We have to look at when this all became a big problem and you will see that it falls in the laps of Health Insurance Companies who look at healthcare as a means to make a huge profit.  They have forgotten about helping people who are in need of healthcare.  

I think we need to remove the health insurance crooks and go back to a relationship between the doctor and the patient and cut out the middle guys who currently are the ones making the money - not the doctors.

There was a time when most people could afford to see their doctors and the doctors charged them individually.  

Or - we get Universal Healthcare as they do in other countries and let all the people have the same healthcare as members of Congress have right now.  

It is so obvious though that the insurance companies are taking all the money and putting it in their own pockets and paying their CEOs tons of money and screwing all of us.  

A revolution is needed within the health care system.  A few voices hear and there will not cut it.  We as Americans need to join together and speak as one in order to be heard over the insurance corporations.  Members of the health care field need to join their prospective organizations and start writing to their representatives and becoming more visual and vocal.  I am a medical assistant and am currently teaching medical billing and coding.  We in the health care field are concerned and tired of witnessing the unethical practices and unfairness of our system.
I see many small groups and people speaking out, it is time to join together and actually get something done.  Start with your association and community.

Universal healthcare?  What is wrong with you?  Look at the state of Massachusetts.  Since universal healthcare was implemented in 2006, that state is now upside down by a number close to 3 billion dollars.  What was the percentage of people in Massachusetts that was living without healthcare?  400,000 to 650,000.  How many Californians are currently living without healthcare?  6.8 million in 2006.  Think about the taxes that will need to be raised in order to sufficiently provide health care for not just these 6.8 million without healthcare coverage, but the other 36 million as well.  And that is just for California.  Are you interested in having your employer fund a new tax section for insuring not just themselves but a portion of the universal healthcare reform law for all Californians?  Therefore, seeing not just your salary decrease from this but decreasing from yet another tax bill?

Also, the Clinton administration originally proposed that the universl healthcare is REQUIRED.  But it's not as simple as walking into the doctors office, getting a check-up, and leaving.  You will be required to buy the insurance.  REQUIRED.  Originally, the maximum you would pay is 5-10% of your total income.  All I ask is think about that number for a minute.

I agree that Insurance Companies have really created the problem in many ways. I don't use a doctor that even accepts insurance so I'm used to paying for my visits - I keep insurance only in case of a major illness or need for major surgery. But I'm even second guessing that due to the extremely high costs.

Unfortunately doctors won't have enough financial incentive to practice if Universal Healthcare is implemented and many will leave the profession. This is when already we don't have enough doctors as there is simply too much liability, stress and not enough reward (other than financial, it's not a "fun" job).

First: The idea that we're NOT paying for uninsured in this country is wrong. We ARE - it's rolled up into the cost of the insurance premiums that those of us WITH health insurance pay. It's a zero sum game. Hospitals HAVE to treat you in you're sick. If you don't pay, they just raise the charges on those who CAN pay.

Second: How about REALLY paying the cost of medical insurance. Premiums rose precipitously from 2000 onwards because Insurance companies made bad investment decisions, first in the .com bust and now in the housing bust. They are listed companies, so they have to keep Wall St. happy.

I don't know what the answer to this mess is, because medicine has become big business.  Big business wants profits, and will go to some depraved means to get them.  Like I said, I have no answers, but I do know there is something wrong when people are just allowed to die in ER waiting rooms because they have no insurance.  Or how about people who are genuinely sick, and need the care of a doctor, but they can't go because they have no insurance.  So what happens to them?  They get worse, and worse until either they have a serious problem that is going to take twice as much care, and money, or they die.  If this Country truly cares about its' citizens it will find a solution that at least begins to address this problem.  This can not go on.  It's immoral, disgusting, dangerous, and just plain stupid.

One Answer. Single Payer Healthcare. They do it in all other advanced industrial countries and do it quite well. Its the future for this country.

I agree that the insurance companies (CEO) are getting rich. The insurance companies manipulate the population in the policy by requiring new application and underwriting to move to a HSA qualified policy.  If one has pre-existing condition, then you are stuck as is everyone else with pre-existing, thus making this group a high risk and increasing premiums acordingly.  Ever have allergies, controlled high blood pressure, rash or almost any condition that requires a visit to a Dr.? IF so, you have a pre-existing condition.  They can reject, uprate, or exclude the condition.  Yet they don't adjust the premium. No reduction in premium for the reduced risk to the company.  Hardly fair, but they have the lobbist and big bucks.  One of these days we will all have pre-existing conditions and no one will be insurable.  Then the ins. co. will get creative. Speak out against these practices.  When things change in the favor of the consumer, we will hear the insurance companies cry like babies.  No pity for the SOBs.

Universal health care is coming, like it or not. There are just too many hands in the pot for our current system to continue. Frankly, I already pay a small fortune for coverage AND have a flexible spending account for co-pays and deductibles. If Uncle Sam wants to tax me and allow my employer to get out of the health care business, so much the better. I know I'm going to pay, but I want coverage I can NEVER lose even if some CEO decides to do a layoff and throw me out on the street. Heck, a lot of people would tell their employer to go take a hike if they knew their health care is already taken care of.  

what about high deductible health plans?  how much would a $7/hour employee be willing to pay out of his pocket for health insurance plan that kicks in if he needs hospitalation?  would he/she be willing to pay $125 a month for such a plan?

