tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post7304728559126638662..comments2024-03-28T10:08:06.291-05:00Comments on Give2Attain: People Miss Their Pre-ACA PoliciesJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-72356119916278928092017-04-03T19:02:34.195-05:002017-04-03T19:02:34.195-05:00How are we going to have a meaningful discussion i...How are we going to have a meaningful discussion if all you want to poke holes in my excellent policies? :-)Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-18700510383916830342017-04-03T18:29:12.079-05:002017-04-03T18:29:12.079-05:00I love how you post things like "do not give ...I love how you post things like "do not give them driver's licenses, schooling, healthcare, etc.", "Punish sanctuary cities for harboring illegal workers", "if you have 2 children and are on welfare. Number 3 must be given up for adoption or aborted", "Start at 5% and "Buy American" public service announcements. Increase if the consumers are still to cheap and self centered to support their fellow American workers", and "go look at Ryan and company are trying to get passed" and then suggest that it is liberals who don't consider unintended consequences. But, hey, good luck putting together the "Baby Taker" SWAT teams...Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-949657741778611902017-04-03T18:24:59.699-05:002017-04-03T18:24:59.699-05:00"20 million more people having health insuran..."20 million more people having health insurance that they have not earned is not necessarily a good thing from my perspective."<br /><br />Since Ronald Reagan signed the bill in 1986 that required emergency rooms to treat people even if they didn't have the ability to pay, it would seem that -- whether you like it or not -- they have earned it. And, now, since you have said you don't want to repeal that and you favor government intervention on things like the 3:1 or 5:1 ratio, we're really just haggling over the price.Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-89578974263368629202017-04-03T17:26:56.958-05:002017-04-03T17:26:56.958-05:0020 million more people having health insurance tha...20 million more people having health insurance that they have not earned is not necessarily a good thing from my perspective. It just means that the taxes and fees have been raised on the rest of us and they have not learned, improved or grown in anyway.<br /><br />Investing in people to help them grow and improve is great. Spending money on healthy competent people so they can more comfortably languish in misery is not necessarily a good thing for them or our country.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-79106150663990583702017-04-03T17:21:51.181-05:002017-04-03T17:21:51.181-05:00Remove illegal workers. Trump seems to be on the r...Remove illegal workers. Trump seems to be on the right track.<br />- Improve border security so no more can come in and keep deporting 500,000 per year<br />- Deport VISA over stayers ASAP<br />- Crack down on the employers of illegal workers, do not give them driver's licenses, schooling, healthcare, etc. In essence encourage self deportation<br />- Punish sanctuary cities for harboring illegal workers<br /><br />Since pushing people to get training and jobs is related. You know my "dystopian policies", if you have 2 children and are on welfare. Number 3 must be given up for adoption or aborted. If you want more children, learn, work and get off welfare. The USA does not support people who can not support themselves trying to be a Parent. The needs of children are more important than the selfish wants of adults.<br /><br />Training is an interesting concept. If the 11 million illegal workers are gone, it seems jobs will be available and wages will be higher. Lower welfare to the point where people are willing to work construction, farm labor, service industries or any of the many tasks that the illegal workers are currently doing. If you don't like the smell of dairy cattle or butchering turkeys, strive for more.<br /><br />Start at 5% and "Buy American" public service announcements. Increase if the consumers are still to cheap and self centered to support their fellow American workers.<br /><br />Many more tax free zones to encourage companies to invest in communities and bring jobs. How do we get some big assembly plants in the Twin Cities area? So our less knowledgeable and skilled people can have good job opportunities...<br /><br />If you want more details go look at Ryan and company are trying to get passed.<br />Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-17460498997395017462017-04-03T16:06:25.649-05:002017-04-03T16:06:25.649-05:00"Now your solution of placing arbitrary caps ..."Now your solution of placing arbitrary caps on things and then funding it with an arbitrary taxes and fees on others isn't all that much better unfortunately."<br /><br />Tell that to the 20 million folks who have health insurance today that they didn't have before the ACA. If you can do better, be my guest.Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-78788038189504604542017-04-03T15:54:19.936-05:002017-04-03T15:54:19.936-05:00"The policies are very simple..."
