Health Care

I understand that some people always want to see a specialist thus over burdening the specialist. I'll be more specific. I went to the emergency room for a possible stroke. Later found out it was a TIA. I was told by the emergency room doctor to see a specialist. I HAD to go to my doctor before I was sent to a specialist.

Personally, I think the way to lower the costs of health care in this country is to eliminate insurance! I know that probably sounds radical, but think about it: elimination of the middleman would be a savings. People could go to health care clinics for preventative and wellness issues. Would you buy a piece of meat without a price on it? Why should'nt you be able to go in and ask how much stuff is upfront? Would you let them do 2 CBC's if you knew you just had one done? I think that users would be more proactive in cost containment if they were spending their own money. Basically, health care run by govt is a pie: the more people use it, the less they get! EVEN though the politicians keep promising more!!! It is still a pie that will get cut into smaller and smaller pieces.

I sympathize with the widowed mother of two children who have no insurance, but please give MY PRESIDENT, longer than 6 weeks, that he has been in office, to get to the insurance, he promised.  By the way, did you vote for Obama? Or did you even vote, period?  As for Obama, I think he is a man of integrity and will keep his word...just think about if you inherited the disasters to cope with, how soon could you begin to consider national health care.  We have been so used to Greedyand Corrupted  Liars for 8 years now, that everyone wants to rush our new Prsident on what concerns them. I'm an elderly(white) lady who raised a child, alone  by working, in a factory and life wasn't easy, believe me!

Yes, especially when mental health medication was not allowed many years ago for my autistic son.  Also I am in different state now and it is better.  I think it depends on the state and how lax their rules are.  I have less problems in Ohio than in Massachusetts. It also depends on who you work for and what they tell the insurance company to cover and they do line up what coverage they will pay for.  Each companies policies are different.  We will be going into a medicare system soon.  We need national health insurance so everyone will be covered the same or at least have various groups you can pick from depending how much you will pay.  The rich will always get better care. However you can not stop care for the elderly.  They were paying into the system for many years, probably without using it except to have children.  When you are old, you start using those benefits.  However, how old is too old, when you stop life sustaining measures that will cost an arm and a leg.  Without quality of life, it should not be extended with heart and lung transplants at 90 or 100.  There will be a time when every organ can be transplanted and at what age does transplanting stop and who will pay for these expensive procedures.  It would be great if they could work on the genes and fix those that will bring a loosy existance in old age.  A lot cheaper to fix genes than to fix organs

We have a private plan with Blue Shield of CA. My husband broke three vertebrae in an accident. It took TWO MONTHS to get approval for an MRI, & if I hadn't made a complete pain of myself calling insurer and doctor daily, & finally going to the doctor's office & refusing to leave without an MRI appointment, it would have taken longer. This is not health care, it is a RACKET!!!!

I know that's a lot of money for some seniors but I can't wait to be 65 later this year. Right now I pay $710 MONTHLY for pitiful insurance. The system is broken!

i relocated to the eastern US several years ago and after the 1st year of being with one health care company they raised rates by 27% and then increased our copay on top of that. i left and went to another health care company who had only raised rates 2 % a year since. the first company i was with is no longer in business as too many customers left

The problem with healthcare opinions is that people confuse healthcare with insurance. there is no question we have the best healthcare facilities and providers in the world. No one is denied access to this great care. the next question is how to pay for it. You can pay cash, use insurance or take out a loan. The larger issue is that insurance is not for every day expenses. Percriptions and well care should not be included in insurance. Fix that and you fix the problems.