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Health Care – Facts About the American Health Care System

December 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Article by Sandy Bell

The American health care system is founded on the free market capitalist model. Because of this, majority of the health services in the US are provided not by the federal government but by independent companies. An individual can obtain health insurance coverage directly on his own or as part of the employment benefits provided by employers.• Free Market – In the United States, health services are provided in the context of a free market where people are free to choose their own service providers, hospitals, facilities, and related services. Although many residents enjoy the federal government’s Medicaid and Medicare programs where elderly and poverty-stricken individuals get medical insurance, there is no universal type of health care provided by the government.• Government Regulations – Most health products and services are being monitored and regulated by the government. The drug development and testing process, for example, is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is to make sure that pharmaceutical companies strictly comply with the mandated efficacy and safety standards. Without FDA approval, no new form of medication may be released into the market.• Regulation by Private Entities – In some cases, private regulation is more stringent than what the government imposes. These organizations are created under the supervision of the American Medical Association (AMA) to provide certification and testing by qualified doctors; and specialist accreditation. Medical schools must likewise get accreditation form the Association of American Medical Colleges (AMCC).• Costs – According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), US residents spend at least twice the amount of money that residents of other industrialized countries do for health services. On the average, this translates to over 00 for each American. There are several factors that contribute to the high cost of health services in the US such as the cost to access state-of-the-art technology, rising administrative costs, and the passed-on cost to cover for unpaid hospital bills left by patients unable to pay.• Insurance – The National Center for Health Statistics says that about 36% of the cost in the United States is shouldered by insurance firms. Based on the agreed and established payment schedule, the insurance firm pays for a certain percentage of the medical care cost. They are also to provide protection from sudden costs arising from emergencies. Many companies offer insurance coverage to their employees as part of their benefits or compensation package. They sometimes pay for the premium or a portion thereof. However, it is estimated that over 43 million Americans are without any type of medical plan to fall back on in case of emergencies. They have to personally shoulder the entire cost of health care services when the need arises.

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: , , , , ,

What To Do About Health Insurance Coverage

November 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Article by Julia Brady

Health insurance coverage is one of life’s necessities. It is different for every person though, depending on what you have need of. Young families have vastly different needs than single, recent college graduates. For each plan that is needed you need to look at what is offered compared to the cost and pick what will work the best for you.

Do you need insurance coverage for kids as well as yourself? If this is the case then you will want something that allows you to get your kids to the doctor whenever you need, without any deductible to worry about. Because kids need a lot, such as medicine when they are sick and well checks and such, you will want to make sure all of that is covered.

College age kids have their own special needs as well. They will most likely need their own set of new immunizations. The nice thing about many universities is that they have insurance plans for many of them. There are clinics that are on campus and there is also financial aid help for students that need it for health insurance.

For people without children, that are young and have no specific health issues or no need of prescription medication, they won’t need a lot of doctor time. If there is no regular need for care, then it is easy to get the type of health care coverage that has a very low monthly cost. You will have a high deductible but since you will rarely need care that is not an issue.

Health insurance is one of those things that you just have to have. It is similar to paying rent or keeping up with the electric bill. Whether it is for new babies or for kids just getting out of the house, it is a crucial part of life. Getting the best services at the lowest price is very important, and shopping around is they way to get to it.

Filed Under: Health Insurance Tagged With: , , ,

WHO IS REALLY LYING ABOUT HEALTH CARE?

September 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Article by Richard Aberdeen

