O/T: Last Word

[Lew Hodgett]

Enjoy

Lew

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The Last Word - Rewriting the Romney cheerleaders

[Dr. Deb]

a rewrite? They read the "tea leaves" and came to their conclusions. The "wonk" on MSNBC is gloating, something a real journalist would never do, but that was MSNBC.

As for Obama being reelected, no, I really do not like it. However, a part of me sees this as poetic justice. He has had a major hand in creating, and continuing to create, the current mess. Its only right that the rewards of his first four years fall into his lap for the second four.

Deb

[Keith Nuttle]

That may be the way to look at it.

I wonder how long the before the people realize obama has defunded Social Security with his cut in the employee's contribution to the Social Security "Fund" by about 30% (I believe from 6.4 to 4.4 unsure of the decimal numbers) or a total cut of about 15%. Fortunately I am old enough that I will not be effected in this cut in the funding to my Social Security check as I will probably die before the effects of the cut become apparent.

Just for the record I have paid into the system for over 50 years, so I don't consider collecting it, welfare. That is what the democrats promise when they created the Social Security Insurance system in he

1930's. (Or were we lied to about that too)

As for the Medicare that I receive I am paying over %1200 per year for that insurance plus the private insurance I care. Most people even those on Social Security do not know they pay it, but it is deducted from the SS check. How much will the Coastal City Taker pay?? Where do you think the 500 billion came from that obama moved from the Medicare system to pay for their coverage.

It is going to be pure pleasure listen to the Coastal City Taker when the full load of the medical reform cuts in.

There will be many drug makers who will stop making the expensive low mark up drugs. (Production cost+Research cost compared to sales price.) Who will do the expensive research when the companies can no long afford the luxury.

They are going to be surprised when the cost of band aids, and other medical devices go up a minimum of 2.3%. If you read the CFR you will be surprised at what is considered a medical device. If you receive a drug in a self-application system that is a medical device.

What is really going to be interesting is when they are being taxed for not having insurance. Remember the Supreme Court Ruling. This is another thing that obama has covered up, he promised not to increase the taxes on middle and lower income people. But there it is in black and white, at tax on the poorest people in the country.

The system that the social democrats and obama have set up, is bound to fail. It has failed every time it has been tried in the world. The only economic system that has repeatedly succeeded is the one create by the participants in oldest profession in the world that is Capitalism. Unfortunately it took Russia about 70 years to fail, and they are still struggling to fix the system. Cuba's system failed in about 30 years but they still will not accept "glorious system" failed. So I will be long dead when the socialist system in what was the United States fails. Unfortunately look at the way the people live in those socialist states.

PS: I understand you can get some great old cars from the 40's 50's and

60's in Cuba, a collectors dream.

[Ed Pawlowski]

We are borrowing money from China to fix that. Not to worry though, we'll just spend out way out of debt.

I'm still working full time and I'm taking the SS now. I paid for 50 years too and I'm still paying into it. Doubt I'll ever be ahead but I certainly don't feel I'm taking advantage of anything. .

Yes, and I'm still paying into that fund every month also. So, I'm really paying about $200 a month for Medicare, plus a supplement.

[Larry Blanchard]

Well, once again we agree - something must be wrong with the universe :-).

I don't know about that. There was a study some time back that said that something like 80% of drug company "research" was reverse engineering a competitors product so they could modify it just enough to get their version patented.

Not to mention the horrendous markup on most non-generic drugs. There's something unethical about gouging the sick to get rich.

Repeatedly succeeded? It's been replaced everywhere by a mix of capitalism and socialism. Most have a little more socialism in the mix than we do and some of those, like Germany, Japan, Canada, and more, are doing better than we are.

Yabbut, a lot of those are ForChryolets :-). Sometimes hard to tell how they started out. Same with motorcycles. But the ingenuity involved in keeping them running is amazing.

[Keith Nuttle]

In the last several thousand years every time the socialist turn their head or a socialist state has failed a Capitalist state has returned.

Even today is place where socialism is the rule, like Russia, Cuba, etc. the capitalist i.e black market is keeping the economies going

[Swingman]

An excellent argument can be made that they are doing better because they can market to those who don't have that mix. ;)

[dadiOH]

Just FYI, it does not have to be. Mine isn't deducted, neither is my wife's.

[Gordon Shumway]

Can you explain how it isn't deducted?

[Larry Blanchard]

Maybe he doesn't take part B?

[Swingman]

If it's Part B I'd like to know myself. I thought that Part B, which IIRC is mandatory to get the other parts, had to be deducted?

And, its supposed to go up another $7 in January, which will just about wipe out the proposed COLA. Bastards ....

[Keith Nuttle]

Welcome to the deceptive world of the obama medical plan. As I remember your advantage plan will soon disappear.

