Healthcare Insurance

What is the cost of becoming a doctor? Around 300,000 dollars. It will take many years to recoup those losses. Setting up a medical practice in which the government will determine your income and intervene in your practice is why students are reluctant to enter the field. It may mean difficulty staying in business, a business which earns them a sub-standard life.

Today we are being asked to think about changing the way we do business concerning our health care services into a governmental run system of treatment and protection for the health needs of all our residents. Most people that I talk with see this as a universal health care nightmare. Other countries that have a socialized system say that we have the best health care system in the world now and wonder why we would want to change it.

First of all how does insurance work? We buy insurance so that costs, which we cannot individually afford, are offset by premiums which are collected from the many who have subscribed to the same carrier. Payments are made to the providers, which help to supply additional funds to absorb the balance of "portions" due. The cost of medical care has skyrocketed, causing premiums to go up.

What is the goal, cut costs or save lives? If it is government control, cut costs. Insurance companies want to maintain positive reputations in order to be able to sell their policies. They are in it to make money, yes however they want to help control costs while giving individuals choices.

5% of people need health care resources because of diseases that are not preventable but are genetically imposed. One size does not fit all in this industry.

In our town, the hospital employs more people than any other company. It is big business. My family was born at that hospital which is one of the best in this area. The first question always is "do you have insurance?" that means it is not about health care. It is about how are you going to pay for services rendered? Currently, money or not, you are not turned away.

The suggested change with a government plan would be that all are insured and all would have a plan, paid by additional taxes of the people. The bottom line is this is about power. Who is in control of your life. What is your life worth? That would be determined. Basically, if your too old or too sick, sorry.

Your money will be given over to a program which is doomed to fail because the concern will not be your freedom to choose. You will no longer be able to choose a course of treatment that may save your life, as your life will be determined by a bureaucrat. Does it matter how much you will pay into the program? No. It will be taken from you irregardless.

If we already have the best system in the world, why are we in favor of changing it?Just how long will transitioning to a new health system take? What are the additional costs involved in maintaining a new type of health care establishment? Massachusetts has determined that all its residents will have a policy--health care insurance that they must buy into. Yet, people who cannot afford insurance must pay the penalty on their tax return. Some do because it is cheaper and if they are self-employed, they cannot afford to carry a policy. They are still provided medical care at the highest possible cost since they have no primary doctor and use emergency services for basic health care. (This is the suggested pilot program suggested to the government to be used universally)? Just ask people working in the field how this new plan is going. I haven't heard one good comment. It's in the red. It did nothing to reduce costs and has created major deficits. Hospitals are cutting back, in their effort to curtail costs. The care in this area is second to none. We pay out of the nose for the ability to take care of ourselves, beyond the premium. That is, a portion of the doctor's bill, pharmacy, and over-the-counter drugs. Why would we want to pay even more?(additional taxes) on a failed system.
What about medicare or medicaid which already exists?No mention is made of them. Expand those programs to cover the uninsured.

This state sees all residents as "insured". What needs to change? Not much. We have failed in this endeavor as we have a deficit, with growing costs, for many reasons this vision did not hold together. All people get treated in this state by just going to the emergency room whether or not they have the money, or carry a plan. We don't need reforms, we need cost control, eliminating waist. We certainly do not need fewer doctors, and more government control. Who wants their private medical records stored in Washington?

All we need to do is stimulate the health care system with about $30 million dollars to cover those who fall through the cracks.

Don't let the government think of you as disposable by denying you care because of the disease you have or your age. Especially when you are paying for it. What would stop the government from euthanasia? We will not buy into that plan.

Health care reform is needed, just not in the way it is being offered to the American people who already have the best system in the world. Sorry, you will need to come up with a better answer. We need coverage we can afford without losing our right to choose our doctor's and course of treatment which may determine our life or death. Tell Washington we refuse to give up our right to life.