Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RetiredNow who wrote (550243)	2/16/2010 11:17:34 AM
From: Alighieri	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1575930

Why must we take it as a God-given fact that our government must pay for Medicare? Who is the "government"? The nation bears this expense. The question is how to control and allocate the costs to its citizens. with an implementation scheme that is driven by private enterprise, with the government ensuring that no monopolies can take root and that competition is encouraged. Not sure it works in this case. The fundamental elements of competition are largely missing, because medicine is largely geographical by its very nature. The cost of medicine is in simple terms the cost of the actual care + administering insurance + profits. Fine, allow insurance companies to compete across state lines, but that's only a small fraction of the costs. It does not attack the actual rising costs of delivering care, which is practically all in the private sector. Al

To: RetiredNow who wrote (550243)	2/16/2010 12:50:55 PM
From: J_F_Shepard	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1575930

"we should couple the mandate with an implementation scheme that is driven by private enterprise, with the government ensuring that no monopolies can take root and that competition is encouraged." If you're hinting at the GOP proposal to allow purchase of insurance across state lines, that's fine but I invite you to try and pick a policy from just the state you live in right now. I suggest looking at a Medicare Advantage program as there are dozens and dozens available in every state. Medicare.com will give you a list. Then try and make a comparison....Medicare will help you with this. And then try reading the info available from the insurance company and understand it, really understand what they are saying. I have done this and it is a total, if not impossible, nightmare. The provisions offered are parsed or not mentioned at all... In some cases you will see offers that allegedly cost you nothing beyond your Medicare B payments. After spending 2 1/2 weeks spending every afternoon searching, calling, and trying to understand I finally opted for a plan offered by my former employer whom I trusted to do the detail work. Now imagine if the general population had to do what I did!! If 20 million have to pay someone to fill out their 1040EZ tax form, how many would analyze insurance policies except by throwing a dart.??