Posted on 12/06/2023 7:55:09 AM PST by SeekAndFind
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law legislation that officially brought the United States government into the business of providing health care. There were two major new programs created. Medicare was an insurance program for all individuals over age of 65, and it would be paid for by paycheck deductions that would be matched by employers. No senior who worked, or his spouse, would lack health care.
The genesis of the second program was that America was a great and compassionate country, and we should not turn our back on those who cannot help themselves. We would “aid” them until, if possible, they could get back on their feet and take care of themselves. The new welfare program was named Medicaid.
Medicaid is often referred to as health care insurance for the poor, but that is a misnomer. Insurance, by definition, means individuals (or groups) pay premiums to an insurance company that then spreads the risk of future possible costs over the entire population of payers, allowing for affordable individual protection. Medicaid is a welfare program, where underprivileged individuals pay no premium and receive “free” government-subsidized health care.
Originally, the underprivileged group eligible for Medicaid was defined as having income at or below the poverty level. The federal government had broad rules that governed Medicaid administration and provided 50% of the funds. The states were responsible for the other 50% of funding and implementing the program.
In 1997, Congress passed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This program was added to the Medicaid program and covered children who lived in homes with incomes up to 200% of the poverty line without health care insurance.
In 2010, Obamacare was passed and expanded Medicaid eligibility to 130% of the poverty level. The federal government would initially shoulder 100% of the cost,
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The federal government would back away from micromanaging the program, and States would be given broad discretion on how to determine eligibility and administrate the program.
In 2017, when the now deceased Senator McCain famously cast the deciding vote to stop any Obamacare changes, the bill in front of him was not a true repeal; it was to establish Medicaid state block grants and to get control of the massive Obamacare increase in Medicaid federal spending. Blinded by his hate of President Trump, Senator McCain violated his campaign promise to begin the repeal and replacement of Obamacare.
If America is to ever rein in federal Medicaid spending, block grants must happen.
It is up to the states to innovate and drive the needed change to make Medicaid viable. The first essential action is to force America’s health care providers to clean up their own houses. All licenses for hospitals, surgical centers, RediCare facilities, freestanding imaging centers, private cancer centers, cosmetic centers, physicians, dentists, oral surgeons, physical therapists, and podiatrists will be contingent on accepting Medicaid.
Review
“Other people are paying so who cares.”
Bullshit word. Going on the list.
Medicaid is socialized healthcare, it is what the marxists want for all citizens.
There — I corrected it. Outside the military, Congress and the White House, and perhaps some clinics on Indian reservations, the U.S. government doesn’t treat any medical issues for anyone.
There’s no way to “fix” health care unless third-party payment as the standard means of paying for it comes to an end. And it doesn’t matter if the “third party” in question is a government agency or a private insurance company.
While block grants make perfect sense, it will never happen
ONLY Fed.gov has the “balance sheet” to support an ever-growing Ponzi-scheme like that. They can borrow endlessly, with printed Federal Reserve fiat notes. States can’t do that. Everyone with any brains in DC knows it, but no one will say it - because the same thing applies to every leftist Fed.gov social-engineering scheme and military adventure. Thus Fed.gov must always be in the lead.
My solution would be “health free enterprise zones” - literally set aside one or two areas in a state or city where doctors would have offices, and private hospitals would be built - where only cash is accepted, taxes are low, and Fed.gov rules do not apply.
Keep the old, corrupt system which has too many vested interests and thus is impossible to reform - but give people choice by allowing a completely free system to develop alongside it, because it will be needed as the old system crumbles.
I COULD work better, but any program run by government bureaucrats is bound to fail.
Take the millions of illegal aliens off of Medicaid - problem solved.
* gets letter from IRS
* letter is ad for healthcare.gov
* ponders the interrelationship between revenue department, government and health racketeering
while lighting a nice stove fire with letter
What the communist bastards call “privilege” I call “the results of long-term thinking and good decision-making”.
IN CALIF: MEDICAID pays: DOWN PAYMENTS ON A HOUSE/RENT/GROCERIES ( past food stamps)/ MONEY FOR ITEMS YOU WOULDN’T EVEN BELIEVE.
I have been getting calls from 6:11 AM to 10:40 PM connected to “medicare” supplement options.
I called the last live caller a BITCH—in high decibels for calling me at 6:24 in the AM.
“There’s no way to “fix” health care unless third-party payment as the standard means of paying for it comes to an end.”
Agreed—cash on the table is a hard dose of reality, one transaction at a time.
Medicare for all?
Why am I wrong?
Folks with plenty will always have choices. One of the greatest things about wealth: it creates opportunities and choices.
Everyone else have limited options.
If your fellow Citizens matter to you, why not have a public option for health care and services?
Not Cadillac Care, but why not Chevette Care?
Keep people healthy and avoid huge costs. Obesity, alcohol and drug addiction cost plenty. Want help? Stop doing what you’re doing, or let em die in the street.
In one generation, the entire country will change.
“In one generation, the entire country will change.”
Far less than that, but in the shorter term maybe the mRNA shots will help reduce the medicare rolls
This is about Medicaid, not Medicare. Thing is, some people have both and get really large benefits.
I would recommend a basic course in (free market) economics—like these books:
https://www.amazon.com/Economics-One-Lesson-Shortest-Understand/dp/0517548232
https://www.amazon.com/Economy-State-Power-Market-Scholars/dp/1933550996/
Once a good becomes “free” then demand becomes unlimited.
Since there is real labor and materials cost to produce that good that unlimited demand faces limited supply which means that the price will always keep increasing.
That is what we have now.
“Free” equals systemic collapse—every time.
It takes decades though—so by the time the collapse happens it is too late to do anything about it.
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