Free Health Care For All...

[lilpixieofterror]

For one thing, no one pushing for Singlepayor ever defined it as "FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL." Medicare is not free, it's just much less expensive. Common sense should inform you that cutting out the middleman, i.e. cutting out the insurance companies whose only goal is, not healthcare, but more profits, will make insurance cheaper and better. Now, besides all that, what ever happened to the Trump led republican repeal and replace plan wherein Trump and republicans were going to replace ObamaCare with better cheaper insurance for all. It was going to be so easy to do. Remember?

If it was true that government made things cheaper public schools should spend less per student vs private ones. In reality they spend more per student and end up with less prepared students.

[Cow Poke]

I was under the impression that the smaller offices that don't want to hire a coder themselves generally just contracted with some medical coding company that handles that for them.

Which would still be an expense. There is a whole cottage industry of medical transcriptionists who do this at home. HIPAA laws have made this more challenging.

It's true that the coder has to know what the procedure was in order to code it, but, well, that's what the documentation is for.

"the documentation"? That's also additional expense.

[Cow Poke]

If it was true that government made things cheaper public schools should spend less per student vs private ones. In reality they spend more per student and end up with less prepared students.

A huge part of that is the educrat overhead - public schools have really increased in administrators, principals, vice principals, curriculum directors, assistant administrators.... none of whom, in most cases, teach students, and most of whom make far more money than teachers.

[lilpixieofterror]

A huge part of that is the educrat overhead - public schools have really increased in administrators, principals, vice principals, curriculum directors, assistant administrators.... none of whom, in most cases, teach students, and most of whom make far more money than teachers.

The same happens anywhere government is involved in.

[Cow Poke]

The same happens anywhere government is involved in.

EGGzackly... it shifts from "how can we help people" to "how can we benefit our organization (and ourselves)".

[Sparko]

No - not crazy. It depends on what the socialized medicine covers. A program that covers "absolutely everything," would have a higher cost than a program that covers non-elective procedures only, which would be more expensive that a program that protects against "catastrophic events" only. A program that includes pharmacy coverage will be more expensive than one that does not. So the question becomes, how much do any/all of us want to see our taxes increased for the coverage. There can still be an independent insurance industry for anything NOT covered by the socialized system. Personally, I would love to see a system that covers ALL non-elective medical costs, but even that will require a clear definition of what is and is not elective.

When it ends up costing a person AS MUCH or MORE than just getting full on private insurance, and you get worst service, then it is crazy and messed up. You asked me why I am hesitant to support socialized medicine. I told you. The government can't even get medicare right or keep it funded so how can they do it for the entire nation?

Then you get into all of the moral issues. Will a socialized system cover abortions? There will be a strong push-back from many religious groups if it is included. Will it cover contraception? There will be push-back from a smaller group.

correct. It probably WILL cover abortions but not dental. That is the sort of stuff I am worried about.

Any socialized program will be a set of compromises, leaving room for private insurance for the uncovered elements.

and end up costing people more in the end. Paying outrageous taxes and still having to pay for private coverage too.

Here I am in agreement. Any program that is administered at a federal level is almost sure to be inefficient and rife with opportunities for fraud. History suggests to us that the more local you get, the more fraud tends to reduce. It would be nice to see a program with federal guidelines and parameters that is then funded to be administered locally, perhaps by city or country/parish governments.

So now you see why I qualified my approval of socialized medicine. It is good in theory but I have strong doubts about it being implemented correctly or efficiently.

[Sparko]

For one thing, no one pushing for Singlepayor ever defined it as "FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ALL." Medicare is not free, it's just much less expensive.

Ha!!!

For the supplimental insurance I will need, it will cost me MORE than I am currently paying for health insurance. About $200/month more.

And yes, they are pushing it as everyone has a right to free healthcare.

Common sense should inform you that cutting out the middleman, i.e. cutting out the insurance companies whose only goal is, not healthcare, but more profits, will make insurance cheaper and better.

