Across the board health care?!

2014-05-23T18:00:54-04:00

Am I just a genius or completely out of my mind? The Government can't get health care right for a very small group of our citizens (our veterans through the VA health system) but it wants us to believe that it will seamlessly make a standard health care system for everyone?!
The question I propose is this... Do you foresee "Obama care" being just as ate up as the VA has always been and continues to be? Do you think that they will be just as bad as it is now? Lets leave political views out of it as much as possible. Bring up intelligent discussion and lets debate this. What good do you see in Obama Care? What hick-ups do you see in it? What are your thoughts in general?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2014 6:07 PM

2014-05-23T18:07:13-04:00

I wouldn't be looking at the VA as much as I'd be looking at pretty much every other first world country on earth. I've spent a lot of time in Canada, and they basically laugh at us. They're very happy with their healthcare system.

Response by SSgt Paul L. made May 23 at 2014 6:22 PM

2014-05-23T18:22:43-04:00

I think it's an inaccurate comparison. Civilian healthcare is still private-owned for profit from corporations.

I think if they were giving everyone Tricare and taking it out of taxes we'd be having a better apples to apples comparison.

Response by SFC Lamont Womack made May 23 at 2014 7:24 PM

2014-05-23T19:24:52-04:00

The Affordable Care Act in theory is a good program. The problem with the program is it has been used as a political tool. The reason why it does not work for some people is because the Governors of some states won't expand the medicaid expansion. The medicaid expansion would cover the people who are not poor enough for medicaid but don't make enough to afford healthcare. The only reason why Governors won't do the expansion is to make the program fail. If politics were not an issue the program would probably be a success for a large amount of people.

As far as the VA goes, it has been a problem for years. Unfortunately it has also become a victim of politics. In February a major bill that would have increased Education and Healthcare for Veterans was blocked in the Senate. The bill would have expanded healthcare for Veterans and it called to make 27 new medical facilities for Veterans.

I think its sad we now live in a world where everything as to be a political win or loss. When it comes to Veterans politics should take a back seat and doing the right thing by Veterans should trump your political affiliation.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 23 at 2014 7:41 PM

2014-05-23T19:41:57-04:00

I've also heard the argument of getting rid of the VA all together. Veterans would get a "veteran card" and use it at there local health care facilities.

Response by TSgt Brian Herman made May 24 at 2014 2:34 AM

2014-05-24T02:34:52-04:00

I think that the VA is the best example, of how the ACA will eventually become!
The idea behind it has always been a ploy to make more money for the insurance companies, and especially "big pharma".
When Bill Clinton first tried to create "free health care", I noticed right away, that there was no prescription drug benefit, or change that allowed the importation of drugs to the US from Canada. I'm not talking about Canadian drugs, I'm talking about the same drugs sold in America, that go to Canada, that would then come back to us. Hmmmmm. IF you really want to "help" people, why not allow some competition into the market place for drugs? That situation hasn't changed. We are still not allowed to bring prescription drugs into the US from Canada, or Mexico, for that matter.
Regarding my experiences with health care from the VA, I go to the North Port Clinic on Long Island. I have had good luck with any care that I have received, however, it did take 8 months to get a follow up appointment for a couple of post deployment things. My dad uses the VA instead of medicare, (I don't know why.) And he gets good service from the doctors hes seen at Pueblo, and Denver Colorado.
The problem isn't the the doctors "don't care", it is about the money. The VA gets a budget, and like every other federal they have to try and send it wisely, or at least make it look like they do on paper.
Every one of us that has been in the military knows about the end of the fiscal year spending fest that goes on.
And, I hate to say it, but what is going on at the VA now, is nothing new. Regardless of who is in the WH, or who was in the WH, vet health care at the VA is, and has been a budget line item for a long, long time. As an active duty member, you are used to sub standard facilities and conditions, as a preparation or condition of being deployed over seas. Why should that change? You can still just suck it up. Once again in life, the bottom line, is the bottom line. Once the pencil pushers get in, everything starts going down hill.
The bigger problem with the money end of this, is that just exactly like every other thing the USG does, there is NO motivation to spend the money smartly.
What will they do, or what do they do currently with any "savings"? Where does that money go?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2014 9:23 PM

2014-05-26T21:23:57-04:00

I think the idea behind the Health Care Act is good, everyone should have access to health care. The execution leaves a lot to be desired. I think that perhaps implementing it in small phases instead of the current "All in and take away/push it back" method would have been a better call. Let the folks that don't have health care sign up and start there then progressively bring in businesses and then people that already have health care. Its my belief that the whole thing just wasn't completely thought out and there was no trouble shooting guide in place. Government was not ready for the aftermath of the implementation.