I want to remind you about something that insurance companies also do that isnt right but hasnt been addressed yet... when i go to the Dr. i have multiple problems i would like addressed... well the insurance companies require that you have only one issue per visit... so you have to go back and forth for another visit.. costing the consumer more co pays and the Drs end up losing more and more money because the insurance companies will only pay so much and the Drs. end up eating the rest... I used to blame the Drs for this very thing, but it turned out to be the insurance companies... not sure how they figure they make out on this.... oh well. im sorry i dont have a solution but to gather together, and ask that the insurance companies stop gouging... that pre-existance thing is going to hurt them in the long run... i agree with that post on here.

Thank you so much for writing this article.  Many of the comments are quite insightful and it is good to know I'm not alone in this situation.

http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog

I think that a non-profit Health Care Insurance organization, based on the Credit Union banking business model, where the share holders (participants), control the funds. Accounts could be created that earn interest, pay dividends and pay the doctors.

The problem with the current insurance model is that it is based on profit paid out to external investors that demand a return. Enter greed.

The problem is we have all gotten so used to managed care that we don't educate ourselves before making healthcare decisions. Whether small businesses cover us or not (and personally I think if they want to keep their good employees they should) patients need to be smarter about what they pay for treatments and services, who they choose, and the services that are provided. There are resources for all of this. Healthcarebluebook.com will give you prices by zip code for what you should be paying. Web MD and Mayo Clinic, etc. will provide research based information on the services and your doctors/hospitals are obligated to tell you what they charge ahead of time. If you can't afford it tell them - they will work with you. We're not as powerless as we think we are.

I don't even begin to have an answer to the health care mess. I do know that very few small businesses can afford to pay high insurance costs. Profite are really not great enough to add family or individual coverage for their employees. What I did was to have a pay scale higher than other retail stores in the area of MA where we had our business. We had quality employees and managed to retain them. I will say the burden of coverage (80% of emploteed) usually shifted to their spouces.
One scarry thought is what the true cost of universal coverage will be. If we as a society are willing to pay taxes at a rate of say 75-80% of our income then we can have all these great social programs. We will most likely have to stop our little wars and trying to cure the ills of the world.
I seem to remember a quote in economics and this might be paraphrased " you can't have guns and butter"

The acronym HSA is being tossed around quite a bit nowadays especially since the tax advantages of owning an HSA and a corresponding qualified HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) have been significantly increased under the Bush administration. Effective December 20, 2006 President George W. Bush signed the Health Opportunity Patient Empowerment Act of 2006, enhancing Americans' access to tax-advantaged health care savings. The law, part of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006, provides new opportunities for health savings account (HSA) participants' to build their funds. To read about the new adjustments in HSA law for the year 2007 & forward please Click here: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/hp209.htm For the 2009 IRS H.S.A. COLA (Cost of Living Adjustments) please click here: http://www.treasury.gov/press/releases/hp975.htm

HSA stands for Health Savings Account. Health Savings Accounts are a unique way to attractively manage your health insurance costs. They were originally named MSA's or Medical Savings Accounts designed by Senator Bill Archer (R) of Texas. Bill's project was to find a way to reduce the cost of health insurance for the self employed without sacrificing quality coverage for a major medical illness. Bill's brilliant idea was to eliminate the parts of a traditional health insurance plan that cost the consumer the most money. These expensive benefits include outpatient doctor "co pays" and outpatient prescription "co pays". Bill approached Congress with a proposal that stated in essence that if you remove those two features and keep the major medical coverage in place you could conceivably cut the cost of your health insurance premium considerably. He was absolutely right!

To illustrate how Bill's idea works in the real world. We will use a real world example. Tony & his wife are currently paying $1,134 a month for Cobra continuation coverage from a previous group plan. In comparison, the monthly premium for an HSA qualified HDHP (High Deductible Health Plan) which covers each insured family member up to $5 million dollars is less than half of the premium that they are paying now ($481.64 monthly to be exact). This is a yearly savings of $7,828.32 or a monthly savings of $652.36. This is a significant difference. However the insured has to give up all of their outpatient co pays. Is this worth it? This was the question posed to Senator Bill Archer (R) when he approached Congress back in the late 1990's. His answer to Congress was quite simply "make it worth it".

In other words, he asked Congress to make it worth it to the insured. Their response was two fold. And it is these two primary reasons that make HSA's a "no-brainer" for every self employed prospective insured and for their corresponding employees. The first thing Congress did was to state that if a policy holder buys a major medical health insurance policy (HDHP) with a yearly family deductible between $2,200 per family (not per person) or as high as $5,800 per family we will call that an HSA qualified health insurance plan (HDHP)

They further said that in order to make giving up outpatient co pays more attractive to the insured we will allow anyone who has an HSA qualified health insurance plan (HDHP) the option to open a tax favored HSA (Health Savings Account) with their local bank or financial brokerage house. Since the insured is saving a considerable amount of money each month by giving up their out patient co pays, we will allow them to take that extra premium that they would have normally given the insurance company for the "privilege" of a co pay and put it into a 100% tax deductible account that will grow tax deferred at an interest rate adjusted by the Fed.

In addition to depositing the amount you save in insurance premiums, you may also deposit in your HSA an amount equal what the IRS allows for that given year. For the year 2009 the maximum contribution a family can make to their HSA account is $5,950 In addition, any family member who is 55 years of age or older can deposit an additional $1,000 annually (more on the age 55 allowance below). This means that the total amount that Tony and his wife (in our example above) can deposit per calendar year is $6,950 and they can take a 100% tax deduction for that contribution similar to an IRA.

Furthermore, if they do incur medical expenses that arise throughout the course of the year that are subject to the deductible (i.e. prescriptions, doctor's office visit charges, etc.) the IRS will allow them to pull out that money that they put into their optional tax deductible, tax deferred HSA savings account to pay for those expenses. When they use their HSA money to pay for those expenses the IRS will allow them to write those expenses off at a 100% tax deduction. The list that the IRS allows them to spend their HSA money on is very liberal and includes things like dental, orthodontics, eyeglasses, radiokeratonomy (Lasik corrective eye surgery), alternative medicines etc. Click the hyperlink to see the list of allowable expenses and
disallowed expenses on the HSA section of the IRS web site here: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/index.html

Arguably the most attractive tax advantage to owning an HSA is the fact that the money left over in the HSA account that was not used on medical expenses at the end of the year is "rolled over" into the next year and awarded a higher rate of tax deferred interest. The insured also has the option to roll those unused funds into no load mutual funds, thereby building an extra tax deferred retirement account with money they would have normally given to the insurance company each and every year whether or not they had any claims that year!

To learn more about HSA's and the recent federal legislation that has made them even more attractive to people over the age of 55 click below: http://www.treas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/about.shtml to read all about them on the Federal Governments HSA educational web site. To learn more about H.S.A.'s in a video and power point presentation format please click here: http://www.hsacenter.com/

If you are an employer and are considering HSA qualified plans for your employees consider this. An individual's employer can make contributions that are not taxed to either the employer or the employee. The combined income and payroll tax deductibility leads to discounts for health insurance of over 40 percent in some cases relative to other forms of insurance. For more details about the advantages to the employer please click http://www.treas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/faq_employer-participation.shtml

For more about HSA qualified HDHPs visit: http://www.sbisvcs.com/HSA%20&%20HDHP.html

The healthcare system in this country cannot work!!!  You have "for profit" companies in charge of providing for "health care" for people.  The model of every for profit company is to make money.  They cannot do that and still provide quality coverage for their insured's.  They need healthy folks to make that profit.  Once you are actually in need of any fair amount of health related services, you are a burden to that money making venture.  Now they want to get rid of you, or will recapture their losses on you thru higher premiums, whether it be individually or spread accross the board amongst the entire pool of insured's.

my .02 cents

I would think that the government should at least provide a benefit to all that is equivalent to medicaid benefits that is given free to indigents.  Their plan is often better than the plan that people have that are working.  It is just wrong that someone who works has no benefit or a lesser benefit than someone who doesn't work. If someone wants a better benefit or more coverage then they would buy insurance to add to their government coverage. By the way, the constitution says nothing about our government furnishing health care to its citizens and our government is broke so any changes at this time, to me, seem unaffordable.

I always wonder if the powers that be read the common sense responses & ideas of the average citizen?

Universal Health Care is a JOKE -- another foolish socialist-liberal agenda that is unaffordable.  Your health is your own responsibility.  Change ?? you betcha -- YOU GOTTA CHANGE, NOT MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING OF MONIES THAT DON'T EVEN EXIST!!  As far as Massachusetts, a single premium in a plan is the same cost as a family plan --- a further joke on taxpayers  see blue cross blue shield for these riduculous rates that our stupid state government imposes on all residents --- any one ought to be able to pick and chose what level of health care he or she wants or needs -- regardless of a plan.  it is an all or nothing law and must be totally reformed!

I agree with Paul M, from Corona, CA. The current health care insurance model is based on profit. In a profit based model, you have winners and losers. I would hate to be a loser with an acute medical condition, based on this model.

We have ALL been sucked into the rational that this is the way it is. Just think. While we are healthy, some stockholder/investor somewhere is making money from our insurance premiums. Statistically, we are more healthy than sick. Good gamble for the investor, right? But what happens the day we are in need of a doctor? We are a pretty tough nation. Granted, there are a few whiners, we are, for the most part, tough. Another statistic is that %95 of the people that do go to the doctor, really do need the care of the doctor.

As soon as you enter the doctors' office and present your insurance card, the information is filtered into a database, and the money starts coming out. You are now on the 'Money Going Out', list. Depending on how aggressive the profit margins are, you could expect a rise in your premiums, anywhere from the first visit to ... whenever they see fit.

The above scenario has a bad ending. If you do the math, it just does not work. I can not believe that this simple equation has not been operated. Therefore I must conclude that everyone knew this dilemma would happen.

The only model that I can see in this that would work is the, 'NON-PROFIT'. As I see it, if you take the 'Profit', out of the equation, you have solved some issues.

The next 'Gorilla', on our back is the Pharmaceutical guys. Yes, these are 'Gee-Whizz', kids. But are there any ethic's involved in getting the product from the brain of the researcher to the body public? And please don't tell me its the FDA, which can be influenced by outside pressure.

The only thing that makes sense for us to do is, control our input into the 'Insurance Cycle'.
Research 'Non-Profit', health care organizations

Make the switch from the 'For Profit', guys to the
'Non-Profit', guys. This is the only way our interest's will be met.

I really nand truly think it's a shame the way we have to cut benefits for our employees. The people that help us maintain our buisness. We have no choice. It's really rough out there. Hopefully things will look better into the second half of the year, with a new people in office. Lets hope

We are a small business in our 14th year, and its the first time I have had to cut out employee health benefits.  We also eliminated our 401K account because no one would sign up for it over the last 3 years.  These are not changes that I wanted to make.  It was done with a very heavy heart.  But I know that it is also keeping employees on the job because I am reducing expenses.  We normally get a line of credit at this time of year, but American Express and Bank of America has shut our credit down.   If we don't get credit soon, I will have to shut the company down....

Someone above scoffed at the idea of universal healthcare, citing "the maximum you would pay is 5-10% of your total income... think about that number for a minute"

Oh yeah?  Let's put this in context... I am a 15yrs experienced corporate software development manager... and I currently pay just over 10% of my income for healthcare.  

And that's just my share!  The company pays the other HALF!  And my premiums increase by 10% or more every year - like clockwork.  

If that's the "unaffordable" downside of universal healthcare, then I'll need to hear a much stronger argument against it.

Of course these health insurance companies should be shut down !! They are in the business to make huge profits not to help people ! What is needed is one national health insurance company runned by the government just like it is in france ! We have the best health care system in the world and if you do not believe me, google it ! and it works great and cost us way less money than it cost the american.  people. I have just return from the usa after spending 25 years there. Because I have not had resources for the past 3 months, I do not have to pay a dime to see a doctor, any doctors ! If I needed surgery, everything would be free and I can choose my own doctors ! I do not have to pay for any medication either ! I will be starting a business next week and still will benefit for this program for the all year ! Yeah, we may pay more taxes thu, I wonder about that... but our taxes come back to us under the form of safety nets ! I did not have health insurance in the usa for the past 9 years and got fed up with the rip off from insurance companies and doctors ! At least I am lucky enough to be able to choose where I want to live and I can tell you how much I appreciate our socialist system !

For the ignorant outhere. I live in france where we have universal health care for all !! this is the best thing that can happen to the citizen of a country other wise, you are just like a 3rd world country ! the rich can afford it, the rest can't ! so please, google how univeral heath care works before opening you ignorant mouth ! Universal health care benefit everybody, the rich, the middle class and the poor ! and think about it this way... you are paying for yourself and believe me, it won't cost you what you are paying to those health insurance company ! is 5% of your salary to much so you can have peace of mind and not have to worry about loosing everything if you cannot pay?? Its worth every tax dollar you pay !!

Anyone who thinks this is is solely the insurance companies fault is very ignorant of how complicated and convoluted our system is. There are a LOT of broken pieces in our current system and a single payer system is NOT the way to go, unless you want to wait, wait and WAIT for your rationed healthcare and hope you or a loved one doesn't die before it's received. Wellness is a crucial factor to containing healthcare costs people are just going to have to be inconvenienced into getting off their duffs and exercising and choosing diets that are more-wise than those they've sustained themselves on. This a time for a revolution but we can't make everyone else "fix" the system; we all have to play our part by staying healthy in the first place.

Many good (and some naive) comments have been made but some are missing.  First the dynamics of the system.  Granted, high cost may be keeping some from seeking care when they need it, switching to "Unversal Care" increases the distance between the consumer of the service and its cost.  The result would undoubtedly be vastly increased demand for services which would drive cost up even more.  Second, no one has mentioned the major cost factor of litagation built into the current health care cost.  Tort reform should provide appropriate compensation for actual loss to victims of negligence.  And then it should apply punitive penalties paid toward improving medical education without benefit to lawyers.  The cost of educating doctors would go down.  The number of bogus lawsuits would go down.  Bad doctors would be punished.  The doctors would not need to charge as much to pay exorbedant insurance fees, and to pay back as much student loans.  Everybody wins except the lawyers who are keeping the current system in place to make millions for very little work.  Complain about the insurance company profits?  What about the lawyers profits?

I'm a 26 year old worker - I've never had a job that offered health care, and it looks like more people are going to share my experience if we continue down our current course.

<br>In my opinion, the biggest problems with our current healthcare system are 3-fold:
<br>1) The Free Rider effect. Lots of people choose to gamble on their health and do without healthcare even though they could afford it. My cohort of 20-somethings is especially likely to engage in this risky behavior (do a yahoo search for "young invincibles"). When the inevitable happens and the uninsured end up in the hospital, their costs are distributed across the paying customers. And, those costs are usually higher because they are incurred in the ER. Illegal immigration also feeds this problem.
<br>2) We emphasize critical care instead of preventative care. Doing proper exercise, eating right, and taking supplements costs far, far less than a trip to the hospital for a heart attack or chemotherapy. We should encourage this type of behavior with incentives, instead of punishing patients (in the form of co-pays) when they go in for regular checkups and seek holistic solutions.
<br>3) Patients have no reason to choose cost saving procedures that may have less desirable incomes. After patients pass their deductible limit in the current system, the sky is the limit. Why choose anything less than the gold standard treatment (with a 99% success rate) if your cost is the same to have that treatment or the one with a 95% success rate that costs the insurance company half as much?

I really don't see an answer.  It is important to provide for employees, because they see it as an important, required benefit.  The manager in the story felt this way and accordingly left the company when the benefit was discontinued.

However, it is impossible for a small business to continue to pay for it.  And, if we go with a national, socialist payer systems, the employers/employees will still pay for it in some form or fashion.

The need for convenient, affordable, walk-in health care is what most Americans face. Retail health care centers such as MinuteClinic http://www.minuteclinic.com offer the same top quality health care you might expect from your doctor’s office, urgent care center or emergency room at a fraction of the cost.

Universal health care here in the USA is IMOHO way, way overdue! Case in point: after losing my job last March (3rd time in 5 years), and forced to go on COBRA ($400/med only for me/month) due to the heart attack I got from all the stress (my hubby out of work past 3 years), I still have to pay $72/month for my 3 meds, and also copays for dr vists to my md and cardio md! And, here's the REAL kicker: my best friend got SSDI back in 1993 after having a nervous breakdown in 1992, and has been on this "free" medicare ever since... even getting this "free" med care while getting SSDI benefits IN ADDITION TO under-the-table lucrative nanny and eldercare-at-home jobs she got via Craig's list over these past few years!!!! Now, how do you like THAT one? Yet, I nor my hubby can NOT get any "free" healthcare nor qualify for it, DUE TO NO FAULT OF OUR OWN due to lousy SOB executives and business owners "kick" us out with a mere "Welcome to Corporate America!" explanation when they're showing you the door!!!
I fear for the days when I have to declare bankruptcy and/or lose my home to foreclosure due to THE COST I MUST PAY JUST TO STAY ALIVE IN THIS WORLD!!!

In Hawaii, we, as business owners, have to pay for medical coverage for any employees that work 20 hours a week or more. Now it looks like we have to lay people off because we can't afford the cost of paying everyones medical ($320 per person). When will this crap end?

Until government programs consider "risks" this whole discussion is a joke.  Why should an obese, diabetic smoker change his ways without a cost penalty for not doing so.  Health Insurance Execs. make big money and get big bonuses...so what's new and how is that different from any other big business?  It may be wrong to the working class of which I am a part but it is certainly not unique to the health insurance industry.  I can't think of much that the government has gotten involved in that got better so health insurance isn't a good place for them to screw up either.  Insurance Companies do bear much of the blame.  It was their marketing effors that spoiled us into thinking an office visit or wellness or Rx copays were legitimate benefits.  I have auto insurance but that doesn't pay to change my oil or wash it or replace an engine failure.  It pays for a crash!...CATASTROPHIC.  I have home owners insurance, but it doesn't pay to mow the yard or fix the dishwasher etc. etc.  It pays if the damn thing burns down...again CATASTROPHIC.  Going back to coverage for the big stuff that you hope and pray never happens is what will fix the problem, still priced and based on individual risks associated with the insured.  One size fits all does not and never did fit anyone very well and it sure isn't affordable!

One of the problems, is that many, who don't understand the insurance predicament and speak out about insurance plans, have never been suddenly, unexpectedly ill, injured or sick.

Many of us will never know the exact date, time and condition that will affect us (heart attack, stroke, cancer, tumor, car, plane, industrial, & recreational accidents). No one predicts they will slip on ice and break their leg or hip. The majority of Americans do not purposely intend on injuring themselves slipping in a bathtub, or falling down stairs. Nor, do Americans anticipate going out their doors in the mornings and encountering lightning hitting them.

The point that I am stating is that many do not foresee themselves to become vulnerable. Especially those that have never been sick a day in their life. Paying for health care does not make sense until you actually encounter the problems and realize if you are ready to handle the burdens of U.S. healthcare.

Many do not understand that even if one does have health care it could be lost very easily if one is unable to perform their job. Meaning, if a person breaks their leg and is out for over six weeks, some companies do not have in their contracts them having to keep the job open past a certain date. Therefore, while on sick or medical leave past that date, they could be terminated. Now, one can lose their medical coverage. Imagine someone out for cancer treatment feels when their job has been terminated and their benefits are no longer available to them without substantial cost to them now unemployed.

Universal, or whatever medical care that is established, has to look at preventative, maintenance and treatment of the individual.

Rumors created through smokescreens from the HMOs about universal and other alternative health care systems does not help the consumer, it hurts because the HMOs want to keep the status quo. The system is exactly like the financial investment banks, racking up money, keeping most of it for themselves and causing unnecessary hardship, strain and yes, death to the burdened insurer.

