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Hah-hah! Bull's eye, Marc.
Kend, go soak your head. With luck, it might improve your ability to absorb and retain information and facts when they are presented to you, here and elsewhere. - AIW
"Chuckle", I'm using a Mac. But hey, it's all techie crap. It has its benefits but it's still a pain.
Global ~ So... You're saying you're a liberal?
Reminds me of that other famous quote--
"It takes one to know one."
Wow, what a mess. I said years ago on this blog, be carefully what you wish for it might come true. Health care is expensive no matter who runs it. Global is right who is going to pay for it? If it's like Canada the answer is simple the middle class. I will say it again start saving today you are going to need it.
Regarding Medicare For All, Global asks: "How are you going to pay for that?" The same way we paid for Star Wars, bombs and drones, silly boy.
Next clueless question: "Do you really want to give up your health care to the government, can you imagine all the regulations and denial of critical care that would most certainly be the common practice[?]" Global, Global, Global... what do you think we've had up to now? Hospital care not covered, pre-existing conditions not covered, out-of-network care not covered, birth control not covered (while Viagra is covered!!!); so-called "experimental" treatments not covered, even when prescribed by doctors... need I go on?!! Obstacles and barriers, galore.
So who is the author of that thought-provoking, "famous" quote? Glenn Beck? Rush Limpballs? Bozo the Clown? - AIW
Gator Girl says "Too long the uninsured - many of whom had the money to purchase insurance - did not do so prefering instead to allow the taxpayers foot the bill for them. They, too, were leeches just as the insurance companies." I don't think so.
Later in the same post GG says "I have no sympathy for any of you who don't and end up being fined. WE are tired of paying for your lazy ASSES and having it cause OUR insurance to increase - at last indication about $1,000 per person to cover those who DO NOT have insurance paid by the TAXPAYERS...." Again, GG, I beg to differ.
As I see it, health "insurance" is nothing but government-sanctioned EXTORTION. And if someone's going to rob me, honey, they'd better be armed with a gun or a knife. Otherwise I'll be damned if I fork it over on command! If that makes me a lazy ass and a "leech" in your book, well then, so be it. I'll just have to manage without your sympathy. But you overlook one thing, GG: us "leeches" are taxpayers too.
I also think it's pathetic how this predatory system of healthcare apartheid pits us small fry against one another. Perhaps you should reconsider your judgment towards those who, like me, can't afford these junk policies or simply refuse to comply. In my case, it's all of the above. So... sue me, then! Or better yet, try directing your anger where it belongs.
The real blame lies with insurance hacks who take people's money, then abandon them when they have a crisis. It is our government's responsibility to give us Medicare For All. There is absolutely NO WAY to justify the abuse we've been subjected to under our current system. Not only is it inhumane, uncivilized, barbaric and cruel; it is economically indefensible and it is unnecessary. And the suffering it causes is mind blowing. People are dying prematurely and being bankrupted because of it, by no fault of their own. And need I remind you who's paying for the nice, tidy SOCIALIZED healthcare system all 500+ members of Congress, the president and those nine Supreme Court justices all enjoy, while we make do with this crap?! Gimmie a break. - Aliceinwonderland
I rest my case, you all do live in a fantasy land. Medicare for all and to all a good night. How are you going to pay for that? How many doctors will be left in practice that will accept the Medicare Payments? Do you really want to give up your health care to the government, can you imagine all the regulations and denial of critical care that would most certainly be the common practice. Reminds me of a famous quote --
“It isn't so much that liberals are ignorant. It's just that they know so many things that aren't so.”
Global says "change the focus to the insurance companies as the bad guys, we need to destroy them. Are you kidding me -- are liberals that gullible and that stupid to believe this BS[?]." I won't even bother quoting the unintelligible babble preceding these remarks.
Are you conservatives dumb enough to defend a bunch of hacks who sell junk insurance policies that don't cover diddily squat? Because these are the REAL "death panels". So I ask you, Global: is this your idea of a legitimate, upstanding enterprise? - Aliceinwonderland
I wonder if the agents who mislead the customers and convinced them to give up their grandfathered policies were given monetary incentive to do so! This needs to be investigated! Could be a calculated double cross by the insurance companies.
The insurance policies that were canceled should have died. They may have cost $55 a month, but they were worthless, and many didn't cover hospitalization, prescription drugs, mental health, maternity. And many of them refused those who had any kind of ailment, especially chronic conditions. And many also limited their liability so that if got really pricey, they would just not pay. Many of those people (and Fox news, which probably knows but refuses to say this) are eligible for subsidies. If you make $45,000 or less you are probably eligible.
The right-wingers and conservatives who have fought this law at every turn and tried to weaken it at every turn are now busy spreading false information.
Pay attention and learn from a neutral site like Consumers Reports (which takes no money from anyone and does not have any advertising). There are others. Some newspapers have good information.
If you can confuse you can deceive.
From what I've read there are a considerable number of people that are against the banning of trans fat. To them I say eat the stuff to your hearts content!
Well said!!!
As soon as ACA was passed the insurance industry saw an opportunity to screw their subscribers and profit from it (how unusual). Now the corporate media is saying it is all Obama's fault.
The promise "that you can keep your health care plan if you like it" was true at that time. The insurance companies changed the plans. Thank you THom for pointing this out. I will be sure to share it.
When anyone dichotomizes an issue by tagging those they disagree with as "Liberals" or "Conservatives" or whatever, they are exposing their willful ignorance and rejection of anyone else's opinion. "Changing" the focus to insurance companies as the bad guys? PULEEZ! Insurance companies are the bad guys and that is why we needed legislation to reign them in.
