We could all come up with scores of "what ifs" Ben.
It is a complicated problem and hopefully Trump and his brain-trust will come up with workable solutions.
That's why we elected him. He promised something better.
Trump has no "brain trust." It's just him, if you believe him. His appointees, by and large, have disavowed his opinions (I would say beliefs, but that would be too strong a word unless you buy into his megalomania.)
I believe I’d be in favor of premiums proportionate to lifestyle choices.
But what I see as the problem is what do you do with people that are relying on government paid premiums who have no incentive to try save money by their lifestyle choices? Are they entitled to get the same type of coverage that someone who pays those higher premiums because of their poor lifestyle choices do? It seems somehow accountability to make one responsible for the costs needs to factor in to keep things in control.
Why should conscientious people who take on the responsibility to avoid poor health issues be responsible to pay super high medical insurance and take on the burden to cover someone else's neglectful habits?
And you tell a liberal that they are not entitled to top of the line medical coverage that they don't pay for unless they they take on some responsibility for their health and they scream "death panel"...
Years ago - there was a national insurance company (Prefered Risk) who would not insure those who drank alcohol (even one a year was too much)
The company was not licensed in NY State - and it seems it was because they would not insure drinkers.
You old timers may remember they would send church's music sheets of
chorus songs - to be used in youth groups, ect.
No because my family was already paying a price that less than 1% of the US pays...the sacrifice of a military career...or are you opposed to the benefits that military families get?
Yet I must ask you, who are you to judge? Who are you to decide who's life is worth more.
A 350lb man is probably not going to qualify for a transplant anyway...OK? And, if he's on dialysis, he's on a pretty strict diet.
You seem to have missed or ignored the point, as in, who are you to judge how much of other people’s money you are entitled to for your healthcare, without limits, without responsibility, and without any accountability for your own lifestyle choices? Or maybe you believe there should be no limits, no regulations and there is no need for controlling the costs?
How would you infer that he is against military compensation just because he pointed out that there is still a monetary cost associated with each procedure? If you can't refute his post, there is no need to go on the attack.
If you are advocating that a country that spends 2 dollars for every dollar is takes in in taxes should be left to manage everyone's healthcare, you have to be able to talk about costs divorced from emotion.
Not to diminish yours or anyone's service, but all flights come with a price tag.
It is a simple fact which makes medivac service possible.
Someone received a bill for tangible money.
First you imply that I wish people of a certain income level to die (your Post number 16), now this?
You just cannot help yourself, eh?
Sheath the dagger, Ma'am.
But how does one determine poor lifestyle choices? For instance, you've focused quite a bit of attention on weight, but for some health issues excessive weight is a symptom of the illness, not the cause of it. For instance, Cushing's Disease. It's hard to diagnose, and a lot of doctors don't test for it because they just assume patients who present with the symptoms simply need to get off the sofa and stop eating chips, when the reality is quite the opposite.
In a system where people are treated (or written off) according to a checklist, you send a lot of people to their death.
I don't think anyone wants that, so we have to figure out a way to provide personalized standards (doctor led) within a system that reduces cost.
So if you gain at the expense of others, without limits, responsibility or accountability and without concern for controlling the costs, which is your right as per the grace the God, such a practice is okay because it is His money. Therefore, I have no point worth factoring in to this formula of yours. Hmm…I'm starting to see a pattern here with you putting words in other's mouths rather than dealing with the issues...
I gained about 75lbs despite being careful about my diet. My doctor swore up and down that my only problem was that I ate too much. So, I kept a food diary for about 30 days. Turns out I was taking in a max of about 1500 calories a day...I should have lost about 10 lbs that month alone. She ordered a bunch of blood tests. My thyroid was out of whack. Got put on medications and about 60 of that 75lbs is now gone.
Why is it always necessary for someone to always go to the extremes? I don't know why you'd think that everyone is such a prolifigate spender of "money that isn't theirs". Due to certain things, we live just above poverty level. We get food stamps, rent and utility assistance for now. I can make that 246.00 in food stamps stretch like you wouldn't believe. Our utility assistance? We're still running credits on both the electric and gas bills. Our rent assistance helps us pay for the extravagance of a 1 bedroom apartment in a not so great neighborhood.
Until you've lived in poverty, you have no idea what it's like. You have no idea of what it's like to have repeated panic attacks over your husband not being able to get the medications he needs to stay alive.
So...keep your sweet middle class "no worries" lifestyle...I pray you never get hit with cancer or another catastrophic illness that causes you to lose everything you have just to save your life.
Having worked in the medical field for 16+ years, I say many ppl who have insurance shouldn't have it. We have 'frequent flyers' who come in with the same ailment(s). One comes in all the time with shortness of breath with his belly almost touching his knees, plus he's a diabetic that eats donuts like they're going outta style.
Others come in with shortness of breath/chest pain who always wear their Marlboro #5...