So the US may pay for health insurance for those that can't afford it? What the hell??

[Kablooie]

If the government wants to help the poor get medical care they should just pay the doctors!

The doctors provide a clear service and deserve to get compensated.

But to pay a private insurance company to cover poor families?

Insurance companies don't provide any real service. They just are middlemen that grab cash traveling between the patient and doctor. Why should the government compensate them?

Wouldn't it be cheaper and more efficient just to pay for a poor family's medical care directly when they actually need it instead of paying a middleman for care that may or may not be used?

[grasswire]

1. of course

but that's way too simple.

[Critters2]

2. That would be the fair, wise and equitable thing to do, and thus,

will not likely garner any Repug or Blue Dog votes.

[Joe the Liberal]

3. That would be the easiest and most sensible thing to do.....

but this is America so we will take the hardest, most complex, nonsensical route to solving the problem, as usual.

[LuvNewcastle]

4. Doctors aren't bribing congressmen

like the insurance companies are.

[kath]

18. Ding, ding, ding, ding!!

[avaistheone1]

5. The middleman insurance companies take a ridiculous 33% off the top and don't deliver anything of

value.

[sandnsea]

6. Family of 4 up to $88,000 income qualify

It's not just for the poorest people, it's for everybody. The only way to not help people with their health care premium is to go to single payer for all which does not have the support that has been claimed.

[Lasher]

11. Do you have a resource that gives details?

Exactly how much of a subsidy would that family of 4 get? I don't think it would be much if it's on the high end of a scale. And what if their income is $73,000? What about a family of 2 with an income of $50,000?

I've not been able to find all that spelled out anywhere. I don't think such a table exists.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. here

http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-AFFORDABILITY-071409.pdf

[Jamastiene]

7. That would make a lot more sense.

But, no. That is not how our government does it.

They'd rather hem haw around and waste time and money. They can waste lots more money if they take too long arguing and posturing and perpetrating other fan fare first, then paying the middle man as much as humanly possible. They consider it an investment for their later retreats in hot tubs and such.

They'll slowly get it through the House and Senate and onto the president's desk a mere shell of what he originally asked for. The final outcome will waste tons of money and be so gutted that it won't be able to be successful, then the Republicans will sit back and say, "See, we told you it wouldn't work."

I guess not. The Republicans will gut it so bad, it won't be ABLE to work.

:banghead:

[tinrobot]

8. The money for that comes out of taxpayer pockets.

...and goes right into the pockets of insurance companies.

meh.

[ejpoeta]

9. but if they don't go through the insurance companies, then how can the insurance companies

funnel money to their campaigns!! It may be cheaper and more efficient to cut out the middle man.... but then how will the pols get all that money in their campaign accounts!

[Skittles]

10. but - then they wouldn't be servicing corporations !!!

starting to catch on, are ya?

[Festivito]

12. We pay for it anyway. We currently pay more for worse outcomes.

We'd pay a lot less, a lot less, if we just payed for everyone for everything.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Every time I think we're about to finally discuss health care reform ...

it turns out we're actually about to discuss health insurance reform.

Health insurance is a shell game. It will never work for the majority of people.

[Romulox]

14. Remember, it's "socialism" unless the government is giving the money to a big corporation. nt

[Zoeisright]

21. Can I borrow that? That is a brilliant statement.

[JimWis]

15. Very good point. Hadn't thought of that angle. Yes, give it

directly to the doctors. Get rid of the middleman. Actually that's single payer. But since, as many of you stated, single payer makes the most sense, it won't happen. Frustrates the hell of one doesn't it.

[Trillo]

16. That's also the Essential Competition-Will-Lower Prices Error

Without Government paying doctors directly, the Private-Insurance Oligopoly essentially sets their own prices.

:kick:

[tavalon]

19. I very much wish health insurance would be completely gotten rid of

They are leeches, just like the big banks and Wall Street. It's time to stop making money off of the backs of the workers.

[slipslidingaway]

20. knr nt

[Matariki]

22. Worse yet - we're all going to be FORCED to pay the middleman.

It's beyond reason. It really is.