Hot Topic #2 - Health Care
(I intended to Blog on "The Economy", but it's taking a LOT more time for me to research and understand, and I've chosen to wait until after the debate on Friday as McCain and Obama will be debating on that topic)
Our son, Theo, has Asthma. His medications run approximately $100 - $150 a month, which includes our Prescription discount. W/out that discount, his medications would run about $150 each, and he's on 4 medications right now. Needless to say, my concern is for prescription drug coverage, and the ability to obtain insurance for Theo being that he has been diagnosed with a chronic (and expensive!) condition, and should we lose our insurance coverage, and be unable to pay the COBRA fees, under McCain's plan, it will be difficult for us to obtain affordable health care for Theo.
I've researched both health plans, and I don't believe either offers a perfect answer. I'm not sure there is a perfect answer. I've talked with my brother who lives in a country that has Socialized Medicine, and I can see benefits and negatives for that as well.
Before I break down McCain and Obama's Health Care Plan, I'd like to state my concerns that I feel are completely missing.
#1: Insurance Companies. I find it disgusting that people are making medical decisions regarding my health care (whether a procedure, surgery, medication, etc.) should be covered my insurance THAT ARE NOT DOCTORS! I remember when I was 7 months pregnant with Theo. I was visiting my grandparents in Auburn, AL, and I woke up with a horrible rash over my entire body. Huge welts. I had a fever and was not feeling well. Being as we were out of state, I called my insurance company prior to going to the doctor to find out if I would be covered. They said, "well, it doesn't sound like an emergency, so no, you won't be covered." My reply: "Oh, and where did you go to medical school?" I decided to go anyway. I know parents fighting to get their children life saving drugs to fight their cancers, only to be denied coverage by their insurance companies. You have doctors saying, "she needs a liver transplant, now", yet, the insurance companies say "no."
#2: What good will it do to have insurance if the doctors you see, or want to see, won't except it? Remember my blog from several months ago about my trip to the ER? I went to the hospital listed on my providers website, but was assigned an ER doctor that did not accept my plan? And, if everyone has insurance, there are still people who will not be able to afford their co-pays or their medication.
All that said, for my family's particular situation, I have to say Obama's plan works best for me. Let me also add a side note, as I believe this is relevant for this "Hot Topic".
VOTING RECORDS REGARDING VETERAN HEALTH CARE ISSUES (found on www.votesmart.org)
#1: GI BILL: OBAMA Y / MCCAIN NV / BIDEN Y / PALIN (n/a)
Vote to adopt an amendment to HR 2642 that provides education funding for eligible members of the Armed Forces, extends unemployment compensation, establishes moratoria on certain actions regarding Medicaid, and appropriates a total of $28.67 billion for various domestic and international purposes.
NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT, WHICH REPLACES THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THE BILL WITH ITS OWN.
#2:TAX RATE EXTENSION AMENDMENT: OBAMA Y / MCCAIN N / BIDEN Y / Palin (n/a)
- $14 billion for the Veterans Benefits Administration for Compensation and Pensions for the years of 2006 through 2010
- $6.9 billion to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the Veterans Health Administration for Medical Care between the years 2006 through 2010
- $1 billion for the establishment of the Veterans Hospital Improvement Fund
- Modifies tax rates on capital gains and dividends
#3: ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR VETERANS AMENDMENT: OBAMA Y/ MCCAIN N / BIDEN Y / PALIN (n/a)
Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that appropriates $500 million annually from 2006-2010 for counseling, mental health, and rehabilitation services for veterans diagnosed with mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse.
#4: HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS AMENDMENT: OBAMA Y / MCCAIN N / BIDEN Y / PALIN (n/a)
Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act to allow for adoption of an amendment that increases funding for the Veterans Health Administration in order to account for inflation and changes in the number of veterans using the health services.
(#3 & #4 were amendments to change the current law from 1974)
Now, onto their Health Care Plans for non-veterans... (info gathered from www.urban.org)
OBAMA:
Abstract
The Obama health care plan would greatly increase health insurance coverage, substantially increase access to affordable and adequate coverage for those with the highest health care needs, significantly increase the affordability of care for the low-income, and reduce the growth in health spending through a broad array of strategies. Despite the overall positive assessment, a few concerns remain. The plan would leave about 6 percent uninsured, necessitating the maintenance of the current inefficient safety net system; the employer mandate may engender significant political opposition; and the cost estimate may be low depending upon how several plan details are resolved.
