Page 1 of 1
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:58 pm
by Mikey
Two major problems with the health insurance proposal come immediately to mind:
A large proportion of the uninsured are low income earners. A tax deduction doesn't do them any good at all if they're not paying much out in the first place. If covering these people is part of the goal then it's not going to work.
The second problem is one that nobody seems to talk about, but I've come up against it and it has to do with the insurance companies themselves. If you don't have insurance at your place of employment you need to take out an individual policy. Bush's plan seems to emphasize this. But nobody is forcing the insurance companies to issue any policies to anybody but the most healthy. I read recently that something like 40% of those seeking individual policies in California are turned down for just this reason. I applied for an individual policy a few years ago because I was self-employed. Blue Shield turned me down because I take a cholesterol lowering medication. They would not insure me at any price. Of course they were willing to cover my wife and kids, but not me.
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:15 pm
by Mikey
And you know this how?
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:30 pm
by Mikey
Now I get it.
Not so easy to get over though. They ask for your physician's name and then they go there to confirm your info.
It sucks. You pay into the system for years with no major incidents that they have to pay out on, and at the first chance they cut you loose.
I guess they gotta make a buck.
Re: SOTU - 6 questions
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:40 pm
by Mister Bushice
Jsc810 wrote:A poll was taken last night and included these 6 questions. How would you answer them?
1. What was your overall reaction to Bush’s speech tonight – very positive, somewhat positive, somewhat negative, or very negative?
I didn't listen to it, but I can guarantee you that he was as full of shit as usual and backfilling like a motherfucker to try and scoop up some sembalnce of support
2. Do you think the policies being proposed by George W. Bush will move the country in the right direction or the wrong direction?
"right directon" according to what standards?
3. Do you think it is more likely that tonight's speech will lead to more cooperation between President Bush and the Democrats in Congress or more likely that tonight's speech will lead to more disagreements between President Bush and the Democrats in Congress?
No affect. The SOTU is a clapfest.
4. Thinking about the plans that President Bush outlined for Iraq, how confident are you that the United States will be able to achieve the goals he has for Iraq -- very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?
Not too confident. Too much depends on factors out of our control.
5. Do you think the proposals Bush outlined in his speech tonight to deal with health care will be very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective, or not effective at all?
Not effective at all. Just like the last go round on health care.
6. Do you think the proposals Bush outlined in his speech tonight to deal with energy consumption will be very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective, or not effective at all?
I don't have enough info at present to answer this one, but given his outdated stance on energy before (Not enough support for R&D on renewable energy sources and pumping money into coal? Give me a fucking break), I'd say anything he said last night was just spew intended to please the masses. poli-speak.
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:28 pm
by Terry in Crapchester
Mikey wrote:Blue Shield turned me down because I take a cholesterol lowering medication.
Dayum. I've been prescribed one but haven't gotten around to getting the prescription filled.
We're on my wife's policy because my employer doesn't provide it and it would be considerably more expensive to go through the Bar Association. My wife has Preferred Care. I hope they don't drop me. So far, I haven't heard any rumblings that they will, knock on wood.
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:56 pm
by Mikey
I don't think that they can drop you because of something like that, especially if you're on a group plan. It's just if you're signing up for an individual policy, they can pick and choose anybody for any reason. I've never had any problem getting covered by my employers' policy (one reason I'm not self-employed anymore). That's what sucks about the system - it really discourages any initiative to start your own company or free lance.
Re: SOTU - 6 questions
Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 9:50 am
by Jack
Jsc810 wrote:A poll was taken last night and included these 6 questions. How would you answer them?
1. What was your overall reaction to Bush’s speech tonight – very positive, somewhat positive, somewhat negative, or very negative?
Somewhat Positive until I heard the Dems response. They plan no cooperation.
2. Do you think the policies being proposed by George W. Bush will move the country in the right direction or the wrong direction?
Neither right or wrong. He is a Lame Duck now! I agree that we cannot run out of the Middle East but I question whether America is willing to sacrifice for the good of the country. We as a nation have rown complacent and self centered.
3. Do you think it is more likely that tonight's speech will lead to more cooperation between President Bush and the Democrats in Congress or more likely that tonight's speech will lead to more disagreements between President Bush and the Democrats in Congress?
BWAHAHAAA!!! The dems just want to slam George whenever they can (and he makes it easy for them to do so). There will be no cooperation in our government even if it is bad for our government. Each side just wants their side to look better.
4. Thinking about the plans that President Bush outlined for Iraq, how confident are you that the United States will be able to achieve the goals he has for Iraq -- very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?
Not at all confident!
5. Do you think the proposals Bush outlined in his speech tonight to deal with health care will be very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective, or not effective at all?
?????
From His speech.. Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care. (Applause.) Our government has a responsibility to provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility. (Applause.) For all Americans -- for all Americans, we must confront the rising cost of care, strengthen the doctor-patient relationship, and help people afford the insurance coverage they need. (Applause.) NOTHING NEW AND INNOVATIVE, HERE!!
We will make wider use of electronic records and other health information technology, to help control costs and reduce dangerous medical errors. We will strengthen health savings accounts -- making sure individuals and small business employees can buy insurance with the same advantages that people working for big businesses now get.
HOW???
(Applause.) We will do more to make this coverage portable, so workers can switch jobs without having to worry about losing their health insurance. (b](IF THIS CAN BE DONE, THIS IS GOOD!!)[/b] (Applause.) And because lawsuits are driving many good doctors out of practice -- leaving women in nearly 1,500 American counties without a single OB/GYN --
I ask the Congress to pass medical liability reform this year. (Applause.) I am not a proponent of this. Yes, There are too many frivolous lawsuits with nutty demands but if Government puts Dollar amounts on medical mistakes (and they do happen!!) When a Doctor mistakenly removes the testicles of a 20 year old man, that poor dude would be limited to a certain amount of money. Let's say $10,000.00. How much were your nuts worth when you were 20 years old. My answer is as it is today.. PRICELESS!!
What if you were left paralyzed and brain damaged after a tonsillectomy because hospital staff did not check on you thinking hey it's only a tonsillectomy. You, of course, had respiratory complications from the anesthesia which went unnoticed for 4.5 hours.
- and because there is a set dollar amount for this injury, you get $500,000.00 and free medical care at this facility for life!!
How much is your life worth, if it were taken away??? Can you put a dollar amount on that??
Yes, I do think that this issue needs to be addressed but setting caps and identifying dollar amounts for certain occurrences is not the right answer. Each case needs to be reviewed case by case.
*** Both of those cases occurred at Rhode Island Hospital within the last 5 years.
6. Do you think the proposals Bush outlined in his speech tonight to deal with energy consumption will be very effective, somewhat effective, not too effective, or not effective at all?
Yeah, right like Americans will ever conserve gas!! We will buy a smaller Hummer and think, hey I'm saving gas!!
Energy DOES NEED to be a top concern. Finding alternative forms of energy and actually implementing them is very important.