Guest guest Posted January 17, 2008 Report Share Posted January 17, 2008 Adam, I think you are also forgetting that Reagan and the federal government also ran up the largest deficits up until our current president. Up until Reagan, US Fiscal policy was to run a balanced budget. We're still paying for that and will be until our great great grandchildren are paying. If we were not paying on 9 TRILLION dollars worth of debt, we could EASILY help provide health care coverage for EVERYONE. The current presidential candidates are not talking about socialized medicine. You need to read more closely. They are talking about government subsidized healthcare. Most of the candidates are talking about requiring employers to provide insurance or to provide health insurance buying pools - getting the best rates and benefits for the largest majority of our people. Health insurance companies will still be around ... being required to be not-for-profit may hit their CEO's and shareholders in the pocket slightly, but allow the rest of us to do our jobs better. Why does the CEO of United HealthCare rate a 7 million dollar salary (not couting bonuses)? He runs a HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY. His company should be helping people stay healthy or get healthy. When PA Blue Cross and Blue Shield split up in 2003 they had 1 Billion in cash holdings. Did they expect every one of there insured to need liver transplants or extensive ICU care? Not-for-profit insurance companies are already mandated by state law in Minnesota. Every major insurance company has a not-for-profit division that works there. No one is leaving Minnesota for healthcare in Iowa, Wisconsin, or North Dakota. Do you understand that our current healthcare system is putting our auto and other largest manufacturers out of business. The cost of the health care they provide to their employees is causing their products to be over-priced in the markets. When these companies cut employees or have to cut benefits to cut costs, where do those folks get insurance? They wind up as part of that 45 million without or the 1 in 3 (of the non-medicare population) that have done without over the last 4 years. Suprisingly, the government has done a pretty decent job with Medicare. Is it an HMO? Last I checked, it wasn't. Is medicare limiting their number of providers? Again, last I checked, No. Does Medicare continually try to cut costs? Yes, like any good business model to stay viable. Do we as therapists need direct access to medicare patients? Of course we do. Does the cap need to go away? yes it does. Do I have all the answers? I wish I did. Maybe I'd be in Washington making big money. Or some insurance company lobby might be paying me to keep my mouth shut. Who knows. For now, I'll keep pressuring my congressperson, senators, and state government to try to do what's right for all of us. My 12 cents. Lindberg, PT Avista Adventis Hospital Louisville, CO <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PTManager/message/42065;_ylc=X3oDMTJyaDIxYXNy BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzExMDA3ODEEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDYxMzQ3BG1zZ0lkAzQyMDY1 BHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAzEyMDA2Mjg1Mzg-> Re: Effect of National Health Care on Private Practice Physical Ther Posted by: " Adam Jeschke " <mailto:phoenixzorn@...?Subject= Re%3A%20Effect%20of%20National%20Health%20Care%20on%20Private%20Practice%20P hysical%20Ther> phoenixzorn@... <http://profiles.yahoo.com/steakisdone> steakisdone Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:46 am (PST) There is a Constitutional Amendment that forbids us to refuse anyone " Health Care " ... it is " Health Insurance " that people do not have, and that is not guaranteed by the Constitution, nor is it within the Constitutionally Granted Powers of Congress to impose such legislation on this country. You should have taken the $90-120,000 a year job, because you'll be paying more in taxes - already close to 50% of annual income for our practice - in order to support the 45 million+ people we have to supply with " free " National Health Insurance. Let me reiterate.... it is 100% illegal for you, me, or anyone in the medical profession to turn someone away because they don't have health insurance. You can inform them of your cash-pay policy, do pro-bono work as you see fit, but you can't refuse their care outright. That is guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States of America. I suppose those of you who support the idea of a national healthcare system - read: socialized-single-payer-taxpayer-funded-government-regulated-health-insuranc e-that-we-can't-afford-in-its-current-state-of-medicare-and-medicaid - also support the idea of supplying that same health care to illegal aliens, no matter where they might be from, North, South, East or West... The current system in place is financially bankrupt right now, just as Social Security is financially bankrupt, and both programs are taking this country further into debt with the rest of the world, because we can't possibly contribute more than is being taken out of the funds to pay for services. On that note, I'd guess that you also support the idea of allowing illegal aliens to vote in our elections. Socialist programs are the fastest way to completely destroy the infrastructure of a country. The UK is losing money every day because of their healthcare system, Sweden has all but done away with their Welfare System, as it nearly bankrupted the entire country. I would expect those of us in private practice - small business owners especially - would want the government to stay as far away from our industry as possible. The only good thing the government can do to improve the economy, get more people to pay for health insurance and/or healthcare, and bring more business into our clinics - which should be read as more patients being helped rather than more