Bend Over, Open Wide, the Health Corps Are Coming

[boutons_deux]

The average worker with a family plan was hit with 14% premium increase this year, pushing the bill to nearly $4,000 a year,

Since 2005, workers' contributions to insurance premiums have shot up 47%, far outpacing the 18% increase in wages over the same period, according to the survey.

a marked change from previous years, when employers generally split the rise in the cost of premiums with their employees.

The average employer contribution to a family plan did not go up at all this year, meaning the entire increase was borne by workers.

nearly a third of employers reported that they either reduced the scope of benefits they are offering this year or increased the amount that workers must pay out of pocket for their medical care.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-healthcare-costs-20100903,0,1900640,full.story

============

Just another way America is fucked and unfuckable.

It's imaginable that relentless big increases in employer plans would cause people to look for cheaper plans, like in the exchanges (but the insurers stopped that. If you have employer insurance, you're forbidden from the exchanges), or a serious public option (the health insurers will always block serious competition. Non-competitive cartels and effective monopoly is how they enrich themselves. The predatory, screw-you economic model at work.

btw, one way the Dems proposed to reduce health costs, costs supposedly a freak-out issue for the Repugs, was to limit Medicare/Medicaid payouts to doctors, but the Repugs, always interested in protecting and enriching their base while impoverishing the lower 95%, blocked it.

[Winehole23]

btw, one way the Dems proposed to reduce health costs, costs supposedly a freak-out issue for the Repugs, was to limit Medicare/Medicaid payouts to doctors, but the Repugs, always interested in protecting and enriching their base while impoverishing the lower 95%, blocked it.Dems couldn't pass the health reform they allegedly really wanted, even with solid majorities in both houses.

So instead they passed a blatantly corporatist bill that addressed coverage rather than costs, and you blame this all on the GOP.

How chickenshit.

[Winehole23]

No accountability for power, only blame for the opposition for being in the way.

[boutons_deux]

"even with solid majorities in both houses."

They didn't have solid majority in the Senate, and the corps, including Wall St that is big investor/lender to health care industry, wasn't having single-buyer to BigPharma (it's the Repug who made single-buyer/drug price negotiation explicitly illegal), wasn't having a public option, wasn't having reduced payments to doctors.

As always, the corps get their way. There's no way to get anything done in DC without the corps protected and often getting MORE money. DC is corporate welfare ATM. The Repugs were on the side of the corps, as always, blocking real health care reform and price reductions.

It wouldn't be chickenshit if you GFY.

[Winehole23]

No accountabiilty for the Dems and Obama for passing the bill Obama negotiated in advance with insurance and pharma lobbies, only blame for the GOP for attempting to stand in the way of their shitty bill.

[Winehole23]

It wouldn't be chickenshit if you GFY.Yeah, it still would.

[Winehole23]

That's just how you roll. One-sided to beat fuck.

[TeyshaBlue]

That's just how you roll. One-sided to beat fuck.

It's the path of the pathological myopic. What a miserable way to exist.

[TeyshaBlue]

(it's the Repug who made single-buyer/drug price negotiation explicitly illegal

By the way, this is demonstrably untrue. Back that shit up or GFY.

[boutons_deux]

"negotiated in advance with insurance and pharma lobbies"

As disgusting as it was, just more ir-refudiatable evidence that nothing moves in DC without the corps being protected and enriched (and taxpayers wealth transferred to them), without the deals, they would have gone "Harry and Louise" on health care reform (the ghost of Harry and Louise was haunting the entire process), and he would have ended up with nothing. Just like grocery store sausage is full of toxic shit, DC sausage making is famously repulsive.

[TeyshaBlue]

"negotiated in advance with insurance and pharma lobbies"

As disgusting as it was, just more ir-refudiatable evidence that nothing moves in DC without the corps being protected and enriched (and taxpayers wealth transferred to them), without the deals, they would have gone "Harry and Louise" on health care reform (the ghost of Harry and Louise was haunting the entire process), and he would have ended up with nothing. Just like grocery store sausage is full of toxic shit, DC sausage making is famously repulsive.

This is true. However, when the GOP is involved it becomes "Repugs fucking Americans!". When it's another party, then is "just the way things work in DC". Fuck!:rolleyes

[boutons_deux]

"Repugs fucking Americans"

please give examples where Repugs haven't fucked America and Americans.

I'm not pro-Dem at all, they all suck, but you might have noticed I'm violently anti-Repug.

[TeyshaBlue]

"Repugs fucking Americans"

please give examples where Repugs haven't fucked America and Americans.

I'm not pro-Dem at all, they all suck, but you might have noticed I'm violently anti-Repug.

No, I haven't noticed. It's so subtle.:lol

Certainly doesn't cloud your objectivity at all.

[boutons_deux]

"please give examples where Repugs haven't fucked America and Americans."

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

and if you add them all up, do you think they offset two bogus/botched wars, economic and governmental mismanagement, etc, etc?

