I don't think that putting people 23,24,25 onto parent's insurance raised premiums at a rate much faster than they were already, every year, going up. Having friends paying over $10K a year and they're under age 60.... highlights one of the biggest problems of our current system. But most of the Affordable Health Care act has not been implemented. I know that the US system does an awful lot of testing. When I hurt my foot, I was told I needed an MRI and an ultrasound. The ultrasound was to rule out something quite rare, a blood clot in the foot. An ice pack that evening reduced the pain about 50%. I opted out of both tests and was jogging again in 10 days. Some 25% of Medicare bills are end-of-life expenses. It is American's death-denial that causes us to continue to perform procedures on people with only months or even weeks of life remaining. Being paid "by the procedure" is part of the problem. The Geisinger system seeks to manage health by rewarding good outcomes only. When I was in Italy, the doctor filled out the paperwork and my friend was treated same day, no line. Italy spends less money per-capita than the US. My doctor has one nurse and THREE Admins to handle all the different kinds of billing and paperwork. For ALL we spend on healthcare our longevity outcomes are no better than Albania or Cuba. My point about trading stocks is the lower rate of taxation on profits from investing. Sure it helps us when we cash in our 401Ks, but it helps the wealthy pay much lower taxes than the working class. My Canadian friends say "there are no lines", stop spreading this myth about their universal healthcare. I waited 5 weeks for cancer surgery here in the USA. Sure we all pay, but in the USA, we pay the most per-capita, and those 3 Admins working for one doctor surely must be a part of that.
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--- In ibmpensionissues@..., KenSP@... wrote:
Ask yourself what caused the Euro Crisis.? Is it giving too much social benefits and not being able to collect sufficient tax revenue to pay for it.? When France raised its personal income tax rate to 75%, it reduced the retirement age from 60 to 58 so citizens could start to collect government social security pension at 58. Are you telling me that there is no corruption in our medicare and medicaid system?? I thought when President Obama signed the bill he said we would save a 1/2 billion dollars a year by eliminating fraud in the system. When the law required children to be covered on parent's health insurance until the age 26, what happen?? Insurance companies raise premiums on everyone to cover this additional risk. Is this fair to those who are unmarried or do not have children?Also, please remember what you pay for you get.? PLEASE when going aboard visit a hospital and see if you want to be treated in the hospital where there is country's safety net. From four to ten patients are in a room. It sounds great but there are visible differences. It is great for those coming from a country that had no medical treatments but I think you would be disappointed.? Don't assume services are the same. Don't trust statistics.The problem we have in New York City and Westchester is finding Doctors who will accept any insurance.? It does not matter if you have insurance or not, the Doctor requires an upfront payment on your credit card and gives you whatever he collects from the insurance company.? There are not enough doctors to treat everyone. We have increased the number of people under health insurance but have not increased the number of doctors. With? the government as well as insurance companies keep reducing payments to doctors, more and more doctors are requiring the upfront payment before treatment. So even if you have a single payer insurance, it does not mean a doctor will accept your insurance.Two hospitals in my area closed since most of their patients were under Medicare or Medicaid Insurance and they could not cover their expenses and had to declare bankruptcy. So please remember some one has to pay - either you raise premiums, use tax revenue, reduce coverage or pay the doctors and hospitals less. What you pay for is what you get and not all services are equal. Also just because you have insurance does not mean, you will find someone, other than at a hospital, to treat you.? My uncle who is on medicaid was told by his doctor of 20 years he no longer treats medicare or medicaid patients. It is a problem and the issues are complex. When my daughter gave birth. the hospital accepted her company's insurance but the doctors required the upfront payment and reimbursed her on the money they collected from the insurance company. You cannot force a doctor to do a service at a fixed price, otherwise we have slavery.Finally as to taxes on stocks, is it fair if you lose money in the stock market in a year like $20,000, you can only deduct $3,000 on your income tax return per year.? But if you make money the entire gain is immediately taxed.? Regards from a person who hopes to see improvement in healthcare but will only believe it when it happens. Obama-Care is a start but there needs to be improvements and changes to make it happen and acceptable to majority of the US----- Original Message -----From: pvsutera Date: Saturday, June 22, 2013 12:51 pmSubject: [ibmpensionissues] Re: Future Health AccountTo: ibmpensionissues@...