That Healthcare Thing

[JONJONAUG]

What will happen if this is passed

Top 10 facts to know about Health Care reform

Top 5 lies about Health Care reform

First year after enactment if this passes (most of this immediate):

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF ENACTMENT
*Insurance companies will be barred from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Lifetime coverage limits will be eliminated and annual limits are to be restricted.

*Insurers will be barred from excluding children for coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

*Young adults will be able to stay on their parents' health plans until the age of 26. Many health plans currently drop dependents from coverage when they turn 19 or finish college.

*Uninsured adults with a pre-existing conditions will be able to obtain health coverage through a new program that will expire once new insurance exchanges begin operating in 2014.

*A temporary reinsurance program is created to help companies maintain health coverage for early retirees between the ages of 55 and 64. This also expires in 2014.

*Medicare drug beneficiaries who fall into the \\"doughnut hole\\" coverage gap will get a $250 rebate. The bill eventually closes that gap which currently begins after $2,700 is spent on drugs. Coverage starts again after $6,154 is spent.

*A tax credit becomes available for some small businesses to help provide coverage for workers.

*A 10 percent tax on indoor tanning services that use ultraviolet lamps goes into effect on July 1.

Links of GOP and their supporters being asshats:

Holy shit, this is the most heartless thing. Guy with Parkinson's comes to a health care rally and is berated by anti-reform protesters who mock him and throw dollar bills at him while chanting slogans.

Rep. Scott Garrett cites fake memo

Steve King calls for open revolt

Crap, I have no idea how to stop this video from taking up so much room and just making it a regular link. Anyway, Bachmann is still a total lying bitch.


Links of Democrats and their supporters being asshats:

Stop being a fucking attention whore, Stupak. And Harry Reid, if you're going to promise that reconciliation will work provide some support for this

 

[AshburnerX]

Open revolution... over fucking HEALTH CARE? If it wasn't going to happen over the Bush Regime, it's not going to happen just because you have to pay more in taxes. Honestly... I know a lot of us secretly hope to see a revolution in our lifetimes, but lets hope it's over something that actually has MEANING.

Better yet, lets hope it doesn't happen at all.

 

[@Li3n]

Well last time you had open revolution over a tax on tea... which was the only tax the kept after eliminating the other ones they wanted trying to appease you guys...

 

[AshburnerX]

Well last time you had open revolution over a tax on tea... which was the only tax the kept after eliminating the other ones they wanted trying to appease you guys...

It wasn't about being taxed... it was about being taxed without having any representation in the House of Lords and the escalation on both of sides of the issue, which eventually triggered the Battles of Lexington and Concord (And the whole American Revolution). Also, that was only the FIRST time we had Open Revolution in the US. The last time we had it was the Civil War.

 

[LordRendar]

Honestly... I know a lot of us secretly hope to see a revolution in our lifetimes.

No.No you dont. And pray that you don't have to.Was born during one,and have been through one in the Philippines where we had to hide in the mountains for 2 months,because we wrote Anti-Government Pamphlets and the governor of our Island was told to end us.

 

[AshburnerX]

Honestly... I know a lot of us secretly hope to see a revolution in our lifetimes.

No.No you dont. And pray that you don't have to.Was born during one,and have been through one in the Philippines where we had to hide in the mountains for 2 months,because we wrote Anti-Government Pamphlets and the governor of our Island was told to end us.[/QUOTE]

Hench why I also said...

Better yet, lets hope it doesn't happen at all.

I am not so callus as to want the nation plunged into Chaos. But I do understand why people would want it to happen.

 

[LordRendar]

Honestly... I know a lot of us secretly hope to see a revolution in our lifetimes.

No.No you dont. And pray that you don't have to.Was born during one,and have been through one in the Philippines where we had to hide in the mountains for 2 months,because we wrote Anti-Government Pamphlets and the governor of our Island was told to end us.[/QUOTE]

Hench why I also said...

Better yet, lets hope it doesn't happen at all.

I am not so callus as to want the nation plunged into Chaos. But I do understand why people would want it to happen.[/QUOTE]

Pardon. I didnt see that last bit there. I apologize.

 

[WolfOfOdin]

I went out to dinner with one of my professors from college a week or two ago and we talked about the cultural disparity in our country right now. The major point we came across is that we've created two radically opposed cultures in this country, between the 'Left' and the 'Right'. The problem is that these two seem to be butting heads more and more each day, growing evermore vitriolic and hateful in their rhetoric. Situations like this tend to...not end well.

