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Ocasio-Cortez calls question about how to pay for Medicare for all ‘puzzling’

the existing reimbursements rates for Medicare are minuscule compared to private rates. Hospitals and practices would go under if there was only medicare w/ those rates.
 
Samhain said:
the existing reimbursements rates for Medicare are minuscule compared to private rates. Hospitals and practices would go under if there was only medicare w/ those rates.
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Do you know how they are determined?
 
Napoleon said:
Preventable disease is all about choices and, in the current system, I get to choose where not or not to shoulder the burden of their deductibles and out of pocket costs.
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Yes, you can technically choose to not have health insurance. You can technically choose to live in the woods without electricity also, that doesn't mean the government shouldn't help support a nationwide power grid.
 
prometeus said:
Yea why? Do you have any clue about what is the role of our military? Take a civics class along with a remedial English one.
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Do not cut my post to make it look like something I did not say, post the entire quote or do not post at all!

YOU are the one who asked why send them and I gave your answer to "what is the role of our military" in post #264. Your concluding comment makes no sense, I guess it's just you being a smartass.

In case you can't find post 264 let me help you: https://www.debatepolitics.com/brea...l-puzzling-post1069266092.html#post1069266092
 
Sabre said:
Do not cut my post to make it look like something I did not say, post the entire quote or do not post at all!
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I did no such thing. I cut the irrelevant drivel. Fact remains that the military has no role to play at the border for this event.
 
prometeus said:
The compensation is adequate and based of profitability.
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My wife's non-profit hospital currently only services at a 70%/30% private/medicare patient rate. She runs the budget. I asked her this morning what would happen if that was 100% medicare, and her response was "close". They would all lose their rears with those rates.

Feel free to believe what you will.

I've just started reading up on the lotrmemes vs prequelmemes Meme War on reddit right now, and its too funny to concentrate on crappy medicare reimbursement rates. later.
 
Samhain said:
My wife's non-profit hospital currently only services at a 70%/30% private/medicare patient rate. She runs the budget. I asked her this morning what would happen if that was 100% medicare, and her response was "close". They would all lose their rears with those rates.

Feel free to believe what you will.

I've just started reading up on the lotrmemes vs prequelmemes Meme War on reddit right now, and its too funny to concentrate on crappy medicare reimbursement rates. later.
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Ask yourself just a simple question. why are private doctors taking medicare patients? It is not mandatory.
 
ludin said:
Or how about 2k for the surgery with cash? not that you could get the surgery with medicare because more than likely your doctor or provider is not going to take it.
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Where in the world do you live? Paying cash and bartering only works for very rural or small-practices.
Anywhere else would charge you full price and send you to collections if you did not pay.

ludin said:
She doesn't know where the money is going to come from. it would take doubling all of our federal taxes etc and it still wouldn't pay for the cost even after the so called savings.
which is the entire point.
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She, you and I know where the money is going to come from. Federal taxes, like you said.
The argument is that the federal taxes will increase an amount that is less than what people are currently paying for out of pocket.
 
prometeus said:
I did no such thing. I cut the irrelevant drivel. Fact remains that the military has no role to play at the border for this event.
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If stating the facts that you asked for is drivel then by that reasoning so was your question. Don't ask for answers you don't really want, to say that was drivel shows your mind was already made up to dismiss any answer. I don't have any more time to waste you...
 
brothern said:
Where in the world do you live? Paying cash and bartering only works for very rural or small-practices.
Anywhere else would charge you full price and send you to collections if you did not pay.


She, you and I know where the money is going to come from. Federal taxes, like you said.
The argument is that the federal taxes will increase an amount that is less than what people are currently paying for out of pocket.
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In the more recent past, cash worked just fine (and perhaps still does). A few years ago my accountant retired. Throughout his life he intentionally paid cash, having the hutzpuh to bargain with everyone. When he needed knee surgery (when arthroscopic was new and expensive) he told me he went to several hospitals and doctors making them an offer - 75% off the insurance price. At first they balked, but he told them he would prepay, in cash - no collections, no arguments with the insurance companies.

Several agreed, he got his procedure done for between 1/4 and 1/3rd the normal cost. He told me the key was to bargain (as insurance companies do with doctors and hospitals) below the so-called standard rates.

If there were no insurance (private or government) I suspect rates would be at least 40% lower - probably more.
 
prometeus said:
I did no such thing. I cut the irrelevant drivel. Fact remains that the military has no role to play at the border for this event.
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I'm sure Trump wouldn't be sending the Military, if the country had deficit spending :roll:
 
Sabre said:
If stating the facts that you asked for is drivel
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I did not ask for drivel, but pointed out yours, by asking a rhetorical question. That it is way over your head only proves my point.
 
prometeus said:
I did not ask for drivel, but pointed out yours, by asking a rhetorical question. That it is way over your head only proves my point.
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Man, you really have a comprehension problem. That was your own question thrown back at you with factual answers following. You have no point to prove, if you think facts are drivel then I believe you are well beyond comprehending any of it, as demonstrated. I see you like to argue no matter how inane the argument in order to some how make you feel as though you have validated what you say, good luck with that. :roll::2wave:
 
brothern said:
Where in the world do you live? Paying cash and bartering only works for very rural or small-practices.
Anywhere else would charge you full price and send you to collections if you did not pay.
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Not at all. Doctors and hospitals are discounting services up to 70-80-90% if you can pay cash.

