Forum Post: Solutions for the Healthcare crisis of the 99%
Posted 12 years ago on June 18, 2012, 9:47 p.m. EST by MoshehThezion
(98)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
As found .. here --- http://mosheh.org/Healthcare.html
Health Care. My fellow Americans, This issue is a big issue to be sure, as Obama Care, as it is titled, is so full of flaws, it must be repealed, or at least modified. (Why??? because a mandate to buy a product does not ensure good care!!!!!)
The solutions I propose would be of several options.
1) Allow the Federal Government by constitutional Amendment, to regulate the Health Care industry, and so, just like all other forms of Insurance, regulate the charges, and pay outs, and be disputable in court. Meaning strict PRICE CONTROLS, and limits on behavior by these insurance carriers.
2) Simply to expand Medicare to cover all, via taxation on income taxes, based on employment, and so offset the costs to the un-employed, or un-employable. (a good option)
3) To offer REAL INSURANCE... instead.. of HMO.. managed care. which charges a fortune, but provides as little service as possible... Hence the problem. By REAL insurance, I mean as Car Insurance.... accident insurance... which will not pay for minor things, like doctor visits, for colds and the flu, or minor problems, and only kicks in, after a threshold of cost is reached in the need for treatment... such as in the case... of operations, and long hospital stays.
The fact is, the people, most people, the poor, do not want, managed care, by an HMO, which rip's them off, and offers them very little... and what they truly want... is extreme circumstances INSURANCE... to be able to pay for services and operations, AND long hospital stays which may cost 1000's of dollars....
I propose to offer this insurance to all, in the form of low cost taxation on employment, which would guarrantee coverage for all Americans, in the case of important needed coverage, such as when they need surgery, and services, which the HMO's are not wanting to pay. In this way, all, HMO's, will be forced to lower their charges to all covered, as they, no longer are liable for the extreme costs of surgery, and would instead, be regulated... key word... REGULATED, to offer the day to day services of routine check up's, and doctor visits, without the risk, of excessive payout's for extreme health cases, which would then be covered by a national EMERGENCY plan, covered by taxation.
This plan, however, would be by choice, and added to the w-2 Tax forms that all workers use, and so, would be voluntary, and as such, would be based on the wisdom of the individual worker, to pay in or not.
This would mean, nothing is forced, and under voluntary status, would allow all workers to choose. They could, as such, still receive Health Benefits, from their employer, if they choose but would offer a lower cost method to ASSURE their extreme costs, in extreme cases, would be covered.
This allows, the HMO's, to stay in business, but with a lower profit margin. AND.. allow universal EMERGENCY COVERAGE for all American workers, AND EVEN THE UN-EMPLOYED.... via... voluntary willing taxation, without ANY MANDATE.
Some argue that they do not want to pay for another persons coverage, but as described.... Here --- > http://mosheh.org/people-and-jobs.html There would be no un-employed, other than house-wives, or the elderly or extremely crippled.
Therefore, with the end of all welfare programs, and near zero un-employment, all people would be paying in, and those who do not choose to pay in, would be left with either their HMO coverage which is limited, or they will be saddled with long term debt, which they would then have to pay over time, which is fair. (When I say... long term debt... I mean.. long term interest free loans from the government to the individual who choose not to pay in, so that they would have to pay for their own care over time if they were so stupid as to not pay in via taxation.)
-Mosheh Thezion
Number 3 is particularly important. We need insurance, not a reimbursement program. At least a minimum of catastrophic coverage for all.
Yes.. exactly my point... We do not need managed care... we need actual insurance which will pay the bill when it counts. And actually pay... Right now... if we buy HMO insurance.. they may not pay. Do you agree this would be a good fix? Will you help push the concept?
I absolutely do agree and will help push the concept. It is critical.