NOTE: The numbered items below are taken from a Republican Party health care flier handed out at various health care demonstrations. 1. We need to reform health care. It costs too much.Republicans under Bush did nothing to reform the health care industry. There is no historical track record of Republican health care reform. Thus, current proposals reek of partisan political charades and complete and total dishonesty.2. Make health insurance portable so Americans can keep their coverage when they change jobs.This does nothing to reduce dramatically rising health care costs, eliminate high deductibles and co-payments, help the uninsured or people with pre-existing conditions or, prevent insurers from refusing to cover the sickest among us. And, this wasn’t proposed by Republicans prior to the 2008 campaign. 3. Provide tax credits to make health care more affordable and accessible.In addition to solving none of the things noted previously, this was first proposed by John McCain while running for president. Prior to that, there is no record of Republican tax credit proposals. On the contrary, Republicans in Congress under Bush pushed to reduce federal funding, including opposing helping uninsured children. 4. President Obama and the Democrats are conducting a dangerous 1.6 trillion dollar experiment with our health care. When cost savings are factored in, the actual cost would be about 100 billion per year. This is less than 1/30th of the estimated cost for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Apparently, Republicans believe pretending to protect us from harm in foreign lands is more important than protecting Americans against contagious diseases and death from lack of health care here at home. Tax cuts for the wealthy under Bush alone would cover this cost and provide a home for every homeless veteran as well. Annual losses in national productivity, due to the spread of common contagious diseases easily preventable if everyone had access to health care, cost Americans far more than reforms being proposed by Obama. 5. Democrat proposals will raise taxes by 800 billion, mostly on small business.President Obama has proposed raising taxes on personal net income over 250K to help pay for health care reform. Republican opposition is a continuation of the ongoing “Joe the Plumber” lie never dissected properly by the media; almost no plumbers or owners of small independently-owned companies earn over 250K annually after deductions. Also, businesses employing less than 50 people will not be required to pay for health care under proposed reforms. 6. Democrat proposals will create a national set of one-size-fits-all regulations, making health care more expensive for everyone.This is not at all what Obama and the Democrats are proposing but even if it was, it would serve to greatly reduce the cost for everyone, if the health care industry was forced to bid against the entire U.S. population base. 7. New regulations will make your employer drop your plan or cause your current insurance carrier stop offering your plan.Proposed regulations would actually have the opposite effect than what is pretended in Republican propaganda. They include requiring employers to insure employees or else, pay a penalty to offset the costs of a government option. New regulations would force insurers to accept all people, regardless of pre-existing conditions and, require them to cease dropping patients who are deemed “too expensive” for profit margins. 8. Democrats will create a government run insurance option that would unfairly drive out competitors to become a monopoly. Since deregulation began under Ronald Reagan, major insurance corporations have essentially become a monopoly, unfairly driving out smaller competitors and, insurers who attempted to provide honest coverage. Predominately supported by Republicans, deregulation reduced and eliminated rules that once prevented the industry from refusing to pay for expensive treatments and, protected poor and elderly patients from being literally dumped out the backs of ambulances onto Skid Row, as was famously video taped and revealed on national television. It’s true the Democrats are grossly in error regarding health care, bowing to corporate pressure and pretending that we can expect to survive as a modern nation, while leaving insurance industry profits in the way of achieving quality affordable health care for us all. History has over and over again proven this to be a complete and total lie. But… Who is really, really, really lying about health care? You decide. Link to footnotes and documentation for this article: http://www.freedomtracks.com/500/healthcare.html Music Video relating to this article: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=74446436214Link to YouTube video of this article: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJbtjKFqJv0Link to free online books, videos, music by Richard Aberdeen: http://www.richardaberdeen.com

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: , , , ,

About Health Insurance from Your Employer

August 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The current state of the economy has forced many of us to determine the difference between our needs and our wants. Health Insurance is a need. Whether you are married, single, with or without children, each category has its own unique need for health insurance.

Those with children have the greatest desire to keep themselves healthy so that they know their children will be well taken care of. Those without children tend to be a bit more lax about our health and don’t always visit the doctor as soon or as often as we should. It is only when we feel something is wrong, do we then visit the doctor.

And, there are those who never go to the doctor, fearing something bad will be found each time we go. Often, because we’ve waited so long, this turns out to be true. In all of these cases employer sponsored health insurance can be key in determining when we actually take that step in search of proper health care.

Health Insurance can be mind-boggling.

The myriad of different plans, co-payments, and claims paperwork involved can be extremely frustrating. What is the cost? Do I need a referral? What is covered? Each question is a hurdle that must be jumped to acquire the right answer.

It is important to know that your employer has a Benefits Administrator that can help you answer these questions. Their job is to get you answers… Don’t be afraid to ask. Your benefits administrator is your connection to an insurance world. Insurance….it doesn’t have to make you crazy.

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: , , , ,

Concern About Health Care Reform Makes Top News

July 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Despite Republican opposition, this was the day that The US Senate, along with the US House of Representatives opted to pass the much-needed health care reform legislation.

Health Reform.gov is the official lookout point for those concerned about health reform news.  According to them, this is what President Obama had to say about the Senate’s passing of the Health Care bill:  ”With passage of reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health-insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people.”

(See HealthReform.gov)

Concerned Americans And Health Care Reform Topics

Countless concerned Americans across the nation, who followed health care reform topics this year can breath a sigh of relief.  The final resolution of this important issue is upon us and other areas of concern can resume dominating our lives.  This year, top news centered on headlines like:  10 Health Care Reform Myths (CBS News), Man’s Finger Bitten Off in Scuffle at Health Care Rally (KTLA), The Top 5 Lies About Obama’s Health Care Reform (Newsweek.com), and Health Care Reform: Taxes may Hit Middle-Class (ABC News).   Whether for or against the needed health care reform, many Americans followed the topics religiously.

On the other hand, there were previously, and probably still are, a number of individuals who don’t comprehend what the lack of adequate health care would ultimately lead to.  These apathetic Americans are not concerned about the limitations and suffering of others, as long as they have health care coverage for their selves and their own family.

