[JerryLove]

Originally Posted by tlj009

Sure. Medicare & Medicaid currently cost 23% of the national budget. Which means nearly 1/4 of the Federal taxes you pay. Adding it to everyone shouldn't do more than triple or quadruple the current cost. Even double would be a huge tax increase.

And personal health spending is higher still.

Of course, the government plans as they exist also cover the most expensive patients.

They also offer more options than the private plans

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Today, most employer-provided health coverage is provided through managed care organizations, which pay substantially lower prices for health care services than an individual patient would be charged if paying out-of-pocket. The defining characteristic of managed care, as distinct from traditional insurance, is selective contracting, meaning that the health plan has contracts with some (selected) health care providers.

Private companies telling you which doctors you can go to, then telling the doctors what procedures they can do.

But I digress.

The cost of healthcare to the average American is $6,000 per year. Whether that money comes from your taxes, your pocket, or base salary seems pretty trivial. The entire point is to
1) Improve the quality of care
2) Lower the cost of care
3) Increase the availability of care

[JerryLove]

Originally Posted by nolidad

Which would be nice, but it is not true. Teh federal politicians and their staffs have not public, but private health care that is the best in the nation. That is why they have exempted themselves from the universal health care bill

Actually, federal employees may choose between several plans, public and private. Sounds kind of like what is being advocated by the Dems (Insurance Programs).

[nolidad]

Originally Posted by JerryLove

Actually, federal employees may choose between several plans, public and private. Sounds kind of like what is being advocated by the Dems (Insurance Programs).

Well being a letter carrier I see that every Nov. during open season-and scads more for my state- but we are not talking fed employees- we are talking the congress men and the senators and they have theor own private plan- which is why they voted to exempt themselves from becoming participants in Obama Care.

[nolidad]

Originally Posted by JerryLove

Actually, federal employees may choose between several plans, public and private. Sounds kind of like what is being advocated by the Dems (Insurance Programs).

Almost forgot, If Obama care does pass, come day one of Y1 I will have to stay in teh plan I was enrolled in because my emplyer (USPS) will be forbidden by law to let me swap to one of the other plans they offer. Page 16 of HR 3200 lines 11-20

[JerryLove]

Originally Posted by nolidad

Almost forgot, If Obama care does pass, come day one of Y1 I will have to stay in teh plan I was enrolled in because my emplyer (USPS) will be forbidden by law to let me swap to one of the other plans they offer. Page 16 of HR 3200 lines 11-20

No. You didn't forget it. You keep repeating it.

It's completely false:
PolitiFact | Rove's op-ed distorts health study
PolitiFact | Health Choices Commissioner does not decide your health benefits

[Bryan]

Originally Posted by nolidad

Almost forgot, If Obama care does pass, come day one of Y1 I will have to stay in teh plan I was enrolled in because my emplyer (USPS) will be forbidden by law to let me swap to one of the other plans they offer. Page 16 of HR 3200 lines 11-20

If I said everything I wanted to say after reading your continued misunderstandings about the bill, I'd probably get banned.

Suffice it to say, you really have no clue.

[tlj009]

And personal health spending is higher still.

No doubt.

Of course, the government plans as they exist also cover the most expensive patients.

They also offer more options than the private plans

Yes. That is why I mentioned double to quadruple. If they didn't just cover the most expensive patients, I would have stuck with the high (very broad) estimate.

Private companies telling you which doctors you can go to, then telling the doctors what procedures they can do.

Happens all of the time. I do think that there is a big difference in private companies making rules in order to do business with them and the government laying down laws that you must live by. But I don't plan on arguing with you about that right now.

But I digress.

The cost of healthcare to the average American is $6,000 per year. Whether that money comes from your taxes, your pocket, or base salary seems pretty trivial. The entire point is to
1) Improve the quality of care
2) Lower the cost of care
3) Increase the availability of care

The numbers that I have a little different so you can either post your source or go by mine. At $2.4 trillion spent on healthcare, it is around $8,000/person. But the average for privately insured is $12,700/family and $4,700/individual. Of course, those last two are simply premiums and not actual expenditures.

NCHC | Facts About Healthcare - Health Insurance Costs