Comments on: Assessing McCain’s Healthcare Plan http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:20:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398879 Justin Gardner Thu, 01 May 2008 15:51:17 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398879 You just hit the More button and it puts a single tag in there. Everything after that is below the fold. You just hit the More button and it puts a single tag in there. Everything after that is below the fold.

]]> By: mw http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398877 mw Thu, 01 May 2008 15:46:19 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398877 OFF TOPIC - Alan/Justin - How do you break up a long post with the "Read the rest of this entry" link - as you do with this post. I can't figure it out. OFF TOPIC - Alan/Justin - How do you break up a long post with the “Read the rest of this entry” link - as you do with this post. I can’t figure it out.

]]> By: Our Paul http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398712 Our Paul Thu, 01 May 2008 13:17:58 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398712 Start with data that is accepted and beyond dispute: The current United States Health Care system produces poorer health care outcomes, is more expensive, and less satisfying when compared with all other industrialized countries. Period, no argument, the data is irrefutable. Individual countries differ in their approaches, but all except the United States have at their central core government sponsored universal health care coverage. We have one form of Universal Health care, but it is only available to folks over the of sixty five: Medicare. Once again, when selective Health Care outcomes are investigated, the health status of individual improves after the age of sixty five. Now then, if your interest is quality health care with the best possible outcomes and increase satisfaction with the health care system, you have to identify the strategies that work, or suffer the consequences of tinkering around the edges. But, you have to simplify to find the root of the problem. Why do we pay two times more for medication that any other country in the world? Senator McCain’s solution, re-importation, is just shipping jobs over seas. This time it is the pharmacists. Start with data that is accepted and beyond dispute: The current United States Health Care system produces poorer health care outcomes, is more expensive, and less satisfying when compared with all other industrialized countries. Period, no argument, the data is irrefutable. Individual countries differ in their approaches, but all except the United States have at their central core government sponsored universal health care coverage.

We have one form of Universal Health care, but it is only available to folks over the of sixty five: Medicare. Once again, when selective Health Care outcomes are investigated, the health status of individual improves after the age of sixty five.

Now then, if your interest is quality health care with the best possible outcomes and increase satisfaction with the health care system, you have to identify the strategies that work, or suffer the consequences of tinkering around the edges.

But, you have to simplify to find the root of the problem. Why do we pay two times more for medication that any other country in the world? Senator McCain’s solution, re-importation, is just shipping jobs over seas. This time it is the pharmacists.

]]> By: Americaneocon http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398355 Americaneocon Thu, 01 May 2008 03:50:58 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398355 "However, McCain’s plan has the advantage of creating a system of choice rather than one of mandate." More to that effect here: http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/money-quality-and-healthcare.html “However, McCain’s plan has the advantage of creating a system of choice rather than one of mandate.”

More to that effect here:

http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/money-quality-and-healthcare.html

]]> By: Jim S http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398326 Jim S Thu, 01 May 2008 02:29:30 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398326 Insurance companies are for-profit publicly held corporations. As such not only must they make a profit but they must make enough of a profit to make Wall Street investors happy. This also applies to the large hospital chains, companies that make medical devices and pharmaceutical companies. No matter what McCain proposes if it depends on these players in the system to rein in what they are charging their respective customers it will fail miserably. In addition he proposes a $5000 tax credit for individuals to be able to afford his hypothetical portable insurance policies. About ten years ago when I was paying for my own insurance a comprehensive policy equivalent to what I have gotten through employers cost more than that for a healthy married couple under 40. This is after 10 years of double digit percentage increases every single year even when the rate of inflation for actual medical costs was well under that. Every word McCain says about how his plan will do this and that and the other thing is unworkable. Insurance companies are for-profit publicly held corporations. As such not only must they make a profit but they must make enough of a profit to make Wall Street investors happy. This also applies to the large hospital chains, companies that make medical devices and pharmaceutical companies. No matter what McCain proposes if it depends on these players in the system to rein in what they are charging their respective customers it will fail miserably. In addition he proposes a $5000 tax credit for individuals to be able to afford his hypothetical portable insurance policies. About ten years ago when I was paying for my own insurance a comprehensive policy equivalent to what I have gotten through employers cost more than that for a healthy married couple under 40. This is after 10 years of double digit percentage increases every single year even when the rate of inflation for actual medical costs was well under that. Every word McCain says about how his plan will do this and that and the other thing is unworkable.

