The Trump Candidacy

[chuckjames]

The republicans have passed a bill to repeal Obamacare, and it was vetoed. It seems silly to criticize them for not replacing Obamacare when they can't get rid of it.

This hasn't stopped them from coming out with complete tax plans and budgets, try knew would be vetoed?

A budget bill was just passed in December.

Right one that was a negotiated with Obama, but I'm saying the GOP (mostly Ryan) has plans to redo Medicare into block grants, same with food stamps and welfare. They also have a tax plan they would introduce if in power. I'm saying they have a lot of full out plans and replacements but not one for Obamacare yet.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

WTF? The minimum coverage mandates are federal, how in the eff does that change with removal of state lines?

No, that wasn't true before Obamacare, and it still isn't entirely true after. http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/mandated-health-insurance-benefits-and-state-laws.aspx

Allowing interstate competition, the resulting reduction in minimum coverage requirements, is a big piece of reducing premiums.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

I actually removing the state line option may be better for the middle class than Obamacare. What should have happened is that Obamacare should have removed state lines as a part of the larger legislation. There is a legit concern about price fixing but these insurance companies only goal is to be profitable, because of that I would hope legit competition would bring prices down and options up.

I agree and it allows the companies to basically split up states so they can all be very profitable. I'm actually interested in why democrats aren't for that.

I am guessing it is campaign contributions that are keeping ppl from making this happen.

Well I mean the rationale they publicize on why it would be bad. I heard it once but I forgot.

I know I shouldn't laugh, but this whole exchange among libs is hilarious. "[spoken in hushed tones] you know, I think allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines might help bring down prices...."

The reason Dems fight tooth and nail against this, btw, is because once you allow policies to be purchased anywhere you effectively kill minimum coverage mandates. The policies will simply be sold from whichever states regulate their policies the least. It is VERY important to a number of industries (mental health, acupuncture, etc.) that their services be included in minimum coverage mandates. They lobby heavily for this.

This makes sense I was gonna say I doubt the more liberal states want to give up their consumer protection regulations. But you say tomato, I say tomatah. As with most things. And I do think it would be a race to the bottom on actual having coverage that doesn't screw the consumer. But alas the current state based regulations aren't great either.

Yes, liberals frequently claim that competition will result in a "race to the bottom." Only it usually doesn't work out that way. Instead, the lobbyists lard these policies up with thousands of services we don't need coverage for, and we have to buy it.

[star seed 7]

Might as well just go single payer 

[CNS]

We need to address the pricing of service as well.  There is basically zero ability to shop docs an services.  It is super f'ed up that a doc doesn't even know what services cost and then bill the insurance co for such extreme prices. 

I had some blood work done the other day and they are asking my insurance for $805. 

There needs to be a way were prices are known and able to be shopped before hand. 

[wetwillie]

I am at the point where I'm good with single payer.   

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

Might as well just go single payer 

Do you understand that single payer doesn't fix the problem of minimum coverage mandates - it makes it worse? Why are liberals so averse to market competition?

[chuckjames]

Might as well just go single payer 

Do you understand that single payer doesn't fix the problem of minimum coverage mandates - it makes it worse? Why are liberals so averse to market competition?

I think the morality of healthcare makes it much more difficult for the magic of the market (invisible hand)  to work than say the razor blades market (I just picked a semi normal good with normal supply and demand forces)

[chuckjames]

But can we talk about the whole David Duke thing? Where was all this uproar from 'Pubs in 2012 when Trump was questioning Obama's birthplace?

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

Might as well just go single payer 

Do you understand that single payer doesn't fix the problem of minimum coverage mandates - it makes it worse? Why are liberals so averse to market competition?

I think the morality of healthcare makes it much more difficult for the magic of the market (invisible hand)  to work than say the razor blades market (I just picked a semi normal good with normal supply and demand forces)

Ironically, "the morality of healthcare" in countries like Canada have caused its citizens to flock to the United States to see specialists they'd have to wait 6 months or more for back home. The free market isn't "moral" - it just provides better results time and again.

[Dr Rick Daris]

Canadians don't flock to the US and are actually really very happy with their healthcare. An overwhelming percentage would not trade it for what the US has.