 

[Krisken]

I went out to dinner with one of my professors from college a week or two ago and we talked about the cultural disparity in our country right now. The major point we came across is that we've created two radically opposed cultures in this country, between the 'Left' and the 'Right'. The problem is that these two seem to be butting heads more and more each day, growing evermore vitriolic and hateful in their rhetoric. Situations like this tend to...not end well.

Yes, and leaders from both sides use this as a vehicle for raising money for future campaigns. Since there is no accountability for their actions and no way to reduce it, the us/them mentality is being ingrained into our culture. I predict it won't be long before we see issues arise like other areas of the world that deal with two diametrically opposed viewpoints become more violent.

 

[strawman]

The healthcare plan, as-is, will cost EVERYONE who currently has coverage more money. It doesn't reduce costs at all. It doesn't pay for itself.

The American public has rejected it - polls show that less than 50% of us want it.

The only reason the democrats are considering pushing it through is because they don't want to start again, even though many of them disagree with the senate version (which is the only version they have a chance in a million of passing). They've pushed aside a lot of important concerns (such as unemployment extension) for this bill, and are not now willing to lose what little ground they've claimed.

Obama himself didn't get nearly what he wanted out of it, yet he has lost a full year pushing this unpopular bill on us, and is so invested that he would count himself a failure if this one plank of his grand platform was missing.

We're passing the wrong bill that no one wants for the wrong reasons, it's going to cost the American public BILLIONS to implement, we know it's going to be unfunded, and only ever partially met by the people congress has decided get to bear the burden of implementing it.

Looking at the whole debacle objectively, it's nothing short of hilarious. There's a chain that's binding everyone to their course of action, and they have no choice but to pull themselves, and us by extension, to this silly place.

And all I can see is that I'm paying $800/mo for inexpensive health insurance because I can't afford the comprehensive insurance at $1,200, but after this passes, I'm going to be charged $1,200 for what I already have, and if I can only afford $800 I might as well quit my job and go on the public system because it'll be better than what I can afford. And while some of that money will be going to people with legitimate health problems, most of it will really be going to people who make poor lifestyle choices.

I hope it doesn't pass, but I suspect the democrats will force it on us. Funny thing is that those in the house and senate don't have to pay for their health care. I'd like to see them vote for it only if they have to live by it.

 

[JONJONAUG]

The healthcare plan, as-is, will cost EVERYONE who currently has coverage more money. It doesn't reduce costs at all. It doesn't pay for itself.

Except it actually cuts costs in Medicare by 500 billion and the only people who will see an increase are those under individual plans who aren't insured through their company and don't have plans with the level of coverage required in the bill.

I'll agree that there are a lot of things that could've been improved on in the bill and a lot of things (public option being one of them) that should've been in it in the first place. But most of the stuff in the bill serves to regulate the insurance industry. While it does help big business by requiring Americans to have health care, it also does a lot to protect consumers and to aid people who can't afford it.

In other news: Stay classy, Tea Party.

Tea Party protesters being racist and having hilarious signs calling Obama an illegal immigrant and comparing him to Hitler. I for one, am completely shocked.

My personal favorite sign is the one that says that they're going to kill Congressmen if this Socialist Nazi bill gets passed.

 

[WolfOfOdin]

Jesus fucking christ!

What the hell people?! That's not how you get your message across, that's how you get seen as raving, bigoted lunatics and racist thugs. Is this honestly what discourse has finally degraded to in America? Throwing bricks through congressional office buildings? Out and out threatening MURDER towards congress?

I'm officially deeply worried now....if that group, with as much people as it has, gains a charismatic enough leader, the results will be....unpleasant.

 

[JONJONAUG]

Video and link to President Obama's latest speech on the subject

Secondary link for Tea Party protest

 

[Dei]

From what I hear there's already a piggyback bill in Congress to undo the cuts to Medicare. It might still be in committee or something. I don't know if that's true so I'm not going to go on and on about it. But I do know that I hate the way they are shoving this bill down everyone's throats. It's not going to fix anything, it's just going to make people pay for healthcare whether they want to or not, not help improve primary care doctor shortages in any way, and make over 50% of the U.S. Population angry.

