I'm like a Health-care Zombie

[ThomWV]

I can hardly recall a waking hour of my life during the last six months in which I have not heard or read the words "Health Care". It makes numb.

I've got good health care insurance and I can afford it. In fact I've got what some folks think is the best (Government plan) and I never see the cost because it automatically comes out of a check which is only a small part of our household income. In short its painless. So you'd think I have no horse in this race. 'Not my problem' you might say.

How in hell could I consider myself an American and not recognize our nation's health care problem? Couldn't. Can't be done.

So what are we being fed now? First off Medicare for those 55 and up, which seems nice at first, sucks. We don't need reform for old folks, we need reform for everyone. How in hell is this suppose to benefit my 35 year old son who can not afford insurance for himself, his 14 year old daughter, his 12 year old daughter, or his 2 year old son? How will it help his 27 year old girl friend who works 48 hours a week at a "Part Time" job at a firm that offers no benefits to part timers; oh, it used to be union too, but not any more. How does it help my 45 year old neighbor who's been laid off for three months and who's diabetic wife just had another heart attack last week?

Here's how it looks to me. The Politicians drop the age for Medicare to 55 to get the older folks off their backs because the older you are the more likely it is you vote so let's make the older crowd happy and they'll quit pushing for reform. This also takes those same old folks who would normally start running up big medical bills about now off the Insurance company rolls, after milking them for premiums for years. In the meantime make insurance mandatory for the young, who don't demand care nearly as often or care that is nearly as expensive and give an additional windfall to the Insurance industry in the form of the millions of new customers.

And where in all of this is there benefit for the customer? Nowhere, its all for the Insurance Industry. Once Medicare is expanded they will have slimmed the pool of insured down to those who don't have much need of care so they can afford legislation that requires them to give care where its is indicated - something they as an insurance company were contractually bound to have done in the first place.

[Mojambo]

1. You've nailed. Rec. n/t

[cutlassmama]

2. There ya go

[Skittles]

3. this was what the end result was always going to be

it's all been one huge fucking scam

[gateley]

4. "How does it help my 45 year old neighbor who's been laid off

for three months and who's diabetic wife just had another heart attack last week?"

It doesn't. And even if your neighbor was 56, it's my understanding that this wouldn't kick in until 2011 anyway.

What is being done to help people NOW? :grr:

I understand this isn't the final bill and there will undoubtedly be changes, but really, if their goal was that all Americans receive affordable quality healthcare, the bits we're learning about are falling far short.