[TeyshaBlue]

Because the Healthcare cluster fuck is an issue that's very close to me, I'd like to explore your claim that single-buyer/drug price negotiation is explicitly illegal. You've said this on many occasions, yet I've not seen it supported. Exactly where can I find this claim substantiated? Keep in mind, I'm no supporter of Pharma, Insurance or GPO's, but I did work in the industry for more than a decade and witnessed wholesale price manipulation and collusion among all three.

[TeyshaBlue]

"please give examples where Repugs haven't fucked America and Americans."

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

and if you add them all up, do you think they offset two bogus/botched wars, economic and governmental mismanagement, etc, etc?

Poorly worded and conceived questions receive little or no response. Please, try again.

[boutons_deux]

typical right-wing chickenshit response, but just for grins:

ok, lease give examples where Repugs have helped America and Americans

1.
2.
3.
4.

and why tell us what they plan do after they take over Congress:

[coyotes_geek]

"Repugs fucking Americans"

please give examples where Repugs haven't fucked America and Americans.

For one they didn't push through some multi trillion dollar piece of crap healthcare "reform" bill written to serve corporate interests.............


I'm not pro-Dem at all, they all suck, but you might have noticed I'm violently anti-Repug.

Right, you're not pro-dem, you just go out of your way to hold republicans 100% accountable for everything. Hypocrite. Liar.

[TeyshaBlue]

typical right-wing chickenshit response, but just for grins:

ok, lease give examples where Repugs have helped America and Americans

1.
2.
3.
4.

and why tell us what they plan do after they take over Congress:

I might give that a shot after you answer my question, posted previous to this chickenshit deflection of yours.

[Mikesatx]

1) Ending the Cold War as the Victor
2) Tax cuts (I love those)
3) Relaxing regulations which breed creativity and innovation.

You say your not Pro-Dem but anti republican. Everything I have read from you supports big government. If you are taking handouts and are dependent on the government for your survival say so and everyone will understand your position. If you are paying taxes and not taking handouts what has big government done for you?

[boutons_deux]

1)Ending the Cold War as the Victor

The Soviet Union collapsed not because of diseased, ridiculed Hollywood B actor, but from going bankrupt in Afganistan combined with collapse of the price of oil, which was USSR's overwhelming source of hard currency. Repugs had fuck all to do with it.

2) Tax cuts (I love those)

Haven't had any effect on real household income, which has been pretty much stagnant for 30 years, and had no effect on growth in the 2000s. Even with the tax cuts, Americans went into huge household debt trying to stand still.

3) Relaxing regulations which breed creativity and innovation.

creativity? like financial innovations of unregulated, secret derivatives? :lol

deregulating the airline industry worked great. shitty service, regional monopolies, near or always bankrupt airlines,

Unregulated, weakly regulated, unenforced regulations have allowed corps to rape America's soil, water, air, and bodies, in the most "creative" ways.

[Mikesatx]

Since when does bankruptcy translate into changing a country's political regime and splitting up its parts.

Prior to '08 the unemployment rate was less then 5%. Here is the data on hosehold income:

http://www.davemanuel.com/median-household-income.php

So since 1980 the average household has grown a total of 10% above inflation for the same period.

Is it your opinion that we would have been better off without lowering taxes or raising them?

Do you understand derivatives? The subprime mess really isn't that complicated. It starts with a potential homebuyer and lender. The homebuyer has the responsibility to determine if they can handle the payment and debt load that a lender is willing to give. The lender sets the rate commensurate with the risk of the loan. At this level both sides are taking risk and both in a position to lose. Both sides are also in a position to not enter the agreement.

The deal is made. Lender then takes a bunch of these loans repackages and sells to a third party. Lender eliminates their risk and third party now assumes risk. Securities are created that derive value from the underlying loans--- now we are at your beloved wall street level.

Where is the failure? 1) Too many consumers took loans they shouldn't have or speculated to make a profit. 2) The third parties that bought the loans didn't do their due dilligence in understanding the risk makeup of the loans. This includes Wall Street. 3) The government failed to regulate those seccurities (which our tax dollars are supposed to pay for).

I have no problem with the plight of the consumer. We should all be financially responsible. The lenders and wall street firms that failed received the plight they deserve as well. What are the ramifications for the failure of the SEC to regulate? More government agencies? The firms that were bailed out were done so because it was the government's view that allowing them to fail would more costly then picking them up.

If corporate america is in fact violating your body I would be pissed too.

[Wild Cobra]

When employers first started offering health care for their employees, it was to entice people to work. Nobody demanded it, it was just good business. Now with demonrats and unions in control, libtards think it's a right.

Sorry, it's not. If the employee has to pay more, that employee should still be happy the company he works for pays most the cost still.

I wish you guys with that entitlement attitude would move to a socialist country, instead of taking our freedoms away.

Fuck you all.

[DMX7]

3) Relaxing regulations which breed creativity and innovation.

If you are paying taxes and not taking handouts what has big government done for you?

The bankers, military industrial complex, oil companies, etc. all have their hands in the pockets of "big government".

