wrote in message
...
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:20:39 -0400, H the K
wrote:

We are right in the middle of the insurance selection window. Lots of
people are getting a package with something like that in it.

IBM's retiree EPO (United) went from $860 to 988 a month.

Our provider has sent out notifications that the program we've been
part of for 5 or 6 years will no longer be offered. Of course the
replacements will either curtail coverage or offer the same at an
inflated rate.

The timing couldn't be better to help folks realize that the public
option is one of the few weapons against this legal fleecing.


More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Seems to me that if you eliminated over time the private health
insurers, the high profits they are skimming could be put to use
providing needed care and coverage to Americans, costs would stabilize,
and we could have serious negotiations on price with all manner of
providers.


Medical services would be cheaper if we had to actually write a check.
Insurance should really only be for catastrophic injuries and
illnesses. We should be paying out of pocket for routine maintenance.
That is the only way to cut out the middle man, whether that is the
government or the insurance companies

BTW insurance companies really don't have that high a profit margin
when compared to other, similar sized companies.


What about people who are unemployed for one reason or another?

--
Nom=de=Plume

H the K wrote:
On 10/30/09 2:16 PM, jps wrote:
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:15:37 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:21:46 -0400, H the
wrote:

NC insurer says timing of mailings unfortunate


The Associated Press

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. — Even Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
acknowledges that its timing on two recent mailings was unfortunate.

The News&Observer of Raleigh reported that customers first learned
their
rates will rise by an average of 11 percent next year.


We are right in the middle of the insurance selection window. Lots of
people are getting a package with something like that in it.

IBM's retiree EPO (United) went from $860 to 988 a month.

Our provider has sent out notifications that the program we've been
part of for 5 or 6 years will no longer be offered. Of course the
replacements will either curtail coverage or offer the same at an
inflated rate.

The timing couldn't be better to help folks realize that the public
option is one of the few weapons against this legal fleecing.


More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Seems to me that if you eliminated over time the private health
insurers, the high profits they are skimming could be put to use
providing needed care and coverage to Americans, costs would stabilize,
and we could have serious negotiations on price with all manner of
providers.




BTW, what are their "net" profits?

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:01:01 -0400, wrote:



BTW insurance companies really don't have that high a profit margin
when compared to other, similar sized companies.

When you're 1/6 of the economy, 3.5% goes a long way.
Probably more then tens of scores of dineros.

--Vic

nom=de=plume wrote:
"BAR" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:20:39 -0400, H the K
wrote:

More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Yesterday Lou Dobbs had a panel of eminent doctors on for about half
an hour and gave their leader the reins of the show.
Their view boiled down to:
1. Standardization/computeriztion of all insurance forms.
Puts too many bueareucrats out of business at the insurance companies.

2. Everybody going to primary care and counseled on the lifestyle
changes to keep them healthy. Heavy cost up front, but long term
payoff.
What do you do about fat doctors? When I was young and was caught with
cigarettes I received a lecture from my father about the evils of
smoking, while he was somking a cigarette himself.

A fat doctor telling me to lose weight isn't going to go over too well
either.

3. Free medical school. Takes care of all doctor needs.
Nope. No way. Aint going to happen. Nothing is free. If you want your
medical school paid for you are going to have to obligate yourself to
service of some kind with the understanding that if you break the
agreement you are compelled to reimburse whomever paid for all of your
expenses related to medical school.

Or, you can work for minimum wage the rest of your life. Your choice.

4. Catastrophic care taken care of by gov insurance.
Why does the government need to be involved? Is the government going to
pay for PMI too incase you default on your mortgage?

They were confident that the nation's medical needs can be
accomplished for much less money and with better results than is
currently done. Many countries already do it.
They made a lot of sense.
But they seemed to be dedicated and ethical doctors.
They weren't pols on the take for campaign contributions.
Medical care is not a right.



Medical care is not a right, but it should be.

Are you ready to put your money where your ample mouth is. That's the
trouble with you loonie lefties. You want someone else to pay for it.

nom=de=plume wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:20:39 -0400, H the K
wrote:

We are right in the middle of the insurance selection window. Lots of
people are getting a package with something like that in it.

IBM's retiree EPO (United) went from $860 to 988 a month.
Our provider has sent out notifications that the program we've been
part of for 5 or 6 years will no longer be offered. Of course the
replacements will either curtail coverage or offer the same at an
inflated rate.

The timing couldn't be better to help folks realize that the public
option is one of the few weapons against this legal fleecing.

More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Seems to me that if you eliminated over time the private health
insurers, the high profits they are skimming could be put to use
providing needed care and coverage to Americans, costs would stabilize,
and we could have serious negotiations on price with all manner of
providers.

Medical services would be cheaper if we had to actually write a check.
Insurance should really only be for catastrophic injuries and
illnesses. We should be paying out of pocket for routine maintenance.
That is the only way to cut out the middle man, whether that is the
government or the insurance companies

BTW insurance companies really don't have that high a profit margin
when compared to other, similar sized companies.


What about people who are unemployed for one reason or another?

All they need to do is claim illegal alien status for all the free
medical care they want.

D. Duck wrote:
H the K wrote:
On 10/30/09 2:16 PM, jps wrote:
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:15:37 -0400, wrote:

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:21:46 -0400, H the
wrote:

NC insurer says timing of mailings unfortunate


The Associated Press

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. — Even Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
acknowledges that its timing on two recent mailings was unfortunate.

The News&Observer of Raleigh reported that customers first learned
their
rates will rise by an average of 11 percent next year.


We are right in the middle of the insurance selection window. Lots of
people are getting a package with something like that in it.

