Comments on: Answering Obama’s Challenge http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Mon, 21 May 2012 13:04:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jason http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-85868 Jason Sat, 29 Jan 2011 23:07:53 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-85868 What about training more general practitioners? Simple supply and demand argues that point. Odd that didn't make Newt's list. As a matter of fact, a lot of "common sense" solutions to lowering healthcare costs didn't make Newt's list. Best of luck to Newt; I hope he does more homework on this topic....A lot more homework! What about training more general practitioners? Simple supply and demand argues that point. Odd that didn’t make Newt’s list. As a matter of fact, a lot of “common sense” solutions to lowering healthcare costs didn’t make Newt’s list. Best of luck to Newt; I hope he does more homework on this topic….A lot more homework!

]]> By: Emily http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-84612 Emily Sun, 02 Jan 2011 07:29:25 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-84612 Great article. However, I have a question. Why are they taking 500 billion from Medicare and very little from Medicaid? I read an article in the Alabama Newspaper that said that the state had received a large amount of money from Obama (can't remember how much, but it was a lot)for Medicaid. We, the elderly, have paid into Medicare for years and then when we need it, zap it is being cut. Now most of the people on Medicaid are young and can still work but we can't. Also, I am sick and tired of hearing about the low-income people because when you see all that they get compared to a middle class person, they come out way ahead. For example, free home health care, phone, electric, housing, medical care, food stamps, long-term care, pads for incontinence and on and on. On paper, we are middle class, however, we pay for all of the above and when you do, we are the low-income people and we never asked for five cents from the government and we worked all our lives so that we would have a good retirement, but guess what with all the above bills we pay and more, we are lucky to have a roof over our head and food on the table never mind take a vacation. Whatever happened to take care of the elderly? We took care of our parents and our parents took care of their parents. The young people should be in an uproar over these proposed death panels for their grandparents, but I don't hear much from them. Well, they will all be old one day and they will then see the light! I wish I had never worked as then I could get all the freebies and would not have to worry how I am going to pay for increased health care, long term care insurance, etc. Great article. However, I have a question. Why are they taking 500 billion from Medicare and very little from Medicaid? I read an article in the Alabama Newspaper that said that the state had received a large amount of money from Obama (can’t remember how much, but it was a lot)for Medicaid. We, the elderly, have paid into Medicare for years and then when we need it, zap it is being cut. Now most of the people on Medicaid are young and can still work but we can’t. Also, I am sick and tired of hearing about the low-income people because when you see all that they get compared to a middle class person, they come out way ahead. For example, free home health care, phone, electric, housing, medical care, food stamps, long-term care, pads for incontinence and on and on. On paper, we are middle class, however, we pay for all of the above and when you do, we are the low-income people and we never asked for five cents from the government and we worked all our lives so that we would have a good retirement, but guess what with all the above bills we pay and more, we are lucky to have a roof over our head and food on the table never mind take a vacation. Whatever happened to take care of the elderly? We took care of our parents and our parents took care of their parents. The young people should be in an uproar over these proposed death panels for their grandparents, but I don’t hear much from them. Well, they will all be old one day and they will then see the light! I wish I had never worked as then I could get all the freebies and would not have to worry how I am going to pay for increased health care, long term care insurance, etc.

]]> By: Samuel Marcus http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-82277 Samuel Marcus Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:20:27 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-82277 Appeal health care. It is going to regulate the Amercicans. Health care reform will hurt the country. No more health care reform. President Obama, stop punishing Israel. Appeal health care. It is going to regulate the Amercicans. Health care reform will hurt the country. No more health care reform. President Obama, stop punishing Israel.

]]> By: Ruben http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-81926 Ruben Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:13:29 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-81926 You left out two truly enormous cost saving reforms: 1. Drastically reduce or eliminate most state and federal healthcare mandates. Depending on which study you look at, this could save 10%-40% on current health insurance premiums. 2. Institute a moratorium on new healthcare legislation. Compliance costs for insurers, providers, agents and even consumers is estimated to be over $60 billion annually. Instead concentrating their efforts on providing better quality healthcare, these entities are busy reprogramming claims system, rewriting contracts, reissuing booklets, certificates and benefit summaries and adjusting their billing systems which costs much time and money. You left out two truly enormous cost saving reforms: 1. Drastically reduce or eliminate most state and federal healthcare mandates. Depending on which study you look at, this could save 10%-40% on current health insurance premiums.
2. Institute a moratorium on new healthcare legislation. Compliance costs for insurers, providers, agents and even consumers is estimated to be over $60 billion annually. Instead concentrating their efforts on providing better quality healthcare, these entities are busy reprogramming claims system, rewriting contracts, reissuing booklets, certificates and benefit summaries and adjusting their billing systems which costs much time and money.

