A new healthcare proposal is gathering steam in the Senate. It’s dubbed the “skinny” bill. It would not repeal Obamacare, but it would end requirements that many employers provide health coverage and a mandate that most people without health coverage must pay a penalty.
I do not have a definition of “many” and there are a lot of other unknowns in the bill. Senator Rand Paul said he could support it and Trump is Tweeting about the “big day”.
Yet, it’s unclear if the Republicans have the votes, and we still do not know what’s actually in the bill. Shhh. It’s a secret, but supposedly we find out later today. Well, maybe.
The Wall Street Journal reports Senate Poised for First Vote in Obamacare Repeal Effort.
Nearly a month after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell halted a vote on a GOP plan to dismantle and replace much of the Affordable Care Act, the Kentucky Republican said the chamber would vote Tuesday on whether to bring the bill up for consideration. Republican leaders delayed the vote earlier when it became clear that GOP defections would prevent the Senate from beginning debate on it through a so-called motion to proceed.
A sustained campaign from Mr. McConnell and, in the last week, President Donald Trump, will be tested for its effectiveness in winning over enough GOP votes to at least clear the first procedural hurdle. The next step will be to see if there are 50 votes to pass any legislation.
This scaled-down measure would repeal ACA requirements that many employers provide health coverage and a mandate that most people without health coverage must pay a penalty, Senate GOP aides said Tuesday. The bill would also repeal a medical device tax, they said. If that passes, then it would set up negotiations to secure a compromise between the “skinny repeal” plan passed by the Senate and the broader bill passed by the House in May.
The proposal that waters down a more robust repeal of the current health law has been closely guarded by Mr. McConnell, but will be discussed today at a lunch with GOP Senate lawmakers.
“We are potentially one or two days away from a vote on a bill that would reorganize one sixth of the American economy, impacting tens of millions of American lives—and no one knows what it is!” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Monday. “It’s sort of like ‘Alice in Wonderland’ around here.”
As of Tuesday morning, only one Republican senator, Susan Collins of Maine, was a firm opponent of beginning debate on the bill. Whether the bill advances Tuesday will depend on a handful of other GOP senators who remain undecided, including Mike Lee of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Dean Heller of Nevada and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that such a plan would leave 32 million more people without insurance coverage by 2026.
Mr. Paul said he would vote to begin debate if the 2015 repeal bill comes to the floor first but not if the procedural vote leads to consideration of the Senate GOP bill.
“I really hate their bill,” Mr. Paul said Monday night of the Senate-drafted legislation. “Their bill is not repeal at all, and so I just don’t support their bill.”
The Republican health plan gets rid of the requirement that most people have health coverage or pay a penalty and ends the enhanced federal money to the 31 states that expanded Medicaid, a program for the low-income and disabled that has grown by about 16 million people since expansion provisions kicked in in 2014. It also imposes steep cuts to federal funding for the program.
The proposal provides tax credits similar to those provided under the ACA, but it expands eligibility and makes the credits smaller. Insurers could again sell cheaper health plans with fewer benefits than under the ACA, and states could obtain waivers enabling them to roll back the current health law’s regulation. Insurers could also charge older people more than they currently can under the law.
Paul is mistaken. The 2015 clean repeal bill would take 60 votes to pass. The trick is to come up with a bill that only requires 50 votes with vice president Pence breaking the tie.
Skinny Bill Problems
- A huge number of loose ends. We do not know what is in the bill.
- No incentives to reduce costs.
- No provisions for hospitals to turn people away who do not have insurance.
- Rising costs of insurance. Premiums are expected to rise 20% if this passes, but no one really knows since details are scant.
Many Republicans are still on the fence. The Skinny bill will pick up support from Rand Paul and I presume Ted Cruz, but will it cause any other defections?
As per the “Rule of Nothing”, the best thing to do may be nothing.
Obamacare is too flawed to fix.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
MISH – is there a way to ‘FOLLOW’ this thread, without first having to make a comment in it? Thx
I think there is a way to track comments but I rather doubt you want an email every time a comment is posted.
I turned it off for obvious reasons.
