Why Didn't I Think Of This Sooner!

[Marty]

I just figured out the answer to solving our health care issues forever! We need two completely separate health care systems. One for liberals and one for conservatives.

The liberal system will be run by "Big Brother" and the conservative plan will be run by the private sector. Everyone would have to choose as to which one they wished to enlist, and enlistment would be for life. ( All illegal aliens would automatically be signed up under the liberal plan.)

It would probably take less than a generation for the government run plan to kill off all of the people that signed up for it. Then the liberal blight will be gone from this country once and for all!

You may be asking how I came up with this theory. You see it is the liberals who believe that abortion should be readily available for any and all who would or could kill an unborn child. Shortly after the government took over liberal health care you would be able to get an abortion at your local neighborhood 7-11. You know a clinic on every corner. Therefore the birth rate would plummet causing the rapid decline of liberals.

The rest of my theory comes from looking at government run health care in other countries. With the added bureaucracy of the government running the system, heath care overall would decline so rapidly that many would die from the lousy health care they would receive if they actually could get in to see a doctor in the first place. Hell this might not take a full generation to pull this off!

Meanwhile the conservative system run by what is already the best health care system on the planet would flourish. Without the extra expense of the liberals who some how think that they are owed free health care just because they were born in America putting a strain on the system, price for extraordinary health care would obviously go down while once again making it profitable for someone to choose to enter the medical profession. After all anyone willing to pay for and sacrifice the years of school and hard work to become a doctor should be rewarded financially for doing so. It is after all "The American Dream!"

[896J]

My plan which covers my daughter, wife and I cost $2400/month through an employer's plan. Kaiser and Blue Cross won't cover me under a private plan because I had cancer when I was 22. I can only get insurance with a group plan through an employer. If I go with the "conservative" plan, then I don't have insurance at all, they've already rejected me. So I guess my decision would be made for me if I'm an entrepreneur. Sorry Marty, your plan already doesn't cover me...

[Marty]

My plan which covers my daughter, wife and I cost $2400/month through an employer's plan. Kaiser and Blue Cross won't cover me under a private plan because I had cancer when I was 22. I can only get insurance with a group plan through an employer. If I go with the "conservative" plan, then I don't have insurance at all, they've already rejected me. So I guess my decision would be made for me if I'm an entrepreneur. Sorry Marty, your plan already doesn't cover me...

Dude, if I was in your shoes I would too! Guys like you are the only reason I believe we need to fix our current system but there is other ways then what’s being offered. I was thinking the other day we have Medicare (which is not perfect) already why don’t they fix that up and use it for people that can’t get insurance? Why make other system and why so much control over everyone’s lives to make sure everyone is insured. I hope you are making enough as an entrepreneur to cover the costs.

What I wrote above was more of funning with Dan and Greg!

[swank]

I think to be true to your ideology you should do the right thing and refuse all government services! We don't want your type in our crazy liberal "socialist" world. Your becoming outdated.

[Marty]

I think to be true to your ideology you should do the right thing and refuse all government services! We don't want your type in our crazy liberal "socialist" world. Your becoming outdated.

So now you want to dispose of anyone that is not a crazy liberal "socialist" by saying “We don't want your typeâ€

[896J]

I don't know what the answer is on the medical system, but something has to be done. Your medical insurance shouldn't cost more than your mortgage. I think a lot of people don't even know what their employer pays for their benefits. Small businesses with small group plans are currently getting bent over in our current system.

[Marty]

I’m with you there is no single answer and I don’t clam I have that answer. I’m finding out that the Federal Government is not the ones that prevent insurance companies from doing business across State lines, it is the State itself. It seems that the State is just hurting its own. I small a pay off! I believe if health insurance was traded like auto insurance it would help to bring down the cost.

I know that my company tells us what they are paying for each of us and it is a lot of money!

Tort reform would also help bring down the cost but I don’t believe the insurance companies want that because they would lose the high premium from the doctors.

One idea I have been floating around is a point system – you obtain points each year for not going to the doctor that could be used to buy down your premium – just an idea! Also when a person does use the doctor and corrects a mistake on the bill he should get some of those points also – just other idea to clean up the system.

One answer could be moving it away for the employer, I know my employer does not help me with my auto insurance. Maybe into something like credit unions that we can all get group rates.

Then the last thing is a way to cover the ones that are turn down because of some past illness – a pool of insurance companies that have to accept a percentage for doing business in the Good Old USA, yes they could take a write off on their taxes.

Like HBO said everyone has to put some skin into the game and that is the poor also even if it is $10 a month. If you get it free then you treat it as not your own.

