On voting for McCain

[MelissaCato]

Has anyone concidered the DRAFT ? If McCain or Obama is elected they will have to have a draft to uphold their foreign policies.

Then what young ladies ? ... we all know socialism includes the ladies.

Forced labor and servitude to government is totally totally UnConstitutional and NOT in the America Dream.

Sooo much to learn ... sooooo little time.

 

[Renee750il]

McCain and Obama both said they would accept public funding.

Well Obama backed out and did not accept it. So he is free to raise money from private donations (whose paying him?) and raised around 150$ million just in September.

McCain accepted public funding and is limited to spending $84 million over the whole campaign.

That was not one of Obama's stellar moments, I'll definately give you that.

You got that right and the limits of donation not to mention whom is highly questionable to say the least...

The whole campaign donation vs. public funds thing and ethics was rendered completely moot by the usage of political action committees, who can take monies from whomever, in whatever amount and use it for the most spurious of campaign ads.

 

[sparks19]

That was a good strategy . . . and for a pregancy without serious problems, a great solution. I'm not critizing you here, but what if something had gone very wrong? Wouldn't you prefer to have insurance?

I can't have insurance... I am the one that got pregnant... so I am the one responsible for finding some way to fund it if I don't have insurance. if something had happened I would have gotten the care and been on a payment plan to pay it off like I am now... I would have gone to that hospital and gotten whatever care was nessecary and then make payments later... just like I am now.

That's what I would do.


After doing it this way... I learned a lot about how much insurance companies are actually charged compared to patients paying cash. Insurance companies pay OUTRAGEOUS amounts... my prenatal vitamins when they thought it was going to be covered by insurance was going to be $150 a bottle (yeah you read that right lol) when they found out I was paying and not insurance it was HALF that amount... maybe less.

 

[Boemy]

Has anyone concidered the DRAFT ? If McCain or Obama is elected they will have to have a draft to uphold their foreign policies.

Then what young ladies ? ... we all know socialism includes the ladies.

Forced labor and servitude to government is totally totally UnConstitutional and NOT in the America Dream.

Sooo much to learn ... sooooo little time.

Frankly, I think a draft would be much more fair than forcing the poor guys currently in the military to serve time . . . after time . . . after time. But I doubt if either party will institute a draft because most people hate the idea, and therefore it would be political suicide.

I find your claim that the draft is unAmerican amusing as it has been used since the Revolutionary War.

 

[Lilavati]

After doing it this way... I learned a lot about how much insurance companies are actually charged compared to patients paying cash. Insurance companies pay OUTRAGEOUS amounts... my prenatal vitamins when they thought it was going to be covered by insurance was going to be $150 a bottle (yeah you read that right lol) when they found out I was paying and not insurance it was HALF that amount... maybe less.

If that's the case, then clearly someone is doing something VERY wrong. Either you are getting a break at the expense of the insurance companies, or the insurance companies are not using their leverage to negotiate better prices . . . and if they aren't doing that, that would explain the outrageous cost of both health care and insurance.

 

[sparks19]

If that's the case, then clearly someone is doing something VERY wrong. Either you are getting a break at the expense of the insurance companies, or the insurance companies are not using their leverage to negotiate better prices . . . and if they aren't doing that, that would explain the outrageous cost of both health care and insurance.

yeah it just doesn't make sense. I think that insurance companies are being way overcharged because they will pay it and then they gotta make up the cost somewhere so they charge an arm and a leg to have insurance.

If I had decided to have Hannah at the Women's and Babies hospital here... just the labor and delivery and stay would have cost $30,000 (or close to that anyway). But if insurance is paying for it... no one cares that their cost is outrageous. They probably don't even REALIZE what they are paying for services... so no one who has insurance "shops around" for hospitals that don't have inflated costs.

I know it's not always possible to just walk and say somethign like "I just had a heart attack what do you charge for a hospital stay" but I would encourage everyone to do a little research into the hospitals in your area and find out what they charge for basic things. I bet you will find that the most commonly used larger hospitals have outrageous costs.

 

[Puckstop31]

maybe less.

WAY less. $11 a bottle, cash money.

 

[Lilavati]

yeah it just doesn't make sense. I think that insurance companies are being way overcharged because they will pay it and then they gotta make up the cost somewhere so they charge an arm and a leg to have insurance.

If I had decided to have Hannah at the Women's and Babies hospital here... just the labor and delivery and stay would have cost $30,000 (or close to that anyway). But if insurance is paying for it... no one cares that their cost is outrageous. They probably don't even REALIZE what they are paying for services... so no one who has insurance "shops around" for hospitals that don't have inflated costs.

I know it's not always possible to just walk and say somethign like "I just had a heart attack what do you charge for a hospital stay" but I would encourage everyone to do a little research into the hospitals in your area and find out what they charge for basic things. I bet you will find that the most commonly used larger hospitals have outrageous costs.

Well, many people with insurance don't get to choose, so its a moot point for them, even if they cared, because insurance will cover it. But its definately good advice for those without insurance or with crappy insurance.