These..."The policies are very simple..."<br /><br />These are not policies, they are slogans.<br /><br />"Remove all illegal workers from the USA."<br /><br />How? are you going send a deportation force door-to-door to find them?<br /><br />"Reduce safety net to push people to get training and jobs."<br /><br />Which programs? To what levels? What training are they going to receive and who is going to provide it?<br /><br />"Hold Parents and Schools truly accountable for the education of children."<br /><br />How? What's the standard that will be used?<br /><br />"Apply taxes to consumers and businesses to pressure them to Buy American."<br /><br />At what level?<br /><br />"Reduce regulatory and tax burden on companies so they can afford to operate in the USA."<br /><br />Which regulations would you remove? How would you reduce the tax burden?Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-42879238637009093362017-04-03T15:51:40.443-05:002017-04-03T15:51:40.443-05:00Now your solution of placing arbitrary caps on thi...Now your solution of placing arbitrary caps on things and then funding it with an arbitrary taxes and fees on others isn't all that much better unfortunately. That is why it is easy to poke holes in it. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-82645369780951782762017-04-03T15:49:37.786-05:002017-04-03T15:49:37.786-05:00I think there are more than enough healthy 50 - 65...I think there are more than enough healthy 50 - 65 year olds that their premiums should not be that out of whack from those of the 30 year olds. Of course without data neither of us know for sure.<br /><br />Also, I am happy to give big credits for healthy living. If you see a doctor, maintain a healthy weight, manage your cholesterols, manage your blood pressure, etc. Your premium may be half of your over weight peer that is on their way to a heart attack.<br /><br />The policies are very simple...<br />- Remove all illegal workers from the USA.<br />- Reduce safety net to push people to get training and jobs.<br />- Hold Parents and Schools truly accountable for the education of children.<br />- Apply taxes to consumers and businesses to pressure them to Buy American.<br />- Reduce regulatory and tax burden on companies so they can afford to operate in the USA.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-6120857014446823312017-04-03T14:23:30.369-05:002017-04-03T14:23:30.369-05:00We know there are some provisions in the ACA that ...We know there are some provisions in the ACA that reduce costs. For instance, eliminating the subsidy for inefficient Medicare Advantage plans.<br /><br />"As for your questions... I think there should be a cap but am indifferent if it is 1:3 or 1:5."<br /><br />You can't say on one hand "No we should charge them the annual premiums appropriate to them when they are ~60" and "I think there should be a cap" because those are two mutually exclusive ideas. Either someone pays what they should pay at age 60 or you cap it at some level so it's affordable. You can't have it both ways.<br /><br />"I want to help low income to afford their own health insurance by pushing them to learn and have fewer kids, deport illegal workers, encourage American consumers to buy American, encourage American businesses to create more good paying American jobs, etc.<br /><br />Every American worker should be able to afford their own health insurance premium. Just writing people checks for doing nothing just leads to a very bad place as we have seen during the past 50+ years."<br /><br />This is the same old nonsense. Not responsive to the question. What is the policy to handle today's world, not John's Fantasyland?<br />Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-12267797684889661592017-04-03T13:59:26.461-05:002017-04-03T13:59:26.461-05:00It looks like Heritage changed their Family Facts ...It looks like Heritage changed their <a href="https://medium.com/2016-index-of-culture-and-opportunity" rel="nofollow">Family Facts website</a>. I think I liked the old one better.<br /><br />Unfortunately the <a href="https://medium.com/2016-index-of-culture-and-opportunity/attacking-the-roots-of-child-poverty-7f31a724d8d8" rel="nofollow">war on poverty trend data is just as disturbing</a>.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-91820953727749935822017-04-03T13:47:15.896-05:002017-04-03T13:47:15.896-05:00As for your questions... I think there should be a...As for your questions... I think there should be a cap but am indifferent if it is 1:3 or 1:5.<br /><br />I want to help low income to afford their own health insurance by pushing them to learn and have fewer kids, deport illegal workers, encourage American consumers to buy American, encourage American businesses to create more good paying American jobs, etc.<br /><br />Every American worker should be able to afford their own health insurance premium. Just writing people checks for doing nothing just leads to a very bad place as we have seen during the past 50+ years.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-49330672838862965852017-04-03T13:40:06.194-05:002017-04-03T13:40:06.194-05:00Actually I am not saying the opposite is happening...Actually I am not saying the opposite is happening. I am saying that it is silly for Liberals or Conservatives to claim statistically valid changes based on what I have read.