Scary defeat for Dems in NYC in special election

Originally posted by Hugh Glass
So did Ryans plan end it, or improve what we have?

It never passed the senate so it didn't do anything in the end. They did put it up to a vote in the house though I think and hence they got republicans on the record for voting for it.

He claimed it would have improved it, I don't believe him.

Originally posted by TheBloop
You forgot to mention that Obama wasn't on the ballot and therefore the election results had nothing to do with him or his policies.

I didn't mention it because I don't believe it. Unlike some right wing posters here, I don't simply regurgitate "spin".

Originally posted by Kunsoo
Well, it's going broke for the same reason that premiums are climbing - the lack of regulation on health care costs.

You've hit the nail on the head again. Not only should the government run an insurance program that everyone has to pay for, they should also tell doctors what they should charge for their services. Did you know that many doctors refuse to see medicare patients because they don't get paid? My grandmother's doctor stopped seeing her for this reason. Do you have any idea what it costs for someone to become a doctor these days? The brightest people will no longer become doctors when they are being paid by the government because the pay sucks. Look at the education system, the best teachers don't work in government jobs.

Originally posted by dryhump
You've hit the nail on the head again. Not only should the government run an insurance program that everyone has to pay for, they should also tell doctors what they should charge for their services. Did you know that many doctors refuse to see medicare patients because they don't get paid? My grandmother's doctor stopped seeing her for this reason. Do you ...[text shortened]... e pay sucks. Look at the education system, the best teachers don't work in government jobs.

Yeah, doctors are going broke: it's just terrible. Stupid government.

In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos074.htm


Damn, guess it's macaroni and cheese again for their kids; how can anyone survive on such a pittance?

Originally posted by no1marauder
Yeah, doctors are going broke: it's just terrible. Stupid government.

In 2008, physicians practicing primary care had total median annual compensation of $186,044, and physicians practicing in medical specialties earned total median annual compensation of $339,738.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos074.htm


Damn, guess it's macaroni and cheese again for their kids; how can anyone survive on such a pittance?

I never said they were going broke, as you can clearly see. I said many of them were refusing to see medicare patients because they don't get paid enough (I should have added enough in the original post, sorry).
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-02-19-medicare.htm

It's nothing but the truth that the cost of medical education is high. If you want to pick on someone making too much money, how about politicians. At least doctors do something useful.

Originally posted by dryhump
I never said they were going broke, as you can clearly see. I said many of them were refusing to see medicare patients because they don't get paid enough (I should have added enough in the original post, sorry).
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-02-19-medicare.htm

It's nothing but the truth that the cost of medical education is high. If you wa ...[text shortened]... n someone making too much money, how about politicians. At least doctors do something useful.

I didn't pick on anyone for making money. I merely pointed out that they do make a lot of money.

Originally posted by dryhump
I never said they were going broke, as you can clearly see. I said many of them were refusing to see medicare patients because they don't get paid enough (I should have added enough in the original post, sorry).
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-02-19-medicare.htm

It's nothing but the truth that the cost of medical education is high. If you wa ...[text shortened]... n someone making too much money, how about politicians. At least doctors do something useful.

Or lawyers,,? sorry SH76
The TV is full of law firms looking for people who can sue for one thing or another... DRs make money, but what do they pay for insurance?

Originally posted by dryhump
I never said they were going broke, as you can clearly see. I said many of them were refusing to see medicare patients because they don't get paid enough (I should have added enough in the original post, sorry).
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-02-19-medicare.htm

It's nothing but the truth that the cost of medical education is high. If you wa ...[text shortened]... n someone making too much money, how about politicians. At least doctors do something useful.

Doctors would still be doing something useful if they were not overpaid.

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Doctors would still be doing something useful if they were not overpaid.

Make their education free, make insurance compulsory, enforce a schedule of fees that if doctors provide service for at that schedule for 80% of their clients, then let the compulsory health insurance system, foot the bill for their liability insurance.

Within 5 years America will have an affordable health system..

It does not stop the high end adding to their compulsory insurance responsibility, and if doctors want to be free to charge whatever they want, then they can get their own liability insurance. Either way once the systems in place, you would have ample scope to tweak the levers a little to ensure that for the vast majority of consumers and providers, health care will no longer be a minefield of price shock, and litigation angst. A healthy health system demands that.