This reminds me of the infamous quote “You have to pass the bill to find out what’s in it”. I do not know how repubs expect dems to work with them when they keep the debate a secret, although I expect the dems would be impossible to work with just as they have been ever since Donny became president. It is typically hypocritical for Chuck the Schmuck to criticize repubs for doing what the dems previously did.
BTW back in Tip O’Neal’s day, he said he would never bring up a federal health care bill, there is no way to make it workable for Americans.
Actually, it looks like two (female) Republican Senators will be able to say (to their voters), “I actually voted against it before I voted for it.”
there was a time when we didn’t have to decide between basic care/shelter or paying for medical bills, but now we do. It’s a trainwreck. Personally, I’ve been at all ends of the insured-noninsured spectrum, and I gotta say that I’m all for the healthcare industry posting procedure costs like any other business does, and then let competitive marketing take over. Is this flawed? Yep. But, there wouldn’t be any doubts as to people making conscious decisions on whether or not they can afford nonemergency procedures. The emergency issues I don’t have an answer for, so my ideals are very flawed. I recognize it.
Posted prices with a discount for cash customers to below medicare levels – why wasn’t this implemented years ago. Basic rules of commerce. This could have been voted and approved even with ACA in effect.
Idiot senator sends me a letter indicating his concern for high medical costs yet did nothing for seven years while my premium tripled.
You still don’t have to decide between the two.
Pay all your other bills and ignore the dunning letters and calls from the collectors for medical bills and see what happens.
The answer – I know before you try it – is nothing. Nothing will happen to you. You will continue to work, and pay for your home, auto, and everything else. No one will show up and take your house, your car, your job, or your money. There will be no wage garnishment and no debtors prison. Not for medical bills.
You won’t be able to get *new* credit without paying through the nose on interest however – but you really shouldn’t use it anyway. If you can’t pay cash for something, then don’t buy it.
If you were/are stupid enough to let a lawyer convince you that bankruptcy is the only choice if you have unpaid medical bills, then you’ve got bigger problems than healthcare.
Now if your medical problems prevent you from being able to work to pay your other bills – that’s a different issue and has nothing to do with healthcare.
DBG8489,
It would be great if no wage garnishment for medical bills was real in every state. Unfortunately, in Indiana, wage garnishment for medical bills is real. My son has 25% of his after tax income taken for a $10,000 hospital bill incurred while he was trying to finish his college degree, unemployed and uninsured at the time. His appendix burst so he had the choice of dying from it or surgery. I try to help him pay the bill, but I’m disabled and on a fixed income. He can file bankruptcy and probably will when he has the 1500 dollars to do so. He works 60 plus hours per week, getting every hour of overtime available, pays his taxes and bills, takes care of his family and yet he is basically in a debtor’s prison because of his bad luck in having a faulty appendix..
Definitely look into Bankruptcy.
Good luck to you.
Mish
I agree.
And look into moving to another state.
“No one will show up and take your house, your car, your job, or your money.”
Why would the courts treat unpaid medical bills any different from other unpaid bills?
I know people who have lost their homes due to unpaid medical bills.
It’s a wicked system.
Some states may allow it without a judgement, but most do not.
And getting a judgement means going to court – where you can fight.
If you don’t want to fight, declare bankruptcy.
Despite what everyone seems to believe, BK isn’t the end of the world.
I just got an email from Rand Paul. He says there are 2 bills pending: One to proceed to debate repeal of Obamacare, the other bill to tweek Obamacare. He does point out that full repeal requires 60 votes; also he is against the “just do something even if it’s bad” version 2. He wants repubs to keep their promises and work toward full repeal.
The vote just happened and version one, the “skinny bill” passed with 50 votes + the veep.
Now it moves to conference with the House version. Still lots of work to do. Paul said he would support “whatever version of CLEAN repeal we can pass.”
Reblogged this on World4Justice : NOW! Lobby Forum..
What a stupid idea (from what we know about it).
So all those in need of healthcare would still have full access and benefits while those who are not in need of healthcare can opt out and discontinue financing it?
