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| President Obama-Health Care Bill |
Bob went on to say that people don't have health insurance because they are lazy, deadbeats, etc.
It is hard to imagine what planet Bob comes from and what size blinders he is wearing. Those blinders must be the super-dooper-size that obliterate the most glaring facts of today's economy. For instance, at what point did Bob decide not to make the correlation that people who have lost their jobs, their homes and have no paychecks coming in are not going to be able to afford health insurance premiums and deductibles?
I am delighted that Bob's job provides for his health insurance and he is able to pay the premiums and deductibles for his family. However, I submit to Bob and those like him that once your employer gives you the boot, you and those like you, will be the first ones to start screaming for your "right to health coverage", especially if your spouse or child is diagnosed with something that is progressive and requires constant medical monitoring to minimize the effects of the disease, prolonged their life and give them the best quality of life available.
Perhaps there are some issues with Nationalized Health Insurance and we could choose the best available model of all the ones utilized throughout every industrialized Nation and make the necessary adjustments to suit our needs, but the fact remains that what we have in place now is far worse than Nationalized Health Insurance or doing absolutely nothing.
AFRAID OF CHANGE?
Perhaps we can ease these people's fears by slowly and carefully explaining that change is inevitable. Change will happen both through action or inaction.
Through Action, we have more control over the outcome, through inaction, we have none. Life around us will continue to move no matter how still we are. Our bodies will continue to age even if we remain still. Change will happen and we can choose to be a part of the process or a by-standard who has things happen to them. We can play victim and complain and do nothing, or we can refuse to be ignored in favor of the "haves" and stop being the "have nots" and move into action and change what does not work.
After all, we have been passive all this time, but it does not mean we are insane and will continue to do things the same way expecting a different result. Of course not!, we are not Bob.
HEALTH INSURANCE
They have ridden the ride and they are fighting to stay on top. On top of billions of dollars wasted and ripped off from the tax payers.
For people like Bob, what he does not understand is that his insurance premiums and deductibles are nothing compared to the BILLIONS these insurance companies over charge Medicare for everything. It is government money, therefore it is free money.
No Bob, it is not, it is your hard earned taxes going these companies you seem to idolize. When a wheelchair that can be obtained for $500 is charged as $4,000 to Medicare, Bob... YOU are paying for it.
Maybe if we explain it this way, you will get on board and understand why so many of us are bucking for change to stop the fraud and institute FAIRNESS.
Medicare was overcharged by a hospital for 5 units of chemotherapy per patient when they only did one per patient. It is a 5 to 1 profit ratio and whoever devised it was a crook, a thief and ANTI-AMERICAN. There! I said it Bob, deal with it and you can read all about it here.
Hospitals are not the only ones of course, everyone gets a piece of the pie as long as they are not the consumer. Those who supply much needed medical equipment are called vendors. They vend their wares to you and they bill our current NATIONALIZED HEALTH INSURANCE known as MEDICARE..... Oh yes, the middle man!
Even someone as unconcerned about business practices as the Bush administration is actually raising eyebrows high enough to make them stop and take notice of these middle men. Below is an excerpt of the article and the full article can be read here.
Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, said Friday that the Government, for the first time, would set national standards for suppliers of medical equipment, requiring them to be more attentive to consumers' complaints and to repair or replace any defective items sold to Medicare beneficiaries
Not only do they overcharge but they have no problem leaving defective supplies with consumers who have, until now, little to no recourse because one hand does not know what the other one is doing.
So Bob, in closing I have the obligation to inform you that your health insurance premiums are way too high for what you and your family are getting, your deductibles are arbitrary and you will find out how much your loyalty to these companies really means as soon as they decide that covering you and yours is just not good for their bottom line.
At that time, you will be complaining and demanding FAIRNESS and REFORM along side with everyone else.
It is appalling that people have such little ability to step out of their comfort zone and put themselves in other people's shoes. When many voices are raised in discontent, it basically means that things are not working the way they should and need to be fixed.
That requires action on all of our parts.
A new Administration is coming and not only do they need to stay on course, they need to be reminded why they were elected. Casting a vote was the first step, staying engaged for the next 4 yrs is good for the country and is good for us.
PEACE to all.
7 comments:
Hi Olivia! I say we focus on Bob. And let's keep in mind that Bob represents the core values of the Tea Party and the Republicans in general.
Bob is desperately trying to convince himself that really, REALLY, he is not a "sucker". He is desperate to convince the rest of the world that really, REALLY, he's making a whole lot of money in his cubicle and his ex-wife and girlfriend BOTH really love him. He's all things to all people because he is, after all, an internet phenomena borne from the luxury of anonymity.
