ATTENTION: STILLI'S BLOG CONTINUED.
I don't know whether it's my computer or something else, but I can't seem to post a response to Stilli's healthcare blog. I think there are a lot of people who have something to say so this is to continue it.
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Apparently TPM isn't able to handle the traffic your blog created, Stilli. I was chomping at the bit to respond and it just wouldn't let me.
What I wanted to say: (I apologize if someone already said this. I couldn't scroll through to read the responses.)
If you currently have insurance, you are already paying for all people who might need more care. Rates reflect the amount of treatment companies must pay for, whether people brought it on themselves, or have bad genes, or bad luck. In addition, you're paying for all the people who don't have insurance. Universal care would spread the burden of the cost more evenly across the population. At least that's what I believe.
When we were starting out in the 60s, we had major medical coverage, but paid for doctors visits and minor treatments. Of course we were young and healthy, but we did have a baby who had health problems. We weren't making much money, but this arrangement worked for us. I've wondered why there isn't more talk of a similar system today.
June 14, 2009 4:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think it is available, look for "catastrophic care." A lot of my self-employed contemporaries have had to do this.
June 14, 2009 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I tried to find something like that for my daughter. The cheapest policy I could get was for $375 a month, and the ONLY thing it paid for was the hospital room rate. (Not operating room, emergency room, any medications or supplies, or ANY doctor bills)
Considering that the time people spend in hospitals these days, this was clearly a worthless policy. The next thing up, that included a small percentage towards the things in parentheses above) was over $500 a month for a 23 year old female with no pre-existing conditions, and who has never been hospitalized. Did I mention that she makes $12 an hour?
So there is no catastrophic coverage for anyone not in a group, or included in a business large enough to be considered a group.
My daughter doesn't have insurance now. She got Shingles last month, and the doctor bill ($200 for one visit and medications $300) still added up to less than one month of the faux catastrophic coverage. Since she has no assets, if she needs surgery, I guess she would qualify for Medicaid.
We are waiting for Obama to fix this!
June 14, 2009 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
You and me both C'Ville. Not to mention 45+ Million of our fellow citizens. It's kind of ironic that the homeless kid I am sheltering has better health coverage than my daughter. I might be joining his ranks soon enough, sad to say. It seems to me most everyone I know is just a few paychecks away from disaster.
OT but just want to say, that what CT said to you on that thread was clearly abusive. I consider you've been quite open minded and patient with him, and I am so sorry it turned out like that. Just sayin'
June 14, 2009 5:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, but he is an equally abusive poster -- he was worse to Seashell IMO. I am not going to get sucked into any more of his mental masturbation exercises. Did you see what eds had to say on the subject? It is pretty funny:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/roo_p/2009/06/meta-dear-you-all-know-who-you.php#comment-3498234
OK, my response was pretty funny too!
June 14, 2009 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
How do you make a link to a specific post within a blog?
June 14, 2009 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
see the word "permalink" next to the word "Reply" beneath each comment? You can either right click the word "permalink" and copy and paste it, or you can click on the word "permalink" and copy and paste the URL.
June 14, 2009 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks, I've always wondered what the permalink was for.
June 14, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
The way I do it is to open up a new "tab" or "window" to TPM and go to the thread you want to link to. Find the comment you want to link, and click on "permalink" under that comment, like Bwak suggests; then "copy" the URL, and go back to the original tab to put you back to where you are making your comment. Then "paste" it in.
That's just a little practical advice if you want to link to something in a different thread.
June 14, 2009 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the tip, CV.
June 14, 2009 6:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Or "right-click" on permalink at any time and "copy link location" to the clipboard. No need to new windows or browser bars. :O)
June 15, 2009 8:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
You are funny.
=D
Glad you're OK
June 14, 2009 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
What does =D mean?
June 14, 2009 6:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is a sideways chicken type grin.
Like
:) or :D
Probably
;v;
Looks more like a chicken face, though. (rightside up. If you squint.)
June 14, 2009 6:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've wondered for a long time - cute!
June 14, 2009 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm surprised the premiums were that high for a young person, CVille. Something has obviously changed through the years. Duh, I guess that was a dumb thing to say.
June 14, 2009 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
She lives in NYC, and that is one of the reasons. The city has a special plan for low-income people, but even that was in the neighborhood of $400 and she wouldn't qualify for that until she had been there longer.
June 14, 2009 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Really?
That's weird, you do have a response at the bottom of the thread. About gumming up the works? If people are having trouble posting on her blog, though, an email to help would be appropriate.
What specifically did you want to address?
June 14, 2009 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
The response I wanted to leave is the one I left above your post. I couldn't even type on Stilli's blog. I would hit a key and nothing would happen. for several seconds.
June 14, 2009 4:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is weird. I'll shoot off something to Al Shaw. Since Stills blog is about to fall off anyway, I'm glad you did this.
June 14, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
It might be my computer, but I haven't had that problem on other blogs. Who knows?
June 14, 2009 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just posted another response to CT on the original thread. Is it a transient?
June 14, 2009 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am sorry I cannot add anything here. I just chimed in FDR to tell you I really appreciate this.
I have never seen this done before.
Very fine post.
June 14, 2009 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for this FDR...I appreciate the opportunity to continue the discussion...I was shocked to return and find 230 comments...Hilary and CT continued the conversation, and they get along fine, so it calmed down. Except for one benign comment, I stayed away from him. I seem to send him into orbit.
BTW, what did you mean I'm gumming up the works?
June 14, 2009 11:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fala (FDRdog) was having trouble commenting at your post last night.
He couldn't submit comments anymore, I suppose due to all the activity, so he created this post instead.
June 14, 2009 11:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
aha! thanks for the translation...But (shhhh, he's a girl!)
June 14, 2009 11:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry, SHE couldn't submit comments....
....still getting used to the fact that Fala is a lady, sorry!
June 14, 2009 11:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
ROTFLMAO Well yeah, CT's abuse and rudeness drove everyone else off your thread, so I suppose things actually got kind of comatose after that.
=D
June 15, 2009 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
When I owned my business I tried really hard to find insurance for my girls, but it was just astronomical, easily would have eaten up all the profit the shop made.
I'm glad to see whatever plan we have will not be on the backs of small business. When Hilary set about trying to get universal health care, but wanted employers to foot the bill, I sent her a copy of my schedule C and said, "How??? You look at this and tell me how..." I never heard anything back.
June 14, 2009 11:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am certainly in the "universal health care for everyone" camp. I personally don't mind my taxes going to the less fortunate when it comes to their care. Taxes helped me and my peers receive health care in the military, which is a poor choice health-wise.
Personally, I think once health care goes public, then it is a federal program and should fall under the 14th amendment, because denying coverage or creating a coverage "poll tax" by increasing fees for the infirm (by their choice or not) is depriving citizens of life.
I would also like to add that the biggest loser if health care goes universal isn't just the health insurers, but the defense industry. This is because they could potentially lose their lucrative slice of pie.
And this is why we won't see single payer in our lifetimes unless we push harder than we've pushed for any civil right.
June 15, 2009 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you happen to check back here, could you please elaborate on how healthcare is lucrative for the defense industry? Thanks.
June 15, 2009 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink