Text 3470, 72 rader
Skriven 2006-07-07 13:31:00 av Robert E Starr JR (3943.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: Atheists: America's m
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* * * This message was from Josh Hill to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.m * * *
         * * * and has been forwarded to you by Lord Time * * *         
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@MSGID: <js2qa2lqqiep8vvuid5ckq2jj7i9nv7ig5@4ax.com>
@REPLY: <1151888443.269857.77690@m79g2000cwm.googlegroups.com>
On Wed, 05 Jul 2006 00:17:57 -0700, Rob Perkins <rperkins@usa.net>
wrote:

>Josh Hill wrote:
>> On Tue, 04 Jul 2006 10:51:21 -0700, Rob Perkins <rperkins@usa.net>
>> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>>>Kurt Ullman wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>  The don't have any choice. Under current rules and regs if they don't 
>>>>charge the MCare rates, it is fraud and subject fines, jail time and 
>>>>suspension from the program.
>>>
>>>I know. But, it doesn't make it a good idea to me to extend Medicare to 
>>>all people.
>> 
>> 
>> A. Insurance rates are already pegged to Medicare.
>
>Impossible. Once I turn 65, Regence discontinues me. It's spelled out in 
>the policy. Plus, the medical device in question was billed at *five 
>times its market value*, which is not "efficiency".

But according to Kurt, Medicare pays /less/ on average than private
insurance companies.

From the little I've been able to find, it seems that private insurers
are increasingly just adopting Medicare's rates.

>> B. You've picked out a problem without examining the benefits, never a
>> good thing.
>
>A) I was handed a medical device and billed five times the market value
>B) When I contested the charge, I was told, "why? Your insurance is 
>picking up the tab, right?" (No, I was still on deductible dollars at 
>that point)
>C) When I asked *why*, I was told, "well, that's because we have to 
>charge Regence exactly what we charge Medicare, and that's the maximum 
>they'll permit us to charge for a $12 arm brace."

>My understanding is that the whole health care system is trapped beneath 
>some pretty byzantine laws and legal precedents. Never a good thing.

It's a total wreck, which is one of the reasons we so desperately need
single payer. With all it's flaws, it's infinitely better than what we
have, which is increasingly a combination of the worst features of
every possible system.

-- 
Josh

"I love it when I'm around the country club, and I hear people talking about
the debilitating
effects of a welfare society. At the same time, they leave their kids a
lifetime and beyond
of food stamps. Instead of having a welfare officer, they have a trust officer.
And instead
of food stamps, they have stocks and bonds."

- Warren Buffett
                                                                               
                           
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