Flashermac Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 All the money we've paid into Social Security should provide something better than Medicare. Unfortunately, Congress has been looting the SS funds for generations to pay for everything else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 I’m out of my depth here. I know fuckall about US healthcare apart from Michael Moore’s doco. My OP aroused my interest because it helped me understand the US’s blind love affair with a certain country, which we have debated elsewhere…. so didn’t want to open that can of worms… for now at least! The bottom line for me is - there are basic obligations for a citizen of any country such as: obey the law, pay taxes, protect the country that protects you, and leave it a better place than when you arrived (via umbilical cord or immigration control). In return I would have thought it would be relatively simple to figure out a way for the state to help a citizen when he is sick and needs good care but can’t afford to pay a physician. The Lady of Liberty must be turning in her foundry mould: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!†…. Now fuck off and fend for yourselves! Excuse my irreverence. Seriously, there’s a chance here for the US to legislate with the experience of other countries’ mistakes to cut out the faults from all the healthcare abusers: providers and patients. Jewish law provided for the care of the sick, poor, widowed and orphaned. When Jesus was on the scene, the Jews were not doing this simple act of humanity. Therefore another branch of Judisam was formed. The early Chtistians did take care of the sick, poor, widowed and orphaned but today, they don't do anything - very similar to the Jews of Jesus' day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kamui Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 With the invasion of Iraq began the erosion of trust into the abilities and intentions of the USA. No ones perfect. I have to ask then wouldn't the election of Obama in such dramatic fashion restore some of that trust? In fact he gained some trust internationally because he seems to act much more rational than GWB. Nevertheless he won't be able change much as a leader of a weakend super power. That I agree with. As you may have read in other threads I consider the U.S. done as the premier world super power. I think its now China in fact if not publicly acknowledged as such. America's Dollar Disaster The gridlock in Washington is more than just a political problem. Jeffrey E. Garten on the dollar’s coming declineâ€â€and the terrible ripple effects ahead. Most analyses of the president's State-of-the-Union speech Wednesday night have dwelled on its potential impact on his electoral fortunes in 2010 and 2012 in the face of widespread angst in the country and political gridlock in Washington. But among the longer-term consequences of our political meltdown is something that could overshadow the fate of the stimulus' date=' financial reforms, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the next presidential election itself: the slow but inexorable decline of the U.S. dollar. For over 60 years, the greenback has been the world's key currency, underwriting a good deal of American prosperity and influence in the world. Over the next decade, it will decisively lose its exalted status. The dollar will be depreciating for a number of reasons. Foremost is our soaring budget deficit, well over $1 trillion annually; our ballooning national debt, which increased last year by a third to reach $7.6 trillion; and [color:red']the inability of the political system to deal with the problem[/color], which will only get much worse as 75 million baby boomers become eligible for Social Security and Medicare. [...] Daily Beast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specialist Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 I remember my father telling me about getting a new pair of eye glasses. He saw the doc's bill ...$600! The doctor told him, "Don't worry. You still only pay $100. That's the bill I send to Medicare." Now you wonder why Medicare sucks? It's being milked dry. It isn't just Medicare that is being bilked this way. In 2002, I was in a very bad car wreck. In 2003, as part of the rehab, I was prescribed a cane. We went to the supplier. I paid cash, the price was about US$20. I asked them, "Out of curiosity, if we'd put this on the insurance, how much would you have billed them?" "About $100." This was private insurance, purchased through COBRA. When the 18-month COBRA period ended, the insurance company was not the slightest bit interested in allowing me to continue to pay premiums to them, even though COBRA premiums BY LAW cover the full cost of the insurance *AND* administrative overhead costs (handling paperwork for an individual is a bit more expensive per person than handling it for a company, since you are sending all the paperwork on all the employees in one report). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 I remember my father telling me about getting a new pair of eye glasses. He saw the doc's bill ...$600! The doctor told him' date=' "Don't worry. You still only pay $100. That's the bill I send to Medicare." Now you wonder why Medicare sucks? It's being milked dry.