 

[Krisken]

From what I hear there's already a piggyback bill in Congress to undo the cuts to Medicare. It might still be in committee or something. I don't know if that's true so I'm not going to go on and on about it. But I do know that I hate the way they are shoving this bill down everyone's throats. It's not going to fix anything, it's just going to make people pay for healthcare whether they want to or not, not help improve primary care doctor shortages in any way, and make over 50% of the U.S. Population angry.

Fox News? Is that you? I read "Shoving this bill down everyone's throats" and flashbacked to Stewart's video of Fox news anchors saying it over and over again.

 

[JONJONAUG]

Rep. Ryan (Dem. Ohio) calls on Republicans to distance themselves from Tea Party protesters.

 

[Dei]

If you think Congress passing a bill when more than 50% of Americans are opposed to it, and having to "find" deem and pass laws isn't shoving, then I don't know what is.

 

[JONJONAUG]

If you think Congress passing a bill when more than 50% of Americans are opposed to it, and having to \"find\" deem and pass laws isn't shoving, then I don't know what is.

Deem and pass has been used before, it hasn't been "found".

Also Dems have dropped that anyway.

 

[strawman]

Except it actually cuts costs in Medicare by 500 billion and the only people who will see an increase are those under individual plans who aren't insured through their company and don't have plans with the level of coverage required in the bill.

You have got to be kidding me when you say that you believe this. Have you even read the bill? Follow the money. Here's a hint: healthcare isn't free, someone has to pay the bill, and ultimately that person is you.

 

[JONJONAUG]

Except it actually cuts costs in Medicare by 500 billion and the only people who will see an increase are those under individual plans who aren't insured through their company and don't have plans with the level of coverage required in the bill.

You have got to be kidding me when you say that you believe this. Have you even read the bill? Follow the money. Here's a hint: healthcare isn't free, someone has to pay the bill, and ultimately that person is you.[/QUOTE]

Only between six and seven percent of Americans will see an increase in their premiums

Most new taxes are on manufactures of medical equipment, insurance companies, individuals earning over 200 thousand dollars or couples earning more than 250 thousand dollars, and tanning salons that use ultraviolet lamps.

EDIT: Small correction.

 

[Troll]

From what I hear there's already a piggyback bill in Congress to undo the cuts to Medicare. It might still be in committee or something. I don't know if that's true so I'm not going to go on and on about it. But I do know that I hate the way they are shoving this bill down everyone's throats. It's not going to fix anything, it's just going to make people pay for healthcare whether they want to or not, not help improve primary care doctor shortages in any way, and make over 50% of the U.S. Population angry.

So do you believe people should be required to purchase car insurance?

And do you think it was okay for Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, despite the fact that it was strongly opposed in mamy areas of the country?

Regarding Steinman's comments: People are already paying for healthcare when an uninsured person has to go to the emergency room for a condition that could have been prevented, except they could not afford the coverage. Don't act as though taxpayers aren't already shouldering a huge burden of healthcare costs.

 

[Dei]

Quoting something relevant before I complain about an auto insurance analogy.

And all I can see is that I'm paying $800/mo for inexpensive health insurance because I can't afford the comprehensive insurance at $1,200, but after this passes, I'm going to be charged $1,200 for what I already have, and if I can only afford $800 I might as well quit my job and go on the public system because it'll be better than what I can afford. And while some of that money will be going to people with legitimate health problems, most of it will really be going to people who make poor lifestyle choices.

For one thing, auto insurance costs no where near $800 a month unless you are the worst driver ever or have a shit ton of cars. You can choose to not have a car and not have to pay auto insurance. You can choose to not have a plan with all the frills if you can't afford it or don't feel you need it.

 

[Troll]

Quoting something relevant before I complain about an auto insurance analogy.

And all I can see is that I'm paying $800/mo for inexpensive health insurance because I can't afford the comprehensive insurance at $1,200, but after this passes, I'm going to be charged $1,200 for what I already have, and if I can only afford $800 I might as well quit my job and go on the public system because it'll be better than what I can afford. And while some of that money will be going to people with legitimate health problems, most of it will really be going to people who make poor lifestyle choices.

For one thing, auto insurance costs no where near $800 a month unless you are the worst driver ever or have a shit ton of cars. You can choose to not have a car and not have to pay auto insurance. You can choose to not have a plan with all the frills if you can't afford it or don't feel you need it.

Okay, but I brought up the auto insurance as a counter to your complaint about people being forced to buy health insurance whether they want to or not. I think the cost per month is irrelevant to that point. I will grant you that you could simply not have a car, and in that regard the analogy is false for either side of the argument. Still, I think it illustrates that society acknowledges there are times when forcing people to buy insurance is in the public's best interest.

