Why can't we wait for Obamacare to fail?

1. 68

   chefsrefposted 10 years ago

   Why can't we wait for Obamacare to fail?
   
   If Obamacare is a disaster waiting to happen why not wait for it to be fully implemented? Wouldn't people then flock to your side and demand we repeal Obamacare?

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2. 79

   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   The fear is there will be enough people who will love the additional benefits. When Medicare and Social Security were first announced there was a major backlash against both programs. Today if a politician even suggests making "changes" to either program he or she would be committing political suicide!
   Essentially those who are against Obamacare see it as an entitlement program. They don't really care if it "works" or not. The fear is it will become another sacred cow like Welfare or something along those lines.
   Last but not least Obamacare is this president's "crowning achievement" aside from killing Osama Bin Laden. If Obamacare can be repealed or weaken it won't leave him with much of a legacy. It also could be used against his party during 2016 elections when most people believe Hilary Clinton will run. If the poor get used to government services it's nearly impossible to wean them off.
   In my opinion that's the (real) fear. :-)

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3. 76

   NMLadyposted 10 years ago

   Because like anything new it needs a shake-out period. It is about time we joined the REST of the developed world and took care of ourselves.  Heck, Great Britain did a TWENTY minute salute to their healthcare at the beginning of the Olympics.  We wintered for years in a place that was 68% Canadians and they all privately said we we crazy for not wanting the Affordable Care Act.  As a business manager I SO wanted out of providing health ins. for my employees;  Heck, most biz have gone to p/t and contracted so they do NOT have to provide healthcare!
   Right now Obama Cares has made it illegal for an ins. company that took your money for your whole life to just summarily discontinue your health care because you used it!!!  It is no longer a pre-existing condition to be a woman too!  My students can all stay on their parents healthcare now too.  AND my little niece who was born with juvenile arthritis cannot be declined by the insurance co,;  Heck, she would have NEVER qualified for any employer's health care because of being born with juvenile arthritis (and anything they could remotely link to it!)
   And, insurance cos. MUST plow your money back into your healthcare and not line their own pockets!
   So, I do disagree with you on this.  I think Obama Cares is a God sent Blessing.

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   1. 68

      chefsrefposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Hey NM
      You misunderstand me. I am waiting for Obamacare. I was denied insurance for pre-existing conditions. I was hoping to get some Obamacare haters to explain themselves. I think there is great fear that it will be popular.

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   2. 76

      NMLadyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes,  I did.  I did want to make my case.  So glad.

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4. 0

   Justsilvieposted 10 years ago

   It is not just Obamacare!  Conservatives have always been against any national healthcare plan and would have acted the same way no matter who suggested it, how well it worked or how much money was saved. If they get Obamacare repealed. I will bet my pension, we will never see another plan for the people on the table.

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   1. 38

      ChristinSposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      That is why it is so important we don't allow them to overturn it.

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      Justsilvieposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I totally agree ChristinS. It would be sad to see greed win once more in this country.

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5. 66

   LandmarkWealthposted 10 years ago

   It depends on how you define failure. Unfortunately entitlements have are often embraced by many people because they can't see the unintended consequences.  One example is Medicare.  It is very popular among seniors and most Americans who expect it when they retire.  What most Americans are totally uneducated about is that Medicare and other such entitlements are what is distorting the price of healthcare to begin with. So while they think they are receiving this benefit for next to nothing, in reality it's costing all of us more than this nation can afford. 
   
   Medicare reimbursements are so poor that Dr's must bill private insurance much more to account for the difference.  Many Dr's nationally are opting out of Medicare or at least limiting the number of medicare patients they'll take. They'll wait until one dies before they take on another.  Most Dr's won't even take medicaid for an appt at all. They have to do this to stay in business. The over billing to private insurers has now caused so many problems that they drop their reimbursement to levels that medicare pays, so Dr's are opting out of network in private insurance as well in order to get paid a reasonable sum.  This ultimately hurts the consumer/patient.
   
   The impact to the federal budget which is being consumed by entitlements is massive. Nearly 2/3rds of the budget is now entitlements.  And now the current unfunded liability based on projected demographic shifts is a combined whopping 100 Trillion dollars for medicare/prescription drug coverage in an economy that has a total current GDP of about 16 trillion. This negatively impacts the purchasing power of the dollar and devalues your ability to consume goods and services. 
   
   Since the advent of Medicare, overall inflation in the healthcare industry has skyrocketed from all of these price distortions. Contrary to popular political propaganda, seniors did not go uncovered prior to the creation of Medicare.  Prior to it's creation, 75% of seniors were already covered by the Kerr-Mills program.  The rest would get free care already Hill-Burton Act, in which hospitals agreed to provide free care to anyone who needed it in return for government grants and loans. In fact overall accessibility to medical care has gone down substantially since the gov't got into the healthcare business as a participant.
   
   “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.” Alexis de Tocqueville

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      LandmarkWealthposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The point is simply that what is popular is not necessarily good for you.  And most Americans don't understand economics well enough to see the unintended consequences. Most people probably think the gov't should just hand out million dollar bills.

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      ChristinSposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I've never seen a doctor who refused medicaid or medicare and I'd question their ethics if they did. The top orthopedic surgeon in our city regularly sees medicaid patients. The insurace/pharma for profit greed industry distorts the prices.

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      LandmarkWealthposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Look it up. About 1/3rd of the nations Dr's and growing won't accept new Medicaid patients. Generally much higher in poor area's where the coverage is primary. 60% in NJ.  Insurance distorts prices because we don't use it as insurance is defined.

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   4. 79

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      With any new law there are detractors. I can remember being in California when they began "no smoking" in public establishments. Restaurant and bar owners said it would kill their business. Once it became the "norm" life went on. Doctors will too

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   5. 66

      LandmarkWealthposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Life will go on for those with resources.  The poor will get negatively impacted the most.  Even the Mayo Clinic opted out of Medicare in several states.  Don't confuse insurance with receiving care.  Smoking bans are not price distortions

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