She, you and I know where the money is going to come from. Federal taxes, like you said.
The argument is that the federal taxes will increase an amount that is less than what people are currently paying for out of pocket.
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You didn't read a word did you?

you can double the federal tax rates and it still WON'T COVER THE COST.
paying 50% of my check to the government for healthcare is not cheaper than what i pay now.
 
Samhain said:
My wife's non-profit hospital currently only services at a 70%/30% private/medicare patient rate. She runs the budget. I asked her this morning what would happen if that was 100% medicare, and her response was "close". They would all lose their rears with those rates.

Feel free to believe what you will.

I've just started reading up on the lotrmemes vs prequelmemes Meme War on reddit right now, and its too funny to concentrate on crappy medicare reimbursement rates. later.
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That's assuming zero change in overhead, which is foolish.
 
celticwar17 said:
While there are many reasons why healthcare cost in America is high...

Start looking at the fact we pay our doctors 3 times more, and medical school education is 6 times more... than Europe.

Have to make the universities ditch all their admin positions and have them run by strictly professors again(something they do not want to do).... and pay our doctors 3 times less(they won't like that, and it will probably cause a shortage in doctors).

We also would have to decrease the service's and the amount of nurses hospitals have.

ALSO have to decrease the wages of lawyers, and medical malpractice insurance... because people have been able to borderline bankrupt hospitals on lawsuits. This opens the whole can of worms on how are legal structure is and the amount of regulations that is making the legal structure extremely expensive(Something the fat democrat law firms don't want to give up)

America's Healthcare is the most expensive, but it is the best healthcare. We have the best medical technology and doctors by far.... even though not everyone gets access to the best of course..... because it's expensive.

I hope you understand.... It is not so simple as let's "Just make Universal healthcare', and it isn't expensive BECAUSE it's private. It's actually expensive because of government subsidized medical education, Lawyer lobbyists, a regulation bloat that increased the amount of required positions for administration.
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You are absolutely correct that medical school IS expensive and the cost of healthcare can be expensive when you go to the doctor's office. However, no one has been asking doctors or healthcare practices (in particular small businesses) as to why costs are high. I work at a small business doctor's office, and there are 2 factors to answer that question.

First off, the government. Medicare, and Medicaid in particular. All of our coding has to be compatible with what both of those government programs want. Both pay doctors and their staff next to nothing. I know this because we are one of the only healthcare providers in town, in our field (the ophthalmic field), that take both, which includes the baggage of all their supplements. Through Medicaid, for glasses, we're talking about getting paid between $15-$25. Exams, pretty close to the same amount. Medicare pay us a little better on exams, but do nothing on glasses nor refractions, unless you have cataract surgery one time but the benefits are so small, you may as well pay cash. The doctor I work for is an O.D. so he can do medical procedures and prescribe medications. The medical aspect of Medicare, however, isn't good. They rarely pay for procedures and they tag on new regulations to make it harder. That's why the greatest problem with our healthcare system is the government.

Second, the insurance companies. These are almost as bad as the government. They are one of the main reasons a doctor's visit is expensive. They pay less than half of what we're owed, throw on new regulations, and many of them are in bed with the government. Paramount Health, United Healthcare, Molina, even some vision insurance companies like Vision Service Plan (VSP) and Eyemed all have a form of Medicaid plan, so we know they're sleeping with the government. Eyemed is a good example of how bad insurance companies are: We bill out $130 to the insurance. The patient has a $10 copay, so it knocks down the bill to $120 for the insurance. They don't pay the rest of the $120. You would think "okay, well they'll pay us 75% of that amount so it's fine." You would be wrong. "60%" you would ask. Nope. "How about 50%?" Closer but no. "What percentage would the pay?" Around 40%, which is converted closer to $45-$48. Glasses are not much better. $200 we bill to the insurance and we get paid $80. Does that even sound fair?


How do we solve these 2 problems? First, people need to recognize that insurance does NOT provide healthcare. Doctors and other health practitioners do. Second, if you pay cash with no insurance, offices will lower prices because they want to compete. Third, get the government out of our system. I can't stress that enough. Fourth, tax reductions are crucial because state colleges that have medical schools cost an arm and leg, but when taxes go down, tuition will go down and debt will not be as great. And don't be fooled by others. Professors that work at state colleges are working for the state, and that's why they want higher taxes (that's how they get paid). Fifth, if you have health insurance, only use it when you absolutely need it. If your bill is $50, just go ahead and pay that amount in full and save your insurance for later, for something far more expensive. There are other factors, but do these steps and many problems will be solved. Medicare for all will only make things worse for both doctors and their patients ($30 trillion isn't flattering).
 
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