S Folinsky

A physician friend of mine who is now in the administrative part of benefit plans has been highly critical of the proposals. However, in 1993 and now I would hear objections to proposals -- while acknowledging that the current system was highly flawed. I finally asked a "King for day" question. I was surprised -- single provider payments with physicians earning a good salary, converting malpractice to workers compensation, and some type of debt forgiveness based upon length of practice.

I was much in the way surprised. Of course, that would get nowhere politically.

nettlebed

+1 on this.

He also appears to be racist to me: the "that one" comment in the presidential debates really showed an extremely nasty and unattractive side of him.

Bluegrass Lass

While this bill is a start, there are big issues in it. How can the government tell me I'm required to have health insurance, and yet provide no path to buying affordable insurance? Sure, a company can't deny me insurance since I have a pre-existing condition, but there is nothing that prevents the ins. company from charging me an arm & a leg for the insurance. If I go w/out insurance and get sick, I'm likely bankrupt. Or I can buy a policy I can't afford, which would still lead to bankruptcy, so what's the difference really?

This is my biggest problem with this bill.

In saying this, there is no excuse for the invectives these Tea Party'ers are throwing around. That is completely unacceptable and disgusts me.

nettlebed

I think (hope, at least) that they may be in a bit of a bind there: my guess is that there will be a huge feeling of relief sweeping the majority of US citizens that the bill is passed, even if it does not offer as much as I - and many others - hoped.

People who oppose it too stridently, and call for its repeal will be seen as trying to take away something that lots of people wanted very, very much. The only way they can do that, I think, is to lie, and lie, and lie again. Yes, they are proficient at that, but it works better when you are fighting something that has not yet happened.

I just hope Obama, Reid and Pelosi grow a BIG pair (each) on this one, and come out swinging. A report in the Seattle Times says that Obama will be doing that.

It also has these very telling comments from an unnamed White House official:

"We truly believe that Republicans have way overshot the runway in their criticism of it," one top White House official said.

Demands from conservatives and "tea party" activists that the GOP leadership seek a quick repeal are "not a political winner" for them, the official said. "You're basically running to reimpose (denying insurance because of) pre-existing conditions on children. It's children."

That last comment describes very well the problems faced by people, like the vile Orrin Hatch and John McCain, calling for repeal.

Ash UK/US

This bill is by no means perfect but it is a step in the right direction and a foot in the door.

Giantaxe

How much is it reasonable to pay? The bill does the following, but not until 2014:

If your income is over that amount, then I agree that, other than preventing them using pre-existing conditions to deny coverage or set premiums, the bill doesn't do much for you in terms of affordability. But the pre-existing condition exclusion is a real positive for everyone, imo.

dakota44

Depending on your income level, federal subsidies would be available to help pay the premiums. There is a cap on out of pocket expenses. I also think there is a premium cap included in the bill which would prevent insurers from gouging you because of your condition. I know it was one of the original inclusions but not sure about the final draft.

Bluegrass Lass

Hmm, well that is good to know. I hadn't seen any info about subsidies or a cap on out-of-pocket.

When I was employed, our household income was definitely more than 4times the poverty guidelines so who knows if this would really help us in the long term. Guess I would need to stay out of engineering and take a large cut in salary, otherwise this bill probably wouldn't do much for us.

Rete

So very much unlike Massachusetts where while you are fined for not having health insurance at least state funded health insurance is available at an affordable cost.

WARPed

Wouldn't the Public Option that was stamped on and killed have provided something like this?

Giantaxe

Pretty much. In fact the Senate version of the bill that originally included the "public option" was modeled on the Massachusetts bill.

Brit3964

Talk of timing. This morning I read Congress passed the House version, then I get a certified letter from the FAA saying I don't have a medical certificate anymore which means I'm out of work (It's a long story. Me and my AME can't figure out why they decided to do this )

Still it seems I can pay into COBRA hopefully at lower rates than before (assuming I can afford it)... then again who knows??

I still think a single-payer system would have been a more effective system and end up being cheaper to run. But this is a step in the right direction. Maybe in another 50yrs the USA will catch up with the rest of the world.

Ash UK/US

Regardless of wether we have an insurance scheme or single payer one access to health care should be a basic human right not a privilege!

WARPed

Someone get me out of this god forsaken hell hole of a retarded state!

Efforts underway in Florida to stop health care reform

Disclaimer: No offense intended to anyone who actually likes FL.

nettlebed

Why not consider moving to Seattle?