Incentives to get everyone insured to spread the cost more evenly. And where should we move political discussions of health care issues?

[Guest guest]

Like passing a law that says EVERYONE must purchase health insurance or be fined or something?Good idea IMHO. Sort of like the military position (at least Navy in WWII as my Dad always said)."Son, I know I cannot MAKE you follow the rules. But, as the Navy teaches, I can sure make you wish you HAD followed the rules." Should we start up a conversation or group to discuss these issues? Or could just email each other. Interesting to get other opinions. But I think we need to move this out of hyperaldo. Suggestions?CE Grim MD , you're missing the power of incentives, both positive and negative. Val From: hyperaldosteronism [mailto:hyperaldosteronism ] On Behalf Of Bingham The lower income use the health are system at a pace double that of the higher income brackets. Lower income are more likely to smoke, more likely to be obese, more likely to have children out of wedlock, more likely to be a single parent family, more likely to have children as teenagers, more likely to enter the legal system, and even more likely to suffer from depression (I looked all those up). They also pay less taxes. Yet utilize more tax-based programs and health insurance than any one else. The system, if susidized for those with lower income would be just like it is today - those who work hard and make good money once again have to pay for those who don't work and have less money - meaning once again those that put less into the system GET to use more of it and more often then those who do pay in. When costs got high and cuts were made, we'd be like we are today - once again because someone has a nice paycheck they would get to pay for their own insurance and then for someone elses too, but that someone else wouldn't have to help pay their own whatsoever. Something VERY wrong in my mind about this mentaility. Francis, there is virtually no reason Medicaid (health care for the poor) cannot be structured with an HSA and catastrophic policy. The average family policy in 2010 ran $1,247 a month. Think of how much of a spending account and catastrophic policy one could have! The price of insurance is whatever it is regardless of one's income. If income is low enough, America provides.

[Guest guest]

I would think a guoup would be best. Can then put link to it.

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> > Francis, there is virtually no reason Medicaid (health care for the

> > poor) cannot be structured with an HSA and catastrophic policy. The

> > average family policy in 2010 ran $1,247 a month. Think of how much

> > of a spending account and catastrophic policy one could have! The

> > price of insurance is whatever it is regardless of one's income. If

> > income is low enough, America provides.

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[Guest guest]

I see group site has chat think we could use it. looks like in doesn't have to

live chat. as it keeps a history of all chats not that anyone has used it much.

all that has to be done to use it is log on to group and on left side screen

click on chat.

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> > > > From: Valarie <val@>

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> > > > Francis, there is virtually no reason Medicaid (health care for

> > the

> > > > poor) cannot be structured with an HSA and catastrophic policy.

> > The

> > > > average family policy in 2010 ran $1,247 a month. Think of how

> > much

> > > > of a spending account and catastrophic policy one could have! The

> > > > price of insurance is whatever it is regardless of one's income.

> > If

> > > > income is low enough, America provides.

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[Guest guest]

People still drive without car insurance

Francis, there is virtually no reason Medicaid (health care for the poor) cannot be structured with an HSA and catastrophic policy. The average family policy in 2010 ran $1,247 a month. Think of how much of a spending account and catastrophic policy one could have! The price of insurance is whatever it is regardless of one's income. If income is low enough, America provides.

[Guest guest]

Ah but it is against the law. Penalty not severe enough yet. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertension

People still drive without car insurance

Francis, there is virtually no reason Medicaid (health care for the poor) cannot be structured with an HSA and catastrophic policy. The average family policy in 2010 ran $1,247 a month. Think of how much of a spending account and catastrophic policy one could have! The price of insurance is whatever it is regardless of one's income. If income is low enough, America provides.

[Guest guest]

People still smoke marijuana and athletes give up million dollar contracts just to smoke it because its "not addicting" (even millions $$ isn't incentive enough for some to not break the law). People still snort and sell cocaine and meth. They still drink and drive. They still molest children. They still beat their wives. We all still speed in our car sometimes.

My point is stern penalties don't always solve the problem.

And then when the lower class or minorities can't afford their health insurance, and are thrown in jail, or people are fined thousands of dollars (yeah they can't afford it in the first place, but lets fine them.....), how long will it be before it is seen as profiling and racist to enforce it and we get to listen to the Reverend Al Sharpton on MSNBC complaining about it or Gloria Allred sitting next to the single mom who is busting her ass but is getting fined or put in jail because she has some self respect and is at least trying to earn her way through life but makes $2 over the threshhold and yet can't afford her health insurance?

But then you say those people who are lower income should get subsidized by the US government and they get help with their insurance. Why should they get precedence over the hard worker who is in a high tax bracket and IS paying that elusive "fair share"? On who's money is the subsidy? And then how is this different than today anyway?

Oh, I know, the "other" people - those filthy rich- now get to pay for insurance they may never use until they are a retiree (or they paid cash before when they went in to the doc and it worked out fine for them) against their will, but still get to fund medicaid with their tax dollars so the other guy can sleep in til noon and make his 1pm appointment cash free at the doctors office.

I cannot for the life of me see what you guys (some of you) see in that it is acceptable to punish the hard working and the honest, to give to others who may be lower on the ambition tree. Some have true issues and need some help. But not all "down on their luck" are down on their luck - they just see a free meal. And not all honest hard workers are taking from someone else - but they sure seem to have to give a lot.

And we'd have to make certain the rules for disability are as tough as they ever have been.

Francis, there is virtually no reason Medicaid (health care for the poor) cannot be structured with an HSA and catastrophic policy. The average family policy in 2010 ran $1,247 a month. Think of how much of a spending account and catastrophic policy one could have! The price of insurance is whatever it is regardless of one's income. If income is low enough, America provides.