Anybody else see something wrong with that picture?
This will blow up in the Republican’s face.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Repeal and (((never))) replace are now and will always be in the best interest for me and my family.
Every able bodied person who doesn’t agree with me on this issue is either a leach, a fool or both. They don’t care about me so why should I care about them. Any questions?
https://whiskeytangotexas.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/imok.png
The point being that they aren’t seeking solutions.
They’re creating more and even bigger problems which will eventually sink the entire ship.
We spend upwards of 20% of GDP on healthcare. The rest of the industrialized world spends 13% on average and provides better quality healthcare for their citizens than we do.
The GOP won’t even discuss removing illegal aliens from MediCaid coverage. Why should working citizens paid huge premiums and deductibles while illegal foreigners get free treatment?
As a former doctor who is a commentator now said: The first thing that needs to happen to make US health care affordable again is TORT REFORM. I completely agree. The lawyers – not so much. 25-30% of tests that doctors order are unnecessary, but just to protect themselves in case they get sued.
That’s nonsense.
The number of medical malpractice attorneys has fallen sharply in the last 25 years. It’s practically impossible to squeeze a dollar out of a pharma company for toxic medicines. The laws enacted by Congress has given them a wide latitude of legal protections. It’s hard to find a competent attorney to represent a harmed patient unless the surgeon removed the wrong kidney or amputated the wrong leg. Tort reform has already been addressed by the feds and the states by enacting laws that protect their sugar daddies – the medical industry. Research it.
The problem is the health care industry bribes the politicians to get whatever they want. Why do you think we pay double or triple the amount for pharmaceuticals made in America as compared to the rest of the world? Same with medical equipment. We subsidize the entire globe for their medical care.
That’s the reason we spend 20% of our GDP on health care while everyone else spends 13% – and get medical care with worse outcomes that the other industrialized nations.
At least the failure of Obamacare will lead to no one offering plans in your county, making you eligible to get an exemption certificate so you won’t have to pay the tax.
“No incentives to reduce costs.”
…
Any bill that fails to address costs should be DOA.
If Rs manage to pass this (or similar) bill, look for voters to take it out on Rs in 2018 election.
No matter what they do costs will go up. Repeal costs up. Do nothing costs up. Do any damn thing at all. Costs up. Get used to it. Affordable health care is a dream. America wants a Lexus healthcare plan for a corolla price. Healthcare is becoming the greatest tax on America.
As always – follow the money:
Physicians and other health professionals are traditionally the largest source of federal campaign contributions in this sector, which contributed a record $260.4 million to federal candidates during the 2012 election cycle. Aside from doctors’ associations, pharmaceutical companies and HMOs are consistently generous givers. Certain industries within the sector, such as nurses, give more generously to Democrats, but on the whole Republicans traditionally have gained the most from contributions by health interests.
http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?Ind=H
The republicans are falling into the trap! The minute they “adjust” Obamacare, they own all of the negative consequences.
Millions will die, lose coverage, starve and suffer PURELY because the greedy republicans altered the most perfect healthcare legislation ever devised by mankind.
There will not be enough open market fixes in their bill to reap the benefits of an open health insurance market. Premiums will not go down. Healthcare costs will continue to climb. Nearly all of the negatives of Obamacare will continue and NOW it will be the Republicans fault.
Their base will stay home in 2018, and the filthy democrats voters who have their hands perpetually out for government windfalls, will be motivated. The Dems reclaim the House and Senate in landslides. Trump is impeached and the country tumbles into the leftist abyss.
The media will blame republicans — but then the media is going to blame republicans no matter what the outcome is. Screw the media, and cut cable TV. Its low quality garbage anyway.
In the real world (which excludes leaches and residents of SF Bay area), voters know the difference between Dems and Rep politicians is the same as the difference between the Corleone’s and the Sopranos (two fictional crime families).
Wicked Witch Pelosi thinks YOU deserve Obamacare, but like the coward McCain she has much better health coverage paid for by taxpayers.
Unless you are a stupid idiot (again, see SF Bay residents) — you don’t trust a chef who won’t eat her own cooking.
