Dems: GOP rollback of HCR would increase the deficit.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

My mother has been struggling to control her type II diabetes since she was diagnosed with it nearly 10 years ago. First the doctor and dietitians worked with her on controlling it just with diet. She made a ton of progress, lost a lot of weight, eventually retired (which happened to also improve her health), but even after all that work, her blood sugar readings and organ functioning tests still aren't good enough. So now she's finally on insulin...after all this time. Diabetes is extremely hard to control, even with medication. And to punish people for trying to control it is WRONG. Since your company owns the HMO I'm sure they know what happens to their employees when they don't treat their diabetes.

I would be furious if my company went with an insurance plan with a list of qualifications like that. Pretty much the only group of people that qualify for those low rates are young employees, since high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight gain and diabetes are common in older demographics.

You're looking at this wrong. No one is punishing anyone. The company is combining a group and individual insurance policy method. To give you an example, I have chronic migraines. Recently I had to try to buy medical insurance on the individual market in Arizona. I was turned down by every single carrier in the state despite having $1000 a month stipend from my employer to pay my premiums. $1000! If your mother tried to buy insurance on the individual market, she would be uninsurable. The only reason she has insurance is because she has group insurance. The other employees could argue that she is punishing them with higher premiums because of her bad health. The company has made the decision to split the difference and give small breaks to people who meet specific markers and increase premiums for people who don't. Is it fair? What is fair? While I wish that I could get an insurance policy, I can understand why no one will insure me. When and if I get an individual policy under HCR, it will cost my an arm and a leg. I also know how much it costs to insure a poorly controlled diabetic on insulin, whether or not her poorly controlled state is all "her fault." In the end, we both still cost a lot to insure.

[AGDee]

I feel the same way emotionally about it, honestly I do, but I understand the overall rationale also. For every other type of insurance, higher risk factors make your insurance go up but this has not been true of health insurance. If you have tickets, drive a certain type of car (high theft risk) or drive a lot of miles for your work, live in a certain area.. your auto insurance rates go up. If you live far from a fire hydrant and fire station, in a shady neighborhood, or if you are a smoker, your home owners insurance goes up. If you make frequent claims on either, your rates go up. We are used to that and never complain about it. Should healthcare be different? I was spitting nails when they first announced it, and when they released all the increases in expectations over the next few years too.

I believe this is a trend that you can expect to see grow. Blue Cross in this area started it with their Healthy Blue Living plan. Then our system's HMO picked up on it and implemented it. It started with us getting a bonus if we completed a health risk assessment and did some online educational modules that addressed the areas where we were lacking. The next year, we had to do the risk assessment, complete a module and see our PCP once and do our annual screenings (pap, mammogram.. nothing for men, I might note) to get the bonus. Then they switched it to "You have a $1000 deductible and your co-pays are doubled but you can stay at the same old rates if you do..."

THIS is also the reason I'm against a single payer system. I believe competition among health insurers is important in helping keep costs down and giving consumers a choice. I would like to see this totally removed from the employer though. When you work for an employer that owns a HMO, guess what insurance you get? We have the option of Blue Cross, but it is so incredibly expensive in comparison that nobody can afford it, except maybe the doctors/PhDs. I would like to see employers give health insurance vouchers that are good for the insurance of your choice instead of giving you the options that they choose and that are cheapest for them.

Also new this year is that we can only use system pharmacies to fill our prescriptions or they will not be covered. We used to get significant discounts if we filled a 'script at a system pharmacy but now it's required. There are a couple exceptions, like urgent medications such as antibiotics needed, so you don't have to drive in to work to fill your prescription when you have pnuemonia. We can fill 3 prescriptions over our LIFETIME at another pharmacy. So, if you're on vacation and you run out of meds, you can get it filled elsewhere. But only 3 times.. lifetime.

I understand the idea of supporting the system you work for.. the "I work at Ford, I drive a Ford" mentality and I very well might do that anyway, but I want a choice, especially since 70% of my co-workers have access to my health information.

Also Peppy, African Americans have significantly higher rates of hypertension demographically.