 

[Covar]

Quoting something relevant before I complain about an auto insurance analogy.

And all I can see is that I'm paying $800/mo for inexpensive health insurance because I can't afford the comprehensive insurance at $1,200, but after this passes, I'm going to be charged $1,200 for what I already have, and if I can only afford $800 I might as well quit my job and go on the public system because it'll be better than what I can afford. And while some of that money will be going to people with legitimate health problems, most of it will really be going to people who make poor lifestyle choices.

For one thing, auto insurance costs no where near $800 a month unless you are the worst driver ever or have a shit ton of cars. You can choose to not have a car and not have to pay auto insurance. You can choose to not have a plan with all the frills if you can't afford it or don't feel you need it.

Okay, but I brought up the auto insurance as a counter to your complaint about people being forced to buy health insurance whether they want to or not. I think the cost per month is irrelevant to that point. I will grant you that you could simply not have a car, and in that regard the analogy is false for either side of the argument. Still, I think it illustrates that society acknowledges there are times when forcing people to buy insurance is in the public's best interest.[/QUOTE]

Except the Federal Government is not forcing people to buy auto insurance.

---------- Post added at 09:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 AM ----------

Except it actually cuts costs in Medicare by 500 billion and the only people who will see an increase are those under individual plans who aren't insured through their company and don't have plans with the level of coverage required in the bill.

You have got to be kidding me when you say that you believe this. Have you even read the bill? Follow the money. Here's a hint: healthcare isn't free, someone has to pay the bill, and ultimately that person is you.[/QUOTE]

Only between six and seven percent of Americans will see an increase in their premiums

Most new taxes are on manufactures of medical equipment, insurance companies, individuals earning over 200 thousand dollars or couples earning more than 250 thousand dollars, and tanning salons that use ultraviolet lamps.

EDIT: Small correction.[/QUOTE]
Sweet, once again we're going to tax things that actually effect the cost of medical coverage.


There are already two Goverment programs designed to help people who need health coverage Medicare (for helping the elderly) and Medicaid (for helping the poor, which was what this so called "reform" was supposed to do in the first place). Both of these programs have serious issues and are barely functioning. So lets add another one, this time it will work!

 

[crono1224]

Quoting something relevant before I complain about an auto insurance analogy.

And all I can see is that I'm paying $800/mo for inexpensive health insurance because I can't afford the comprehensive insurance at $1,200, but after this passes, I'm going to be charged $1,200 for what I already have, and if I can only afford $800 I might as well quit my job and go on the public system because it'll be better than what I can afford. And while some of that money will be going to people with legitimate health problems, most of it will really be going to people who make poor lifestyle choices.

For one thing, auto insurance costs no where near $800 a month unless you are the worst driver ever or have a shit ton of cars. You can choose to not have a car and not have to pay auto insurance. You can choose to not have a plan with all the frills if you can't afford it or don't feel you need it.

Okay, but I brought up the auto insurance as a counter to your complaint about people being forced to buy health insurance whether they want to or not. I think the cost per month is irrelevant to that point. I will grant you that you could simply not have a car, and in that regard the analogy is false for either side of the argument. Still, I think it illustrates that society acknowledges there are times when forcing people to buy insurance is in the public's best interest.[/QUOTE]

Except the Federal Government is not forcing people to buy auto insurance.

---------- Post added at 09:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 AM ----------

Except it actually cuts costs in Medicare by 500 billion and the only people who will see an increase are those under individual plans who aren't insured through their company and don't have plans with the level of coverage required in the bill.

You have got to be kidding me when you say that you believe this. Have you even read the bill? Follow the money. Here's a hint: healthcare isn't free, someone has to pay the bill, and ultimately that person is you.[/QUOTE]

Only between six and seven percent of Americans will see an increase in their premiums

Most new taxes are on manufactures of medical equipment, insurance companies, individuals earning over 200 thousand dollars or couples earning more than 250 thousand dollars, and tanning salons that use ultraviolet lamps.

EDIT: Small correction.[/QUOTE]
Sweet, once again we're going to tax things that actually effect the cost of medical coverage.


There are already two Goverment programs designed to help people who need health coverage Medicare (for helping the elderly) and Medicaid (for helping the poor, which was what this so called "reform" was supposed to do in the first place). Both of these programs have serious issues and are barely functioning. So lets add another one, this time it will work![/QUOTE]

You're right government can't run healthcare, poor people in the army with their horrible healthcare.