Look at the CEOs, CFOs salaries at HMOs ($20 million upwards to 40$ compensation) and you realize how entitled they feel to the consumer's money, detached and insensitive to the mission of the HMO's purpose of helping expedite and treat patient's in an efficient and timely manner. The goal and the reality of HMOs are vastly polarized from its inception.

We in the United States, should not beg, be ignored and treated like garbage when seeking out medical care. We the people, for the people, should be treated equally and fairly. When one pays a high premium for insurance and is denied specific treatment for certain illnesses because of the bureacratic red tape within the HMO, that's not health care, that's money care. Caring more for the money dished out and how to keep it and less for the services rendered.

Insurance is based on actuaries and stats. Basically they make their money betting on the odds. Life insurance gambles that you live, auto insurance gambles that don't have accidents, and sadly, health insurance gambles that you die early, fast and quickly.

They play God to keep money and profits. There is no incentive in the current system to save lifes. As long as the insurer does not cost more than a certain amount within a certain time, under age, they 'may' consider allowing you treatments within the plan.

I'm part owner of a small business in Western New York.  When I got our renewal for 2009 I nearly fainted.  Our premiums were increased 19% for family coverage, a staggering 47% for double coverage, and 26% for single coverage.  This at a time when the government statistics show that healthcare costs rose only about 8-9% in 2008.  I called and asked if it was a joke or a typo.  Since 2003, we have twice decreased the level of coverage we provide and our costs have still risen a whopping 150%.  Had we stayed with our original policy, that increase would have been 225%.  There are only 11 people in this company and only 9 of us take the coverage (the other 3 are covered by spouses).  That increase would have cost us an additional $20,000/year.  That's an awful lot for a small employer to absorb.  We simply could not do it.  If they do this again next year, it may be the final nail in our coffin.  The ONLY solution to this is a single-payer, government program.  We have got to take the profit motive out of the healthcare system.  Socialized medicine?  Where do I sign up?

The only way the jerks in Washington will get the message is to take away their all their coverage.

I pay a fortune for insurance and that is just for a major catastrophe and you have to be in the hospital three days before it pays.  I cannot raise my deductible anymore, it's 5,000.00 now.  The rates go up everyother payment, not by five dollars, try eighty
dollars. Yet I have no doctor and haven't been to one in 8 years.
Insurance companies are evil and they are one of the reasons this country is going down.
Never buy their line "our costs keep increasing". That is a blatant lie, their greed is what keeps increasing.

Excuse me, meant to state 'insured', not, 'insurer' when referencing the person who pays the premium.

Re:  "What do you all think? Do we need to start knocking some heads together in Washington?"

No need to knock heads, have them live like us.  
Cheney would have died from a heartattack five times over, Bush wouldn't have gotten those growths removed from his face, and Ted Kennedy would have died from his brain cancer.
They live in their own little world.  The economic meltdown proved that. Remember: "The Economy is fundamentally strong"
 If they did their job and put caps on the greed of Wall Street, Health Insurance Companies, Oil Companies, Banks, etc. We wouldn't have problems right now.

Lastly, when one has a chronic illness, they are doomed. The HMOs will purposely and intentionally try to push them off the rolls. In some cases, they dropped entire plans to avoid someone with catastrophic condition (cancer) or there was a large segment of the plan that had diabetes, asthma, even arthitis.

Health care is for, healthcare, not for the healthy, but for all to have ability to get treatment. Something is wrong when you can be dropped for being overweight, smoke, have diabetes and other conditions. Why? Because in the United States, it is free will within the rules and regulations of the U.S. we live in.

I don't personally believe in smoking, I don't personally believe in eating obsessively, but I don't think a health care plan should be the regulator and administrator of what is right and wrong. They should not be given implied or direct authority to do so without appeal and representation of the insured.

The U.S. government and local municipalities should be the governing and administering organizations in this country, not a for-profit organization. That's scary when an organization can generate rumors, set policies and price fix premiums without discussion or worry of consequence.

I find it ironic that hospitals can get a non-profit status. I would like to know if you could compare wall street CEO salaries to hospital executives.

This year, my employer, a $100 million plus company, ended all insurance plans except for an HSA with a 1200/2400 deductible.  In effect, this has killed medical insurance for most of the 100+ employee's who are not executives and thus do not make executive compensation.  I went from paying $50 per month for 7 prescriptions to having to pay nearly $700 per month.  Obviously, I can't afford this and will be in the same boat as the unemployed/uninsured.  By the time I can pay a $1200 deductible (assuming there is no major health problem during this year)the benefit year will have ended.  My employer will have been able to, for all practical purposes, end medical insurance for this company.

Laidoff AdminWorker, do you hear that???  Do you know what that is???  It's the world's smallest violin, and it's playing just for you.

Why don't you stop worrying about who's going to pay for your health care and start analyzing your situation and why you've lost THREE jobs in a matter of FIVE years!  How about focusing on preventive measures to reduce stress (exercise, yoga, breathing techniques) and reduce your chances of having a heart attack.  Take matters into your own hands!!!!  

