If only the media was as outraged over American healthcare prior to the ACA, as they are now.

[Yavin4]

When millions of Americans were uninsured or under-insured and going bankrupt because of healthcare issues and millions more are tied to shitty jobs just because of the healthcare benefits, the fucking corporate media did not give a fuck at all, esp. Lisa-fucking-Myers.

Now, that we've attempted to regulate the health insurance industry so that everyone can at least get some access to some coverage, the fucking media is hunting for every glitch and trouble spot.

[leftstreet]

1. That's a good point n/t

[get the red out]

2. Now there's a thought!

But a dysfunctional web site is far more rage worthy than people dying without care.

[alc]

3. I wish they were outraged over health "care" now

They're only outraged over health insurance. Hopefully I'm wrong, but I'm not convinced that access to health insurance will result in access to health care. It will certainly help some people, particularly the sickest.

But there are a lot of potential obstacles for people to get care even if they have insurance
* docs and hospitals not taking ACA policies,
* docs doing the minimum for preventative care visits - come back for a high-reimbursement/co-pay visit for anything useful,
* unaffordable co-pays and deductibles
* docs abusing approvals for procedures/visits - regulators allowing to avoid being called "death panels"
* insurers abusing MLR (medical loss ratio) and approving every requested procedure to jack up medical costs which is the only way to increase premiums which is the only way to increase profits on ACA policies
* insurers not getting premium increases approved so denying everything they can in order to sell supplemental insurance and increase profits outside of the ACA.

Some of those are contradictory. So they can't all happen, but insurers and providers have multiple paths for screwing patients (and the government). If everyone involved "plays nice", things will go great. But if that was the case we wouldn't have such a need for the ACA.

[demosincebirth]

5. They are outraged...only that it's websites aren't working fast enough.

Ironic.

[cui bono]

7. Where are you getting some of these concerns?

Last edited Sat Nov 2, 2013, 02:20 AM - Edit history (1)

* Not taking ACA policies

Maybe I'm wrong, but these are not "ACA policies" these are policies from already established insurance companies. It's not like they're some special low grade policy that's not going to be accepted somewhere. Where did the idea come from that these are a separate ACA classified policy? I've never heard of that, though it could be so, if it is please provide link to info.


* docs doing the minimum for preventative care visits

What makes you think this will happen? How would this be worse for anyone because of the ACA than it is now?


* unaffordable co-pays and deductibles

Link? The cost of these is listed when you buy your policy. The co-pays and deductibles are down from what they were before ACA. Plus there's a cap on annual out of pocket expenses. That's a huge benefit to the people.


* docs abusing approvals for procedures/visits - regulators allowing to avoid being called "death panels"

Example? Not sure what you're saying here.


* insurers abusing MLR (medical loss ratio) and approving every requested procedure to jack up medical costs which is the only way to increase premiums which is the only way to increase profits on ACA policies

How does this increase premiums? This would cause insurance companies to pay more. Why would they want to do that? It's like cutting off your nose to spite your face. There's no point to raising costs in order to raise premium prices. Net gain zero.


* insurers not getting premium increases approved so denying everything they can in order to sell supplemental insurance and increase profits outside of the ACA.

This seems to contradict your last point.


I just don't see how these are realistic scenarios.

[Progressive dog]

10. You even got the "death panels" in there,

you do know that even Sarah doesn't talk about that anymore.

[treestar]

4. Good point.

The right wingers would go on about how we have the best medical care in the world. Which we do, for the rich.

[JoePhilly]

6. The correct response for the left is to use this as an opportunity to claim that single payer

or a public option, would FIX the problem.

Then, watch the media squirm.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. Or...if they spent as much time examining Bush's WMD lies

We could have avoided hundreds of thousands of deaths and trillions of dollars down the drain.

[Dopers_Greed]

9. It really is sickening

The media is shredding the ACA with a level of scrutiny not given to any major problem currently facing America.

Endless war, the income divide, corruption, poverty, waste. None of these even compare to *GASP* "website glitches."

[SoapBox]

11. Super Ditto to your post.

[gopiscrap]

12. No kidding