The Republican Health Plan

Let's see....we have Medicare and Medicaid, but now we need another plan for the people that would rather have nice material items, rather then pay for health care.

There is no question that there are people out there that fail to meet Medicaid standards, and can't afford health insurance. But at least attempt to make it affordable would be a much better solution, then starting a whole wing of government to subsidize these people. More Government is not the solution!

Nothing get's me more then seeing a person driving around in Escalade complaining they can't afford health insurance.

that would rather have nice material items, rather then pay for health care

Why is that always the assumption?

So, if you can't afford health insurance (which btw has grown exponentially faster that income over the last 10years) then you're lazy or irresponsible with your money.

I've got news for you, Ryan, all those who feel peachy because their employer is currently footing the ENORMOUS bill for their coverage will be some sorry-sacks once that levee has burst. When their company has the sit-down with them and reveals that they can no longer carry this burdensome cost, they will find themselves alone on the market looking for an individual policy. Let me tell you, that's a cold, hard brick in the face. What once cost you 60 bucks a month is now 400. That doesn't mean those people have suddenly become lazy, it means they are now aware of the real problem of the runaway costs of insurance premiums.

Please curb the GOP talking points about how everything bad is the fault of immigrants and the poor. We are being robbed blind by Wall Street greed and in response continue to demonize those that have very little.

Ryan, this sounds too much like the old Welfare Queen talking points that's were totally bogus! I barely have health insurance for my wife and I based on our new post Bush era income... I went to the doctor once last year for an annual exam, I am 53, my wife didn't go. My rates got jacked 19%!!! FOR WHAT??? I am 6' 2" and come in under 200 lbs., I am in better shape than most 20 year olds!

Health care reform is about controlling cost and bringing the expenses down, it's also about catching up with the rest of the world that consider health care to be a basic human right.

I was also a small business owner, until the credit crunch, and providing health coverage for my employee's was a burden. It was expected.. to be a good employer, and retain good people, but it was also taken for granted and was a huge additional cost of doing business.

Good on you if you feel secure and superior to others, but I wonder how you would feel if things weren't so good! Time waits for no one, and it won't wait for you. Your body wears out and health care makes the difference between getting old gracefully, or hoping to die quick, like the Repubican health care plan!

Nothing get's to me more then blanket statements. That person driving that Escalade, may be one that has lost their job and insurance, the Escalade could be paid off. Have you ever priced private insurance especially with preexhisting conditions? The prices are why so many remain uninsured when they lose their jobs. Are these people supposed to sell everything they own after working hard for it, give their house back to the bank, and live under a rock just so they can pay for private insurance for another year and then qualify for Medicaid? And then what if they can't find work with benefits in today's economy? Cancelling your basic cellphone and basic cable is about $70 a month. How is that going to pay for an above $1000 a month policy with copays so high you actually have zero coverage unless you need a major surgery? I don't know about about you but I have an issue with handing my ins company $20 grand a year to have no coverage.

When my Cobra runs out, my high risk private policy jumps to $1600 a month. If I can't pay that, I can't pay $1472 a month with the Repubs 8% and it will actually go higher then this because that 8% discount does not stop the 10% yearly ins rate hikes. This bill is garbage and does absolutely nothing for the people. It changes nothing except ins profits and the depth of the politicians pockets.

goldie-1192825

Invisible City, did I say anything about immigrants or the poor? Quit using the Democrat talking points and turning this into a race thing. Also, actual poor people would qualify for Medicaid, you do understand that? Don't you? I am so sick of people that don't know a thing about health care preaching about how the government should subsidize their health care with other peoples money.

Also, if my employer decided to not pay for my health care, my salary would change significantly, or they would loose my services, and the profit I bring to them. It's very simple.

I paid for my own health care at one point in my life, no one likes paying for it, but it's was my responsibility to myself and my family. Just like I hate paying for my home owners insurance, my car insurance, and so on.

Please tell me what you would like to be paid for next, just so I can get ready for that argument.

Please tell me what you would like to be paid for next, just so I can get ready for that argument

Hey Rush, er Ryan:

Who's asking for their health insurance to be paid for? Not me.

The majority of us would like to stop getting robbed by insurance companies in the form of overpriced, under-covered policies.

