I don’t get it. The Affordable Health Care Act will save money for Medicare, but really makes no major changes other than while covering seniors better (by closing the doughnut hole). The rest of Americans, myself included, who are currently covered by private insurance, aren’t in Medicare, and won’t be — we’ll just get more choice about providers. Medicare is a government insurance. I don’t see what Lisa’s trying to say in this cartoon.
My Grandma often said “Figures don’t lie, but liars figure.”The 500 billion they are going to “save” by eliminating “Medicare Fraud” has to come from somewhere. We have a family member on Medicare & they hardly pay anything now. As they gut Medicare, it will get worse, much worse.
Reminds me of all the “rules” that my private insurance invokes. Out of network provider, prior approval, usual/acceptable charges these and many more reasons for them to pay less and/or send me to a provider of their choice not mine.
The AHCA will absolutely not save money for Medicare. It uses 10 years of taxes to fund six years of subsidies. Social Security and Medicare revenues are double-counted to the tune of $398 billion. A new program funding long-term care frontloads taxes but backloads spending, gradually going broke by design. The law pretends that Congress will spend less on Medicare than it really will, in particular through an automatic 25% cut to physician payments that Democrats have already voted not to allow for this year.
^Insurance is supposed to pay for the bills, not dictate what bills it pays for you. It boggles my mind how you like a private for profit insurance company make all your choices yet the government wants to pay your bills and gives you freedom and you think its a bad idea.
The “for profit” insurance and medical providers, requiring that MRI for a hickey- to avoid “malpractice”- are far more responsible for high costs than doctors who can diagnose many things WITHOUT NEEDING extensive tests. It isn’t just lawyers responsible either, but the “boogeyman effect” preying in the back of all American minds that tells them if they don’t have the latest and greatest, they’ll die— the TV ads said so.
vortex – When you have cancer your choices from the profit sector are few, apply to a few dozen plans and see what is available to the average American.
When I hear ’get the coverage you need" I wonder how many of us know what, if any, coverage they will need over the next year. Things change in a heartbeat or from the lack of one.
Lisa is correct….Obamacare does not “fit” the current system and IMO was not intended to do anything other than collapse the “old medical care system” so the Socialists can complete the “change” to a “one size fits all” State System in USSR-style.
The rules for Medicare are already too many and some basically stupid. I have both Medicare plus supplemental (which costs a fortune) which means I should pay zip, except for drugs where I have co pays, and should pay zip on them if hospitalized. But hospitalization &/or surgery has rules, certain procedures and certain drugs are not covered period. Of course the patient knows none of this when their doctor prescribes or does them. It is only after you leave the hospital that the patient gets a bill for the non-covered stuff. All said all in all Obama care provides for pretty much what I have, and in general (unless I go to the hospital and then only very small fraction of the total cost) everything is covered by the insurance, Social Security and Supplemental). However the doctor gets screwed, the radiologist gets so little, it is hardly worth his time to read it.
If I had government-provided health care, I wouldn’t have to work for a large company that can buy health insurance. I call that freedom. If you think freedom is free, try buying either health insurance or even health care as an independent. You’ll easily pay double for either, usually more, because you aren’t part of a large group that can demand fair prices.
So if someone gives you anything that they’re paying for on a continual basis, they don’t have the ability to stop paying for it in the future? How does THAT make you free of them?
truecanadianliberal said, 6 days agoIf Disgusting is truly 78, is she saying she would rather have a bureaucrat from an insurance company handle HER medical needs? Really?
5/22 yes I tried to stay out of Medicare but my private insurance cancelled me the month before I turned 65 and my insurance agent could not find any other company to sell me a healthcare policy…I was forced into the socialist system and could only buy Medigap from private sources.
the Private system of insurance is competitive and is regulated by government….I was happy and “independent” of unelected bureaucrats now busy in Obamacare telling patients and doctors and providers what can and cannot be approved by people sitting at faraway desks who care not a bit about what is best for me. My Doctors resent being “puppets”…..the federal system STINKS….and is not sustainable in funding for the retired, much less for the millions Obama added on.
I manage my own spending as much as government lets me and I resent this Fabian Socialist creeping totalitarianism in medicine/healthcare or in any area of my life…federal rationing will shorten many American lives, btw.
ARodney almost 13 years ago
I don’t get it. The Affordable Health Care Act will save money for Medicare, but really makes no major changes other than while covering seniors better (by closing the doughnut hole). The rest of Americans, myself included, who are currently covered by private insurance, aren’t in Medicare, and won’t be — we’ll just get more choice about providers. Medicare is a government insurance. I don’t see what Lisa’s trying to say in this cartoon.
grapfhics almost 13 years ago
that’s because neither the mri nor the system are open
ronebofh almost 13 years ago
HAW HAW GEDDIT BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT MAKES EVERYTHING WORSE why can’t poor people just die like in the good old days???
avarner almost 13 years ago
My Grandma often said “Figures don’t lie, but liars figure.”The 500 billion they are going to “save” by eliminating “Medicare Fraud” has to come from somewhere. We have a family member on Medicare & they hardly pay anything now. As they gut Medicare, it will get worse, much worse.