> I think you have to realize there is the Euro crisis and then > there is healthcare. Greece has had a long-term problem with > tax-evasion and corruption. We are 50th on the list of > longevity with our most expensive system in the world. Right > next to Albania (the poorest country in Europe), and Cuba, a 3rd > world country. Most of the complaints about the cost of the > safety net come from corporations who want even higher record > profits. Shredding middle-class jobs and opting for austerity > has worked so well! We should keep listening to and heeding > everything on the corporate wishlist! As far as 48% paying no > Federal income tax: They pay FICA, they pay Medicare, Sales > tax, excise taxes, license fees, FCC fees, State taxes. And many > of them are working 2 jobs. They often pay a higher percentage > of their income as taxes than do the millionaires. But flipping > stocks should be taxed lower than say, writing code for IBM. > > --- In ibmpensionissues@..., KenSP@ wrote:> >> > Yes you are right, I also believe that companies are going to > start dropping Health Care.However, look at Greece, France and > UK that have this programs.? Someone has to pay.? Either like > Greece, one has to start cutting back on benefits and coverage > and raise taxes on those who work.? France has increased it > income tax rate to 75% and the rich are moving to Switzerland > rather than supporting these social programs. In the US, 48% of > people pay no federal income tax.? I live in France for five > years and those who had government coverage, like myself, also > bought and paid for high supplement insurance so they could go > to private hospitals.? If you go to France on vacation, visit a > French Hospital and see if you would want to go there for > treatment. If you have no choice you will. Most of the French I > worked with went to the American Hospital since their medical > equipment was up to date while the French Hospitals had older > and even out dated equipment since the government was > controlling what they could or could not buy.? UK system also > has it problem with death rates from cancer.? Just look it up > and you will see it is far greater than US since they do not > want to pay for the high cost of cancer drugs. Having been in > the UK or France, you do not have a problem in getting medical > services if you are willing to pay cash but it you tell them you > have government coverage, you get inline and may not be > satisfied.I do not have the answers and believe most of my money > in the end will be spent on medical treatment.? I don't think > relying on the government or private insurance companies who > deny you treatment or drug coverage is going to work.A concern > person who is not hopeful that there will be a solution in my > lifetime.----- Original Message -----From: don_m64015@: > Friday, June 21, 2013 10:48 pmSubject: [ibmpensionissues] Re: > Future Health AccountTo: ibmpensionissues@...> Just > wait until the ACA (Obamacare) goes into full effect > starting > next year. Employers are going to be bailing out of > Health > Care Plans in droves. Individual premiums and co-pays > are > going to start going ballistic, until they reach a point > where > the vast majority of the public demands a SP-UHC plan, > much > like other civilized nations have been using for years. > The > simple fact that we pay twice as much for health care...yet > > the Value of our plans places us barely in the top 20 > > nations...should be telling us something. The Greed and Waste > > in our present system will soon spell its doom. > > --- In > ibmpensionissues@..., Just Puttin' > wrote:> >> > > Almost daily, some one writes that changing a Health Care > > benefit is illegal,,, I am amazed at the wide spread > > misunderstanding that Health Care benefits carry the same > > characteristics as a Pension Benefit.?? > > > > To my knowledge > no business organization has Guaranteed Health > Care to > employees.?? The federal government has changed benefits > many > times.> > Health care is not and was not ever guaranteed.???? > IBM, > Apple, Microsoft, HP, Google,,,, check them out.> > > > > > > ??> > Dick> > Dance like there is no tomorrow> > > > > > > >________________________________> > > From: Koz60 > > >To: > ibmpensionissues@... > > >Sent: Wednesday, June 19, > 2013 2:02 PM> > >Subject: [ibmpensionissues] Re: Future Health > Account> > > > > >> > >> > >?? > > >I was 39 when they switched > plans.. 18yrs of service but only > 39 so I got the new plan. > Can't believe this is legal. Wouldn't > this be age > discrimination? Met company requirements to retire > but they > say not old enough to collect the medical money? > Telling me I > have to wait till I'm 55 makes sense but forfeit it > all has to > be against the law... Some law.. Anyone know if > anyone ever > challenged this in court? I would suspect IBM had > it's > attorneys lock this down but curious. I would bet that if > > this got in front of a jury they would side with the employee.. > > But guessing that will never happen. > > >> > >--- In > ibmpensionissues@..., pvsutera > wrote:> >>> > >> > This depends on whether you are on the old pension plan, > 1st > or 2nd choicers could retire with 30 years and get their FHA > > when they turned 55. Now with Cash-balance folks, born after > > June 1959, they need to be 55 and 15 years service to claim > > their FHA money. I believe if they are 54 and 14 years service, > > they might be able to get a bridge to FHA eligibility, but > maybe > not since with 30 years they are retirement eligible > already. > This is why it is called the Future Hell Account. > > > >> > > >> --- In ibmpensionissues@..., Bob Nelson > > wrote:> > >> >> > >> > I retired with over 30 years but was > not 55 and did not > lose my FHA account.> > >> >> > >>> > >> > > >> > > > > >> > >> >> > >> >> > >
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