Posted on 01/08/2007 1:42:34 PM PST by libertarianPA
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday proposed to extend health coverage to nearly all of California's 6.5 million uninsured people, promising to spread the cost among businesses, individuals, hospitals, doctors, insurers and government.
The plan contains elements that are likely to provoke opposition from a wide range of powerful interests, including doctors, hospitals and insurers, as well as employers and unions. But it also contains incentives for each of them.
All children, regardless of their immigration status, would be covered through an expansion of the state and federal Healthy Families program.
"I don't think it is a question or a debate if they ought to be covered. ... The federal courts have made that decision — that no one can be turned away," Schwarzenegger said. "The question really isn't to treat them or not to treat them. The question really is how can you treat them in the most cost-effective way."
Under Schwarzenegger's plan, all Californians would be required to have insurance, although the poorest would be subsidized. Businesses with 10 or more employees would have to offer insurance to their workers or pay 4 percent of their payroll into a state fund. Smaller businesses would be exempt.
Also, insurers would no longer be allowed to deny coverage to people because of their medical problems.
Business groups and Republican legislators are likely to object to the extra costs imposed on businesses.
The state would subsidize the estimated 1.2 million poor people who do not currently qualify for state health coverage. They would be able to buy insurance through a state-run pool and would have to make a small contribution toward their premiums.
Schwarzenegger is betting that his plan will save $10 billion a year by cutting health care costs. He says the savings would offset the new fees he is asking doctors and hospitals to pay — 4 percent of revenue for hospitals and 2 percent for doctors.
The state also would increase what it pays doctors and hospitals through Medi-Cal, the state insurance plan for the poor.
The governor was supposed to give his address in person to a panel of health care officials. Instead, he spoke via video link since he is still recuperating from broken leg suffered in a skiing accident.
It's a choice, okay? Pays your money and takes your chances.
America has a long history of self-reliance. Those with good healthcare will continue to receive some of the best medical attention in the world, those with no healthcare coverage are pretty much on their own.
The number of folks hurt will be in direct proportion to those who don't have insurance.
The question is whether it's worth the extra money to protect these folks?
I think a lot of businesses will drop what remaining options they have for some employees.
On their own? The other folks are on their own too.
"The number of folks hurt will be in direct proportion to those who don't have insurance. "
No. All you can say is that the number of folks disatisfied that other folks are not paying their bills is higher when the govm't doesn't force "free healthcare" with a tax scheme. If that's done the hurt will continue, because there's always something they'll whine about. Try something more useful like, the number of folks hurt will be less if they'd work to educate themselves and be more self reliant.
"The question is whether it's worth the extra money to protect these folks?"
The only justification for "protection" is to protect rights. No one has a right to the goods and services of others, or to create govm't industrial monopolies. That includes the heathcare industry.
There's a requirement that all businesses start an IRS section 125 plan, enabling their employees to pay for insurance with pre-tax dollars. There's also a provision to address employers who currently have coverage and drop it in favor of the state plan. The open question is whether the penalty will be high enough that it'll make more financial sense to leave current benefits alone. If not, I think you're right.
No one has a right to the goods and services of others, or to create govm't industrial monopolies. That includes the heathcare industry.
There it is then. Basically consequences on both sides: On one side is creating a pricey healthcare system. On the other side is a bunch of people potentially hurt.
Actually she is no longer with us because she didn't take responsibility. Also, cost exaggerations don't help your argument.
http://www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/125/6/2140
Thank God we're getting out of here in about 60 days.
This is the kind of BS that the Davis recall was about.
How dare him pull this after just getting re-elected? It's Davis all over again.
Worker's comp is one of if not the biggest scams in CA. You think opening the floodgate that invites every poor person from Anchorage to Rio de Janeiro to come here to get their hemorrhoids removed is a good plan? Right now, all states are bound by the USSC decision. Making health insurance free in this state just invites those who are dependent on emergency rooms, which are only required to treat life-threatening cases, to come here and get every damn hangnail and runny nose treated.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Irresponsible people who have kids they can't afford to feed or don't have enough pride to feed on their own when they can get it free are not going to make doctor appointments. Even with coverage, they will still go to the emergency room for the sniffles. The ONLY way to keep these scumbag parasites out of the ER is to turn them away if it's not life-threatening or, if it isn't life-threatening, make them pay several hundred dollars on the spot or hit the door.
We pay over $800 pm for our coverage, just my husband and me, and if we go to the emergency room, it's $130 on the spot. We pay co-pays for doctor visits and prescriptions as well. Our premiums sky-rocketed after Davis took office because he put medi-cal into HMO's and private providers, with the state paying a small per capita premium. Of course the providers passed the deficit onto the paying customers. This proposal is no different - it just adds more dead weight to already over-burdened payors such as us. We are leaving this state in two months. I've lived here my entire life, and can remember when CA had the finest public education and affordable, comfortable lifestyle one could want. After so many years of rats running the legislature, it has become a third-world hellhole. And we live in a nice area, but even we can't take it anymore!!!!! The middle class is leaving this state in droves, and these are the reasons why. Eventually, most residents will be third-world immigrants and illegals supported by the sheltered, limo-chauffered, gated estate community-living, body-guarded uber-rich lefties.
They can have it. We're done.
Don't the kids have a father to take care of them, or did she just not bother with making sure there was a dad around for the kids?
Most young adults don't die from pneumonia, even without antibiotics. Obviously, her immune system was compromised by some other cause. Did she have AIDS?
That's real sad, but please. When she didn't get well after two weeks, she should have known she had more than a cold. There are free clinics in every city in this state. Some ask for a small donation. Doctors donate their time, and resident doctors work in them under the supervision of a full-fledged physician.
They wouldn't necessarily have had to hospitalize her. I've had it at least five times and was never hospitalized. Hospitalization for pneumonia is for small children and the elderly. If hers went on until it caused her heart to stop, she may already have had some heart failure from a defective heart or drugs or alcohol abuse, or a compromised immune system.
I'm sure there's more to the story behind her death besides not having resources.
If she has family as you say, they should take her kids in instead of putting them on state aid.
Oh, get off it. Either you don't know the whole story, or you're not telling the whole story, or you're making the whole thing up. I worked in "the system" long enough to know there are resources available to those really in need.
I agree. I also think there's a lot more to this story.
You do understand that the middle class doesn't count, anymore?
Geez, you are absurd. Young adults do not get hospitalized for pneumonia unless they have other severe complicating factors.
She could have gone to a free clinic and gotten very low cost meds at Wal-Mart. The right meds, bed rest, and several return trips to a FREE clinic would have seen her through, if any of this is even true, and I have serious doubts.
What killed her was very bad judgment.
There is no such thing as "terminal pneumonia." LOL!
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