<br /><br />And worse yet is that they want to claim that ACA was the primary driver of that decrease or increase.<br /><br />And if there was a decrease, were there unintended consequences that offset the savings.<br /><br />Other than forcing more "price controls" on Medicaid and Medicare, I just don't see what ACA has done to reduce costs. How have any of these been improved? What incentives were put in place to encourage people to eat healthier, exercise, sleep the right amount, etc?<br /><br /><a href="http://give2attain.blogspot.com/2012/02/american-healthcare-cost-dirvers.html" rel="nofollow">Healthcare Cost Factors</a><br />•Unhealthy Americans abound<br />•Americans want to save everyone<br />•Saving everyone weakens Americans<br />•Americans insist everyone MUST stay alive Link2<br />•Americans love lawsuits<br />•Americans and Doctors love expensive tests<br />•American Government bureaucracy<br />•Private insurance bureaucracy, profits & wages<br />•Pharmaceutical personnel, profits & wages<br />•Medical device personnel, profits & wages<br />•Healthcare bureaucracy, profits & wages<br />•Excessive medical licensing requirements Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-4721595026235296742017-04-03T12:43:42.065-05:002017-04-03T12:43:42.065-05:00There are multiple data points from across our hea...There are multiple data points from across our health care system that show that health care spending since the ACA has passed has been increasing more slowly than before. <br /><br />Or I can believe your vague, unsubstantiated assertions that the opposite is happening.Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-52323501365631995942017-04-03T12:00:41.592-05:002017-04-03T12:00:41.592-05:00I'll give your questions some thought if you p...I'll give your questions some thought if you ponder this.<br /><br />How can Liberals keep saying this: <br /><br />"No one seriously disputes that Obamacare in America tends to slow the rate of increase of health care costs." <br /><br />When they have seemingly no idea where the billions of dollars to setup and market the exchanges were billed to?<br /><br /><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2017/02/01/the-aca-increased-rather-than-decreased-administrative-costs-of-health-insurance/#61ef22ae9e77" rel="nofollow">Forbes ACA Increases Administrative Costs</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-76028363410214882292017-04-03T11:40:27.446-05:002017-04-03T11:40:27.446-05:00Well, until you have some actual numbers to talk a...Well, until you have some actual numbers to talk about, maybe you should stop throwing shade at the numbers that do exist.<br /><br />Your vapid complaints about everyone else's ideas are meaningless because you have no ideas of your own to offer.<br /><br />Let's see if you'll actually take a stand on something. How about premium costs for those approaching age 65? The ACA limits the ratio of premiums between old and young to 3:1. The AHCA would have changed that limit to 5:1. Do you think there should be a limit, and if so, how much? Under whatever scenario you pick, how would you make premiums more affordable for those with low-incomes?Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-16204759533274776102017-04-03T11:39:44.745-05:002017-04-03T11:39:44.745-05:00And still nothing about the those huge exchange / ...And <a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/03/27/521441490/fact-check-trump-says-obamacare-is-exploding-its-not" rel="nofollow">still nothing about the those huge</a> exchange / government costs...<br /><br />Maybe this will help. <a href="http://health.usnews.com/health-care/health-insurance/articles/2016-11-01/hidden-costs-of-affordable-health-insurance-plans" rel="nofollow">US News The Hidden Costs of ACA</a>Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-69299915481210879142017-04-03T11:30:45.462-05:002017-04-03T11:30:45.462-05:00I think I found what you are talking about. G2A CB...I think I found what you are talking about. <a href="https://give2attain.blogspot.com/2017/03/cbo-scores-ahca.html" rel="nofollow">G2A CBO Scores ACHA</a><br /><br />The problem is that we never did figure out where all of the ACA tax subsidies, marketplace costs and marketing costs went...<br /><br />And we know that ACA tries to <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/27/news/economy/obamacare-health-insurance/" rel="nofollow">constrain Medicare costs and transfer them to the well off</a>, but what <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2017/03/15/mayo-insurance-medicare-medcaid/" rel="nofollow">problems are arising</a> from this attempt at price controls? And who is making up the difference between the costs and prices?Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-4892667501034467682017-04-03T09:11:17.281-05:002017-04-03T09:11:17.281-05:00It's like you don't even read your own blo...It's like you don't even read your own blog sometimes.Seanhttp://brickcityblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-11410107576960448012017-04-02T19:06:23.916-05:002017-04-02T19:06:23.916-05:00I guess I'll "dispute that Obamacare in A...I guess I'll "dispute that Obamacare in America tends to slow the rate of increase of health care costs." What do you think ACA did to accomplish what you deem to be true?