[swank]

Did I offend you, Mr. "It would probably take less than a generation for the government run plan to kill off all of the people that signed up for it."? Though I personally enjoy getting your goat, I am not one to sanction "getting rid" of anyone in this country, and neither should you. Your hate speech may be protected by the First Amendment, but your violent statements are looking pretty iffy to me. And ageism has nothing to do with it -- nearly 80% of all Americans support some form of government-sponsored health initiative, and that includes those over 65. In fact many older Americans remember that Social Security and Medicare were once called "socialist", too...but where would we be without them now? As for my log-in name -- it's Swank. As in Scott Swank. The name my parents gave me. And my mother is very proud of me. As for my father, I would ask him, but the health care system killed him when I was 18 years old. P.S. Thanks for the warm welcome.

[biteme]

One idea I have been floating around is a point system – you obtain points each year for not going to the doctor that could be used to buy down your premium

good one,lol
So when the Doctor asks why didnt you come in sooner for your check up. We might have been able to detect your Cancer. I guess the patient could say, I was trying to save points to get a lower rate.

[Greg_Cornish]

One idea I have been floating around is a point system – you obtain points each year for not going to the doctor that could be used to buy down your premium – just an idea!

That doesn't even work with my mechanic.

[2ndsuks]

I think to be true to your ideology you should do the right thing and refuse all government services!

I think to be true to your ideology you should do the right thing and demand all government services!
Why not let the federal government do everything for us, then the socialism argument is settled.

[Ringer]

If you think the bills in congress are going to save money you are mistaken. The house bill also has the $1900 IRS tax penalty for not buying health insurance. They can add a $25000 fine and a year in jail if you refuse to comply. It also has a provision that prevents you from suing the health insurance company if their refusal to cover ends up in the death of a loved one. That is from the liberal side so it could be that the health insurance lobby is controlling all of the puppet strings to gain 47 million new customers that will be forced to pay. The tax also impacts every American earning over $37000 so I guess the no new taxes for anyone earning under $200000 was just another LIE! We are in serious trouble and our leaders are just looking to make our lives even worse. Who cares about health insurance if you can't feed your family?

[Dan McKenzie]

which version of the bill gives these specifics? where can it be found so the rest of us can read this?

[swank]

What if your job didn't tie you into your insurer? You could pick what fit you best, you could change jobs with no fear (relocate)... You could choose private, state, federal or just save your money and risk it and pay for yourself. The math just doesn't make sense if your employer pays for your insurance at $2500 a month, times the years that most of us work in a lifetime -- thats over a million dollars. And if employers don't have the extra cost of insuring us wouldn't our wages increase dramatically. Can anybody tell me how it started that our bosses tell us where to go for health care?

[Rod Martin]

What if your job didn't tie you into your insurer? You could pick what fit you best, you could change jobs with no fear (relocate)... You could choose private, state, federal or just save your money and risk it and pay for yourself. The math just doesn't make sense if your employer pays for your insurance at $2500 a month, times the years that most of us work in a lifetime -- thats over a million dollars. And if employers don't have the extra cost of insuring us wouldn't our wages increase dramatically. Can anybody tell me how it started that our bosses tell us where to go for health care?

I thought Unions told the Bosses where to go. and as a result you ended up with health care.
You can pick what best suits you now, just go down and buy your own health care.

What if it was made illeagl for employers to entice better workers by offering health care or benifits. everything had to be in the hrly pay. Then you pick where to work , based on pay and buy your own health care.

[Ringer]

Dan-the tax and indemnity parts of the amended bill were from Rep. Jon Shadegg of AZ after he left his conference committee with Waxman this week. I was watching TV and he was being interviewed. Kind of hard to read the actual conference bills since Pelosi will not allow them to be published.

[Vince E]

Whoever said health care was a right?
When it comes to rights if my choices are health care and freedom I'm going with freedom.

If Marty was allowed to be true to his ideology and not pay wasted taxes in return for not taking unneeded services I'd bet he would jump right on that one.

But he isn't free to even think like that now is he?


Health insurance is the main reason health care costs are so high. If there was no such thing as a health plan the medical industry would go belly up gouging like they do. The number of people rich enough to pay cash for services wouldn't be high enough to keep them afloat at their current pricing structures. They would have to lower prices.

Drug costs wouldn't be so high without the costs of FDA approval and a gaggle of lawyers standing by to sue at the first sign of a side effect. And health plans paying prices most individuals couldn't.


Oh, and Swank.... you shot first. Were you really expecting a "Hi, welcome to WB"?