]]> By: Don S http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-72520 Don S Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:03:51 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-72520 This article is exactly the right approach to healthcare reform. We need to bring the Old Dinosaur model into the 21st century. It hit on the biggest problems that keep healthcare the unmanageable behemoth that it is. To be clear: 1)Eliminate the greed, corruption, and duplicate services that drive up prices 2)Open competition with reasonable price controls to allow free market behavior 3)Preventative Healthcare promoted from the National Level and down to community levels 4)Catastrophic healthcare coverage for all. These would lower healthcare and allow for no tax increases. God save 1/6 of the American Economy. This article is exactly the right approach to healthcare reform. We need to bring the Old Dinosaur model into the 21st century. It hit on the biggest problems that keep healthcare the unmanageable behemoth that it is.
To be clear: 1)Eliminate the greed, corruption, and duplicate services that drive up prices 2)Open competition with reasonable price controls to allow free market behavior 3)Preventative Healthcare promoted from the National Level and down to community levels 4)Catastrophic healthcare coverage for all. These would lower healthcare and allow for no tax increases. God save 1/6 of the American Economy.

]]> By: JT http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-69685 JT Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:33:46 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-69685 There is one factor, which if truly addressed, could simplify the whole problem. That factor is COST. Have you noticed what a service provider (hospital, Dr.) can charge for services rendered? Have you compared these costs to what's charged in other countries? Let a free market do it's thing. Open up US medical markets to foreign competition. Then allow insurance companies the chance to create defined networks that include more competitively priced providers. If the insurance plan member agrees to use an 'international' network then the insurance premiums could be dramatically less making insurance more affordable/accessable while stabalizing the price. Encourage the mechanisms of self-directed care (HSAs,PPOs)and frivolous utilization will go down. Add this to the Goodman mix and now the funding problem shrinks dramatically. Finally, create a national CATASTROPHIC health plan that kicks in after the first $20K of expenses, that every American pays into via payroll taxes. (The risk pool must include everyone, healthy as well as sick) This is not a single-payer system but rather private insurance companies managing and administering the program in an environment that allows for competition (much like Medicare Advantage). Now Joe Blow citizen can purchase a supplement that addresses the first-dollar expenses (e.g $20K) and pay premiums that are very managible. Every person must have 'skin in the game' to fix our current situation. I'm sure the heart specialist earning $300K a year doesn't like this idea but it's time to free Americans from the monopoly of our current healthcare system. There is one factor, which if truly addressed, could simplify the whole problem. That factor is COST. Have you noticed what a service provider (hospital, Dr.) can charge for services rendered? Have you compared these costs to what’s charged in other countries?
Let a free market do it’s thing. Open up US medical markets to foreign competition. Then allow insurance companies the chance to create defined networks that include more competitively priced providers. If the insurance plan member agrees to use an ‘international’ network then the insurance premiums could be dramatically less making insurance more affordable/accessable while stabalizing the price.
Encourage the mechanisms of self-directed care (HSAs,PPOs)and frivolous utilization will go down. Add this to the Goodman mix and now the funding problem shrinks dramatically.
Finally, create a national CATASTROPHIC health plan that kicks in after the first $20K of expenses, that every American pays into via payroll taxes. (The risk pool must include everyone, healthy as well as sick) This is not a single-payer system but rather private insurance companies managing and administering the program in an environment that allows for competition (much like Medicare Advantage). Now Joe Blow citizen can purchase a supplement that addresses the first-dollar expenses (e.g $20K) and pay premiums that are very managible.
Every person must have ‘skin in the game’ to fix our current situation.
I’m sure the heart specialist earning $300K a year doesn’t like this idea but it’s time to free Americans from the monopoly of our current healthcare system.

]]> By: Rebecca http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-63728 Rebecca Thu, 20 May 2010 22:43:17 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-63728 I worked for doctors for over 25 years and billed insurance claims for many of those year. First Medicare has such a problem with fraud because the people running Medicare, and paying claims, don't know what they should pay or to whom they should be paying it to. I use to have to call Medicare on a daily basis when I worked and I could ask 5 people the same question and get 5 different answers. No one there is trained enough to answer simple questions. Medicare is the most complicated insurance to deal with, but what should we expect from a government run insurance company? Nothing the government runs works! Medicare, Medicaid, IRS, Postal Service, etc. Now that I am approaching Medicare age, I am worried to death on how I will be able to pay for my medical expenses. My husband is a retiree of Verizon, and I am sure that they soon will drop all of their retiree's benefits to save money, thanks to Obama and his new health care package. They will just throw us all into the government plan and pay the fines if necessary. It would be cheaper for them to do this. Every year we see our benefits lowered, and we anticipate not having any before it is all through. Our country use to be great, and now we won't even take care of our elderly citizens. We are taking care of my husband's 87 year old mother, but soon we won't be able to do that when we can't even pay for our own medications, or doctor's expenses. What has happened to this country? I worked for doctors for over 25 years and billed insurance claims for many of those year. First Medicare has such a problem with fraud because the people running Medicare, and paying claims, don’t know what they should pay or to whom they should be paying it to. I use to have to call Medicare on a daily basis when I worked and I could ask 5 people the same question and get 5 different answers. No one there is trained enough to answer simple questions. Medicare is the most complicated insurance to deal with, but what should we expect from a government run insurance company? Nothing the government runs works! Medicare, Medicaid, IRS, Postal Service, etc. Now that I am approaching Medicare age, I am worried to death on how I will be able to pay for my medical expenses. My husband is a retiree of Verizon, and I am sure that they soon will drop all of their retiree’s benefits to save money, thanks to Obama and his new health care package. They will just throw us all into the government plan and pay the fines if necessary. It would be cheaper for them to do this. Every year we see our benefits lowered, and we anticipate not having any before it is all through. Our country use to be great, and now we won’t even take care of our elderly citizens. We are taking care of my husband’s 87 year old mother, but soon we won’t be able to do that when we can’t even pay for our own medications, or doctor’s expenses. What has happened to this country?