The Reality Of Inadequate Health Care Coverage

There are actually people who don’t know what the reality of inadequate health care coverage really means. Having a great health insurance plan at work may be the reason some people don’t worry about health care coverage, but what happens if you end up like one out of work supervisor who previously was employed by Ford Motor Company? In his recent article: Waiting for Reform: The Unemployed Get A Health Care COBRA Gift, writer Kevin O’Leary discusses the extended funds that were made available as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Concerning the extension of funds to unemployed individuals, O’Leary quoted the out-of-work supervisor as saying:  “When you have to draw straws between paying the utility bills, the mortgage and health care, it’s hard.”  (News.Yahoo.com)

Personal stories like this one helps to emphasize why the recent passing of health care reform legislation was so crucial.  This goes hand in hand with the opinions of people like Terry Lynch.  In a December 26, 2009 article in the Meridian Star, Lynch wrote about personal family experiences with the issue of inadequate health care.  According to Lynch:  “The result was loss of our home, everything my parents had worked and fought to secure for their family, and the destruction of my family.”  (MeridianStar.com)

Why Americans Need The New Health Care Reform

There are a multitude of reasons why Americans need the new health care reform legislation that was just passed.  It involves more than just the ability to see a doctor when you or your loved ones are sick or going to the hospital if you’re seriously ill.  Health care reform also involves:

Regular Health Checkups for Children and Seniors
Regular Dental Visits for Children and Seniors
Prenatal Care
Preventive Testing & Screening For Communicable Diseases (TB , Hepatitis, etc)
Preventive Testing & Screening For Sexually Transmitted Diseases (AIDS, Herpes, etc.)
Mental Health Screening

Those who manage to remain apathetic to health care reform news and related issues mistakenly believe they are not affected.  Think about what would happen if the six points mentioned above were left unchecked, and no decision was ever made about how to fund these critical health areas.  More than the individuals who are directly involved would be affected.  It could easily become not just an American problem, but a global one! This is why Democratic senator Herb Kohl from Wisconsin was able to vote in favor of the new health care reform bill.  He likened the passing of this historic legislation to the  Social Security legislation in 1935, and Medicare later on in 1965.  Just as the echoes of those in opposition became faint and drowned out, so too those who have opposed health care reform.  Kohl stated:  “By insuring 95 percent of Americans while reducing the deficit, this legislation achieves what many thought was impossible, and I am proud to have been able to cast my vote in favor of it.”

Every Person Deserves Decent Health Care

No matter who or where we are, every person deserves decent health care.  This is something that most honest-hearted Americans would readily admit.  Some who oppose President Obama’s Plan have not made it their business to visit Organizing for America, the official site that gives the hard cold facts about the plan.  I recommend going to the website and reading for yourself what the new health plan does and does not include.  This will help to dispel any rumors you may have heard, and give you a clear understanding of what the plan is, and why it is. (Organizing for America)

In a nutshell:

“It will provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance.  It will provide insurance to those who don’t.  And it will lower the cost of health care for our families, our businesses and our government.”  President Barack Obama

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Writers: Read About the Writer’s Research Network (WRN)

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: , , , , , ,

4 Points About What’s In The Health Care Bill

July 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Congress has just passed the health care bill. Although no one knows exactly what’s in the health care bill, it seems that we’re stuck with it – even though most people agree that they do not want this health care bill to pass. The only people whom are going to benefit from whats in the health care bill will be the United States government. Where are we going to get the money for whats in the health care bill? No one knows. Here’s ten things about whats in the health care bill that will affect you.

When the bill was first proposed, there was a public, government controlled health care insurance option. But, as it is written now, all Americans will need to purchase health insurance or they will be fined a penalty of 5. Employers could face up to ,000 per employee for not offing coverage that is affordable. Whats in the health care bill? Mandates for you to buy a particular product or service, which the US government cannot for you to do. Could the US government force you to buy a car? Force you to purchase a laptop? Could the US government force you to remodel your home? No, the US government cannot force you to purchase a product or service that you do not want.

The pharmaceutical industry will truly benefit from gaining hundreds of thousands of new customers. The government is forcing you to purchase a product, even if you don’t want it!  If the US government would force you to own a car, then it might be worth buying some stocks in GE, Ford, Honda, or Toyota – the same thing is here.  I suggest you start buying stocks in some pharmaceutical companies this week!

Where will the money come from to pay for whats in the health care bill? Obviously it will come from the government! And where does the United States government get their money? They get it from your wallet. They reach right in and take it out! This brings up another problem – whats in the healthcare bill effects our National Security. Why? Because, we absolutely cannot afford this bill and the guns and equipment and manpower it takes to keep us at the top of the food chain. This will be HIGHLY dangerous.

This older woman whom is asking Obama a question about the healthcare bill is asking about a certain situation that she’s faced in life. You see, her mother, whom was 94, was in great health and spirits. She was having some heart issues, and needed a pace maker. Her doctor said “No, she’s too old, I won’t do this.” She got a second opinion, and the doctors gave her a pacemaker. 5 years later, she’s still going strong! The question was asked, “Is there going to be a cutoff age of services no matter what happens?” And Obama’s answer was basically that yes, the government will control exactly what happens to you and your family. Obama says, “Take a pain pill and die quietly.”

Filed Under: Health Care Reform Tagged With: , , , , ,