Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;586514]Good question? They just told me they didn't cover emergency room visits. So I told them I'd just pay my doctor cash from now on and didn't need their service.[/quote]

I have Anthem in Virginia like yourself and they have paid for two emergency room visits and sense we are in the same state we should have the same type policy.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;586514]Good question? They just told me they didn't cover emergency room visits. So I told them I'd just pay my doctor cash from now on and didn't need their service.[/quote]

And you didn't already know this? I've never heard of a plan that didn't cover emergency rooms visits in some way...as long as they were necessary.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=firstdown;586520]I have Anthem in Virginia like yourself and they have paid for two emergency room visits and sense we are in the same state we should have the same type policy.[/quote]

I have Anthem too. My company is based in VA, but I recently visited the ER here in DC. I had bed bugs! Ouch. The doctor gave me a prescription for some lotion that was covered under my plan. This lotion cost $110, but I only paid $10 out of pocket. I thought it was a good deal.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

God I really hate when you guys descend into a bipartisan back-and-forth divided right down party lines. These discussions have become such drivel.

Political talk on the Warpath was good for a while, but sadly nobody wants to analyze the issues or present ideas anymore. I don't think it's worthwhile for me to try to add to the discussion anymore.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Schneed10;586536]God I really hate when you guys descend into a bipartisan back-and-forth divided right down party lines. These discussions have become such drivel.

Political talk on the Warpath was good for a while, but sadly nobody wants to analyze the issues or present ideas anymore. I don't think it's worthwhile for me to try to add to the discussion anymore.[/quote]

For what it's worth, on these health care threads I basically skip everyone's posts but yours...if that makes you feel any better

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=12thMan;586529]I have Anthem too. My company is based in VA, but I recently visited the ER here in DC. I had bed bugs! Ouch. The doctor gave me a prescription for some lotion that was covered under my plan. This lotion cost $110, but I only paid $10 out of pocket. I thought it was a good deal.[/quote]It puts the lotion on it's skin or else it gets the bed bugs again.

(sorry, I really had to)

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=FRPLG;586527]And you didn't already know this? I've never heard of a plan that didn't cover emergency rooms visits in some way...as long as they were necessary.[/quote]

my girl tried to sign up for health insurance, she went with blue cross blue shield. when we got the ton of paper work and policy explanation it took me 3 hrs to figure out she had a $10,000 yearly deductible.

that means that she has to spend $10,000 in one year and anything after that is covered by her insurance. she joked, 'so what? am i only covered if i get into a plane crash?' . . . .sadly she was dead on. (pun intended)

something has to give with health care. i pay upwards of 200 plus bucks a month to have the best health insurance around. im worried that this new bill if passed would increase my costs plus burden the fed govt deficeit. when this is all said and done i will probably drop my premium health insurance and go the govt route become the leach i despise so much.

go skins!!

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=SmootSmack;586544]For what it's worth, on these health care threads I basically skip everyone's posts buts yours...if that makes you feel any better[/quote]

Well that doesn't exactly make me feel better.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=12thMan;586550]Well that doesn't exactly make me feel better.[/quote]

Is your pain covered by your current health insurance? :)

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=SmootSmack;586552]Is your pain covered by your current health insurance? :)[/quote]

I don't know if this emotional turmoil I'm experiencing is covered by Anthem. I'll check though.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=SmootSmack;586544]For what it's worth, on these health care threads I basically skip everyone's posts but yours...if that makes you feel any better[/quote]

Well at least someone's getting something out of it. Glad to hear there's still an appetite to talk about the issues intelligently.

It's just tough to keep at it when you need to read through 3 pages of garbage just to find the one post by someone who has something meaningful to add.

Frustrated!

