Thoughts on Universal healthcare

[hinkjc]

Insurance companies are heavily regulated, by state and federal government, and must adhere to regulatory requirements. Otherwise, they are shut down. Even the amounts they pay for services and how they are paid are regulated by the government.

By implementing a universal, government-sponsored program, we give up rights to make decisions for ourselves. Consumers will be affected by increased tax burdens and likely less access to quality healthcare. Providers will be forced to provide care, beyond their capabilities and without expectation of payment. Even when they get payment, it will be stipulated based on governmental rules versus today’s choice to network with specific plans. Utilization of new technologies and advances in healthcare could become a thing of the past, with fewer profit margins to help cover the costs of such advances. Provider-patient relationships will not be what they had been in the past, due to less time dedicated to office visits. Employers will be forced to provide coverage to employees that they cannot afford, putting them at risk of losing their businesses. This is especially important in the case of small businesses. In the end, we will all feel the “pain” when healthcare for all Americans is implemented through the use of a government run program that does not foresee the impact on society as a whole.

 

[Dar]

Quote:
Ditto here too. I'm a Rn and I recently had this discussion with my doctor. IF universal helath care happens, realize you will not be able to keep your normal doctor. There will be not be any privat e practice for mds. There will be subacute care centers and whoever is on staff that day you will get. My doc will frequently keep sample meds in his office for patients that can't afford them. LAst week I had to take my daughter who was home from college with a bad cold, cough. He knew we covered all her needs out of pocket because our insurance company won't cover a 21 year old college student. She has basic medical but no prescription. My doc set us up with antibiotics, inhalers and cough meds. Now he won't be able to do this if universal health care happens. I like going to a doctor that knows my family and me so well.

sorry mjane i think some of you information may be inaccurate..

in Ontario....I have my own doctor who does not work out of a "clinic" type facility...(yes we do have after hours walk in clinics where you see who ever in on call...If i want to see my family dr...I make an appointment (wait time can vary between 2 hours to 1 day)

my doc also has sample meds in his office

I had a reaction to a prescription that was given to me post op. for pain (day surgery) I called my doc to tell him of my reaction and to ask what i should to (come into the office or back to the hospital) because the reaction was just a rash he said it was ok for me to stay home...he stopped by my house on his way home to check in on me... so the personal care is still there...

In Ontario when a doctor wants to go into private practice all they need to do is register with the provincial government and they have a scanning system where I give my doc my health card and it will transmit the bill right to the government...

there are fees that are not covered by the government healthcare..
dr's notes for school admission or daycare admissions are about $25

a drivers physical for a commercial drivers lic can run you about $100

anything cosmetic is not covered

there is a set rate a doc can bill the government for services...
so if i went to the dr for a yearly physical and all the female testing its all 100% covered by the government...and my doc cant charge a different rate the the doc thats down the hall..

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:
Well - kinda.... but it isnt necessary for insurance companies and doctors to charge $950.00 for a 5 minute office visit either

. There has to be some sort of oversight on it - some sort of cap across the board - the office visits keep getting more expensive each year when it doesnt cost that much to see these drs. The "write offs" these drs sign up to take IF they agree to take and accept insurance plans is incredible - and therein lies a big part of the problem. WHY is it up to the dr on whether they agree or not to participate with insurance? It should be mandatory and a cap should be in place on what a dr should be able to charge a person, period.

And.. what so many are forgetting is that we actually DO have "universal healthcare" - its called Medicare and Medicaid and look at the mess it is and how grea the government is running those systems

it just will not work.

Here we sit letting Congress decide about our healthcare and Social Security issues when they themselves never have to worry about either one because they will never see either system as long as they are in Congress - and afterwards. They are taken care of for life with the BEST healthcare plan from Blue Cross/ Blue Shield and they will never have to try to live on Social Security because they arent required to - ever.

Now - I ask you, how is that supposed to work? Pots calling the kettles and the shots when they have no clue what its like to have to live on $700.00 a month from Social Security as an elderly person, paying all bills while on Medicare - but having to pay for Part D so you can get meds also - and then have the system tell you "Oh sorry, you make too much money to qualify for food stamps or assistance"

Yeah - no...freaking...way. Grandmom lives a meak existance and we help provide her meds and food because this "universal government run system" already in place - is pure and utter failure - not enough to live on, but just toss them out like yesterdays trash!

Same with the military that retired. Oh..sure..you'll hear "serve your country and we'll give you healthcare for life free of charge" Sure they will - tell that to my father who ended up having to pay for Tricare because the military "changed the deal" after he served nearly 30 years to his country - and they left my mom with bills for his chemo and radiation between Medicare and Tricare.

*gets off soap box*

ugh.

 

[Oblio13]

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until it's "free".


Medical care from the folks who brought us the IRS. I can hardly wait.

