Clinton's & Obama's Universal Health Care Plans

What he said does makes sense, you are only looking at it from the gov't standpoint. You can still get private insurance if you want. The idea is that the private insurance companies will lower their rates in order to compete with the gov't plan. The gov't isn't going to become an insurance company, they are just going to regulate the costs... private companies will have to lower costs in order to compete.

The only part I don't like is the sliding scale based on income... that always makes me a little nervous as it's those that are jsut barely getting by and just barely miss the cut off for assisstance that get hurt. I want to see the exact numbers.

I am going to do nothing but at that comment.

BTW, I may "work" for them, but I by no means think what they do sometimes is right. I only state the truth I see. If you were around it first hand, maybe you would too.

I do not understand what does that suppose to mean? You think insurance companies want this plan when they make so much profit right now? Of course not. These "special interests" is what is ruining this country.

Are you kidding me? I agree that special interests HELP ruin our country but you are naive if you don't think the lovely federal government (which you think would be doing such a great service to our country by having UHC) isn't helping to ruin it either. Do you know that every time the legislature mandates insurance companies to do something, the insurance companies try to knock it down because it will cost the consumer. The legislature says "I don't care, pass it on to the consumer" and that's what happens. The government knows what they are doing. If you think it's special interest groups alone that ruin our country you really don't know how the system works.

nm, Coasterqueen is saying everything much better than I can

This post has been edited by skinkybaby on Feb 29 2008, 07:04 AM

TLC Dad, I definitely see your point logically and it could work. The only real problem I see is that our government unfortunately has an agenda. The politicians seem to not be much better then the insurance companies you speak of. They are in competition with each other over whose party is smarter and better for the country and will agree or disagree with the others ideas out of spite. Some not all of the politicians are looking towards the future and how to get re-elected. They sometimes don't give a rip about the individual people, they care about their public image, and keeping themselves in office.

A little experiment would be to put some of these politicians in our shoes. Make them work a middle class job and pay insurance premiums for health etc, have to go to the DR and then try to make ends meet after that. They can say a lot of things but they are not experiencing them. Government workers get so many perks that the issues they are trying to resolve many times don't apply to them.

I am not disregarding your ideas at all TLC Dad, if our government would put their own agendas aside we would be better off.

On a side note...a lot of these insurance companies are the ones that contribute and lobby for certain people to be in office and what not and historically the government won't shut down or take a lot of business away from the people that support them...look at the Oil companies...they rip us off everyday and you don't see anyone really capping them off at all do ya?

That is all I really have to say

I am going to do nothing but at that comment.

BTW, I may "work" for them, but I by no means think what they do sometimes is right. I only state the truth I see. If you were around it first hand, maybe you would too.

I do not understand what does that suppose to mean? You think insurance companies want this plan when they make so much profit right now? Of course not. These "special interests" is what is ruining this country.

Are you kidding me? I agree that special interests HELP ruin our country but you are naive if you don't think the lovely federal government (which you think would be doing such a great service to our country by having UHC) isn't helping to ruin it either. Do you know that every time the legislature mandates insurance companies to do something, the insurance companies try to knock it down because it will cost the consumer. The legislature says "I don't care, pass it on to the consumer" and that's what happens. The government knows what they are doing. If you think it's special interest groups alone that ruin our country you really don't know how the system works.

Did I say its special interests alone. Do I agree with our government on everything. Absolutely not (especialy our current administration but thats a different topic). Let me first explain my politcal views. I am not far left and I am not far right I am very moderate -- I just tend to lean left on more issues but I am far from liberal but also do not want to see goverment getting involved in everything.

But with that said, I do believe special interests from health insurance and pharmaceuticals and big oil are really causing very bad problem for our generation and does indeed cause an unbalanced price vs raise in inflation. Prices are not following the rate of inflation on very important things with health care being one of them.

Oh I agree. Thats why we need to get rid of special interests.

