Wowsers! Guess what Obama Health Care will cost you! - Page 17

Duckjake · July 23rd, 2009, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizmo Williams

You really need to become the spokesmodel for United Health. You may be one of the only people who actually thinks your insurer is providing exceptional value and service. If they are doing such a great job on keeping their eye on the ball and making such great business decisions...then why are our costs skyrocketing under their guardianship????? I would hate to think how expensive and ineffective our healthcare would be if they were not doing such a great job.

Thanks. I appreciate that. United Health Care and others have done a wonderful job paying for the medical expenses of my family and my employees for many years. They paid for all 3 of the deliveries of my children. Took care of my father's diabetes. My mothers' bout with ALS. My oldest employee's chronic medical condition.

I especially appreciate that they negotiate the prices for me even before I meet my deductible so that instead of $265 for PT I pay $90. That I can call them 24 hours a day with questions about my coverage and talk to an upbeat helpful individual. That their agent comes by several times a year to talk about how to better purchase the benefits for my employees.

What bums those insurance companies are.

BTW: I'd still like to actually see someone back up the anti insurance company claims with some facts instead of vitriol.

conraddobler · July 23rd, 2009, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckjake

Thanks. I appreciate that. United Health Care and others have done a wonderful job paying for the medical expenses of my family and my employees for many years. They paid for all 3 of the deliveries of my children. Took care of my father's diabetes. My mothers' bout with ALS. My oldest employee's chronic medical condition.

I especially appreciate that they negotiate the prices for me even before I meet my deductible so that instead of $265 for PT I pay $90. That I can call them 24 hours a day with questions about my coverage and talk to an upbeat helpful individual. That their agent comes by several times a year to talk about how to better purchase the benefits for my employees.

What bums those insurance companies are.

BTW: I'd still like to actually see someone back up the anti insurance company claims with some facts instead of vitriol.

My company has them too, and I've had Blue Cross and some French one I can't remember the name of and one or two others and basically have stayed with UC for years now.

They do fine, it costs a lot but it's a good plan.

nidan · July 23rd, 2009, 05:57 PM

Duck, insurance is great if you can get it, if you don't lose your job, if you leave job and then find you have a problem or any number of other issues.

For the most I personally have no complaints but then I'm in a nice middle class environment and have always had insurance.

The problem is that way to many folks fall through the cracks and we need to change that.

conraddobler · July 23rd, 2009, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82CardsGrad

Somehow, making profits in this country has become taboo... And for insurance companies of any ilk, making profits is a serious moral hazzard....

Once upon a time profit was not a dirty word.

It seems to be getting that way fast, but some of that is brought on by giant corporations paying cEO's obscene salaries.

Now I've never been for limiting someone's pay but is it really getting you a better CEO to pay them obscene amounts of money?

Couldn't you find one cheaper?

That is an odd thing that's spiraled out of control in the last few decades, up until say the 80's Ceo pay wasn't so outrageous in respect to the average worker.

I think as a country we tend to whiplash a lot, just because capitalists went crazy dosen't mean you need to turn the world socialist as a fix.

nidan · July 23rd, 2009, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by conraddobler

Once upon a time profit was not a dirty word.

Abusing the system is.

Also if they are making so much money one would think they would be interested in making a deal to lower costs to keep making those profits. Instead they are banking on reform failing

Duckjake · July 23rd, 2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nidan

Duck, insurance is great if you can get it, if you don't lose your job, if you leave job and then find you have a problem or any number of other issues.

For the most I personally have no complaints but then I'm in a nice middle class environment and have always had insurance.

The problem is that way to many folks fall through the cracks and we need to change that.

I understand that and have no problem with changing the system if the new one is well thought out and will actually work.

But wanting to change the system just because people believe the insurance companies are "evil" profit mongers and we can save billions by eliminating them without any real proof... Or without actually taking the time to make sure we set it up properly so that we actually achieve the savings while maintaining the quality of care that the Germans or Canadians have is wrong and could be even more disastrous for our country.

The real problem in debating rationally about health insurance companies is that health care is now being viewed as a social issue while historically in the US health insurance has been a business proposition. Companies bought it to reduce employee turnover and take advantage of tax laws. Companies sold it to make a profit.

So in the context of social responsibility the insurance companies can't help but look like bad guys because people expect them to act like charities instead of businesses.

nidan · July 23rd, 2009, 07:07 PM

Their problem is that right now they have zero incentive to make healthcare more affordable or more available

Competing with a government plan might do that.

You see I've lived in a place where a single payer government plan coexists with private health insurance very nicely

82CardsGrad · July 23rd, 2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nidan

Their problem is that right now they have zero incentive to make healthcare more affordable or more available

Competing with a government plan might do that.

You see I've lived in a place where a single payer government plan coexists with private health insurance very nicely

With any luck, you'll have to go back to that "place" in order to live where a single payer plan coexists with private health insurance...

LoyaltyisaCurse · July 23rd, 2009, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckjake

So in the context of social responsibility the insurance companies can't help but look like bad guys because people expect them to act like charities instead of businesses.

No they look like bad guys because they look to cut corners, disqualify folks from coverage the paid for and deserve, and let good folks die for a 3% increase in reported yearly earnings.

Health care is a right and not a commodity.

conraddobler · July 23rd, 2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nidan

Their problem is that right now they have zero incentive to make healthcare more affordable or more available

Competing with a government plan might do that.

You see I've lived in a place where a single payer government plan coexists with private health insurance very nicely

http://finance.sympatico.msn.ca/inve...entid=19519911

Quote:

The short-term hole many of the world's developed economies face is daunting. In the United Kingdom, in many ways the worst hit of the world's major economies, the government's budget deficit is projected to reach 9.8% of gross domestic product in 2009 and climb to 10.9% in 2010. Japan is next worst off, with an annual deficit of 9.6% of GDP in 2009; the U.S. follows, with 8.8% of GDP.

Yeah that "special" place that is such a shining example of fiscal sanity, without North Sea oil it'd of imploded already.

82CardsGrad · July 23rd, 2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoyaltyisaCurse

No they look like bad guys because they look to cut corners, disqualify folks from coverage the paid for and deserve, and let good folks die for a 3% increase in reported yearly earnings.

Health care is a right and not a commodity.

LMAO... insurance companies look like "bad guys" for running their companies in a manner that they are expected to, yet when the Federal Gov't "cuts corners, disqualifies folks from coverage they paid for and deserve, and let good folks die", they are to revered??

What a joke...

nidan · July 23rd, 2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82CardsGrad

With any luck, you'll have to go back to that "place" in order to live where a single payer plan coexists with private health insurance...

One wonders if this was an invitation to start a flame war ?

82CardsGrad · July 23rd, 2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nidan

One wonders if this was an invitation to start a flame war ?

Think I clarified the post in my pm...

AzCards21 · July 23rd, 2009, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nidan

Their problem is that right now they have zero incentive to make healthcare more affordable or more available

Competing with a government plan might do that.

You see I've lived in a place where a single payer government plan coexists with private health insurance very nicely

What "incentive" will the government have to lower the costs? They will keep their premium artificially low until they put private insurance out of business. After that we get the same crap system you so champion every day here. You know, the one that is a complete failure according to those living under it now.

nidan · July 23rd, 2009, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 82CardsGrad

Think I clarified the post in my pm...

Agreed, sorry I got irritated