Bow Before the Limbaugh!

[Ramo]

Why would a detailed analysis be necessary? You can't control costs in the health care industry if you don't actually control the health care industry.

Sure you can. It's called a "regulation." And this is the point of the public plan: if it's cheaper (and empirical evidence suggests it will be), more people sign up, and you get even more control over costs, creating a nice little positive feedback.

[Ramo]

I guess if they don't actually control costs then they still can't be held accountable for not cutting them. It's hard to believe that any of the proposals you mentioned will have a significant effect. There's just no will to do anything.

The idea is that the public plan would be able to use its scale to undercut the competition, more people buy into it, making it more affordable and you eventually get a single payer system.

[Naked Gents Rut]

The problem with the health care industry isn't that services are too available.

The problem isn't consumers receiving services (especially expensive, high-tech ones) that they don't necessarily need because they have no incentive not to?

[Jon Miller]

When we look at where the money goes, yeah, that isn't the problem.

It might be the largest problem for places like the UK, but the UK does a much better job than us.

Our problem lies in inefficiencies related to insurance primarily.

JM

[Tuberski]

I so want a copy of that Rush-Jabba picture to make into my avatar.

Will this do?

ACK!

[Naked Gents Rut]

Our problem lies in inefficiencies related to insurance primarily.

1. I'm not sure I believe this.

2. Even if I did, I don't see how Obama's plan would fix this.

It might be the largest problem for places like the UK

Why would it be a problem for the UK? They can force service restrictions and rationing on consumers.

[Kidlicious]

When we look at where the money goes, yeah, that isn't the problem.

It might be the largest problem for places like the UK, but the UK does a much better job than us.

Our problem lies in inefficiencies related to insurance primarily.

JM

The insurance industry is very efficient. Unfortunately in the Healthcare industry that makes costs go up, not down.

[molly bloom]

As Ronnie said "People who agree with us 80% of the time are not our enemies".

This the same politician who also said:

I'm just as confused as I was last week.

by any chance ?


And who thought Rios Montt made a valuable contribution to Central American democracy- presumably while supplying those democratic death squads of his.

If you're going to quote an American President, make it an intelligent one worth quoting- like Jefferson or Adams or either Roosevelt, not that carny barker for corporate America.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I did quote an intelligent President worth quoting.

Try again.

[molly bloom]

I did quote an intelligent President worth quoting.

Try again.

Nah, sorry that won't run. He's only 'intelligent' in the sense that he could at one point tie his own shoelaces without assistance- he's not intelligent in the way Jefferson or Adams were.


I still don't fathom your hero-worship of the old fraud- a man who could lie about his hair colouring is either chock full of chutzpah or already entering the Twilight Zone.

[The Mad Monk]

Why would a detailed analysis be necessary? You can't control costs in the health care industry if you don't actually control the health care industry. Obama's just going to make the fiscal problems of the U.S. government worse if he expands the government's insurance responsibilities without putting the government in a position to at least attempt to restrict services.

He will let it happen.

Then he will demonize the out of control health care industry, and declare that the government needs to take control, for the good of the country.

SOP.

[Arrian]

What's your solution to the healthcare problem, TMM?

-Arrian

[The Mad Monk]

Nah, sorry that won't run. He's only 'intelligent' in the sense that he could at one point tie his own shoelaces without assistance- he's not intelligent in the way Jefferson or Adams were.


I still don't fathom your hero-worship of the old fraud- a man who could lie about his hair colouring is either chock full of chutzpah or already entering the Twilight Zone.

Okey dokey.

How soon we forget history... Government is not reason. Government is not eloquence. It is force. And, like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
George Washington

[The Mad Monk]

What's your solution to the healthcare problem, TMM?

-Arrian

Broadly?

Legal reform.

[Arrian]

IIRC, the founding fathers were equally wary of monied interests. I think today's corporate America would scare the **** out of them.

Our current healthcare system is a mess... and is corporate in structure. It's not like HMOs don't currently tell people what care they can and cannot have. I count myself lucky to have a PPO medical plan.

So I don't really understand the fear of the government controlling those things as opposed to a corporation.

-Arrian