Ordinarily I try to avoid topics other bloggers in this community have current posts on, but this time I have to allow myself an exception on the grounds that his premise pissed me off. Also he moderates comments now and that pisses me off to.
Our good friend, the right leaning Griper. posted a chart about how much more we're spending on Medicare and Medicaid now.
Well dude, shit costs more. There are more care options available. Medical science has advanced. I know that's hard for diehard right winger, anti evolutionists to accept. We can keep our elderly citizens enjoying a quality of life they didn't enjoy when Medicare was first established. It costs lots of money to replace a broken hip. The good news is medical science can replace them. I dare those that bitch using stupid stats that don't tell the whole story to tell Grandma she needs to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair because Medicare costs are out of control. Hah! We all know the right would just run up deficits a little higher and blame Democrats.
33 comments:
why thank you, Truth. I appreciate the promo.
btw, nice pic you have with this post.
One way we can help the problem of Medicare costs is means-testing.
I mean, do we really need to have government giving out free healthcare to the rich or upper middle class as a necessary welfare program?
The current President has agreed. This article is about his support for means-testing.
dmarks,
medicare is not a welfare program. nobody gets a free ride. a person pays premiums in medicare just as they do for private insurance.
Glad to help out a fellow blogger Griper. Even ones that are sometimes deluded.
Do you mean a progressive rate structure depending on income Dmarks?
Medicare for EVERYBODY! The idea that we currently allow a middleman (the health insurance industry) to pay our medical expenses for us by charging us loan shark rates for that "privilege" is utter insanity. No wonder no one else in the world follows this very flawed model exactly.
As for the purported insolvency of Medicare, were the billionaires who got fabulously huge tax cuts from Bush and then pissed away their extra money on speculation or building plants ibn China to have their taxes raised by another 10-15%, we could easily have Medicare for all. Our ultra-wealthy pay less in taxes here than anywhere else in the world, but they cry louder than anybody else. I have no sympathy for them. TAX THE WEALTHY TO MAKE EVERYBODY HEALTHY!
We are spending more on entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid because there are more people hitting the age of 65..the baby boomers!
Also citizens that have become disabled and can no longer be part of the workforce receive Medicare..and yes, we all pay into the fund. I blew out three discs and can no longer work, much less clean my house or cook a meal for my ball n' chain(husband).
I am for single-payer health insurance btw. Call me a commie if you must, but all modern, industrialized countries have single-payer, except the U.S.
Republicans want old people to die.
Republicans The Party of Oppression and Death.
Republicans they've never met a person they didn't want to Kill or Cow.
I will ask my Republican card-carrying friends how many people the have cowed.
"As for the purported insolvency of Medicare, were the billionaires who got fabulously huge tax cuts from Bush..."
false.
the Bush tax cuts had no effect on the insolvancy of Medicare. the rich paid just as much towards the medicare costs after the cuts as before.
I'm still wqaiting for one of the voices of the right to tell me their sweet old grandma is forgoing expensive hip replacement surgery in favor of a money saving wheelchair.
Anyone?
Don't blame us, you guys had your chance. In case you've forgotten, for a year you held the White House, had a 60 - 40 majority in the Senate, and a large majority in the House.
So blame your fellow Democrats, not us.
truth,
i usually do not reply to emotional appeals, especially those where the person has already declared the answer but since you were so kind as to promote my site i will this one.
i wouldn't tell my sweet ol' grandma that she would have to sit in a wheelchair. i take it you would though under those circumstances since you think that it is the only alternative.
you see, my grandmother would get that hip surgery because her family would chip in to get it for her. and if i was the only member of her family then i'd do it by myself gladly.
answer your question?
Truth - I agree with Griper on this, particularly his last comment.
And since I have two bum hips, I am guessing I should probably get them repaired now before health care reform (whatever that is) comes into play.
And another thing, Great Pic you're running this week!
I agree with Jack:
The idea that we currently allow a middleman (the health insurance industry) to pay our medical expenses for us by charging us loan shark rates for that "privilege" is utter insanity.
Okay, I will concede the point for right now that government run health care could be a disaster. But answer this question, do right wingers honestly believe that the Insurance CEO's give a rat's ass about grandma and her hip replacement?
If this whole argument is just about keeping government out why not go along with setting up a national non-profit insurance system unconnected to the government. Sort of like the co-ops mentioned at the start of this insanity. Of course that would mean the CEO's wouldn't have all that money flowing into their pockets while they themselves get between you and your doctor.
The other possibilty I have to add about why right-wingers want to derail any health care reform is that they are so self-absorbed cause, right now, they have their health insurance and to Hell with the unlucky slob and his family that can't get any coverage.
If that's the case what goes around, comes around.
Rational Nation has stated that he agrees with TAO and the merit of the Swiss Style plan.
