The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

[amherstblackbear]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Here is a table I found from National Healthcare Exchange Services website for the fiscal year 2007.

It appears that the much lauded government insurer denies a higher percentage than the much maligned private insurers. I sympathize Priceless. But there is no guarantee a single payer government run provider would be any better, in fact it could be worse.

edit: Like geezer said, customers can discrimminate against Aetna or others because of their high denial rate. With a single payer they can't.

A few comments to flesh out the debate:

It's really not that easy to discriminate, when health insurance is tied so closely to employment.

Providers deny 100% of claims from those who are uninsured. Put differently, if you're in Priceless's situation, would you rather have a 94% probability of success, or 0%?

Claims are a less interesting unit of analysis than dollars. Having a $200 claim for a prescription rejected is not the same as being rejected for a major procedure.

To be really interesting, then, you'd need to compare rates for specific procedures. Aggregate comparisons like these can be dangerous if you don't control for anything.

Along those lines, it might be much, much harder to maintain 90+% approval rate when you have predominantly elderly (read: expensive) clients.

God knows, I'm not trying to suggest that Medicare is perfect, or that single-payer is so perfect an idea that it would implement itself. But that table looks to me as if it were put together more to serve a predetermined political purpose more than to provide real, usable information.

 

[Foxton]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/17/house.of.reps.npr.funding/index.html?hpt=Sbin

The House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday that would bar federal funding for National Public Radio -- a longtime target of conservatives irritated by what they consider the outlet's liberal bias.

The bill passed 228-192 in a sharply partisan vote. Most Republicans backed the measure while every Democrat opposed it.

While the measure was expected to pass the GOP-controlled House, it is believed to have little chance of clearing the Democratic-controlled Senate.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

I mention cutting Medicare Prescriptions, two wars, NCLB, and Obamacare and I get ripped for it.

The Republicans cut NPR and none of the above and the silence is deafening.

 

[geezer]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

I mention cutting Medicare Prescriptions, two wars, NCLB, and Obamacare and I get ripped for it.

The Republicans cut NPR and none of the above and the silence is deafening.

you expect them to be cheered for this "accomplishment"? It doesn't even qualify as a drop in the bucket.
Although it's a perfectly sensible thing to do; I'm sure they'll pull in more money at NPR without the federal funding anyway (listen to the next fund drive meme).

 

[walrus]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

The Republicans cut NPR and none of the above and the silence is deafening.

Nobody cares about NPR, if its such a great thing someone will support it, either by ad revenue or by donation. I like your cuts better though, they actually would do something , cutting NPR is a politically gutless thing to do. Its like picking on someone(or thing) that can't defend it self. Look at me, look at me, I cut something

 

[Handyman]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Nobody cares about NPR, if its such a great thing someone will support it, either by ad revenue or by donation. I like your cuts better though, they actually would do something , cutting NPR is a politically gutless thing to do. Its like picking on someone(or thing) that can't defend it self. Look at me, look at me, I cut something

I am sure it is for the good of the country and balancing the budgets...at least it will be if you ask the GOP

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Partisan hackery and knuckledragging aside... I think this is pretty funny:

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He does have one legitimate point here (made sarcastically, of course): Of all the things the House could be doing to try to bring the budget, this does seem like a pretty minor and pointless way of going about it.

So much opportunity to use the Tea Party push of 2010 for worthwhile spending cuts, and how much of it is being wasted on pointless right-wing rhetoric? What's their next move, declaring war on Michael Moore?

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

They've spent all their time on abortion, and NPR. They're the abortion. Where are the jobs?

 

[Priceless]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Where are the jobs?

Asia.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Well, it's a woman and it's nature... feminism and environmentalism! Loud noises!!!

With the massive rumbling / random destruction followed by a massive wave of fluid, my guess is she had PMS.

 

[Priceless]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Seriously?

During last week's discussion about a bill that would prohibit governments from deducting union dues from a worker's paycheck, [Florida] state Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, used his time during floor debate to argue that Republicans are against regulations -- except when it comes to the little guys, or serves their specific interests.

At one point Randolph suggested that his wife "incorporate her uterus" to stop Republicans from pushing measures that would restrict abortions. Republicans, after all, wouldn't want to further regulate a Florida business.

Apparently the GOP leadership of the House didn't like the one-liner.

They told Democrats that Randolph is not to discuss body parts on the House floor.

"The point was that Republicans are always talking about deregulation and big government," Randolph said Thursday. "And I always say their philosophy is small government for the big guy and big government for the little guy. And so, if my wife's uterus was incorporated or my friend's bedroom was incorporated, maybe they (Republicans) would be talking about deregulating.

"It's not like I used slang," said Randolph, who actually got the line from his wife. He said Republicans voiced concern about young pages hearing the word uterus.

"I think it's a sad commentary about what we think about sex education in the state," he said.

...House GOP spokeswoman Katie Betta: "The Speaker has been clear about his expectations for conduct on the House for during debate. At one point during the debate, he mentioned to the entire House that members of both parties needed to be mindful of decorum during debate.

"Additionally, the Speaker believes it is important for all Members to be mindful of and respectful to visitors and guests, particularly the young pages and messengers who are seated in the chamber during debates. In the past, if the debate is going to contain language that would be considered inappropriate for children and other guests, the Speaker will make an announcement in advance, asking children and others who may be uncomfortable with the subject matter to leave the floor and gallery."

Uterus is a dirty word?

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Rome burned and so shall we. Thanks for posting more proof of that, Priceless.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Seriously?

Uterus is a dirty word?

No, but I can't imagine standing before a state legislature and talking about my wife's uterus. But, such is the society we live in now.

 

[Wol4ine]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

During last week's discussion about a bill that would prohibit governments from deducting union dues from a worker's paycheck, [Florida] state Rep. Scott Randolph, D-Orlando, used his time during floor debate to argue that Republicans are against regulations -- except when it comes to the little guys, or serves their specific interests.

At one point Randolph suggested that his wife "incorporate her uterus" to stop Republicans from pushing measures that would restrict abortions. Republicans, after all, wouldn't want to further regulate a Florida business.

I guess Rep. Randolph doesn't consider a fetus a 'little guy'. Republicans want to regulate the murder of fetuses. Congratulations! You found their hypocrisy.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

No, but I can't imagine standing before a state legislature and talking about my wife's uterus. But, such is the society we live in now.

They talk about gays, abortions, and sodomy, and you're worried about society because he said Uterus? Really?

 

[Kepler]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

No, but I can't imagine standing before a state legislature and talking about my wife's uterus. But, such is the society we live in now.

Pass laws about it. But don't talk about it.

 

[bronconick]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Rome burned and so shall we. Thanks for posting more proof of that, Priceless.

So, what savages are going to burn our capital to the ground in a few decades? I'd like to get my children and grandchildren into their ranks.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

Pass laws about it. But don't talk about it.

Better than not having any laws related to anything that isn't brought up in polite conversation.

 

[Bob Gray]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

They talk about gays, abortions, and sodomy, and you're worried about society because he said Uterus? Really?

Hey, you can run around talking about your wife's uterus all day long if that's your thing. It's not mine.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 112th Congress - The first Orange-American to be elected Speaker

So, what savages are going to burn our capital to the ground in a few decades? I'd like to get my children and grandchildren into their ranks.

Well, Newt is convinced that the atheist Islamofascist wing of the Democratic party is going to destroy America. I'd start there.