THIS is why Health Insurance is so High!

[JohndeFresno]

Take a gander at this, Levergunners. It is beyond politics, so it belongs in this General forum - because it's the stupid and wasteful Insurance Company that authorized this! A ballpoint pen is in the photo to show scale.

Tell me what you see wrong with this picture... besides being taken too quickly and out of focus, that is.



OK -
1) Both my wife and I got these rather large boxes instead of just one of us

2) The information contained could have fit on a post card:
"Get flu shots, please. And we are there to help you."

3) The print was large enough for a legally blind person to see with wasted space

4) Besides wasting postage, these turkeys mailed BANDAGES to make a point.

Now that, folks, is an example of why our health insurance is so miserably high!

Or... maybe under the existing "Affordable Health Insurance" they are telling us that this is what we get for the year - some Band-Aids?

Oh, by the way, we were forced to leave our insurance and take this "United Health Care" insurance because of You-Know-Who, but I won't get political here.

How DUMB is our industry becoming?

[JerryB]

OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

or at waste???

[AJMD429]

We in primary care have been providing inexpensive yet thorough basic care for our patients that includes complete physicals, pap smears, lab work, and ongoing management of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, thyroid problems, skin cancer removals, and so on, for somewhere between $1.00 and $2.00 a day cost per patient, YET THE GOVERNMENT REGULATORS AND THE INSURANCE BUREAUCRACY THEY PROTECT HAVE STRIPPED US OF OUR ABILITY TO GET EVEN THAT AMOUNT PAID TO US.

Instead of our doing stuff efficiently and properly in the office, seamlessly integrating it with their other health issues, and referring what is really necessary for specialists to see to them, and doing the rest on-site, we have to deal with these disruptive, expensive, duplicating, inefficient "programs" that some shysters sell to Anthem or Medicare, because Anthem and Medicare both know that however much money they waste, they can just extract more from premiums or government, or pay doctors less.

They cut our reimbursement 2.5% this year, because we didn't put everyone's records on-line like the government wanted us to do. That sounds trivial, until you realize that our overhead is now at 90% (mostly due to these micromanaging bureaucrats - it used to be 40% or so just from the necessary things like rent and employees). So that "2.5% pay cut" they tell the public about, means that when we spend $90 to provide that service we used to be paid $100 for, now we are paid $97.50 - which means that we make $7.50 for every $10.00 we used to make - so $60,000 instead of $80,000.

Most docs have responded by retiring early, going for 'salaried' positions where they are paid for volume and more time entering spreadsheet 'quality metric' data about their patients into on-line databases (instead of seeing actual patients), or doing gimmicky procedures or selling overpriced glamour-vitamins.

Citizens shouldn't vote unless they understand basic economics.... (or have run a small business themselves)...

[Grizz]

I got a flu shot once. messed me up for about 9 months. won't ever do that again.

I can get over the flu faster. And if I die, I don't die, I go to be with Jesus.

And I am really really looking forward to that.

No more flu and no shots either. WooHoo.

[AJMD429]

Along these lines.... http://www.wnd.com/2016/12/the-case-for ... uninsured/

[mark]

We in primary care have been providing inexpensive yet thorough basic care for our patients that includes complete physicals, pap smears, lab work, and ongoing management of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, thyroid problems, skin cancer removals, and so on, for somewhere between $1.00 and $2.00 a day cost per patient, YET THE GOVERNMENT REGULATORS AND THE INSURANCE BUREAUCRACY THEY PROTECT HAVE STRIPPED US OF OUR ABILITY TO GET EVEN THAT AMOUNT PAID TO US.

Instead of our doing stuff efficiently and properly in the office, seamlessly integrating it with their other health issues, and referring what is really necessary for specialists to see to them, and doing the rest on-site, we have to deal with these disruptive, expensive, duplicating, inefficient "programs" that some shysters sell to Anthem or Medicare, because Anthem and Medicare both know that however much money they waste, they can just extract more from premiums or government, or pay doctors less.

They cut our reimbursement 2.5% this year, because we didn't put everyone's records on-line like the government wanted us to do. That sounds trivial, until you realize that our overhead is now at 90% (mostly due to these micromanaging bureaucrats - it used to be 40% or so just from the necessary things like rent and employees). So that "2.5% pay cut" they tell the public about, means that when we spend $90 to provide that service we used to be paid $100 for, now we are paid $97.50 - which means that we make $7.50 for every $10.00 we used to make - so $60,000 instead of $80,000.