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=SmootSmack;586544]For what it's worth, on these health care threads I basically skip everyone's posts but yours...if that makes you feel any better[/quote]
SS I thought you came here to see if you could just read and understand my post.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=firstdown;586557]SS I thought you came here to see if you could just read and understand my post.[/quote]

Not even a genius like Norman Einstein could understand your posts

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=FRPLG;586527]And you didn't already know this? I've never heard of a plan that didn't cover emergency rooms visits in some way...as long as they were necessary.[/quote]

I got hit by an old lady who got her foot stuck on the accelerator. It seemed like BS to me too. I was current and it wasn't my fault either? Allen times 4 got me the money back for the hospital bill. It all worked out in the end. What should I've already known?

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=SmootSmack;586544]For what it's worth, on these health care threads I basically skip everyone's posts but yours...if that makes you feel any better[/quote]

I'm deeply hurt.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;586565]I'm deeply hurt.[/quote]

For what it's worth, on these health care threads I basically read everyone's posts but Schneeds...if that makes you feel any better

haha, j/k

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

I would love to actually sit down and read the bill. But at 1000 pages that is just impossible for me to do on a comp. Plus, to really make sense of it, you need to have access to the various cross references within it.

I am used to reading these types of things and, when I tried to read through it on my comp, it just made my eyes hurt and my head spin. Is any one aware of: 1) where I can get a full copy of the bill w/out spending an arm an a leg in printer ink and paper; 2) a legislative synopsis so that I can cut through some of the legalese or least track down the meaning?

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;586568]I would love to actually sit down and read the bill. But at 1000 pages that is just impossible for me to do on a comp. Plus, to really make sense of it, you need to have access to the various cross references within it.

I am used to reading these types of things and, when I tried to read through it on my comp, it just made my eyes hurt and my head spin. Is any one aware of: 1) where I can get a full copy of the bill w/out spending an arm an a leg in printer ink and paper; 2) a legislative synopsis so that I can cut through some of the legalese or least track down the meaning?[/quote]

Dude you better have a ton of time on your hands because about ever other sentence refers back to another section or to IRS laws. Thats one of the problems I have with bills like this no one really knows whats in the entire bill and that goes to Obama and the entire congress. I'm sure Obama has a good idea of whats in the bill but I bet he has not read the whole thing and I'm sure 95% of congress has not read the bill.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;586568]I would love to actually sit down and read the bill. But at 1000 pages that is just impossible for me to do on a comp. Plus, to really make sense of it, you need to have access to the various cross references within it.

I am used to reading these types of things and, when I tried to read through it on my comp, it just made my eyes hurt and my head spin. Is any one aware of: 1) where I can get a full copy of the bill w/out spending an arm an a leg in printer ink and paper; 2) a legislative synopsis so that I can cut through some of the legalese or least track down the meaning?[/quote]

Cheapest way is to call your representative and ask for a copy though this is not always the easiest or fastest way. You can also buy a bound copy from [URL="http://printme1.com/gov.html#3200"]these guys for $43[/URL].

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;586563]I got hit by an old lady who got her foot stuck on the accelerator. It seemed like BS to me too. I was current and it wasn't my fault either? Allen times 4 got me the money back for the hospital bill. It all worked out in the end. What should I've already known?[/quote]

So is that where your user name comes from?

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

We all would like better health care / coverage . Im not sold on Capitol Hill making good sound policies , here is another state program to cover all that has ,,,,, you be the judge ..[url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125046457087135327.html]Tennessee Experiment's High Cost Fuels Health-Care Debate - WSJ.com[/url]

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=SmootSmack;586559]Not even a genius like Norman Einstein could understand your posts[/quote]
What .... I don't understand :)

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;586568]I would love to actually sit down and read the bill. But at 1000 pages that is just impossible for me to do on a comp. Plus, to really make sense of it, you need to have access to the various cross references within it.

