New figures show that Medicare “Advantage” plans offered by HMO’s are 12% more eXpensive than straight Medicare. How can this subsidy be defended/

What is that plan? I’ve never heard of it? How can it be offered by a private HMO and be called a ‘Medicare’ plan?

wigwam @ 248

Conjecture: fear that the AMA smacks of “unionism,” which is beneath true professionals, like MDs.

Actually, no. The AMA has bled members due to its loss of impact as a lobbyist. When the docs’ salaries were constrained via malpractice premiums and increased insurance regulation and associated costs, the bloom went off the AMA rose. …

So, doctors are very sensitive to their pay being reduced by law suits. Who wouldn’t be? Does this tell us they are facing too many frivolous suits or they’re being forced to pay too much as a result of suits? What’s the truth of the medical malpractice lawsuits issue?

my sister in law had radiation for lung cancer at twice the regular dose. Her health insurance was excellent. She was told this was the latest and best treatment. She died of a fried esophagus..the direct result of the radiation treatment. We found out too late it was a cost cutting thing. Pin point radiation is new but very important …

Apparently we have to separate the profit motive from health care professionals and their decision-making or make the cost of failures and lies very very expensive.

Hillary’s first plan happened a hundred years ago, politically speaking. Since then, plenty of once “secure” middle class folks have gone bankrupt from a Nixon Era health system stacked against the average paid insured. Just try to collect when you actually get sick. Profit drives denials of coverage; it’s that simple. …

So, insurance chooses not to pay on policies. Nothing new about that, huh? What’s the cure that hit’s ‘em in the wallet very very hard?

We need to begin suggesting every kind of fix or change for the better that we can imagine. Just complaining isn’t enough and certainly isn’t appropriate for Progressives or any kind of Democrat.

America needs to remove the underpinning profit-driven mantra from its public health system if it wants to haul itself out of the quagmire.

Whoever heard of gettin into a war where ya don’t know who the enemy is? Our president- that’s who?

Uh, the one I was in.