tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post3505899591761978401..comments2024-03-28T18:11:40.841-04:00Comments on Sightings Over Sixty: Who Should Pay for Health Care?Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08611148987085476580noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-25881599224193326882012-04-11T17:40:03.034-04:002012-04-11T17:40:03.034-04:00"The IRS classifies any medical expense above...<i>"The IRS classifies any medical expense above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income as a legitimate deductible item."</i> <br /><br />The tax code has changed in recent years, there was a time when you could deduct ALL your medical expenses.<br /><br />@schmidleysscribblins, you are incorrect that all poor and children have access to medical. I was a Welfare Eligibility worker for a number of years. Many of the people we would consider poor do not meet eligibility requirements for state Medicaid or federal SSI/SSD.<br /><br />For me that absolute embarrassment for me as an American is that we were able to send men to the moon multiple times, but we cannot find a way to provide cost-effective medical care for our citizens as ALL the other developed countries, Mexico, China, etc. can. We are so wrapped up in the flag we can't see we are still unable to hide our shame.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-13463791802238965262012-04-11T17:00:20.575-04:002012-04-11T17:00:20.575-04:00While I look forward to hearing more in your next ...While I look forward to hearing more in your next post, I hope you'll do us all the favor and stop calling it "Obamacare." It is the Affordable Care Act, or ACA. And shouldn't you know what's in before you continue posting about it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-68261604966996297722012-04-10T19:30:39.219-04:002012-04-10T19:30:39.219-04:00Before Obamacare, some 40 million Americans were w...Before Obamacare, some 40 million Americans were without health insurance. Some didn't want to pay premiums, but some who wanted coverage were turned down because they were sick and others were turned out because the insurance companies had payment limitations.<br /><br />Obamacare stops the two heartless insurance company practices. With the yowling against it, the new law must do some evil things. What are those?<br /><br />Is it wrong in a great society (ask any of us Americans, we'll tell you how great we are)to expect all citizens to have the basic sense of security that universal health care provides?<br /><br />Don't we all deserve to know we won't be left to die simply because we become seriously ill?Dick Kladehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11793395712483278104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-24758596722858139802012-04-09T13:34:02.528-04:002012-04-09T13:34:02.528-04:00@Bob Lowry: You said it well!!! When I worked, I...@Bob Lowry: You said it well!!! When I worked, I paid into the system as did we all. Now I am on the receiving end. I'm thinking of going back to work part-time -- if I can find something -- so I'll be paying in yet again and that's as it should be.Kay Dennisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02646717192332313215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-45022741730321874412012-04-09T13:03:24.472-04:002012-04-09T13:03:24.472-04:00I have yet to shoulder a gun and go to Iraq. I don...I have yet to shoulder a gun and go to Iraq. I don't drive on the Interstate highways in Mississippi. I don't use the airport runways in Alaska. Yet, I pay for all of them, through my taxes. I pay for auto insurance to protect me against people who choose to break the law and not carry it. Living in a democracy means you end up paying for things that help everyone. <br /><br />Why is a federal "mandate" for health coverage any different? Who do we think pays for Medicare, hospitals, and emergency rooms? We all do. <br /><br />Because humans tend to be selfish and self-centered, we'd prefer to not be told what to do, but avoid responsibility when we make a choice that turns out to be wrong.Bob Lowryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843991725692979189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-19539706960633148952012-04-09T09:38:18.348-04:002012-04-09T09:38:18.348-04:00there are many things wrong with our health care s...there are many things wrong with our health care system and it's not all because of the uninsured of which I am one. I pay my medical bills when I visit my doctor. But recently I was bitten by a copperhead and had to go to the emergency room (because it was the only alternative) and they charged me almost $6000 to run a few blood tests and observe me for 6 hours (and by that I mean they checked on me a total of twice). Here's just one of the absurdities...they charged nearly $10 for a pain pill that I paid 80¢ for at the pharmacy the next day. Because I didn't have insurance they arranged for financial aid that paid most of it and I paid for the rest. Here's another example. My granddaughter fell at a church camp and busted open her chin. They took her to the emergency room (again because it was the only alternative) and the church's insurance paid the $3000+ bill. Instead of just putting a quick little stitch or two in her chin, the hospital decided to call the plastic surgeon who spent less than 5 minutes super gluing the cut together and then sent a bill for $800. Really? Poor and uninsured people, some of us anyway, could afford to pay the non-catastrophic medical bills if they were priced fairly. The problem with insurance is that you have to pay $400 - 600 a month per person and then still because of deductibles, have to pay for general care. That's out of the question for the under-employed, the lower class, the self employed. For me, my income varies month to month sometimes with no income for a month or two and the recession has made a tenuous situation even worse. Food and shelter come first.ellen abbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00535475792150335186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-57694651236838344022012-04-08T23:21:56.402-04:002012-04-08T23:21:56.402-04:00Done!Done!Rosaria Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133147851332084180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-6245021363996541592012-04-08T21:55:40.754-04:002012-04-08T21:55:40.754-04:00I don't pretend to know all the answers. I'...I don't pretend to know all the answers. I'm just bringing up the topic for discussion. But Anonymous, in my mind the reason for requiring people to get health insurance is because no matter how healthful our lifestyles are, we are all going to use the health-care system, and because the system is so big and expensive, and because we have little or no control over costs, the only realistic way to pay for it is by purchasing it on the installment plan -- aka insurance.