85 replies to this topic

[Rogerdodger]

"You can keep your current plan, you can keep your current doctor if you wish."

UNITEDHEALTH to exit individual insurance market in CA...
The nation's largest health insurer, UnitedHealth Group Inc., is leaving California's individual health insurance market, the second major company to exit in advance of major changes under the Affordable Care Act.
UnitedHealth said it had notified state regulators that it would leave the state's individual market at year-end and force about 8,000 customers to find new coverage. Last month, Aetna Inc., the nation's third-largest health insurer, made a similar move affecting about 50,000 existing policyholders.
California has been more aggressive than other states in forcing insurers in the exchange to compete more directly on price by establishing uniform deductibles and benefits across four main product categories. In response, many insurers have squeezed hospitals and physician groups for better rates and formed smaller networks of medical providers to hold down premiums.
The departure of another big-name insurer raised concerns about the effect of reduced competition on California consumers.
"I don't think this is a good result for consumers," said California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "It means less choice, less competition and even more consolidation of the individual market with three big carriers."

FLASHBACK: AETNA Exits...

Houston doctors close doors...

"It's going to hurt me," says a Houston doctor of Obamacare. "But it's going to hurt the patients more."

Edited by Rogerdodger, 02 July 2013 - 03:35 PM.

[Rogerdodger]

White House Delays Obamacare Business-Employer Mandate For a Year...
"The move delays implementation of unpopular law until after the next mid-term elections.
A coincidence, no doubt."

Individuals STILL REQUIRED TO COMPLY...


Letter Warns Customers: 'Many People Will Pay More'...

Aetna, the third largest provider of medical insurance in the country, has mailed a letter to at least some customers this week warning that the "Affordable Care Act (ACA) is changing health insurance" and that "many people will pay more for their health insurance coverage in 2014 than they do today."

Lawmakers try to suppress confusion, hide cost...

"If comprehensive health care legislation had been passed in a careful, thoughtful manner we might have something a lot more constructive on our hands.
In any event, the decision prompts several questions. Among them:
1 -Can the administration unilaterally decide when and how a law is implemented? If so, can Congress decide when and how to fund it?
2- Why is the employer mandate delayed but not the individual mandate?
3 –Why is it that the populist administration acts on complaints from large companies but fights all the way to the Supreme Court to levy fines on individuals?"

Edited by Rogerdodger, 02 July 2013 - 06:23 PM.

[Rogerdodger]

'Massive Transfer of Wealth From the Young to the Old'...
"Look, in the end the bill is a massive transfer of wealth from the young to the old.
Young people are going to be paying double and triple what [they] would ordinarily be paying in health insurance if the premium were linked to the risk, which is the way that would be for the last 600 years in insurance."


FLASH: WALL STREET JOURNAL edit board apologizes for being too easy on Obamacare in 2010...


Employer Mandate? Never Mind
Obama decides not to enforce the heart of his health-care law.

"These columns fought the Affordable Care Act from start to passage, and we'd now like to apologize to our readers.
It turns out we weren't nearly critical enough.
The law's implementation is turning into a fiasco for the ages, and this week's version is the lawless White House decision to delay the law's insurance mandate for businesses, though not for individuals."
But the decision will continue to dampen overall job creation because businesses know they'll still be whacked in a year. Businesses don't hire workers with the intention of sacking them later.

Edited by Rogerdodger, 04 July 2013 - 11:42 AM.

[voltaire]

'Massive Transfer of Wealth From the Young to the Old'...
"Look, in the end the bill is a massive transfer of wealth from the young to the old.
Young people are going to be paying double and triple what [they] would ordinarily be paying in health insurance if the premium were linked to the risk, which is the way that would be for the last 600 years in insurance."


FLASH: WALL STREET JOURNAL edit board apologizes for being too easy on Obamacare in 2010...


Employer Mandate? Never Mind
Obama decides not to enforce the heart of his health-care law.

"These columns fought the Affordable Care Act from start to passage, and we'd now like to apologize to our readers.
It turns out we weren't nearly critical enough.
The law's implementation is turning into a fiasco for the ages, and this week's version is the lawless White House decision to delay the law's insurance mandate for businesses, though not for individuals."
But the decision will continue to dampen overall job creation because businesses know they'll still be whacked in a year. Businesses don't hire workers with the intention of sacking them later.

Of course the young pay.

If you asked the elderly to pay big premiums they couldn't.

So you suggest the young stay uninsured because they don't need it and then ask them to pay a huge amount when the are old and can't afford it.

That is absurd, I can't believe you suggested it.

Yes the young should pay for when they DON'T need it SO they have it when they can't afford it.

Call it a transfer of wealth if you like but how can it work any other way.

[Rogerdodger]

The Young Won't Buy ObamaCare - WSJ.com
Grocery Store Chain Cuts Health Care for Part-Time Workers...

