SCOTUS Upholds Affordable Care Act!

Patmom:

    Noted your reference to heat-related deaths.

    No, I don't think those deaths were caused by lack of insurance, but by something else the conservatives want to ignore: climate change.  

    And on the question of taxes:  like ten soldiers can't fight a war, one person or a few people putting money into the tax system isn't going to change the economics.  Everyone needs to participate for it to work.  

     Always amazes me how conservatives are so willing to talk about patriotism and the greatness of America,  are so quick to call for sending our young soldiers out to fight and die, but when it comes to asking for the country to sacrifice financially to fight a better future - nary a word.

I don't think that they were CAUSED by lack of insurance either, but if any of the victims lacked insurance, their deaths will be counted that way in next year's figures.  Not everyone who dies without insurance died BECAUSE they didn't have insurance. 

I want to see everyone have access to care, I just believe that the ACA as it currently exists will actually make that less likely to happen, not more likely.

It is a poorly written, bad law, and wishing that it will do something that it won't will not make things better.

It's hard to know for certain about the ACA when republicans are dead set on destroying it - there's the uncertainty. It's when so many people loathe universal access to care; when what should be "settled law" not only jurisprudentially but in the court of human values is apparently up for debate, that we can't see the future clearly.

I think I'll look for small comfort in the knowledge that there were many doubts as to the survival of America in the days following independence. Novel experiments are always in shaky ground initially. More so the ACA which is being rolled out grasdually,  over years.

People predicted disaster when Social Security was instituted.  The life expectancy for Americans went up because the elderly weren't starving to death.  People predicted disaster when Medicare was passed.  Again, life expectancy went up because the elderly could get medical care.

ACA will be no different.  The bill will be changed over time just as Social Security and Medicare have changed but in the long run, the people of America will be better off.  I hope one day all America will get the quality of care my husband and I have had at the VA, a totally run government health care system that it the most effective and efficient in the nation. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1376238,00.html

I asked my VA oncologist how long he planned to stay with the VA.  He said he had no intention of leaving because he had access to the best equipment, the best labs and could take time with each of his patients.  He also felt he was paid well. 

Let me walk you through my experience with the VA and my mammograms. Some of you might be outraged at what you have to put up with.  I go into the machine area and get squished.  The picture spits out of the machine and the tech puts it on the screen where we both can see it.  She then takes it back to the radiologist.  Normally I have to have a sonogram as well.  The radiologist gives me the sonogram that day and if he sees anything suspicious we talk about it with him showing me the picture and the area of concern. If I am all clear he tells me I am right then and there.  He says he will go over the pictures again and will call if he later sees any problems.  Most women have to wait a week to 10 days for a result.  This is totally unnecessary.

Once he saw a spot on the sonogram and suggested a needle biopsy.  If it was a cyst, he would reduce it by removing the fluid.  I signed a paper, raised my arm and we went on with the biopsy.  So in one day I had a mammogram, sonogram and biopsy all done by a doctor who was  familiar with my breast tissue.  Most women go through multiple appointments and days of waiting in a similar situation.

When my primary care doctor or oncologist needed lab work, I would get my blood drawn and an hour later would see my doctor.  The doctor would have my blood work results on his or her computer an would print a copy for me so we could discuss the results.  Most women have to have an appointment for lab work, wait several days and then get a call from a nurse or receptionist with a generic everything is fine. 

I could go on but I think everyone gets the idea.  Now that I am over 65 I can no longer go to the VA but am covered by ChampVA and go to civilian doctors.  I really miss the efficiency and openness of the doctors of the VA.  I am a big fan of the VA's socialized medicine and so are the people who work at the VA.

Voting may be compulsory here, but you can cast an informal vote ie mess it up, leave it blank or whatever you like.

Adding up the Medicare levy we pay and our private insurance it comes to 5,666 per annum.