The “Rule of Nothing” should be renamed the “Axiom of Nothing.” It is axiomatic that the best outcome one can hope for is government inaction.
I like that
Mish
If you have continual improvements in productivity in certain sectors: telecom, computing, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and so on, the remaining sectors without productivity gains will eventually dominate GDP: health care, education, finance, military procurement, and even politics/governance. It’s simple math of exponents.
Noone goes to the store and buys a sector. Back a century or so ago, many “sectors” did improve in productivity. The Horse and buggy one did not. Yet somehow doesn’t really dominate the economy…..
Also, from the 60s until now, the computing/IT sector exploded in productivity. Yet has become more and more dominant as it’s productivity has risen….
As often as not, as technological improvements lower the price of a product, people spend more on that particular product, than on the ones where prices rise. Whether that translates directly to a “sector”, is pretty much entirely dependent on where a “sector’s” entirely arbitrary boundaries are drawn.
The main moral of the story is that aggregation in general, is little more than an exercise in newspeak, aimed at framing a debate in ways that confirms ones own biases. Hence why it’s essentially all that progressives, from Krugman on down, spend their efforts on.
The Democrats FORCED a health care bill on me and didn’t give a damn. But now, they are so “concerned”? It makes me sick.
The Government has no “right” to be involved in anyway. There is no way they can pass any “bill” that can work since Health Care is imploding due to the horrific obesity and sickness of the American people.
The government, be it “ObamaCare”or Trump’s “MeanCare” will only make it worse.
All I need is some 80 year old man with brain cancer who gets premium medical care at little or no cost deciding what health care system is best for me.
One can only imagine the election day massacre that awaits the republican party if McCain gets special treatment at our expense, and Republican voters get another 30% premium increase.
I refuse to vote socialist, but I can just stay home and it will have the same outcome for republicans.
I expect and require a full repeal. I don’t give a damn if illegal aliens and welfare cases lose out. The middle class pays taxes, the middle class makes the world go around — not the deadbeats and leaches.
Repeal obamafraud or replace Congress
But won’t you be happy that the $250K+ crowd get more tax cuts?
MISH — can you point to anywhere in my comment where I say anything pro/con about the $250K crowd?
The lying and misquoting by these Soros trolls is getting out of hand. I know you don’t want to babysit them (I don’t blame you, I don’t either — that’s why I am posting this comment). You could just ban them. They don’t add any value. Their trash just lowers the entire comment section into the street gutter.
Too many good comments are being dumped into the awaiting moderation queue, and too much trash is getting posted. I know you don’t want to babysit every comment, but some commenters (@monosynaptic @realist and @wrldtrst may in fact be the same troll posting under different aliases) are just dragging your site down.
Well the tax cuts are the point of this bill, aren’t they?
If there wasn’t the possibility of tax cuts the Republicans would just move the money around to satisfy their particular medical lobbyists.
I’m spending $1,000 of my tax cut on the Democratic nominee that annoys you the most 🙂
Don’t “Candy-Coat” it Medex Man !!
Tell us how you feel !!!!
And a WHOLE BUNCH of us on here agree with you !!!!!~>>>>
I am having a real problem with the moderation queue on here.
I put a bunch of links to BBC articles, and they got put into moderation. I never said anything pro/con about people making $250K — I specifically said I am worried about middle class taxpayers… yet I was deliberately misquoted by another commenter monosynaptic.
And monosyn has done this over and over to many different people — not just me. A week ago, he insulted someone’s mother? Is that the sort of low life the rest of us want to associate with?
I understand our blog host doesn’t want to babysit any of us… I don’t either.
Hopefully our blog host will post some of the many many many news stories (not just from the BBC) showing what a fiscal mess their NHS system is in. Wait times trippled, cost overruns, babies being refused treatment AND prohibited from getting care paid for by private donors… subsidies from oil royalties makes NHS seem like a cheaper mess than the USA, but its still a mess and it isn’t really cheaper once one adjusts for the oil subsidies
If you want to see what really awful comments look like, go to Zerohedge. I have never seen so much profanity and anti-semitism. Disgusting!
