Media Bias

[road kill]

Imagine the heartbreak of seeing your 50 year old cousin's husband loose his job in this current economic crisis. Then imagine them loosing their insurance because they couldn't afford the cobra payments, regardless of the fact that they and his employers paid into the insurance system since they were both 18 years old. Then imagine your cousin being diagnosed with breast cancer several months after not having any health insurance for the first time her 50 years on the planet. Then imagine them loosing everything they worked for in their 32 years together.

Well, I don't have to imagine it. It's happening to my cousin Linda. Makes a guy think really hard about moving his business and family to Canada.

I have a comment I would like to make on this...I won't.

I happen to know that people don't get cancer, FAMILIES do.

I am so sorry to hear that news.
I hope it works out.
Some things are more important than the arguement/debate.

Our prayers are with your family!

stan b, the redhead & Elvis

[TXduckdog]

Imagine the heartbreak of seeing your 50 year old cousin's husband loose his job in this current economic crisis. Then imagine them loosing their insurance because they couldn't afford the cobra payments, regardless of the fact that they and his employers paid into the insurance system since they were both 18 years old. Then imagine your cousin being diagnosed with breast cancer several months after not having any health insurance for the first time her 50 years on the planet. Then imagine them loosing everything they worked for in their 32 years together.

Well, I don't have to imagine it. It's happening to my cousin Linda. Makes a guy think really hard about moving his business and family to Canada.

Buzz when did he get laid off? I was laid off in late April and the cobra payments are very reasonable thanks to a "recovery" bill passed in january. It dropped cobra payments for me from $450 to $160 a month. This same deal is available for anyone laid off since january, I believe. I can check that.

[Bill Billups]

Perhaps you've been getting ripped off. I checked this hospital management site because I've had a hospital procedure in Oregon in 1990 which cost $3000.00 for a 2" skin graft and it would appear the man also got his figures from the guys who should know. They actually claim costs can go to $60,000 and nonsurgical treatment can run costs to $27,000. Please check this site out...you are being seriously under paid or something.
http://www.hospitalmanagement.net/features/feature627/

You are talking total cost....not the same as payment to surgeons. Medicare reimbursement is pretty standard with small variation related to where you are located in the US. Payment to surgeons all over the US is about the same. This global payment covers the preop evaluation, the operation, the inpatient postop care, and all followup office visits and any office supplies needed for 90 days. This payment to the surgeon is a great bargain for the patient, the government, and the taxpayers. This amount is a far cry from the inflated figure used to portray surgeons as greedy butchers amputating limbs for their own personal enrichment. Its offensive and the American College of Surgeons(which includes Canadian surgeons) issued a statement condemning his remarks. I would assume it was an innocent misinformed mistake if it weren't for the fact that he made a similar accusation against ENTs regarding tonsillectomies 3 weeks ago. Never mind that tonsillectomies are rarely done now.

I am very disappointed that he's not really going for meaningful reform to lower health care costs and resorting to these low tactics...

Bill

[Buzz]

Buzz when did he get laid off? I was laid off in late April and the cobra payments are very reasonable thanks to a "recovery" bill passed in january. It dropped cobra payments for me from $450 to $160 a month. This same deal is available for anyone laid off since january, I believe. I can check that.

I'm not exactly sure when he got laid off. They kept it quiet for awhile, I think they were ashamed to admit to family that he wasn't working. My dad went down and stayed with her parents last December to deer hunt on their property and he found out then. He has worked in plastic injection moulding all these years, supplying parts to the auto industry - unfortunately. It was this spring when she was diagnosed with cancer. It was weird, her husband's sister called to tell them that she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and was urging her to go in and get checked out. She did, and it turned out that she had it too. If not for that, she would still be walking around unaware of her condition. So her husband Kip has a wife and sister both going through cancer treatment right now. I wish they would have asked family for help when the crap first hit the fan, but I guess they were too proud and hoped they could work things out on their own.

[subroc]

I saw where FOX didn't cover Obamas Health Care Town Hall.
The anchor did announce that if and when the meeting got contentious, that FOX would then immediately cut away to it for live coverage of that part of the meeting.

Is that their version of "Fair and Balanced"?

Seems fair to me.

[dnf777]

I am interested as well in the answer to that tax question. In the numbers I could find a family of 4 pays twice the effective rate of taxes in Canada compared to the US. Additionally I would be curious to hear if Blind Ambition has ever experienced any delay in care for a diagnosis that led to a major procedure.

