President Barack Obama - Term 1 and 2 Thread

[SF-Dano]

Behshad, I'm prefectly fine with Insurance Cos making a profit, same as you when you make that trek to work every week, what is it you call that net pay at the end of the week.....hmmmmm....B's profit....yeah that's it.....shame on you...lula too...I think you guys make insane profits and I want some of it for myself.

OK let me rephrase that, HUGE profits...
Its not really the (health)insurance companies profit as much as Hospitals "equipment", such as X-ray and MRI machines, and the HUGE profits they make over it that Im against

I don't know what the answer is either. My 3 year old son recently had a hospital stay and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Now my wife and I both have insurance and my son is covered. They had to transfer him to a different hospital 20 some odd miles away via ambulance because that hospital was better equipped to handle my son in his condition of DKA. Just got the bill for that ride - after insurance the company wants $1,900 dollars for a 20 mile (20 minutes) ride with IV hookup that came from the original ER and an EMT that is already in the ambulance to monitor him during the ride. Now I may be a bit out of line here, and some here will probably tell me so, but $1,900 after insurance for a 20 minute drive seems a bit excessive to me (actually ultra excessive). We haven't even got the hospital bills yet for his 3 night stay.

[Behshad]

Behshad, I'm prefectly fine with Insurance Cos making a profit, same as you when you make that trek to work every week, what is it you call that net pay at the end of the week.....hmmmmm....B's profit....yeah that's it.....shame on you...lula too...I think you guys make insane profits and I want some of it for myself.

OK let me rephrase that, HUGE profits...
Its not really the (health)insurance companies profit as much as Hospitals "equipment", such as X-ray and MRI machines, and the HUGE profits they make over it that Im against

I don't know what the answer is either. My 3 year old son recently had a hospital stay and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Now my wife and I both have insurance and my son is covered. They had to transfer him to a different hospital 20 some odd miles away via ambulance because that hospital was better equipped to handle my son in his condition of DKA. Just got the bill for that ride - after insurance the company wants $1,900 dollars for a 20 mile (20 minutes) ride with IV hookup that came from the original ER and an EMT that is already in the ambulance to monitor him during the ride. Now I may be a bit out of line here, and some here will probably tell me so, but $1,900 after insurance for a 20 minute drive seems a bit excessive to me (actually ultra excessive). We haven't even got the hospital bills yet for his 3 night stay.

And Mr FactFinder thinks that our healthcare system is just fine and we should just deal with it and pay up for services not questioning "WTF did I just pay for" .... Dont get me wrong, you cant set the price on your sons health, but its sad when they USE you like this , knowing that youre in need and charge whatever they want .....

[Melissa]

I don't know what the answer is either. My 3 year old son recently had a hospital stay and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Now my wife and I both have insurance and my son is covered. They had to transfer him to a different hospital 20 some odd miles away via ambulance because that hospital was better equipped to handle my son in his condition of DKA. Just got the bill for that ride - after insurance the company wants $1,900 dollars for a 20 mile (20 minutes) ride with IV hookup that came from the original ER and an EMT that is already in the ambulance to monitor him during the ride. Now I may be a bit out of line here, and some here will probably tell me so, but $1,900 after insurance for a 20 minute drive seems a bit excessive to me (actually ultra excessive). We haven't even got the hospital bills yet for his 3 night stay.

Contact your insurance again, as well as the ambulance co. whoever that may be, and see if everything was submitted properly. I had to do the same after my 5 year old was admitted last August. Got a bill for $1900+ for the E.R. services only, called my insurance and said "WTF?" and also the E.R. MD's billing dept. Sure enough the billing dept had screwed up the submission, and my portion was actually only $70. Doesn't hurt to at least find out if that may be the case.

[Behshad]

I don't know what the answer is either. My 3 year old son recently had a hospital stay and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Now my wife and I both have insurance and my son is covered. They had to transfer him to a different hospital 20 some odd miles away via ambulance because that hospital was better equipped to handle my son in his condition of DKA. Just got the bill for that ride - after insurance the company wants $1,900 dollars for a 20 mile (20 minutes) ride with IV hookup that came from the original ER and an EMT that is already in the ambulance to monitor him during the ride. Now I may be a bit out of line here, and some here will probably tell me so, but $1,900 after insurance for a 20 minute drive seems a bit excessive to me (actually ultra excessive). We haven't even got the hospital bills yet for his 3 night stay.

