Text 3733, 93 rader
Skriven 2006-07-08 11:34:00 av Robert E Starr JR (4206.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: Atheists: America's m
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Josh Hill wrote:

> On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 08:08:58 -0500, "Dennis \(Icarus\)"
> <ala_dir_diver@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> 
>>"Josh Hill" <usereplyto@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:e3soa2dvka2a7lip339cglqqhed5318rdl@4ax.com...
> 
> 
>>>I'm interested in doing things that make things better. AFAIK, the
>>>Clinton proposal would have done that. Had the political situation
>>>allowed a better solution, I'm sure they would have proposed it, but
>>>their plan had to please some greedy power groups if it was to have
>>>any hope of passing.
>>
>>There would've been some pluses, and lots more negatives.
> 
> 
> Do you know that, or are you just saying it? I mean, our situation is
> pretty ghastly -- 40 million uninsured, lousy health and longevity
> statistics, businesses uncompetitive because of costs, paying more
> than twice as much per capita for health care as other industrial
> countries. I find it hard to believe that any serious plan could be
> worse.
> 
> 
>>>>Ex: there are, I think, better altertnatives to social security - but any
>>>>attempt at reform is demonized.
>>>
>>>Actually, I don't think so. Social Security is an enormously efficient
>>>program, so efficient that it can't be improved in any meaningful
>>>sense.
>>
>>I think there's plenty of room for improvement.
> 
> 
> How? It's almost 100% efficient. You can't improve it significantly
> because there's nothing much to improve.
> 
> 
>>>By way of contrast, have you actually done the math on those
>>>proposals? I did, and they're severely brain damaged. It's no wonder
>>>that not even Republican legislators backed Bush on that one: the
>>>fiscal conservatives would have shot to kill. It was -- I don't have
>>>words to describe how bad, how ridiculous, how silly his proposal was.
>>>
>>
>>Yet, somehow, you found the way to describe it.
> 
> 
> Nah -- the words I used were pale reflections of the actuality!
> Because you really have to see it yourself to believe it. It just
> isn't in our nature to suppose that someone could seriously propose
> something so astoundingly ridiculous from every perspective.
> 
Hi Josh,
Are you on Social Security?  My wife is, since she is on disability. 
Efficient?  Well, it is an entirely bureacratic entity, with enough 
regulations, gotchas, and 'didn't you know thats?' to satisfy any 
comedian.  It is always interesting when we move, but at least we have 
direct deposit now so the checks don't get lost. She also gets to file 
paperwork every few years to prove that no miracle cures have occurred 
and she has regained her sight, even to the point that twice now she has 
gone on a government paid visit to the doc to prove it.  There are also 
nice laws on the books that says they are supposed to help her get a 
job, so she could be ineligible for SS, but in practice they are "If you 
find a job, let us know so we can claim credit" variety.

As for Medicare, others have already pointed out why they appear to have 
such a high efficiency - they hire others to do all the paperwork, and 
then claim that as going to healthcare.  I strongly suspect that, if you 
then found out what THOSE companies actually pay out in medical expenses 
was, the efficiency would probably be on par with any other health 
insurance plan (being charitable, and not really assuming the more 
likely worse case) other than a few HMOs.

Several years ago there was a period where she really needed that 
Medicare, since I didn't have a job to provide her health care she 
needed.  Every doctor's appointment was an adventure in creative 
paperwork, with one set to justify the appointment, one to get paid for 
it afterwords, and one later to get the necessary follow ups...
Charlie
                                                   
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