]]> By: Pdx632 http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398252 Pdx632 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:28:31 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398252 Alan I would be interested to hear, even briefly, why you dislike "retail" clinics. I have experience with them as a patient and have found them to be wonderful. I suffer from chronic ear infections and used to have to go to an urgent care clinic. They charged $135 for a 60 second exam. The clinic in my grocery store only charges $35. The care seems to be equivalent and they are open during hours that fit with workers. Look forward to your reply. Mike Alan

I would be interested to hear, even briefly, why you dislike “retail” clinics. I have experience with them as a patient and have found them to be wonderful. I suffer from chronic ear infections and used to have to go to an urgent care clinic. They charged $135 for a 60 second exam. The clinic in my grocery store only charges $35. The care seems to be equivalent and they are open during hours that fit with workers.

Look forward to your reply.
Mike

]]> By: Alan Stewart Carl http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398202 Alan Stewart Carl Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:42:10 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398202 mw -- Well, that's part of the leap of faith. The idea is costs will decrease due to greater focus on prevention (and effeciencies he hopes to spur). The problem, of course, is that costs are only partially determined by insurers. Providers still have a role to play and some proceedures are ghastly expensive. McCain wants to create the GAP initiatives in all 50 states to catch those who are very ill, but he's relying on each state to come up with their own system (good for innovation, bad for residents of poor states). This is my big problem with the plan. There's clearly a big hole between the system we have and the system he wants -- but he doesn't explain what the transition will look like or how we can ensure things will progress as planned and not just end up more screwed up. mw –

Well, that’s part of the leap of faith. The idea is costs will decrease due to greater focus on prevention (and effeciencies he hopes to spur). The problem, of course, is that costs are only partially determined by insurers. Providers still have a role to play and some proceedures are ghastly expensive.

McCain wants to create the GAP initiatives in all 50 states to catch those who are very ill, but he’s relying on each state to come up with their own system (good for innovation, bad for residents of poor states).

This is my big problem with the plan. There’s clearly a big hole between the system we have and the system he wants — but he doesn’t explain what the transition will look like or how we can ensure things will progress as planned and not just end up more screwed up.

]]> By: djthedj http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398188 djthedj Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:30:14 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398188 Why would anyone believe that McCain or any other republican would actually take the tax breaks away from business? He'll just add billions to the debt like every lying republican has before him. Man, how many times do they have to do this before you blithering sheep stop believing them? Why would anyone believe that McCain or any other republican would actually take the tax breaks away from business? He’ll just add billions to the debt like every lying republican has before him. Man, how many times do they have to do this before you blithering sheep stop believing them?

]]> By: mw http://donklephant.com/2008/04/30/assessing-mccain%e2%80%99s-healthcare-plan/#comment-398167 mw Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:07:30 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=5397#comment-398167 Alan, Good analysis. I have not looked at his plan in detail (or for that matter Clinton's or Obama's). I just think that whatever actually ever makes it through Congress will be so radically different than any of these plans, I cannot get myself motivated to spend the time on them. One question - I am a free market proponent, but it seems to me that the biggest single problem with any insurance "market" based solution, is that insurance companies do not want to provide coverage at any cost for people with pre-existing conditions. The reason is simple, they know they are going to lose money on those clients, so they do not want to cover them. I know many people, who, if coverage was not mandated by the government, post employee based care, or post COBRA, could not get any coverage from an insurance company at all. How does the McCain plan propose to address this group of people? Alan,
Good analysis. I have not looked at his plan in detail (or for that matter Clinton’s or Obama’s). I just think that whatever actually ever makes it through Congress will be so radically different than any of these plans, I cannot get myself motivated to spend the time on them.

One question - I am a free market proponent, but it seems to me that the biggest single problem with any insurance “market” based solution, is that insurance companies do not want to provide coverage at any cost for people with pre-existing conditions. The reason is simple, they know they are going to lose money on those clients, so they do not want to cover them. I know many people, who, if coverage was not mandated by the government, post employee based care, or post COBRA, could not get any coverage from an insurance company at all. How does the McCain plan propose to address this group of people?

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