Health Care Reform

[tech2101]

US healthcare system wastes up to $800 bln a year

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. healthcare system is just as wasteful as President Barack Obama says it is, and proposed reforms could be paid for by fixing some of the most obvious inefficiencies, preventing mistakes and fighting fraud, according to a Thomson Reuters report released on Monday.

* Unnecessary care such as the overuse of antibiotics and lab tests to protect against malpractice exposure makes up 37 percent of healthcare waste or $200 to $300 billion a year.

* Administrative inefficiency and redundant paperwork account for 18 percent of healthcare waste.

* Medical mistakes account for $50 billion to $100 billion in unnecessary spending each year, or 11 percent of the total.

Entire Reuters article here

 

[Freedom4all]

US healthcare system wastes up to $800 bln a year





Entire Reuters article here

Tort reform would take care of the first part.

 

[tech2101]

Tort reform would take care of the first part.

I am already on record supporting some kind of reform.

I like the idea of arbitration panels led by independent specialists.

 

[Freedom4all]

US healthcare system wastes up to $800 bln a year





Entire Reuters article here

And medicare fraud is the second highest cause? Soooooo let's create a medicare system for everyone then?

What a joke.

 

[tech2101]

And medicare fraud is the second highest cause? Soooooo let's create a medicare system for everyone then?

What a joke.

Show me where this plan creates a medicare system for everyone.

That abuse/fraud that exists today is why Medicare is part of this reform plan. The reform bills are targeting this waste.

This is the typical twisting that your side has been using to scare Medicare recipients. The plan is to rid the waste and scams in Medicare, thereby reducing the amount spent on Medicare.

The fear monger crowd (you) just report that the plan will take away Medicare benefits from grandma/grandpa.

 

[Freedom4all]

Show me where this plan creates a medicare system for everyone.

That abuse/fraud that exists today is why Medicare is part of this reform plan. The reform bills are targeting this waste.

This is the typical twisting that your side has been using to scare Medicare recipients. The plan is to rid the waste and scams in Medicare, thereby reducing the amount spent on Medicare.

The fear monger crowd (you) just report that the plan will take away Medicare benefits from grandma/grandpa.

Keep guzzling the kool aid techie, no one is buying it. Gov has never been able to reduce costs, ever. Look at what the original cost of medicare projections and what it turned out to be. LOL

Look at the projections of SS and what it turned out to be. LOL

Look at projections of the stimulus and what it turned out to be. LOL

 

[delldude]

This is the typical twisting that your side has been using to scare Medicare recipients. The plan is to rid the waste and scams in Medicare, thereby reducing the amount spent on Medicare.

The fear monger crowd (you) just report that the plan will take away Medicare benefits from grandma/grandpa.

From the fear monger crowd Tech

 

[Freedom4all]

Recent 60 minutes segment that exposes the depth of Medicare fraud.

Video Link
Transcript Link

When gov gets involved, tax payer loses.

 

[tech2101]

When gov gets involved, tax payer loses.

Tell that to the taxpayers who use Medicare regularly.

 

[KCFlyer]

Tell that to the taxpayers who use Medicare regularly.

What's been great about this health care debate are the number of people who say the government screws up everything...but then says "don't you DARE touch my Medicare". The right has done a great job of convincing seniors that "government medicine" is horrible...but somehow really blurs the line that Medicare IS government medicine. The younger set feel that they'll never get sick, but if they do, they trust that their private insurer won't become a "death panel" for them. A couple of weeks ago I saw one of those "only in America" things...a guy lost his job and couldn't afford COBRA coverage...family member gets cancer...they were holding a bake sale to try to cover expenses. Ahhhh....made me kind of proud to be an American. Lose the job...lose the house....hold a bake sale....lose a family member. And the compassionate voice on the right rings out "You shoulda planned better".

 

[Freedom4all]

Tell that to the taxpayers who use Medicare regularly.

And look at the flip side of that coin, rampant fraud, operating in the red only to be fed by more of the taxpayers $$$. Thats a great model of gov inefficiency.

At the time, proponents said that medicare was to compete with private insurance, look what happen? Single payer system, exploding costs with no way to cover them without more taxpayer money. Ponzi scheme at its finest.

 

[Freedom4all]

The Single Payer Bunch

Smoke and mirrors, smoke and mirrors.

 

[KCFlyer]

And look at the flip side of that coin, rampant fraud, operating in the red only to be fed by more of the taxpayers $$$. Thats a great model of gov inefficiency.

At the time, proponents said that medicare was to compete with private insurance, look what happen? Single payer system, exploding costs with no way to cover them without more taxpayer money. Ponzi scheme at its finest.

Hmmm...rampant fraud. Whadya say we put some money towards auditing the DOCTORS and HOSPITALS that are commiting this fraud...crack down on them. YOu know...kind of like private insurance companies do to them. Would that help you any?

 

[Freedom4all]

Hmmm...rampant fraud. Whadya say we put some money towards auditing the DOCTORS and HOSPITALS that are commiting this fraud...crack down on them. YOu know...kind of like private insurance companies do to them. Would that help you any?

What's your argument? You only reinforce my position. Thanks!

Yes why have the government not addressed the rampant fraud issue after all these years? Because its not their money, its the taxpayers. Does that make it any more clearer for you?

They want to expand healthcare entitlement, but can't prove they can run it efficiently with the existing programs.

 

[southwind]

Again, if you want to increase competiveness and lower insurance cost let Insurance companys compete across state lines, just like they do for auto and life insurance !