I am used to reading these types of things and, when I tried to read through it on my comp, it just made my eyes hurt and my head spin. Is any one aware of: 1) where I can get a full copy of the bill w/out spending an arm an a leg in printer ink and paper; 2) a legislative synopsis so that I can cut through some of the legalese or least track down the meaning?[/quote]


It might be helpful to watch [URL="http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1687&catid=156&Itemid=55"]The Committee on Energy and Commerce[/URL] markup meeting ([URL="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B7D5A948C0256F4F"]day 1[/URL], [URL="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0104A2F537A7658A"]day 2[/URL], [URL="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=79B8A4B574223423"]day 3[/URL]). Note that they've put out a [URL="http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090901/hr3200_sectionsummary.pdf"]section by section summary[/URL] of the bill.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

They changed our health coverage at work, I now pay nearly 400 bucks a month. If it wasn't to cover my son I would just let the tax payers pay for me whenever I go to the emergency room and not pay the cost of health insurance. In my opinion any kind of insurance is a scam.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Schneed10;586556]Well at least someone's getting something out of it. Glad to hear there's still an appetite to talk about the issues intelligently.

It's just tough to keep at it when you need to read through 3 pages of garbage just to find the one post by someone who has something meaningful to add.

Frustrated![/quote]

I think the issue is basically this. You know how complicated this issue is. Probably as complicated as anything, and for various reasons. But, BIG BUT, everyone is involved in some way so everyone has an opinion. Most of the opinions are based on extremely limited experience in the system and a rather limited (nice way of saying it) understanding of the industry and economics in general. But they still have opinions and because they are based on "experience" and self-belief so they are ingrained opinions. On the other hand those who have payed attention and tried to "know" what they are talking about are mostly partisan hacks who believe one way because they lack the ability to adequately remove political bias from their opinions.

The ones who actually know how this bad boy works, or at least have a more in depth knowledge, are people like you, doctors and insurance companies. But no one wants to listen to you all because you all "created the mess".

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Trample the Elderly;586563]I got hit by an old lady who got her foot stuck on the accelerator. It seemed like BS to me too. I was current and it wasn't my fault either? Allen times 4 got me the money back for the hospital bill. It all worked out in the end. What should I've already known?[/quote]

How your insurance works. They don't make up the policies on the spot when you show up.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=FRPLG;586841]I think the issue is basically this. You know how complicated this issue is. Probably as complicated as anything, and for various reasons. But, BIG BUT, everyone is involved in some way so everyone has an opinion. Most of the opinions are based on extremely limited experience in the system and a rather limited (nice way of saying it) understanding of the industry and economics in general. But they still have opinions and because they are based on "experience" and self-belief so they are ingrained opinions. On the other hand those who have payed attention and tried to "know" what they are talking about are mostly partisan hacks who believe one way because they lack the ability to adequately remove political bias from their opinions.

The ones who actually know how this bad boy works, or at least have a more in depth knowledge, are people like you, doctors and insurance companies. But no one wants to listen to you all because you all "created the mess".[/quote]

I agree that the issue's complexity really muddies the waters when it comes to productive discussion.

But still, focusing on the heckler during the speech is flat out unproductive.

But in the end you're right. It takes a more global view than the typical "I pay $500 a month for crappy coverage and that shit ain't right" viewpoint. Of course your coverage is expensive, that's why congress is trying to do something!

The questions are what are they planning to do, why, what affect will it have, and how will it help. Without trying to get at those answers, not much thoughtful discussion can take place.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

So let's get to it:

[B]What are they doing?: [/B]Trying to reduce malpractice costs.

[B]Why?:[/B] Because doctors pay out the nose to keep themselves covered, all because juries keep awarding people multi-millions. That cost of malp insurance drives up the cost of doc appointments as docs pass the cost on.

[B]How will they do it?[/B] Unknown at this point, no specifics are available, but ultimately the only way to substantively reduce this cost is to somehow reduce the amount of money awarded to victims of malpractice.

[B]How will it help?[/B] Over time malpractice insurance premiums will drop for docs. They'll stop raising prices for their appointments.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[B]What are they doing?:[/B] Demanding that everyone buy at least basic health coverage.

[B]Why?:[/B] There's a federal law that says hospitals can't turn people away from the emergency room, whether you have insurance or not. So people without insurance go when they get sick. Most of them never pay the hospital bill. Guess who pays that bill? Those of us who are covered have higher insurance premiums to pick up the uninsured's slack. If everyone has to buy coverage, then ER visits will actually be paid for by those who go to the ER.

