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Visit Acapulco Kevin's column >>

ACAPULCO KEVIN

"Those willing to give up freedom for security deserve neither and will lose both."
Articles Posted: 62  Links Seeded: 112
Member Since: 5/2010  Last Seen: 12/17/2010

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Obamacare Death Panels

Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:51 PM EDT
health, health-insurance, obamacare, heal-care
By Acapulco Kevin
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Republicans have coined the phrase "Obamacare" and Sarah Palin said it would cause "Death panels".

I recently visited the website www.healthcare.gov and was pleasantly surprised to find that I could get coverage from companies such as Aetna and Blue Cross for an average of $157 a month. The prices were not listed on the website yet and I had to download the price sheets from the insurance websites; nevertheless I was completely surprised.

For the best health care coverage with drug coverage for me, a man in my 40's it only costs $157.

As far as the health care bill that was signed into law, I was hearing a lot of misinformation. People have been saying that the premiums would skyrocket but from what I see they have decreased.

Under previous laws Insurance companies could drop clients for no real reason and they are forced into Government plans such as Medicare and Medicaid thus shifting the costs to taxpayers. That to me hardly seems fair.

I don't see how forcing Insurance companies to keep their clients in a time of need is going to bankrupt America. I really see nothing wrong with the current plan and see no need for Republicans to repeal it nor do I see a better alternative plan.

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  • Groups: Democrats, Heated Debate, Mad For Rachel Maddow, ObamaVine
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  • Public Discussion (32)
Acapulco Kevin

I don't see any downside to the current National Health Care plan. It seems pretty fair and balanced to me.

If the Insurance companies want to remain viable they will need to restructure their companies to protect their clients fairly. Perhaps this means fewer skyscrapers, fewer $25 million dollar bonus packages for CEO's, reasonable salaries for employees. Perhaps it means they will be less profitable and be forced to take care of their clients first and their corporate greed second.

I just don't see a downside to this.

  • 7 votes
Reply#1 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 12:57 PM EDT
ERich-356044

Oh Acapulco Kevin.... you must have been brainwashed by those democrats who only want fairness.....

Please don't forget that those CEO's, those poor CEO's who can't get a break, must pay for their yahts and their wives shopping sprees. /sarc/

Actually, all joking aside, my husband is a Chiropractor, he has only seen helpful changes. We pay almost 5k for family coverage now a year and that will go down. 5k right now for family coverage!!! It will be a lot less when health care gets reformed for good. Yay! The middle class will be back on its feet soon, starting with health care. I don't see a downside to this either.

E

  • 5 votes
#1.1 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:16 PM EDT
cjn-718250

Yehhhhhhhh!
Hopefully all of us who agree with this fair plan will get out and vote in November because if the Greed Over People gain control again there will be no fair plan, period!!!

The GOP only want to keep feeding their insurance companies and all those who agree with them to help keep the American people under control!!!

It simply amazes me how many of these people can vote against their own self interests!! Sad!!!

  • 4 votes
#1.2 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 5:58 PM EDT
Acapulco Kevin

Oh Acapulco Kevin.... you must have been brainwashed by those democrats who only want fairness

Nope. It wasn't covered under my Republican Health Plan. But now I am sane. Electroshock twice a week and it includes a free round of miniature golf!

Please don't forget that those CEO's, those poor CEO's who can't get a break, must pay for their yachts and their wives shopping sprees. /sarc/

My heart bleeds for them, how will they survive?

Actually, all joking aside, my husband is a Chiropractor, he has only seen helpful changes. We pay almost 5k for family coverage now a year and that will go down. 5k right now for family coverage!!! It will be a lot less when health care gets reformed for good. Yay! The middle class will be back on its feet soon, starting with health care. I don't see a downside to this either.

Yes, Insurance has become a blood sucking industry. Pay us when you are healthy and we will bail on you when you are sick. Kind of like a typical Newt Gingrich response when demanding a divorce from his wife when she was in the hospital bed with cancer.

  • 5 votes
#1.3 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:22 PM EDT
ERich-356044

I hope you got my humor there.... I am completely on your side here....

One of my best/oldest friends was diagnosed with MS, once. It actually was a misdiagnosis, and now he can't get insurance, because 20 years later, a healthy male in his early 40's twenty years ago had a diagnosis of MS. Under Obamacare, he will get coverage. Yeah... I can't see that being bad.

My husband comes home with horror stories of the insurance companies. Insurance companies and pharmacutical (sp?) companies are pure greed.

  • 3 votes
#1.4 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 6:46 PM EDT
Acapulco Kevin

@ERich-356044

I understood completely. I know you are agreeing with me.

