Universal Health Coverage

[analog]

Kim Strassel in yesterday's Journal gets it:

So why the stubborn insistence on passing health reform? Think big. The liberal wing of the party—the Barney Franks, the David Obeys—are focused beyond November 2010, to the long-term political prize. They want a health-care program that inevitably leads to a value-added tax and a permanent welfare state. Big government then becomes fact, and another Ronald Reagan becomes impossible. See Continental Europe.

It has never been about health care, it has always been about taking over our lives.

I usually avoid conspiracy theories... but

this is too close to that old Gary North book "None dare call it conspiracy".

Has democrat party got took over by a bunch of Manchurian Candidates or is this just how rabble behaves?



a.

[Haggis@wk]

I've never understood why some commenters here think that entrusting their health care to government employees will result in more generous or compassionate treatment.
Now, the Independent Institute cites data from the American Medical Association's National Health Insurer Report Card that indicate Medicare denies claims at twice the rate of private insurance companies:

According to the American Medical Association's National Health Insurer Report Card for 2008, the government's health plan, Medicare, denied medical claims at nearly double the average for private insurers: Medicare denied 6.85% of claims. The highest private insurance denier was Aetna @ 6.8%, followed by Anthem Blue Cross @ 3.44, with an average denial rate of medical claims by private insurers of 3.88%

In its 2009 National Health Insurer Report Card, the AMA reports that Medicare denied only 4% of claims--a big improvement, but outpaced better still by the private insurers. The prior year's high private denier, Aetna, reduced denials to 1.81%--an astounding 75% improvement--with similar declines by all other private insurers, to average only 2.79%.

The Democrats have been relentlessly demagoguing the private health insurance industry by pointing out that insurers sometimes deny claims. In that context, it is noteworthy that the government does so twice as often.

And it is certainly true that once the government has your health care safely in its hands, it will treat you with the same shoddy carelessness that typifies every socialized medicine system in the world.

[BigJon]

And Medicare is more expensive than private insurance in the USA. Betcha didn't know that. Per covered person, medicare is cheaper, but per claim, medicare is more expensive. Must cost a lot rejecting all those claims over and over again.

[Haggis@wk]

Jim Lindgren: If You Like Your Health Plan, You Will NOT Be Able to Keep It.

“I like my employer’s health plan. Today I learned that under both the Senate and the House bills, I won’t be able to keep my plan. Both bills require reductions in health reimbursement benefits under my plan. . . . Those who argued that President Obama could not possibly keep that promise were accused of spreading lies and disinformation, of using ’scare tactics.’ Now we learn that Obama’s critics were right.”

As more and more of these gems come to light people will get madder and madder. 60% of Americans already hated this obscenity, can we get that to 75%?

[analog]

And Medicare is more expensive than private insurance in the USA. Betcha didn't know that. Per covered person, medicare is cheaper, but per claim, medicare is more expensive. Must cost a lot rejecting all those claims over and over again.

that just doesn't sound plausible somehow... when I got on medicare i noticed they pay hospital quickly, and most of my insurance EOB's come back "provider agreed to accept Medicare allowance no further charges due".... my insurance co made out like bandits and still raised my rate 50% this year.


there's gotta be some funky accounting behind that statistic.

[Haggis@wk]

Medical tourism

Very interesting. I really enjoyed excellent (and cheap) health care in Thailand.

[jamiebk]

Medical tourism

Very interesting. I really enjoyed excellent (and cheap) health care in Thailand.

My friend's father recently traveled to Mexico to get some extensive dental work done...basically "replaced" all his teeth with dentures. Would have been unaffordable for him here. He took 3 weeks in a nice vacation spot in Mexico and came back with new choppers. He's very happy with them. He said that it was 1/4 the out of pocket cost it would have been here...even with the vacation.

[Haggis@wk]

"I hope he dies."

I'm impressed that it took 12 comments before anyone at Politico said that (or anything like that) after a report that Rush Limbaugh has been hospitalized with chest pains and is in "serious" condition.

The people calling for Rush Limbaugh to die are the same people who ask to control your healthcare.

Rush Limbaugh has said on his show many times that once the government runs health care, there is a threat that life-or-death decisions will be made based on politics, and people will worry that if they criticize the government or espouse the wrong opinions decisions will go against them.

[Haggis@wk]

Medical tourism

Very interesting. I really enjoyed excellent (and cheap) health care in Thailand.