Most docs have responded by retiring early, going for 'salaried' positions where they are paid for volume and more time entering spreadsheet 'quality metric' data about their patients into on-line databases (instead of seeing actual patients), or doing gimmicky procedures or selling overpriced glamour-vitamins.

Citizens shouldn't vote unless they understand basic economics.... (or have run a small business themselves)...

It doesn't only apply to healthcare.

The bureaucrats need to justify their existance, so they keep generating "jobs" for you to do.

At 58 yrs of age, I decided that I was wasting the students' time and they were wasting mine, to which we all agreed, so I left. That was ten years ago.

Fortunately, I could afford to do so.

Better to be "over the hill than under it".

Today, the spreadsheets I create are for me not "free" ones for the bureaucrats.

All the best, Mark

[GunnyMack]

Health insurance is SO high because GOVERNMENT is involved, lawyers have sued and we have allowed it!
What I keep scratching my head over is WHY we are made to take it...? The "affordable" health care act is far from it! Not to mention it's a train wreck.

[stretch]

The purpose of the "Affordable health Care Act" is to make rich insurance, pharmaceutical, and
hospital shareholders richer. Period. Full Stop. There is NO need for healthcare to be as expensive
as it is. And as the good doc has said, most of the labor hours in a doctor's office these days
are spent doing insurance and government paperwork.

Now we have an "existence tax." Either pay the exorbitant insurance premiums, or we'll fine ya.
And the premiums are NOT tax-deductible. Nor are the copays, or prescription meds, unless they
exceed 10% of your take-home income, and then only the portion exceeding THAT is deductible.

And the working man gets to pay for all of it........

Rant off.......

-Stretch

[marlinman93]

I had to change my Medicare supplement insurance this year after price increases scheduled for next year nearly quadrupled for what I had! Crazy that a supplemental insurance could go from $102 to $386 in one leap! I blame "affordable care" for this situation.

[crs]

Enough complaining. Lets see to it that our President Elect and new Congress replace the present ACA with something that works.

[JohndeFresno]

Enough complaining. Lets see to it that our President Elect and new Congress replace the present ACA with something that works.

[Blaine]

Giving shots is eazy/peazy. WalMart, or CVS could have a flu shot kit for a few bucks. I personally like the PeeNewMonia shot for protection, but don't think the flu shot does a lick of good....

[Mainehunter]

Yep, it's a big problem in this country BUT as a sub-contractor for 23+ years I serviced patient equipment, digital X-ray to now sterilization equipment, I see things the general public don't see in terms of cost to purchase high end capital equipment, maintaining and buying of parts is pretty outrages!

Mainehunter

[Blaine]

Ever see those ads on TV?: Your 29 dollars will vaccinate an entire village in east crapville...
At the local Emergency Room, your 29 dollars won't buy a couple aspirin because ACA wants you to pay for the next 10 illegals that come thru with no money. (Your numbers may vary, but you get the idea)

[harry]

I get my medical through the Choctaw medical services, but its currently a 1300 mile drive to see the doctor

[Griff]

Mine's thru the VA. Luckily, there's a clinic 32 miles away.

[tman]

Insurance company GREED, employers dropping health care as a benefit, and free healthcare for illegal immigrant workers and their families are why GOV. HAD TO GET INVOLED. The Heritage foundation, a Conservative thinktank, was the origin of Obama care today, Clinton tried to pass it, it failed, Romney used it in MASS when he was GOV. Obama care was based on Romney care, using the original authors of it. Greed mandated that GOV step in cause it became unaffordable and unavailable to those with pre-existing conditions. Health Care insurance is an OXY_MORON . Same as running a country like a business, it can't work that way. Lots of blame to go around here!

[JohndeFresno]

...free healthcare for illegal immigrant workers and their families are why GOV. HAD TO GET INVOLED...Romney used it in MASS when he was GOV. Obama care was based on Romney care...

A couple of side notes:

1) Yup, the Gubbmint (one particular Party) promised healthcare for non-residents who were encouraged to and aided in ignoring immigration laws. That is WHY they had to be involved. That is, the Gubbmint caused the problem that they then couldn't solve; so they made it worse. Why is it that half of the nation does not understand that?

2) Romney's Massachusetts is not the Swiss cheese state of illegal immigrants and welfare abusers that other states (like mine) are. You can't compare oranges with bad apples.

Some people keep pointing to the free healtcare in what - Sweden? Switzerland? Well, how many illegals are they supporting? How much of their population is blaming that nation's history on their problems, or are burning cities there because of a perceived wrong? Oranges to Bad Apples again.

