Obamacare

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by thathottnurse

And guess how many doctor's offices and medical facilities have cut Medicaid from their accepted insurance since Obamacare took effect?

Anyone care to weigh in on this since I don't know the exact percrtage?

I heard some 65% of Baylor clinics dropped Medicaid from their accepted insurance lists.

And the ACA was supposed to benefit poor and middle class?

I bet Parkland is loving Obamacare right about now. That's the only place left for tens of thousands of Medicaid patients who's primary doctors just gave them the boot.

Doctors dropping Medicare/Medicaid patients started well before Obamacare was passed.

Some years ago, while in Austin, I noticed some symptoms, and decided they should be checked NOW. There was an old-fashioned primary care practice near where I was staying, whose sign said they did walk-ins, so I stopped in.

In the course of filling out intake paperwork, I learned that they did NOT accept Medicare/Medicaid. They didn't say why.

A few years later, I noticed a sign at my then-primary care doctor's clinic, saying that, as of such-and-such date, they would no longer accept Medicare/Medicaid. I asked them about it. They told me, in so many words, that "They pay too low and they pay too slow." Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement rates for services rendered were just plain not enough to cover the actual costs of providing the services. Add to that that they took forever to pay claims, meaning that the clinic had a perpetual cash flow problem, and their decision makes absolutely perfect business sense.

NOBODY wants to admit the ground truth, that a doctor's office has to bring in enough money to cover all the costs of the business.

[jbravo_123]

Originally Posted by mydallas1

I don't know about you. For me, I love living. I don't want my decision to stay alive or success rates to be based on what's most cost effective. I want it to be made on what is going to work. At some point though, hopefully logic would take over and a 90 year old that needs a new heart wouldn't request that from his doctor. Although I don't see why it shouldn't be his right.

It'd be nice if we could give everyone the most effective treatments, but as a society, there is a limit to the amount of resources we have available.

A 90 year old certainly has the right to try and obtain a new heart, but 1) it shouldn't come at the cost of someone who could better use the heart losing out on it 2) the rest of us shouldn't have to foot the bill for said 90 year old's rather unreasonable request. If he's paying for it on his own, go for it.

Originally Posted by mydallas1

What do you think incsurance companies get paid for? They get paid do to nothing until something tragic happens. They get paid incase shit happens. The thinking is similiar, the doctor gets paid to keep you healthy until something happens. then it is free. Now a doctor doesn't get paid until something bad happens. I would rather the incentive be to keep me healthy. It would be impossible to control all sickness or injury. A lot of sickness could be helped. Just a few examples. Say someone went to the doctor monthly and the doctor noticed weight gain or weight loss every visit. That could be a discussion that their might be some things to so now to prevent long term health issues. So instead of going to the doctor and him saying you need to lose fifty pounds. He the doctor says lose 5 lbs. Second example, what if someone is a closet alcoholic. The doctor might see a trend in change in liver enzymes and be able to get the patient help before they go into kidney failure.

The minor shift from changing a doctor to treating illness, to preventing illness would be huge.
Instead of paying an insurance company those payments would go to a doctor. I would guess their would be some kind of required reserves the doctor was required to maintain like a bank.

It would work.

I mean in theory, any system could work, but I think the logistics of it would be difficult to implement. For example, in modern day, we can already barely get people to go in for regular well woman exams, physicals, prostate exams, etc. How do you propose to get people to go to these monthly exams you are suggesting? People usually have to take time off work to visit their physicians as well since most providers do not see patients on weekends.

Second, by stopping payment to providers when patients get sick, you're actually giving them incentive to hold off treatment as long as possible and declare a patient "healthy" as long as they can.

If you're looking to cut out insurance companies, there are already some physicians who see patients on a cash basis and avoid the insurance companies all together. I think that can work fine for minor problems, but is likely going to wreck you if anything catastrophic ever happens to you.

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by OldLRRP

I met Cruz. You won't find a more down to earth guy than that. He comes off as one of the guys.

Ted Cruz cost taxpayers $34 Billion with his Dr Seuss stunt. Yes, $34B, give or take $5B. That is the estimated amount of increased cost to service the US debt based on his stupid showboating, which lowered confidence. That estimate is not based on politics, it's based on math - credit ratings + interest rates + debt. $34B of taxpayer cost – for nothing. No benefit. Thanks Ted.

Ted Cruz is an enemy of American taxpayers. I'm glad you think he's a 'down to earth' economic terrorist. I hear his Dad is a nice down-to-earth religious extremist.

[Lust4xxxLife]

I get that Americans are dissatisfied with ACA. I'm included in that group. It doesn't go far enough because it leaves the insurance companies free to operate in what is now a captive market. That means trouble. The consumer is going to be screwed.

However, going back to the pre-ACA is worse. The insurance companies were operating in a captive market with the ability to exclude profit-eroding customers.

Sooo... where do we go from here? I'm looking for enhancements or alternatives to ACA and I see nothing. The Democrats are not talking about ACA 2.0, and the Republicans are a complete vacuum when it comes to health care. No vision, no proposals, no policy. Useless.

Need both parties to step up and tell us where we go from here. Backwards is for retards. I'm open to all ideas from either party on how we make ACA better.

Cheers,

L4L

[doug_dfw]

Originally Posted by Lust4xxxLife

Ted Cruz cost taxpayers $34 Billion with his Dr Seuss stunt. Yes, $34B, give or take $5B. That is the estimated amount of increased cost to service the US debt based on his stupid showboating, which lowered confidence. That estimate is not based on politics, it's based on math - credit ratings + interest rates + debt. $34B of taxpayer cost – for nothing. No benefit. Thanks Ted.

