Audience at tea party debate cheers leaving uninsured to die

[Behshad]

I don't believe health care is a right. You have a right to health care if you can pay for it, if you can earn it by your own action and effort. Nobody has the right to the services of any professional individual or group simply because they want or desperately need them.

Of course you have to pay for health care, but HEALTH INSURANCE should be more affordable so EVERYONE can afford & have insurance.

There will always be someone who can't afford it. Where do we draw the line?

OK , anyone WORKING should be allowed to buy healthcare by paying around 5% of his income for insurance for himself, or 10% of his income for his family,... better?

Some people make about $25,000 a year. Are you telling me that for $2,500 a year, an entire family could be insured? There are many doctor visits that cost more than $2,500 for just once visit. Now go a few times a year maybe and add in the rest of the family; impossible. You want a solution? Abolish all insurance. Insurance artificially inflates the cost of medical care. I am a young adult in my 20s and I do not carry any type of insurance whatsoever. But, I still get the care I need, when I need it. Hospitals and doctors often offer pretty steep discounts when you pay with cash, and it's still profitable for them. They charge obscene prices when you use insurance for two basic reasons: Administrative hassle, and the fact that the patient won't directly feel the "sting" if the price because insurance picks most of it up. They get very lucrative salaries that way.

Im saying the $2500 would cover their INSURANCE PREMIUM ONLY. They'd still have to pay the co-pay and any other charges you have to pay WHEN YOU HAVE INSURANCE.Capice ?

[Behshad]

One day, recently, the owner of the business where I work said he's gonna have to start charging "some of you older guys" more money for your health insurance. Can he say that?
I always thought group medical insurance was the same rate for the group, depending on what coverages you choose, how many family members, etc. He then went on to say that he was gonna have to find a different group carrier for the older guys to give a break to the younger employees. He made it sound like the older people were causing the younger group to have higher rates.

He probably shouldn't be saying that. Invites a nice discrimination or ERISA lawsuit later when he fires someone over 40. As for the quote in bold, of course the older, less healthy people cause the rates to go up. That's the whole idea of (group) insurance! The less risky members of a group subsidize the more risky ones. In the end, saying shit like that to employees when your a supervisor, owner, CEO, or other decision maker is very stupid.

In a way the owner is right. The insurance that he is offering, while based on each individual, its part of a GROUP insurance, so the base of group insurance will go up a bit when theres too many old farts like steveo aboard.
When one of our co-workers had a heart attack , there was a rate increase for the GROUP, which even tho wasnt much, resulted in an overall increase for everybody.

[Ehwmatt]

One day, recently, the owner of the business where I work said he's gonna have to start charging "some of you older guys" more money for your health insurance. Can he say that?
I always thought group medical insurance was the same rate for the group, depending on what coverages you choose, how many family members, etc. He then went on to say that he was gonna have to find a different group carrier for the older guys to give a break to the younger employees. He made it sound like the older people were causing the younger group to have higher rates.

He probably shouldn't be saying that. Invites a nice discrimination or ERISA lawsuit later when he fires someone over 40. As for the quote in bold, of course the older, less healthy people cause the rates to go up. That's the whole idea of (group) insurance! The less risky members of a group subsidize the more risky ones. In the end, saying shit like that to employees when your a supervisor, owner, CEO, or other decision maker is very stupid.

In a way the owner is right. The insurance that he is offering, while based on each individual, its part of a GROUP insurance, so the base of group insurance will go up a bit when theres too many old farts like steveo aboard.
When one of our co-workers had a heart attack , there was a rate increase for the GROUP, which even tho wasnt much, resulted in an overall increase for everybody.

Of course he's right. The bedrock principles of insurance are risk-spreading and members cross-subsidizing one another. But, he's not smart to be saying stuff like that because he's opening himself up to lawsuits down the road from disgruntled employees.

[Angel]

In a way the owner is right. The insurance that he is offering, while based on each individual, its part of a GROUP insurance, so the base of group insurance will go up a bit when theres too many old farts like steveo aboard.
When one of our co-workers had a heart attack , there was a rate increase for the GROUP, which even tho wasnt much, resulted in an overall increase for everybody.

Well, that's the point of group insurance. Instead of making the insurance outrageously expensive for those in poor health or pre-existing conditions, the cost is spread equally across everyone. It's something that the healthy people protest and something that the unhealthy are grateful for.

[donnaplease]

Sounds like you've set your priorities ~ more education over a job that offers group health insurance.

More education so I can find a higher paying job. Got sick and tired of factory work.

I'm not criticizing your choice, I totally understand. But lots of people out there work full-time and attend school part-time in order to be able to have the best of both worlds. I really need to be one of those too... Just too busy with my job and my family. But you gotta realize that when you make those choices, some things gotta give. Other people who are working to pay for their insurance shouldn't have to pay for those who aren't (by their choice).