Healthcare

[Albert L. Kemp]

As a retired U.S. Army Medical Service Corps Officer and a former Regional Director of the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under four HHS Secretaries, I know that the healcare bill before Congress iwill radically alter a 75% good healthcare system at the expense of the elderly and most americans. Thanks Scott Brown for your stand and for helping to "wake up America."

[DUANE DEMPSEY]

And thank you for your service sir

[Jane-Calvert Winkler-Kimble]

Sir, do you have any idea what the administrative costs are in government healthcare?

I heard on the PBS special compaing the U.K., Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland healthcare theirs ranged from about 3% to about 16%, whereas American health care administrative costs run at 22%. One assumes they are referring to regular health care systems and not government healthcare systems.

Thank you for your service, Sir.

[Patricia Naylor]

I've seen many posts and news articles that infer that TRICARE will not be affected by this healthcare control bill. There will be changes to TRICARE just as there will be to Medicare, Medicaid and VA benefits. The line that the dems use about buying healthcare insurance across state lines is just that - a line, a lie. Unless the federal government takes away the power of the states to govern themselves there will be no change in the choices or lack thereof for health insurance policies. State mandates often drive insurance companies out of a state or cities in some states. Small and medium sized insurance companies can not afford to do business where there are many state mandates for covered services - California is a prime example of state mandates out of control. Even the choice of companies offering health insurance benefits for government employees are restricted because they can only enroll in plans with companies who do business where they live. If you live in large metro areas you have hundreds of plans to chose from but if you live in a small town or in a state with many mandates, you may have a choice of only two or three plans. The Office of Personnel Management can't find a way to have health insurance cross state lines now, how do they think they can sell us their lie that they can make it happen if we fall for their bill? Those who have TRICARE also have restricted services and inadequate networks of providers because congress has lowered the payments to doctors and hospitals so many times. What military families go through to obtain medical care is disgraceful. We owe them better than this. By the way, do you think most people realize that it is the big insurance companies who administer the government healthcare plans like TRICARE and Medicare? They will get the contracts for the 'public option' and they will be the companies who will be allowed to sell in the 'exchange'. The only thing that may change is that the Obama administration will probably require the companies to unionize.

[Albert L. Kemp]

Jane - Medicare was 3 plus % a number of years ago. Administrative costs could be 4 % now. Percentages are only part of the equation. Size, scope, program/offering/procedure, value, effectiveness, accounting (direct/indirect costs, not withstanding integrity...which seems to be evaporating...) etc. , must be assessed. It is difficult to accurately compare systems. Taiwan has the best universal HC system in my opinion, but it is a small island with a single culture and has a public-private partership. Cost containment is the issue now. It can't be replicated for the U.S. We have nine nations in the U.S. amd it's like comparing a grape with 100 # pumpkin. I think 22 % for U.S. admin. costs is exagerated. 4-16 % may be somewhat accurate, but it is an inaccurate measurement by itself. The U.S. has best healthcare, it just needs 20-25% tweeking. But not throwing the baby out with the bathwater..... Kind regards AK Scott Brown is a start!

Jane-Calvert Winkler-Kimble said:

Sir, do you have any idea what the administrative costs are in government healthcare?

I heard on the PBS special compaing the U.K., Japan, Germany, Taiwan, and Switzerland healthcare theirs ranged from about 3% to about 16%, whereas American health care administrative costs run at 22%. One assumes they are referring to regular health care systems and not government healthcare systems.

Thank you for your service, Sir.