Ted Cruz is an enemy of American taxpayers. I'm glad you think he's a 'down to earth' economic terrorist. I hear his Dad is a nice down-to-earth religious extremist.

You do not know shit but sure spew it.

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by doug_dfw

You do not know shit but sure spew it.

Why don't you let us know where you think I'm in error, instead of posting a meaningless insult? Show us that 'you know shit'.

[ketchmm]

....And people voted for this loser in office?! They need to change the voting laws so idiots like this one don't get voted into office. One way to start would be you have to have a minimum of a high school diploma to vote. Even better if it was a college degree. At least we might have smarter individuals voting based on facts versus voting on their color. I'm not making this a racial issue but we all know this is how it happened. Everyone wanted to be a part of history. Wow ... What a history he is setting. Obviously I know this will never happen in changing the laws to vote.. Lol. Seriously though, I wish this administration would focus on our citizens that are being beheaded and do something about it, versus letting it continue to happen and state at news conferences " I have no plan .." Pathetic!

[SomethingOnTheSide]

Originally Posted by Lust4xxxLife

Ted Cruz cost taxpayers $34 Billion with his Dr Seuss stunt. Yes, $34B, give or take $5B. That is the estimated amount of increased cost to service the US debt based on his stupid showboating, which lowered confidence. That estimate is not based on politics, it's based on math - credit ratings + interest rates + debt. $34B of taxpayer cost – for nothing.

i don't think so.

[Look-at-Stupid]

Originally Posted by ketchmm

....And people voted for this loser in office?! They need to change the voting laws so idiots like this one don't get voted into office. One way to start would be you have to have a minimum of a high school diploma to vote. Even better if it was a college degree. At least we might have smarter individuals voting based on facts versus voting on their color. I'm not making this a racial issue but we all know this is how it happened. Everyone wanted to be a part of history. Wow ... What a history he is setting. Obviously I know this will never happen in changing the laws to vote.. Lol. Seriously though, I wish this administration would focus on our citizens that are being beheaded and do something about it, versus letting it continue to happen and state at news conferences " I have no plan .." Pathetic!

I would have have no plan, than do what the previous idiot in office might do, invade and cost more American lives. Seems you have had your head in the sand for 6 years? Or you're brainwashed by watching too much Fox News? And yes, you do seem to be making it a racial issue.

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by ketchmm

....And people voted for this loser in office?! They need to change the voting laws so idiots like this one don't get voted into office. One way to start would be you have to have a minimum of a high school diploma to vote. Even better if it was a college degree. At least we might have smarter individuals voting based on facts versus voting on their color. I'm not making this a racial issue but we all know this is how it happened. Everyone wanted to be a part of history. Wow ... What a history he is setting. Obviously I know this will never happen in changing the laws to vote.. Lol. Seriously though, I wish this administration would focus on our citizens that are being beheaded and do something about it, versus letting it continue to happen and state at news conferences " I have no plan .." Pathetic!

Obama win high school graduates 51/48. Won "some college" voters49/48. And while he narrowly lost college graduates, the trounced Romney among those with post-grad studies and degrees by 55/42. The historical correlation between education and voting for Republicans has been eroding since the 1980s, and has, in recent years reversed.

[ketchmm]

La Stupid...you fit your handle name well. All I'm saying is I wish Obama showed some stones and backed something up. I didn't say to invade and blow up shit did I ? To "not have a plan" to protect US citizens isn't something our boy should be doing.

Also...when people state "I wanted to help make history and vote in a black president" and have no other reason besides that and they don't know his platform, that my friend is stupid and making an uneducated decision. You make an assumption I'm republican...lol. They are awful also.

Tx hog... Valid points. I wonder how those same people would vote now?!

[Tsmokies]

Hillary dummy

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by SomethingOnTheSide

i don't think so.

You don't think what? You don't think Ted Cruz's stupid showboating cost American taxpayers another $34B in cost to service the debt? Or what?

[Lust4xxxLife]

Originally Posted by ketchmm

....And people voted for this loser in office?! They need to change the voting laws so idiots like this one don't get voted into office. One way to start would be you have to have a minimum of a high school diploma to vote. Even better if it was a college degree. At least we might have smarter individuals voting based on facts versus voting on their color. I'm not making this a racial issue but we all know this is how it happened. Everyone wanted to be a part of history. Wow ... What a history he is setting. Obviously I know this will never happen in changing the laws to vote.. Lol. Seriously though, I wish this administration would focus on our citizens that are being beheaded and do something about it, versus letting it continue to happen and state at news conferences " I have no plan .." Pathetic!

I would be happy if voting required voters to pass a test to verify that they weren't retarded.

One question would be "Is Obama a muslim?"

Another question would be "Was Obama born in Kenya or the USA?"

Another question would be "Is the US Military a socialist organization?"

Those three questions would weed out a large percentage of the under-educated racist American voters.

Thoughts? Agree?

L4L

[Look-at-Stupid]

Originally Posted by ketchmm

La Stupid...you fit your handle name well. All I'm saying is I wish Obama showed some stones and backed something up. I didn't say to invade and blow up shit did I ? To "not have a plan" to protect US citizens isn't something our boy should be doing.

Also...when people state "I wanted to help make history and vote in a black president" and have no other reason besides that and they don't know his platform, that my friend is stupid and making an uneducated decision. You make an assumption I'm republican...lol. They are awful also.

Tx hog... Valid points. I wonder how those same people would vote now?!

I would comment on your handle as well, but the only thing that comes to mind of a bottle of ketsup. And I do not know of anyone who said what you claim. And last I checked the stock market is up 100%, foreclosures are down, GM was saved, and more people are working. So just what are you bitching and crying about again?