Comments on: Explaining Obamacare Via Legos

By: JHancock

JHancock — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:36:41 +0000

we can’t have socalism to this degree anywhere in our economy, especially the 20% that is health care. In my home city of Denver, Healthcare represents the largest source of high paying jobs (>80K), our economy would really go in the toilet if this was cut to 40K

By: DONTREADONME

DONTREADONME — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:13:19 +0000

if the people of MassHealth were not forced to have to get health insurance. Making everyone have health insurance only allowed the insurance companies to act like monopolies and not compete aggressively in a free market. With car insurance you do not have to get it because you do not necessarily have to have a car.

BTW 5555555, to everything else you pointed too.

By: Kowalski

Kowalski — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:40:17 +0000

I have a theory that Universal Health Care is only viable in a Conservative society:

1) One in which people value work more than taking off work
2) One in which people don’t sue preemptively
3) One in which people take care of their own health and are reluctant to spend public money.
4) One in which people don’t try actively to cheat the system

Massachusetts fails all four of those tests and that’s one of the reasons the MassHealth plan is useless here. It’s a liberal state, full of liberal people, who think money grows on trees.

By: Kowalski

Kowalski — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:34:53 +0000

MassHealth might have worked if the rest of the state was conservative, but it isn’t: the doctors aren’t, the lawyers aren’t, the patients aren’t, and the illegal immigrants certainly aren’t. So what it becomes is a guaranteed way to ~~spend~~ waste tremendous amounts of money.

By: Kowalski

Kowalski — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:30:24 +0000

Romney did indeed give the rest of the country a perfect example of what not to do.

I will say as a caveat for Romney that he didn’t have much choice in the matter himself. However his ongoing support for MassHealth during the campaign is pretty damaging. It’s a debacle here in MA and I was one of the early adopters (and one of the people who still have to adopt it).

MassHealth is like Windows Vista in that sense: the marketing campaign sounded super, and right up until you can’t boot from the licensed DVDs, you think it’s fantastic.

In reality it has actually been counterproductive, more expensive, more bureaucratic, less flexible, less intelligent, and more unfree than the alternatives. I live here and I know a lot of people share that view, several years into The Plan.

On one level, just speaking electorally, Romney is going to have to disavow his involvement with MassHealth if he expects to get elected to anything. It will be another in a long and unsuccessful series of attempts to convince people that he’s sincere. Maybe someone can help rehabilitate him, who knows?

By: cbs

cbs — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:34:43 +0000

I have no problem with Massachusetts trying (and apparently failing) to run a statewide version of socialized medicine. It limits the reach and can be an instructive case study for other states.

Likewise, I do not fault Romney for attempting this in Mass. It fits the states political proclivities. I would have a huge problem if he tried promoting this at the federal level.

Let’s not be fair-weather federalists. Part of that is allowing states to try bad policies. That’s often the best way for us to demonstrate they are bad policies.

By: mustango

mustango — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:08:11 +0000

that this same Mitt Romney remains a leading candidate for the GOP nomination in 2012?

I mean, yes, I get that Romney is a fine fiscal conservative, and, of the final three for the GOP in 2008, he was in fact my choice, but if we’re in a mode of finding reasons to disqualify candidates why doesn’t this destroy his prospects?

By: bags64

bags64 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:01:44 +0000

honestly?

i imagine gaining access to a hospital will be next-to-impossible for your patients unless you ‘opt in’?

Best of luck, and I wish you will in your endeavors.

By: JHancock

JHancock — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:47:51 +0000

I’m a Medical Student that won’t be accepting the government plan in my practice. I’d rather work 2 days a week for “boutique” patient’s that actually pay for my time and expertise. I’ll take up real-estate or consulting in my remaining time to make ends meet, or I’ll practice medicine in another country where I will get paid for my work.

By: Xasteius

Xasteius — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:34:49 +0000