revenue, because I honestly don't care about money, but I don't want the government to take any of it for the benefit of the masses - is to get out of the way and let nature take its course. The greatest economic boom in this country was in the early 1980s, when Reagan was president... he didn't pass any new spending bills, he cut taxes, he got the government out of the way, and the economy of this country skyrocketed. It is sad that people have become so used to the government interfering in everything we do that they've forgotten that the government is supposed to serve the people, the people aren't supposed to serve the government, but that's where we are going if things like Nationalized Health Plans are implemented. We're already slaves to the Federal Reserve, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and now you want to add on another 45+ million people because you think people should be guaranteed health insurance.... Self-imposed slavery is an ugly beast, and we've done it to ourselves by not putting a check on everything our government feels like doing this week, and over the last 50-75 years. Like I said in my first post, it's 100% impossible for our clinic to participate in any HMO insurance plans in the area because they cater to hospitals only. I was specifically told that there are no free-standing physical therapy clinics in the network of one of our local plans, and that I could apply but we would be denied access to the HMO network because there is a hospital-owned clinic less than a block away from us. When the government takes over, I hope you have planned to either see only " Cash " patients, or have lined up a job at a local hospital-owned clinic, because unless you are in an area where you have such a huge understaffing of PTs that every free-standing clinic is already in network with all the local HMOs, you won't be seeing many insurance patients outside of Medicare. Heh... you think the therapy cap is bad now, wait until every person (man, woman, and child) in the country is all in the same network, and the government can't tax us enough to cover the costs.... that, or the reimbursement rates will plummet, and we'll be driven out of business because we just can't afford to pay the rent anymore. I hope no one takes anything I've said as a personal insult, I just find that many people who like the idea of Nationalized Health Care, don't realize that Health Care - not Health Insurance - is already guaranteed in the Constitution, and once they realize this they often change their tune. Adam Jeschke Optimal Physical Therapy, LLC Lake Mills, WI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 I'm sorry; you are right. We had run deficits until then. Reagan and Bush, Sr. tripled the deficit we did have. Prior to them it had increased at the rate of inflation. Lindberg, PT Louisville, CO > > This is incorrect. There was a federal deficit for many, many years before Reagan. > Carroll , PT > Chattanooga, TN > > Re: Effect of National Health Care on Private Practice Physical Ther > > > Adam, > > I think you are also forgetting that Reagan and the federal > government also ran up the largest deficits up until our current president. > Up until Reagan, US Fiscal policy was to run a balanced budget. > We're still paying for that and will be until our great great grandchildren > are paying. If we were not paying on 9 TRILLION dollars worth of debt, we > could EASILY help provide health care coverage for EVERYONE. > > The current presidential candidates are not talking about socialized > medicine. You need to read more closely. They are talking about government > subsidized healthcare. Most of the candidates are talking about requiring > employers to provide insurance or to provide health insurance buying pools - > getting the best rates and benefits for the largest majority of our people. > Health insurance companies will still be around ... being required to be > not-for-profit may hit their CEO's and shareholders in the pocket slightly, > but allow the rest of us to do our jobs better. Why does the CEO of United > HealthCare rate a 7 million dollar salary (not couting bonuses)? He runs a > HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY. His company should be helping people stay healthy > or get healthy. When PA Blue Cross and Blue Shield split up in 2003 they > had 1 Billion in cash holdings. Did they expect every one of there insured > to need liver transplants or extensive ICU care? Not-for-profit insurance > companies are already mandated by state law in Minnesota. Every major > insurance company has a not-for-profit division that works there. No one is > leaving Minnesota for healthcare in Iowa, Wisconsin, or North Dakota. > > Do you understand that our current healthcare system is putting our auto and > other largest manufacturers out of business. The cost of the health care > they provide to their employees is causing their products to be over-priced > in the markets. When these companies cut employees or have to cut benefits > to cut costs, where do those folks get insurance? They wind up as part of > that 45 million without or the 1 in 3 (of the non-medicare population) that > have done without over the last 4 years. > > Suprisingly, the government has done a pretty decent job with Medicare. Is > it an HMO? Last I checked, it wasn't. Is medicare limiting their number of > providers? Again, last I checked, No. Does Medicare continually try to cut > costs? Yes, like any good business model to stay viable. Do we as > therapists need direct access to medicare patients? Of course we do. Does > the cap need to go away? yes it does. > > Do I have all the answers? I wish I did. Maybe I'd be in Washington making > big money. Or some insurance company lobby might be paying me to keep my > mouth shut. Who knows. For now, I'll keep pressuring my congressperson, > senators, and state government to try to do what's right for all of