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Voices.IdahoStatesman.com
Follow this:
Since its creation in 2001, the program has paid out $29 million in health care claims for Idaho residents not covered by employer-sponsored insurance.
Frankly, not everyone has employer-sponsored insurance. Many folks in Idaho buy insurance out of their own pockets not using this program the state offers. The program the state offers is great for people who rent and don't have much of a credit rating. Because it doesn't cover everything and to buy it isn't cheap for what you get. What is going on is the one insurance company we have in Idaho rejects many people if they are not perfect or makes insurance so costly they are forced into this program. This program is a sham because it allows the one insurance company the state has to keep being the only game in town.
One insurance company thats a privately owned franchise and two hospitals is the cat's meow. Say nothing of the doctor owned groups that sub-contract to the hospitals and charge really high fees for services.
There are 1.3 million people in Idaho, and that one insurance company we have is a the envy of the town with its ponds and seemingly endless blue roofs and park like grounds. Yep that insurance company is a franchise that only serves the folks of Idaho. A state with a small population and low wages and is somehow giving the impression by its buildings and grounds its making a killing. Frankly, I believe we are having our noses rubbed in it because the good old boys who own the franchise feel they can show off just how rich they are getting off this game they don't worry about the lawmakers passing laws to allow HMO's to come into Dodge.
A little fact: 50 percent of BK's filed in federal courts in Idaho are over medical bills and these people have health insurance. What a scam, and a legal scam at that.
Note:
The laws of this state screw workers such as real estate agents. They are not allowed to form a group and buy insurance and shop around. They have to count of their other half who may have insurance on their job or they have to buy health insurance from the only game in town.
Tell me the deck isn't stacked.
Watcher, are you referring to the laws that prohibit
association health plans?
Watcher, I don't know what you are talking about...
Why do you keep saying that Idaho has only one insurance company and two hospitals when this is not the case?
That's because you don't know it
Just because a used car lot sells Fords, doesn't mean its a Ford dealer.
A little piss-aint hospitol is like the fly crawling up the rino's leg with rape on its mind. Darn near next to nothing.
Idaho has over 40 hospitals, including a number of
regional medical centers that are anything but "piss-aint hospitols", whatever those are.
Nationwide
It's not just an Idaho problem, but rather nationwide. The whole system is broken. Maybe we can adopt Great Britain's system. Or even Thailand's. Any system but ours would work better...
Nationalized health care sucks
However I'm kind of at a point I'll jump from the frying pan into the fire just to see the greedy doctors, and insurance company in this state take it in the shorts. Another great thing about that is the elected trash we have will no longer be getting money from the doctors and that insurance company to be reelected again and again over and over.
Perfect post, watcher
Do you think "the elected trash" will allow that to happen. Even Barack's "dream" plan is just a weak regulation package supplemented with tax breaks -- hardly a populist plan that would send the insurance/aha/ama cartel running to bankruptcy court. By the time the lobbyists get it rewritten it will become a mandated insurance policy further engorging the cartel at the expense of taxpayers and ratepayers.
A good first step would be to place strong federal regulatory oversight on insurance companies, hospitals, and doctors' organizations. Or I could just win the lottery -- about the same odds.
There was a special on NPR
There was a special on NPR about which countries had the best health insurance. Turns out that France by far has the best health insurance for it's citizens. Apparentely the balance between services and cost is the best in the world. As someone who has a child with a terminal illness I'm to the point of directing them to seek citizenship in a country such as France just so that they, and I, can at least live without that worry. Pretty sad statement eh?
Unfortunately, neither Obama or McCain have plans that will effectively solve the problems, though I think Obama is the closest.
I feel for ya
McSame offers more private opportunities to rape the public. Obama offers government participation similar to other civilized nations. There is no comparison.
Greedy Doctors Watcher?
Do you have anyone in particular in mind?
Most Physicians I know are hard working, very well educated people who's goal in life is to be of service to their fellow man.
Of course, after 4 years of University, 3 years of Medical School, 3-7 years of Residency and Fellowship we would hope that there are more than just alturistic rewards.
Most physicians are care givers. There are real estate agents, financial advisors, bankers, tax planners and business people who can guide the investments gained from the hard work and income.
Who's the greedy ones?
I think if you look closely, you'll see the Insurance companies, ie.. Blue Cross, et al. have the MBA's who acutally major in getting blood out of turnips.
I believe physicians enjoy their work and are grateful for a decent living, but their motivation is not solely money.
Farang, there are good people in every profession.
But that does not excuse their collective evils. Insurance companies, the AHA, the AMA, are all part of a cartel that cares for little but money. You name a professional organization and I'll show you a code of ethics that is first and foremost about protecting turf. If you believe you need the services of most of the leeches you named, ... well, too much said already.
OK here's a little proof for you.
We have a very large amount of orthopaedic doctors in Boise. In fact one of the highest per population in the nation. Here's the kicker: Per capita of 1,000 in the Boise area we have the highest rate of back surgrey in the nation.
Now do you think these doctors want to work for an HMO? The answer is no, no way. These guys are here because of the way we have the controlling insurance set up.
Do you know what you call the worst and bottom person in medical school? The answer is doctor.
Educate yourself and google, "deats of doctor mistakes yearly in America" or something to that effect. I believe the number is around 450,000 each year.
You watched that 60 minutes as well i see
---
Just curious...what are the number of deaths without doctors?
Sorry, couldn't help myself. Please don't jump all over me. I realize medical errors are a problem and everything possible should be done to do away with them.
how nice for the hospitals and
the medical community.
Republican ideology
They can't let wages rise but they can't let profits fall so they take it from the taxpayer, just like they did with the so called stimulus checks. Then they borrow the money from China rather than collect the taxes. Tra la la la Live for today, as they choke the next generation with debt.
Who does have insurance?
We have to buy our own health insurance. I wonder who and how the gov. came up with 14%? seems like this count is way to low. I imagine it come from the same number crunchers that say "Idaho takes care of its own we don't need assistance from this Feds" Oh, now I remember state employees get health insurance and we tax pays go without health insurance.I also wonder how many additionsl attorneys and managers will need to be hired to spend down this money for the residents of Idaho without health insurance. Thank you to the people outside of Idaho for thinking of us.
As a local government
As a local government employee (not state) I can tell you that the pay is low enough and the benefits aren't that good, at least not anymore. Local government already has a hard time competing with private industry, who can pay a lot more, for employees. Take away the insurance and continue to pay low, then you will see government come to a stand still by constantly being understaffed or having to hire untrained or undertrained people.
I'll chime in again. What
I'll chime in again. What really bugs me is that we have elected officials who have great health coverage that is paid for by citizens, many of whom have no health coverage themselves. And it is many of these same elected officials who refuse to act on the problem.
I don't care what anyone says, health coverage is as much a right as is police protection and fire protection and any other critical service we expect as citizens.
Truly a cool breeze of wisdom, AutmnWnd.
Our puny ancestors survived ice ages and hostile carnivores by wit and compassion. Sometimes it seems we have lost both.