And friends, Re you telling me your families have the means to pay for grandma's hip replacement? Then grandma's gall bladder surgery? Then her cancer and two knees?
Millions of elderly every day thank God for FDR and LBJ's vision.
Truth,
if democrats think as you claim in your previous post then your friends will know that you have been out thought on this question by someone on the right.
they'll also know that your last comment was nothing but a pathetic attempt to hide the fact that you were out thought.
Truth - Yes I did state that the Swiss plan would be workable because it retains competition and offers a range of opportunities based on ability to pay for better plans.
But we ain't gonna get that and what is coming down the pike is a further train wreck for the well intentioned but ineffective government.
"you see, my grandmother would get that hip surgery because her family would chip in to get it for her. and if i was the only member of her family then i'd do it by myself gladly."
This is the problem I have with this debate in general: what if my grandma breaks her hip, and no one in my family, including myself, can afford to pay for the surgery?
This is the scenario for far more people than republicans will ever admit. Even people with healthcare. Solutions I continue to hear from the right is some sort of charity fund to help such people. This presents two problems, Any human with an ounce of dignity would have a bit of a problem getting on their knees and asking for a significant hand out from a complete stranger in a pinstripe suit and gelled back hair. And two, charity funds are aka tax loopholes, that put that cash right back in the hands of the wealthy, which has a net zero effect on easing the burden on the economy.
The swiss plan works because among other things, the only allow non-profit insurance companies to provide primary health care and the limit the overhead they can charge.
Good brief and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Thanks you on your information.
Truth,
anonymous at end of this is a spam.
Health care in this country represents one sixth of our national budget. That is a lot of money. We need SINGLE PAYER!!
My last comment was to pint out that reasonable people of conscience like Rational Nation are willing to listen and find mutual agreement to problems which face our Nation.
I agree with most of my left leaning allies with the need for sngle payr. I've laid my single payer plan out many times since 2007. Your answer was clever Griper. It was also a fantasy for all but the wealthy as The Law pointed out.
Truth,
geez thanks for considering me among the wealthy then. and i think Rational Nation would also thank you for considering him among the wealthy since he clearly sided with me on this question.
but most impportant is the fact that you agree that those of my wealth can do it if they think thru the problem instead of seeking ways to get others to pay as you are suggesting.
I've advocated a system we all pay into and support Griper.
You see my friend, I care about your grandmother. Not just her hip. But her family as well. It pains me to think in this day and age grandmothes and families could become destitue because of health care costs.
Truth,
i'll accept that as an admission of defeat on this debate since you no longer are addressing my comments but trying to lead the debate into a different direction.
your pretense of compassion has already been revealed here in this debate and your continued argument by appeal of emotion carries no weight with me.
so, as far as i'm concerned the debate is finished.
Your failure to recognize not just the emotional and caring side of the issue is not surprising given your right leaning personality Griper. I am deeply troubled though that you fail to recognize how single payer benefits our Country and business community as a whole. All the other industrialized nations have a universal health care plan. My plan takes the burden of health insurance cost off business. It helps them compete economically with companies in other nations that aren't saddled with health insurance costs.
I'm sure you're aware of terms like "adverse selection." This is simply the larger the group, the better the risk for then insurer. 310 million people is as large a group as you get in America. It makes business sense to insure us all as one group. Spreading the cost and risk among all of us.
One payer eases the clerical burden on health care providers as well.
Forgive me for being emotional Griper. It's just that I care about the health and well being of my fellow Americans so much.
I think this discussion illustrates rather well why there are so many personal bankruptcies due to medical costs in our country, while in places like France and Germany there are none.
Thanks Infidel. And your wise comment gives me a seguay to remind republicans our current system supports personal injury trial lawyers that republicans hate.
I agree with your sentiments truth, although I can't comment on what you've said in regards to Griper's chart. I couldn't find it. I went to his blog and saw a lot of posts concerning a fictional grandma and grandpa, but I couldn't figure out what post of his you're responding to here.
The Law said... what if my grandma breaks her hip, and no one in my family, including myself, can afford to pay for the surgery?
No kidding, Griper must be fabulously wealthy to be able to afford a $45,000 surgery out of his pocket. And a cold hearted bastard to boot, as he specifically states that any emotional appeals fall on deaf ears.
Truth101 said... My plan takes the burden of health insurance cost off business. It helps them compete economically with companies in other nations that aren't saddled with health insurance costs.
And it saves money. But at the expense of obscene profits for the middlemen. Which is why the Republicans are against it. They WOULD (and do) think that granny should spend the rest of her life in that wheelchair. Hell, they're willing to kill people to get those obscene profits.
If we only change how medical bills are paid, nothing else, billions of dollars would be saved. Now, insurance companies take about 30% to cover their overhead. Medicare's overhead is around 5%. Huge savings are available by just removing insurance companies from the billing/paying process without any other changes.
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