To you and Starlight above: No Medicare doesn't have less paperwork. It has way more, especially on the hospital's end, they have entire departments dedicated to just handling medicare billing.

Now, besides all that, what ever happened to the Trump led republican repeal and replace plan wherein Trump and republicans were going to replace ObamaCare with better cheaper insurance for all. It was going to be so easy to do. Remember?

The republicans chickened out and had no actual plan ready to go. Trump and the rest of America was pissed at them (still are)

[JimL]

If it was true that government made things cheaper public schools should spend less per student vs private ones. In reality they spend more per student and end up with less prepared students.

In reality Lilpix, and as is usual, you have no idea what you're talking about.

[Cow Poke]

Ha!!!

For the supplimental insurance I will need, it will cost me MORE than I am currently paying for health insurance. About $200/month more.

And I'm getting threatening notes and letters from the Social Security Administration because I only signed up for Part A Medicare.

[One Bad Pig]

In reality Lilpix, and as is usual, you have no idea what you're talking about.

Maybe think about backing up this assertion?

[JimL]

Ha!!!

For the supplimental insurance I will need, it will cost me MORE than I am currently paying for health insurance. About $200/month more.

Yeah, if you opt for the supplemental which covers 100% of you health costs you will pay more, but not more than if you decide to buy your own private insurance. Besides that, medicare is different than single payer in that medicare is only for those 65 yrs old and older. Single payer would include all ages and the costs would be more widely distributed and thus much less expensive. There are also other factors which would bring down the costs just as they do in medicare.

And yes, they are pushing it as everyone has a right to free healthcare.

Well, it depends upon who they are. Yes, the republican echo chamber is pushing it as free health care, but the people who are actually advocating for single payer are not branding it that way. Get your head out of the echo chamber.

To you and Starlight above: No Medicare doesn't have less paperwork. It has way more, especially on the hospital's end, they have entire departments dedicated to just handling medicare billing.

Hospitals have entire depts dedicated to handling billing period, Sparko.

The republicans chickened out and had no actual plan ready to go. Trump and the rest of America was pissed at them (still are)

Wake up, Sparko. Republicans never did have a plan, and niether did Trump who said to his idiot supporters out there that fixing health care and making it so much better and cheaper would be so easy. When will you people wake up and recognize the republican/Trump con job you keep falling for?

[Cow Poke]

Maybe think about backing up this assertion?

You such a funny funny guy!

[JimL]

Maybe think about backing up this assertion?

Why that's odd OBP, I didn't see you telling Lilpix to back up her assertion.

[Sparko]

Yeah, if you opt for the supplemental which covers 100% of you health costs you will pay more, but not more than if you decide to buy your own private insurance. Besides that, medicare is different than single payer in that medicare is only for those 65 yrs old and older. Single payer would include all ages and the costs would be more widely distributed and thus much less expensive. There are also other factors which would bring down the costs just as they do in medicare.

So basically you just admitted that socialized medicine is worse and more expensive than private insurance.

Well, it depends upon who they are. Yes, the republican echo chamber is pushing it as free health care, but the people who are actually advocating for single payer are not branding it that way. Get your head out of the echo chamber.

What have you been smoking? Look at the title of this thread. It is talking about free healthcare for all. This is what the liberals have been pushing. This is what Starlight and you, and Tassman have been pushing all along. What good is healthcare by the government that is NOT free and you still have to pay for it and it doesn't cover everything? What is the point?

The point of socialized medicine is that everyone is covered and gets free healthcare (paid for by taxes of course)

Hospitals have entire depts dedicated to handling billing period, Sparko.

And special departments just for medicare. So the claim that medicare has LESS paperwork is a lie.

[Cow Poke]

And special departments just for medicare. So the claim that medicare has LESS paperwork is a lie.

ObamaCare quadrupled (at least) the time and money necessary for compliance. Many smaller practices had to combine, or be bought up by bigger conglomerates because they could not meet the requirements for compliance without outside help.