The healthcare bill.....

[Last Resort]

So it sounds like the healthcare bill was voted through the senate this morning? I won't pretend to know everything about it, but it does sound like it will greatly increase our debt. I'm not sure anybody can fully understand a bill that is so long. I'm curious to hear what others think about this bill, and what it means for our country?

[Spishack357]

I think now that health care is a "right" in this Country it is only a short amount of time until we start providing food, shelter and clothing to all under the guise of rights as well... The beginning of the end as far as I'm concerned...

Also I was thinking yesterday about writing on my back windshield: "Better pray you get cancer soon while you still have a shot at beating it, way to go America"

I'm literally disgusted with Americans, our Grandparents would be so ashamed I feel...

[ajax]

Debt might not go up much initially, but if medicare/social security can provide any indication, spending for this program is guaranteed to increase over the long term (hunting for had figures on medicare/ss costs, but the general trend is apparent).

One thing that really irks me is that this bill is touted as health care reform, whereas this is really health insurance reform (If one can even call that progress). It won't make health care more affordable since it doesn't touch the issues of why health care is so expensive, just throwing more taxpayer money at the problem.

Essentially, it extends insurance coverage to those who don't have it, whether they want it or not. No good will come of it.

[D10]

Debt might not go up much initially, but if medicare/social security can provide any indication, spending for this program is guaranteed to increase over the long term (hunting for had figures on medicare/ss costs, but the general trend is apparent).

One thing that really irks me is that this bill is touted as health care reform, whereas this is really health insurance reform (If one can even call that progress). It won't make health care more affordable since it doesn't touch the issues of why health care is so expensive, just throwing more taxpayer money at the problem.

Essentially, it extends insurance coverage to those who don't have it, whether they want it or not. No good will come of it.

That is exactly what it is........health insurance reform. This bill has nothing to do with health care reform. As of now we are considered to kiss ass to get anything done when we get sick.

[redeye202]

Don't get worked up yet,it still has to go back to the house of reps. so that both bills can be made into one and i'm sure changes will be made. Time to get on the phone to your reps. and kill this thing before it kills us.

[cgbudde]

The best part of this bill is the part that screws the unions. There is a 40% excise tax on those so called cadillac plans given by employers.

That will teach these idiots that pushed to get this jackass elected.

Also it creates new taxes and fees for medical suppliers. Require individuals to purchase insurance, and create a subsidy from the federal government for those who cannot afford it to purchase it on a health exchange managed by the federal government.

Managed by the federal government, oh great. we all know how good they are at managing things.

[ham385]

Correction, this bill is health insurance mandating and universal coverage. It is not health insurance reform. Health insurance reform would be requiring non profits to stop predatory practices. i.e. stop shift premiums around based on risk.

Even non profit insurance companies are profit oriented. They are constantly striving to be more profitable, but at the same time, they are restricted on how profitable they can be. It sort of reminds me of a lot of business units in larger companies. They're constantly trying to get bigger budgets, but if they have left over funds, they don't return them because their budget would be smaller next year, so what do they do? They find a way to wastefully spend that extra money. Thats exactly what is going on at the non profit insurance companies. When they make too much profit, they don't lower premiums, they find a way to waste the money. I'm not kidding. I just started working for one (not too hard to guess who) and the level of inefficiency is staggering.

Govt. mandates for auditing and regulation make it even worse. There is a huge amount of manpower that goes into just identifying what systems are included in the mandates, let alone the process and security audits, and reworking non-compliant systems.

Another problem is anti-trust laws. WTF? UPMC, anyone from the west side of the state knows them, has a hospital system and an insurance system. You would think they would be able to offer low rates. Not so, they charge the same, make a killing, and have to spend the money somehow. So, every couple months, you see a new UPMC building going up somewhere in the tri-county area.

To conclude, this is not reform. It is mandating coverage, and taxing to subsidize for lower income people.

Rant over.

[buster2209]

"To conclude, this is not reform. It is mandating coverage, and taxing to subsidize for lower income people."

Exactly, and that's why I feel the above. This is a classic example of economic fascism.

From what I can tell, this bills just means that insurance companies gains more customers, hence why health care stocks have been rising on news of this bill. This gives more incentives to an already growing minority of people who don't want to work to carry on not working thus expanding the destructive welfare state.

It's one step closer to bringing America closer to Europe. YAY!

[BSH]

Unlike what the liars in Washington say, this bill, and whatever comes out of conference, will make health care lower quality, less affordable, and more difficult to get. Subsidies will be paid to poor folks to buy mandated health insurance. Insurance rates will rise. As with all major new initiatives, the CBO is understating the costs. Instead of a trillion over 10 years, the final bill will probably cost closer to a trillion over 4-5 years. It will NOT reduce the deficit. It will harm Medicare.

But on the plus side, all nurses will get diversity training.

[arjohnson]

Don't get worked up yet,it still has to go back to the house of reps. so that both bills can be made into one and i'm sure changes will be made. Time to get on the phone to your reps. and kill this thing before it kills us.

You can call til your blue in the face it won't do anything, they are not listening to us