What the heck does a tax cut do for the average american when....

What?

I have not heard anything about this, and I run a small business.

I will have to check with my insurance carrier.

You sure about it?

DD

 

That's the problem, though. What is the answer to rising health care costs?

I'm seeing it on the other end where doctors are getting squeezed to death by increasing regulations, other costs and a seemingly constant battle with Medicare, Medicaid, Workmen's Comp and Insurance Companies to pay what they owe under their policies.

New privacy regulations are costing physicians, hospitals and insurance companies billions. My father's office spend nearly $500,000 updating their software and hardware to meet the new regs, and the license for the software adds thousands of dollars to the cost of doing business. And none of that goes to upgrading patient care. If anything, my father has to get patients in and out quicker to make up for the increased costs (raising his rates to cover his increased costs like governments often do doesn't work when the big insurance companies and the government sets a price they'll pay for a procedure and won't pay a penny more... and sometimes won't pay that. So, it's either turn patients around quicker and see more of them, or cut costs... and that will affect patient care).

It's entirely likely my father will get out of the business within the next five years. It wouldn't surprise me to see a large number of other physicians leave their practices in the near future, as well. And the med schools haven't been churning them out as quickly as in the past (though med school applications did jump this year for the first time in a long time).

There are serious problems in the health care industry. I just don't know that I trust a bunch of lawyers to solve them. At least the Senate Majority Leader is an MD.

 

Wow a nearly 50% increase in one year...all the money that will have to go into paying for healthcare, will be taken out of the struggling economy slowing it down even more. Not to mention all the folks who simply won't be able to afford the premiums. Healthcare providers are a 21st century monopoly...

 

This happened several years ago now, but I new I was in trouble when I went to my GP appointment (first time) and he had Phen Phen ads on his window. The guy was a complete scam artist, and he probably hurt alot of people pushing phen phen on them for weight loss.

I wonder what roll if any malpractice insurance has to do with the increase?

 

My company provides all full-time employees with full coverage medical, eyes, and teeth FOR FREE. (Quarterly profit sharing bonuses, too)

If you worked for a company that actually produced somthing, you would have it, too. Too bad we've hit the 34th consecutive quarter with a loss in manufacturing jobs. All thats left are a bunch of services servicing other service providors. Its actually quite like a ponzi scam.

If you stupid to figure out that the entire dotcom industry was like waking up from a wet dream, my advice would be go back to sleep, and quit whining so the rest of us can get some work done.

 

That's certainly a big factor, as well. Chances are, though, you're not going to get a bunch of lawyers to write laws that will reduce malpractice insurance since one of the things that has raised the costs of malpractice insurance is lawsuits and the threat of lawsuits.

When I was growing up, my father got sued for malpractice a sum total of twice. In one case, the lawyer was apparently just suing every doctor in town regardless of whether they had anything to do with the case or not (my father was partners with the anestheisiologist on the case. He wasn't even in town when the surgery took place). Even though the case against my father was quickly dismissed, it still cost money to defend him, and it still made his malpractice insurance go up.

I don't know what it's been like since I moved out in 1989. But since he gave up being a practicing anestheisiologist to get into pain management a few years ago, he works "normal" business hours (roughly 8am to 7pm M-F and 8am to 1pm on Saturday. Never on-call), I'm sure his situation has changed somewhat. But it still costs a significant amount of money to insure.

But talking about the new, very expensive privacy laws was based on the fact that these costs were just added, and I could see how they would have an effect on health care costs this year. The malpractice stuff has been going on for a good many years.

I'm no fan of the insurance companies. They are a culprit in this, as are some of the hospital companies, and I can't say that all physicians are blameless (though I'm obviously going to be biased toward physicians, nurses, etc). But I don't think we can overlook the price that lawsuits and threats of lawsuits brings to the table when it comes to health care costs.

 

I know these kinds of doctors, too. There are a good many physicians who are way too quick to medicate. It's a big problem that potentially has very bad consequences beyond costs.