BTW in case anyone did not know the health insurance that members of congress have is the group plan that Clinton and Obama want to give to offer to everyone. Someone people were wondering how they are going to start it... I just wanted to point out it already exsists but unfortuantly just for the elite few right now.

I am going to do nothing but at that comment.

BTW, I may "work" for them, but I by no means think what they do sometimes is right. I only state the truth I see. If you were around it first hand, maybe you would too.

I do not understand what does that suppose to mean? You think insurance companies want this plan when they make so much profit right now? Of course not. These "special interests" is what is ruining this country.

Are you kidding me? I agree that special interests HELP ruin our country but you are naive if you don't think the lovely federal government (which you think would be doing such a great service to our country by having UHC) isn't helping to ruin it either. Do you know that every time the legislature mandates insurance companies to do something, the insurance companies try to knock it down because it will cost the consumer. The legislature says "I don't care, pass it on to the consumer" and that's what happens. The government knows what they are doing. If you think it's special interest groups alone that ruin our country you really don't know how the system works.

Did I say its special interests alone. Do I agree with our government on everything. Absolutely not (especialy our current administration but thats a different topic). Let me first explain my politcal views. I am not far left and I am not far right I am very moderate -- I just tend to lean left on more issues but I am far from liberal but also do not want to see goverment getting involved in everything.

But with that said, I do believe special interests from health insurance and pharmaceuticals and big oil are really causing very bad problem for our generation and does indeed cause an unbalanced price vs raise in inflation. Prices are not following the rate of inflation on very important things with health care being one of them.

I can agree on that, but don't you think if we had politicians that didn't take things from special interest groups then they would not exist anymore??? It's a two way street, there. Special interest groups only give what politicians want. Do you know how many times politicians call and say "hey I need you to do this for me or this" etc? A lot of times it's the politicians knocking at the special interest groups door

I am going to do nothing but at that comment.

BTW, I may "work" for them, but I by no means think what they do sometimes is right. I only state the truth I see. If you were around it first hand, maybe you would too.

I do not understand what does that suppose to mean? You think insurance companies want this plan when they make so much profit right now? Of course not. These "special interests" is what is ruining this country.

Are you kidding me? I agree that special interests HELP ruin our country but you are naive if you don't think the lovely federal government (which you think would be doing such a great service to our country by having UHC) isn't helping to ruin it either. Do you know that every time the legislature mandates insurance companies to do something, the insurance companies try to knock it down because it will cost the consumer. The legislature says "I don't care, pass it on to the consumer" and that's what happens. The government knows what they are doing. If you think it's special interest groups alone that ruin our country you really don't know how the system works.

Did I say its special interests alone. Do I agree with our government on everything. Absolutely not (especialy our current administration but thats a different topic). Let me first explain my politcal views. I am not far left and I am not far right I am very moderate -- I just tend to lean left on more issues but I am far from liberal but also do not want to see goverment getting involved in everything.

But with that said, I do believe special interests from health insurance and pharmaceuticals and big oil are really causing very bad problem for our generation and does indeed cause an unbalanced price vs raise in inflation. Prices are not following the rate of inflation on very important things with health care being one of them.

I can agree on that, but don't you think if we had politicians that didn't take things from special interest groups then they would not exist anymore??? It's a two way street, there. Special interest groups only give what politicians want. Do you know how many times politicians call and say "hey I need you to do this for me or this" etc? A lot of times it's the politicians knocking at the special interest groups door

Unfortuantly this is so true. It needs fixed all around. Now all the candidates say they are going to change this but this is definitely something I will not believe until I see it. I just think this new health care plan will at least put a stamper on the special interests of insurance companys and pharmaceuticals. Eventually they will not be able to argue they are not benefiting from so many people on insurance. Yeah its going to hit their pocket books at first but say 5 years from now they will be just as well off.

It's a moot point as I don't live in the States, but personally speaking, I have NO problem paying out extra on taxes or whatever so that someone who's on assistance can have health care. If my premiums were to go up so that another family can have SOMETHING, good. They need it.

