November 22, 2015

Hillary has been fighting for health care reform since the early 1990s

Remember that? She was skewered and roasted by the Republicans and the health care industry, so much so that no one tried to tackle health care reform for a decade.

You may not agree with the destination but at least she tried to move the country to a better system. Even that didn't manage to pass.

Now, why in the name of * does anyone think she's in the pay of the health care industry now? Do you really think she went through that experience for fun?

I have NEVER seen any serious proposals from Bernie on where he wants to move the health care system. By serious proposal I mean policy details, transition plans, sources of funding, etc.

But just because he says "single payer healthcare" or "Medicare for all" his supporters get so excited without asking for more details.

November 21, 2015

Here's a socialistic program I'm willing to pay more taxes on: free lunches for all school children

no exceptions or stigma. Paid by the federal government without conditions on the states.

Does this make me a social darwinism or libertarian?

November 21, 2015

The US spends $3 trillion a year on health care. How much goes to health insurance companies?

Anyone want to take a wild stab at how much goes to health insurance companies in aggregate as profits (yes, profits), administrative costs, underwriting, etc?

This is the amount that would be saved by going to a single payer model (before talking about negotiating prices, which would be my next question: how much of the $3 trillion is actually spent on drug prices).

And don't forget that in a single payer model, average number of procedures per person will go up so total expenditure will increase.

November 21, 2015

How many of you support Sanders' plan to raise the payroll tax on *everybody* to fund his platform?

I've been accused of many bad things in this thread so I'm curious how many people support his plan to raise taxes on *everybody* (including you).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251834909

For context (3min45seconds)

November 21, 2015

Clinton is smart to contrast her plan to cut taxes against Sander's plan to raise taxes on the middl

e class.

As long as Sanders doesn't release his own tax plan she can keep pointing out to his comments of raising the payroll tax that would hit everybody.

By Christmas, Sanders will be known as the guy who wants to raise taxes on the middle class. That would sink his nomination chances.


Go Hillary!!!

November 21, 2015

If Sanders supporters don't want a tax cut on the middle class does that mean they want a tax hike?

Talk about cognitive dissonance.

Sanders is the one proposing a tax increase on the middle class.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/11/13/clinton-and-sanders-are-divided-over-a-big-obama-promise-not-raising-taxes-on-the-middle-class/

Sanders, meanwhile, already has proposed at least one small tax increase that would hit all taxpayers — an increase in the payroll tax to fund a guaranteed paid leave benefit. Analysts say he will almost certainly need to propose others in order to finance his plan to offer government-funded health care to every American.

November 20, 2015

Good politicians are honest about the pros/cons of a policy. Bad politicians only mention the pros.

and never the cons or costs or limits.

What kind of politicians do you prefer?

November 19, 2015

ACA is in trouble and could be on course for a death spiral

Don't need the Republicans in the House to shut it down, this could sink all on its own weight.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/rising-rates-pose-challenge-to-health-law-1447894371
Rising Rates Pose Challenge to Health Law
Higher-cost premiums for 2016 threaten the appeal of the program for the healthy customers it needs

http://www.wsj.com/articles/health-laws-strains-show-1446423498
Health Insurers Struggle to Profit From ACA Plans
As third enrollment season kicks off, insurers move to curb costs, boost premiums

http://www.wsj.com/articles/unitedhealth-cuts-guidance-evaluating-its-insurance-exchange-segment-1447933310
UnitedHealth Raises Doubts About Its Participation in Affordable Care Act
Insurer cuts earnings outlook, citing losses from health-exchange products

http://www.wsj.com/articles/more-health-co-ops-face-collapse-1445034912
More Health Co-ops Face Collapse
Colorado’s co-op and one in Oregon are folding, joining six others; coalition considers legal action





If you recall, ACA forces the mainly young/healthy/male to subsidize the old/sick/female by banning insurance companies from charging different prices based on gender or pre-existing conditions. There's a limit to how much they can charge based on age. There are also 10 essential benefits which are expensive to cover and not everyone needs.

So given the dynamics of higher premiums, it's logical for the young/healthy/male to start thinking whether they really need to be covered and should just drop out.

Which raises the premiums for everyone else in the pool since they are by definition sicker. Kind of an adverse self selection going on.

And despite what you may think of greedy insurance companies, they haven't been profitable either due to higher than expected costs. And if the health insurance companies can't be profitable, they are going to drop out.

So on the one hand you have the healthy people dropping out and on the other hand more and more insurance companies are going to drop out. That's by definition a death spiral.



Note: I haven't taken any position on ACA vs single payer in this OP. I'm just laying out facts and an analysis. So let's stick to facts and avoid name-calling, if that's possible.

November 18, 2015

PSA: How many people here who love to hate "Wall Street" actually know what it means?

It does NOT mean big corporations. It does not refer to all financial companies either.

Test your knowledge:
- Hedge Funds
- Private Equity
- Venture Capital
- Investment bank
- Brokerage
- Asset management
- Specialist research firms
- Consumer/retail bank
- Commercial bank
- Mortgage originator
- Mortgage servicer
- Wealth management/private banking
- Pension funds
- Foundations
- Family offices
- Insurance company
- Credit union
- Custodian
- Administrator


Is it fair for Sanders to say "the business model of Wall Street is fraud"? Let's see if all the people who hate Wall Street actually know what it refers to. Bonus if you can rank from slimiest to cleanest business models.

Oh, please make substantive points rather than name-calling etc.

November 17, 2015

Now is a great time for the governors of Democratic states to show leadership and take in refugees

How better to combat the hate and ignorance than with love and support?

It's not like the refugees would have been welcome in racist places anyway.

Diverse states like California and New York are more than big enough to absorb everyone.

Let's focus on having a positive rather than hate-stirring message.

Small and much poorer countries in Europe are having to shoulder a very heavy burden. The US has a moral imperative to take in as many refugees as possible. For historical precedent, look at the Vietnam war.