Breaking: ACA Not Repealed.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

For now, I'm sure we haven't heard the last of this. They could still fix ACA's shortcomings, the deals that had to be made with the lobbyists to get it passed in the beginning, but they won't. They could still make it weaker, chip away at it, low profile damage, but we'll see.

That's the problem as I see it. The hyperpartisanship will prevent reasonable adjustments from being made. Ideally I'd rather see a single payer system, but I doubt we can do that with a broken government.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by Griff

That's the problem as I see it. The hyperpartisanship will prevent reasonable adjustments from being made. Ideally I'd rather see a single payer system, but I doubt we can do that with a broken government.

Our government if far from broken. Our democracy is broken, but our oligarchy/plutocracy is strong and vital.
[/nitpicking]

[henry quirk]

As I say: my health care is my business, not yours.

Repeal, don't replace.

Let me shop and buy across state lines and leave me be.

[monster]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

As I say: my health care is my business, not yours.

Repeal, don't replace.

Let me shop and buy across state lines and leave me be.

...but what about those for whom it is all too complex and overwhelming and costly and so end up without insurance? And without vaccinations? If we let them die in the street, who will pay to remove the bodies?

[monster]

Originally Posted by Griff

I'd rather see a single payer system, but I doubt we can do that with a broken government.

Initially I misread "Single Prayer System"

[xoxoxoBruce]

No, we have a multi-prayer system.

Hey Henry, have you seen this? You seemed interested in the subject.

[henry quirk]

"If we let them die in the street, who will pay to remove the bodies?"

An unrestrained market would have a fertilizer producer contract to haul the carcasses away for free.

Lots of phosphates and such in carcasses.

#

Bruce, you got a point?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Hey, don't be dissing the shape of my head.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Griff

That's the problem as I see it. The hyperpartisanship will prevent reasonable adjustments from being made. Ideally I'd rather see a single payer system, but I doubt we can do that with a broken government.

The ACA does need improvement, I agree. And wholeheartedly agree that the single-payer system *already* in place for large swathes of our population could serve as instructivel models for a system that covered all americans. Medicaid and Veterans Administration, I'm looking at you.

Instructive, having elements that could be repeated, like Medicaid's structure to negotiate drug prices should be modeled. The sources of the problems with delivering heath care to veterans, whatever they may be, should not be duplicated. We *have* single payer systems already that are accepted and and acceptable. We'll never go to a completely free market system, nor should we, any more than we should go to a completely socialized system. Just because people covered by one of these programs gets their health insurance costs covered in all or in part by the government doesn't mean that there's no room for additional market based companies to compliment that coverage.

We have hybrid systems like this now, all over the place. Supplemental Medicare/Medicaid insurance plans are widely available. It can happen.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Supplemental Medicare/Medicaid insurance plans are widely available. It can happen.

Yes my Medicare Part B costs me $110 a month and the Aetna supplemental policy which gets around a 16%? kickback from Medicare to do all the paperwork, is about $400 a month. That also includes drugs, which Medicare calls part D if you get it from them, but they're only the "drugs that mother gives you".