health care - redirecting money already spent?

[DEDixon 39]

a post without an article... OMG!

just wondering aloud about something. currently, if you don't have HC insurance, you go to the hospital emergency room or maybe a county health clinic.... someone has to pay for this. it seems the 1 trillion over 10 years for the new plan is likely already being spent at emergency rooms and county health clinics.

i haven't a clue, however i wonder what the savings would be to emergency rooms and county health clinics?

it seems the new plan would simply better facilitate health care. we are probably already spending the 1 trillion over 10 years in a haphazard way.

[mawilson 2,133]

it seems the 1 trillion over 10 years for the new plan is likely already being spent at emergency rooms and county health clinics.

Illness prevention is a myth.

In reality, emergency treatments (once in a blue moon) cost less than routine care (all year round.)

The CBO has confirmed that preventive services cost more than they save.

[DEDixon 39]

The CBO has confirmed that preventive services cost more than they save.

interesting. i didn't know this.

[mawilson 2,133]

interesting. i didn't know this.

Here's the link

[Dan J 277]

Illness prevention is a myth.

In reality, emergency treatments (once in a blue moon) cost less than routine care (all year round.)

The CBO has confirmed that preventive services cost more than they save.

In some cases yes, if you screen the entire population for particular risk factors, it can be more costly than treating the few cases that result out of not screening.

If you can narrow down screening to just the high risk populations, than it can be worth it. Which is difficult to do in some cases.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

a post without an article... OMG!

just wondering aloud about something. currently, if you don't have HC insurance, you go to the hospital emergency room or maybe a county health clinic.... someone has to pay for this. it seems the 1 trillion over 10 years for the new plan is likely already being spent at emergency rooms and county health clinics.

i haven't a clue, however i wonder what the savings would be to emergency rooms and county health clinics?

it seems the new plan would simply better facilitate health care. we are probably already spending the 1 trillion over 10 years in a haphazard way.

Probably. Why risk it? Seems like we have a plan in place for people that do not have health insurance. Why do we need to overhaul everyone else's because of 10% of the population (probably less than 10% if we do not count illegal aliens) ???

"We sre spending the money anyway's, let's just let the government control all of our health care" is not a good argument. I prefer to pay the way I do now and keep the government OUT of my business.

[Ali G. 37]

Probably. Why risk it? Seems like we have a plan in place for people that do not have health insurance. Why do we need to overhaul everyone else's because of 10% of the population (probably less than 10% if we do not count illegal aliens) ???

"We sre spending the money anyway's, let's just let the government control all of our health care" is not a good argument. I prefer to pay the way I do now and keep the government OUT of my business.

So basically you are pulling a Bunning on Americans and feel, #### em. #### the "10% of the population".

Still lost exactly how the private sector is doing anything better. Based on my personal experience using both systems, the present health care system here is hardly something I write home about.

[Dan J 277]

Probably. Why risk it? Seems like we have a plan in place for people that do not have health insurance. Why do we need to overhaul everyone else's because of 10% of the population (probably less than 10% if we do not count illegal aliens) ???

"We sre spending the money anyway's, let's just let the government control all of our health care" is not a good argument. I prefer to pay the way I do now and keep the government OUT of my business.

We are at about 17% percent without insurance. We also have another 20% or more people who are under insured, but with deductibles they cant afford, or just without sufficient coverage.

When we have Wellpoint in California raising rates by 39%, those numbers will just keep growing.

[mawilson 2,133]

We are at about 17% percent without insurance.

Who's "we"? California?

[Ali G. 37]

When we have Wellpoint in California raising rates by 39%, those numbers will just keep growing.

Why are they increasing their premiums by that amount?

[Dan J 277]

Who's "we"? California?

The US overall.

Why are they increasing their premiums by that amount?

Its a combination of boosting profits, and healthy people leaving the insurance pool because its too expensive.

[Ali G. 37]

Its a combination of boosting profits, and healthy people leaving the insurance pool because its too expensive.

You must be mistaken, I could have sworn the private sector is the be-all and end-all; able to deliver the best service at the cheapest price; never to be manipulated or exploited for a profit.

Leaving the private sector to administer health care is the equivalent of leaving Bin Laden to dictate human rights.

[mawilson 2,133]

The US overall.

17% of 300 million is 50 million. Are you claiming that 50 million people are uninsured?

Even Obama is using a lower figure of "30 million" (which is probably too high since politicians

tend to exaggerate facts somewhat.)

[Dan J 277]

17% of 300 million is 50 million. Are you claiming that 50 million people are uninsured?

Even Obama is using a lower figure of "30 million" (which is probably too high since politicians

tend to exaggerate facts somewhat.)

Your mixing up the numbers. 30 million is the number of uninsured that the proposals were expected to help. It was never suggested that it would help everyone get coverage.

Although you would have to pay a tiny fine if you chose not to get coverage. Which is still cheaper than buying coverage for many.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Dan + Gemvita

[mawilson 2,133]

Your mixing up the numbers. 30 million is the number of uninsured that the proposals were expected to help. It was never suggested that it would help everyone get coverage.

I'm not mixing up anything.

According to Peter Orszag,

"The Census report indicates that of the 46 million uninsured individuals, 34 million were native born

and 2.8 million were naturalized citizens. The report thus shows that there were 36.8 million uninsured

U.S. citizens (native born and naturalized) in 2008. An alternative calculation includes legal immigrants,

which based on a figure from the Pew Hispanic Center would bring the total to something like 39 million."

So the number is either 36 million (if you count US citizens only), 39 million (if you count legal immigrants)

or 46 million (if you count illegals.)

Furthermore, subtracting the individuals who are already eligible for public insurance programs like Medicaid

and S-CHIP but do not enroll in those programs from the total would produce a number closer to 30 million.

50 million is a made up number.

Edited March 1, 2010 by mawilson