My friend's father recently traveled to Mexico to get some extensive dental work done...basically "replaced" all his teeth with dentures. Would have been unaffordable for him here. He took 3 weeks in a nice vacation spot in Mexico and came back with new choppers. He's very happy with them. He said that it was 1/4 the out of pocket cost it would have been here...even with the vacation.

\

A dear friend at the British Club in Bangkok had cancer and spent months in the hospital undergoing chemo. He received tremedous care and held on through some painful treatments. He eventually returned to England and we lost contact with he and his wife after that. Before he left I recall him laughing and saying that his drinks bill at the club was more expensive than his hospital bill.

[Haggis@wk]

Mayo Clinic in Arizona to Stop Treating Some Medicare Patients

I don’t think any hospitals in Dallas are thinking about this but several doctors groups here have stopped treating Medicare patients. One clinic in Dallas is cash only no insurance and is doing very well.

I believe we're going to see more revolts like these.

[OperaTenor]

"I hope he dies."

I'm impressed that it took 12 comments before anyone at Politico said that (or anything like that) after a report that Rush Limbaugh has been hospitalized with chest pains and is in "serious" condition.

The people calling for Rush Limbaugh to die are the same people who ask to control your healthcare.

Rush Limbaugh has said on his show many times that once the government runs health care, there is a threat that life-or-death decisions will be made based on politics, and people will worry that if they criticize the government or espouse the wrong opinions decisions will go against them.

How about a followup on Rush' condition? Can you say, "media op?"

[Shapley]

Rush Limbaugh Transcript

Are you saying he didn't actually have chest pains? Or are you saying that a guy who makes his living talking about politics should have refrained from doing so after his visit? I'm puzzled.

[OperaTenor]

Well, what was the final diagnosis?

[GreatCarouser]

Well, what was the final diagnosis?

His mouth still works fine....

[Shapley]

To the best of my knowledge, he has not released that information, and HIPPA prevents the hospital from doing so. His heart is fine, according to him.

[OperaTenor]

But of course we shouldn't expect this known drug abuser and repeat offender to be hiding anything this time, should we?

But do go on throwing St. Rush' detractors under the bus for being skeptical.

[Shapley]

Who did I throw under the bus? I offered the 'follow up' you asked for, and I asked if you were denying that he had chest pains. We tell people who have chest pains to see a doctor or go to the emergency room immediately, yet you seem to be saying he was wrong in doing so, apparently because he doesn't support the current legislative efforts. If I recall, his father died young, which is ample justification for seeking medical attention at the first signs of potential heart trouble.

Given the nature of the current debate, it is expected that his visit would be questioned. He as addressed those questions, and I posted that response.

I neither know nor listen to Rush, so I don't know why you would refer to him as 'St. Rush' in addressing me. You are free to be as skeptical as you wish, but if you post your skepticism in an open forum, you really shouldn't be surprised if someone responds with differning viewpoints. If that is 'throwing you under the bus', so be it.

[Shapley]

According to ABC News, the doctors did not determine (or at least did not release) a cause, they merely ruled out heart trouble as the culprit. This is not unusual for emergency calls. Their focus is on emergencies, once they determine that the condition does not qualify as an emergency, they release the patient to seek follow-up treatment to determine and treat the cause of the problem.

"There are ... dozens of other potential causes of chest pain, most of which are not life-threatening," Bhatt said. "Common masqueraders include musculoskeletal pains, acid reflux and other digestive disorders like ulcers, and stress."

[jamiebk]

Whether you enjoy Rush Limbaugh's style of entertainment or not, he is still a celebrity and subject to all the hub-bub that accompanies such people. It was big news when he checked in to ER with chest pains. He checked out, but no medical news was forthcoming for days. People were curious...is he OK or not??? What was this all about? All he could talk about at that point was "the health care debate" and not a word about his own condition. Sure seems like a media-op to me. Glad he is OK. All in all, he is still just an "Entertainer". One must view his antics in that context. I would expect nothing more and received nothing more from this latest stunt.

[Giant Communist Robot]

I heard Rush say several times what fine health care he was getting, and I wonder. Sometimes people here have to leave to get adequate care. Part of the problem is few doctors are willing to cut their pay in half just to live here. They said he had chest pains but it wasn't a heart attack. Later they explained that's because he doesn't have a heart. Upon admission he had to tell them he was taking massive doses of Viagra and pain medication. I could see a problem with that.