[catastrophe]

Yea, I don't think Canadians are having serious discussions about changing their healthcare system to anything that even remotely resembles ours.

[Dr Rick Daris]

Yea, I don't think Canadians are having serious discussions about changing their healthcare system to anything that even remotely resembles ours.

they've had discussions but Canadian citizens do not want it and overall are much, much happier with their system than what americans are with ours. this is true for both post obamacare and pre obamacare. they like their system.

[CNS]

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kris-kobach-endorses-donald-trump

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach endorses Donald Trump for president

[star seed 7]

Yea, I don't think Canadians are having serious discussions about changing their healthcare system to anything that even remotely resembles ours.

they've had discussions but Canadian citizens do not want it and overall are much, much happier with their system than what americans are with ours. this is true for both post obamacare and pre obamacare. they like their system.

Now that I've had a chance to meet a good number of canadians, I have to say they all love their healthcare system

[star seed 7]

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kris-kobach-endorses-donald-trump

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach endorses Donald Trump for president

The only person in America who hates mexicans as much as trump

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

Canadians don't flock to the US and are actually really very happy with their healthcare. An overwhelming percentage would not trade it for what the US has.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1886606/more-canadians-leaving-the-country-for-medical-care-report/

http://www.globalhealthcareconnections.com/index.cfm 

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

Yea, I don't think Canadians are having serious discussions about changing their healthcare system to anything that even remotely resembles ours.

they've had discussions but Canadian citizens do not want it and overall are much, much happier with their system than what americans are with ours. this is true for both post obamacare and pre obamacare. they like their system.

  Oh, no doubt most Canadians are happy with their "free" healthcare. Most don't need to see a specialist. And you could find that "most" people anywhere like all sorts of "free" stuff. That doesn't make it good policy.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canadian-health-spending-to-increase-leaving-country-with-more-debt-report-1.2479743

http://www.wsj.com/articles/canadas-budget-watchdog-says-provincial-debt-unsustainable-1437495211

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/nadeem-esmail/canada-free-health-care_b_3733080.html

[Rage Against the McKee]

http://www.cdc.gov/features/medicaltourism/

It's estimated that up to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for care each year.

[star seed 7]

http://www.cdc.gov/features/medicaltourism/

It's estimated that up to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for care each year.

Forbes says 1.6 million

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.cdc.gov/features/medicaltourism/

It's estimated that up to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for care each year.

And the vast majority go for cheaper elective surgeries - not because of wait times to see specialists.

[Rage Against the McKee]

http://www.cdc.gov/features/medicaltourism/

It's estimated that up to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for care each year.

And the vast majority go for cheaper elective surgeries - not because of wait times to see specialists.

The most common procedures that people undergo on medical tourism trips include cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and heart surgery.

 

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.cdc.gov/features/medicaltourism/

It's estimated that up to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for care each year.

And the vast majority go for cheaper elective surgeries - not because of wait times to see specialists.

The most common procedures that people undergo on medical tourism trips include cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and heart surgery.

 

See? I can use bold, too! Any breakdown on heart surgery versus cosmetic surgery and dentistry?

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/kris-kobach-endorses-donald-trump

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach endorses Donald Trump for president

The only person in America who hates mexicans as much as trump

Kobach said illegal immigration has resulted in lost jobs and depressed wages for Americans. And he said Trump is correct that the United States can compel Mexico to pay for construction of a wall between the countries to keep out illegal immigrants.

“As I have discussed with Mr. Trump, the PATRIOT Act contains a provision that the United States can and should use as leverage with the Government of Mexico,” Kobach said.

“We have the ability to shut down the flow of remittances to Mexico from illegal aliens working in the United States,” he said. “Mexico will then have to make a choice: Either make a single payment of $5 billion to $10 billion to the United States to pay for the wall, or lose most of the $23 billion in remittances that Mexico receives every year from its nationals working illegally in the United States.”

He's right. Hell, we could put the entire country on the OFAC list if we wanted to. Mexico would write the check.

[star seed 7]

Embarrassed he's associated with my state