Unaffordable Care Act

[Yukari-sensei]

"If You Think Health Care is Expensive Now -- Just Wait Until it's Free."  - P.J. O'Rourke

I read PJ O'Rourke, he's funny, very witty, but not a doctor, a nurse, or an economist. He's a little too out of his depth to be basing policy on his opinion,  regardless of how funny it is.

All things considered, given how much people lament the state of healthcare is in the US, I fail to see how government run health care could be any worse. Anything is a step up when you are at the bottom and don't delude yourself, among industrialized nations... that's where we are in healthcare... "Lions being led by asses".

[Shantel]

I read PJ O'Rourke, he's funny, very witty, but not a doctor, a nurse, or an economist. He's a little too out of his depth to be basing policy on his opinion,  regardless of how funny it is.

All things considered, given how much people lament the state of healthcare is in the US, I fail to see how government run health care could be any worse. Anything is a step up when you are at the bottom and don't delude yourself, among industrialized nations... that's where we are in healthcare... "Lions being led by asses".

So far government run anything has turned into a huge farce especially this healthcare debacle. Most people who aren't "proles" on the dole resent being forced by any government to buy into something or suffer consequences, it just doesn't happen in a free society. Some in other countries who are paying a 60 - 70% income tax rate may think they are still free, but that's their illusion, we don't want to go there.

[amZo]

All things considered, given how much people lament the state of healthcare is in the US, I fail to see how government run health care could be any worse. Anything is a step up when you are at the bottom and don't delude yourself, among industrialized nations... that's where we are in healthcare... "Lions being led by asses".

Actually, prior to obamacare, 80% of the American people were happy with their current insurance plan. That's an amazingly high number.

I don't have a problem with obamacare or single payer as long as people are free to choose for themselves .... I'm pro-choice.      I would like to choose my old insurance plan which I'm losing January 1st with no affordable replacement as of yet.

[foreversarah]

The Affordable Care Act is the best thing that could happen to America. That's from someone living in the UK! You can't put a price on health.

[Danielle Emmalee]

The Affordable Care Act is the best thing that could happen to America. That's from someone living in the UK! You can't put a price on health.

I disagree.  I think an Affordable Education Act would be a much better investment. 

[Gina_Z]

We don't really know yet what Obamacare is or will be. We'll see.

[amZo]

We don't really know yet what Obamacare is or will be. We'll see.

We don't really know what jumping off a 100 story building is like either, but I still want the option to opt out.

Like the original poster, I've lost my current health plan (something that was 'promised' wouldn't happen) and currently don't have a replacement. I KNOW that much.

[Shantel]

We don't really know yet what Obamacare is or will be. We'll see.

Gina are you really Nancy Pelosi incognito? 

[Gina_Z]

LOL. Yes I still laugh at that Pelosi statement. And yes, most of us do not know exactly what the new system will be. Probably really good for cronies. One thing I'm sure of- I like the idea of covering people with pre-existing conditions. I fear that it will be organized and run by inept Washington bureaucrats. 

[Shantel]

LOL. Yes I still laugh at that Pelosi statement. And yes, most of us do not know exactly what the new system will be. Probably really good for cronies. One thing I'm sure of- I like the idea of covering people with pre-existing conditions. I fear that it will be organized and run by inept Washington bureaucrats.

I'm with you Gina!

[Yukari-sensei]

Well, that safety net exists.  There is not a person in the United States that can be legally turned away from a public hospital.

The question in this case is whether another gigantic bureaucracy, and drain on a already bankrupt polity, is the essence of of good government, or whether the government has finally become destructive and despotic.

Each and every one of us already owes the creditors of the United States over $50,000.  I would like it if the Federal government would no longer borrows money in my name.

Once again, I reiterate. You can be turned away from a public hospital if you do not have a "life-threatening" condition. Thanks to provisions passed under Bush II, "life-threatening" has been narrowed in its definition.

The stupidity of this should be obvious to any fiscally concerned citizen... When a treatment becomes life threatening, it becomes VERY EXPENSIVE. For the sake of not providing a $5 anti-biotic and care to a person with a cold, taxpayers end up paying for a $14K case of pneumonia. How does failing to provide prophylactic outpatient care translate to fiscal or civic responsibility? Because the only group to come out ahead in this case are the shareholders in the hospital, who were able to charge more for not providing a much cheaper service earlier...

[Yukari-sensei]

The Affordable Care Act is the best thing that could happen to America. That's from someone living in the UK! You can't put a price on health.

Sadly, yes you can... And that's why the American people pay so much for healthcare while getting so little in return.

Strangely enough for living in a nation that prides itself on improving the ideas from elsewhere, I find it ironic my fellow citizens shy away from the challenge of creating a better public heath system, using as many ideas from demonstrably better systems, to create the best new system possible...

Of course it's easier to hang a few lipton bags from a hat and wave a flag (often times not the national one), than it is to engage in meaningful policy discourse.

[amZo]

Sadly, yes you can... And that's why the American people pay so much for healthcare while getting so little in return.

Strangely enough for living in a nation that prides itself on improving the ideas from elsewhere, I find it ironic my fellow citizens shy away from the challenge of creating a better public heath system, using as many ideas from demonstrably better systems, to create the best new system possible...

Of course it's easier to hang a few lipton bags from a hat and wave a flag (often times not the national one), than it is to engage in meaningful policy discourse.