I'm not expecting anything for free. I haven't even applied for food. I just barely eat. Right now I am still to proud to apply but I sure don't condemn the ones who have. I am expecting them to fix the runaway costs they have allowed the big businesses to get away with for so long. Don't blame this on the everyday people. This is the fault of the Gov't and big -for profit- business that let it get this bad forcing no way to fix it but a public option. After pricing private plans I hope it passes and shuts down all the private ins companys. They are nothing but crooks and I will thoroughly enjoy watching their bubble burst.

goldie-1192825

goldie-1192825

Invisible City, sorry heavily subsidized and paid for are pretty much the exact same thing.

Do you feel that way about your govt. subsidized fuel, Ryan?

Do you offer to pay more at the gas station than the rest of us because you couldn't live with yourself if you accepted a dime from the US Govt?

Get real.

The majority of us would like to stop getting robbed by insurance companies in the form of overpriced, under-covered policies.

Unfortunately, neither the Democratic or Republican health reform bills will prevent health-care piracy from continuing.

I am expecting them to fix the runaway costs they have allowed the big businesses to get away with for so long.

You will be sorely disappointed with the actual results of Pelosi's health reform bill.

Tacitus, you may very well be correct. Nobody knows. I am not fully for the Dems bill. I believe mandating ins is just wrong and so is taxing people with private plans. To see the Dems bill go so overboard and then see the Repubs bill offer no fix is just unbelievable. I find it hard to comprehend there is no middle fix here but I also understand that the cost of care and preexhisting conditions are huge problems and I have heard no other way, except a nonprofit option, to cover these people that private companies refuse, kick off, or give you rates so high they are laughable. The ins companies never should have been allowed to charge higher rates for pivate plans then what employers get. It's basically just one big pool anyway. The whole thing is a mess. I make no claims to fully understand any of this. For the 2nd time in my life (9-11), I am actually afraid for our country and the welfare of everyone, sick and healthy.

Brain, the only fuel that is subsidized at the gas station is ethanol, and I don't use that, outside of the required amount that is put into the mixture.

jc, I want to lead that I am against any further expansion of the Federal Government. They need to clean up all the unfunded mandates and entitlements before they even think about starting another one and taxes us into oblivion. Here is a cut and paste that I've posted before on health insurance, let me know what you think:

I'm going to start off by defining what insurance actually is, what pre-existing conditions are and why they cannot be insured and the foundation of realistic and intelligent reform/change that does not include the government taking over the health insurance industry

Insurance- a basic definition- two parties enter a contract, one party pays premiums to the other party who agrees to accept those premiums and pay a claim if an UNFORSEEN event and claim arise. That is a basic, but true definition. The UNFORSEEN part is the most important.

Pre-existing conditions (catastrophic) - they are just that, an existing condition. Pre-existing conditions are not insurable because that person has a 100% chance of incurring a claim. The whole basis of insurance is the UNFORSEEN part. You can't insure something where the claim is a sure thing because your premiums would be the cost of your claim. If the Government mandates Private Insurance companies to insure applicants with pre-existing conditions, one of two things will happen, the insurance companies will become insolvent because the pool of money will be paid to these pre-existing conditions claims and go out of business, or they will raise the premiums through the roof to cover these pre-existing conditions and the premiums will be too high for average people to pay, then do you know where everyone will end up? The Government Option. The US Government is the only "company" that can cover people with pre-existing conditions because they will just tax or print more money to cover the expenses. No private company can cover these people and stay solvent.

The Government mandate for private insurance companies to cover applicants with pre-existing conditions is simply the first step towards a single payer system.

If they want to do logical/meaningful reform where the government does not take over and ruin the health insurance industry, here is what needs to happen:

Everyone without pre-existing conditions will need to purchase health insurance.. PRIVATE health insurance (sold across state lines with tort reform and portability/conversion provisions). If someone chooses not to get the insurance, they will be on the hook for any medical expenses they incur during their life (no government bail out for them). Anyone with a pre-existing condition will have to go on government insurance, and once everybody with pre-existing conditions are gone(dead), pre-existing conditions will be a thing of the past and everyone will be covered under PRIVATE insurance unless they opt out and pay their own way. It has some work to be done, but that is a foundation to real reform/change without the government destroying our health system.