us. > > My 12 cents. > > Lindberg, PT > Avista Adventis Hospital > Louisville, CO > > > <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PTManager/message/42065;_ylc=X3oDMTJyaD IxYXNy > BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzExMDA3ODEEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDYxMzQ3BG1zZ0lkAz QyMDY1 > BHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAzEyMDA2Mjg1Mzg-> Re: Effect of National > Health Care on Private Practice Physical Ther > > Posted by: " Adam Jeschke " <mailto:phoenixzorn@...?Subject= > Re%3A%20Effect%20of%20National%20Health%20Care%20on%20Private% 20Practice%20P > hysical%20Ther> phoenixzorn@... > <http://profiles.yahoo.com/steakisdone> steakisdone > > Thu Jan 17, 2008 11:46 am (PST) > > There is a Constitutional Amendment that forbids us to refuse anyone " Health > Care " ... it is " Health Insurance " that people do not have, and that is not > guaranteed by the Constitution, nor is it within the Constitutionally > Granted Powers of Congress to impose such legislation on this country. You > should have taken the $90-120,000 a year job, because you'll be paying more > in taxes - already close to 50% of annual income for our practice - in order > to support the 45 million+ people we have to supply with " free " National > Health Insurance. Let me reiterate.... it is 100% illegal for you, me, or > anyone in the medical profession to turn someone away because they don't > have health insurance. You can inform them of your cash-pay policy, do > pro-bono work as you see fit, but you can't refuse their care outright. > That is guaranteed in the Constitution of the United States of America. > > I suppose those of you who support the idea of a national healthcare system > - read: > socialized-single-payer-taxpayer-funded-government-regulated- health-insuranc > e-that-we-can't-afford-in-its-current-state-of-medicare-and- medicaid > - also support the idea of supplying that same health care to illegal > aliens, no matter where they might be from, North, South, East or West... > The current system in place is financially bankrupt right now, just as > Social Security is financially bankrupt, and both programs are taking this > country further into debt with the rest of the world, because we can't > possibly contribute more than is being taken out of the funds to pay for > services. On that note, I'd guess that you also support the idea of > allowing illegal aliens to vote in our elections. > > Socialist programs are the fastest way to completely destroy the > infrastructure of a country. The UK is losing money every day because of > their healthcare system, Sweden has all but done away with their Welfare > System, as it nearly bankrupted the entire country. I would expect those of > us in private practice - small business owners especially - would want the > government to stay as far away from our industry as possible. The only good > thing the government can do to improve the economy, get more people to pay > for health insurance and/or healthcare, and bring more business into our > clinics - which should be read as more patients being helped rather than > more revenue, because I honestly don't care about money, but I don't want > the government to take any of it for the benefit of the masses - is to get > out of the way and let nature take its course. > > The greatest economic boom in this country was in the early 1980s, when > Reagan was president... he didn't pass any new spending bills, he cut > taxes, he got the government out of the way, and the economy of this country > skyrocketed. It is sad that people have become so used to the government > interfering in everything we do that they've forgotten that the government > is supposed to serve the people, the people aren't supposed to serve the > government, but that's where we are going if things like Nationalized Health > Plans are implemented. We're already slaves to the Federal Reserve, Social > Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and now you want to add on another 45+ > million people because you think people should be guaranteed health > insurance.... Self-imposed slavery is an ugly beast, and we've done it to > ourselves by not putting a check on everything our government feels like > doing this week, and over the last 50-75 years. > > Like I said in my first post, it's 100% impossible for our clinic to > participate in any HMO insurance plans in the area because they cater to > hospitals only. I was specifically told that there are no free- standing > physical therapy clinics in the network of one of our local plans, and that > I could apply but we would be denied access to the HMO network because there > is a hospital-owned clinic less than a block away from us. When the > government takes over, I hope you have planned to either see only " Cash " > patients, or have lined up a job at a local hospital-owned clinic, because > unless you are in an area where you have such a huge understaffing of PTs > that every free-standing clinic is already in network with all the local > HMOs, you won't be seeing many insurance patients outside of Medicare. > Heh... you think the therapy cap is bad now, wait until every person (man, > woman, and child) in the country is all in the same network, and the > government can't tax us enough to cover the costs.... that, or the > reimbursement rates will plummet, and we'll be driven out of business > because we just can't afford to pay the rent anymore. > > I hope no one takes anything I've said as a personal insult, I just find > that many people who like the idea of Nationalized Health Care, don't > realize that Health Care - not Health Insurance - is already guaranteed in > the Constitution, and once they realize this they often change their tune. > > Adam Jeschke > Optimal Physical Therapy, LLC > Lake Mills, WI > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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