Health care problems and solutions in politics

[dogs4thewin]

That was what I thought but New Mexico is a blue state and every state has it's own rules.

For many years I was on the left and never understood what the Republicans were saying about too many regulations and big government, well, I found out. There are rules, and every rule has some exceptions, there are also exceptions to the exceptions and exceptions to those.

But there are also things that are just a bit difficult to understand. I read some of SSA 1905 to find out if I was covered for medical care. You really should look at it, maybe you could explain it to me.

I have Medicare due to my dad being found disabled shortly before his passing as an adult disabled child, but I know when I was on Medicaid and father was working and had private insurance the government had more red tape.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Talking about moving out of the USA just to legally get a blood pressure drug is another animal.

At that point that is on Canada they could deny entry if a person tried GOING there illegally or staying illegally.

 

[GodLovesCats]

I read some of SSA 1905 to find out if I was covered for medical care. You really should look at it, maybe you could explain it to me.

If you can't understand it, I can't either. Mom always tells me health insurance is too hard to understand.

 

[dogs4thewin]

I did when I first came to the country, but now I have the documentation that I've been refused Medicare and Medicaid so I will go to the hospital for indigent care, I have 10 days of pills left right now.

How many pills can you get at a time?

 

[Speedwell]

Talking about moving out of the USA just to legally get a blood pressure drug is another animal.

Have you tried buying it on line?

 

[GodLovesCats]

I know you were not asking me but my mom had to mess around with this crap: For the same number of the same pills one bottle for 30 days is cheaper than a three-month supply. Because of the importance of that drug, I cannot just keep refilling it every month. Once my older sister, who is an oncologist, wrote an emergency prescription jusdt to get me through until Mom could order the pills again.

 

[GodLovesCats]

Have you tried buying it online?

That is illegal in the USA. All of the companies that sell drugs online are scammers.

 

[Speedwell]

That is illegal in the USA. All of the companies that sell drugs online are scammers.

It's sort of illegal in the US. The Obama administration decided, rather quietly, that people buying legal drugs in small quantities for personal use will be ignored by the authorities. The Trump administration has not rescinded it--probably because too many old Republican guys are getting their Viagra out of Canada for $2 a hit instead of the $35 an American pharmacy would charge. No, they're not all scammers.

 

[GodLovesCats]

"Small quantities" certainly does not mean a three-month supply.

 

[Speedwell]

"Small quantities" certainly does not mean a three-month supply.

Get some quotes. It will be vastly cheaper than what you have to pay here. A three-month supply is the "under the radar" limit, as I understand it.

 

[GodLovesCats]

Sorry, there is zero chance any online drug seller can be trusted with anyone's money.

 

[SimplyMe]

Allan, it is not the doctor appointments, but the medications, you could abuse. America has a HUGE crisis now with opioids. Although heroin is illegal, some other opioids can be prescribed as "controlled drugs" to patients who just need strong painkillers for a few days. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts to take a legal opioid exactly as prescribed, patients develop a tolerance to the drug and are unable to get off it, so they go doctor hopping to get more prescriptions. If opioids were free, everyone who complains Advil and Tylenol don't work would be addicted to them and drain government money for real health care.

I'm sorry but no. First, people who just need a painkiller for a few days should not be having an issue with building a "tolerance" -- that only happens when you are on them long term. Next, opioids are already fairly inexpensive, compared to other prescription drugs -- making them free is unlikely to make the situation much worse.

It remains that to legally get opiates you must have a prescription. With the current crackdown on opiates -- particularly things like statewide databases tracking opiate prescriptions and those dispensed, drug tests of patients by the doctors prescribing opiates, as well as other steps to stop "doctor hopping" -- I can't see having "free prescriptions" as causing more opiate abuse.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

These are only my proposals and not based on what would be realistic with a Republican Senate majority. For the purposes of this topic only I am assuming both sides of Congress will be controlled by Democrats. In no particular order of importance:

1. Require all employers with at least 25 employees to include health insurance benefits to part and full time workers.
2. Require private insurance companies to cover all lifesaving exams including colonoscopies no matter how much they cost.
3. Prohibit price changes when patients have to switch from regular pills to the extended release forms of the same drugs.
4. Put a low price cap on brand name drugs for people whose doctors submit forms they can't take the generic drug.
5. Add hearing aids, hearing implants, and audiology appointments to the list of health care plans.

I think Trump would agree with most of the above?
M-Bob

 

[FireDragon76]

Good point, however, Americans with a rash prefer to go straight to a Dermatologist. This is why managed care plans are the policies of last resort, people don't want to wait.

In fairness, though, many general practitioners don't want to treat many diseases themselves. They essentially have become nothing but gatekeepers in an expensive, bloated system. As a result, it can take a long time for normal people to even receive effective treatment for many conditions, even in the US.

I actually believe more use of AI could potentially lead to better outcomes, as the opinions of doctors are replaced or augmented by sophisticated databases and heuristics.

 

[Sparagmos]

There is profit in many things that are still affordable supermarkets, clothing housing ( though not always affordable, but people are not suggesting they force housing to be in the same way as healthcare

As others have pointed out on this forum, the healthcare market is different. You have no way to shop around for the best price on a procedure, and quality healthcare is a necessity. There is no “ramen noodles” healthcare option that will meet your needs. What is the specific plan to make for profit healthcare affordable? The Republicans have t come up with anything.

 

[dogs4thewin]

As others have pointed out on this forum, the healthcare market is different. You have no way to shop around for the best price on a procedure, and quality healthcare is a necessity. There is no “ramen noodles” healthcare option that will meet your needs. What is the specific plan to make for profit healthcare affordable? The Republicans have t come up with anything.

I did not say that the cheap stuff was healthy or safe.

 

[GodLovesCats]

I think Trump would agree with most of the above?

Oh good, I thought you started ignoring me.

If Trump would support #3 and #4, those problems would have been solved already. And honestly I don't give him credit for hearing aid availability because they are OTC and everyone who needs them must first get a hearing test, then have molds made to make them fit their own ears.

 

[Sparagmos]

I did not say that the cheap stuff was healthy or safe.

So now you’re saying we should accept a healthcare system that isn’t healthy?

 

[dogs4thewin]

So now you’re saying we should accept a healthcare system that isn’t healthy?

In other words, I did not say that cheaper was always good. Just like with ers or even county health departments they may be free at the time of use ( or very low cost, but they are designed to basically keep you from dying in the street or otherwise having NO treatment. In many cases whether it is clothing, healthcare, food housing or anything else ( not quite as much with clothing) you can generally expect a lower quality no matter if you are taking the cheaper option to save money or because it is all you can afford.

 

[dogs4thewin]

Oh good, I thought you started ignoring me.

If Trump would support #3 and #4, those problems would have been solved already. And honestly I don't give him credit for hearing aid availability because they are OTC and everyone who needs them must first get a hearing test, then have molds made to make them fit their own ears.

What is wrong with requiring a hearing test?