Overall Assessment
Our general assessment of the Obama plan is that it would
greatly increase health insurance coverage but would still leave about 6 percent of the non-elderly population uninsured, compared to 17 percent today.
substantially increase access to affordable and adequate coverage for those with the highest health care needs, including those with chronic illnesses, by spreading health care risk broadly;
significantly increase the affordability of care for low-income individuals; and
reduce the growth in health spending through a broad array of strategies.
In short, Obama’s proposal contains the basic components necessary for effectively addressing the most important shortcomings of the current health care system, that is, limited coverage, inadequate risk pooling, and high-cost growth.
MCCAIN:
Abstract
The McCain health care plan represents a philosophical advance over many proposals, principally in its commitment to redistributing the current tax exemption for employer-based health insurance. However, the plan raises more concerns than it addresses. McCain’s proposal would dramatically change how many obtain insurance, make coverage less accessible for those with health problems, have a high budget cost, but have little effect on the number uninsured. These problems could be addressed by providing a guaranteed source of adequate, affordable coverage; phasing-out the tax exemption slowly; larger subsidies to the low-income; spreading health risk broadly; and a significant commitment to cost-containment.
Overall Assessment
The McCain health care plan represents a philosophical advance over many other health care proposals, principally in its commitment to redistributing the current tax exemption for employer-based health insurance. However, the plan raises more concerns than it addresses. The plan would
provide a refundable tax credit that is more valuable to low-income workers than the current tax exemption for employer-based insurance, though the credit is not adequate to make coverage affordable for many;
make insurance coverage less accessible and affordable for those with high health care needs;
increase coverage among the currently uninsured through the nongroup market but reduce the number already covered by employers, leaving about the same number of people uninsured;
have a high budget cost, at least in its early years.
In brief, McCain’s proposal would dramatically change how many Americans obtain health insurance coverage, make coverage less accessible for those with health problems, have a high budget cost, but have little effect on the number uninsured.
Our son, Theo, has Asthma. His medications run approximately $100 - $150 a month, which includes our Prescription discount. W/out that discount, his medications would run about $150 each, and he's on 4 medications right now. Needless to say, my concern is for prescription drug coverage, and the ability to obtain insurance for Theo being that he has been diagnosed with a chronic (and expensive!) condition, and should we lose our insurance coverage, and be unable to pay the COBRA fees, under McCain's plan, it will be difficult for us to obtain affordable health care for Theo.
I've researched both health plans, and I don't believe either offers a perfect answer. I'm not sure there is a perfect answer. I've talked with my brother who lives in a country that has Socialized Medicine, and I can see benefits and negatives for that as well.
Before I break down McCain and Obama's Health Care Plan, I'd like to state my concerns that I feel are completely missing.
#1: Insurance Companies. I find it disgusting that people are making medical decisions regarding my health care (whether a procedure, surgery, medication, etc.) should be covered my insurance THAT ARE NOT DOCTORS! I remember when I was 7 months pregnant with Theo. I was visiting my grandparents in Auburn, AL, and I woke up with a horrible rash over my entire body. Huge welts. I had a fever and was not feeling well. Being as we were out of state, I called my insurance company prior to going to the doctor to find out if I would be covered. They said, "well, it doesn't sound like an emergency, so no, you won't be covered." My reply: "Oh, and where did you go to medical school?" I decided to go anyway. I know parents fighting to get their children life saving drugs to fight their cancers, only to be denied coverage by their insurance companies. You have doctors saying, "she needs a liver transplant, now", yet, the insurance companies say "no."
#2: What good will it do to have insurance if the doctors you see, or want to see, won't except it? Remember my blog from several months ago about my trip to the ER? I went to the hospital listed on my providers website, but was assigned an ER doctor that did not accept my plan? And, if everyone has insurance, there are still people who will not be able to afford their co-pays or their medication.
All that said, for my family's particular situation, I have to say Obama's plan works best for me. Let me also add a side note, as I believe this is relevant for this "Hot Topic".