And the drug companies do like to sweeten the pot beyond being pushy salesmen. Offering "conferences" at resorts, and so on, that they send doctors on... at no charge to the doctor, of course. Heck, there might even be a honorarium available if you come and say a few words at the "conference". It can make the payola of the music industry seem tame, in my opinion.

And just for the record, a psychologist can't prescribe you any medication. They aren't medical doctors. A psychiatrist can, but some of them are just as quick to prescribe as the doctor you spoke about.

 

Bigman totally missed your question/point about malpractice insurance didn't mean to repeat.

Psychologists are lobbying heavily to gain the legal right to prescribe meds. in Texas. Specially trained psychologists are able to prescribe meds in New Mexico. I assume if the 2003 Legislature passes the bill they will be be required to take additional training as required in New Mexico. I'm not sure off hand what the additional training includes. The main group fighting the bill is the Texas Psychological Association, patients will no longer have to go to see a Psychiatrist after a Psychologist evaluates their needs.

 

What?!!!!!!! Are you kidding me? If this was meant tongue in cheek, please excuse the next paragraph.

As I stated before, I work for a 35 employee company. Not a large company that can spring for everyone. Given the fact that I'm the highest ranking non-owner, I'd say I've achieved as much, if not more than someone punching the clock for the big corporation. What does the the dot com industry flop have to do with healthcare costs? You seem to have tied a link in your mind. Please share it. If you think I'm whining.........you're right. Maybe b****ing is a better word. Maybe if enough people b**** about pertinent problems, reform will come. Of course I can stick my head in the sand and go back to sleep like you suggested. Hey, bud, go back to work in your cubicle, and wait for your lunch hour.

If you're not interested in the subject of the thread. Then stay out of it. You don't have to insult people just because you could care less.

(Oh yeah....Bigman is Kelvin at home.....Kelvin is Bigman at work)

 

Rising health care costs will definitely be an issue in the coming months.

I'm not sure what tax cuts have to do with it though. They were not intended to stem the increased costs. I don't see how tax increases would help either.

 

If I'm not mistaken, tax cuts were intended to jump start the economy, with the idea that more money in the consumer hands, means more spending. The relationship for this thread is that if our healthcare costs are astronomicaly climbing, then the money put into our hands by the tax cut, goes back to health care costs.

IMO, reducing healthcare costs would do more to jump start MY budget than a tax cut. I do realize the tax cut is also intended for business and to encourage investments in stocks. However, I don't see the tax cuts as a solution, just a temporary fix.

 

Tax cuts are not really related to health care costs. You connection is dubious because there are many people that benefit from the tax cuts that do not have the problems with the health care costs. I say insurance isn't for everyone. Its a gamble anyway. If you don't get sick, insurance is a big scam. For low income people there are alternatives available like MedicAid (at least in California). Sadly, in our litigous culture, there is no way to avoid increases like this. As long as people are suing left and right, costs are going to go up across the board.

 

This is a waking nightmare-- makes me want to get out of the insurance business.

I sell individual health insurance only so we have much the same problem because there is no employer to absorb any of the costs.
Then again the plans are not as lush so the rate increases have only been 7% on average for the past decade.

I'm touting lower usage plans. People's health insurance is like car insurance. Have an accident (any claims) once a quarter and your rates are going up.

Small groups are the most vulnerable to rate volatility.

 

what do you know about maternity riders, giddyup? i have individual policies for me, my wife and son...we have zero in the way of maternity coverage. i've been told you might as well just pay for care at the hospital...that ultimately you'd pay the same price for a maternity rider...pretty sure if we decided to have another little MadMax it would be a c-section. so i'm not sure if that's correct.

 

I remember working for a startup in 1993 and we had trouble getting insurance for about 25 employees because one was over fifty and one was over sixty years old. Sounds like the situation just gets worse and worse. I work for a very large corporation and had better and cheaper insurance seven years ago when I worked for a smaller company.