[dadiOH]

By using a Medicare Advantage plan. Not all of same return the deduction but many do, in full. Some return part, some return none, some even charge an additional amount. I choose one that returns the full amount.

[dadiOH]

Nope.

[Unquestionably Confused]

But did you read the comment posted by one Dennis Byron? I would suggest that you do so.

Not saying Mr. Byron is right or wrong, just that, like everything else, there are two sides (at least) to every story.

Time will tell, but the manner in which this health care plan was run through (Well, we have to pass it first before we know what it means) if anyone told me the sun rises in the east and sets in the west - based on the plan - I'd damn sure want a second opinion

[Swingman]

can count on that report to be only partially true, and at best a guess.

Medicare Advantage insurance is subsidized in part by Fed payments to the insurance companies that provide it.

Just plain old common sense and a bit of the way the world works suggests that as those subsidies are decreased, it is a good bet that the either the cost of Medicare Advantage insurance will go up, or the benefits will decrease ... probably both.

Basically when dealing with any government program your best bet is to take the most pessimistic view possible ... you will bear the brunt in any case, particularly if you are a member of a specific demographic.

[Keith Nuttle]

Quote from article: ****"There's nothing in the law that cuts back the Medicare Advantage program in the sense of changing what plans are authorized," explains Marsha Gold, Sc.D., a senior fellow at Mathematica Policy Research, a Washington, D.C., research group, and an expert on Medicare. ****

******"The only thing that's changing is the cost. The plans had been getting paid a lot more than the traditional Medicare program, and the Affordable Care Act is slowly trying to reduce that."**** _______________________________________________________________________ "Not eliminate it, slow reduce it until it is not there"

Is that better?

Where do you think obama got the 500 billion to spend for those who are becoming wards of the federal government with free health insurance?

[dadiOH]

>> You can count on that report to be only partially true, and at best a > guess.

Not in part, totally. An Advantage plan gets a fixed monthly amount per enrollee. That amount varies state by state, county by county, maybe even city by city and is determined by the "normal" medical costs for the area.

It is then up to the insurance company to provide the necessary care for the enrollee at a cost less than what they receive (assuming they want to not go in the hole). One way they do that is (if they are an HMO) is by limiting care only to their providers and via their contracts with providers which may be less than Medicare would pay. That might be one reason why many of the contracted providers have third world names.

The benefits can't go down. Not, at least, any that Medicare itself provides because Advantage plans MUST provide the same. They could cut down on extras like gym memberships, vision, etc.

The plans might certainly charge more (or refund less to the enrollee) but given the extreme competition among them and the fact that they already receive a bonus I'm thinking they will do more to curtail costs rather than increase prices..

[dadiOH]

>>> But did you read the comment posted by one Dennis Byron? I would

Yes, I read it.

In some of his comments at least, he is wrong.

Obama Care is already passed and I'm no fan of it. I'm no fan of *ANY* government edict or law telling individuals what they must or must not do in their private lives and that includes telling restaurant/bar/business owners that they cannot allow smoking in their establishment.

While I think it may be prudent of individuals to purchase medical insurance I don't like them being required to do so. Yeah, I know...the employer is going to provide it. That will either increase costs to consumers or the employers will reduce working hours low enough so they don't have to purchase it in which case the lucky worker will have to buy it out of HIS pocket. Or both.

[Swingman]

>>>>> You can count on that report to be only partially true, and at best a >> guess.

Actually what I said above is a unarguable FACT ... meaning you can semantically argue all you want, but you are still not denying the FACT that "Medicare Advantage insurance is subsidized in part by Fed payments to the insurance companies that provide it". :)

If pigs had wings ....

Wishful thinking (with a bit of dissembling thrown in an attempt to justify a position?)

The "Maximum Out of Pocket" amount is a "benefit" of an insurance plan.

A "Co-pay" amount for services, drugs, etc are "benefits" of an insurance plan.

When the cost of these key benefits to a policy holder INCREASE, meaning the policy holder pays more "out of pocket" and more in "copays", the insurance company is indeed REDUCING "benefits".

Another unarguable FACT. :)

Case in point: Each of the above has increased a minimum of 18 to 20% on my particular MA from 2012 to 2013, not including the 12% increase from

2012 to 2012 in the premium.

IOW, the premium has increased, and the "benefits" of the plan have decreased.

That 500 billion+ the AHCA is taking from Medicare has to come from somewhere, and in reality it comes from an increase in premiums AND a decrease in benefits of Medicare Advantage plans.

You can disagree now, but trust me ... you will feel the pain eventually.

LOL ... and how does an insurance company curtail costs?? ... by increasing premiums and reducing "benefits".

Go figure ... :)

Leave that dream world behind, Bubba ...before you find yourself in more need than you planned for. ;)