Contact your insurance again, as well as the ambulance co. whoever that may be, and see if everything was submitted properly. I had to do the same after my 5 year old was admitted last August. Got a bill for $1900+ for the E.R. services only, called my insurance and said "WTF?" and also the E.R. MD's billing dept. Sure enough the billing dept had screwed up the submission, and my portion was actually only $70. Doesn't hurt to at least find out if that may be the case.

Thats where our system lacks! Most people dont double check and just pay the damn thing so their credit dont get ruined.
How would you feel if you had to do this with any other place you visit ?? Calling Starbucks headquarters cause they charged you $15 for your Latte,,,,,, Having to call BP cause the attendant charged you $435 for a tank of gas, instead of $53

[conversationpc]

And Mr FactFinder thinks that our healthcare system is just fine and we should just deal with it and pay up for services not questioning "WTF did I just pay for" .... Dont get me wrong, you cant set the price on your sons health, but its sad when they USE you like this , knowing that youre in need and charge whatever they want .....

This kinda pisses me off. NO ONE is saying that our healthcare system is just fine. No one.

[Angel]

Behshad, I'm prefectly fine with Insurance Cos making a profit, same as you when you make that trek to work every week, what is it you call that net pay at the end of the week.....hmmmmm....B's profit....yeah that's it.....shame on you...lula too...I think you guys make insane profits and I want some of it for myself.

OK let me rephrase that, HUGE profits...
Its not really the (health)insurance companies profit as much as Hospitals "equipment", such as X-ray and MRI machines, and the HUGE profits they make over it that Im against

I don't know what the answer is either. My 3 year old son recently had a hospital stay and was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Now my wife and I both have insurance and my son is covered. They had to transfer him to a different hospital 20 some odd miles away via ambulance because that hospital was better equipped to handle my son in his condition of DKA. Just got the bill for that ride - after insurance the company wants $1,900 dollars for a 20 mile (20 minutes) ride with IV hookup that came from the original ER and an EMT that is already in the ambulance to monitor him during the ride. Now I may be a bit out of line here, and some here will probably tell me so, but $1,900 after insurance for a 20 minute drive seems a bit excessive to me (actually ultra excessive). We haven't even got the hospital bills yet for his 3 night stay.

First off, let me say that, yes, $1900+ for a 20 minute drive is very excessive and I agree with Melissa, you need to request an itemized bill to verify that the charges are correct. HOWEVER, an ambulance ride is certainly not cheap and there's a lot more that goes into it than just giving a patient a ride from one place to another. Not only are you paying the paramedic (or EMT) but you are paying for at least two of them-one to drive and one to monitor the patient. For a 20 minute ride they have to take that ambulance and those paramedics out of commission and in some cases this may require calling in off duty EMTs to cover for them. (I only know this because I have, on occasion have gone with the ambulance crew to transport patients and they have told me that they have either been called in extra or have had others called in to replace them while we are on the transport). Not to mention the liablity they take on when transporting a patient. They are responsible for that patient and they can be held liable for problems or complications that arise. I know it shouldn't seem like it would cost a lot but there really is a lot that goes into it. That said-yes, many healthcare services are overpriced.

[Behshad]

And Mr FactFinder thinks that our healthcare system is just fine and we should just deal with it and pay up for services not questioning "WTF did I just pay for" .... Dont get me wrong, you cant set the price on your sons health, but its sad when they USE you like this , knowing that youre in need and charge whatever they want .....

This kinda pisses me off. NO ONE is saying that our healthcare system is just fine. No one.

FactFinder thinks our healthcare is just fine and he's very pleased with this system and doesn't want it changed

[RedWingFan]

And Mr FactFinder thinks that our healthcare system is just fine and we should just deal with it and pay up for services not questioning "WTF did I just pay for" .... Dont get me wrong, you cant set the price on your sons health, but its sad when they USE you like this , knowing that youre in need and charge whatever they want .....

This kinda pisses me off. NO ONE is saying that our healthcare system is just fine. No one.

FactFinder thinks our healthcare is just fine and he's very pleased with this system and doesn't want it changed

Anytime you require a 3rd party to pay for something you're going to have elevated costs, whether it's an HMO or the government.

