View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:29 am Post subject: Medical workers OK possible strike. |
|
|
This is the headline in todays OR. This is bad timing for the union. This seems to be contrary to the president and congress' intent to rein in health care cost. While the union demands pension improvements salaried workers have had theirs frozen.
Any wage /pension increase cost will be passed on to those nasty insurance companies and they will be blamed for the cost increase, not the union, not hospital management for approving the increase.
If we, as a country, want to get health care cost under control then all parties must sacerfice. That includes, drug makers,doctors, radiologist, anathesologist, hospitals, nurses, physical therapist , insurance firms and yes the unions.
If the city of Washington, and others, including our state government, have their way and tax hospitals, those cost will also be passed on to the insurance firms.
As cost increases so does the the price of services provided. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Cylinsier Master


Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
This is totally contradictory to your previous arguments. You've complained before that no one would be health insurance reform because the insurance companies would pass any dip in profits on to the doctors (which is wrong for a whole lot of reasons, but that's a different argument), and therefore medical personnel would dwindle because they wouldn't have the money they used to.
Now you say that the answer is for everyone to sacrifice, including those same medical personnel who you said could not be realistically expected to sacrifice. Make up your mind.
By the way, the general public already sacrifices a lot for their health insurance. Enough so that we are all already at the breaking point. _________________ The end is nigh! OR forums die APRIL 1. Don't lose contact! Join the forums at bogsource.com now! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
dick Journeyman


Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 3134
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:10 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just so its clear. The strike at the Washington Hospital pertains to the Service Workers Union. No doctors, radiologists, computer techs, physical therapists, or nurses will be on strike. Jus sayin. _________________
Proud Member NDA
Its okay to eat fish because they don't have any feelings.
Puff. Puff. Give. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
dick wrote: | Just so its clear. The strike at the Washington Hospital pertains to the Service Workers Union. No doctors, radiologists, computer techs, physical therapists, or nurses will be on strike. Jus sayin. |
Just sayin, the cost of services is going up and we will pay. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
dick Journeyman


Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 3134
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
Plus they'll be paying people a ton of OT. _________________
Proud Member NDA
Its okay to eat fish because they don't have any feelings.
Puff. Puff. Give. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
Cylinsier wrote: | This is totally contradictory to your previous arguments. You've complained before that no one would be health insurance reform because the insurance companies would pass any dip in profits on to the doctors (which is wrong for a whole lot of reasons, but that's a different argument), and therefore medical personnel would dwindle because they wouldn't have the money they used to.
Now you say that the answer is for everyone to sacrifice, including those same medical personnel who you said could not be realistically expected to sacrifice. Make up your mind.
By the way, the general public already sacrifices a lot for their health insurance. Enough so that we are all already at the breaking point. |
I never said that. I said doctors would not accept lower reimbursments if it exceeded the cost of services.
The only way to slow increases in health care cost is to freeze all associated health care cost at todays rates. At that point the increases in insurace cost will be due soley to incerased use of sevices of baby boomers, many of whom may not have taken care of themselves. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ellipses Mod


Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:30 am Post subject: |
|
|
pap wrote: |
The only way to slow increases in health care cost is to freeze all associated health care cost at todays rates. At that point the increases in insurace cost will be due soley to incerased use of sevices of baby boomers, many of whom may not have taken care of themselves. |
OR... cap reimbursements at today's rates... What's the going rate for an x-ray today? Ok, we'll pay that rate for an x ray for the next 10 years, not a penny more.
You can do that with single payer... _________________ The end is nigh! OR forums die APRIL 1. Don't lose contact! Join the forums at bogsource.com now! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
ellipses wrote: | pap wrote: |
The only way to slow increases in health care cost is to freeze all associated health care cost at todays rates. At that point the increases in insurace cost will be due soley to incerased use of sevices of baby boomers, many of whom may not have taken care of themselves. |
OR... cap reimbursements at today's rates... What's the going rate for an x-ray today? Ok, we'll pay that rate for an x ray for the next 10 years, not a penny more.
You can do that with single payer... |
Thats what I just said. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ellipses Mod


Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
No... you are saying to cap what providers can charge... I am saying we should have a single payer insurer that has limits to what it will pay.
In my system, you can charge a billion dollars for an aspirin, but we are only paying a nickel.
Same result on prices, the difference is, everyone in my system is covered by virtue of living in America... hell, I'll even go one further and say that you have to be a citizen to be covered, even though I don't agree that should be the case, but I'll throw you that bone out of my bipartisan spirit. _________________ The end is nigh! OR forums die APRIL 1. Don't lose contact! Join the forums at bogsource.com now! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 10:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
ellipses wrote: | No... you are saying to cap what providers can charge... I am saying we should have a single payer insurer that has limits to what it will pay.
In my system, you can charge a billion dollars for an aspirin, but we are only paying a nickel.
Same result on prices, the difference is, everyone in my system is covered by virtue of living in America... hell, I'll even go one further and say that you have to be a citizen to be covered, even though I don't agree that should be the case, but I'll throw you that bone out of my bipartisan spirit. |
Todays reimbursment are tied into todays cost structure. If we freeze cost reimbursments for those cost will be fixed. At that point future increases from insurance companies will be due ti increased use of those services by an aging population. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ellipses Mod


Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!
|
Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
Today's reimbursements are based on a "cost metric" not on the actual cost of the service. Aspirin does NOT cost 8 bucks a pill. It's not like the hospitals are on one side and the insurance companies are on the other... they work together and agree on certain financial reciprocations...
The insurance company agrees to pay 8 bucks for aspirin but won't pay more than 15k for -insert complex medical procedure-... That way, their costs are predictable... the hospital is only going to give out X number of aspirin based on patient traffic. They try to minimize the financial hit from big procedures in favor of predictable expenditures on low cost items. _________________ The end is nigh! OR forums die APRIL 1. Don't lose contact! Join the forums at bogsource.com now! |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
Based on todays poll question, 70% of the readers responding agree with me. The country is not on the same page as far has health care cost containment. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Brant Admin


Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 5277 Location: Hopewell Township
|
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:13 am Post subject: |
|
|
Are you suggesting that a poll on the O-R Web site is a legitimate barometer of national beliefs on health-care reform? Really? _________________
The priests of the different religious sects dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight.
- Thomas Jefferson |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
pap Understudy

Joined: 23 Nov 2009 Posts: 538
|
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
Brant wrote: | Are you suggesting that a poll on the O-R Web site is a legitimate barometer of national beliefs on health-care reform? Really? |
I stated that is was a poll of the readers. This is Washington Co, a strong dem and union county and your readers are against a strike, amazing. There is a disconnect between wanting health care reform and a strike by healthcare union workers while the unions (AFL-CIO) won't participate in the plans to pay for reforms. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Brant Admin


Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 5277 Location: Hopewell Township
|
Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
I can't figure out what you're trying to say, so I'll just go ahead and say that you're correct. _________________
The priests of the different religious sects dread the advance of science as witches do the approach of daylight.
- Thomas Jefferson |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|