I don't know who in their right mind would want the government holding them by the hand and taking care of them.  If this is your cup of tea then move to France with Elisabeth Schneider (see above).

I have a number of friends in other countries that have 'all inclusive' healthcare - seems like its most of Europe.  What they tell me is that they may have that insurance, but if you want the doctor you want, and you want to address the situation within 6 months or longer, YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY.  Only it's 'pay again', if you consider that their taxes are paying for it the first time.

That makes me pretty concerned to go that route, because I don't want to have a system where I STILL have to pay for the doctor despite 'universal care', if I want to see them soon.

I am the office manager in a primary care solo physician office. The first part of my message here is to shed a new reality on the HSA model that people have as their health insurance plan. Whatever savings are experienced by lower premiums, are going to be wiped out eventually, because the HSA is actually discouraging patients from seeking medical care. HSA's will cover at 100%, any annual routine examination. After that, it goes to the patient deductible. Well, in this economy, patients are not willing to touch their deductible savings, even though it's in the account already. Our patients are telling us on a daily basis, that they are not willing to be seen for 'sick' visits, go to specialists for further evaluation of potentially serious conditions, have diagnostic testing for symptoms such as chest pain....the list goes on. In effect, the effort to save money by not touching their HSA's, is putting patients in danger of serious consequences. We are going to continue to see worsening health conditions in this country and the cost to healthcare will be tremendous. Meanwhile of course, the insurance companies are still maintaining their huge profit margins.

Patients do need to become proactive in initiating change. Up until now, physicians and other healthcare providers have tried to fight the ever-growing might of the insurance companies, but their voices are not being heard. The perception of the public is that the providers are only worried about their own already full pockets, so the consumer has allowed the current situation to occur. When medical malpractice premiums skyrocketed to out-of-control proportions, the public didn't wince. When patients are waiting longer times in the waiting room because physicians need to see more patients in order to be able to keep their staff, their malpractice insurance, rent, etc., patients still blamed the physicians for 'over-booking'. When physicians can only hear 1-2 problems at a time and ask patients to return, once again, patients called the physicians greedy because they have to pay more copays. Believe me, there isn'a single physician that became wealthy over $10 copays, not to mention the extra paperwork that is created with every visit. Our secretary once had a $5 copay thrown at her, saying that it should help pay for the doctor's BMW (the secretary's BMW was parked next to the doctor's).
Perhaps now, with the consumer feeling not only the increased cost but the reduction in the availability and coverage of services, the public will start paying attention and contact their legislators to stop the insurance giants of profiting so shamelessly in healthcare. Perhaps, once again, patients will begin to understand that their physicians are also victims of these companies and they will once again have the relationship of trust that they once enjoyed, instead of the current,often tense and disrespectful relationship that exists.

We knew this was coming for years.  I've talked with insurance people, legislative representitives, other business people and NO ONE knows what to do about the cost of insurance other than to say they know it's a problem.  Well,times up!  We need to stop being a country run by self interst and politicans/lawyers.  Our future as a nation is now limited only decades if something isn't changed right now. Obama doesn't have the answers, just more hot air dressed up in lofty (sic)speech that paced like Captin Kirk of the Enterprise.  McCain was no better riding in with old ideas endorsed by past glory.  We can't afford the choice of electing dumb and dumber anymore.  Let's start with a new party based on results rather than issues.  Mull it over before the heart beat of America stops.

To the Ordinary hard-worker,

You asked who in their right mind would want the government holding them by the hand, someone that has to have a kidney transplant, or bone marrow transplant, that can't afford the $100,000 cost of the operation that would extend and save their life, that's who. Someone that has to cover the majority of the costs for a by-pass operation that's who.

Someone whose medical coverage doesn't cover all the costs of treatment; that while being unable to work because of illness and/or was terminated while on leave now has to file for bankruptcy for all the medical bills racked up they incurred.

Child labor was regulated by the federal government. Pollution laws is regulated by the federal government. Anti-trust laws is regulated by the federal government. Food and drug safety is regulated by the federal government. WHY?

Because free entreprise big commercial organizations show a history that they didn't and blatantly put the safety, welfare and health of the American citizen at risk for their monetary gain. Don't get into listening to rhetoric by the HMOs. They don't want anything to change because they reap a profit.

If you don't believe me, look up what happened during the industrial revolution, Andrew Carnegie and the Pinkerton detectives, the effects and laws that were put on the books after the Great Depression and the history of Pittsburgh with its steel mills and extreme pollution. Government is proactive, is steps in as a last resort, not, first action. It lets businesses try to regulate themselves, before they do any sort of governing, oh, that's right governing. Governing is based on the principle of for the people.

The land of we the people, should be 'for' the people. 'We' the government comprised of the people should help the people and not what has been the common practice allowing only an elite group that can't be sued or easily governed that is in it for profits only.  

Please, we all have a right to our opinions freely and clearly.  I respect and appreciate how you articulated your comments without being extremely rude. Sometimes, one has to appreciate that not all jobs are easy to come by and hold. In many areas of the country, lay-offs, mergers, downsizing, offsourcing and closings have caused workers to more around like musical chairs. It's not uncommon for many to have had over 7 jobs in 10 years through no fault of their productivity but simply how the economy is and how disposable workers are nowadays.

