Comments about ‘'Health care eating department alive'’

We don't need no stinking health care reform. Let the veterans fend for themselves. There is nothing in the constitution that allows this entitlement so people like the astute Carl Wimmer should immediately show how smart he is by not allowing any of this money pass on to Utah veterans.

This is a perfect example of why Obamacare will "eat America alive"! Can't afford it, can't manage it and can't make it work! In meantime, rationing is the only option for the Dept. of Defense.

So, we should let the veterans fend for themselves?

Let's see, exactly, how the private industry treats its patients.

*'Wellpoint Drops Coverage For Some Women With Breast Cancer' - By Mary Ellen Egan - Forbes Magazine - 04/23/10

*Insurer revoked HIV Patients coverage Reuters 03/17/10
The person: Jerome Mitchell.

*'Heavy infant in Grand Junction denied health insurance' - By Nancy Lofholm - Denver Post - 10/12/09
The child: Alex Lange, he was 4 months old.

This is the care we want to put our veterans through? On top of PTSD or any lost limbs?

3 words sum up my opinion here...

Support. Our. Troops.

Also, let's not pretend that he cost of healthcare is more affordable, or going 'down' with private healthcare.

Before Healthcare reform:

*'Health costs double for workers over decade' - MSN - 09/15/09
'Study: More cost increases expected in company-sponsored plans in 2010'


*'Only in America: Bankruptcy Due to Health Care Costs' - August 2009
'The American Journal of Medicine documents that health care expenses were the most common cause of bankruptcy in the United States in 2007, accounting for 62% of US bankruptcies compared with 8% in 1981. Most bankruptcies occurred in middle-class citizens with health insurance, further evidence that our current health care system, based on for-profit, employment-based health insurance, is not working. Millions of Americans have limited access to health care because they cannot afford health insurance.'
- James E. Dalen, MD, MPH
- The American Journal of Medicine

This was BEFORE 'Obamacare'. The REASON for Healthcare reform is because private insurance, which some here are advocating our Veterans be put on, is increasingly becoming unafordable to American Middle class.

I would like to see their annual fee doubled this year, and doubled again every 5 years until they are paying at least 50% of what the average person / family is paying. I don't mind giving the military / ex-military a good deal on insurance but they shouldn't have a free ride either. For those who were injured or wounded during active service or have medical problems related to their service, they should be able to continue to pay what they do annually. If they have current employment outside the military they should use their employer insurance as primary and the military can provide secondary benefits. Why is it so hard for the government to figure things like this out.

I think there ought to be some consideration for those who are in active combat vs. those who make a career of the military for the benefits alone (and I know there are many of those). But any veteran who actually fights and risks his life deserves special treatment. And even more so for those who are wounded, maimed or emotionally damaged. Their health costs will be more for a lifetime, and it will be because they sacrificed for us.

As a vet. tricare stinks to high heaven. I have to drive over 150 miles one way to see a aproved tricare doctor or go to a military hospital again over 150 miles one way. my health care is substandard rationed and denied half the time. if i had to pay say a extra 500 a year to get better care you bet. as for now I use my wifes health insurance plan and we pay 4,000 a year for top of the line health insurance and have the best covrage money can buy. So if we vets have to pay more into our health insurance to get better covrage so be it!

I want to know why the cost has increased by 279% over just more than a decade! Traditional medial costs/insurance hasn't increased at anywhere near that rate. Somebody needs to be held responsible.

Isn't this proof of what happens when you allow a government agency to manage things? And if this is what happens in one small segment of health care costs as managed by government bureaucrats, imagine the result when we all have government-managed health care.

Why don't the law makers divy up their health care plan to the vets and take what the vets get? Lawmakers get the best healthcare, anywhere they want, and they don't pay a dime for it. They even continue to get it after they are out of office.

Those who make the laws take care of themselves first!!

Personally, I think the Beav is on track. We should get back to looking at why health care costs are rising so much faster than other products and services. A few years ago there was a lot of activity in that regard but it turned out to be multi-faceted and complicated, and ended up going no where. So health care costs continue to eat up workers wages adn salaries, year after year. Yeah, its tough but it needs to be done. Let's put less emphasis on treating symptoms and work on the fixing the cause.

to Justaguy,
the rising cost to health care has about three causes. the first one is no compation, no reason for a doctor or a hospital to compeat for your dollar when there is insurance involed, skys the limit! 2nd reason is medicare and medicaide, Dr.'s are forced to treat people and get rembursed at 75 percent less then what it really cost to to treat. so they pass the cost on to you guessed it the ones who have insurance. hence the driving up the cost. then you have nurses unions that will threaten to strike if they don't make 75 thousand a year and get tripple timew for anything over 12 hours. thats just tip. And as for TRICARE for vets it is draining the pool of funds big time right now I pay 6 dollars a year for the worst covrage in the world. I would be glad to pay what it really cost to have great covrage.

"The current fees, unchanged in 11 years, are $230 a year for an individual and $460 for a family. That's far less than what civilian federal workers pay for health care, about $5,000 a year, and what most other people in the U.S. pay."

Veterans are paying less than 10% of what federal civilian workers pay, and civiian federal workers have a sweet deal compared to many private sector employees. Those who have been in combat deserve some consideration, but I question whether it needs to be only paying 10% if what is already a sweet deal.

Pagan,
how about BO's campaign promise that Obamacare would cap personal health care expenses at $2500 per family per year? BO lied. How convenient that you chose to ignore that one.