Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare)

[Socnorb11]

Well, of course insurance companies are fixing the system to make a profit. They wouldn't be able to stay in business if they didn't do that. That's one reason why we need single-payer system, really.

Battle cancer, and tell me that insurance isn't worth much. Have a heart bypass and tell me that your insurance isn't worth much.



This is no different than how insurance worked before the ACA, really.

The problem is insurance, well maybe medical providers more so are making obscene profits. That's why hospitals like Barnes are planning billion (with a B) dollar expansions. Obscene profits.

Not to mention with most insurances you are stuck with who your employer provides you. Nic had "good insurance" through work. After it was all said and done she still owed six figures herself after insurance. How was that in any way affordable to anyone? If you have insurance you shouldn't come out of a major battle for your life owing what a house costs.

Universal health care is the only way to go. We already have it, it's just the most expensive way possible Anyone that doesn't see that I don't have much use for.

You're exactly right, IMA....... about all of this.

People want to point the finger at our government (Obama), and at the insurance industry in general. There's certainly some justifiable blame there. However, the biggest problem by far, and the one that people talk the least about, is the price gouging by the medical industry. Much like the gun lobbyists, everyone is afraid to address this issue politically.

Nic's insurance wasn't "good" in any way shape or form. I'm not sure who labeled it "good". I've never heard of an insurance plan where you had to pay that much. Even bad plans typically have a maximum out-of-pocket, and it's nowhere near six figures.


Universal health care......... yes, please.

[cardsfantx]

Well, of course insurance companies are fixing the system to make a profit. They wouldn't be able to stay in business if they didn't do that. That's one reason why we need single-payer system, really.

Battle cancer, and tell me that insurance isn't worth much. Have a heart bypass and tell me that your insurance isn't worth much.



This is no different than how insurance worked before the ACA, really.

The problem is insurance, well maybe medical providers more so are making obscene profits. That's why hospitals like Barnes are planning billion (with a B) dollar expansions. Obscene profits.

Not to mention with most insurances you are stuck with who your employer provides you. Nic had "good insurance" through work. After it was all said and done she still owed six figures herself after insurance. How was that in any way affordable to anyone? If you have insurance you shouldn't come out of a major battle for your life owing what a house costs.

Universal health care is the only way to go. We already have it, it's just the most expensive way possible Anyone that doesn't see that I don't have much use for.

People want to point the finger at our government (Obama), and at the insurance industry in general. There's certainly some justifiable blame there. However, the biggest problem by far, and the one that people talk the least about, is the price gouging by the medical industry. Much like the gun lobbyists, everyone is afraid to address this issue politically.

it depends on who you mean, by the "medical industry"...if you mean MDs/nurses/therapists, then no....not even close.

we own a therapy company (home health, nursing, physical/occupational/speech therapy), and we've had to cut our office staff in half and had to reduce our nurses/therapist's pay 20-30% (which means our best therapists/nurses left) directly because of changes in medicare. We're doing the same amount of work as last year, but our bottom line is cut in half (and it wasn't a big bottom line to begin with)

[IMADreamer]

Well, of course insurance companies are fixing the system to make a profit. They wouldn't be able to stay in business if they didn't do that. That's one reason why we need single-payer system, really.

Battle cancer, and tell me that insurance isn't worth much. Have a heart bypass and tell me that your insurance isn't worth much.



This is no different than how insurance worked before the ACA, really.

The problem is insurance, well maybe medical providers more so are making obscene profits. That's why hospitals like Barnes are planning billion (with a B) dollar expansions. Obscene profits.

Not to mention with most insurances you are stuck with who your employer provides you. Nic had "good insurance" through work. After it was all said and done she still owed six figures herself after insurance. How was that in any way affordable to anyone? If you have insurance you shouldn't come out of a major battle for your life owing what a house costs.

Universal health care is the only way to go. We already have it, it's just the most expensive way possible Anyone that doesn't see that I don't have much use for.

You're exactly right, IMA....... about all of this.

People want to point the finger at our government (Obama), and at the insurance industry in general. There's certainly some justifiable blame there. However, the biggest problem by far, and the one that people talk the least about, is the price gouging by the medical industry. Much like the gun lobbyists, everyone is afraid to address this issue politically.

Nic's insurance wasn't "good" in any way shape or form. I'm not sure who labeled it "good". I've never heard of an insurance plan where you had to pay that much. Even bad plans typically have a maximum out-of-pocket, and it's nowhere near six figures.


Universal health care......... yes, please.

Obviously it wasn't good insurance which is why I put it in quotes. Everyone (her, her co workers, etc) thought it was good because it had dental, a workout plan, lots of little perks that I'm sure didn't amount to anything cost wise for her company. It seems where the company saved money was the big stuff. Not to mention everything was a fight. The doctor flat out told us her only chance to live more then a few months was to do this surgery thing, chemo, chemo, and more chemo. The insurance company was basically like nah go take some pain killers and go home and die. I don't believe I've ever been so close to strangling someone as I was the insurance rep. I don't know what happened but I left his office thinking about doing really bad things. Two days later we got a call saying it was ok to do what we needed to do to actually try and save her.

It shouldn't be that hard. It just shouldn't. I have no use for insurance people. Scum of the earth.