And then that Conservative blaming thing again. Remember that 'Bama, Pelosi and Reid forced the monstrosity called "Affordable Healtchare" on an unwilling nation, with the exception of the populations in the inner cities, from where most of our crime, welfare abuse, general freeloading and other problems emanate...
Remove much of the East and West Coasts and we wouldn't have these problems.

[tman]

Not trying to compare apples to oranges, but to point out how health care became a mess, why health care can't be obtained and looked upon as insurance. Wasn't singling out Romney, just pointing out the many paths to the mess it became.

[tman]

Sweden and Switzerland decide to spend their tax $'s on healthcare as opposed to nation building, aide to Countries that hate the USA, corporate bail outs, subsidizing corporations with illegal alien workers at the tax payers expense, subsidizing off shoring of US manufacturing, and fueling the Military industrial complex with unwinnable, never ending wars by design. Their taxes may be higher, but look at what Affordable Healthcare is actually costing the individual. It's about choices made by the politician's that you elect who are heavily influenced by lobbies and pacts on where our tax $'s are spent.

[Blaine]

Sweden and Switzerland decide to spend their tax $'s on healthcare as opposed to nation building, aide to Countries that hate the USA, corporate bail outs, subsidizing corporations with illegal alien workers at the tax payers expense, subsidizing off shoring of US manufacturing, and fueling the Military industrial complex with unwinnable, never ending wars by design. Their taxes may be higher, but look at what Affordable Healthcare is actually costing the individual. It's about choices made by the politician's that you elect who are heavily influenced by lobbies and pacts on where our tax $'s are spent.

I predict that Trump will say something like: Sure (name a country) we'll let you in under our umbrella, but not for free. It's time to buy our protection if you refuse to spend your own money.

[tman]

Sweden and Switzerland decide to spend their tax $'s on healthcare as opposed to nation building, aide to Countries that hate the USA, corporate bail outs, subsidizing corporations with illegal alien workers at the tax payers expense, subsidizing off shoring of US manufacturing, and fueling the Military industrial complex with unwinnable, never ending wars by design. Their taxes may be higher, but look at what Affordable Healthcare is actually costing the individual. It's about choices made by the politician's that you elect who are heavily influenced by lobbies and pacts on where our tax $'s are spent.

I predict that Trump will say something like: Sure (name a country) we'll let you in under our umbrella, but not for free. It's time to buy our protection if you refuse to spend your own money.

General Eisenhower stated that if NATO lasted for more than 10 years, it should be looked upon as an absolute failure. He also cautioned us about the "MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX". I'm all for securing our borders, spending on rebuilding infrastructure, re introduce mining, farming and manufacturing on the US soil. And providing a healthcare system that all can afford. But, I'd get squashed by liberal and conservative politicians, lobbies and pacts. Just remember, tax dollars are YOUR dollars, not theirs. You provide politicians with Premium healthcare and lucrative pensions that you can only dream about.Don't let them decide where YOUR tax dollars are spent. And don't let the bastard's steal, cut or make you work longer for SSI benefits. THEY DON't have 2

[AJMD429]

Sweden and Switzerland decide to spend their tax $'s on healthcare as opposed to nation building. . . . .

True, but without the U.S. military Sweden and Switzerland would probably be part of Russia by now, along with much of Europe. Social spending is easy when someone else is spending money guarding your flank for you.

NOT to say that I agree with a lot of the stuff the U.S. does 'internationally', but unless a nation can stand alone in the shark-infested seas of world military and political dominance, I'm not going to use them as a role model.

[Blaine]

Sweden and Switzerland decide to spend their tax $'s on healthcare as opposed to nation building, aide to Countries that hate the USA, corporate bail outs, subsidizing corporations with illegal alien workers at the tax payers expense, subsidizing off shoring of US manufacturing, and fueling the Military industrial complex with unwinnable, never ending wars by design. Their taxes may be higher, but look at what Affordable Healthcare is actually costing the individual. It's about choices made by the politician's that you elect who are heavily influenced by lobbies and pacts on where our tax $'s are spent.

I predict that Trump will say something like: Sure (name a country) we'll let you in under our umbrella, but not for free. It's time to buy our protection if you refuse to spend your own money.

General Eisenhower stated that if NATO lasted for more than 10 years, it should be looked upon as an absolute failure. He also cautioned us about the "MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX". I'm all for securing our borders, spending on rebuilding infrastructure, re introduce mining, farming and manufacturing on the US soil. And providing a healthcare system that all can afford. But, I'd get squashed by liberal and conservative politicians, lobbies and pacts. Just remember, tax dollars are YOUR dollars, not theirs. You provide politicians with Premium healthcare and lucrative pensions that you can only dream about.Don't let them decide where YOUR tax dollars are spent. And don't let the bastard's steal, cut or make you work longer for SSI benefits. THEY DON't have 2

Ike probably did more for the Military Industrial Complex than any other POTUS. Ironicly so.