The only time Healthcare costs will come down is when the cost is based on the patients ability to pay.

[Saint John]

This might be a bit off-topic, but George Bush hates black people.

[conversationpc]

This might be a bit off-topic, but George Bush hates black people.

He's also almost single-handedly responsible for global warming.

[Melissa]

Contact your insurance again, as well as the ambulance co. whoever that may be, and see if everything was submitted properly. I had to do the same after my 5 year old was admitted last August. Got a bill for $1900+ for the E.R. services only, called my insurance and said "WTF?" and also the E.R. MD's billing dept. Sure enough the billing dept had screwed up the submission, and my portion was actually only $70. Doesn't hurt to at least find out if that may be the case.

Thats where our system lacks! Most people dont double check and just pay the damn thing so their credit dont get ruined.
How would you feel if you had to do this with any other place you visit ?? Calling Starbucks headquarters cause they charged you $15 for your Latte,,,,,, Having to call BP cause the attendant charged you $435 for a tank of gas, instead of $53

Hey I've never said the system isn't messed up! And please don't think I'm an advocate for insurance companies, because I fight with those assholes all the time at work to get stuff covered for my patients. I've been doing that for years and years.

Your examples made me giggle though, because you don't use insurance submissions for coffee or gas

[Behshad]

Contact your insurance again, as well as the ambulance co. whoever that may be, and see if everything was submitted properly. I had to do the same after my 5 year old was admitted last August. Got a bill for $1900+ for the E.R. services only, called my insurance and said "WTF?" and also the E.R. MD's billing dept. Sure enough the billing dept had screwed up the submission, and my portion was actually only $70. Doesn't hurt to at least find out if that may be the case.

Thats where our system lacks! Most people dont double check and just pay the damn thing so their credit dont get ruined.
How would you feel if you had to do this with any other place you visit ?? Calling Starbucks headquarters cause they charged you $15 for your Latte,,,,,, Having to call BP cause the attendant charged you $435 for a tank of gas, instead of $53

Hey I've never said the system isn't messed up! And please don't think I'm an advocate for insurance companies, because I fight with those assholes all the time at work to get stuff covered for my patients. I've been doing that for years and years.

Your examples made me giggle though, because you don't use insurance submissions for coffee or gas

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

[Angel]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

So if your cell phone bill was three times what you thought it should be you wouldn't call to check on it??

[Behshad]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

So if your cell phone bill was three times what you thought it should be you wouldn't call to check on it??

Yup I would. But u DON'T HAVE TO call them EVERYTIME To double check if they charged me the correctly or not.

[Melissa]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

There have been times I've had to do that! Billing in all aspects of any kind of business gets messed up sometimes. But in all the years I've had health insurance, and with how much I have to use it too, that was actually the only time so far I had to have something resubmitted.

[Angel]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

So if your cell phone bill was three times what you thought it should be you wouldn't call to check on it??

Yup I would. But u DON'T HAVE TO call them EVERYTIME To double check if they charged me the correctly or not.

You don't HAVE to call on medical bills EVERYTIME either but if something seems wrong it's always a good idea to check-whether it's Starbucks or the hospital...

[Melissa]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

So if your cell phone bill was three times what you thought it should be you wouldn't call to check on it??

Yup I would. But u DON'T HAVE TO call them EVERYTIME To double check if they charged me the correctly or not.

You don't have to do that with health insurance either, unless the service providers you are using are just complete dipshits who don't know how to submit insurance claims

[Behshad]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

So if your cell phone bill was three times what you thought it should be you wouldn't call to check on it??

Yup I would. But u DON'T HAVE TO call them EVERYTIME To double check if they charged me the correctly or not.

You don't HAVE to call on medical bills EVERYTIME either but if something seems wrong it's always a good idea to check-whether it's Starbucks or the hospital...

But I've had overcharges on medical bills a lot more often than any other businesses COMBINED. because they do overcharge and hope people pay. Simple as that.

[Melissa]

I know you don't use insurance submission. But what if you had to call and double check every bill you get. Your electricity bill , your phone bill.

So if your cell phone bill was three times what you thought it should be you wouldn't call to check on it??

Yup I would. But u DON'T HAVE TO call them EVERYTIME To double check if they charged me the correctly or not.

You don't HAVE to call on medical bills EVERYTIME either but if something seems wrong it's always a good idea to check-whether it's Starbucks or the hospital...

