5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

5 freedoms Americans would lose under Obamacare

ETA: Thought that this article was interesting, just wondering what everyones thought are.

Message edited 7/28/2009 10:23:10 AM.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

God help us all.

And especially, God help those who need quality care -- like, my brother or Robert (the boy from Kessler who was hit by a car).

Thank you for posting. I think we need to start taking a look at the OTHER side -- not just what Obama is putting out there for us on an infomercial.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

If that's true--disgraceful.

Will there still be doctors who don't take insurance, so if you had the $ to spend and you wanted them, you could have them?

Or does the plan have a way of stopping that too?

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

i am all for obama but hate this health care reform. I do not want it to be like Canada/England they wait and have their specialist chosen for them. I do want even longer lines at hospitals and to wait in the hallways for an entire day (more so then the wait is now.) I do not want to be punished because someone can't control their weight/drinking/smoking - sorry i do not expect you to pay for shoving food in my face or my husband smoking. That is our fault and we will pay for our own medical.

The problem with our health care is people suing for everything and everyone, high cost of drugs and the overabundance of prescribing medication for every little thing. I can understand the gov't taking a bit more out of our checks for medicare/caid whatever it is called and allowing every citizen without health insurance to have one physical per year (full) and low cost prescriptions for diagnosed diseases afflictions. More or less just adding to what we have. Its not perfect but its better then his plan.

I had no insurance for 7 years, I paid for a physical and gyno every year. I saved for it!

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Posted by seaside

If that's true--disgraceful.

Will there still be doctors who don't take insurance, so if you had the $ to spend and you wanted them, you could have them?

Or does the plan have a way of stopping that too?

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

thank you for sharing this- it seems like a lot of bills that we are not getting the complete story- I was curious how the bill would affect those with insurance and its worse than I feared

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

The thought of the government more involved in my life makes me nervous

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

The other side of the issue, from Consumer Reports:

5 common fears about health reform

Now that health-care reform is a possibility, the forces of opposition are gearing up. Anti-reform campaigns with names like Patients United Now, Partnership to Improve Patient Care, and Conservatives for Patients' Rights are trying to make meaningful reform sound dangerous. Here are five of the worst fears you might hear—and the facts as we see them under the reforms we recommend.

Fear: Health reform will let faceless government bureaucrats come between you and your doctor.
Fact: Private health insurance already comes between you and your doctor. And because each company sets its own rules, it's hard to imagine a more bureaucratic system. Some insurers decide which doctors you can see, which hospitals you can visit, and what drugs you can take and still be covered. And they may require copious paperwork before approving a treatment you and your doctor want. Health-care reform would standardize claim procedures to cut down on all of that. And it would protect you from other abuses, like being rejected for coverage or paying exorbitant premiums if you get sick.

Fear: Health reform will take away the good coverage from your job.
Fact: If you're satisfied with your job-based coverage, you would be able to keep it. Employers who don't offer insurance would either start to provide it or contribute to a fund that helps employees buy it on their own. Some small businesses would be eligible for subsidies to offset the cost. And every policy would offer at least a standard, easy-to-understand, comprehensive set of benefits like those your congressperson now enjoys.

Fear: Comparing the relative effectiveness of treatments and drugs will lead to rationing.
Fact: This issue flared up because Congress recently approved more funding for "comparative-effectiveness research." The term refers to studies to evaluate which drugs or treatments work best for different medical conditions and different patients. That's one more piece of information—based on science, not drug-company advertising or sales reps pushing pills—to help your doctor and you decide what's right. Consumers Union has long argued for better health-care information. For an example of our work, go to ConsumerReportsBestBuyDrugs.org. You'll find free advice based on comparative-effectiveness research into which drugs work best for some two dozen conditions, ranging from heartburn to heart disease. That's not rationing. It's just being smart. And if you suffer from one of those conditions, you may find you could choose a better medicine with fewer side effects and save thousands of dollars a year.

Fear: Health reform means a government takeover of medicine as in England and Canada.
Fact: The system we support would look nothing like those in England and Canada. Both of those countries finance health care out of general tax revenues. England goes even further. The government owns and operates most of the hospitals. We support a specifically American reform that would build on the current employer-based insurance while ensuring affordable comprehensive coverage for those who lack it.

