In Mr. Hansen’s ramble Tuesday he attempts to convince readers that government health care will destroy human dignity. In support of his beliefs he offers a comparison to the USSR that lacks an understanding of history accompanied by impossible leaps in logic. Does he want us to believe that the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care), legislation designed by and for the private insurance industry, is the same as the fatally flawed system that encompassed all aspects of life in the USSR for decades? He has to be kidding.
The citizens of 34 of the world’s most highly developed nations currently enjoy the benefits of government health care. I wonder if they are aware of their loss of dignity. Why is it that my relatives and friends who live in some of those countries don’t need to worry about losing everything they worked for all their lives due to the cost of nursing home care?
In the United States, millions of retired citizens, military personnel, and many poor or disabled individuals are the recipients of government health care. How’s that Medicare working out for you folks?
Wait until Paul Ryan’s Republican budget gets adopted, and you’ve used up all your vouchers. Now that’s something everyone should read up on before the next election.
While you’re at it, read the recent report from the non-partisan Tax Policy Institute that claims Romney’s tax proposals are likely to result in a net tax increase of $2,000 for middle-class wage earners while cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the tax bills of the wealthiest Americans.
Add to that the recent GAO report that the Affordable Care Act will save Medicare over 200 million dollars through 2016.
The Affordable Care Act is an excellent beginning to solving our nation’s health care crisis. It’s time all Americans embraced it and put their energies towards making it the best in the world.
Sue Brekke-Benson
Aitkin
Comments (26)
Add commentVersatile writer
Mr. Hansen is the most versatile writer in Dispatch history, embracing most of the areas of human knowledge. Our health care system was a reach too far for him.
It's all in the eye of the beholder
My experience with Medicare is that it cost $100/month and
$100 or whatever for supplimental insurance. In my opinion,
it is inefficient at best. People seem to forget they are and
have paid their whole working life to be on medicare.
I would have preferred to have stayed on my private
insurance, but had to pay into medicare my whole working
life. I'm not impressed and that's all I'm saying.
This writer must have read all 2500 or how many pages to
have such an educated opinion. Medicare going to save?
HaHa. It takes money out of medicare and there will be some
cuts of some kind.
Affordable Care Act ,Was A long Time Coming
Those who for political aspirations think the long time in the making , first step forward for healthcare for all, was not carefully constructed most certainly dont even try to understand all the benefits , much less the problems.
If you dont want to bother learning the facts involved with ACA , understand this : Shortly health insurers CAN NOT discriminate against those with preexsisting medical conditions. Healthcare costs have been increasing at out of control rates , the Affordable Care Act , starts to address most problems with care at places other than hospital emergency rooms.
When was the last time you heard a political party whine about being forced to have automobile insurance , why is that ? Why do banks and mortgage companies require home owners insurance ?
Sadie
I have nothing but positives regarding my Medicare experiences. Privately paid for insurance was triple my Medicare with larger copays. Plus the amount paid out of pocket before coverage kicked in was substantial.
What things about it are negatives to you?
Result of Repeal
Yesterday I heard Jonathan Alter say that if we elect Mr. Romney and repeal ACA we will not see "Death Panels" but we will definitely see "Death". People without coverage will wait to see a doctor and will not get treatment early and there will be deaths.
I still remember the crowd at a Republican debate when the Tea Party members yelled to Ron Paul to let the uninsured die. Do you also remember when they booed a gay soldier?
Is this the country we have become?
I heard there was no more community advisory board
for the local newspaper.
Apparently Keith did not want to hear what citizens were saying? Will they do a story on disbanding this advisory?
Was there ever a conservative on the community advisory board?
Not that I ever heard. Good riddance. Let the broader base of readers be the judge of whether the paper is succeeding of failing in its mission to provide unbiased reporting.
As for ACA, it's a hot mess and it will cause more problems than it solves (if it solves any). Captain has certainly not studied the problems of the perverse incentives built into ACA. Tell me Captain, how do the health insurance exchanges work? Why would an employee want to work for an employer with health insurance, when that will only reduce their salary, and if they aren't covered by their employer's insurance they'll be able to get government subsidized insurance to the estimated tune of $19,000 a year by his or her employer paying a $2,000 penalty?
No, this hastily conceived scheme needs to be relegated to the trash bin and a new plan needs to be conceived that focuses on the real problem--those with no insurance, and those with serious health problems. Let's tackle those problems first before we screw up everything for everybody.
You Betcha ! Compare Current Healthcare Costs, Figure It Out
In the immortal words of the most ineffective speaker of the house ,known to mankind ( John B.) (R) Ohio ,RE: Healthcare. " Lets just start over with a clean sheet of paper" all these televised public hearings have me confused !
Pretty certain there are NO DO OVERS on healthcare reform. Dont forget what the Mittster said as well " My Mass. healthcare reform was a model for the whole country "
No do-overs?
LOL! That's rich! It's as simple as voting out Obama and the rest of his band of crooks. And Romney never supported federally sponsored health care, so I have no concerns about him actively working against this monstrosity. And for the record, IMHO, Romney should own that Romney care was a complete disaster and move on. That would put him miles ahead of Obama who continues to blame Bush for his own short comings. It certainly does make me pine for Reagan, who inherited a mess, but didn't kvetch during his whole first term about what a mess he was left, he just worked to fix it, and he did. Obama could learn quite a lot about personal responsibility and what it means to be a leader from the Gipper.