@CJ — agree 100%.
Our blog host puts in a lot of time writing good posts. Even when I disagree with other commenters, I usually learn something from them. We can’t control the trolls and political agitators. There is only so much babysitting the host (or anyone he would appoint) can do.
Unlike the trolls, the rest of us have jobs and families and so on. Hopefully the worst trolls get banned, and good comments continue to outnumber and outweigh the bad
Link to comment of me insulting somebody’s mother please.
Oh, and a general boohoo to the snowflake behavior – I didn’t get the memo that this was a Medex Man safe space.
IF McCain gets special treatment? There’s no “IF” about it.McCain gets fully taxpayer funded medical care with access to the best docs that money can buy. They’ll spend a million dollars to give him an extra month of life. Wait and see.
If McCain gets special treatment (which, as you point out, he did…)
. AND
Obamafraud (or McConnel-fraud or Ryan-fraud or …) results in another 30% premium increase
–> then the republican party is in serious trouble.
The second part hasn’t happened (yet). By allowing McCain to get special treatment, Ryan and McConnel have put the old guard republicans in serious trouble for November 2018.
They might get replaced with socialists … which would lead to civil war and chaos. I don’t see anyone in the democratic party with an actual plan to fix anything. Just more welfare and give away programs taken straight out of Venezeula’s playbook. Same dumb ideas –> same dumb results.
The old guard GOP might get replaced with Trump republicans (not sure what that means now — Trump no longer stands for something, very Bubba Clinton)
They might get replaced with Ron Paul republicans (just grow up and repeal this fraudulent nonsense).
They might get replaced with “new republicans”… younger generations that were repulsed by college indoctrination and college debt and the terror of inheriting $20 trillion in national debt.
Or the republican party might collapse alongside the democrat party, which seems to be disintegrating as fast as they can sell out the middle class.
But if McCain votes to keep any sort of federally mandated insurance scam, he is essentially announcing his retirement from politics. Remember when he played the PoW card with torturing prisoners, only to smile like an idiot as Bush added a signing statement that McCain’s law against torture was purely optional? That ended McCain’s presidential bid, even if McCain won’t admit it.
I should have been more clear in stating the “IF” was conditional on both things, not just McCain getting special treatment.
The Republicans have already showed us what they stand for.
With Obama in office the Republicans voted to repeal Obamacare – knowing that their votes were meaningless since with a swipe of the pen Obama vetoed it.
They had a full 7 years to come up with a viable plan to replace Obamacare and did absolutely ^$%&%# nothing.
The Republicans only bicker and stand in each other’s way when they know that their votes actually count and could make a difference (w/Trump in the White House). A bunch of phony, double-talking, snake-in-the-grass back stabbers. All talk and no action.
As sleazy as the Democrats are – they are loyal to one another and hang together. For that you have to give ’em credit.
The Republicans can’t be trusted any farther than I could throw Chris Christie.
They’ve already shown us their true colors. How many times do they have to repeat themselves for the electorate to catch on?
Maybe about 1/3 of all the Senators and Congresspeeps will be replaced by an odd collection of all those you listed, Medexman. Then NOTHING would get passed…HOORAY !
Kinda’ like the UK and France and all the other countries that have to patch together a ‘coalition’ to govern….NOTHING GETTING PASSED WOULD BE GREAT !!
If only there were another medical coverage system that is used in multiple other countries that costs 1/2 to 2/3 of what our system costs, has better outcomes and is liked by the majority of citizens that covers you from conception to death.
If only the reality of government health care matched the myths you keep peddling.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/10/hospitals-on-brink-of-collapse-say-health-chiefs
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29738151
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40485724
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40122075
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39420662
The country most similar to the USA, culturally and legally and historically, can’t make their NHS system work — and the problems extend across many Prime Ministers and many many years.
Stop lying @mono. Admit that your socialist political thinking caused the suffering in Venezeula. Admit that government run health systems are failing all over the world, not just in the economic power that pays for all the R&D costs
The key point usually overlooked is that those other countries do not allow the personal lawsuit lottery winners system that the US has.
