charlie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25
posted
Well....what a way to get a bunch of emotional rants going based on the few tries at 'discussion' we've had.
Maybe you should do a search for it on all forums.
I can condense it though....most of the posters in the US want it, most all the members from the places that have it say it won't do squat for lymies but it's great if you break a leg and that's about all....
I'll stay out of it because I'm generally anti-government anything...
Charlie
Posts: 2804 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
There are multiple different forms of universal health coverage.
I work in health policy. The proposals for universal coverage from the Democratic candidates would mean that every person with Lyme in the US would have access to health insurance that would not deny coverage for pre-existing conditions.
It would not do anything to ensure that Lyme treatments are covered. That is a debate that is going to have to happen outside of the health coverage debate. There is a possibility health reform will put a larger emphasis on guidelines, and it is important for us that guidelines are limited in their mandatory use.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Aniek: It would not do anything to ensure that Lyme treatments are covered.
Exactly my thought. I'm sure they would follow the "accepted" IDSA guidelines.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96227 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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heiwalove
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6467
posted
despite the fact that i'm for universal healthcare, i agree it would do nothing at all to help lyme patients. our treatments would not be covered, thanks to IDSA.
posted
Universal Healthcare is quite a sensitive subject.
Like Charlie, I'm skeptical anytime any level of government wants to manage any aspect of my life or that of my family.
I could, however, come to embrace Universal Healthcare if someone could tell me; whose going to pay for it????
It won't be me, I'm broke from paying for Lyme treatments because the federal government has influenced the "guidelines" for the treatment (or more specifically the lack of treatment of) Chronic Lyme Disease.
I'm just hoping that all of you young people (under the age of 45) will continue working so I can collect all of my Social Security.
Posts: 681 | From California | Registered: Oct 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
(I am not trying to make any value judgments here. I work in health policy and am just trying to help people understand the policies that are currently being debated, and what the financial impacts are on a large scale)
Any universal health care has to be paid. Right now, health care is paid for by individuals, employers and the government.
The proposals from the 2 Democratic candidates would not change that. They would increase the number of people covered, and all three sources would pay more.
Some individuals would still purchase their own, more employers would purchase for their employees, the government would continue to cover those in Medicare and Medicaid plus would provide subsidies for low income people without employer coverage to purchase care.
I believe McCain's proposal is all through the individual market, so individual money would pay with government paying in the form of tax credits. Employers would no longer receive the tax deduction, so employers would not pay.
If everybody was covered, overall health costs would decline. Insurance premiums on the individual market would go down because more healthy people would be part of the insurance pool.
And health care costs would go down if people were able to manage chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes and asthma. When those diseases are not managed, the costs escalate because people end up with preventable complications. We all pay for these costs now, through higher insurance premiums, higher provider charges and taxes.
There are much harder decisions that will need to be made to really reduce costs though. Nobody is really touching on those in proposals because they will be difficult debates.
When health care was an issue a few years ago, it would have included a requirement that no one could make an appt with a Specialist unless referred by their primary care physician.
I agree that there are problems now, but I am afraid of any plan that takes away a person's right to choose their own physician.
Posts: 4638 | From South Carolina | Registered: Mar 2001
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