Response by Cpl Glynis Sakowicz made May 27 at 2014 10:55 AM

2014-05-27T10:55:13-04:00

You could very well be a genius, but I am pretty certain I'm not, however we both have the same view of the future in this.
Hospitals and doctors here in Houston are stating that they will not take Medicare paitients. In this area, there are only five (Yes, FIVE) OB/GYN doctors who will take Medicare, and only seven Pediactric specialists. Yep, they have health care, but who is going to take care of them?
Then, as a friend of mine found out, the care you need will break you... she went to the doctor, so happy because she had medical care for the first time, and a month later, she recieved notices that she had to pay over three thousand dollars for medical tests and offic visits... and then, when she called to find out what was going on, she was told that she had to pay over seven thousand dollars up front, before her 'medical insurance' would kick in.
Multiply that by millions and you have what's coming. I have a friend who's a Doctor, and she is retiring, because she refuses to take Medicare paitients now, because she does not get paid for over a year after the services. The three closest hospitals here are now stating that they will not serve Medicare paitents on anything but an emergency arrival status.
When more people realize what is coming, I see all sorts of bad things in the future... but that might be just my pessimistic attitude.

Response by CPT Doyle Johnson made Jun 5 at 2014 10:07 AM

2014-06-05T10:07:56-04:00

I recently began getting care at the Austin, Texas clinic which I have read is the newest and largest clinic in the Nation. I wish all Vets could have the good experiences I have had with the clinical staff. The administrative side - a little bumpy. The bumps appear to be associated with inadequate information systems and the phone system is not working well at this facility. I have had a CT scan, a colonoscopy, suspicious skin abnormalities removed and a hearing exam. The hearing aids are on order. All of this was done on a very reasonable timeline.

I have the feeling that there is a great deal of inconsistency in their product across the country. This is an indication I think of lack of standards enforcement from the top and possibility an inability to predict need and staffing requirements geographically.

If the VA does not have accurate database data on us then it is not really possible to apply the data science necessary to distribute resources nationally.

I have written my Congressman asking for an increased focus on information systems and data quality in addition to a purge of the top managers in DC, and of the regional/facility liars as well. Please join me in making our views known.

Thanks Doyle

Response by PO3 Bob Walsh made Sep 19 at 2015 3:17 AM

2015-09-19T03:17:52-04:00

Look at the Government record of running things. Amtrak is a good example of the Government managing a large enterprise. And then we have the Post Office, what a shining example of Management, and the Government Agencies, pick any one. Obama care, why wouldn't a community organizer be successful, look at the environmental companies funded with millions of Tax Dollars, all Bankrupt due to Incompetence or Fraud.

Response by SrA Art Siatkowsky made Oct 12 at 2015 7:42 AM

2015-10-12T07:42:26-04:00

I work in civilian health care as a medical technologist some 25 years now… I remember when our health care system was the best in the world. Then Hillary clinto as first lady started talking government health care. From that point on our health care system went through a series of downgrades… year after year… first it was managed health care… then confusion… then the mega health care systems came into play buying up all the hospitals and doctors offices in an entire region… and it became worse… now obamacare…. They dictate what you as a health care provider will accept as payment… hospitals have to offer services for less than the services cost to even break even… they said people wouldnt go to the er because they could make doctor appointments…. Where did they learn about human nature? The ers are packed with people comming in with sore throats at 3am and splinters. Hospital ers are showing 30 percent increase in er visits since obamacare and they cant afford to staff for. what they are being compensated. Our staffing is dropped every year for 15 years now while our workload goes up. Our equipment is utter garbage and it once was state of the art. Surgeries are operated like fast food restaurants and patients are dying and not being told it was hospital error. Hospital infections kill more each year than cancer and heart attacks combined. Care is a disgrace and if a loved one goes into the hospital you better be there watching everything because over worked, understaffed nurses and docs are messin up and patients are dying. Health care is a mess. It was once the place to work… now it is a disaster. My brother is now forced to by insurance but he cant afford the copay to actually use it. Stay healthy…. Watch your loved ones if they go into the hospital and dont buy into the utter hype that obama care or managed health care work. Never thought it would go from the best to such a mess but today your absolute best option is stay healthy and dont get anything done unless its life or death.