 

[Troll]

Okay, I can see this was a mistake getting into this discussion. Obviously any point anybody makes is going to be nitpicked, while the actual main points are ignored. Stay classy, folks.

 

[Krisken]

If you get the chance, watch the debate going on right now. It's quite interesting.

 

[JONJONAUG]

There are already two Goverment programs designed to help people who need health coverage Medicare (for helping the elderly) and Medicaid (for helping the poor, which was what this so called \"reform\" was supposed to do in the first place). Both of these programs have serious issues and are barely functioning. So lets add another one, this time it will work!

Except this isn't creating any major new programs. There is no public option and this is not a socialist takeover of medicine like in Canada or the UK. It expands what's already there (Medicaid is broken as hell and is getting a major fixup), changes how money is spent (Medicare has funds cut from some areas, used to fix a spending hole somewhere else), and extends tax credits to those who can't afford health care. Everyone who isn't on Medicare or Medicaid is still on private health insurance, albeit with more government regulation (which is a good thing, unless you're one of those "free market is the best for everything" idiots who ignore every single good thing to come out of public health and services regulation for the past 140 years).

Former Bush speechwriter calls out Republican radicals for inspiring idiocy in party base and perusing a strategy of obstruction over actual discussion

EDIT:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN.aspx

Live stream of Congress. Right now it's a bunch of Republican Reps saying the exact same thing (over and over and over and over, the EXACT same thing). Last guy had a pretty entertaining speech where he made the claim "taxes for 10 years for six years of service" even though a good deal of stuff starts as soon as the bill is signed into law. Right before that Michele Bachmann was up and pretty much broke proper courteous conduct by not addressing the speaker. Guess she's still upset about Congress profaning the Sabbath

You also have some Democrats who are pretty clearly in favor of way more comprehensive stuff that is not actually in the bill. One Dem Rep made a point that a good deal of money was spent bringing health care to Iraq, yet Congress can't offer the same for its own citizens.

Oh wow. David Dreier (Cali-R) is full of bullshit. Claims that we should be deregulating the industry further and that tort reform is the number one issue here.

 

[Espy]

You're right government can't run healthcare, poor people in the army with their horrible healthcare.

Man, I've posted so many times here about the "fun" that is the army healthcare my wife and I had for years that I just can't handle even thinking about re-writing the mess of complications and red tape that even getting to a doc is under that healthcare. It's great in that it's cheap (you know, assuming you like getting sent to war zones every other year), don't get me wrong, but it's the biggest mess of bureaucratic nonsense you will ever have to deal with, so no, I don't think the government will "run" healthcare well. Of course that doesn't mean I think private business are doing a much better job...

 

[Krisken]

Maybe you should talk to the Department of Defense, Espy? It's their program.

You really can't bitch about a program that has no enrollment fees, deductibles, or co-payments for authorized medical services and prescriptions.

Maybe get some of that private health insurance as well?

2nd edit: I should probably ask before making the assumption, Espy. Do you have the basic TRICARE package or do you have additionally coverage?

 

[Espy]

Maybe you should talk to the Department of Defense, Espy? It's their program.

You really can't bitch about a program that has no enrollment fees, deductibles, or co-payments for authorized medical services and prescriptions.
2nd edit: I should probably ask before making the assumption, Espy. Do you have the basic TRICARE package or do you have additionally coverage?

Seriously dude, what the heck? Do you understand that despite the above things you mentioned, which are nice, that it's not free? You pay by serving your country, going to warzones, risking your life and paying a decent monthly fee (ours was close to 400 for the two of us)? So why the heck am I not allowed to have an opinion on it? I'm not "bitching" about it, I'm just talking about the nightmare it can be to deal with. It doesn't mean it's "bad" insurance. But to imply I can't have an opinion on it?

Man, I'm just really confused here... I don't understand what you are trying to say. I make a comment on government run insurance based on my personal experience being on it and you want me to... what, call the DOD and tell them? Not dare to say it's not perfect?
Maybe I was unclear so let's say it again:. It's great insurance. It's cheap. It's a burecratic nightmare to deal with. Is it better than private? Private healthcare has the same bureaucratic issues that it does so as I kind of implied in my previous post: They all have their bureaucratic issues and it would be nice to get some reform there.

