Originally Posted by
GeriDoc
http:///forum/post/3250805
Of course social security is paid for, so don't spout nonsense! It may run out in a few decades because of changing demographics, but it is paid for - there is no debt other than money loaned from current excess collections to the government, hopefully to be paid back later. But it is a pay as you go program.
You obviously do not pay attention very well.
http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzon...cit-this-year/
You have a lot of strange ideas! The new health plan is not, as you termed it, "government ran". It still depends on physicians and hospitals offering their services to their customers in a competitive environment. The only thing you don't like is that the purchasers of these services have banded together to bargain for better pricing, and to better share their health cost risk. And, please spare us the "well..it is the foot in the door" for liberalism, socialism, communism, or any other devil-related ism in your head. Physicians have a right to be paid for their work, as do hospitals, and consumers have the right to organize to get better pricing.
No that is what I actually like, the exchange idea is fine. It is the other crap involved. The cuts to medicare....basically eliminating an option for the elderly. The paying of certain states medicaid while not paying others. The federal government can't even cover the medicare cost now, and now they are shouldering more? The so called "fines" on individuals that do not have healthcare. 95 dollars a year as a fine isn't jack and will not prevent people from using the emergency room as a clinic and then skipping out on the bill. Many businesses will see it is cheaper to the pay the payroll tax for not offerring heathcare and drop the coverage. Forcing more people to shoulder more of their heath burden since businesses usually pick up a good portion of the cost. Most businesses pick up atleast 50% of the cost....will the exchange be 50% cheaper? Doubt it. If it is, that is a lot of government subsidy (control). I thought Obama said I could keep my coverage if I like it. Not if the company I work for drops it.
You speak of competition? Yet unless you join the exchange and qualify for it, there is no state to state competition. You do not get quotes from hospitals ahead of time...therefore you walk in blind to what you may be charged. It created this exchange, but what insurance companies will join an exchange where they have to charge cheaper prices than to the regular consumer. Can someone tell me what forces these providers to join the exchange, and why would they do it if it is optional if they are forced to cover everyone at a reduced rate....including people like the 700 lb. chick that is eating herself to death.
This bill does nothing to address the illegal immigrant drain on the system either. The government has already failed to properly fund medicade and medicare...running deficits on each. Yet they claim this is paid for....but here is the catch. we are paying for it over the course of ten years, but only get to actually use the program 6 of those years. Would you purchase insurance in any form under those guidelines?
And sorry, the foot in the door fits. Social security started off as voluntary (sound familiar?)....then became mandatory, then over time money paid in was not returned in full. Basically every dollar paid in got back 60 some odd cents. Oh, and while the government was at it, they changed the original retirement age and increased it over time....thus forcing us to pay in longer under the mandatory system and seeing less of our money back in the end. But see this doesn't bother you. You actually would enjoy a complete healthcare take over by the government.
To answer your last question about paying the piper - I'll worry about that after the kids killed in a fruitless war like Iraq are alive again (despite the fact the, as you put it, war creates debt, but that can be paid off"). My point is that life and health are more important, and I'll pay what it takes to the piper.
Define life and health. Because as I see it, our troops are protecting life and health......oh wait....those people don't count.
