No you actually get ripped off by Uncle Sam. You paid the government through a contract via wage deduction for a service to be rendered by the same. To whom you pay for a service you expect to be able to hold accountable. You can no longer do that. Congress gave away your premiums to their friends. Here is a portion of a mail I sent earlier today on this very matter. It has been edited somewhat.
Blue Cross Blue Shield was the major player and proponent of Tenn Care or Universal Health Care in my state. They threw a major advertising campaign and scare smear campaign to encourage Hillary Care's beginnings. They told doctors either sign on or you will not see another patient we cover in the private sector. Several other major companies joined in on this as well. They now control our state government through fear tactics. When Medicare/ Medicaid started it was the sole purpose to provide care to retired workers, disabled workers, dependent children of such and widows. What killed it is what's being done now the vast expansion of this program as a national health care system.
The doctors could afford taking some patients at reduced payments now a vast majority of patients are government subsidized. HMO's have a nasty habit of payment denials and at best slow payments to providers. This drives cost up. As well this isn't the 1960's in terms of diagnostic equipment which cost a bundle. The hospitals ran best when ran by the church. Even they in many cases couldn't afford to keep the doors open any longer under present conditions. Much of it was due to the HMO system created by congress. That is when the cost of heath care went out of site. HMO's cost doctors money that either private patients or private insured are going to make up the difference.
HMO's operate under fraudulant conditions, are poorly managed, do not deversify their funds to cover loss as money goes directly to share holders, and if not brought to some accountability for their actions will lead us into socialized medicine as a result. The history on congress in this matter is pathetic. HMO elevated legal status needs to be eliminated and the HMO's forced to either meet their claims and market pressures or go out of business. BTW I do not support a Patients Bill of Rights either as our founders provided us all with one to live under.
The answer is giving substancial tax breaks to employers and self employed for private insurance. In my state {medicaid} Tenn Care is being used both as a private insurance high risk dumping ground and as a bogus employers health care plan. The employers have no incentive to offer the services and the private insurance companies enjoy dumping all their high risk customers off on the state. High risk can now mean a being diabetic or having high blood pressure with no heart disease. We're headed for socialized medicine and the HMO's are lobying heavy to be the overseer's of this. So far they have the total support on this matter from both the GOP and DEMs.
When you or if you ever go on Medicare see if you can keep track of how many HMO's control that money. You're in for a shock. I've counted at least 4 different ones for my wife at the same time. That means that the doctor has 4 different claims and has to justify services. I can't keep up with it nor could I say if payments were being made to the doctor or what for. This encourage fraud. HMO's now control Medicare as well again with the blessings of congress. The services are going to have to be paid. The government obligated itself through wage deductions to the worker for services. I see it a much cheaper option for government to pay out claims and manage Medicare itself directly rather than have those same funds given to a middle man. Whether or not government had any business creating Social Security/ medicare or Medicare is now moot as it has through taking money obligated itself to this service and should be made to do so in an accountable and responsible manner.
First things first. Medicare and Medicaid should be brought back to it's origional intent. That would substancially reduce the drain it now has on the funds. It should be operated and managed soley by the federal and state government where accountability can be seen and your state and federal lawmakers can act on grievances on your behalf. That oversight is now lost. Social Security needs to start being phased out. Allow for opt out programs. As well private retirement and disability coverage should be encouraged through tax cuts both to employer and employees. This is not the same thing as what is being done now. There is no accountability and that's the root of the problem.
There is no contract with the government. You have no choice in this matter. Unless you're a Hillary fan and believe any program the government offers is yours from cradle to grave. I'll be back later to refute the rest of this stuff.