The Rochester-based grocer that has been continually lauded for providing health insurance to its part-time workers will no longer offer that benefit.
Until recently, the company voluntarily offered health insurance to employees who worked 20 hours per week or more. Companies are required by law to offer health insurance only to full-time employees who work 30 hours or more per week.
Several Wegmans employees confirmed part-time health benefits had been cut and said the company said the decision was related to changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act.

Edited by Rogerdodger, 11 July 2013 - 09:13 PM.

[Rogerdodger]

13,000 died needlessly at 14 worst NHS trusts
The NHS’s medical director will spell out the failings of 14 trusts in England, which between them have been responsible for up to 13,000 “excess deaths” since 2005.

Warning signs were there for managers and ministers to see, including alarming levels of infections, patients suffering from neglect and appalling blunders such as surgery performed on the wrong parts of bodies.

The report was commissioned in February by the Prime Minister after the inquiry by Robert Francis QC into the Stafford scandal exposed appalling lapses in both care of patients and the regulation of hospitals.





But it's "free" and it's government.

[voltaire]

13,000 died needlessly at 14 worst NHS trusts
The NHS’s medical director will spell out the failings of 14 trusts in England, which between them have been responsible for up to 13,000 “excess deaths” since 2005.

Warning signs were there for managers and ministers to see, including alarming levels of infections, patients suffering from neglect and appalling blunders such as surgery performed on the wrong parts of bodies.

The report was commissioned in February by the Prime Minister after the inquiry by Robert Francis QC into the Stafford scandal exposed appalling lapses in both care of patients and the regulation of hospitals.





But it's "free" and it's government.

But why concentrate on England.

Every western democracy except South Africa and the USA have universal health care.

I can only speak for Australia but it is FANTASTIC.

[stocks]

Union Letter: Obamacare Will ‘Destroy The Very Health and Wellbeing’ of Workers

The Affordable Care Act has a new, high profile set of dissenters: Unions.

Bear in mind that Big Labor went to bat for ObamaCare in a big way throughout the months-long debate over its passage. When Tea Party activists demonstrated to raise opposition to the legislation, unions like the Teamsters counterprotested, sometimes violently, in an attempt to intimidate conservatives into acquiescence. Unions spent big money in the 2010 election hoping to protect Democrats from the consequences of their votes on ObamaCare, arguing that the bill would help the working class by sticking it to insurers and fat cats.

Now that the law is about to be implemented, though, it suddenly looks awful to union leaders like Teamsters president James Hoffa, UFCW president Joseph Hanson, and UNITE-HERE president D. Taylor. The Wall Street Journal published a letter on Friday that the union leaders sent to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi expressing shock, shock that a massive and expensive government intervention would screw up the labor market:

The leaders of three major U.S. unions sent a scathing open letter to Democratic leaders in Congress, warning that unless changes are made, President Obama’s health care reform plan will “destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.”

If that’s not bad enough, the Affordable Care Act, if not modified, will “destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans,” the letter says.

The full letter, below:



http://blogs.wsj.com...ing-of-workers/

[Rogerdodger]

More poor restaurant workers living on the edge of poverty will likely see their hours and pay cut back soon.
Why?
The government wants to help them.

Texas Business Owner Faces Million Dollar Obamacare Bill...

As the characters in one political cartoon asked: "Why work?"

Edited by Rogerdodger, 18 July 2013 - 08:51 AM.

[Rogerdodger]

Doctors planning exit...
"the practice of medicine is in jeopardy"


Deloitte 2013
Survey of U.S. Physicians
Physician perspectives about
health care reform and the
future of the medical profession

In a survey by Deloitte, a top research firm, six in 10 physicians said it is likely many doctors will retire earlier than planned in the next one to three years.
http://www.deloitte....ians_031813.pdf

The same percentage say the practice of medicine is in jeopardy as medical experts lose control of their clinics and compensation with the implementation of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, or Obamacare.

While many doctors are satisfied with practicing medicine, most gain that from their interaction with patients.
And one in five was distressed by the developing government regulations.

The survey said the perception that there will be a drain opened among the pool of physicians over the coming requirements and regulations is uniform among all doctors.

The report said: "Nearly three-quarters of physicians (higher among surgical specialists at 81 percent) think the best and brightest may not consider a career in medicine (slight increase from those who felt similarly in 2011 at 69 percent), while more than half believe that physicians will retire (62 percent) or scale back practice hours (55 percent) based on how the future of medicine is changing.

And while the report said four in 10 physicians had reductions in their take-home pay from 2011 to 2012, "among those physicians whose take home pay decreased by any amount in 2012, four in 10 believe that it was a result of the ACA."
Fully half expect their incomes to "fall dramatically in the next one to three years."

Among other results: Only two in 10 doctors believe the government exchanges will be ready to go,
25 percent say they'll limit their work on Medicare patients if the government funding program continues at it is and most believe unhealthy lifestyles influence the health care system costs.

The problems all generally relate to more government demands and intervention.
"It amounts to busy work," he said.

Edited by Rogerdodger, 21 July 2013 - 11:04 AM.