It's ALL about the children... that's what worries me. The children who's parents can't/don't have insurance/health care to provide for them. The children are our future. They are our responsibility. If my government requires it of me to fork out a little extra so that the baby down the street or wherever can have good health care and be happy and healthy, so be it. I will do so gladly and with a smile on my face because I'm helping someone else

We've got it "made in the shade" as far as benefits go. Hubby has 100% for doctors, prescriptions, dentists, glasses, whatever. Then I see a child at my children's school who doesn't have a dentist and his teeth are rotting and it breaks my heart. If I could scoop him up and put him under our insurance, I would do it in a bloody heartbeat.

I'm curious Rod, you say that the government won't be an insurance company per se and that this won't affect everyone else as well as that private insurance companies will be forced to lower premiums.......ok.....so who is going to administer the government health insurance program? You don't think it's possible that they farm that out to private insurance companies to administer, therefore the insurance companies make MORE profit because more people are insured and the government is paying them to administer the plan, therefore no need for competition to lower premiums?

It will be the same company/plan that members congress and their familys currently have it will just now be open to everyone at a set lower rate than any current private insurance company. Goverment will match your premiums based on your income (which is the only thing in question right now is how much based). I was "told" a typical family of 4 would be $2500/yr but that will cover EVERYTHING and no high deductable. Now private insurance especially group plans are going to have to compete for that or anyone who happens to be paying a much higher premium will opt for the government's group plan and so not to loose so many customers they are going to have to lower their premiums and probably really try to offer very lower HSA plans. When I say very low I am talking probably as low as $50 a month along side a HSA with a small deductable. Many younger people will probably opt for a plan like that instead of the governments plan.

UHC will work great for my family. Right now we have no insurance. Our annual income is grossed at about $96, 000 as of last year. We make too much for medicaid. I can understand that but what they don't see is that a large percent of our income goes back into running the trucks (diesel, tolls, taxes, plates.....yadda, yadda, yadda). A very large percentage. Private insurance is way too expensive for us so we pay as we need the doctor. Thank God we have no illnesses and our doc visits are mostly checkups or sniffles.
For people like us who work everyday and still cannot afford health care this is great. I have a mortgage and a property payment, a truck payment and other little things that have to be paid. Maybe I could afford private health care if I had no bills but that is not the real world.
And I am considered one of the people who "will be paying for this" and I'm fine with it because I know there are other families out there just like ours. It takes a village people. Even if I would not benefit from this I would not complain because I would think of all the millions of families it would benefit. That's what America is about. I'm not saying people should not complain. Everyone has their own personal feelings but I, personally, would appreciate all the help it would bring others.

Btw, I am not trying to recommend Hillary Clinton but I figured a link was needed that helped explain what I have been saying:
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/

Also I've said this before but I am concerned that she mentions the percentage of income but does not state what percentage. I really would like to know the percentage.

I am going to go to Obama's site as well and try to find the link for his plan which BTW is exactly the same just does not make it mandatory.

I agree with you Teesa, and we are as middle class as you can get but we still give what we can to charities and try to help others when we can. However, these people you reference are already covered by medicade and have free healthcare in our country. It's the hard working middle class that works in the factory with a family of four that just barely meets the bills that seem to get screwed over by all these social plans. I don't know if this will happen with this UHC plan or not, that's why I said I wanted to see the numbers first.

It will be the same company/plan that members congress and their familys currently have it will just now be open to everyone at a set lower rate than any current private insurance company. Goverment will match your premiums based on your income (which is the only thing in question right now is how much based). I was "told" a typical family of 4 would be $2500/yr but that will cover EVERYTHING and no high deductable. Now private insurance especially group plans are going to have to compete for that or anyone who happens to be paying a much higher premium will opt for the government's group plan and so not to loose so many customers they are going to have to lower their premiums and probably really try to offer very lower HSA plans. When I say very low I am talking probably as low as $50 a month along side a HSA with a small deductable. Many younger people will probably opt for a plan like that instead of the governments plan.