<br /><br />I can understand why people who abuse themselves with smoking, etc, should probably pay more. But how do you enforce it without getting very intrusive into people's lives? Besides, if I paid into the system for a long time, but never had to run up the big medical bills -- I'd consider myself lucky! (Which, for the most part, I've been so far.)<br /><br />Rosaria, thanks, and yeah, it'd be great if you want to repost.<br /><br />What I think is amusing is that a few years ago the Republicans were in favor of a mandate, and the Dems were against it. And now the Reps are against it, and the are Dems for it. So figure! But if I had to bet, I'd bet the mandate goes through. But then what do I know? We'll know soon enough.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08611148987085476580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-64415940627809166752012-04-08T14:21:57.078-04:002012-04-08T14:21:57.078-04:00Police and fire protection we pay for, all of us f...Police and fire protection we pay for, all of us for the good of those who need it.<br /><br />Health care could be done in the same way. But I do think lifestyle ailments should have a premium on the insurance coverage required.<br /><br />I talked to a friend yesterday who has recently lost a lot of weight. He said, "I found a new doctor last year. He said, 'look, you're too fat. I don't want to treat you for ailments you might have because you're fat. So either lose weight or don't come back." He lost weight and went back. He's healthier now.<br /><br />Sorry for the slide off topic.Linda Myershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05706455533282204519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-61115283560301980032012-04-08T12:48:33.884-04:002012-04-08T12:48:33.884-04:00@schmidley: Your knowledge/assumption on this pro...@schmidley: Your knowledge/assumption on this problem is flawed. And yes there are those who could care less if the old and poor die. Just check of some of the right wing sites. <br /><br />Until my Medicare kicked in, I had no healthcare available to me. My employer didn't provide it and I could afford it. Because I have had an incurable condition(s) for decades, I prolly wouldn't been able to get insurance anyway and the welfare system doesn't give a damn about older people. <br /><br />I do agree that we need an intelligent approach. No system is perfect but universal healthcare takes the greedmongers out if the equation.Kay Dennisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02646717192332313215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-62867671871847481262012-04-08T12:34:10.844-04:002012-04-08T12:34:10.844-04:00You laid this out so clearly and so fairly that I ...You laid this out so clearly and so fairly that I want to ask your permission to repost it on facebook. Yes, like fire and police and schooling, we need to cover health because we don't know how and when we will get sick.<br />Great job!Rosaria Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03133147851332084180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-30829613626490127102012-04-08T12:18:17.038-04:002012-04-08T12:18:17.038-04:00You are a brave man to bring up this subject.
I...You are a brave man to bring up this subject. <br /><br />I don't agree with Kay, surprise? Children, the truly poor, and the old are covered with current medical care programs. I won't fill up this space by naming all of them, but one of the things I hate is when folks ignore what already exists for helping the poor, children, and old. <br /><br />I for one would like to see our system rationalized by combining programs and letting the states do their job by overseeing the combination. I also do not think religious organizations like Saint Jude's Hospital for Children which never turns a sick child away, should have to pay for birth control pills and other items against their conscience. What's next, euthanasia? Oh that's right, the left calls is assistd death!!<br /><br />The Federal mandate is dead I think. Obama opposed it as a Senator running against Hillary. He knows it is unconstitutional.<br /><br />I don't blame Obama entirely for the health care law. Nancy Pelosi and her uber left-wing pals pushed it through with NO Republicsan votes, and they did a lot of arm-twisting of Blue Dog Democrats to do it. <br /><br />Obama was so wet behind the ears when he signed it into law, he didn't know what he was doing. Of course, the buck stops there, so on that count he is responsible. <br /><br />Althought they make much noise, the Republicans have very little power in the federal government these days. Dems control the Senate and White House and can block many things the Republicans might propose in the House. When the Health Care Law was enacted the Dems controlled all of Congress.<br /><br />Many things could be done to improve the delivery of health care in this country, but the solution is too long to write here. <br /><br />Picking out the "goodies" and hiding the endrun ramifications of a law(which the Dems have done with this new law) is dishonest. No one opposes health care for the poor and sick. The problem is to use our brains to fairly pay for whatever we create.schmidleysscribblins,wordpress.comhttp://schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-53397369613919457122012-04-08T11:23:54.949-04:002012-04-08T11:23:54.949-04:00What Kay said.What Kay said.Rubye Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02511953177053448513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-27980404435131202102012-04-08T10:23:55.857-04:002012-04-08T10:23:55.857-04:00I am old. I am poor. I am sick. Tell me what I ...I am old. I am poor. I am sick. Tell me what I need to do. The Republicans are cutting programs to help the poor -- especially women -- which might make you happy. Preventative care would help but often is unavailable those living in poverty.<br /><br />We are the only major country in the world that doesn't have universal health care. People are dying. <br /><br />http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#46981474Kay Dennisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02646717192332313215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-626594980028435818.post-54318495143280052662012-04-08T10:09:23.335-04:002012-04-08T10:09:23.335-04:00Here's a question: why should I be forced to b...Here's a question: why should I be forced to buy health insurance when an enormous amount of healthcare expenses are the result of individuals choosing not to exercise, not eat well, smoke and not control their weight? Shouldn't the government first "force" people to adopt a healthier lifestyle before it forces me to pay for their irresponsible behavior?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com