At this time, what is needed... is a Rep in the house who has the nerve to push for it... and a pressure campaign on all other house members to sign on... and push it through... and the same pressure on the Senate. Real Pressure... which would require probably full OWS support to push it with heavy protests... but in the end... I think it could pass.. and be the solution they will have to accept. I am pushing it on a few OWS sites... but few can even say what you have said... that they would help.... we all must help... and we must push hard... so right now... perhaps we must push OWS leaders... to join the push.
Basic catastrophic universal healthcare is the absolute first step that should be taken. This could be done quickly and cheaply if every American, old, young, sickly, and healthy were placed in one single pool.
Feel free to PM me if you have any specific actions you are working on that I can help you with.
I work everyday.... to motivate OWS and its many sites... to wake up.. to clear plans of action... meaning... protesting the politicians... supporting those who will say and commit... and protesting those who will not. I promote taking over the government.. legally... by election.. Healthcare... is but one issue... but a very important one. I ask you... go to all OWS sites.. and scream it from the roof tops... demand their leaders to adopt and push for it.... and if they refuse... then call them out as morons or cowards...
Ghandi said... " if you know you are right, do not back down, do not give up, and do not give in, because you are right, and you know it"
OWS... needs to be like Ghandi.. and force change.
You have a creative effort here and I give you credit. That said, I believe that trying to regulate a company culture developed to be crooks seems like trying to make water run up hill.
Building a not for profit organization and keeping the theft to a minimum, is a process that is well understood and there are a lot of experienced help available. A lot of what you have worked out can be a part of a not for profit government based system. There are a number of foreign systems which are working far better than ours and the easiest way would be to pick one and implement it. If you like, contracting with one of those countries to manage the transition makes sense to me.
There has to be a pony in here somewhere. By the way, some of the systems allow you to buy really Cadillac supplemental plans.
Well... we cannot contract with another nation to run our nation. But.. if our President had any nerve.. he could make this happen with the stroke of a pen... and it would not end the private HMO's... I say its a good fix. What say you?
Oh, yes we can. We contract with other governments for services all of the time. It would be an improvement, but it's still a band aid.
I think we need to start by setting criteria. Then measure every proposed solution against it. How about an average of the cost of the top three or top five nations, the average infant survival rates and the average projected life spans.
When Medicare has a 5% admin cost and the for profit guys blow a gasket if you try to hold them to 20%. HMO's are for fraud companies. Don't see how you can change their nature. Hire the governor of Florida to run it? Once a crook....
Which is why, basically... I suggest using executive orders to get it done... but it would take a leader with balls.. Otherwise, .. this... is basically what Obama care... should lead too, as everyone goes on the government plan, and HMO's lose customers... That is why... Rush limbaugh and others... are so upset.. because they know.. over time.. Obama care.. will lead to exactly what I have described... but it will take years of transistion... instead of a quick fix. Personally, if I was President.. I would nationalize most healthcare, and pay them off... so investors wont scream too loud. The real problem is... hospitals... are for profit... and they should all be non-profit orgs.... which.. will require exective order, or an act of congress to reduce the cost to the tax payer once obama care kicks in.
I think we could easily come to agreement on tactics. The deals made with big pharma etc. were not a good way to go. Frankly there are dozens of incremental steps toward the solution that almost anyone could recognize if they weren't blinded by money in the hand of they affected interests.
Tactics????
How to get changes implemented converging in the solution. You can't get all the way with executive orders.
Actually... executive orders.. could do it in one day.... but... it causes problems... and what we need is Congress and an bill, preferably an Amendment... to make Healthcare.. a mandate... by universal coverage based on taxation... for all workers.. as only that pool... has the potential wealth.. to be able to afford and pay for it. As tactics go... the tactic.. should be to pressure Reps in the house... to push a bill.. to propose what I have proposed. it is very simple.... and if a rep says no... then they show their true colors.... and OWS should protest them for it. Simple as that... as a tactic.
OK, Let's go. The Dream Act executive order is causing relief and consternation in predictable magnitudes.
Yes.. but it is too bad Obama needed a re-election effort to use it... He could nationalize all hospitals and healthcare with a pen if he wanted too... but he does not... because his adminstration is run by bankers.. and they like investing into for profit healthcare as its a good way to rob the people. I ran for President.. and if I was President.. I would find a way.
