White House appears ready to drop 'public option'

[ChumpDumper]

Which law requires employers to pay for, provide, or coordinate insurance coverage?

[Yonivore]

I dont think the government requires employers to proide insurance. And this wouldnt work as a government program. You cant tell private business to stop giving their employees insurance and hope they give them more salary (that they save) instead.

In a compe ive market, the employer would be stupid not to convert that premium to salary because, one employer would and that'd be all it took.

Rather, the tax code should change so that you could buy your own insurance privatey, and hope that employers would give their employees the option to opt out of their insurance and receive a larger paycheck instead.

The tax code should butt out of my medical care altogether.

[Gino]

In a compe ive market, the employer would be stupid not to convert that premium to salary because, one employer would and that'd be all it took.


The tax code should butt out of my medical care altogether.

Well you should AT LEAST get the same tax break your employer gets.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...072865070.html

This dude makes some interesting points although some it is pretty far reaching. Saying "tort reform" is something the right throws out even though its NEVER going to happen. You might as well say "a magic wand".

[Yonivore]

Well you should AT LEAST get the same tax break your employer gets.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...072865070.html

This dude makes some interesting points although some it is pretty far reaching. Saying "tort reform" is something the right throws out even though its NEVER going to happen. You might as well say "a magic wand".

I read Mackey's opinion piece. He's being excoriated by the left for having this opinion because, he runs a business that is stereotypically "liberal" (Whole Foods) and had the temerity to piss off his (assumed) customer base by proposing a very conservative solution to the health care problem.

Tort reform is doable. Texas made great strides in this respect and there's no reason the other states couldn't follow suit.

And, finally; sure, if I couldn't get the tax code to butt out of my medical affairs altogether, I'd at least like to be treated fairly by it.

[LnGrrrR]

Why should anything be done? Who says insurance is ineffective?

But, if you wanted to make a significant change that would bring down the cost of insurance...quit requiring insurance companies to pay for maintenance care and routine exams. Make insurance for catastrophic medical needs.

Then, bring down the overall cost of medical care by tort reform, lifting onerous government regulations, and discouraging people from running to the doctor every time they run a fever or the color of their bowel movement changes. How do you do that? You make them pay for those silly doctor visits instead of requiring the insurance companies to pick up the tab.

I'm ok with this idea: However, it's a chicken and egg problem it seems. Do you convince the doctors to lower prices first, or the insurance companies to not cover it, or the people to pay?

Is it realistic to assume that doctors could make a profit by charging "reasonable" rates for these things? Ie. Is a normal doctor's exam too expensive for the average family to afford? What about the issue of malpractice if the docto DOESN'T order all those tests to look for cancer or some other item? Would he have to worry about 'due diligence' cases?

[ChumpDumper]

Which law requires employers to pay for, provide, or coordinate insurance coverage?

[Yonivore]

I'm ok with this idea: However, it's a chicken and egg problem it seems. Do you convince the doctors to lower prices first, or the insurance companies to not cover it, or the people to pay?

Is it realistic to assume that doctors could make a profit by charging "reasonable" rates for these things? Ie. Is a normal doctor's exam too expensive for the average family to afford? What about the issue of malpractice if the docto DOESN'T order all those tests to look for cancer or some other item? Would he have to worry about 'due diligence' cases?

Let's say a routine doctor's visit is $150.00 to $200.00. That's 12 to 16 visits a year before you hit the $2,500.00 figure I used.

And, tort reform would solve the other issue.

Yeah, I think it's doable.

[LnGrrrR]

I dont think the government requires employers to proide insurance. And this wouldnt work as a government program. You cant tell private business to stop giving their employees insurance and hope they give them more salary (that they save) instead.

Rather, the tax code should change so that you could buy your own insurance privatey, and hope that employers would give their employees the option to opt out of their insurance and receive a larger paycheck instead.

The problem I see with this is, for the people who decide to opt out, then they can just go out to the emergency room if possible.

See the "Free rider" issue... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_rider_problem

[ploto]

A person can buy catastrophic coverage now -- with a high deductible -- for a family my size for under $100 a month.

I pay $200 a month for $5000 deductible policy just for me.

[clambake]

wow....this yoni guy has no clue.

feeling a little sorry for him.

[ChumpDumper]

Yoni, please answer this question.

Which law requires employers to pay for, provide, or coordinate insurance coverage?

[doobs]

I pay $200 a month for $5000 deductible policy just for me.

Where do you live?

[clambake]

they require employers to pay for insurance?

well?

[doobs]

Employers are not required to pay for insurance. But preferential treatment in the tax code makes it an attractive benefit for employers to provide. Employers have to compete with one another.

[clambake]

But preferential treatment in the tax code makes it an attractive benefit for employers to provide.

it's not that attractive, and it depends on where you are located.

Employers have to compete with one another.

not really.

[Gino]

Here's the Daily Kos link for the boycott of wholesale foods:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8...th-Care-reform

This will probably affect wholesale as much as those chain emails that told you on which days to buy gas affected the cost of petroleum.

And they laugh at "Birthers and deathers".

[doobs]

it's not that attractive, and it depends on where you are located.

not really.

Ok, whatever. I guess you would rather snipe than use your thinking cap.

[clambake]

Ok, whatever. I guess you would rather snipe than use your thinking cap.

i answered that way because your statement sounded like you are generalizing that all situations are universal.

[ploto]

Where do you live?

Texas

[clambake]

Here's the Daily Kos link for the boycott of wholesale foods:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8...th-Care-reform

This will probably affect wholesale as much as those chain emails that told you on which days to buy gas affected the cost of petroleum.

And they laugh at "Birthers and deathers".

i laugh at these guys, too. but birthers and deathers take the cake over whiny boycotters.

[DarrinS]

i laugh at these guys, too. but birthers and deathers take the cake over whiny boycotters.

The Shift key has a purpose.

[rjv]

public opinion polls show that americans favor the public option but it appears that the insurance companies own capitol hill.

[clambake]

The Shift key has a purpose.

sorry, i forgot about you.

Birthers.

[doobs]

i answered that way because your statement sounded like you are generalizing that all situations are universal.

No, genius, I was explaining why employers provide health insurance. Because it's a tax subsidy.

But go ahead and snipe away.

[clambake]

No, genius, I was explaining why employers provide health insurance. Because it's a tax subsidy.

you said that already. i pay almost 14K a month for just under 50 employees and they have to pay a portion.

go ahead, einstein.......whats my tax break? try to convince everyone that i'm doing it for profit.

But go ahead and snipe away.

tell me to myself......just, please, stop using the word "snipe".