Odon Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Reminds me of all the “rules” that my private insurance invokes. Out of network provider, prior approval, usual/acceptable charges these and many more reasons for them to pay less and/or send me to a provider of their choice not mine.
That’s reality not an uninformed ’toon.
curtisls87 almost 13 years ago
The AHCA will absolutely not save money for Medicare. It uses 10 years of taxes to fund six years of subsidies. Social Security and Medicare revenues are double-counted to the tune of $398 billion. A new program funding long-term care frontloads taxes but backloads spending, gradually going broke by design. The law pretends that Congress will spend less on Medicare than it really will, in particular through an automatic 25% cut to physician payments that Democrats have already voted not to allow for this year.
WarBush almost 13 years ago
^Insurance is supposed to pay for the bills, not dictate what bills it pays for you. It boggles my mind how you like a private for profit insurance company make all your choices yet the government wants to pay your bills and gives you freedom and you think its a bad idea.
Dtroutma almost 13 years ago
The “for profit” insurance and medical providers, requiring that MRI for a hickey- to avoid “malpractice”- are far more responsible for high costs than doctors who can diagnose many things WITHOUT NEEDING extensive tests. It isn’t just lawyers responsible either, but the “boogeyman effect” preying in the back of all American minds that tells them if they don’t have the latest and greatest, they’ll die— the TV ads said so.
Odon Premium Member almost 13 years ago
vortex – When you have cancer your choices from the profit sector are few, apply to a few dozen plans and see what is available to the average American.
When I hear ’get the coverage you need" I wonder how many of us know what, if any, coverage they will need over the next year. Things change in a heartbeat or from the lack of one.pirate227 almost 13 years ago
Neither is this toon.
disgustedtaxpayer almost 13 years ago
Lisa is correct….Obamacare does not “fit” the current system and IMO was not intended to do anything other than collapse the “old medical care system” so the Socialists can complete the “change” to a “one size fits all” State System in USSR-style.
LaughingBob almost 13 years ago
The rules for Medicare are already too many and some basically stupid. I have both Medicare plus supplemental (which costs a fortune) which means I should pay zip, except for drugs where I have co pays, and should pay zip on them if hospitalized. But hospitalization &/or surgery has rules, certain procedures and certain drugs are not covered period. Of course the patient knows none of this when their doctor prescribes or does them. It is only after you leave the hospital that the patient gets a bill for the non-covered stuff. All said all in all Obama care provides for pretty much what I have, and in general (unless I go to the hospital and then only very small fraction of the total cost) everything is covered by the insurance, Social Security and Supplemental). However the doctor gets screwed, the radiologist gets so little, it is hardly worth his time to read it.
SpicyNacho Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Waivers for all! That tells you how great this program is going to be.
^^^People helping People? That is not exactly what I was thinking of when I read history books on Russia.
WarBush almost 13 years ago
^Read something on socialism, not communism. Why can’t you retardicans tell the difference?
ARodney almost 13 years ago
If I had government-provided health care, I wouldn’t have to work for a large company that can buy health insurance. I call that freedom. If you think freedom is free, try buying either health insurance or even health care as an independent. You’ll easily pay double for either, usually more, because you aren’t part of a large group that can demand fair prices.
lalas almost 13 years ago
Well now that Rick Scott is governor rather than a CEO maybe FL’s Medicare fraud will go down.
DesultoryPhillipic almost 13 years ago
So if someone gives you anything that they’re paying for on a continual basis, they don’t have the ability to stop paying for it in the future? How does THAT make you free of them?
disgustedtaxpayer almost 13 years ago
truecanadianliberal said, 6 days agoIf Disgusting is truly 78, is she saying she would rather have a bureaucrat from an insurance company handle HER medical needs? Really?
5/22 yes I tried to stay out of Medicare but my private insurance cancelled me the month before I turned 65 and my insurance agent could not find any other company to sell me a healthcare policy…I was forced into the socialist system and could only buy Medigap from private sources.
the Private system of insurance is competitive and is regulated by government….I was happy and “independent” of unelected bureaucrats now busy in Obamacare telling patients and doctors and providers what can and cannot be approved by people sitting at faraway desks who care not a bit about what is best for me. My Doctors resent being “puppets”…..the federal system STINKS….and is not sustainable in funding for the retired, much less for the millions Obama added on.
I manage my own spending as much as government lets me and I resent this Fabian Socialist creeping totalitarianism in medicine/healthcare or in any area of my life…federal rationing will shorten many American lives, btw.