[/quote']It isn't just Medicare that is being bilked this way. Go to a second hand store and the cost is about $2.00. In 2002, I was in a very bad car wreck. In 2003, as part of the rehab, I was prescribed a cane. We went to the supplier. I paid cash, the price was about US$20. I asked them, "Out of curiosity, if we'd put this on the insurance, how much would you have billed them?" "About $100." This was private insurance, purchased through COBRA. When the 18-month COBRA period ended, the insurance company was not the slightest bit interested in allowing me to continue to pay premiums to them, even though COBRA premiums BY LAW cover the full cost of the insurance *AND* administrative overhead costs (handling paperwork for an individual is a bit more expensive per person than handling it for a company, since you are sending all the paperwork on all the employees in one report). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangkoktraveler Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 With the invasion of Iraq began the erosion of trust into the abilities and intentions of the USA. No ones perfect. I have to ask then wouldn't the election of Obama in such dramatic fashion restore some of that trust? In fact he gained some trust internationally because he seems to act much more rational than GWB. Nevertheless he won't be able change much as a leader of a weakend super power. That I agree with. As you may have read in other threads I consider the U.S. done as the premier world super power. I think its now China in fact if not publicly acknowledged as such. America's Dollar Disaster The gridlock in Washington is more than just a political problem. Jeffrey E. Garten on the dollar’s coming declineâ€â€and the terrible ripple effects ahead. Most analyses of the president's State-of-the-Union speech Wednesday night have dwelled on its potential impact on his electoral fortunes in 2010 and 2012 in the face of widespread angst in the country and political gridlock in Washington. But among the longer-term consequences of our political meltdown is something that could overshadow the fate of the stimulus' date=' financial reforms, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the next presidential election itself: the slow but inexorable decline of the U.S. dollar. For over 60 years, the greenback has been the world's key currency, underwriting a good deal of American prosperity and influence in the world. Over the next decade, it will decisively lose its exalted status. The dollar will be depreciating for a number of reasons. Foremost is our soaring budget deficit, well over $1 trillion annually; our ballooning national debt, which increased last year by a third to reach $7.6 trillion; and [color:red']the inability of the political system to deal with the problem[/color], which will only get much worse as 75 million baby boomers become eligible for Social Security and Medicare. [...] Daily Beast [color:red]As a nation, we bring in less then 1 trillion dollars from personal income tax.[/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 ...and that money from personal federal income tax goes to pay the PRIVATELY owned Federal Reserve their interest on the money that the US gov borrows from them! A system that will NEVER allow the US gov to get out of debt! Farkin stupid and unneeded!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 I’m out of my depth here. I know fuckall about US healthcare apart from Michael Moore’s doco. My OP aroused my interest because it helped me understand the US’s blind love affair with a certain country' date=' which we have debated elsewhere…. so didn’t want to open that can of worms… for now at least! The bottom line for me is - there are basic obligations for a citizen of any country such as: obey the law, pay taxes, protect the country that protects you, and leave it a better place than when you arrived (via umbilical cord or immigration control). In return I would have thought it would be relatively simple to figure out a way for the state to help a citizen when he is sick and needs good care but can’t afford to pay a physician. The Lady of Liberty must be turning in her foundry mould: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!†…. Now fuck off and fend for yourselves! Excuse my irreverence. Seriously, there’s a chance here for the US to legislate with the experience of other countries’ mistakes to cut out the faults from all the healthcare abusers: providers and patients. [/quote'] Jewish law provided for the care of the sick, poor, widowed and orphaned. When Jesus was on the scene, the Jews were not doing this simple act of humanity. Therefore another branch of Judisam was formed. The early Chtistians did take care of the sick, poor, widowed and orphaned but today, they don't do anything - very similar to the Jews of Jesus' day. Many of the early converts did so because they saw the Christians not only taking care of their own but also taking care of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 ...and that money from personal federal income tax goes to pay the PRIVATELY owned Federal Reserve their interest on the money that the US gov borrows from them! A system that will NEVER allow the US gov to get out of debt! Farkin stupid and unneeded!!! Can anyone provide me any indication we will get out of this mess? I don't see how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh_Hoy Posted February 1, 2010 Report Share Posted February 1, 2010 [ The early Chtistians did take care of the sick, poor, widowed and orphaned but today, they don't do anything - very similar to the Jews of Jesus' day. What a load of crap. Once again, BKT, you have allowed your ass to overload your mouth. Get a grip, son. BTW, I have yet to see any other opinions regarding the article. Too much trouble for you guys to "think" and explain? I made one quick assessment of the begged question; Steve through out another piece of "bait". No one else has done anything but get off topic. HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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