Got my vote.
Well, thanks... I'll try again in 2016
Just don't expect a 6 figure check.
I need boots on the ground... not your money.
Well, boots in cable TV, boots on Talk radio, and boots in print media, and boots in boards of directors, and boots in top management, and boots holding your mortgage, and boots holding your paycheck, and boots in the officer corp, and boots burrowed into civil service jobs from appointments. and boots holding your insurance policies, and boots checking your picture ID, and a few other boots that money can and does buy, seem pretty effective.
But, boots on the ground that can't be bought must be worth a lot as well. But when 40% of union members in Wisconsin voted to retain their Governor, and boy does he govern, it is hard to take anything for granted. That includes people voting for their self interests.
[Removed]
[Removed]
Hello. It is simple. Tax bad things & use that tax for healthcare. This would include soda, smokes, junk food, alcohol, etc... That would take care of a lot of the fat that is congesting the healthcare system today. The insurance companies can go back to taking care of people who are hurt in accidents.
eh... no... taxes on excess junk... cannot solve anything. the problem is.... 1) for profit hospitals. 2) a for profit healthcare system based on denying care... for profit. 3) And.... a lack of real insurance... real coverage for the expensive stuff. Those are the problems.
I think it is more complicated than just that. At the root of all problems is ideology. There are two types of sick people those who get themselves sick by lifestyle choices like smoking & those who have accidents. I propose that we distinguish between the two & insure & tax them differently.
Oh, and thanks for being open minded about an idea & making me feel welcomed. That should really help the cause. All of the ideas here on this forum have a measure of merit, but to flatly deny them that is just delusional.
Well taxes... on my vodka... would not be enough. I hear ya... and most states are doing that... taxing tobacco and alcohol and doing exactly what you said... and sure... thats cool. But.. for the funding... big funding... we would need more taxes...
which is why a payroll tax... on everyone... to pay for everyone.. is the only way to raise enough money... year after year.. cause people may quit smoking and drinking.... and we would lose the money. Yet.. consuption taxes... are not a fix... but a good way to motivate people to live healthier... so sure... and sorry... I can be rude, and crude at times.
Thanks for understanding. The taxes should go directly to healthcare without any stops on the way. It should be called the Heathcare Tax & should be on scale directly related to the danger of the taxed item. All activities & substances that have high risk should have this tax. Sucrose & toxic dyes alone could bring in a ton of tax & should be on the list. Food companies would have incentives not to make food with pretty colors for no reason other than to give cancer. Food & Guns could be on the list.
This was my wife's idea & I support it. I came here to see how other critical thinkers would respond. However, with the current political system it seems nothing can be achieved for the good of the society. The current leaders seem to all work for the police state & the military industrial complex.
yes... actually.. a tax based on the foulness of the product is agreeable.. simply to motivate producers and consumers to eat natural and more healthy... in which case... if.. we legalized most drugs... and taxed them heavily.. then there would be some real funding... I would say its not that our leaders work for evil people, or that they are evil... its that they are not that bright and like normal people they get confused by the abundance of arguments on all sides... which is why they hold back on extreme tactics, especially when its a tax, as if they take a risk... they lose their job... unless they win and are right... and few.. are right and have no clue, and they listen to so-called experts... who get paid... by money interests who are selling us all this crap. Anyway... We agree... but the numbers must add up to pay for the healthcare for all, and only a payroll tax can do that...
Not a practical idea. People do not want to pay anything for health care. They want routine bisits covered. they want low deductibles.
Someone has to pay.... and a national combined tax based insurance plan.. would make it possible... but the people will have to pay via taxation, but not much since the pool would be so large, and it would not provide every little thing... it would only pay for the important stuff, not the stuff you can easily afford.. like asprin, or low cost meds.
That's unfortunate but true. Perhaps universal catastrophic care would be a good place to start biting on the health care apple. Who could argue against that?