Discuss Joyce's answer to: Health care

We may not have the best system in the world but it is certainly better than some.  And I guess the answer to this question is in the eyes of the beholder.  For those people who don't have any insurance or access to healthcare in any form because of pre-existing health conditions, the President's PCIP has been a God send for those folks.  For people who have always had access to something, some may complain about their doctor or insurance plan or insurance company.  The reason this issue has never been adequately addressed is b/c it is a huge issue that has no easy answers.  When someone suggests a single payer system, someone else cried foul and Socialist.  The system we have now is one that is only good for those who either work and have insurance through an employer or those who can afford the ridiculously expensive (and increasing once or twice every year) premiums.  The system we have now allows insurance companies to increase their rates as much as they want and as often as they want.  Most state's insurance commissioners have no legal control over health insurance rates.  (contact your State's DOI / Department of Insurance and ask).  And what we find happening now is that employers, in an effort to save on their own cost, are either creating and buying plans where the employees contribute more toward their premiums or many have stopped offering any insurance at all.  In a lot of states, like Texas, if you are a person with a pre-existing health condition, you can't even buy an individual policy.  Your resource of last resort is the TX High Risk Pool.  If you are unemployed, one can rarely afford the premiums as they are based on the people who are in the Pool and they all have pre-existing health conditions.  The President's PCIP have at least helped many around the country who may have grave diseases.  The haves love downing anything that might help the have nots.  If the SCOTUS repeals the entire health reform bill, which I don't think it will, it will otherwise hurt the people on this plan as well as the dependents who are now allowed to remain on their parent's group plan (at their expense) until they turn age 26.  Why would this need to be repealed?  Why would SCOTUS repeal the mandate that insurance companies write a policy for children under 19 regardless of pre-existing health conditions?  Why would SCOTUS repeal the mandate that would require that insurance companies write a policy for adults regardless of pre-existing health conditions starting in 2014?  This helps people.  Doctors like to talk about how unfair things are but oftentimes doctors are a part of the problem.  Their so called usual and customary charges are often tantamount to rape.  Not to mention the thousands who rip off the government when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid payments.  Pharmaceutical companies are also a part of the problem.  Ambulance companies in a lot of states have no one who controls what they charge and they also get to decide if they will even accept any insurance plan.  There are many players in the medical/healthcare game that I haven't even mentioned like re-pricers.  In recent years, several niche markets and careers have been created off the backs of the average citizen who would just like to have access to quality healthcare. I have read many pars to the President's plan and I haven't seen anything in it that says the government will be choosing anyone's medical provider.  Healthcare in the US is way too complicated.  Can anyone even understand their insurance plan?  What about an EOB?  It's as complicated as the tax code.  And why?  Follow the money.  It's not to benefit the consumer.  Everyone wants to be paid adequately for the work they do but I will go out on a limb and say that most US medical providers ie doctors, therapists, etc would not stay in the medical field if they had to work for modest salaries like the medical providers in Europe and other parts of the world.  We live in an environment of greed and deception so the US will never in my lifetime fix the healthcare problem.  Conservatives would rather see the poor people just die b/c they want all social service programs to be eliminated.  Old folks will just die because they would like to see Medicare done away with too.  The easy answer would be to socialize it like the education system but that won't happen so we'll likely continue to have what we've always had and expect a different result.  Hmmmm...seems like that's the definition of insanity!  Instead of fixating on the President's healthcare reform, let's focus on why the Congress and over half of the State's legislatures are passing laws that allow for the prodding and probing of women's bodies at their expense and for their purposes whatever those are.  Why are women's rights being taken away everyday in this country as it relates to women's healthcare?  Why is that happening?  That's a more important issue than criticizing anyone who is trying to make healthcare affordable and accessible to everyone and not just the elite and wealthy in the US.  To the person who asked this question, pick your battles.  AND READ!  Every Thing!  And when you finish reading, start asking questions so you can make the best and most informed decision that you can.