 

[HennysMom]

Quote:
Ditto here too. I'm a Rn and I recently had this discussion with my doctor. IF universal helath care happens, realize you will not be able to keep your normal doctor. There will be not be any privat e practice for mds. There will be subacute care centers and whoever is on staff that day you will get. My doc will frequently keep sample meds in his office for patients that can't afford them. LAst week I had to take my daughter who was home from college with a bad cold, cough. He knew we covered all her needs out of pocket because our insurance company won't cover a 21 year old college student. She has basic medical but no prescription. My doc set us up with antibiotics, inhalers and cough meds. Now he won't be able to do this if universal health care happens. I like going to a doctor that knows my family and me so well.

sorry mjane i think some of you information may be inaccurate..

in Ontario....I have my own doctor who does not work out of a "clinic" type facility...(yes we do have after hours walk in clinics where you see who ever in on call...If i want to see my family dr...I make an appointment (wait time can vary between 2 hours to 1 day)

my doc also has sample meds in his office

I had a reaction to a prescription that was given to me post op. for pain (day surgery) I called my doc to tell him of my reaction and to ask what i should to (come into the office or back to the hospital) because the reaction was just a rash he said it was ok for me to stay home...he stopped by my house on his way home to check in on me... so the personal care is still there...

In Ontario when a doctor wants to go into private practice all they need to do is register with the provincial government and they have a scanning system where I give my doc my health card and it will transmit the bill right to the government...

there are fees that are not covered by the government healthcare..
dr's notes for school admission or daycare admissions are about $25

a drivers physical for a commercial drivers lic can run you about $100

anything cosmetic is not covered

there is a set rate a doc can bill the government for services...
so if i went to the dr for a yearly physical and all the female testing its all 100% covered by the government...and my doc cant charge a different rate the the doc thats down the hall..

They charge you for a doctors note??!!

I can get one for free if I just call my dr and tell them "hey look, kids been out sick with the flu.. I need a note" and they give it to me.

Physicals are covered under our plan - 1 a year - 100%... I just pay a copay of $15.00

and that includes for DH's CDL

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Quote:
I could not possibly agree more! It is not the answer at all.
The biggest thing that people do not seem to see is that the government does not pay for anything, we, the tax payers, pay for it! So, it's not free folks! On top of that the quality of care will decrease significantly and the waits to even see a Dr will get longer and longer. I have friends in other countries who have this in place already, they are not speking nicely about it!

 

[Dar]

they will bill you for 3rd party requests....because they are not medically necessary

however...that fee is up to the doctor if fells like billing you...I have had my doctor for a few years and he never charges me for that stuff...but other doctors will..


i think what we need to remember here is that there is no such thing as FREE health care...

in Ontario we pay higher taxes to have the health care system we do have..I like having the security of having my health care "fees" taken right off my pay then to have to fight with some person in an office fighting about why they rejected my claim and now have that stress too...I dont want to have to worry about getting pre approval for surgeries that I may need ...I feel that there is a lot less stress in the health care system that i have...but thats IMHO

I am not saying that having the health care system in Ontario is perfect but i never have to worry if i have an accident and cut fingers of which ones will be reattached (for those who have seen sicko you get the reference..lol)

 

[Wifezilla]

If you think health care is expensive now, wait until it's "free".

Having spent years involved with a healthcare related forum, there are plenty of horror stories coming out of the UK and Canada about the type of care (or lack thereof) they are getting.​

 

[Dar]

Quote:

Having spent years involved with a healthcare related forum, there are plenty of horror stories coming out of the UK and Canada about the type of care (or lack thereof) they are getting.

the wait times are reaonable...and I am not sure what you are referring to with the phrase "lack of care"...but i can see my doctor for what ever i need

...I waited 9 days for an appointment to a dermatologist
my mom waited about 4 days to see an oncologist
my son waited about 18 days to see a podiatrist

 

[HennysMom]

ouch. Then again, I guess its really no different than us here - with all the different healthcare plans - its really the same I suppose.

I think they should do away with HMO's personally and allow everyone to pick their own drs. I absolutely dread ever having an HMO, it terrifies me. I've had my drs since I was 18, so over 21 years now and for me to have to find a new cardiologist, neurologist, Family Dr, urologist and rhumy would be horrific as I have so many things wrong with me, it would take years just to sit down and explain all the testing I've had done

to get to where I am today.

I think thats the issue with the US today - its not that we need a "universal" healthcare system - what we need is oversight and an across-the-board set fee per state, that way its based on where you live since incomes are so varying in different states. It shouldnt cost more than $15.00 - $30.00 to go see ANY doctor as a co-payment, specialist or not - with no "after amount due". Doctors should have to agree to a set fee per visit and must accept all insurance plans. It doesnt cost $950.00 for a 5 minute visit with my cardiologist!! Example: I just had an MRI done of the abdomen - I got 2 prices for said test - 1 was for it being done at my drs office area that was equipped with the MRI unit, the 2nd price was for at the MRI Center near the hospital. Price #1: $1250.00 at drs office; Price #2: $3140.00 at the MRI Center!! WHAT?!?!! Same freaking test - same machine... so why is it $1890.00 MORE at the "MRI Center"?!

Why - because its a "center" and they have 2 MRI machines...and they have to pay for those 2 machines vs. just my drs. 1 machine, thats why.

So.... they pass that cost along to the patient! Whats even more disturbing is that insurance would only pay them the same amount if I had it done there that they paid my Drs office center, the rest they had to write off as a loss as they contracted with insurance to do just that. But the kicker is that for those that dont have insurance or those drs dont "accept or practice" with said companies, those patients are paying that extra $1890.00 in those fees because of greed and that isnt right.

Same with big pharma... thats why they hold patents on meds for 20+ years and then right before it expires, they rework it to be "new and improved" Take Imitrex for example - very popular migraine med right? Uh huh....now they have Treximet by the same maker... Uhm... isnt that Imitrex just spelled differently?!!

I dunno... its just very aggrevating to me... this entire situation.