You still didn't answer my question as to who will administer this national plan.

This really needs to be said. You will not be paying for someone else insurance, Never nada in this plan. You will be paying for your own insurance your just going to be forced to do it, is all at least for your children (under Obama's plan).

Well if allows someone who can afford their insurance through work or by owning their own business then I am for it. I think everyone should be given the right to insurance. We have been paying into Medicaid for a very long time but it is only for the "needy". If it could possibly lower the premiums for others then I'm for that as well. Our family coverage is through the roof here at the County. On the flip side of that everyone says they should sign their children up for Healthy Kids which is based on your income. My sister is a single mom and with her income the premiums for the "affordable" insurance based on her income is through the roof. I don't see that as fair. If there is anyway to regulate health care and made it affordable I'm for it. We have a lot of people here who can not afford insurance but pay into Medicaid they don't qualify for so where is that fair? They can pay for others insurance but they can't get insurance. Where's the just in that?

So WHO is going to pay for those who go with the government's plan? The government isn't going to tax me more? They must have a stock pile of money sitting somewhere that I'm not aware of.

I just wanted to thank you Rod for trying to remove the emotional element behind the call for UHC and attempting to separate the facts from the rampant paranoia. Unfortunately, it sounds like alot of people here are sticking with their knee-jerk, everything-the-gov't-touches-turns-to=sh#$ philosophy, despite your well intentioned efforts to educate.
If you can't understand the need for UHC, or massive gov't regulation of the private insurance industry on the grounds of social justice or compassion, or in many cases, self-preservation, then understand it in simple economic terms. I believe, and Ed or Rod could probably correct me if I'm wrong, that we currently spend 20% of GDP on medical care- that's a staggering amount of money. There are plenty of modern, westernized countries whose healthcare is as state-of-the-art and cutting edge as ours' is, and it costs a fraction of what we pay. If you had a heart attack here or in France or Denmark or England, and the very same surgery and treatment you received there cost, idk, HALF of what it costs here, tell me please, how exactly does that make our system or standard of care better?! On what information are people here basing their assertion that our system is THE BEST? Simply b/c it's familiar?
Our country is on the verge of a massive crisis, economically speaking, and the cost of healthcare is front and center. It's one of the reasons AMERICAN companies can't compete globally, and why so many jobs have moved overseas, INCLUDING MINE. So, before you're tempted to dismiss this as whiny liberals trying to take down the middle class with entitlements, understand that addressing healthcare is essential if we want to remain economically vital and competitive in the global economy.

Yes but it's force on car owners by the govt so when everyone had to go purchase car insurance it caused the rates to lower because then it became a competition. I could see where that would work if the Govt offered a better premium over what your work/ private insurance was able to offer you. maybe just make it more reasonable and affordable.

It will be the same company/plan that members congress and their familys currently have it will just now be open to everyone at a set lower rate than any current private insurance company. Goverment will match your premiums based on your income (which is the only thing in question right now is how much based). I was "told" a typical family of 4 would be $2500/yr but that will cover EVERYTHING and no high deductable. Now private insurance especially group plans are going to have to compete for that or anyone who happens to be paying a much higher premium will opt for the government's group plan and so not to loose so many customers they are going to have to lower their premiums and probably really try to offer very lower HSA plans. When I say very low I am talking probably as low as $50 a month along side a HSA with a small deductable. Many younger people will probably opt for a plan like that instead of the governments plan.

You still didn't answer my question as to who will administer this national plan.

I do not really understand your question... The insurance company will administer it. If you choose the some plans member of congress then it will be that insurance carrier if you choose a public plan such as medicare than it will be medicare who will administer it.
The government is just opening this up and will give tax credits (or basically the same as how the company you work for matches premiums in their group plans).

Your right on the money there (no pun intended).

Gosh your good!

I find it highly offensive that those of us who do not agree with the program as it stands are being made out to be heartless, cruel, and uneducated about it.