VOTING RECORDS REGARDING VETERAN HEALTH CARE ISSUES (found on www.votesmart.org)
#1: GI BILL: OBAMA Y / MCCAIN NV / BIDEN Y / PALIN (n/a)
Vote to adopt an amendment to HR 2642 that provides education funding for eligible members of the Armed Forces, extends unemployment compensation, establishes moratoria on certain actions regarding Medicaid, and appropriates a total of $28.67 billion for various domestic and international purposes.
NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT, WHICH REPLACES THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE OF THE BILL WITH ITS OWN.
#2:TAX RATE EXTENSION AMENDMENT: OBAMA Y / MCCAIN N / BIDEN Y / Palin (n/a)
- $14 billion for the Veterans Benefits Administration for Compensation and Pensions for the years of 2006 through 2010
- $6.9 billion to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the Veterans Health Administration for Medical Care between the years 2006 through 2010
- $1 billion for the establishment of the Veterans Hospital Improvement Fund
- Modifies tax rates on capital gains and dividends
#3: ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR VETERANS AMENDMENT: OBAMA Y/ MCCAIN N / BIDEN Y / PALIN (n/a)
Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that appropriates $500 million annually from 2006-2010 for counseling, mental health, and rehabilitation services for veterans diagnosed with mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse.
#4: HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS AMENDMENT: OBAMA Y / MCCAIN N / BIDEN Y / PALIN (n/a)
Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act to allow for adoption of an amendment that increases funding for the Veterans Health Administration in order to account for inflation and changes in the number of veterans using the health services.
(#3 & #4 were amendments to change the current law from 1974)
Now, onto their Health Care Plans for non-veterans... (info gathered from www.urban.org)
OBAMA:
Abstract
The Obama health care plan would greatly increase health insurance coverage, substantially increase access to affordable and adequate coverage for those with the highest health care needs, significantly increase the affordability of care for the low-income, and reduce the growth in health spending through a broad array of strategies. Despite the overall positive assessment, a few concerns remain. The plan would leave about 6 percent uninsured, necessitating the maintenance of the current inefficient safety net system; the employer mandate may engender significant political opposition; and the cost estimate may be low depending upon how several plan details are resolved.
Overall Assessment
Our general assessment of the Obama plan is that it would
greatly increase health insurance coverage but would still leave about 6 percent of the non-elderly population uninsured, compared to 17 percent today.
substantially increase access to affordable and adequate coverage for those with the highest health care needs, including those with chronic illnesses, by spreading health care risk broadly;
significantly increase the affordability of care for low-income individuals; and
reduce the growth in health spending through a broad array of strategies.
In short, Obama’s proposal contains the basic components necessary for effectively addressing the most important shortcomings of the current health care system, that is, limited coverage, inadequate risk pooling, and high-cost growth.
MCCAIN:
Abstract
The McCain health care plan represents a philosophical advance over many proposals, principally in its commitment to redistributing the current tax exemption for employer-based health insurance. However, the plan raises more concerns than it addresses. McCain’s proposal would dramatically change how many obtain insurance, make coverage less accessible for those with health problems, have a high budget cost, but have little effect on the number uninsured. These problems could be addressed by providing a guaranteed source of adequate, affordable coverage; phasing-out the tax exemption slowly; larger subsidies to the low-income; spreading health risk broadly; and a significant commitment to cost-containment.
Overall Assessment
The McCain health care plan represents a philosophical advance over many other health care proposals, principally in its commitment to redistributing the current tax exemption for employer-based health insurance. However, the plan raises more concerns than it addresses. The plan would
provide a refundable tax credit that is more valuable to low-income workers than the current tax exemption for employer-based insurance, though the credit is not adequate to make coverage affordable for many;
make insurance coverage less accessible and affordable for those with high health care needs;
increase coverage among the currently uninsured through the nongroup market but reduce the number already covered by employers, leaving about the same number of people uninsured;
have a high budget cost, at least in its early years.
In brief, McCain’s proposal would dramatically change how many Americans obtain health insurance coverage, make coverage less accessible for those with health problems, have a high budget cost, but have little effect on the number uninsured.
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posted by Ramblings of a crazed SAHM at 10:45 AM
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