You see, principles are easy to abide by in the "virtual world". But if you view each person.net with the light of skepticism, they're principles take on a lot less meaning.
Ask "Bob" to declare his premiums and his Insurer and the number of dependents and his deductible and just how often does "Bob" visit his Doctor and does "Bob" have any pre-existing conditions? And if so, thank goodness he's received care and...get my point? Is "Bob" really offering his experience or opinion? Or is "Bob" simply repeating what he's been told to repeat?
And I want to commend you on pointing out the advantages to being proactive on this issue, as well as any other issue. Conservatives are inherently reactionary. They point to what is wrong, even when they create the problem, and react to it. Quite often, they offer no solution other than "something must be done". The challenge for Liberals, and those that identify as progressive, is to develop REAL, concrete PLANS that offer a path toward growth and prosperity. I find myself ignoring that obligation and it's time to focus as the campaigning gears up.
Vote 2012! Vote Democrat!
Thank you my friend. The sad thing is that "Bob" was a real person - we lost touch since I wrote the article back in 2009 -
I have been fighting on this issue for a very long time and interviewed many people from all walks of life and around the country that never, in their entire lives, expected to be hit with medical bills they could not pay or lose their homes because their spouse or child was diagnosed with a chronic condition.
It has been a horrific journey for all them. Even those who called themselves "well off" realized their funds could not cover the accruing medical expenses or sustain the $5K a month required of a nursing home.
They were also unprepared for the relentless fight with insurance companies - That is a whole another story -
PEACE and thank you for doing so much to get us all going in the right path.
Couldn't agree more Olivia. The state of the US health care industry is appalling. Definitely need socialized healthcare, because its not only crushing corporations trying to supply healthcare to their workforce but especially individuals who work for corporations who aren't trying to keep up with health insurance.
I am not sure what we need to do. I know I want to charge all CEOs of health insurance corporations and perhaps republican politicians who support them for murdering millions of americans and for letting this situation get out of control.
Despite what they say we do not have the best healthcare in the world. I would say it was the worst. Check out the average life expectancy in the US verses say Australia with similar obesity statistics. Then compare how much Australia pays per person v what the US does. An appalling drain on the US economy that could be going to educating people to be doctors instead.
http://www.tavlesh.com/health-care-systems-bang-for-your-buck.html
By the way Olivia, the previous message was from Marie, re67u, and I would love your source for the cost of those wheelchairs. Its an excellent example of how healthcare costs so much.
The other example is republicans forcing medicare not to use its bulk purchasing power to drive down prices. In otherwords, forcing medicare to be inefficient.
Marie
I am sorry Marie, I can't locate the post with the wheelchair costs.
This article was written back in 2009 when I used to be an active participant in a disabilities forum and many of the posts have been purged or archived. I no longer have access to the documentation.
We all compared horror stories on accounting practices. They got what they needed for their child or spouse but after they paid the co-payment (20%) for most medical durable equipment and Medicare paid the rest (80%) The actual cost of getting - whatever - without involving Medicare was roughly the 20% cost or slightly over.
Personal Experience if it helps you: TENS unit RX:
We were forced to rent it. We pay roughly $100+ Medicare pays the rest for 2yrs as a rental, it runds in the $100's . After 2 yrs of Medicare making monthly payments, the patient owns the equipment.
Same unit from the same vendor online cost less than $60 - Amazon has different brands, cheaper and other suppliers do too.
I even located several for $30 to $50 and called the company. I asked why they would sell the same unit to Medicare for 10X the amount but I could purchase it online from them for roughly $40 - His response?: "If you have a Rx & it goes through Medicare, it is a different pricing system, that's the way it is" - UNBELIEVABLE and he adds:" but if you have a prescription through Medicare, we want you to use it" to which I replied, that it would cost me more money on the 20% than buying it straight from the site, not to mention that I considered their pricing to be fraudulent. He just chuckled and said, "that's the way it is"
How u like them apples?
Your statement:
"The other example is republicans forcing medicare not to use its bulk purchasing power to drive down prices. In otherwords, forcing medicare to be inefficient."
Is spot on. Medicare cannot negotiate and whatever the vendors say it costs, that's what they have to pay. The motorized scooters is also a huge financial drain since the prices for Medicare are so inflated. The fact that some companies can offer patients a waiver for their 20% portion is a huge red flag.
I have another personal story regarding a APAP machine, but it is along the same lines as the one above it.
Thank you for your comments.
Ah Olivia!
Something we agree about! 100%
Robin
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