because then they might have a condition that would make it harder for them to get new coverage later.

The bill is a decent step in the right direction. Even if the republicans win, they are going to have to keep certain parts. It's such a transparent game they are playing, trying to help the insurance companies out. Are there really any intelligent conservatives that can't see through it ?

Good luck republicans getting the health insurance companies out of the 80% requirement.

There's no way the GOP will actually change the health care legislation.

You think they'll stand there and defend the actual provisions in the bill if they actually have to say them out loud?

Sure, they'll blast "ObamaCare", as long as they never have to discuss what it actually is.

Odds of the US government being substantially different in 2012: Zero.

Odds of the economy still being shitty in 2012: High

Odds of people continuing to be idiots in 2012: Assured.

But after 12/21/2012 it won't matter any longer... the world is gonna end, right?

No it will be the dawning of....

THE AGE OF AQUARIUS!