However, I have heard that it is in poor taste for them to advertise.

Send your legislator the “Congressional Healthcare Equality Pledge”

One problem with government safety nets is their potential to grow. The reason why Medicaid is based on categorical eligibility (one must be a child, pregnant, parent, medically necessary, elderly) and financial eligibility is that if the only criteria were financial, the constant question would be where does one draw the line. If one creates a safety net with a doughnut hole, there will be constant pressure to close that hole.

I personally pay out of pocket for my health insurance. My health insurance plan consists of a low premium with a high deductible. So far, I have not made use of the deductible, I essentially keep it as a catastrophic insurance. The last time I was sick I went to the Minute Clinic at the local CVS Pharmacy. I was attended after a 30 minute wait and I paid $20 dollars out-of-pocket. Maybe a similar plan would work for your daughter. Best of wishes.

Comment: Without price information available to the consumer, there is no competition, and without competition, it’s not free-market capitalism.

2) For each procedure code, there can be one and only one price.

Comment: (2) follows from (1). No more charging the one person full price and another 10% of that amount.

3) To make this all easier, *allow* the use of the Relative Value Study (RVS), RBRVS, or other openly published method of rating relative cost of procedures. A provider who adopts such a method sets the dollar value per unit and need only publish which method is being used and the multiplier.

Comment: Auto mechanics use this method, and it works well and consumers understand it. They have estimator books that tell how many hours each repair takes. And they charge their shop rate (set by them) times that number
of hours.

I’m still of the opinion that this bill will never even get to the Senate, as it will either lose on the floor of the House, or will get pulled if the leadership realizes they’ll lose the vote.

I just don’t see what’s in it for a so-called ‘Blue Dog’ to vote for this. Heck, it’s bad enough than some *non*-Blue Dogs may end up voting against it!

I refuse to change.

Mostly I hope they lose lots of sleep, lots of hair and get ulcers. If they presented themselves as conservatives, then they should act like it. If they don’t vote the way their constituents want them to, they get what they deserve. On the other hand, if they don’t vote as Nasty Nancy and Dingy Harry want them to, they risk the wrath of those gentle spirits at MoveOn.org and Company. Gee, I’m crying in my beer for the poor guys…….

In many districts the Blue Dogs won by pretending to be conservative on many issues that people cared about but still as real Democrats. Eroding support for the Obamamaster will not play in areas were the shine is wearing off of “Hope and Change”, but DNC dollars will keep them on the reservation in my view.