States Rein In Health Costs - 1st stage of empire meltdown

[clem_c_rock]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-medicaid24apr24,0,3416218.story?coll=la-home-headlines

And just in time for the new bankruptcy laws.

Only the beginning.

Something's going to give in the next couple of years and it's not going to be pretty.

<snippit>
Hundreds of thousands of poor people across the nation will lose their state-subsidized health insurance in the coming months as legislators scramble to hold down the enormous — and ever-escalating — cost of Medicaid.

Here in impoverished southeast Missouri, nurses at a family health clinic stash drug samples for patients they know won't be able to afford their prescriptions after their coverage is eliminated this summer. Doctors try to comfort waitresses, sales clerks and others who will soon lose coverage for medical, dental and mental healthcare.
</snippit>

[Hamlette]

1. honestly, this might be the only way to fix our broken system

why should employers be burdened with the cost of health care in this country? The cost of health care adds $1,500 to the cost of a car manufactured by GM, for instance. How can GM compete in a global economy if it has to pay for health care?

Now, to the mix, add health care professionals. They have had insurance companies to deal with so they didn't care how much they charged their patients. Their patients, real live people in need, didn't pay the bills so health care costs soared.

I have NEVER figured out why American businesses, like GM (not insurance and big pharm where all the money goes) didn't speak up on this issue. Now if doctors have to see people go without care, or, god forbid, provide it for free, might they speak out?

HMOs were able to keep costs down during the last decade. They have reached their limit.

(BTW, do you know how many free drugs docs get? Lots. And, do you know how many trips of Hawaii docs take at the expense of big pharm. The system is broken. The cynic in me things the GOP keeps people whipped up about non issues like gay marriage so we don't look at how we are getting ripped off by the medical care delivery system in this country.)

[Shennendoa69]

3. I agree mostly.

How do you leverage market forces to keep the medical industry prices low?
How do you remain competitives in a global marketplace where some countries dont have the overhead our companies do?

I wish I knew all the answers... Id be a rich man.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi Shennendoa69!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ThoughtCriminal]

5. I can think of one reason why

"I have NEVER figured out why American businesses, like GM ... didn't speak up on this issue."

Keeping us dependent on our employer (and big corps in particular) for our health care makes us loyal and desperate. Anything that endangers our job, endangers our family's health and lives.

[Hamlette]

6. there you, might be, but now that costs are so high

you'd think businesses would re-think that position. Health insurance seems so high now.

My health retirement benefits were eliminated this year. I work for the state government. It's gonna happen to all of us leaving nothing but Medicare which only taxes that system more.

Health care just can't be delivered by the private sector.

[mike_c]

2. our national shame-- plenty of money for unnecessary wars...

...while our citizens go hungry, sick, and homeless.

[loyalsister]

4. Yea!!!

Missouri's getting the national attention we deserve!!!
We need to be embarrassed for this!!