<br /><br />Are you including all the ACA tax subsidies, marketplace costs and marketing in the "cost of healthcare"?<br /><br />Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-33335496733637227332017-04-02T18:18:19.121-05:002017-04-02T18:18:19.121-05:00Something always to keep in mind is that choice is...Something always to keep in mind is that choice is expensive. And that economies of scale make things less expensive. No one seriously disputes that Obamacare in America tends to slow the rate of increase of health care costs. That's why it's critics always want to shift the discussion to premiums. There argument for costs is that market forces will drive prices down. Like business, Republicans don't understand how markets work. If market forces always lowered prices, the stock market would always go down. Markets make pricing more efficient, but they don't force prices up, and they don't force prices down.<br /><br />--Hiram <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-12923893672915878582017-04-02T18:13:27.550-05:002017-04-02T18:13:27.550-05:001. There is no appropriate premium. God doesn'...1. There is no appropriate premium. God doesn't set insurance prices.<br /><br />2. There is no risk requirement. God doesn't evaluate risks, He leaves that to actuaries.<br /><br />3. I am sure they will. Probably lots of them.<br /><br />4. But they weren't cutting spending. They were simply shifting it to a different set of books.<br /><br />--HiramAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-4885585007977920992017-04-02T14:31:46.591-05:002017-04-02T14:31:46.591-05:001. No we should charge them the annual premiums ap...1. No we should charge them the annual premiums appropriate to them when they are ~60... (ie hope they saved for the future)<br /><br />2. Not really, but in this case it means the premiums for young people are much higher than their risks require.<br /><br />3. I am sure the hospital will set up a payment plan for them. And they are pretty well off since they did not qualify for any ACA subsidy and own a fitness center.<br /><br />4. Actually they were cutting the extra ACA spending and the extra ACA taxes. I think it was maybe a little gain on the cutting spending side.<br /><br />As I often say, I see good and bad things in ACA. I am indifferent to if it changes again.<br />Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14991027705809503541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-44431326182187632632017-04-02T12:59:46.305-05:002017-04-02T12:59:46.305-05:00Here are the economics of bad health insurance. Pe...Here are the economics of bad health insurance. People buy bad health insurance, because now if things turn out badly someone else will pick up the bills. What Republicans want to do is subsidize that choice. The result will be that individuals will pick up both a portion of the insured health care, and also the cost of care not covered by the bad policies. We get the bill as taxpayers, for the consumer's choice to buy bad health insurance.<br /><br />On the surface, this seems pretty dumb, so why do Republicans want to do that? Remember Republicans believe government should be run like a business, and the business they have in mind is Enron. Those health care cost overages don't necessarily land on government books. They are absorbed by other stakeholders, doctors, hospitals, corporate shareholders, various charities and others. But what that approach does do is free up money that Republicans need to fund other goals, things like regressive tax cuts. With the failure of Trump care at least for now, Republicans lost a trillion dollars in health care savings which they needed to balance their budget. That's why Ryan wanted to enact Trump Care prior to tax reform.<br /><br />--HiramAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8193628934721963907.post-84603991903289019802017-04-02T12:48:47.303-05:002017-04-02T12:48:47.303-05:00I agree that this is not about healthcare... It is...I agree that this is not about healthcare... It is about money and who should pay what for who.<br /><br />The couple doesn't want to pay for old people. Can we trust them to refuse health care when they are old? Should we deny them care for the choice they made when they were young?<br /><br />"However health insurance is technically a year long policy kind of like car insurance. Therefore premiums should mostly be set based on who you are today and how you choose to live your life today."<br /><br />Is there a problem making life or death decisions with consequences far into the future, based on "technicalities"? <br /><br />"And if the young couple bets poorly and ends up having a child, then they can pay the bills out of pocket for the first year or so. I have no desire to pay for their bad bet..."<br /><br />They don't look like they have a lot of money. My guess is that they will stick the bills on someone else. As Republicans remind us, health insurance is about money, and people who don't have money have little incentive to insure themselves. <br /><br />--HiramAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com