BO fining parents

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-29-2008
BO fining parents
111
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 1:11am

I was watching some of the debate from last week online because i missed it. McCain brought up that Obama wants to fine parents who do not have health insurance on their children.

I'm not sure how most people feel about this, but isn't health insurance just as important as shelter, education and food. I definitely think that not insuring your children should fall into the neglect category. People can complain about the cost of health care but if you can't afford having a child, don't have one.

I guess i was wondering what others thought about this.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:04pm
Point taken, and quite a respectful response too. Thank you for that. Keep in mind, that was only an idea a few of us were tossing around, that something similar to that may or may not be possible. I posted a bit further down equating the military housing and health care into the idea. In other words, if all these great ideas could come together and everyone in our government keep an open mind about it, and actually listen to the different ideas, maybe a solution could be found by combining the ideas. I think in the government (and this is nothing about sides, about individuals) too many of our leaders think their way is the only way, instead of listening to others and combine ways to come up with a fabulous solution. Maybe this is where our government is going wrong, too much of the "it's my way or no way" attitude. I'm not in government, but I think if everyone listens to everyones ideas, no matter how silly they seem, we could find a solution. After all I'm sure that people laughed when Edison had his idea for the light bulb, or Ford invented the Model T....without what may have seemed like these "silly" inventions at the time, we wouldn't have what we have today.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:18pm
Yes, they are, but it ain't their fault. It's President Bush's.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:22pm
Another question .... what authority does the Federal government have to order someone to purchase health insurance?
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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-26-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:25pm
LOL - how bout the state?
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:30pm
Well if his plan was to order coverage it's failed, as I believe there are still plenty of uninsured people.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:39pm
And many unhappy people...c'mon guys, there has got to be a great solution that all these great minds can put together, look past political lines and listen to people about their ideas and run from there. There really, right now, is no right or wrong solution, anything can be better than nothing. Why can't the government offer some sort of affordable option like the military for those, yes there will be cost, but maybe base the cost on a sliding scale on what the person paid the year before in taxes, and every year it is reviewed so as incomes change, the fees change? There has got to be something that can be done like that, but then if someone doesn't want the government coverage they can opt for private insurance? i've survived two c-sections, a tumor removal where I was cut from rib to pelvis, to nose surgery, among regular illnesses and a serious illness with my daughter when she was born, where we all survived it. The health care could have been better, but it could have been worse, too. All that I named was done in an MTF (military treatment facility). If i've survived 16 years of it and countless others in the military (and families) have survived the military doctors (who are not known to be the best docs because they are still in training) why can't the government figure out something like that?
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-04-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 8:51pm

>>In other words, if all these great ideas could come together and everyone in our government keep an open mind about it, and actually listen to the different ideas, maybe a solution could be found by combining the ideas.<<

You are so right. I felt like my post was long and rambling but I think what I was trying to say was children, elderly, and sick people should see doctors. People who are reasonably healthy can get away with RNs. Tiers could go by maybe the sickest going to the best/experienced doctors.

Another issue I have to bring up is the insurance companies as they are now. When I was much younger, I used to do physician and hospital billing. Problems arise because insurance companies don't want to give up the $$ and pay the claim unless every t is crossed and every i is dotted. There were so many rules and so much paperwork that it was insane. And don't forget that doctor's charge $$$ and insurance will only pay $$ with Medicaid and Medicare paying $ which leads the doctors/hospitals to raise prices and it really is a vicious circle. I really think that this issue could be helped if the insurance company charged a fixed or flat fee with the medical side getting a guaranteed set percentage payment.

I just hope I live long enough to see it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-20-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 9:01pm
So in other words, either the insurance or the medical side should have more government regulation. if the insurance only pays so much, then the person will be charged for the remainder. BUT, and yes I mean BUT, with the military health care, when we are referred outside of the MTF, we never see a bill because those doctors are "in network" and agree on an amount with Tricare, so we don't get charged more. If this works with the military why not every one else? maybe the government needs to look more within and take its own ideas and utilize them elsewhere? or if government had more regulation on the insurance side, it would force the doctors to charge reasonable amounts? I dunno...there must be a solution?!
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2004
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 9:14pm
Have to say, I live near a military base and all I ever hear is how horrible Tricare is.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-04-2008
In reply to: pie_28
Mon, 10-13-2008 - 9:21pm

>>So in other words, either the insurance or the medical side should have more government regulation. if the insurance only pays so much, then the person will be charged for the remainder.<<

I think the prices should maybe be more regulated but as I say that when I think how much it must cost to run a hospital it makes me dizzy. They way it works is usually the patient pays the fixed rate (co-pay) and they doctor/hospital charges $$$ and the insurance pays $$ and the $ is just absorbed. So my thing is: If the medical side charges $100 and the insurance company pays say 65% and the patient pays $15 why doesn't the medical side just lower their cost. This goes on across the line on all insurance companies. I'm not sure what percentages they all pay now but I know it's not 100%.

BTW, I'm glad you've survived 16yrs of military health care because all I know of it was what I saw on Born on the 4th of July and we all know that wasn't pretty.

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