Yet in order for your approach to work, all other options have to be banned. Why? I would think if socialized healthcare is so much better, i.e., cheaper and better care, its proponents would want them to go head to head with inferior systems. I propose an idea, let's put all blue states in socialized medicine and all red states in a private sector free market based system. Let's then see who's happiest as determined by who begins moving where. I like it and I have zero doubt the result. 

[Danielle Emmalee]

Yet in order for your approach to work, all other options have to be banned. Why? I would think if socialized healthcare is so much better, i.e., cheaper and better care, its proponents would want them to go head to head with inferior systems. I propose an idea, let's put all blue states in socialized medicine and all red states in a private sector free market based system. Let's then see who's happiest as determined by who begins moving where. I like it and I have zero doubt the result. 

The rich move to the red states for better health care, the poor move to the blue states and their economy crashes?

[Yukari-sensei]

Yet in order for your approach to work, all other options have to be banned. Why? I would think if socialized healthcare is so much better, i.e., cheaper and better care, its proponents would want them to go head to head with inferior systems. I propose an idea, let's put all blue states in socialized medicine and all red states in a private sector free market based system. Let's then see who's happiest as determined by who begins moving where. I like it and I have zero doubt the result. 

OK and while we are at it,  let's make certain all blue state money stays in blue states... Mississippi will be the first state economy to crash... and need to be bailed out by the Feds...

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/states-federal-taxes-spending-charts-maps

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelpinto/2987025203/

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/08/americas-fiscal-union

Maybe we should find the best plan and all stick to it? No plan is a bad plan I might add...

[amZo]

Motherjones and the Economist? Really?

No plan is a bad plan? Did Detroit have a good plan?

I'm curious why the obsession over taking people's choices and freedoms away. It leads to the situation the original poster shared, she can't afford this. That makes me angry. All this is so unnecessary.

Forcing people into 'one-way' ultimately leads to building a fence around your nation to keep people in while giving freedom and many choices ultimately leads to building a fence around your nation to keep people out. Find you a good history book on the 20th century, it' very illuminating.

Oy vey........................

"History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme" - Mark Twain

[genderhell]

The Affordable Care Act is the best thing that could happen to America. That's from someone living in the UK! You can't put a price on health.

ACA will require electronic health records be maintained by a private firm.

I would be concerned if I was transitioning and planning to use ACA.

The federal government is not known for keeping its electronic records secure.

[michelle gee]

I have tried to stay out of this topic but I am compelled to say a few things.
I honestly fell that everyone should have access to affordable healthcare not just the priviledged.
Many like myself work hard everyday but simply cannot afford health ins. even though I am in excellent health.

The ACA (O'Bamacare) is far from perfect but could have been made better if republican's actually helped instead of derail it from the beginning. Afterall, it was the republicans' concept initially and remember Mitt Romney (a republican) did the same thing in Mass. while he was governor and to my knowledge worked/is working just fine.

Why many republican's even hate LGBT people and some even feel that we are sinners and will go to hell.
I am a lifelong democrat/liberal and have no shame whatsoever and IMHO O'Bama is doing a fine job considering the mess he was left after GWB screwed our country up and started 2 unfunded wars, (Iraq was never a threat to anybody) and lots of tax dollars were wasted) Halibuton (Cheneys' old company and others made out like bandits

GWB also responsible for Medicare part D (unfunded) and tax breaks for the wealthy (like the wealthy need breaks?). Large company's put a ghost office overseas just to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, how American is that?

People complain about those that abuse welfare but what about the rich who use every means possible to avoid paying taxes? Some are legal and some are questionable or even  downright illegal.

[genderhell]

The ACA (O'Bamacare) is far from perfect but could have been made better if republican's actually helped instead of derail it from the beginning. Afterall, it was the republicans' concept initially and remember Mitt Romney (a republican) did the same thing in Mass. while he was governor and to my knowledge worked/is working just fine.

Why many republican's even hate LGBT people and some even feel that we are sinners and will go to hell.
I am a lifelong democrat/liberal and have no shame whatsoever and IMHO O'Bama is doing a fine job considering the mess he was left after GWB screwed our country up and started 2 unfunded wars, (Iraq was never a threat to anybody) and lots of tax dollars were wasted) Halibuton (Cheneys' old company and others made out like bandits

GWB also responsible for Medicare part D (unfunded) and tax breaks for the wealthy (like the wealthy need breaks?). Large company's put a ghost office overseas just to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, how American is that?

People complain about those that abuse welfare but what about the rich who use every means possible to avoid paying taxes? Some are legal and some are questionable or even  downright illegal.

Your argument  goes like this .. Republicans screwed up the economy and wasted money .. so what is wrong with the Democrats doing it too ... ? Hehe

It is virtuous to want to pay for the healthcare of the soon to be legal 11-30 million estimated "undocumented" illegal people, and the thereafter, the estimated 50 million family members in their immediate and extended families they will be allowed to bring in, and the 1-2 million of 3rd world people they bring into the U.S. every year.

However,  the people that want ACA are not demanding tax increases to help pay for all this.

The people that want ACA want to run up the federal debt and declare bankruptcy later. 

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

The people that want ACA want to run up the federal debt and declare bankruptcy later. 

Be careful, some of us just want healthcare.