Our Swiss taxes are on average between 20-30% of income. A little less than the US, give or take. The tax structures are very different. We pay more of our taxes to the kanton (like the state) versus federal - perhaps 3 to 1. Between my husband and I we pay about $9000 per year in insurance, plus another $1000 each out of pocket, so around $6000 each per year.

Some European countries pay about 40-50% in taxes. I don't have a good sense of what other countries spend for the Netherlands - i know, in the Netherlands that my father in law spends at least $2400 per year. He's not completely happy with the health care there - there is a lot of waiting. 

Here is a long post by the SCOTUSblog.  This blog is highly respected for its reporting on the Supreme Court.  This post is a minute by minute description of the release of the ruling and how FOX and CNN got it wrong.  This is not a criticism of either network but a behind the scenes look at that day. 

http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/07/were-getting-wildly-differing-assessments/ 

Realistically, I don't believe that you have a special insight into what Nancy Pelosi meant when she made the statement that Riverhorse quoted.  I have seen the video of Nancy Pelosi making that statement in context, and she certainly didn't elaborate on the subject the way someone just reading your post might infer. 

Amazingly, the post above is only your second post on a breast cancer support board, and your first post was made earlier today.  You have not posed a question about breast cancer, or about your diagnosis or treatment, only criticized a long time member of this board.   That's the kind of thing that makes me go hmmmm.  Anyone else wonder if Realistically is not being real with us?

The other post was on a thread about some former members of this board posting identifiable personal information about some of the alternative ladies in the process of complaining about them on another (public) site.  The post there doesn't sound like a news junkie who innocently stumbled upon this discussion.  

Not self - your VA experience with BC is exactly the same as my experience with private insurance. So no, I'm not impressed. I've never waited weeks for results, I've never not had my labs available immediately after having blood drawn, etc. I had a mammo, discussion about the mammo, and biopsy all done in one visit. Results of the biopsy were given to me the following day.

Mardi;  Obviously, you have fabulous insurance for which you pay almost nothing.  You like it and don't want anything else. We get it.  I hope you get to keep it - that you don't get laid off, your company doesn't decide it's too expensive.  You should be able to keep it under the ACA. The question is what is there for those who have either less fabulous, more expensive. or no insurance.  

By the way Blue, since your doubting my situation, what country are you living in?

Wat makes you think that isn't true?

mardibra,

I just waited 10 days for the results of my mammogram with my civilian radiologist.  I am waiting a week and still have not gotten the results of routine blood tests from my primary care doc.  It is wonderful that you are getting such efficient care, but you are mistaken to think it is like this all over the country.

Just read some of the threads where women wait and wait for appointments for procedures that should have been done the same day.  There are women on this board who have had surgery and been called back for more surgery because the doctors didn't get clear margins.  It is horrible that the hospital and doctor did not check for clear margins while the patient was still on the table.  The procedure to check is straight forward and can be performed in a reasonable time frame without keeping the patient under a general anesthetic for an extended period of time.  You probably had this analysis done while you were under for your surgery. 

As for a slant, the people posting on this thread have provided links to the implementation of the health care bill and the items it covers and provided this information without slanting.  Yes the bill needs to be improved and no one has said any different. If you think someone is slanting information, perhaps you would care to post what you consider a slant by quoting that person.  This will give the person a chance to clarify or correct her remarks.

By the way, I provided a link to an article describing a report on the VA hospitals calling it the best system of health care in the country.  If you can provide a link to a report refuting this conclusion, I am sure we would all like to read it. 

I would say the east coast(my former home) is densely populated with many large urban areas and greater employment opportunities with greater likelihood of employment that will provide insurance benefits. So when the perception is that most Americans have insurance coverage and good insurance coverage, I can see how that might seem true depending on your experience.



Now residing in Tx I see a much different reality than I experienced growing up and living in the DC area. I don't believe it is unique just to Tx.



Perhaps the ACA will begin improvements in the disparities.