[B]How will they do it?[/B] Pretty simple, pass a law. You must buy coverage. How they enforce it will be interesting to see, but that's doable through the threat of fines, etc.

[B]How will it help? [/B] When everyone is covered, their insurance actually will pay for their ER visits. Your premiums should stop going up as fast. And it's fair after all, as long as ERs have to care for people, then someone has to pay for it. If you want to play, you have to pay, it's only fair. There will still be people who choose to break the law and go uninsured, but when they end up in the emergency room for who knows what, they'll end up with a fine for being uncovered.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[QUOTE=joethiesmanfan;586816]They changed our health coverage at work, I now pay nearly 400 bucks a month. If it wasn't to cover my son I would just let the tax payers pay for me whenever I go to the emergency room and not pay the cost of health insurance. [B]In my opinion any kind of insurance is a scam.[/B][/QUOTE]

Well, and with all due respect, your opinion is BS. Putting aside the health care issue for a moment, insurance is an absolute neccessity for business. If there was not someway to insure against risk, substantially fewer risks would be taken - buildings wouldn't be built, investments wouldn't be made. Risk pooling (insurance) allows big risks and big investments to be made.

Back to health care - and as to mandatory universal coverage, my main concern is that I don't see enough in this plan to address costs. To me, as I have stated elsewhere - the tension is between "can we afford this program now" and "if not, when?".

I am unconvinced - b/c I can't unravel all the economic implications of all the legalese - that the bill as written does much, if anything, to attack costs and the natural anti-market forces at work within the healthcare system. While the mandatory coverage aspect is significant, the economics of it and its relation to the public option are of concern. If the public option is the cheapest and provides bare minimum coverage (the level of coverage being mandated is something I am still trying to decifer), it will attract the poor and the young healthy uninsured. If that occurs, then the system [I]may not[/I], and I stress [I]may[/I], be cost prohibitive. On the other hand, if private insurers provide better service then the public option - (hate on private insurers all you want, I suggest that the public option will be just as difficult and likely moreso to deal with) - at the same mandated cost, only the poorest and uneducated will end up in the public option. From an actuarial stand point, I am pretty sure this is one of the most expensive groups to insure.

Looking through the bill (and it may be obvious), do the affordability credits only apply to the public option?

Right now, I oppose this bill b/c (1) - I don't understand it and the myriad of economic changes it proposes; (2) - based on my understanding of its function, I am unconvinced that it does anything to truly attack costs; and (3) - I am just not convinced that this thing will be in any way affordable.

Obama, I think identified many issues that need to be addressed, but as Schneed said earlier there is MUCH to be ironed out. Too much, I think for this bill to pass.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Schneed10;586855]So let's get to it:

[B]What are they doing?: [/B]Trying to reduce malpractice costs.

[B]Why?:[/B] Because doctors pay out the nose to keep themselves covered, all because juries keep awarding people multi-millions. That cost of malp insurance drives up the cost of doc appointments as docs pass the cost on.

[B]How will they do it?[/B] Unknown at this point, no specifics are available, but ultimately the only way to substantively reduce this cost is to somehow reduce the amount of money awarded to victims of malpractice.

[B]How will it help?[/B] Over time malpractice insurance premiums will drop for docs. They'll stop raising prices for their appointments.[/quote]
Here's my question...and it's a lazy one I'll admit. I attended our local town hall meeting which was of course dominated by discussion on health care. It was a very civil affair with probably a good 70-30 split against the current debated HR3200. I live in a heavily conservative area so this is to be expected. Now there were a good amount of the "we simply don't like this crowd". Mostly base on philosophical grounds. The other side was better "prepared". They had answers for everything it seemed but a lot of it sounded like spin to me personally. One woman claimed that her husband had been studying the entire industry for years and that medical-malpractice as it stands now causes only a 2-3% increase in costs. This sounded baffling to me but I admittedly have no reason other than it seems like doctors say that isn't true. So what is the deal? What affect does malpractice judgement in general have on the system? Is it only 2-3% or is it more or even far more? Anyone have anything that answers this conclusively?