South, you asked
Inefficiencies in product, red tape, not personal.
It is so big and all consuming that it is near impossible
to treat people with dignity which I think medicare wants
to but can't.
I've not had much experience personally with medicare except for paying in and paying now. My experience is
more with helping older members of my family with medical
problems. We know something could be done but because
my mom is very old they won't even try. Of course, I'm
the eternal advocate and I also know maybe there is nothing
that can be done. Some years ago, they wouldn't help pay
for an expensive drug because of her age. Actually 20 years
ago ,, the Dr asked the drug company to donate and they did.
I don't mind if people like their health insurance/medicare,
anytime there is a big program more theft and abuse appear.
That happens with most everything.
I do have experience with Medicare.
I have Medicare, and I'm treated with respect and dignity. I see the doctors I want to see and I get the treatment they prescribe and that I value. I have never been turned down for a treatment or medication. It's a great program. I'd like every American to have its benefits. I see the Affordable Health Care Act as a good step in that direction.
Medicare is a winner
Shadrack is right on when he describes Medicare and how it operates. It cuts costs with its fee schedule, and is an enormous benefit for seniors.
It's not about me
I suggest that not everyone agrees with you and hasn't had
the same positive treatment.
Could depend on where you live and how old you are or any number of reasons. If everyone had medicare--- who would
pay for it? How long would Doctors keep accepting new
patients?
Some areas medicare patients can't find a Dr. that is taking
new patients. Everything is not about me.
So, Romney should lie, Meuhl?
Romneycare is not a complete disaster.
Sadie: most elderly need support wading through insurance no matter what kind it is. Good that your mom has you.
learn from the experiences of others, Sadie
Sadie, you already admit that you have "not had much experience personally with medicare." So maybe you should listen to those of us who can tell you from our own personal experience our positive experiences with this program. Most MN physicians accept medicare patients. Why don't you give it a chance?
Danged right, Sadie.
Why, there has to be at least three people who have had positive experience with Medicare. That should settle any concerns anyone has.
Think country, not county
As I stated earlier, I don't mind if people like their insurance/medicare. Fine with me, but know that not all
people are so fortunate. In some parts of the country,
there are few Dr's that accept new medicare patients.
Fine that MN does, but that is not everyone and everywhere.
You asked me to learn from the experiences of others and
that is exactly what I have been referring to this whole topic.
Fine Be Happy with your medicare. Not all people are.
I tend to think macro, not feel micro
Think country, not county.
Romney's lying when he says Romney Care was a success...
...but putting that aside, Southie, you are living in a dream world if you think doctors will joyfully continue to take medicare patients as the gubmint slows down and cuts down reimbursements. Consider this 2010 survey of American family physicians before you get too cocky about your entitlement to health care through Medicare:
http://www.aafp.org/online/etc/medialib/aafp_org/documents/press/medicar...
Ah, but, muehl,
if they withhold the doctor's rations and lock his family up, what then?
Indeed, FNB...
...what then? I guess they'll just cross that bridge when they get there...right into the abyss.
Well, after all,
I and millions of other people believe that Obama-Care may be another step in total governmental control of the population.
Let's face it, if they control your health care even food doesn't really matter. Wait, they're working on the food thingy too.......
The really sad part is that the Rino-Republican party is a full time partner in this criminal conspiracy.
Health Care
I have a friend who has been a bar tender for 5 years, she couldn't afford health care. Now with the talk of health care reform the bar owner checker into health care. She pays 60. every two weeks her boss pays the same, I think its great!Now she gets free check-up once a year, and if she does go to Dr. her co-pay is 30. what would it cost tax payers if she was on welfare.
Health insurance
Please, it is health insurance not health care.
She couldn't afford health insurance and now she can.
Hate to tell you, lou, but Obama's tinkering made it more...
...expensive for your friend to buy health insurance, not less expensive. The cost for health insurance went up about 10 percent between 2010 and 2011 in large part because of all the Obamacare mandates. IOWs, she and her employer would have paid lower premiums if Obama had done nothing at all.
actually muehlbau
the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation / American Hospital Association’s Health Research and Educational Trust study found the average cost for a family policy rose 9 percent for 2011.
They went further to find only 1 or 2 percent of that increase was attributable to the Affordable Care Act. ("in large part because of all the Obamacare mandates"??)
Keep things in perspective here- The study found the average price of a family plan has risen 113 percent since 2001. Problematic annual increases in US health care costs existed well before the Affordable Care Act was ever proposed.
While it's yet to be seen whether the ACA will find a way of actually reducing health care costs (so far the focus has been more in providing improved access), it's completely unfair and misleading to insist " in large part because of all the Obamacare mandates" health insurance costs went up 10 percent.
To Sadie: Medicare versus Employer provided insurance...
Sadie...It sounds like when you had employer provided insurance, your employer was providing really excellent insurance. That made you one of the really lucky ones. But guess what, your employer does not make those payments when you are no longer employed? So...who does? You do! And when your employer is no longer helping out with your insurance premiums, $100/month for a supplement looks like a lifesaver. Average cost of health insurance for a family is $15,000/year. Our premiums are almost $1,000/month with a $5,500 deductible. That means we need to plan on $16,000 or more per year for health insurance. Medicare is looking great to us. As far as the Affordable Care Act taking money away from Medicare, that's totally false. Since you say you are willing to educate yourself, I suggest you start with that.