But I've had overcharges on medical bills a lot more often than any other businesses COMBINED. because they do overcharge and hope people pay. Simple as that.

Well then you should find different service providers, because that's certainly not the norm. That does not happen on a regular basis.

[Angel]

But I've had overcharges on medical bills a lot more often than any other businesses COMBINED. because they do overcharge and hope people pay. Simple as that.

I'm sorry that has been your experience. Obviously I can't speak for the providers that overbilled you, but, I can tell you that if any provider is overcharging just hoping the patient will pay is stupid. Insurance companies (as well as Medicare and Medicaid) keep a close eye on all charges and providers that are intentionally overbilling are investigated for fraud. Insurance (or medicare or medicaid) fraud is a huge deal, a providers livelyhood can be on the line for such fraud. It's simply not worth trying to slide extra charges by a patient to make a few extra bucks.

[Behshad]

But I've had overcharges on medical bills a lot more often than any other businesses COMBINED. because they do overcharge and hope people pay. Simple as that.

I'm sorry that has been your experience. Obviously I can't speak for the providers that overbilled you, but, I can tell you that if any provider is overcharging just hoping the patient will pay is stupid. Insurance companies (as well as Medicare and Medicaid) keep a close eye on all charges and providers that are intentionally overbilling are investigated for fraud. Insurance (or medicare or medicaid) fraud is a huge deal, a providers livelyhood can be on the line for such fraud. It's simply not worth trying to slide extra charges by a patient to make a few extra bucks.

Well if that's the case SF dano should worry about that $1900 bill. Someone will check into it for him and correct the issue.

[Melissa]

But I've had overcharges on medical bills a lot more often than any other businesses COMBINED. because they do overcharge and hope people pay. Simple as that.

I'm sorry that has been your experience. Obviously I can't speak for the providers that overbilled you, but, I can tell you that if any provider is overcharging just hoping the patient will pay is stupid. Insurance companies (as well as Medicare and Medicaid) keep a close eye on all charges and providers that are intentionally overbilling are investigated for fraud. Insurance (or medicare or medicaid) fraud is a huge deal, a providers livelyhood can be on the line for such fraud. It's simply not worth trying to slide extra charges by a patient to make a few extra bucks.

Well if that's the case SF dano should worry about that $1900 bill. Someone will check into it for him and correct the issue.

He should call his insurance and the ambulance co. (or whoever it is that actually sent the bill) and have it all reviewed. Unfortunately emergency services ARE expensive though because of the high skill level, that's just the way it is and always has been. The paramedic on a rig is THE one who calls the shots until that patient is IN the E.R., IN the M.D.'s care. That's a big deal, whether people want to see that or not.

[Angel]

But I've had overcharges on medical bills a lot more often than any other businesses COMBINED. because they do overcharge and hope people pay. Simple as that.

I'm sorry that has been your experience. Obviously I can't speak for the providers that overbilled you, but, I can tell you that if any provider is overcharging just hoping the patient will pay is stupid. Insurance companies (as well as Medicare and Medicaid) keep a close eye on all charges and providers that are intentionally overbilling are investigated for fraud. Insurance (or medicare or medicaid) fraud is a huge deal, a providers livelyhood can be on the line for such fraud. It's simply not worth trying to slide extra charges by a patient to make a few extra bucks.

Well if that's the case SF dano should worry about that $1900 bill. Someone will check into it for him and correct the issue.

Good, so you DO understand what I'm saying.

[Seven Wishes2]

This is all so amusing to me.

The mandate, a GOP idea for 40 years, is suddenly a tool of the devil. Well, of course it is! It's a RIDICULOUS idea! But Republicans insisted upon it as an alternative to the single payor system that most people support. So what you have is a bad idea formerly owned by one party that is now disowning it, and another party that had a good idea and flushed it down the toilet in the name of compromise.

If both parties had simply put their heads together in the first place, instead of posturing and blathering, and simply gone with common sense, there would be no individual mandate, as there would be a single payor option instead. Both political parties are full of hot air and shit in equal measure. Fuck all of them.

[slucero]

[Rockindeano]

This is all so amusing to me.