$11/$150! Ok, something is seriously busted here . . . the market is not doing its job.

 

[MelissaCato]

Frankly, I think a draft would be much more fair than forcing the poor guys currently in the military to serve time . . . after time . . . after time. But I doubt if either party will institute a draft because most people hate the idea, and therefore it would be political suicide.

I find your claim that the draft is unAmerican amusing as it has been used since the Revolutionary War.

Hummm, have you read the new DRAFT Bill, House of Rockefeller representative Congressman Charles Rangle submitted ?

It's not that a DRAFT is UnConstitutional persay .. it's that the new Bill says "require all persons" .. this means all persons 18-42 to include, young ladies, young mothers, mothers, office workers, cheese burger flippers, babysitters, stay at home moms, etc. This is the UnConstitution factor.

Like how many stay at home moms, burger flippers, babysitters.. do you know that want to go to the front line of fire ?

Soooo in 230 years in American History .. NEVER was compulsory military service of ladies been a demand by congress. That's what I'm saying.

http://educate-yourself.org/cn/draftindex.shtml

http://www.house.gov/list/press/ny15_rangel/CBRStatementonDraft02142006.html

Think about it.

 

[Puckstop31]

Frankly, I think a draft would be much more fair than forcing the poor guys currently in the military to serve time . . . after time . . . after time. But I doubt if either party will institute a draft because most people hate the idea, and therefore it would be political suicide.

I find your claim that the draft is unAmerican amusing as it has been used since the Revolutionary War.

Being a US Army veteran and having served in combat... I don't want anybody next to me who does not want to be there.

Pre WW2, when most people understood the concept of service and sacrifice should come before self in a time of war, a draft worked. In essence, people did not necessarily WANT to serve, but they understood the concepts OF service. A draft today? You would get a bunch of self centered pansies who think they are entitled to have their ass kissed. They would put the men and women who volunteer and put service and mission FIRST, in jeopardy.

The military is not the place to conduct social experiments. The military is there to close with and destroy enemy forces using a combination of maneuver, firepower and shock effect. It is dangerous and serious work that needs to be conducted by dangerous and serious people.

 

[sparks19]

Well, many people with insurance don't get to choose, so its a moot point for them, even if they cared, because insurance will cover it. But its definately good advice for those without insurance or with crappy insurance.

$11/$150! Ok, something is seriously busted here . . . the market is not doing its job.

Well that is true... so another problem with insurance companies. the only choice you get is the most expensive choice. Doesn't make a lot of sense does it.

Are you sure it was $11 Brian? i think it was more like $50. I'm positive it was not as cheap as $11... I think that was the cost for my flintstone vitamins lol.

 

[Puckstop31]

Well, many people with insurance don't get to choose, so its a moot point for them, even if they cared, because insurance will cover it. But its definately good advice for those without insurance or with crappy insurance.

$11/$150! Ok, something is seriously busted here . . . the market is not doing its job.

My guess is the cost difference comes from getting the money up front and not having to deal with the hassle of getting money from the insurance companies.

 

[Puckstop31]

Well that is true... so another problem with insurance companies. the only choice you get is the most expensive choice. Doesn't make a lot of sense does it.

Are you sure it was $11 Brian? i think it was more like $50. I'm positive it was not as cheap as $11... I think that was the cost for my flintstone vitamins lol.

I think it was $11 for 30 day supply. We used those later. The first kind we got was $50 something for 3 month supply.

 

[MelissaCato]

Here's detailed info Universal National Service Act .. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_National_Service_Act

 

[release the hounds]

is that what the ins was charged or what they paid. Usually the bills to ins companies are high, much higher than what is paid. Usually cash paying people pay less than the "charged" amount

It would stand to reason that the charged amount should just be lowered, but then the Insuracne companies would say, "look, they don't charge that much anymore, our payouts should go down as well. Sounds silly, but it is how it is so what is charged and what is actually paid by insurace companies are two very different things. Most providers have contracts with insurance companies that send more business their way in return for a "lower accepted fee".

 

[sparks19]

not sure what you mean

 

[Pam111]

yeah it just doesn't make sense. I think that insurance companies are being way overcharged because they will pay it and then they gotta make up the cost somewhere so they charge an arm and a leg to have insurance.

If I had decided to have Hannah at the Women's and Babies hospital here... just the labor and delivery and stay would have cost $30,000 (or close to that anyway). But if insurance is paying for it... no one cares that their cost is outrageous. They probably don't even REALIZE what they are paying for services... so no one who has insurance "shops around" for hospitals that don't have inflated costs.

I know it's not always possible to just walk and say somethign like "I just had a heart attack what do you charge for a hospital stay" but I would encourage everyone to do a little research into the hospitals in your area and find out what they charge for basic things. I bet you will find that the most commonly used larger hospitals have outrageous costs.

You are right that what you are charged if you self pay is drastically different than what insurance companies are billed. However, insurance companies only actually pay a fraction of what they are billed and the doctor's know that.