As soon as ACA was passed the insurance industry saw an opportunity to screw their subscribers and profit from it (how unusual). Now the corporate media is saying it is all Obama's fault.
The promise "that you can keep your health care plan if you like it" was true at that time. The insurance companies changed the plans PERIOD!
It's a step in the right direction and any improvement is better than none. At least we can munch our tortilla chips safe in the knowledge they're transfat free, but if the non-transfat soybean oils, corn oils and the corn in the chips are GMO, then what?
The insurance companies are leeches sucking on the public which they have held hostge to their usurious fees and insuffable ways for too many years.
Many of the people who have not been able to get through the website are just totaly ignorant and others do not even try - prefering to follow the neo-conservative line that the Affordable Care Act is all wrong - which it IS NOT!!! Too long the uninsured - many of whom had the money to purchase insurance - did not do so prefering instead to allow the taxpayers foot the bill for them. They, too, were leeches just as the insurance companies.
The stories coming out about insurance policies being cancelled and sky high replacement policies being offered is true. That said, it is the RESPONSIBILITY of the people themselves to then research what other options are available to them and not just the one which their insurance company wanted to saddle them with - always guaranteed to be the highest of any. When I worked for the government we had open season EVERY year and had to research the policies/amounts of charges being offered for the next year. It was - and STILL IS - OUR and YOUR responsibility to ensure that you have the proper policy for you and, if you have a family, for them, too.
The yelling and accusations being levied by the right wing nut jobs is so predicitable that, if it was not so harmful, it would be laughable. Exactly what you would expect them to say and do. So predictible. I know one person who, very early on, was able to get on the website and obtain insurance. She already had some but because of a pre-existing condition, it did not cover a life threatening condition she was going through. She was in need of an organ transplant but because her insurance would not pay for it she was not allowed to even put on the waiting list for that organ. She is a happy person now that she will have a chance at a life and not exist on machines for whatever time she has left under her old policy. And, this is just ONE of MANY such stories that the Republicans DO NOT want any of you to hear about.
Then there's the woman who was paying about $54 dollars a MONTH for a policy but was sent a cancellation letter with the offer of another policy of almost $600 per month. She was quick to tweet out that info but then FOX - not CBS or any other news station - explained the fact that the old policy that she had would have covered NO inhospital care at all. One accident/illness would have bankrupted her. The policy covered some co-pays for doctors and medications only. A real junk policy. When all was said and done, yes, she WILL pay more for her new policy - about $300/mth - but it WILL now cover most all incidents. Amazing.
The right wing just cannot get over that this bill was passed, challenged and found CONSTITUTIONAL by the SUPREME COURT - not making it OFFICIALLY a LAW!!!
Get over it and start looking out for yourselves by finding a policy to cover your ass before it is too late. I have no sympathy for any of you who don't and end up being fined. WE are tired of paying for your lazy ASSES and having it cause OUR insurance to increase - at last indication about $1,000 per person to cover those who DO NOT have insurance paid by the TAXPAYERS....
Global -- Did you actually read Thom's introduction to this blog? By changing the focus, did you mean using critical thinking to determine actual causes?
Global ~ Quite frankly, I wouldn't put anything past this or any other Administration, or political party, in pulling a fast one on We the People. However, if you think for one minute that I--like you--would ever proceed from the notion that private for profit Health Insurance Companies are trustworthy and beyond reproach than I assure you that it isn't just liberals who are gullible and stupid.
PS (FYI The Insurance Companies are--and always have been--the bad guys. That is why the ACA was written in the first place.They are the only real obstacle standing between We the People and Medicare for all--the real solution to this dilemma.)
AIW -- Are you using a windows operating system and proving my point about bad software selling?
IG -- How can you not remember Windows 3.1 etc providing all those blue screens? If you can't remember that I suppose you are not even aware of microsoft committing perjury. They showed a doctored version of a "film" in court illustrating how the operating system and their applications could not be split up. Clinton was heavy on the trail of convicting them of violating anti-trust laws. Dubya was elected and said we will not go after microsoft anymore. A few months later the Germans went after them on the same charge. The Germans fined them several 100 millions and collected.
I was not defending the Obamacare website. I was establishing who was to blame. The only defense I gave was that the testing approach (everybody complaing about i.e. finding the "bugs") may have been the most cost effective way.
If you think time and not the billions of dollars from Pete Peterson, the Kochs, etc, is going to tell the story, you may be right that we will never agree on anything.
Getting rid of trans fats will lower cholesterol and thus the need for cholesterol pills will fall further driving down healthcare costs.
First it is Obama and the entire Democratic Party going with the lie that you can keep your health care plan if you like it, PERIOD.. Pelosi and her elitist statement that we have to pass it so you can see what's in it. Then Obama tries to lie about what he said in the first lie( " what we said is you can keep it if.."). Now it is -- change the focus to the insurance companies as the bad guys, we need to destroy them. Are you kidding me -- are liberals that gullible and that stupid to believe this BS.
For once oligarchs should be stopped from influencing local elections to finance people like Rand Paul. Keeping the GOP out of office is worth keeping out of state money out of local elections.
Yesterday, the first day of McAuliffe's sojourn as Virginia's Governor, he rescinded an executive order allowing homosexuals to be fired for that reason. When will Obama rescind Bush's embargo on the release of the Presidential papers of his predecessors? Perhaps Obama has activities of his own which he would not like to see the light of day.