Robert Ariail for July 18, 2013

Interesting set of circumstances. Mr. Obama is delaying implementation, which is a tacit admission that things are not going as expected. Even the best of intentions can get lost when spread over thousands of pages.

Will the Democrats be willing to admit that Obamacare needs serious modification to become viable? Will they have the guts to propose single-payer?

This is where the Republican leadership can show its stuff. If they can come up with a real, understandable, practical alternative, they can gain a lot of momentum going into the next election cycle and beyond.

Having private for-profit health insurance means that only the wealthy and healthy can afford and keep health insurance. That means that everyone else (insurance company rejects) will use Medicare, Medicaid, or emergency room services they cannot or will not pay for. And the taxpayers subsidize that. We have to realize that this means essentially that the Federal Government is taking care of the health of those the insurance companies deem unfit for policies, and/or those who are priced out of the market. This is unsustainable, and that means that the stated Republican plan of “repeal and replace” (aka repeal and do nothing) is valueless. Also, Mr. Ryan’s idea of privatizing Medicare will exacerbate the problem by introducing a large class of “bad medical risks” into the insurance pool.

Will the Republicans be willing to admit that they need an alternative plan, and that simply opposing Obamacare is not enough? Will they be willing to understand that privatizing in this instance has failed miserably, and that it is pointless to continue to pursue it?

Or will both parties do what they do best: nothing? And watch the rest of us fight among ourselves about who is to blame?

I put my money on both parties doing nothing.

That Captain won’t be going down with the ship since he and other “more important” people are exempt from the horrors that will come.

I read that in areas that already have it that insurance rates are going down. This is what we needed to get up to par with the rest of the world.

I really hope that the USA can work out how to catch up to the rest of the world in this basic universal 20th century social benefit.

not in new york

Obamacare really doesn’t have much to do with healthcare to President Obama/Pelosi/Reid, etc. To these people, Obamacare represents opening the door for Communism in America.

Wow. Another ambulance cartoon. Arail must’ve finally paid his AOL account and finally got them memo.

Wow. Another ambulance cartoon. Arail must’ve finally paid his AOL account and finally got them memo.

“it is both parties MUST work together to come up with a viable plan for ALL Americans.”

Absolutely true. However, we can agree (can’t we?) that neither party has shown a willingness to do anything in a bipartisan manner. We have become a country that requires two ideas for every problem, regardless of whether either is viable, in order to have something to fight over. Until I see a change in the “leadership”, I believe our best hope is for one party to show up the other one by acting like statesmen instead of politicians, because I think that is more likely than bipartisan cooperation. I will be the first to admit that neither is likely to happen, unfortunately.

Not totally. I have no experience with employer-provided health plans, as I have always been self-employed. I can tell you that finding your own individual/family plan will quickly humble you when you find out what is offered and what it costs for the relatively minimal coverage offered. I think that those who have employer-provided coverage at a reasonable cost might be surprised to find out what the employer is absorbing on their behalf.

And once you become sick, your premiums will go through the roof.

Your experience may be different. This does not make my assertion totally untrue, however. I will allow it may be partially untrue…

“It is amazing that people who think we cannot afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, and medication somehow think that we can afford to pay for doctors, hospitals, medication, and a government bureaucracy to administer it.” —Thomas Sowell

Hmm, Gore Bane’s comment was “interesting”, just find a job that provides good benefits? Since Reagan began the most organized assault on unions, or any group trying to secure benefits for workers, finding those “good benefits” jobs has become the search for hens’ teeth in most industries.

As to costs, VA negotiates drug prices. I asked by provider why they cover Viagra (single purpose), but not Cialis (multi-purpose), and the latter is much cheaper at a “regular” pharmacy. The answer is that VA CAN negotiate on Viagra, and it costs THEM only pennies, while Cialis remains off formulary because the company won’t negotiate the patent price. NOTE AGAIN: on the “Private enterprise” market, the most expensive drug IS the one VA gets “cheap”

THAT is just one example of the BENEFITS of a “single payer” system that unlike Medicare (thanks to Republican efforts) is actually allowed, and encouraged, to negotiate costs.

While I don’t agree implementation should be delayed for LARGE employers (over 50 employees), small employers DO have more “cost pressure” to keep heads above water in many areas. It is the same for poorly planned increases in “minimum wage”. Though most states still have a minimum wage too low to “live on”, there are some where the determining formula increasing it has made things difficult for small employers, especially in smaller communities or areas with lower than “average” COL, and income bases.

“Totally untrue. You don’t need to be wealthy, but you do have to be disciplined enough to educate yourself and find a productive job with benefits. This isn’t hard at all, but the trick to doing it is doing it. Those who are unwilling can’t be saved from themselves.”You must live a nice, sheltered life. Employees receiving coverage peaked at 75% in 1980. Since 2000, that number has plummeted.Those in low wage jobs are far less likely to have employer insurance.Employers that haven’t dropped coverage entirely are passing an ever greater share of the cost on to their employees. We probably disagree on the causes, but you can’t deny the reality of what is happening.

It isnt hard at all to find a job with benifits???? You can go join the idiot crowd, its a long line but you and the others will have plenty to talk about….

pretty smart of the president to do this…enough outrage, and we’ll get our single payer without all the debating

I read that insurance premiums in New York went down.On the subject of starting some parts of Obamacare later, Politifact says it only affects 1% of the people.People are only against it because they are Republicans or watch Fox news, but I repeat myself.

You’re living the illusion that the World in general is worse off than the USA when the reverse is true. I don’t live in the USA but wish you all well.