[handirifle]

Folks need to REALLY understand the ACA and it's purpose. It is going EXACTLY as designed. ODumbo knew when he signed it that it would do exactly what he wanted. It would drive health care costs so high as to make them un-affordable, FOR EVERYONE. Then when the whole thing is about to collapse, the people pulling ODumbos strings would introduce a single payer plan, or universal health care. This would cover about half of what we expect, and would cost everyone twice what we pay now, but everyone is the same, their goal reached, socialism.

There never was or never is a desire for good health care for anyone, but absolute control of the entire system, thus every citizen in the US. They were/are trying to get the CDC involved in determining what makes gun owners tick, and why we become violent. When they determine that gun ownership is a curable disease, they will cure it, and have even more control.

As a Christian, the Bible predicts, and I believe, there WILL be a one-world government, and that is about all you hear them talk about any more. They call it "globalization" but it is really putting the world under control of one entity. They have to create utter chaos in order for us to beg them to "take control", and save us from the evil world. Like it or not, it WILL happen.

It is my belief that the recent election may only postpone what is inevitable. I am not sure if it was God giving us another 4 years to get His message of Salvation out, or what, but I do believe His hand was involved, in a big way.

This video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgZVdKq ... ture=share was posted long before the election, and I think explains it pretty well. Trump is not a messenger from God or maybe even of God, but I believe is being used by Him for His purpose, for these next 4 years. Trump may or may not even have a clue of any of it, but it does not matter.

[JohndeFresno]

It is my belief that the recent election may only postpone what is inevitable. I am not sure if it was God giving us another 4 years to get His message of Salvation out, or what, but I do believe His hand was involved, in a big way.

Yes. This is a temporary respite and a wake-up call.

Check all the calamities mentioned in the Good Book; the people were warned each and every time, first. Then big stuff happened. The "apple," the "big boat" that took years to build, the "handwriting on the wall," the various prophets, Joseph's dream interpretations, the "tablets" from at Mount Sinai, the many NT sermons, the lesson of the fig tree and of the seasons, the written Word - prophesy books and Revelations. We should be listening now.

[tman]

Any way you look at, healthcare, is gonna cost you money, either out of pocket or higher taxes. I'd rather take the pool of tax money, use it for healthcare, SSI and infrastructure , use a little less for nation building, strengthen our Military with emphasis on protecting our borders. We can do it all. The money is there. It's taken every day from your paycheck and every April 15. It's all in how YOU decide the money gets spent. They ain't gonna give YOUR money back to you.

[GunnyMack]

A health care tax is on everything purchased in Canada. Granted their health care isn't great but everyone pays for it.

Besides when the sun burns out in another 4.5 billion years we won't have to worry!

I haven't had health insurance in almost 4 years, it's cheaper for me to pay the 'fine' than sign up for ACA. I refuse to sign up for it!

The gubbmint is over reaching, after all WE ARE A FREE NATION!
Take the ambulance chasing lawyers OUT of the equation, malpractice insurance as well and we could be paying for liver transplants with chickens!

[handirifle]

Ya wanna hear a health care story that will fry your knuts? A few years ago, an old boyfriend of my daughter, called her. He is an EMT and he was transporting an "illegal alien, felon prisoner, to one of the best hospitals in SoCal, FOR A FREE HEART TRANSPLANT."

Nice to know where the dollars are really going. That was before the ACA though, so I am sure it's much worse now.

[tman]

Ya wanna hear a health care story that will fry your knuts? A few years ago, an old boyfriend of my daughter, called her. He is an EMT and he was transporting an "illegal alien, felon prisoner, to one of the best hospitals in SoCal, FOR A FREE HEART TRANSPLANT."

Nice to know where the dollars are really going. That was before the ACA though, so I am sure it's much worse now.

That's why you got Heritage foundation, Hillary care, Romney care, Obama care. The illegal aliens and their families wrecked the Hospital system in your state. Along with employers no longer providing it, and the mandatory slave labor law, that welfare receipts are force to work a 20 hr minimum wage job, so that employers never have to offer living wages, benefits, etc. So the tax payer fits the bill, not only for the welfare and illegals, but the Walmarts and box marts whose employees are and themselves are tax payer funded. That is why, my and your healthcare is unaffordable.You not only pay for those above, but, for our politicians who have the Cadillac plan that you can't get. And they tell us we are not entitled to what you pay for them, sell your blood and put a second mortage on your home to pay for yours. Tired of being plated for a fool.