I agree with you too.

  • 3 votes
#1.5 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:00 PM EDT
James Essayist

I knew someone whose son developed an infection in his femur, due to an injury to his leg. Apparently fighting bone marrow infections is difficult and expensive, so as soon as the insurance company heard the diagnosis they tried to back out on coverage. What would they cover instead of antibiotics injected into the bone (and maybe marrow transplants)? In their much-less-than-infinite generosity, these bastards offered to amputate his leg at the hip. Real compassion there, right?

I was in charge of chasing down claims processing for one company I worked for, and while I didn't have anything quite so life-and-death, there were two difficult pregnancies, and on a smaller scale, an insurance company sub-contractor that took six months to finally pay off a city ambulance bill. Such bullying brings out the dragon in me, and a few customer "service" types and their bosses learned that we don't all lie down and take their crap.

  • 4 votes
#1.6 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:03 PM EDT
Acapulco Kevin

That is a disturbing story and thank God Insurance companies can't play dirty now.

  • 2 votes
#1.7 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:04 PM EDT
ERich-356044

Acapulco Kevin... ((((hugs)))

James, I agree with AK here.... that is quite disturbing!!! That poor kid! Wow....

  • 1 vote
#1.8 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 9:55 PM EDT
James Essayist

Yeah, it was a bit touchy for a while. Fortunately, his mother was something of a bantam rooster in female human form, found a very good liability attorney, and the grinches at the insurance company finally caved while her son was alive and whole. Last I saw him, he was fine and little the worse for wear; just needed a bit of exercise to restore the leg to original shape.

  • 2 votes
#1.9 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:18 PM EDT
ERich-356044

Happy ending then.... good!!!

  • 2 votes
#1.10 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:44 PM EDT
Acapulco Kevin

This is the exact reason the current health care laws are so important. Insurance is supposed to help when it is needed, not tell you to amputate at the hip because they will save a few bucks.

We don't buy insurance to save the Insurance companies, we buy it to save our lives and lives of the people we love. If corporate caviar costs even one life, that is too many.

  • 5 votes
#1.11 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:03 PM EDT
Consider It

Republicans are not going to repeal it. It's got too much of them on it.

All this BS political talk is just that...BS.

It's not a great bill, but it's good. The only thing that will happen, once people start seeing benefits, is that it will get stronger.

    #1.12 - Fri Sep 24, 2010 9:04 PM EDT
    Reply
    ScienceGuy-356641

    Death panels exist. They're known as the private health insurance industry.

    And many Republicans such as Huckabee want to keep it that way.

    • 10 votes
    Reply#2 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:44 PM EDT
    Acapulco Kevin

    That is really what I am starting to see. Looks to me like Republicans are doing what they do best, taking lobbyist cash to complain in behalf of Insurance companies.

    I didn't realize we were sending people to congress so they could become multimillionaires with lobby cash. Something just seems inherently wrong with that.

    • 3 votes
    #2.1 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:52 PM EDT
    Kathy-1571680

    Most people have no idea that what you have stated is ON THE MONEY. I know someone who complained after finding a HUGE increase in a cancer screening test (co pay went from 50 to 200 dollars) that was not declared under the annual plan changes. Within 15 days of filing that complaint the ins. plan raised the qualifying standards for home oxygen service and the person now has to fight to keep the oxygen. They also suspended coverage for back surgery- the person has crushed nerve roots from spinal stenosis-losing the use of their legs for the most part. The insurance said it is "elective". Who elects to have invasive back surgery?? They have had the same insurance plan and has had the condition under treatment for five years until loss of bladder control forced the issue of surgery. I know of another person who had coverage denied/limited for her son's mental health issues. He ended up committing suicide. She has a lawyer and is suing but her child is dead.

    The only "death panels" are the insurance plans and as far as raising premiums, they usually go up by 12-14% a year most of the time.

    • 5 votes
    #2.2 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:14 PM EDT
    Reply
    Fla Pat

    Perhaps this means fewer skyscrapers, fewer $25 million dollar bonus packages for CEO's, reasonable salaries for employees. Perhaps it means they will be less profitable and be forced to take care of their clients first and their corporate greed second.

    Perhaps making a profit by betting someone will pay for years for a product they will not need, is in itself questionable. Then to cherry pick what is covered and what is denied when a claim is utimately made is again a moral issue that the person in need (who has paid in good faith over years) should not be saddled with having to contend.

    Insurance as a concept is gambling, you pay for protection basically betting you will be stricken with illness or die prematurly and insurance companies bet you stay healthy and live long enough to pay in more than they will pay out in the inevitable end.