On the flip side, there are several people in my department who have become motivated to lose significant amounts of weight. It may be most effective among that group. I was a little peeved that I lost my 58 pounds right before this went into effect..lol. I gained some when I broke my foot earlier this year. I'm trying to get down now to the weight I was the last time I saw the doc so that I'm breaking even for this year. Interestingly, some co-workers have been overheard talking that they are going for exactly 5% of their body weight each year because they are afraid if they lose too much in one year, they won't be able to qualify the next year. Losing 10 pounds a year sounds reasonable to them. I'm taking the opposite approach, I just want to get to the acceptable range this year so I don't have to worry about it anymore. I wanted to do that anyway

[Kevin]

The folks in D.C. who kept the tax cuts for the wealthy whilst extending unemployment benefits from ridiculous to ludicrous length are complaining that something might negatively impact the deficit?

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Kevin

The folks in D.C. who kept the tax cuts for the wealthy whilst extending unemployment benefits from ridiculous to ludicrous length are complaining that something might negatively impact the deficit?

Not sure which articles you were reading, but everything that I read indicated that the original bill by the Dems did NOT include those tax cuts for the wealthy but that one failed because the Republicans insisted that they'd only vote for it if it included an extension of all the Bush tax cuts, not just the ones for the middle and lower class.

Additionally, the Republicans argument for rolling this back is that the plan itself would increase the deficit too much. This is the counter argument that rolling it back would increase it.

Lastly, the title of this thread is actually not very accurate because it wasn't the Dems who said this, it was the CBO:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) just released an estimate of the Republican bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act and finds the GOP plan explodes the deficit and will have a devastating impact on the health of millions of Americans.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by AGDee

Not sure which articles you were reading, but everything that I read indicated that the original bill by the Dems did NOT include those tax cuts for the wealthy but that one failed because the Republicans insisted that they'd only vote for it if it included an extension of all the Bush tax cuts, not just the ones for the middle and lower class.

Additionally, the Republicans argument for rolling this back is that the plan itself would increase the deficit too much. This is the counter argument that rolling it back would increase it.

Lastly, the title of this thread is actually not very accurate because it wasn't the Dems who said this, it was the CBO:

So the Dems and Reps combined to select the least responsible option of all. Bravo to both of them.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by Kevin

So the Dems and Reps combined to select the least responsible option of all. Bravo to both of them.

It really would be nice if you could get past the one line zingers and tell us how you would do it if you were the ruler of the world instead. These one liners are the epitome of what is wrong with politics. Everybody has an insult, nobody has a suggestion on how to do it differently.

What is the most responsible option in your opinion?

[MysticCat]

She was asing Kevin. No one cares what you think.

[agzg]

I'm becoming more and more convinced that frodobaggybutt and madmax are the same.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by agzg

I'm becoming more and more convinced that frodobaggybutt and madmax are the same.

I still disappointed with frodo. I thought we understood each other. He posts repetitive comments about accepting Jesus, we utterly ignore him... those were the happy times.

Now I know he's a freeper.

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I still disappointed with frodo. I thought we understood each other. He posts repetitive comments about accepting Jesus, we utterly ignore him... those were the happy times.

Now I know he's a freeper.

I'm starting to suspect that he's also one of live-in's crazy family members. I guess we won't know for sure until he calls me a lefty libral Palin-hatin' feminazi that thinks wimminz should be paid more than men though.

[Psi U MC Vito]

Ok am I the only person who wonders exactly how he expects us to deport United States Citizens? Max, if you hate African AMERICANS so much, why don't you leave yourself to a country that has less of them.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

She was asking Kevin. No one cares what you think.

Thank you

[knight_shadow]

We're still arguing with MM, huh?

[Psi U MC Vito]

Um IIRC MC is a white lawyer from the South. In other words, STFU.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by thecuz

Most people agree with me.

Most people laugh at you.

You can't redistribute brains . . .

A shame, too, as otherwise we might be able to get you some.

Originally Posted by Psi U MC Vito

IIRC MC is a white lawyer from the South.

Complete with the seersucker suit to prove it.