IBM's retiree EPO (United) went from $860 to 988 a month.

Our provider has sent out notifications that the program we've been
part of for 5 or 6 years will no longer be offered. Of course the
replacements will either curtail coverage or offer the same at an
inflated rate.

The timing couldn't be better to help folks realize that the public
option is one of the few weapons against this legal fleecing.


More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Seems to me that if you eliminated over time the private health
insurers, the high profits they are skimming could be put to use
providing needed care and coverage to Americans, costs would
stabilize, and we could have serious negotiations on price with all
manner of providers.




BTW, what are their "net" profits?

He doesn't know. He's just expelling hot air through his blow hole.

On 10/31/09 11:14 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:53:22 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:01:01 -0400, wrote:



BTW insurance companies really don't have that high a profit margin
when compared to other, similar sized companies.

When you're 1/6 of the economy, 3.5% goes a long way.
Probably more then tens of scores of dineros.

--Vic

Perhaps we should be asking what the profit margin is of the medical
providers and drug companies but they seem to be immune from this
scrutiny.


Perhaps we should determine what comes out of "gross profits" to get
down to "net profits," eh? There are many ways a corporation can play
perfectly legal fun and games to lower its net profit dramatically.

On Oct 31, 10:50*am, TJ ""tj\"@florida,com" wrote:
nom=de=plume wrote:
wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:20:39 -0400, H the K
wrote:

We are right in the middle of the insurance selection window. Lots of
people are getting a package with something like that in it.

IBM's retiree EPO (United) went from $860 to 988 a month.
Our provider has sent out notifications that the program we've been
part of for 5 or 6 years will no longer be offered. *Of course the
replacements will either curtail coverage or offer the same at an
inflated rate.

The timing couldn't be better to help folks realize that the public
option is one of the few weapons against this legal fleecing.

More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Seems to me that if you eliminated over time the private health
insurers, the high profits they are skimming could be put to use
providing needed care and coverage to Americans, costs would stabilize,
and we could have serious negotiations on price with all manner of
providers.

Medical services would be cheaper if we had to actually write a check.
Insurance should really only be for catastrophic injuries and
illnesses. We should be paying out of pocket for routine maintenance.
That is the only way to cut out the middle man, whether that is the
government or the insurance companies

BTW insurance companies really don't have that high a profit margin
when compared to other, similar sized companies.

What about people who are unemployed for one reason or another?

All they need to do is claim illegal alien status for all the free
medical care they want.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Not true.

"TJ" ""tj\"@florida,com" wrote in message
...
nom=de=plume wrote:
"BAR" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:20:39 -0400, H the K
wrote:

More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Yesterday Lou Dobbs had a panel of eminent doctors on for about half
an hour and gave their leader the reins of the show.
Their view boiled down to:
1. Standardization/computeriztion of all insurance forms.
Puts too many bueareucrats out of business at the insurance companies.

2. Everybody going to primary care and counseled on the lifestyle
changes to keep them healthy. Heavy cost up front, but long term
payoff.
What do you do about fat doctors? When I was young and was caught with
cigarettes I received a lecture from my father about the evils of
smoking, while he was somking a cigarette himself.

A fat doctor telling me to lose weight isn't going to go over too well
either.

3. Free medical school. Takes care of all doctor needs.
Nope. No way. Aint going to happen. Nothing is free. If you want your
medical school paid for you are going to have to obligate yourself to
service of some kind with the understanding that if you break the
agreement you are compelled to reimburse whomever paid for all of your
expenses related to medical school.

Or, you can work for minimum wage the rest of your life. Your choice.

4. Catastrophic care taken care of by gov insurance.
Why does the government need to be involved? Is the government going to
pay for PMI too incase you default on your mortgage?

They were confident that the nation's medical needs can be
accomplished for much less money and with better results than is
currently done. Many countries already do it.
They made a lot of sense.
But they seemed to be dedicated and ethical doctors.
They weren't pols on the take for campaign contributions.
Medical care is not a right.



Medical care is not a right, but it should be.

Are you ready to put your money where your ample mouth is. That's the
trouble with you loonie lefties. You want someone else to pay for it.


That's the trouble with assumptions made by unthinking people. I already
have put my money down. I'm willing to put more and my time.

What's your excuse?

--
Nom=de=Plume

"TJ" ""tj\"@florida,com" wrote in message
...
nom=de=plume wrote:
wrote in message
...
On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:20:39 -0400, H the K
wrote:

We are right in the middle of the insurance selection window. Lots of
people are getting a package with something like that in it.

IBM's retiree EPO (United) went from $860 to 988 a month.
Our provider has sent out notifications that the program we've been
part of for 5 or 6 years will no longer be offered. Of course the
replacements will either curtail coverage or offer the same at an
inflated rate.

The timing couldn't be better to help folks realize that the public
option is one of the few weapons against this legal fleecing.

More and more, I am wondering why we need the health insurance company
middleman between us and our medical providers.

Seems to me that if you eliminated over time the private health
insurers, the high profits they are skimming could be put to use
providing needed care and coverage to Americans, costs would stabilize,
and we could have serious negotiations on price with all manner of
providers.

Medical services would be cheaper if we had to actually write a check.
Insurance should really only be for catastrophic injuries and
illnesses. We should be paying out of pocket for routine maintenance.
That is the only way to cut out the middle man, whether that is the
government or the insurance companies

BTW insurance companies really don't have that high a profit margin
when compared to other, similar sized companies.


What about people who are unemployed for one reason or another?

All they need to do is claim illegal alien status for all the free medical
care they want.


I'm sure you've tried it.

--
Nom=de=Plume