Agree that lawsuit lottery is bigger part of the problem in the US than other countries — but many things are contributing to out of control costs.
Just as in the USA, the countries that have sort-of, but not really, government run systems also have cost over-runs, long wait times that get longer, death by bureaucratic committees… and they don’t pay their share of R&D costs.
The socialists know that branding their idea “government run care” is an instant loser to voters — so now they have rebranded the same dumb idea as “single payer”. Same dumb idea, still doesn’t work in other countries.
And based on the US Post office, Amtrak and the VA hospital system — the US government will make an even bigger mess of healthcare than the British government did.
NHS doesn’t work. See any of dozens of BBC articles, which are actually more diplomatic / pro UK government than other British based sources. Richard Branson (Virgin everything, and a huge Obama fan) started Virgin Care and took over parts of NHS (under contract) a few years back…. because the British government was desparate to try something / anything to delay NHS’s failure
http://www.virgincare.co.uk/
Last I heard (5-10 years ago), nursing unions were screaming mad at Branson over low pay. I don’t know how or if that was resolved.
If the NHS was working so well (it is not — wait times got longer again this year, and cost continues to rise faster than anticipated)… then why did England allow other organizations to replace NHS in some areas? And if Virgin Care was doing such a great job, then why hasn’t NHS been eliminated in favor of more Virgin Care like organizations?
Short answer: because the British system isn’t the utopia that socialists in the US claim it is. NHS has lots of issues of its own, including out of control costs and quality problems…. just like the US system.
Canada’s system is based on even bigger oil royalty subsidies, a much smaller population relative to oil deposits, and wealthy Canadians make extensive use of healthcare tourism (to the US and/or southeast Asia). And they free load off US drug research (yes, Canada had some health innovations over the years, but few and far between).
If health care COSTS were brought under control, perhaps US voters would support tax rebates or other subsidies to help the poor buy care…. that is a political question, and everyone will have different opinions.
But stealing from the middle class to give “free” insurance (not care) to illegal immigrants? That is Obamacare in a nutshell. Ryan-care and McConnel-care cuts some things here, adds some things there … but still based on the flawed nonsense that the US government (under any political party) can control costs.
They cannot control costs. As in: not able to. It is not in the Federal government’s nature. Doesn’t happen in any other government spending category, and it doesn’t happen in Medicare or VA hospitals.
And for all the fraudulent propoganda — single payer / government run systems like the British NHS are also having serious cost control and quality problems. The BBC has reported on these problems for years, even if US based media outlets have tried to censor the results. I listed a half dozen links, but there are many many more.
Single payer does not solve the cost problem, nor the quality problem, in other countries… The US government is particularly bad at cost control, suggesting a US single payer system would be even worse than England’s.
Any medical billing specialists want to add some color about rampant billing fraud in US medicare system?
More of the same ole crap. If the repubs do anything it is their fault and they know this and the dissenters know this. Leave it alone let it die on its own. It just boggles my mind the media playing this out worrying about what is in the bill when Pelosi on national TV stated we need to vote for their bill and then worry about what’s in the bill. The Dems are concerned is a fricking joke.
The repubs do not have the balls to pass anything that is even close to their empty promises. Counties and cities all over the USA are now being placed in the high risk insurance bracket because the insurance companies are pulling out of Obamacare. Maybe there should have been a provision for them to not have the ability to pull out of this monster.
Personally I wish the repubs would do nothing, last year the Dems were begging for the repubs to step up and help them fix Obamacare as 2018 is 5 months away and the full implementation of this monster will be bared for all to see. Tat number on your proof of insurance may well be taxable income depending on the type if insurance you have. By the way they did not tax any income taxes on this number. It will get real interesting when all the unions will now be paying income taxes on their healthcare.
I could go on but if they intend to make medical care a right then kick the insurance companies out of the process along with the AMA, and institute a single payer system for all including our lawmakers.
Insurance can become a supplement to your healthcare just like the rest of the world.