    It's one thing to insure property or assets, but it seems to me the health and well being of humans should be given a different consideration, especially those in a position of dependence - children, and the elderly. There should be a social safety net, unfettered by a need to make a profit thereby eliminating the abuse greed brings into the equation.

    • 2 votes
    Reply#3 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 1:57 PM EDT
    Acapulco Kevin

    I think you have made some really good points.

    • 2 votes
    #3.1 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:20 PM EDT
    RETLAW

    I think you sound like one of them 'liberal-progressives' !!

    • 1 vote
    #3.2 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:48 PM EDT
    Reply
    Bubba-939441

    Show me that 150 / month full coverage policy. I don't believe it.

    • 2 votes
    Reply#4 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:35 PM EDT
    Acapulco Kevin

    www.healthcare.gov

    I found the information on my own and you can too.

    Part of the reason so many people spout off bad information is because they repeat Republican Propaganda and refuse to investigate for themselves.

    • 5 votes
    #4.1 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 3:05 PM EDT
    AmericanSage

    Oh Acapulco, how dare you suggest a naysayer do their own research. If you do not provide links to Fox News or some right wing think tank website, they will be unable to find any supposed "facts" that back up your claim and at which point, you will just be painted a liar anyway.

    • 2 votes
    #4.2 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 4:34 PM EDT
    Bubba-939441

    Nancy did promise my health care costs would go down and that the health care bill would reduce the deficit. After spending 850 billion it better go down. When will I see the 150/month coverage? My employer does not offer that. Be very careful of any website ending in .gov. They're liars.

    • 2 votes
    #4.3 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:53 PM EDT
    Reply
    ADad-1477522

    from what I see they have decreased.

    FYI, the Fiscal yr for the federal gov't starts Oct 1. Soon after (maybe before), the insurance companies will publish their 2011 fees and schedules. It also depends on the *carrier*. Also, if the rates went *down* that could mean a *REDUCTION* in services provided/covered.

    As for your headline, well, it's deceptive. U don't say anything about death panels. The "death panel" that is spoken of by Palin is a misunderstanding of what the purpose was to be. Basically, Medicare *would not* becuz it *could not* pay for a yearly discussion w ur doc about death issues, be they nursing home, hospice, in-home care, or other alternatives. The reason, CONGRESS, didn't authorize Medicare to pay for that kind of discussion w ur doc. That has since been remedied. Now Medicare *CAN* pay for a yearly discussion. It has nothing to do lining up the elderly and disabled and givin' them a shot to "put them down". I'm disabled and I'll be damned if anyone is gonna force my hand. I'll die when I die...

    • 2 votes
    Reply#5 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 2:47 PM EDT
    DJ-867199Deleted
    ADad-1477522

    I am fine with the death panels as long as it kills lots of conservatives.

    A wee bit hostile??? I'm a conservative...

    • 1 vote
    Reply#7 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 4:53 PM EDT
    Zanyzazu

    Recently when admitted to the Hospital I was informed that my long term condition will be covered now because of President Obama's health care plan.

    Also my prescription drugs will always be only.....$2.50 at a clip.........and thanks to all of you or to all men who were in the hospital.....regular good treatmenht and not just ideas will cost less than before

    • 1 vote
    Reply#8 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:31 PM EDT
    Zanyzazu

    My computer stalled and I couldnt edit....I was saying .......ahhh crap now I dont even care........ the dog is scratching the door.....sorry............

      Reply#9 - Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:40 PM EDT
      sdfsd45554Deleted
      jeanie1wer1country

      My son, 37, has his own business and he pays fairly high quarterly income tax payments.

      At 18, he had a motor cycle accident that required multiple surgeries over a number of years. He is uninsurable except with high premium high copay major medicals. Believe me, we have searched.

      He is not asking for free insurance, just one that would be sold to him.

      Everyone has to get car insurance...we all pay extra on our policies for those who don't. And policies are available for those high risk drivers.

      With everyone insured, the rates will go down....except for the companies who will pocket the incomes of the policies of the healthy new insured people as profit.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#11 - Thu Sep 23, 2010 3:17 PM EDT
      Acapulco Kevin

      Recent articles I have written for those interested:
      Who is Your favorite Poet?
      Obama Jobs and hot chick drinking beer picture
      2012 Maya Calendar Dark Rift Alignment with Black Hole
      The Apocolypse ~ Republicans offering a trip to Hell

        Reply#12 - Fri Sep 24, 2010 8:57 PM EDT
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