[AJMD429]

That's why you got Heritage foundation, Hillary care, Romney care, Obama care. The illegal aliens and their families wrecked the Hospital system in your state. Along with employers no longer providing it, and the mandatory slave labor law, that welfare receipts are force to work a 20 hr minimum wage job, so that employers never have to offer living wages, benefits, etc. So the tax payer fits the bill, not only for the welfare and illegals, but the Walmarts and box marts whose employees are and themselves are tax payer funded. That is why, my and your healthcare is unaffordable.You not only pay for those above, but, for our politicians who have the Cadillac plan that you can't get. And they tell us we are not entitled to what you pay for them, sell your blood and put a second mortage on your home to pay for yours. Tired of being plated for a fool.

That's why there should be NO 'income tax', and just the FairTax.

It would eliminate all the 'entitlement' nonsense, under-the-table evasion, and remove all the incentives for illegal immigration.

Even the hippies and liberals should like it, because it rewards recycling and discouraged wasteful consumption.

[piller]

My sister and her husband run a small business. $24,000 per year for insurance or $25,000 fine if they don't have it. Their insurance let's her have a pap smear and a breast exam once every 65 months.
A customer of mine was gloating about how good the ACA was for him. He was getting the cheapest healthcare he ever had. UNTIL he was told there has been a mistake and he has to pay back over $8,000 immediately. He had to refinance his home. He went from loving it to hating it very quickly.
As a Pharmacist, I see it as too expensive and wasteful. The advertising is a huge part of the waste.

[Grizz]

President Trump has a twitter account.

it gets about 80000 hits a day, and Mr. Trump replies to some of them. He has said he is going to repeal the stinking corrupt healthcrap thing. If Doc and the others in the industry would begin a campaign of tweeting this stuff, just like the opening post, do it every day until the putrid scam is dead, it would get a lot of readers and perhaps reach Mr. Trump's desk.

twitter has restored the access of the non-political class to the President. when Lincoln was President any citizen could walk up to his door and knock on it and Lincoln himself would open it if he was available. That's the way it is supposed to be.

Mr. Trump has eliminated the "press pool" and made and end run around them to communicate with us. Hopefully those of us in the trenches of the health debacle can get vocal with Mr. Trump so he is fully aware of the depth of the corruption. He won't know if we don't tell him. No one he is associated with has any worries about getting and affording health care. Doc, are you listening?

[tman]

My sister and her husband run a small business. $24,000 per year for insurance or $25,000 fine if they don't have it. Their insurance let's her have a pap smear and a breast exam once every 65 months.
A customer of mine was gloating about how good the ACA was for him. He was getting the cheapest healthcare he ever had. UNTIL he was told there has been a mistake and he has to pay back over $8,000 immediately. He had to refinance his home. He went from loving it to hating it very quickly.
As a Pharmacist, I see it as too expensive and wasteful. The advertising is a huge part of the waste.

Nailed it! So sick of seeing commercials prompting me to tell my doctor what he doesn't know. A few years back when they changed the Bankruptcy laws to make harder to file, It was in response to 80% of personal bankruptcy listing Medical bills as the cause. At that point, the wheels started turning.

[stretch]

Tman, you and I think alike!

What a great scam - make it law that the public has
to buy your product, whether they want it or not.
As part of the same scheme, make the government pay
for it if a person can't afford it. Then raise the rates
20%, and have that made law. That's Obama Care!

It's good to see that Trump has gotten rid of the Press
pool. It will be interesting to see if the evening news
changes.......

-Stretch

[hayabusa]

-Stretch, I thank that is an interesting thought. I sure hope so.

hayabusa

[tman]

Tman, you and I think alike!

What a great scam - make it law that the public has
to buy your product, whether they want it or not.
As part of the same scheme, make the government pay
for it if a person can't afford it. Then raise the rates
20%, and have that made law. That's Obama Care!

It's good to see that Trump has gotten rid of the Press
pool. It will be interesting to see if the evening news
changes.......

-Stretch

Thanks. Now the question is, if you repeal it, what do you replace it with? I doubt if Tax free saving accounts or interstate competition is gonna work. I don't see these 2 ideas in anyway making it affordable or available to those that can't afford it, or those with pre-existing conditions. As the cost continues to increase, only those in the 1% will afford it. I see this becoming a National crisis a few years down the road.