Whatever floats your boat...

Health Care Overhaul Via Massive Pig

Love the Vlog Brothers!
If you're confused about the health care debate, watch this!

Comment by Chig on August 17, 2009 at 11:56pm: What is not clearly presented to everyone is that those bill you see of what your hospital charges run are not really what insurance companies or in some instances what YOUR GOVERNMENT really pay. Reimbursement for services and costs expended by the healthcare industry is often just pennies on the dollar, if reimbursed and not denied. The bills given to the consumer make it appear as if the hospitals were paid in full.

Comment by SydTheSkeptic on August 17, 2009 at 11:57pm: So the hospital takes the loss, Chiggums?

Comment by Chig on August 18, 2009 at 12:00am: Why is it that change does not start in Washington. Why not say... hey bank presidents, what are you doing giving out and taking bonuses when the economy sucks... AND say why do we vote ourselves raises in the the same time? Why not ask for tax exempt fat cat politicians to make the same tax sacrifices as the wealthy that are in their same tax bracket? Why not ask, do we need to clean our own house before we go messing in other peoples houses?

Comment by Chig on August 18, 2009 at 12:02am: Sadly insurance companies, politicians and lawyers all are in it for the money. Giving it over to government control just means more money for the politicians.

Comment by SydTheSkeptic on August 18, 2009 at 12:05am: Preachin' to the choir, dude. I can't believe it's taken this long for people to care about the issue. While in Canada, the people I spoke with just laughed at us for payin' the coffers of the rich without care to holding them accountable for having the government by the balls.

Comment by Chig on August 18, 2009 at 12:10am: Every hospital has to go through a million pieces of red tape to submit a bill for payment. If it is not submitted in a timely manner it is denied. If it has anything questionable it is denied, and the threat of litigation is there. Often it is easier to deal with an insurance company than Medicare.... If people think hospitals are cash cows, they are wrong. So yes, I think the process of how the insurance companies handle thing should be looked into and changed, but it should really start with what the government gets away with.

Comment by Chig on August 18, 2009 at 12:19am: In answer to your question, Syd... So the hospital raises the price to look like an ungodly amount realizing it will not be paid anywhere near what is on the bill to hopefully break even, and hopefully have enough profit to insure it will not close sometime in the upcoming year. Funny though how when the consumer gets the bill it looks like Uncle Sam or their Insurance company shelled out all that money on their behalf, with no question.

Comment by SydTheSkeptic on August 18, 2009 at 12:27am: I recall now, when I worked for doctors about 20 years ago that it was the same. So it's been going on like that for decades, at least.

Comment by Chig on August 18, 2009 at 12:36am: Yeah.... It is nothing new, and the government is the worst of the worst when it comes to reinbursing. That banker you are higher taxing and taking bonuses away from now does not wish to donate money for the hospital who promises to put the family name on some new pediatric wing or cancer clinic. And well the fat cat exempt politician, maybe he will donate... or move some piece of legislation through to help you keep the hospital operational... but I bet he/she will not be using a government supplied health care plan. No waiting for those VIPs.

Comment by photo2010 on August 18, 2009 at 3:48am: One suggestion regarding insurance companies. DON'T ALLOW INSURANCE COMPANIES ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE! Why? Because then they are beholden to keep share values up to pay multi-million dollar executive salaries, lobbyists, and private jets, and how do they do that? BY CHEATING SICK POLICY HOLDERS OUT OF RECEIVING BENEFITS! How do I know this? Because I am one of those policy holders who was wrongly denied benefits, yet the insurance company happily accepted the payments on my policy for years.