We Don’t Like Obamacare, and We Don’t Have to Keep It

National Review ^ | 8-14-15 | Scott Walker

[headstamp 2]

Scott, you’ll have to talk to the fellow RINOs in your party about it.

Apparently, they are fine with it.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Scott Walker talks to National Review on his plan to replace Obamacare with a plan that works..

FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.

[FreeAtlanta]

We need to start calling it Democratcare or RINOcare.

We need to hang this albatross around their necks.

[ecomcon]

All well and good, except for the fact that I’ve heard this line from Republicans for 30 years, and government keeps growing, year in, year out, Republican or Democrat, no matter what.

[grania]

The only plan I want to hear is drop the mandate. Anything else, about improving a forced program is “lesser of two evils” mentality.

[TADSLOS]

Scott, you’ll have to talk to the fellow RINOs in your party about it.

Apparently, they are fine with it.

Walker already has. He's reading their script.

[MrEdd]

Obamacare doesn’t need to be replaced.
Only repealed.

[albie]

Somebody was fine with it. They voted the Kenyan in for a 2nd term.

[Buckeye McFrog]

GOP gonna stand up to the media coverage of millions of Medicaid recipients losing their coverage?

Of 26 year-olds losing it?

People who suddenly have pre-existing conditions again?

Didn’t think so.

[Mr. K]

The reasons health care costs were rising so fast before obamacare were STILL all because of government regulations.

As soon as they made it a tax deductable ‘benefit’ your boss could give you, it took the cost awareness out of your pocket.

You shop around for cheap auto insurance and homeowner and life insurance, but you don’t shop for health insurance - you get it from your boss.

And the ‘co-pay’s were another bad idea. No matter where you shop, you pay the same co-pay. So the local drug store can charge $100 for the same drug the guy down the street sells for $50 and you don’t care, you only pay the same co-pay, no matter what.

Get the government out of it. Relive businesses of having to have an entire HR department dedicated to your health, instead of their normal business. Let people buy wherever they want- what difference does it make if I buy it from a company based in NY or NH?

Get the government out of it and let the free market do its work and it will sort itself out. (eventually)

[afraidfortherepublic]

Scott Walker is a different kind of Republican. He actually does what he says he’ll do, with great success. Look at his record with the unions, healthcare insurance costs; size of state government, balanced budget, defunding Planned Parenthood, & reducing scope of the DNR.

[billyboy15]

Walker specifically mention coverage of pre existing conditions would be part of his plan. And there plenty of parents who don’t want to pay for their grown childrens health insurance.

[SoothingDave]

And the ‘co-pay’s were another bad idea. No matter where you shop, you pay the same co-pay. So the local drug store can charge $100 for the same drug the guy down the street sells for $50 and you don’t care, you only pay the same co-pay, no matter what.

Uh, no.

Insurance companies negotiate rates with various pharmacies. I highly doubt the actual amount paid by the insurance company varies that much, whether you use Walmart or Walgreens pharmacy.

Co-pays are an alternative to paying nothing and having insurance pay the bill for everything. The intention is to limit unnecessary expenses by making the user have some skin in the game. If my insurance merely covers ER visits, I go when I have a sniffle. If it costs me a co-pay, I may choose otherwise.

Now, whether it is "insurance" to pay for routine medical expenses and medicines is another question entirely. The only way to contain costs is to get away from 3rd party payment and let the market function. Return "insurance" to its proper role of paying for unexpected events.

[originalbuckeye]

And stop making EVERYONE carry maternity care and pediatric dentistry in their health plans.

[chrisser]

Now, whether it is "insurance" to pay for routine medical expenses and medicines is another question entirely.

This is my strongest feeling on the whole insurance issue. Words mean things. We need insurance to be what insurance is - coverage for unexpected catastrophic events.

I would prefer to pay my physician for routine visits in cash and then have a plan to cover things like ER visits, catastrophic illness, etc. should I need it. The same way I pay for my own tires and wipers, but if my car gets in a wreck, then insurance kicks in.

If people want to participate in some sort of "routine medical services payment club" or "prescription drug payment club", whether through their employer, their social group, or even as a family, then lets keep that separate from insurance both in terminology and in legislation.

That's not saying it can't or shouldn't be bundled with an insurance product, but too often these separate products/services are spoken of interchangeably when they really aren't nor shouldn't be, IMHO.

[M1911A1]

Hey, Walker is different. Just because he’s supported by the GOPe machine doesn’t mean he’s GOPe. I mean hey, he did conservative things in Wisconsin like battle the Unions, and that flies in the face of the interests of the Chamber of Commerce types who pull the strings of the GOPe.

Yeah, right.

Just pull the “R” lever you are given, it’ll be different this time. Trust them.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Get the government out of it and let the free market do its work and it will sort itself out. (eventually)”

I couldn’t agree with you more. I greatly APPRECIATE the health insurance my employer provides for me, BUT we’ve changed providers 2x in the past 5 years to comply with 0bamacare and for them to save $ at the Corporate level.

It’s been a mess, AND they took away my FlexPlan, which was a VERY generous benefit form my employer. That’s $1,300.00 I’ve been OUT each year for OTC meds, dental care and glasses, for the past 5 years, too. $6,500.00 LOST to me - and don’t kid yourself - they didn’t give that BACK to me in a pay raise! So, I run around with 5-year old glasses and get my teeth cleaned 2x a year, instead of the 3x my dental tech would prefer.

Yep. It’s been a costly mess to those of us down here in the trenches. Government pretty much ruins everything it, ‘fixes.’ *Rolleyes*

[Diana in Wisconsin]

De-fund it. Repeal it. And you get my vote. :)

[Dr. Sivana]

All well and good, except for the fact that I’ve heard this line from Republicans for 30 years, and government keeps growing, year in, year out, Republican or Democrat, no matter what.

WIsconsin state government has shrunk under Walker. The federal issues aren't his doing.