Posted on 03/13/2009 8:23:23 PM PDT by newbie2008
The US federal government faces a long-term fiscal gap, which exceeds, from all indications, $70 trillion. This gap is the present value difference between all projected future expenditures and all projected future receipts.
Its size reflects the impending retirement of 78m baby boomers and the fact that when retired, they will receive annual benefits from social security, Medicaid (the healthcare scheme for people on low incomes) and Medicare (for the elderly and disabled) that average more than per capita gross domestic product.
The fiscal gap is the true measure of the nation’s net fiscal obligations because it puts explicit and implicit debts on an even footing. Coming up with $70 trillion in present value would require an immediate and permanent doubling of the payroll tax or taking other draconian fiscal measures that will lead to immediate and sustained massive surpluses.
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Initiating another enormous federal healthcare programme when you are already $70 trillion in the hole and have no actual or prospective control over spending on your current healthcare programs (Medicaid and Medicare) is irresponsible, to put it mildly.
Leave it the hell alone.
Wrong!
Get gov't clear out of healthcare and fix our abusive lawsuit practices. And while your at it, get them out of education too.
EVERYTHING government has stuck their nose into in the past 40 years....they’ve SCREWED UP.....People...People...People....GET a CLUE!
Start with tort reform.
Get the lawyers out of it and allow individuals to buy health insurance at group rates across state lines.
Right. Throw out the ridiculous lawsuits so people stop trying to get rich off of the backs of others.
I came to your post and realized I didn’t need to be here.
“Leave it the hell alone.”
You said exactly what I wanted to say.
No. Medicare needs to be shelved.
US Healthcare is BEYOND repair! Give it a hug, and pull the plug!
We will soon have little choice … socialized medicine will include maximum government intervention and control and little or no access to the courts for redress of grievance’s
Better what we have than what is to come.
Euthanize the lawyers!
Quite sadly, you’re probably right.
The US has the most expensive health care system in the world, with loads of regulation. It could use some change. Hopefully, it will not get the kind of change Obama is passing around.
Insurance companies pay out about 85% of their income in benefits. 15% is salary and profits. Hospitals and physicians spend at least 15% of their income in billing and getting reimbursement from insurers, the government and individuals.
30% of healthcare dollars are spent keeping track of the money alone, on bookkeeping.
My suggestion: require that individuals be able to pay physicians or facilities the lowest rate accepted from insurance companies. If a mammogram cost the insurance company $160, don’t make the individual pay $800.
Then individuals will be more likely to get catastrophic policies and pay for the small stuff directly and the bookkeeping expenses will be greatly cut.
If individuals pay more of the small costs out of pocket, they’ll also be more careful about what services they seek.
Reconsider EMTALA.
Control the borders.
At my age, I fear Obama’s socialists ideas. Only my faith in Jesus makes me smile at Obama’s machinations.
Stop the States from mandating a state protection racket for certain select insurance companies which limits competiton and is essentially state racketeering.
Allow people to buy insurance from across state lines or even country lines if they want.
Get the FDA to back off of the drug companies.
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