Fear: Health reform will be too costly; it will raise your taxes and could even bankrupt the country.
Fact: The real threat to your finances is the health system the U.S. has now. A recent study concluded that today's $2.4 trillion annual health-care tab would jump to $4.4 trillion by 2018 if nothing is done to rein in expenses. Consumers Union thinks reform is the best hope for getting costs under control. It would cut down on waste, overhead, and price gouging, and reduce inappropriate care and preventable errors. We fully understand why some people are apprehensive about reform: Any change is scary. But we also see the shameful damage caused by the current system. Americans deserve better than this, and can have it.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

i just hope this doesnt get rushed through by the august deadline. It would be a real sin. im scared..i do not want the govt taking charge of my health care.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Why was there no talk of this during the election campaign? I would have liked to have been a more informed voter. I'd actually like to be more informed now, because I don't know what's true or how the plan would work at all, despite the infomercial.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

I feel like this is being forced upon us too..,. how is this democracy? (that is what scares me most- the govt telling us what to do like this.)

Will we have any choice?
I have a job- my husband has a job- we get top notch health care and we are WILLING AND ABLE to pay for it.

Why should sub par healthcare be forced on us?????

Message edited 7/28/2009 11:25:59 AM.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Message edited 7/28/2009 11:27:21 AM.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Message edited 7/28/2009 11:32:07 AM.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

So what happens if you have to go to another medical center for care? Like when kids go to St. Jude but don't actually live in the state? Is that not allowed anymore? Or was that always paid out of pocket?

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Posted by anonttcer

Posted by seaside

If that's true--disgraceful.

Will there still be doctors who don't take insurance, so if you had the $ to spend and you wanted them, you could have them?

Or does the plan have a way of stopping that too?

That's what I want to know. What if you have a job that provides healthcare- can you still pay into it like we do now and keep the better healthcare?
My husband has an amazing healthcare plan through the PD... I would hate to thnk we'd lose that under this horrendous plan....

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

we are screwed.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Posted by DaniRella

Posted by anonttcer

Posted by seaside

If that's true--disgraceful.

Will there still be doctors who don't take insurance, so if you had the $ to spend and you wanted them, you could have them?

Or does the plan have a way of stopping that too?

That's what I want to know. What if you have a job that provides healthcare- can you still pay into it like we do now and keep the better healthcare?
My husband has an amazing healthcare plan through the PD... I would hate to thnk we'd lose that under this horrendous plan....

Your husband's paycheck will be taxed more if it passes because there will be a "keep your private plan" tax... however, if anything changes about his plan (ie co-pay change, coverage change, etc) he will be dropped and the gov't will force him to use the universal plan (see more below about that). My sister is a teacher and has great coverage -- so does Kenneth being a cop. The problem is if you have private insurance like my brother or sister -- if you keep it, your health benefits will be taxed and you will get less in your paycheck.

If this is passed, if you don't already have private insurance you are banned from getting it for life - you can never get it unless you have it before this is passed. So, over time they are trying to weed out private insurance all-together - and our freedom to choose to have it.

Also, if your co-pay changes, or your coverage changes slightly, or if anything about your private insurance changes over the months/years the gov't FORCES you to be dropped from your private and you have to go to public.

Message edited 7/28/2009 12:00:15 PM.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Here is one of the bills, how many of our "leaders" will read it before voting on it?

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3200ih.pdf

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

So, if someone gets laid off before this passes and doesnt have private insurance, they can never get it again nce this goes into effect ?

Unbelievable, I am really scared about this.

Everyone knew during his campaign, that his plan was to bring this country to socialism but who thought this fast. Amazing how when people just wanted change, they didn't seem to care. Wonder how they all feel now ???

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

yep... this reform is pretty damn scary. i am for reform and someway to help the millions that are uninsured or under-insured, but this plan is not it. i feel they are completely rushing it and it's not being well thought out.

ETA: and i love how he keeps saying you will get to keep your private insurance if you want it. let's be real here... if this passes, every company and corporation in america is going to drop their plans for their employees and tell them to go on the government plan because it will be cheaper for them. that's CHOICE? i don't think so...

Message edited 7/28/2009 12:25:52 PM.

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

govt employees have access to great insurance plans.

I thought the idea was to open up the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan to small businesses and self employed individuals, as well as anyone else that wanted health insurance but the premiums were too high b/c they were not involved in a large group.

now, it is being said that what? the FEHBP is also going to be eradicated? this makes no sense.

this is being handled poorly. there should be town hall meetings, referendum's etc.

what is Congress doing to this idea????? I don't understand.

why is our govt so inept?!

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

Re: 5 Freedoms You'd Lose in Health Care Reform

I am not sure what to think of this plan--every source I see seems to be biased in some way--I thought the Consumers info might be accurate, but not so sure. They speak too glowingly about the plan.

This plan does need to be outlined much more clearly for people--there is too much confusion about what will happen once it is in place, and I think Congress and the President owe voters a better explanation.

Yes, I was also under the impression that the push was to develop an affordable plan for people who do not have insurance through their employers, are self-employed, or unemployed. Doesn't sound like it anymore.