For all the media hype, the other countries’ health systems are not working either. The country most similar to the USA, culturally and legally and historically, is England. England can’t make their NHS system work — and the problems extend across many Prime Ministers and many many years.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/10/hospitals-on-brink-of-collapse-say-health-chiefs
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29738151
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40485724
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40122075
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39420662
Singapore’s system is the only former British colony with a “sort of” functioning health system, and they have a combination of self pay (with an HSA like account) with catastrophic care coverage. But their system has cost problems too (the self pay part has acted as a better brake than any insurance overlay).
Very wise Old Guy. Single payer is the way to go.
For all the media hype, the other countries’ health systems are not working either. The country most similar to the USA, culturally and legally and historically, is England. England can’t make their NHS system work — and the problems extend across many Prime Ministers and many many years.
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29738151
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40485724
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40122075
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39420662
Singapore’s system is the only former British colony with a “sort of” functioning health system, and they have a combination of self pay (with an HSA like account) with catastrophic care coverage. But their system has cost problems too (the self pay part has acted as a better brake than any insurance overlay).
** second attempt at posting without the weird moderation police… maybe the https link is causing a problem? **
Apparently BBC can’t be trusted, but Soros paid trolls get posted right away?
I know you want me to email Mish, but this moderation queue is making me read your blog less and less.
I don’t want to keep company with people like monosynaptic, wrldtrst or realist (I think its the same guy).
LOL. What a moron! Don’t worry Medex. I wouldn’t even want to live in the same country as you. Oh wait. I don’t. Thank God!
The US will eventually get to a single payer system, like most civilized countries, but only after they try every thing else possible in the meantime. As a result, millions will remain without coverage, and many will suffer financial ruin and loss of life. All while spending 50% more of GDP than other countries. Very sad. I feel badly for America.
I expect the dems would be impossible to work with just as they have been ever since Donny became president. It is typically hypocritical for Chuck the Schmuck to criticize repubs for doing what the dems previously did…’
.”hypocritical for Chucky Schumer….”…….HAHAHAHAHAHAHA . Look in the dictionary for the definition of Hypocrite….That Son-of-a-bitches picture is THERE !!
Before his career is over, the Country will see what a self-serving mofo that guy is…..
Hey shamim and Billy. It appears that both of America’s political parties are full of hypocrites. They might actually want to help the average citizen, but they can’t help but get special treatment for themselves. However, I don’t consider “special treatment” for a few hundred people to be very important in a country of 300 million (other than it looks bad).
To me the biggest problem with “both” political parties in the US is that they hate each other so much that they would rather hurt the country than work together.
In fact, the number one thing that has surprised me since I started following this excellent blog, is the level of hatred demonstrated by Americans. I have never before seen people who want to see cities and states fail within their own country! And I have never before seen people who wish to see their fellow citizens suffer pain or death! It has certainly changed the way I look at America!
What folks don’t realize is that when the system fails there will be no emergency rooms open to care for anyone, rich or poor, insured or not. No practical way to extract payment in advance from gunshot victims, lunatic attack victims, police errors, strokes, heart attacks,or random sick people found on the streets. To keep the emergency services running there needs to be a continuing reliable source of funds. This source of funds is the system however it is set up. No system no funds.
Generally agree – BUT – what happens next week when the ER and the Hospital send the bill to the city – and the city cannot or will not pay. How does the ER & hospital cut a check to their doctors and nurses and equipment suppliers? And how long will the doctors work for free? Or the suppliers continue to deliver stuff. Don’t you think after a couple of bounced paychecks or ‘credit vouchers’ that cannot be redeemed – the suppliers and doctors will cut and run….
Like your kid – or wife – or you —–bills gotta’ be paid – or sooner or later (sooner IS better, in the long run) things have to change. Your kid walks to school. You stop eating out. You wife stops buying clothes because the CC has been canceled….
One MUST learn responsibility – so does one City Council Budgeteers…..
Schummer’s Alice in Wonderland is Pelosi saying to pass the bill so we can find out what’s in it. Obamacare was badly flawed and needs to be repealed; but I don’t think the GOP has it in them. Maybe there’s another MIT professor who could come up with enough lies to pass a decent replacement.