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=joethiesmanfan;586816]In my opinion any kind of insurance is a scam.[/quote]

I'd love to call you out on this man but I am not even sure what you are trying to say.

How is it a scam?

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[B]What are they doing?:[/B] Offering an OPTIONAL non-profit insurance coverage option through an online marketplace.

[B]Why?:[/B] Insurance premiums are primarily driven by the number of people who belong to the plan. The more in the plan, the lower the premium (because then the insurance plan has more negotiating power with hospitals & docs and can demand lower reimbursement rates to providers). But if you work for a small business or if your employer offers terrible coverage, you end up in a very small "risk pool" (the number of people in your plan), which results in very high premiums. The online marketplace allows you to join a plan (or risk pool) with a large group of people.

[B]How will they do it?[/B] The how part is very interesting. Obama said a non-profit insurance firm would have much lower overhead costs, because they won't need to generate a profit for Wall Street, and because they'll be able to reduce administrative costs. I buy the first part, that there will be no profits - that does help. But I don't buy the reduction of administrative costs. He underestimates how much regulation must be worked through within this industry - a non-profit will have just as much administrative overhead to work through, and will need just as many people to do it. And that assumes they'll operate with the same efficiency as a for-profit (I don't like those chances).

[B]How will it help?[/B] Even if administrative costs can't be cut out, this still should give Americans with a semi-affordable coverage option. I just don't think it will be as cheap as he thinks, and plenty of the currently uninsured will still find it tough to afford. But it will still be better than options availabe now.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Schneed10;586855]So let's get to it:

[B]What are they doing?: [/B]Trying to reduce malpractice costs.

[B]Why?:[/B] Because doctors pay out the nose to keep themselves covered, all because juries keep awarding people multi-millions. That cost of malp insurance drives up the cost of doc appointments as docs pass the cost on.

[B]How will they do it?[/B] Unknown at this point, no specifics are available, but ultimately the only way to substantively reduce this cost is to somehow reduce the amount of money awarded to victims of malpractice.

[B]How will it help?[/B] Over time malpractice insurance premiums will drop for docs. They'll stop raising prices for their appointments.[/quote]

Again, I will raise my idea again - mainly b/c I think it's f'ing brilliant, but here it is actually relevant.

Eliminate malpractice liability as a tort action. Instead establish a Medical Injury Compensation Commission similar to Workers Comp. Patients no longer need to show negligence caused their injury, instead they just need to demonstrate an injury to receive compensation. As in Workers Comp, recoveries are based specific losses, temporary/permanent, and partial/permanent disability.

Instead of paying high malpractice insurance costs, all hospitals, doctors and medical professionals pay MIC insurance (just like all employers pay Worker's Comp insurance) - it won't be cheap, but it should be less than current malpractice. Plus, it has the added benefit of spreading costs of all professions amongst all practitioners (instead of huge premiums for Obstetrics and ortho's). Malpractice litigation is all but eliminated and replaced with MICC litigation which, like Workers Comp, follows a more formulaic approach.

Further, this could be done separate from the current bill and, in fact, could be drafted as a companion to it so to show how the two would work in conjunction.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=FRPLG;586861]Here's my question...and it's a lazy one I'll admit. I attended our local town hall meeting which was of course dominated by discussion on health care. It was a very civil affair with probably a good 70-30 split against the current debated HR3200. I live in a heavily conservative area so this is to be expected. Now there were a good amount of the "we simply don't like this crowd". Mostly base on philosophical grounds. The other side was better "prepared". They had answers for everything it seemed but a lot of it sounded like spin to me personally. One woman claimed that her husband had been studying the entire industry for years and that medical-malpractice as it stands now causes only a 2-3% increase in costs. This sounded baffling to me but I admittedly have no reason other than it seems like doctors say that isn't true. So what is the deal? What affect does malpractice judgement in general have on the system? Is it only 2-3% or is it more or even far more? Anyone have anything that answers this conclusively?[/quote]

I can tell you that at our healthsystem malpractice premiums account for about 3-4% of our total expenses.