And LMAO at relaxing regulations... this country's economy almost crumbled because wall street was allowed to run a goddamn muck with credit default swaps, derivatives, etc...

[Winehole23]

It's the path of the pathological myopic. What a miserable way to exist.The thing is, he really seems to buy the one-dimensionality thesis. All power is exercised top down. It clearly underwrites his *fucked and unfuckable* pseudo-platitude.

[Winehole23]

The basic difference between me and him is he thinks it is already night, and the US republic is already dead.

[Winehole23]

b_d thinks people power has been eliminated.

Whereas I think we are still living in the afterglow of the old republic, in twilight. Enough people still have it in their living memory; enough light remains to discern the signposts of freedom within it.

[Winehole23]

KLnhnpKOBFE

[boutons_deux]

b_d thinks people power has been eliminated.

Whereas I think we are still living in the afterglow of the old republic, in twilight. Enough people still have it in their living memory; enough light remains to discern the signposts of freedom within it.

how poetic? prosaic? pure fantasy.

What are the signs?

How will citizens "take our country back", not from the corporate-corrupted govt, but from the corrupting corps and capitalists?

The corps are pouring 100 of $Ms into the mid-terms, and they ain't going to the Dems.

[boutons_deux]

When employers first started offering health care for their employees, it was to entice people to work. Nobody demanded it, it was just good business. Now with demonrats and unions in control, libtards think it's a right.

Sorry, it's not. If the employee has to pay more, that employee should still be happy the company he works for pays most the cost still.

I wish you guys with that entitlement attitude would move to a socialist country, instead of taking our freedoms away.

Fuck you all.

Unions in control? Unions have 7% of the workforce. What control?

Whatever increase the employee pays, it's out of his after-tax income, while the corps pay for their part of the employee insurance as pre-tax, deductible business expense. So in fact, making the employees pay more is INCREASING TAXES.

[Wild Cobra]

Whatever increase the employee pays, it's out of his after-tax income, while the corps pay for their part of the employee insurance as pre-tax, deductible business expense. So in fact, making the employees pay more is INCREASING TAXES.
Someone has to pay the extra cost. most companies pay it willingly. Why should they pay more than when they don't have to pay as much as they do?

If you talk to HR in various companies, they will often say that they follow "industry standard." They do this as the supply and demand aspect of labor. most companies, unless they want to be dubbed an "Industry Leader," pay benefits very close to their competition. To increase benefits, entices a better grade and number of qualified applicants to choose from. However, it means a smaller bottom line, unless they are in a position to raise the cost of their product or services. To give less benefits than the industry standard can yield more profits and/or undercut the competitions price.

Now combine that with a labor market filled with qualified applicants. What motivation do they have not to shift more of the health care cost to the employee? Afterall, it's a benefit. Not a right.

[~~~~~~]

Prior to '08 the unemployment rate was less then 5%. Anyone know what the what the current unemployment % is? The last I read from today's Reuters is 9.6% which is most likely some BS # the Obama admin spewed out.

[boutons_deux]

Anyone know what the what the current unemployment % is? The last I read from today's Reuters is 9.6% which is most likely some BS # the Obama admin spewed out.

wow, fucking amazing, as always with you right-wingers.

Unemployement was low until the (Repug/conservative deregulated/uneforced) Casino Banksters Great Depression hit BEFORE Magic Negro was elected, but the 20% (real) unemployment rate is Magic Negro's fault.

I thought you right-wingers were Rugged Anti-Social(ism) Individualists who Don't Need No Stinkin Govt Help to create jobs and get the economy purring.

What exactly has MN done to cause unemployment and what exactly has he done to block you badass RI mofos from fixing the economy?

[boutons_deux]

The more employees are impoverished by exorbitant health insurance, co-pays, near-catastrophic deductibles, the more they should support a full-bore, truly-fuck-the-private-insurers Public Option.

And the Public Option will only pay out based on electronic medical records and electronic claim filing. And Health ID cards will stop sickos from doctor shopping to over-consume prescription drugs to feed their habits.

[Wild Cobra]

Anyone know what the what the current unemployment % is? The last I read from today's Reuters is 9.6% which is most likely some BS # the Obama admin spewed out.
I know it notched up a bit, and I think it's 9.8% instead. Now there are different unemployment numbers, and that is only the number of people that are:

seeking work/(employed + seeking work)... at least I think that's the formula...

The true unemployment including underemployed and unemployed that stopped looking for work is far higher. Don't ask me to look it up. You can or someone else can.

[Wild Cobra]

The more employees are impoverished by exorbitant health insurance, co-pays, near-catastrophic deductibles, the more they should support a full-bore, truly-fuck-the-private-insurers Public Option.

And the Public Option will only pay out based on electronic medical records and electronic claim filing. And Health ID cards will stop sickos from doctor shopping to over-consume prescription drugs to feed their habits.
Boutons...

How can you be a total fool?

Does your employer pay you more when food or gas prices rise?

Health care is a benefit. Not a right.