As to what "package" we had? We don't have any of it now that my wife is out of the military. I'm not really sure what "package" we had, it was good but it wasn't the best in the world. Now as compensation for my wife spending 2 years overseas on active duty it wasn't bad, aside, you know, from the bureaucracy that is really frustrating to deal with.

Since I don't really understand what you are getting at maybe I'm just being unclear: I don't think the government (DOD is part of our government right?) will run healthcare well. I also don't think the private companies are doing a much better job than the government would.

So where does that leave us? Clearly we need some kind of reform. I assume you agree, so seriously, I'm not trying to argue with anyone about my personal experiences or whether or not we need reform. Clearly we do. Does that mean I'm just going to blindly assume the government will be our Healthcare Jesus? Of course not. I'm not against the government getting involved, but we need some real reform to the way it's done, I don't know if this bill is actually going to help or not, if it passes I hope it does. If it doesn't really help then I hope it fails and a better one gets put together.

 

[Krisken]

I guess I'm saying expecting to compare all government run healthcare to the one run by the Department of Defense is like expecting all hamburgers to be a Big Mac.

 

[Espy]

I guess I'm saying expecting to compare all government run healthcare to the one run by the Department of Defense is like expecting all hamburgers to be a Big Mac.

I never said they were the same thing. I merely said, I have been on government run healthcare and here are some good things and some bad things about it.

 

[Krisken]

Maybe you should talk to the Department of Defense, Espy? It's their program.

You really can't bitch about a program that has no enrollment fees, deductibles, or co-payments for authorized medical services and prescriptions.

Seriously dude, what the heck? Do you understand that despite the above things you mentioned, which are nice, that it's not free? You pay by serving your country, going to warzones, risking your life and paying a decent monthly fee (ours was close to 400 for the two of us)? So why the heck am I not allowed to have an opinion on it? I'm not "bitching" about it, I'm just talking about the nightmare it can be to deal with. It doesn't mean it's "bad" insurance.

Basically, I'm just really confused here... I don't understand what you are trying to say. I make a comment on government run insurance based on my personal experience being on it and you want me to... what, call the DOD and tell them?
Maybe I was unclear so let's say it again:. It's great insurance. It's cheap. It's a burecratic nightmare to deal with. Is it better than private? Private healthcare has the same bureaucratic issues that it does so as I kind of implied in my previous post: They all have their bureaucratic issues and it would be nice to get some reform there.

2nd edit: I should probably ask before making the assumption, Espy. Do you have the basic TRICARE package or do you have additionally coverage?

We don't have any of it now that my wife is out of the military. I'm not really sure what "package" we had, it was good but it wasn't the best in the world. Now as compensation for my wife spending 2 years overseas on active duty it wasn't bad, aside, you know, from the bureaucracy that is really frustrating to deal with.

Since I don't really understand what you are getting at maybe I'm just being unclear: I don't think the government (DOD is part of our government right?) will run healthcare well. I also don't think the private companies are doing a much better job than the government would.

So where does that leave us? Clearly we need some kind of reform. I assume you agree, so seriously, I'm not trying to argue with anyone about my personal experiences or whether or not we need reform. Clearly we do. Does that mean I'm just going to blindly assume the government will be our Healthcare Jesus? Of course not. I'm not against the government getting involved, but we need some real reform to the way it's done, I don't know if this bill is actually going to help or not, if it passes I hope it does. If it doesn't really help then I hope it fails and a better one gets put together.[/QUOTE]
That was the point of the edit. There are different levels of TRICARE. The basic level is all the things I posted. I know this because I took it right from the AHIMA book that tells me what it is (Principles of Healthcare Reimbursement, 2nd edition, 2009). So you had care beyond the basic Tricare level. You must have had Tricare Standard or Tricare Extra as well.

As for reform, yeah, there is some stuff that does help reform. The biggest help will be the physician guidelines. This was largely demonized as the "They'll tell people to pull the plug on grandma!" section. What it does is it collects data of symptoms and helps physicians rule out the most common diagnoses first and suggests the most successful route of treatment. This is where a lot of cost will be saved.

Really not pleased with the way the Pharmaceuticals were given a free ride, though. Medication prices are way out of control.

 

[Kitty Sinatra]

What it does is it collects data of symptoms and helps physicians rule out the most common diagnoses first and suggests the most successful route of treatment

If that hasn't been in place since the dawn of your country (or at least since its Ministry of Health) y'all need more reform than ya think.