The mandate, a GOP idea for 40 years, is suddenly a tool of the devil. Well, of course it is! It's a RIDICULOUS idea! But Republicans insisted upon it as an alternative to the single payor system that most people support. So what you have is a bad idea formerly owned by one party that is now disowning it, and another party that had a good idea and flushed it down the toilet in the name of compromise.

If both parties had simply put their heads together in the first place, instead of posturing and blathering, and simply gone with common sense, there would be no individual mandate, as there would be a single payor option instead. Both political parties are full of hot air and shit in equal measure. Fuck all of them.

Oh no fucking way. A Democrat with a backbone is good for America. A Democrat believes, or should believe and support, what is good for the whole of America, not a select few. The Democrats now in power, are for the most part, spineless. I say most of them. There are some however, that have staked their careers on this Law, and I for one commend them. Good for Pelosi. Good for Reid and good for President Obama. They did what was right. The republicans like you have said, have blathered on and on, offering NO alternative, and now have gotten their wish...a momentary stall. This is going to the SCOTUS and I will bet you right now they rule in favor of the Administration.

The ruling, was brought on by every republican governor(state) and ruled by some conservative cunthole Vinson. Way to go GOP, put the country in reverse yet again. What would be great is the law is upheld. What would be better is if the Dems regained House control in 2012, and they end up redoing this thing the way it should have been done. The mandate was brought on by the GOP. Like 7 Wishes said, this was their idea in the first place, but all of sudden, since it was authored by a Democrat and signed into law by a Democratic president, it now is an "awful" law. You people make me fucking sick. What kind of person backs a republican? What kind of person thinks like a republican? It's fuckin shameful that we live in a selfish rotten country. I embarrassed fo rthe USA. United States? Screww that. Let's divide this shithole up, put all the left in 25 states and all the righties in the other 25 and go our separate ways.

And if this law gets overturned, I would like to know why all you fucking Cons on here don't yell and clamor that Congress' health care be repealed. Why should those greedy selfish assholes have insurance, yet 31 million fellow Americans cannot? And you wonder why I call republicans selfish? The simple reason is they ARE.

[slucero]

The political make up of the Supreme Court


THE CONSERVATIVES:

Scalia (appointed by Reagan)
Thomas (appointed by George Bush, Sr.)
Alito (appointed by George W. Bush)
C. J. Roberts (appointed by George W. Bush)


THE LIBERALS:

Breyer (appointed by Clinton)
Ginsburg (appointed by Clinton)
Sotomayor (appointed by Obama)
Kagan (appointed by Obama).


"SWING JUSTICE":

Kennedy (appointed by Reagan).



Justice Kennedy is more moderate than the conservative justices. His views tend to be more libertarian than, for example, those of Chief Justice Roberts. Libertarians view the HC mandate as an invasion of their privacy and a violation of the Constitution... so....


As it stands... and irony of all ironies...... a Kennedy will most likely be the vote that winds up repealing the Healthcare Law...

[Melissa]

And if this law gets overturned, I would like to know why all you fucking Cons on here don't yell and clamor that Congress' health care be repealed. Why should those greedy selfish assholes have insurance, yet 31 million fellow Americans cannot? And you wonder why I call republicans selfish? The simple reason is they ARE.

What makes you think all "cons" think Congress is so great? They are exempt from this bill, just like they are exempt from Social Security and have their own private well funded plan.

[Behshad]

And Mr FactFinder thinks that our healthcare system is just fine and we should just deal with it and pay up for services not questioning "WTF did I just pay for" .... Dont get me wrong, you cant set the price on your sons health, but its sad when they USE you like this , knowing that youre in need and charge whatever they want .....

This kinda pisses me off. NO ONE is saying that our healthcare system is just fine. No one.

It pisses me off too. The biggest problem with our HC system is that a lot of people think it should be free to them. That is the biggst problem bar none. If everyone paid for insurance and took responsibility for themselves costs would level out in no time.

It's funny how B thinks I'm just hunky dory with paying my bills while others do not, yet he's also perfectly happy with a gov mandate for everyone to buy insurance, which is exactly what I've been doing all along. We don't need the stinkin' gov to tell us what to do, only the morons who think the gov knows best wants that.

Assumption as usual ?
We need someone to watch over the hospitals and insurance company and monitor the way they rape people.

[Enigma869]

Another brilliant statement by another genius politician

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eEN0sHPKGA

Funny, I don't quite remember the three branches of government the same way from my 5th grade Civics class.