]]> By: Maggie http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-63721 Maggie Thu, 20 May 2010 22:34:50 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-63721 Why is it all the American people have to put up with Obama and his ludicrous health care that is't worth the paper it is written on and it is definitely selling out the American people. On top of that the illegals get all our benefits and they haven't worked a penny for any of the benefits they are getting. I fully agree with Arizona, send them all back home and free up our American rights and privileges and take back our country from all their gangs and illegal drugs they force on our country. I truly home all the other state make laws against the illegals and send them home till they can learn English and not expect to be handed everything free here. If we went to Mexico they wouldn't be cowtowing to all our wants and they certainly wouldn't be paying our medical, education, hospital and jobs and everything they seem to think is free by being an illegal in America. Why is it all the American people have to put up with Obama and his ludicrous health care that is’t worth the paper it is written on and it is definitely selling out the American people. On top of that the illegals get all our benefits and they haven’t worked a penny for any of the benefits they are getting. I fully agree with Arizona, send them all back home and free up our American rights and privileges and take back our country from all their gangs and illegal drugs they force on our country. I truly home all the other state make laws against the illegals and send them home till they can learn English and not expect to be handed everything free here. If we went to Mexico they wouldn’t be cowtowing to all our wants and they certainly wouldn’t be paying our medical, education, hospital and jobs and everything they seem to think is free by being an illegal in America.

]]> By: judith http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-63693 judith Thu, 20 May 2010 20:58:59 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-63693 I don't think ANYBODY gets it! Everyone is so intent on the do-not-haves, they are killing the "haves"! We have insurance because we worked our rears off to get it! Now, I have to pay medicare $96/mo for something I got for $20/mo, and Medicare informed me they had "deductibles" (which was not mentioned in the original paperwork). I have had three x-rays for my replaced hip, and medicare hasn't paid any. They paid $30 of a $400 bill for tests, etc. Now, I don't know what in the Lord's name they are taking FROM Medicare, because I can't figure out what Medicare is PAYING!!! Cut the crap and kill this lunacy. People who don't have experience with the use of medical insurance are3 trying to fix it. That's remarkably ignorant. Get a few citizens on there. See what reality is! I don’t think ANYBODY gets it! Everyone is so intent on the do-not-haves, they are killing the “haves”! We have insurance because we worked our rears off to get it! Now, I have to pay medicare $96/mo for something I got for $20/mo, and Medicare informed me they had “deductibles” (which was not mentioned in the original paperwork). I have had three x-rays for my replaced hip, and medicare hasn’t paid any. They paid $30 of a $400 bill for tests, etc. Now, I don’t know what in the Lord’s name they are taking FROM Medicare, because I can’t figure out what Medicare is PAYING!!!
Cut the crap and kill this lunacy. People who don’t have experience with the use of medical insurance are3 trying to fix it. That’s remarkably ignorant. Get a few citizens on there. See what reality is!

]]> By: Jim http://healthblog.ncpa.org/answering-obama%e2%80%99s-challenge/comment-page-1/#comment-63203 Jim Fri, 14 May 2010 19:23:46 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=8808#comment-63203 Some of your idea's will work, others are already in place with insurance companies and some just plan won't work. Can you image how complicated it would be for employees to move their insurance from employer to employer. Massive, expensive changes would have to be made to the system. Right now, 100% of an employees cost for health insurance can come out of their paycheck pre-tax or tax free. It would be nice for individuals to be able to do the same thing on their taxes. Although most individual plans are held by the self employeed and they can take a full tax deduction at the end of the year. Here are just a few points. Most of what is said is accurate and could help. Some of your idea’s will work, others are already in place with insurance companies and some just plan won’t work.
Can you image how complicated it would be for employees to move their insurance from employer to employer. Massive, expensive changes would have to be made to the system.

Right now, 100% of an employees cost for health insurance can come out of their paycheck pre-tax or tax free. It would be nice for individuals to be able to do the same thing on their taxes. Although most individual plans are held by the self employeed and they can take a full tax deduction at the end of the year.

Here are just a few points. Most of what is said is accurate and could help.

]]>