birdog1960

the savings will come from rationing. (interesting that rationing and rational have the same root) it's gotta happen one way or another, in any system. we can't have this high of a percentage of gdp going to healthcare. with the aca in place it should be an easier transition. it would be much easier under single payor. the expert panel setting "guidelines" will happen. hell, coverage of procedures and tests are already dictated by "expert" panels on private insurance boards. i'd rather those decisions be made by people under the supervision of elected officials than stockholders. this has been discussed for decades, yet obama was the only one with the political gonads to pull it off or at least get it started. the thing i find most interesting is the lack of evidence that all the bells and whistles that so many demand as patients have any positive effect on the overall heathcare of populations. in fact, the data suggests the converse. perhaps less is really more in regards to societal outcomes in healthcare. one immediate consequence of less providers for more pts will be less doctor shopping. less "i'm going to dr x cuz he'll order that test and you won't". patients dictating testing and therapy is costing big money. if we move from customer and business owner back to patient and doctor, we will see substantial savings. and despite the naysayeys, malpractice reform would also save billions in defensive medicine costs. the economics will force these changes sooner rather than later.

i don't think he or other like minded pols saw an alternative route. they kicked the tires on most alternatives with disappointing results. it was this or the status quo which clinton unfortunately chose in the same situation. and he risked his reelection for it.

the bill is less than the left wanted and more towards sigle payor than the right wanted. it was the best he could do in my view. he bid 3 no trump and made the contract. good for game but not match.

i'm hoping your the only one who can't comprehend this. in the current for profit system, even after the aca, insurance and care are closely related. many people without insurance get inadequate care. the aca extends insurance to millions of people affording more of those people care. basic care and insurance would be unrelated in a true socialized medicine model. there. did you get the answer you were looking to ensnare?

in a system of private payors and for profit medicine they are the same. that is what our bastardized system is, even after the aca. in a better system, that we should be striving to acheive, they are not the same. again, try to keep up. don't believe there is a staute of limitations for an EMTALA complaint. you're not gonna get anything out of it except the satisfaction of the hospital being disciplined.

no, they're not the same thing. you don't need insurance to get basic care in a government run system. try to keep up. then you have grounds for a complaint of an EMTALA violation against the hospital. it's a serious offense that could bring serious disciplinary action against the hospital.

but you weren't forced to transfer, were you? they didn't refuse to treat you at the first er, right? the transfer was done because of payment issues.

it appears you're not going to reply, so i will. you were willing to forgo care for a very painful problem because of cost. and you have insurance and thewrefore, presumably a job that pays better than minimum wage. ya think there's more thasn a few people in low paying jobs without insurance and serious problems who also choose to forgo care because of cost? just because they're poor, the hospitals don't just say "this one's on me". they go after the money (at unnegotiated, ridiculous prices) using every available tactic including wage garnishment and collection agencies. if the pt had any credit before he's unlikely to after this. and i don't blame the hospitals for doing this. it's how the system is designed - to dysfunction.

then they broke the law under EMTALA. er's can not refuse emergency care. they can refuse your insurance.

this reminds me of bush being surprised at the existence of bar code scanners in supermarkets....oblivious - let them eat cake. wake up a look across the tracks from time to time.

a govt run system could save a fortune on administrative costs. the va's administrative costs are much less than aetna's. with a gov't run system you could eliminate over allocation of resources on money making equipment. e.g. mri machines. we have way more radiologic capacity then needed. staff one machine round the clock and cut the number of machines in 1/2 at least. stop building new hospitals in areas with an overabundance of beds. stop advertising for doctors and hosapitals. stop selling questionable,but moneymaking procedures and tests. in summation, stop medicine as a business and make it a service aimed at providing the best care to the most people at the lowest cost. we could do that with a lot less administrators.

it is absurd but couldn't be eliminated pratically now due to the recession. obama publicly admitted this. do you have any idea how many people have jobs in the health insurance industry? and how would the cons here feel about many of them transitioning to the public sector? we are talking about advanced directives (or are supposed to be) at annual wellness exams. that's part of the aca too.

fixed.

you should assume it now. it's very likely you have swimmers ear (which is infection of the outer ear) and possibly a middle ear infection. it will get worse before it gets better left untreated and might result in serious damage to your ear. i'm guessing it's hurting pretty bad right about now?

this might help, although i'm skeptical in your case.. 10% (3.1 million) will be newly insured young people on their parents coverage. some will now buy in the marketplace using their $4000 tax credit to make insurance affordable. and some with pre-existing conditions that couldn't get insurance at all wil nowl be able to buy it. and yes, many will be covered through medicaid. i certainly would have preferred medicare for all that desired it. but this is what was politically doable (and just barely). he played his hand as well as he could have from a progressive prospective.

30 million uninsured people become insured. it's the first step towards universal coverage. as a population, we will have better outcomes.

most likely you already have an infection. probably not related to salt. see your doc or go to an urgent care and don't use a q tip.

This was a scene right out of Dudley Do Right: in college, i went hiking in the Adirondacks with friends. We got to a 30 foot waterfall with a shallow pool at the top that i decided to sit in to cool off. next thing i know, i'm falling over the waterfall. smacked my temple on a rock but remained conscious and caught a thick, fallen overhanging branch hanging parallel to the falls. pulled myself on to it and shinnied to the bank. i probably fell 1/2 way down the falls before catching the branch. i then pretty much collapsed, exhausted. a friend carried me the mile or so back to the car, then stitches and overnite in the infirmary. i took finals a few days later with 2 black eyes and a roaring headache. Still have a nice scar above my left eye.

It had been awhile since i'd been back to WNY when we were there 2 weeks ago. The Wegmans in Pittsford was the best supermarket i ever remember being in. My wife said the only food store she can recall being as impressive was the food court at Harrod's in London - and she's a serious foodie. We went 3 times in three days - once to get beer with a great selection. I envy you all for having those stores. Still got some white hots, artisan sausage and kimmelweck (frozen) left from the trip but not for long.

just curious...accepting your premise, what's your explanation for it?

i wouldn't know. wanna point me towards one?

another great episode. sure, it's biased. but progressives need an articulate, witty show to contrast with the limpaughs, hannity's and beck's of the airways who certainly are not...and this episode did that quite well. loved the clips of the con talking heads, talking out of their a$$es about obama's india trip.

i use a hand thrower. it's more of a frisbee motion than a pull. pulling would prolly cause the shooter to shoot backwards...

is that you dick? mr cheney? everybody off the sporting clay course immediately.

No. she wasn't at bilderberg. it'll be mitch daniels.