John F wrote on August 24, 2009 07:30 AM: riotact,

Obviously I disagree with your contention that Medicare is not sustainable. If it is, then all of our health care system is. What is unsustainable is putting our health car insurance in the hands of those who profit by denying us coverage.

My apologies for taking offense where none was intended.

riotact wrote on August 24, 2009 05:11 AM: John F,

Nowhere in my commentary do I state a belief that private industry wouldn't steal from others. I merely pointed out, using your own words, an instance where government officials have, and continue to, rob the public blind.

Medicare IS a Ponzi Scheme because those paying into it now will never receive these benefits when they finally become eligible. The system is not sustainable.

If you are upset because you THINK I labeled you a fool, you should really get some thicker skin. while I don't agree with you, you weren't the target of the term.

John F wrote on August 23, 2009 09:26 PM: Grumpy,

Here's the problem we have. We have insurance companies that will drop you when you become unprofitable.

Think about a disease like multiple scelrosis. It doesn't shorten yout life span, it just makes it very expensive. The medicines that can inhibit the progress of the disease can run $30,000 per year or more. Other therapies and treatments can add tens of thousands more every year.

Insurance companies drop not only people, but groups with individuals with illnesses like this.

When we say that medical insurance should be used for only things that are catastrophic, we are saying it should be used for precisely those things that insurance companies DON'T want to cover. If too many people in a group have enough of these illnesses the insurance company will drop the group. The company for which I work has had that happen. We now have to charge so much for insurance for our hourly employees that almost noe of them can afford it.

My company has about 200 hourly employees. Even if all of our employees were paying monthly premiums, one person with MS would be enough to cause our group to get dropped.

grumpy wrote on August 23, 2009 05:01 PM: John F,

That is why I plan---I have enough to cover all but a catastrophe. That is the only time insurance should be used. If insurance were limited as such, premiums would drop. Insurance today covers far too many routine things that drive the cost of everything sky high.

It is time for people to take charge themselves and take health care seriously as a matter between them and the caretaker.

Third party involvement always raises costs.

BTW, I hope all is well with you and yours too!

grumpy wrote on August 23, 2009 04:58 PM: ?

John F wrote on August 23, 2009 04:41 PM: riotact,

Wrong. Medicare taxation represents the taxing of one segment of society for the benefit of another. Medicare for all would represent the taxation of everyone for the benefit of everyone, which is the way taxation is supposed to work in the first place.

Please don't stoop to insults. I would never say you are a fool. Your belief that government might steal from you but that private industry wouldn't is certainly naive, if not downright foolish, but I would never call you a fool.

Grumpy,

Good for you (and good to hear from you again; it's been a while). I sincerely hope that you never contract a truly serious disease, get into a serious auto accident, or require something like a transplant operation, as it will undoubtedly leave you bankrupt.

Of course, with the way private insurers drop people with catastrophic illnesses (over half of all personal bankruptcies in America are medical debt-related) I'd probably end up bankrupt, too. So absent a national single payer plan, going without insurance might indeed be the way to go after all.

grumpy wrote on August 23, 2009 04:14 PM: What's the fuss? I have no health insurance by choice. My health care needs are met when I visit the provider of my choice, negotiate the cost of treatment or service without interference from third party busybodies like the government or insurance companies.
Then I receive treatment/diagnosis/medication and pay for it like anything else.

Easy as pie.

Folks, stop whining and depending on others for your well-being. Learn to take care of yourselves.

time for real change wrote on August 23, 2009 04:04 PM: I'm giving my money and my time to support TARKANIAN for US Senate... time for a real change and we start by getting liberal, socialist, marxist, America-hating Scummy Harry out of office. He has done enough damage.

riotact wrote on August 23, 2009 02:38 PM: "Medicare takes taxes from people who are working to support the medical care of people who are not." = Ponzi Scheme


"Social Security has sustainability problems not because of any problems inherent with the Social Security system itself; there is plenty of money if Congress would only leave it alone."

This is the very reason sane individuals are against government run medical care and/or medical insurance. People in favor of such programs play the class warfare game or paint private industry as evil, but turn a blind eye to their elected officials stealing from them over and over and over again. These are the true fools.

Tom, Burbank wrote on August 23, 2009 02:07 PM: California barfed lifetime politician Henry Waxworks up out of its own trough-slopping political system and now the entire country has to suffer his mobesque anti-America wrath. He's not from my district so I've never had the pleasure of voting against him. Vote out all incumbents.

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