This is really interesting. It would be interesting to do a comparison of living expenses, taxes, services...etc...

While most other countries DO pay more in taxes than we in America, they often have pension, health, and education provided at varying levels, as well as private services for those who wish to pay extra.

If I could keep all my retirement payments into my 401, my kids college fund deposits, and certainly my health premiums, I bet it would nearly even up the tax differential?? If that were the case, the next question is should gov't take the money and decide on services to citizens, or let the citizens keep their money and go at it on their own?

For most things, I'd like to keep my money and decide myself what to do with it. For other things that involve shared/pooled risk, maybe we would be bette off if more people participated. Then we would hear posts about paying for other's healthcare. We all eventually need it, so why not all pay, instead of the people that choose to pay, having to pay for those who dont?

[Steve Amrein]

This is really interesting. It would be interesting to do a comparison of living expenses, taxes, services...etc...

While most other countries DO pay more in taxes than we in America, they often have pension, health, and education provided at varying levels, as well as private services for those who wish to pay extra.

If I could keep all my retirement payments into my 401, my kids college fund deposits, and certainly my health premiums, I bet it would nearly even up the tax differential?? If that were the case, the next question is should gov't take the money and decide on services to citizens, or let the citizens keep their money and go at it on their own?

For most things, I'd like to keep my money and decide myself what to do with it. For other things that involve shared/pooled risk, maybe we would be bette off if more people participated. Then we would hear posts about paying for other's healthcare. We all eventually need it, so why not all pay, instead of the people that choose to pay, having to pay for those who dont?

So if you are to settle for the new health care plan then you should blow the retirement funds and live out the remaining years on social security.

[dnf777]

So if you are to settle for the new health care plan then you should blow the retirement funds and live out the remaining years on social security.

That's sort of a "black or white" response, which indicates you don't understand my point, or feel there's no room for discussion. I believe I said I would rather keep my money and choose my own services, with certain exceptions. Right now, those of us who have health insurance ARE paying for everyone elses, through taxes or elevated premiums. Insurance schemes only work and benefit everyone when you pool the risk, not cherry pick.

I find it interesting that the big companies and pharma have hoodwinked the very people who would benefit from health care reform the most, to argue against it! They are brilliant. I'd like to have an honest poll of these town-hall protesters, as to how many of them have medicare or unemployment benefits. I can't go to them because I work! (or spend time typing on RTF forums)

[Steve Amrein]

That's sort of a "black or white" response, which indicates you don't understand my point, or feel there's no room for discussion. I believe I said I would rather keep my money and choose my own services, with certain exceptions. Right now, those of us who have health insurance ARE paying for everyone elses, through taxes or elevated premiums. Insurance schemes only work and benefit everyone when you pool the risk, not cherry pick.

I find it interesting that the big companies and pharma have hoodwinked the very people who would benefit from health care reform the most, to argue against it! They are brilliant. I'd like to have an honest poll of these town-hall protesters, as to how many of them have medicare or unemployment benefits. I can't go to them because I work! (or spend time typing on RTF forums)

I am not saying the system is perfect. Far from it my concern is the government involved in anything never makes it better.

On a different note we ( company) are hopefully going to lose our enrolment in group coverage that I pay 1/2 for. It has gone up 20-40 percent every year. The young guys dont want it or just want the money. The old guys dont like the plan and have gone to private coverage. When they opt out I pay the amount I would have paid the ins Co. I am sorry I ever brought it on. Its a huge hassle and a ever increasing burden. If I am taxed our have to pay something for the new plan I will deduct it from the employees current rate of pay. No such thing as free lunch......

[dnf777]

I am not saying the system is perfect. Far from it my concern is the government involved in anything never makes it better.

On a different note we ( company) are hopefully going to lose our enrolment in group coverage that I pay 1/2 for. It has gone up 20-40 percent every year. The young guys dont want it or just want the money. The old guys dont like the plan and have gone to private coverage. When they opt out I pay the amount I would have paid the ins Co. I am sorry I ever brought it on. Its a huge hassle and a ever increasing burden. If I am taxed our have to pay something for the new plan I will deduct it from the employees current rate of pay. No such thing as free lunch......

We can find alot of common ground there. Employers don't provide for auto insurance, so why do people feel entitled to health insurance through their employer? It set in place this belief that no one should pay for healthcare...or insurance.