It cost a fortune. I'd have sold everything and lived in a cardboard box to get the extra time we ended up getting together. I think that's part of the problem. The insurance company knows that so do the medical providers. So they rip people off.

For the life of me I can't figure out why these gun toting types or the Glen Beck types that turn out by the 10s of thousands to protest some stupid [expletive] that isn't at stake like losing gun rights. Don't put their energy into the real atrocities of modern American life which is the fact that we have medical and insurance companies absolutely picking who lives and dies in America. That in my opinion is worth fighting about.

[Socnorb11]

Well, of course insurance companies are fixing the system to make a profit. They wouldn't be able to stay in business if they didn't do that. That's one reason why we need single-payer system, really.

Battle cancer, and tell me that insurance isn't worth much. Have a heart bypass and tell me that your insurance isn't worth much.



This is no different than how insurance worked before the ACA, really.

The problem is insurance, well maybe medical providers more so are making obscene profits. That's why hospitals like Barnes are planning billion (with a B) dollar expansions. Obscene profits.

Not to mention with most insurances you are stuck with who your employer provides you. Nic had "good insurance" through work. After it was all said and done she still owed six figures herself after insurance. How was that in any way affordable to anyone? If you have insurance you shouldn't come out of a major battle for your life owing what a house costs.

Universal health care is the only way to go. We already have it, it's just the most expensive way possible Anyone that doesn't see that I don't have much use for.

People want to point the finger at our government (Obama), and at the insurance industry in general. There's certainly some justifiable blame there. However, the biggest problem by far, and the one that people talk the least about, is the price gouging by the medical industry. Much like the gun lobbyists, everyone is afraid to address this issue politically.

it depends on who you mean, by the "medical industry"...if you mean MDs/nurses/therapists, then no....not even close.

we own a therapy company (home health, nursing, physical/occupational/speech therapy), and we've had to cut our office staff in half and had to reduce our nurses/therapist's pay 20-30% (which means our best therapists/nurses left) directly because of changes in medicare. We're doing the same amount of work as last year, but our bottom line is cut in half (and it wasn't a big bottom line to begin with)

I won't speak of your specific situation, but as of 2 years ago, home health care was one of the top 5 most profitable businesses in the country.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/in ... 54813562/1

[cardsfantx]

Well, of course insurance companies are fixing the system to make a profit. They wouldn't be able to stay in business if they didn't do that. That's one reason why we need single-payer system, really.

Battle cancer, and tell me that insurance isn't worth much. Have a heart bypass and tell me that your insurance isn't worth much.



This is no different than how insurance worked before the ACA, really.

The problem is insurance, well maybe medical providers more so are making obscene profits. That's why hospitals like Barnes are planning billion (with a B) dollar expansions. Obscene profits.

Not to mention with most insurances you are stuck with who your employer provides you. Nic had "good insurance" through work. After it was all said and done she still owed six figures herself after insurance. How was that in any way affordable to anyone? If you have insurance you shouldn't come out of a major battle for your life owing what a house costs.

Universal health care is the only way to go. We already have it, it's just the most expensive way possible Anyone that doesn't see that I don't have much use for.

People want to point the finger at our government (Obama), and at the insurance industry in general. There's certainly some justifiable blame there. However, the biggest problem by far, and the one that people talk the least about, is the price gouging by the medical industry. Much like the gun lobbyists, everyone is afraid to address this issue politically.

it depends on who you mean, by the "medical industry"...if you mean MDs/nurses/therapists, then no....not even close.

we own a therapy company (home health, nursing, physical/occupational/speech therapy), and we've had to cut our office staff in half and had to reduce our nurses/therapist's pay 20-30% (which means our best therapists/nurses left) directly because of changes in medicare. We're doing the same amount of work as last year, but our bottom line is cut in half (and it wasn't a big bottom line to begin with)

I won't speak of your specific situation, but as of 2 years ago, home health care was one of the top 5 most profitable businesses in the country.

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/in ... 54813562/1

you are correct....2 years ago. the medicare changes have just begun to take effect in the last year, and REALLY didn't come into full effect until jan 2014 (and changes are still coming).

[Socnorb11]

Cardsfantx - isn't the medicare issue more of a state thing?

[cardsfantx]

no, it's national (cms.gov)

[Socnorb11]

Ah...... I was thinking of Medicaid. Sorry.

Regardless, if home health has been one of the more profitable franchises in the country, can't they absorb some of the Medicare reductions, without impacting personnel?

[cardsfantx]

the therapists can, as they still make a good living (of course you now need a doctorate degree to be a physical therapist for example, so there is schooling to pay back).....but the agency (me) not so much.

an example in my case.....we already pay out 105% of what we make (we lose $) when a physical therapist (DPT) sees a patient (which they obv have to do) and pay out 85% of what we make to the assistants (PTA). Then you have to pay office staff, computers, monthly software costs, mileage reimbursements, phones, internet, rent, utilities, etc.....all with, what you see (10% after paying the therapists). and that was before medicare changes....now we pay it out with roughly 7-7.5%.

and heaven forbid, after all that, we actually pay ourselves (which there have been times where we haven't in order to cover monthly costs).

[cardsfantx]

the moral of the story boys and girls, is go to school to be a physical therapist assistant. it's a 2 year degree (associates vs doctorates for a physical therapist) and you can make approx 6 figures.