Text 35503, 133 rader
Skriven 2009-09-01 19:33:00 av Lee Lofaso (3:800/432.0)
  Kommentar till text 35454 av Wayne Chirnside (1:123/140)
Ärende: Universal health insuran
================================
Hello Wayne,

>WC>Medicare part D is a racket.

>RB>[...]

>WC>It's _supposed_ to cover the costs of precription medications but in
>WC>reality only the rich get a largely free ride.

>WC>Complicated legislation that Medicare part D, written to obfuscate
>WC>Congress only passed it at 1:30 A.M. becuse of the resistance to the
>WC>bill.

>WC>It took me a full month of pouring over that document to understand
>WC>it.

>RB>So can you summarize your understanding? I'm still pretty well in the
>RB>dark.

>WC>Well, people such as myself, disabled and ultra-poor have to pay the
>WC>first 250 of their medicare part D plan.

>LL>Medicare Part D is unfunded.  Not just underfunded, but unfunded.
>LL>Those who are single cannot benefit from Medicare Part D unless they
>LL>live alone, and qualify for "extra help".

>WC>I more than qualify.
>WC>As long as I can cut it on my own no matter
>WC>how difficult it'll be that way.

>LL>The way it is designed folks have to go through hoops to benefit.

WC>Well the health department is two blocks from here, they could certainly
WC>certify my need for extra help.

It is not the criteria of need that counts.  One could be totally broke
and not be eligible.  Among the criteria is if the individual is living
alone or not.  If the individual is not living alone, then regardless of
income, he/she is not eligible for extra help.

WC>However I acknowledge getting help through government programs make
WC>you jump through hoops.
WC>Thus it was so when I attended Abilities of Florida for training
WC>to go back to work.

There is no incentive for those with disabilities to go back to
work.  Even if they could, it would stupid for them to do so.  For
example, one of my friends has muscular dystrophy.  She is dependent
on medications in order for her to be able to lead a somewhat functional
life.  SSI has been a godsend for her.  However, for her to return to
work, she would have to find a job paying a minimum of $60,000 per year,
just to get what she is getting now through SSI, assuming an insurance
company would pay for her medications.  Needless to say, she chose to
remain on SSI.  With a Masters in Social Work, had she not had MS, she
would have been able to make far more than whatever SSI has paid her
through the years, and the expense of medications would not have a
problem.  But it does not take someone with an MSW to figure out the
math.

WC>Took me two years to jump the last hoop,

It's time to ditch the system we have now.  Past time.

>LL>I'll spare the details, since you are already familiar with them.

>WC>Yup, and a painfull and protracted experience it was understanding
>WC>that legislation.

>LL>Don't worry.  Obama will fix it.  :)

WC>Not so sure of that, he's taking the bipartisan approach and that's wrong.

Nothing wrong to extend an olive branch and invite the opposition
to join you in finding solutions that work for the common good.  But
when that opposition chooses to do nothing but thumb its nose in your
face, refusing to offer any kind of a solution at all, it is time to
pull the plug on such offers of bipartisanship.  Especially when you
have the numbers to pass much needed legislation even without their
help.

You want to know who poisoned the waters of bipartisanship?
George "It's my way or the highway" W. Bush.  Well, the American
people showed Boy George what they thought of his eight years of
terror by electing a BLACK MAN as President of the United States.
And that BLACK MAN did not need to go cry to any justices of the
United States Supreme Court to have them appoint him to a damned
thing.

WC>It should be modeled on Germany, Japan and France's health care
WC>systems all of which provide better care than in the U.S. at lower costs.

I prefer the Australian system.  Remember, Australia went through
pretty much the same thing as what we are going through today.
Australia succeeded, and is not about to return to what they had
before.  Do you know the maximum amount of what an individual pays
for prescription medication is in Oz?  $15 per month.  Hell, I'd
go along with a max of $30 per month over here if that is what it
takes to get something passed.

WC>Congress is *bought* by the lobbiests and the lobbiests
WC>shall dictate the health care program.

"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it
is the merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini

>WC>... Sarah Palin - The Dan Quayle of the twenty-first century.

>LL>Dan Quayle was interviewed on Larry King Live the other night,
>LL>and asked about his dealings with the late Ted Kennedy.  Quayle,
>LL>having a one-track mind (apparently all he is capable of) kept
>LL>talking on and on about his (Quayle's) JTPA program, which was
>LL>dead in the water.  But Ted Kennedy came to the rescue, getting
>LL>Quayle's JTPA package passed by a vote of 94-0.  Quayle had
>LL>served in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1989 before being tapped
>LL>for vice president by George H.W. Bush.  The only redeeming
>LL>quality I could find about Quayle was his ability to keep his
>LL>toupe (it did not match the rest of his hair) on straight while
>LL>being interviewed.

WC>Quayle is a founding member of PNAC and also suggested
WC>nuking Vietnam back in the day.

WC>Imagine the offspring Dan Quayle and Sarah Palin could produce ;-)

Children that glow in the dark?  :)

--Lee


 * SLMR 2.1a * There is method to my madness.  

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 * Origin: Xaragmata / Adelaide SA telnet://xaragmata.mooo.com (3:800/432)