Health care rationing already exists in the US. Agreed?

Question

Dear Tea Pariers and other Conservative types who have griped about, among other things, the fact that health care reform would bring about health care rationing to the US.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100422/us_nm/us_wellpoint_cancer

Read this please and tell me what that is, if not rationing.

Answer 1

THANK YOU. That is a great example of how the health care system in this country desperately needs to be changed. We DO already have rationing, and it's quite simple: If you're wealthy, you can easily get any kind of care you need, If you're not wealthy, or have a pre-existing condition, well, good luck with that.



A few years ago, I got pneumonia and after 2 weeks of doctor and hospital visits, they finally figured out what was wrong with me and I was admitted to the hospital. It was in the middle of the day, and my dad had taken me to have x-rays when they discovered I had a really bad case of pneumonia. He was at the hospital filling out papers and waiting with me while my mom left work to come see me. It was a hectic, scary day, and my parents were concerned about how I was. They informed their health insurance company about my situation the next morning. After 4 days in the hospital, the health insurance company called and said they weren't going to cover the expenses because, " They weren't informed in a timely manner"



My dad got on the phone and screamed at them for a while, and they finally backtracked and agreed to cover my expenses. But that is a prime example of the under-handed bullshit that health insurance companies pull, and yet so many people think we somehow have the best health care system in the world.



A change to the health care system does not mean "death panels" and "rationing". It means fixing a huge problem in this country. People need to try thinking for themselves and not just listening to idiots on Fox who try to scare the crap out of people.

Answer 2

Yeah. It does. But here's the deal. The U.S. government through Medicare and Medicaid rations more than all insurance companies combined. So, while there may be 'rationing', do you really want the government, who rations the most, to be the determining body? And if the government denies your procedure, who do you appeal to? There's no one higher than the U.S. government. Can you say the same about a regulated insurance company? No, you cannot.



So, essentially, what you're saying is, "There's already rationing. Why should we care if the new health care insurance bill rations it more and denies more?" Well, because less is better and more is bad.



But good question. I hope that helps.



By the way, it is illegal for an insurance company to drop a client when they get sick. It has been for decades. Why then did Obama continue to say that patients were being dropped when they got sick? Does this Harvard Law graduate not know it is illegal for an insurance company to do this? Yes. He does. But it made good press to an ignorant media and constituency.

Answer 3

What nonsense you speak. Clearly, you were born very rich or very poor, because not everyone who works has healthcare. I am a perfect example: I work 45 hours a week, making above minimum wage, and I have no health insurance. My job doesn't offer me any, and most of the plans I have looked into are AT LEAST $200 a month or more! And I don't think that is fair. I have to give a chunk of my HARD earned check every week to the welfare programs (which are not bad for those who really need it!), but when is it my turn to benefit from my taxes? I just want to be able to go to the doctor without it costing me $300 or more every time! This is America, the richest country in the world, that actually BURNS money EVERY DAY, and your telling me not only do I have to pay for other people's welfare, but I can't pay for MY OWN?? I don't think so!

Answer 4

EVERYTHING is rationed. The point is that you are excited to have that rationing be done through FORCE by a bureaucrat who is as far removed fro the scene of the decision as is possible. Try to understand that no human shares your dream of being government property.



A point you pretended to be stupid enough to miss (you WERE pretending, right?) is that Wellpoint cannot PREVENT anyone getting care. If they chose not to pay and can get away with it, you are still ALLOWED to pursue other avenues - until the Democrat way is completely implemented, that is. Under the system for which you shiver in anticipation, WHEN the bureaucrat decides you don't get a procedure, it will be a CRIME for you to continue seeking it.

Answer 5

Not on the scale that it will be rationed now.



Every person in the United States wants Health Care Reform.



Reform the Health Care industry not the people.



The Bill that passed is people reform.



There is nothing about price control, rate freezes, it even says that you will be charged on a scale.



The scale of how much care you need. Do you really think these women with cancer could afford Obama's Insurance? If they can pay a few thousands a month they can.



The sliding scale is not based on your income but on your expenditure.



Why don't you READ the dang bill instead of trying to promote Americas Government rationing.

Answer 6

it's not technically rationing... it's technically managing risks... which is really worse if you ask me...



rationing is usually focused on supplying needed supplies/services to those who the gov. thinks needs them the most...



what insurance companies are doing is cutting people for money and only money.... there's no "someone else needs it more" or anything... it's just money...



rationing is an improvement...

Answer 7

There's not a healthcare system in the world which does not ration care. If there were I'd vote for it.



Actually there's ONE system - become a billionaire.

Answer 8

if it does, it is unintentional and is surmountable by the efforts of the consumer but ONLY IF the government - which invariably EFFS things up - gets out of the way.



this so-called Health Care Reform is government controlled rationing with NO ability for the typical citizen to rise above.

Answer 9

Presently, either you can afford health insurance or you can't. Our present system has death panels built in it. For instance, when you hear of a senior committing suicide it's probably due to the fact that they had a choice of wiping out their saving to live a few years longer, thereby leaving their spouse destitute, or put a gun to their head and get it over with.



Reality bites.

Answer 10

In the US health care is rationed by the wealth of those seeking care, and by companies like Wellpoint.

Answer 11

Health insurance companies have been doing it for years to make billions of dollars. All they have to do is deny your claim. They have huge departments that try to find discrepancies in you past in order to deny claims.

Answer 12

Yes, yes, yes.....the media is continuing to pounce of HMO's as the evil doer even though the government is responsible for mandating HMO's on the people. The government is involved in 2/3rds of the health care in the United States and Medicare deny's more claims than any other provider. The government drove costs over the cliff, but you just go ahead and keep listening to the government. They are depending on you to be as ignorant as possible.



http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/368/reportcard.pdf

Answer 13

Do you know who has the highest rate of rejecting care in the US.... Government run programs.



Something to think about before praising a total government system.



Health care rationing exists.. and the government is the one doing it the most.

Answer 14

You are confusing health insurance and health care. Two seperate issues.

Answer 15

That is incorrect. Your healthcare is determined by your terms of your policy. If you don't like the terms, get a new policy with terms that you like. This is not rationing. Rationing is where the government decides whether you get treatment or whether you get, as obama put it, "a pain pill."

Answer 16

So if it is already rationed, how would further burdening the health care system be a good thing?

Answer 17

i like turtles