Posted on 08/28/2019 4:23:25 AM PDT by Kaslin
There’s a civil war brewing on health care. While many of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary candidates support some version of Medicare for All, others aren’t ready to give up on ObamaCare—and Kamala Harris is trying to have her cake and eat it too.
“KamalaCare” would apparently move the country to Medicare for All over the span of 10 years. But it would require the help of private insurers—a surprise, considering Harris supported the elimination of private health insurance during the last Democratic presidential debate.
The plan was met with immediate criticism from so-called “moderate” and radical Democrats alike—either saying it’s “unrealistic” or that it doesn’t go far enough in socializing the American health care system. The rest of America is just wondering if Democrats can stop arguing long enough to develop an actual plan.
But as the Democratic infighting continues, Americans can agree—our existing health coverage system is broken. ObamaCare has created a disaster, with skyrocketing premiums and declining options that have left patients with few choices. Medicaid has become an unsustainable and astonishingly costly program, and ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion has created a new welfare class of able-bodied adults and threatened resources for the truly needy. There’s no doubt that Medicare for All will only make our current problems much, much worse.
The “solutions” put forward by Democrats have failed us for nearly decade, and it’s past time for a change. And for that, voters should look to conservatives.
While the media is feeding on the Democrat frenzy, conservative state leaders and the Trump administration have been taking steps to actually reform health care in America, developing plans to increase coverage for the uninsured, lower costs—while increasing transparency—and finally put patients back in the driver’s seat. State legislatures have expanded access to short-term plans, bridging the gap between coverage for patients, and association health plans (AHPs), freeing up businesses’ money and allowing owners to grow their businesses while offering their employees health insurance. AHPs alone could benefit up to three million Americans, who may see premiums up to $10,000 lower per year than individual market plans.
The White House took strides to protect the wallets of millions of Americans suffering from chronic conditions by expanding HSA-eligible high deductible health plans and empowered workers with more choices by allowing employer-sponsored health reimbursement accounts to pay premiums for private insurance plans—tax-free.
The White House took strides to protect the wallets of millions of Americans suffering from chronic conditions by expanding HSA-eligible high deductible health plans and empowered workers with more choices by allowing employer-sponsored health reimbursement accounts to pay premiums for private insurance plans—tax-free.
These aren’t debate stage talking points—these are real solutions in action.
The health insurance problems facing our nation are real and immediate. Health insurance premiums have more than doubled since 2013, leaving hard-working Americans priced out of the market and uninsured. These families don’t want political banter—they want, and need, solutions that put them back in the driver’s seat of their own health care decisions.
Americans take control of every aspect of their lives, comparing costs and making the choice that is best for themselves—why would we give up choice over our health to the government?
While Democrats double down on the same failed policies that created this mess in the first place, conservatives have found a better way to fix our broken health care system, offering innovative and affordable solutions that are proven to expand choice in the health care market and help people without insurance find the coverage they need.
Like any other marketplace, increased choice and competition lowers prices and improves quality. We don’t need more “one-size-fits-none” health care insurance. We need a real choice that allows American families and businesses to thrive.
Conservatives rolled up their sleeves, went to work, and provided real solutions. Democrats should stop taking political jabs and start taking notes.
Tell me again how the re-submission of their prior 5+ O’Care repeal bills went??
Commie-Care isn’t going anywhere, but RINO-care (now THERE’S a ‘solution’)??
Can the (R)N(C) just rebrand from the ‘small govt’ lie?
Free markets require
1) Price transparency
2) Many competitors - fosters innovation, efficiency, and diversity of offerings
3) Few barriers to entry
The health care insurance market is oligopolistic, run by a few huge corporations in bed with politicians and state regulatory agencies. In NC there is only one company, Blue Cross, writing policies in the private insurance market for individuals. There is no competition.
There is no price transparency in the health insurance market. It is time consuming and difficult to determine prices before services are rendered. Often prices bear no relationship to the cost of the service due to hidden subsidies and cost shifting. There are multiple tiers of prices depending no the status of the customer or the presence of government subsidies or controls.
Entry into the health care and health insurance markets is highly regulated by government at all levels. There are many barriers to entry.
Price transparency would fundamentally change the market and could be implemented quickly in today’s world of instant communication. Require all providers of services to clearly post all prices on a website. Let me sit at my computer and find the prices charged for a knee replacement by doctors, hospitals. Show all prices - list, individual insurance, cash, and negotiated costs with the provider by each insurance company. If pricing is open, there will be a huge incentive to drive costs down by all participants.
What has the GOP done to promote a free and competitive market? Nothing. GOP Congresscritters are owned by big Pharma and big Insurance. The campaign money flows to preserve the anti-competitive oligopoly that wants no new competition and no price transparency. As a result US citizens pay extraordinary prices and even subsidize the cost of pharmaceuticals for the world.
Until there is price transparency, the healthcare market will not improve.
One factor, though, is the free health care to illegals.
It needs to be stopped.
It’s costing too much and the hospitals are trying to recoup their losses through screwing over us taxpayers and citizens.
“One factor, though, is the free health care to illegals.
It needs to be stopped.”
Agree on illegals. Plus all of the indirect subsidies need to be stopped. The cost of an individual policy is significantly higher than the cost per person in group policies. This means the individual entrepreneur, trying to get a business going, is subsidizing health care costs for large corporations.
That and better price negotiations of Medicare, Tricare, VA and Medicaid which are all SET high set prices which we don’t have a say in. When a patient is held for 2 days in hospital that is NOT an admission, that is a Medicare Hold.
Medicare just forced Knee Orthos to do Full Knees when a Partial will do. Big difference in cost, longer rehab. Longer down time.
Hubby has 2 Partials done 8 yrs apart, home rehab, driving in 3 days, going up and down stairs. Never used a cane even. 2nd He had to use a walker as that is now protocol. But again once home just home rehab and driving in 3 days. In fact we drove 8 hrs for my brother’s Memorial. Just needed a few extra stops.
Full knees take a stay in a rehab facility to learn to walk again, loss of function, more PAIN.
And that is a perfect example of why the government should not be in the health care business.
this dog and pony show is all about campaign finance for the coming elections-after which there will be enough beholden incumbents on Capitol Hill that even with a new Republican House nada happens.
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