It's a trend to lay off a worker that had higher salary with good benefits than hire than back as temporary workers earning a lower salary with practical no benefits.

However, don't continue to push the HMOs' propaganda until you review all the pros and cons of universal care. Universal care ideally was what HMOs were supposed to be doing, helping the system become more efficient in processing an individual's treatment while enabling those treatment be kept at reasonable costs kept by overseeing & managing the overall process of healthcare.

Universal, idealistically, was to ensure all had access to treatment and patient care costs without worry of it being cost prohibitive to an individual.

Apparently, from your remarks you seem to have never experienced being ill or injured such as having been in a car accident, or ever had a heart attack, nor, stroke. Nor, have you ever had to contend with back issues that can result in permanent, chronic pain that decreases your abilities regarding work.

Fortunately that is good, sadly that means, you still think of yourself as invincible. You have not 'yet' experienced a moment of vulnerability such as contracting a serious illness or condition as of yet. Back injuries can happen in an instance from doing exercise to simply twisting wrong in bed. That limits one's ability to work and function as an individual.

Sooner or later one will have to deal with healthcare system, regardless. We all have parents, spouses, siblings, and children. Someone is going to be affected and impacted by the health care system someone where down the line. Whether its dealing with the elderly when they become unable to care and tend to themselves and need to be placed in a nursing home, a child that has an injury in school or during an athletic activity.

Are you telling me you think it's alright to allow someone to die or suffer needlessly because they  lack the funds? Are you telling me it's fair for the ill and injured to be homeless or experience serious financial hardships as a result of their medical conditions? In essence, are you telling me they should be penalized and punnished for becoming ill or injured?

Universal basically means that everyone should have the same access to adequate and sufficient healthcare, not just the rich and those that work for HMOs and we shouldn't have to pay higher premiums for less coverage.

Preventative actions go so far, sooner or later something will happen. Unless you have lived centuries, as you age, you get closer to mortality and fraility.

No one even you, can predict when and if any thing will ever affect you. But, granted something will, someday, regardless of your 'preventative care'. That is the reason, we have established EMTs, paramedics, ambulances and yes, emergency rooms in our communities to handle those that become suddenly injured and ill.  

Even, if one is considered healthy and fit, something can happen without warning as one ages. A simple fall can result in breaking a leg, arm or hip. Asthma, arthitis, diabetes, multiple scelerosis, and a multitude of other chronic conditions can be experienced as one ages.

Unless you have experienced first hand what many who do have chronic illness and injury go through you can't appreciate the frustration. Do you know how demoralizing it can be for many that much of your hard-earned money is being applied directly to your healthcare? For many the various healthcare costs such as presciptions, doctors, tests, and hospital visits can break them financially to the point they are in despair.

Many of these same people stop having a lifestyle and are forced into just living by cutting down and limiting their prescription intake to keep a roof over their head and food in their stomachs, while CEOs of HMOs earn well over $30 million dollars in compensation annually.

Why are the overall benefits and services for the insured becoming more out-of-pocket and deminishing? Ask the HMOs executives. Because while the premiums keep rising, it's interesting to see that these HMOs executive compensation packages keep rising too at an alarming rate.

I find it an outrage that many in the U.S. are becoming uninsured because they simply can't afford coverage, or have been booted out of health care plans because of their existing conditions, and these executives get 100% healthcare coverage which all the perks and extras included at no cost to them.

What should bother you is that ALL of us is paying for high premiums because the majority of us don't have control, but only a minority or select few have the authority to price, regulate and monitor the entire process. That's not a democratic system, that's a capitalistic monopoly out of control.

We lived in Japan through middle of 08 and were using the Japanese health care system, paying the full fees for both medical care and drugs. We are now finding out that paying full fees in Japan was cheaper than the after insurance fees we are now having to pay in the US with full medical insurance coverage.

As an example, my wife had upper GI endoscope exam in a US hospital recently, and the charges so far has come to near $3,000 (we haven't gotten all the bills yet; insurance should take care of 70%?).  In Japan, she had the same procedure done in early 08 and the full bill with no insurance came to little over $500.

Something is awfully wrong with the US healthcare delivery.  The economic impact of not being able to keep healthy workforce must be simply devastating, not to mention it being unconscionable for a weathy society like the USA!  May be the "best healthcare money can buy" isn't the right formula for most of us who don't have millions!

What is the meaning of no Universal Healthcare because it increases taxes? What if you cannot pay, Do you have to die? I have a better idea: do not increase taxes so when nobody can pay or quite few can do it, with the rest we can prepare food znd eat them!!!!...(Am I talking aabout a movie here? Why is Charlon Heston in my mind? ). Great community sense, do not forget to go to church next sunday...God is really happy with people like you.Do not forget to ask for more money to pay your healthcare.
 
Why not a Universal healthcare with a pay-per - performance basis and a lot of lean applications and expense control within hospitals? I am going to church tomorrow to pray so I can be more wise and see how can all of us get heatlhcare coverage without abusing physicians, patients or nurses. etc. I believe we can do it

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