Malpractice premiums are increasing at about 15% per year.

So while the rest of our costs increase at about 6% per year, because malpractice is going up by 15%, it is responsible for a [B]half of a percentage[/B] increase in overall expense growth within healthcare.

Reducing overall healthcare expenses across the nation by a [B]tenth of a percent[/B] would cut the deficit drastically. This could be accomplished by getting malpractice premiums to increase by only 12% instead of by 15%.

Small changes in expense growth accumulate to massive savings across the system, at least when compared to the projected deficit.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=Schneed10;586865]I can tell you that at our healthsystem malpractice premiums account for about 3-4% of our total expenses.

Malpractice premiums are increasing at about 15% per year.

So while the rest of our costs increase at about 6% per year, because malpractice is going up by 15%, it is responsible for a [B]half of a percentage[/B] increase in overall expense growth within healthcare.

Reducing overall healthcare expenses across the nation by a [B]tenth of a percent[/B] would cut the deficit drastically. This could be accomplished by getting malpractice premiums to increase by only 12% instead of by 15%.

Small changes in expense growth accumulate to massive savings across the system, at least when compared to the projected deficit.[/quote]

OK...but aren't people more concerned simply with the cost to themselves? When I am think about costs ultimately I am thinking what can we do to get those people paying $700 a month for insurance to only pay $600.

Also...the costs you cited...do they included the so called "defensive medicine" that doctors cite as causing issues?

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

I know zero about this and have not seen a doctor for myself since I was in college but what is annoying is that doctors are so afraid of malpractice suits that they go over board on eveything. When my son gets sick we call his PED and ask for advice, now people with kids know they are only really sick between 12 and 3 am, as soon as we call the PED before you can say boo he is like take him to the ER, whatever. Ever trip to the ER is a $100 for me and the worst part is the waiting.

My son had a bad cough boaderline kroup last winter, call the doctor he says go to the ER, shocker. We get there, slowly it is getting worst more like a dog bark we have been waiting two hours. A nice lady in the ER who was waiting also said take him outside for like 15 minutes (cold air). So we do it come back in wait another 30 minutes and he is much better, so much we head home it is now 6:30 am the PED opens at 7:30 am. Take him to the PED he says oh yeah that will work (taking him in cold air) but I can't tell you that on the phone, WTF! Still got charged $100 and my insurnace got charge as well just for sitting in the waiting room. For the record we don't go to the PED anymore.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=FRPLG;586869]OK...but aren't people more concerned simply with the cost to themselves? When I am think about costs ultimately I am thinking what can we do to get those people paying $700 a month for insurance to only pay $600.

Also...the costs you cited...do they included the so called "defensive medicine" that doctors cite as causing issues?[/quote]

Well ultimately cost is all tied together. Naturally, slowing the growth of malpractice saves providers money. Over time, providers get pressured by Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payers to bring down their reimbursement rates to account for these savings. And providers will oblige under political pressure.

Once growth of reimbursement rates to providers is slowed, that puts more money back in the pockets of Medicare, Medicaid, and your insurance company. They then will slow the growth of your premiums.

It's all connected. It will take time for the savings to work their way through the system back to the consumer. But it will happen.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

[quote=FRPLG;586869]OK...but aren't people more concerned simply with the cost to themselves? When I am think about costs ultimately I am thinking what can we do to get those people paying $700 a month for insurance to only pay $600.

Also...the costs you cited...do they included the so called "defensive medicine" that doctors cite as causing issues?[/quote]

No, defensive medicine expenses are separate from the numbers I cited. The growth in actual malpractice premiums is entirely attributable to jury awards.

Wasteful utilization due to defensive medicine is a whole other cluster of expense that can also be cut.

Re: The Health Care Reform Address Thread
 

Schneed - as to malpractice. I understand the costs but, other than capping punitive awards, what can other ways are their to cut malpractice insurance? Even capping puni's (which this administration would have a hard time doing b/c of its allegiance to the trial lawyers) may not work - I am simply unsure of what percentage of awards they make up and what the trend is.