Quote:
Originally Posted by KCJoe
Aren't these exchanges meant to help those without health insurance get affordable insurance or those with health insurance get more affordable insurance? what Brownback did was to say to those w/o insurance, "you don't deserve health insurance, hurry up and die".
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He said no such thing. He gave DC the single finger salute and said we'll take care of our own exchange, thank you very little (since we wouldn't even be required to have one if the Obama health care act didn't mandate it).
Right now about 15% of the people in the US have no health insurance. Out of that number a hell of a lot of them COULD afford it if they did without that boat, or third car, or whatever "thing" they think they have to have. IOW, many of that 15% CHOOSE not to have it. What is that percentage? That's a hell of a good question since nobody seems to be very eager to actually find that out because it might make the problem seem a lot less "urgent" if the facts really came out.
You know people like that, I know people like that, we all know people like that. There ARE plans that are reasonably affordable. Yes, the deductibles and co-pays are high and you might have to work on paying major medical bills off for a few years, but if you have those bare bones plans they won't break you.
That does leave the other %, whatever that might be, that legitimately can't afford or obtain health insurance that there does need to be something done to help. That's why there are things like medicaid. Did you know that EVERY child has health insurance in KS? For a family of 4 you're not eligible for the program (for children and pregnant women) if your income is above about $50,000. You also "must not already be covered by comprehensive and reasonably accessible health insurance". That basically means you can't get it at work. So even if your job doesn't have health insurance if you're making less than $50K, your kids have insurance if they need it.
http://www.kdheks.gov/hcf/healthwave...dren8_2010.pdf
Now take THAT number of "uninsured" out of the equation. What we're left with is a very small % of the KS population that truly doesn't have coverage, can't get coverage, can't afford coverage, and/or doesn't have coverage.
So because of that small number we're supposed to add several trillion dollars more to our federal debt while allowing the politicians in DC even more say-so in what we do with our lives? I don't think so.
There are ways that number can be addressed. This ain't it. Gov Brownback did the right thing in sending the money back and the other 5 states should have as well.
Oh, you didn't know that not ALL 50 states got that money? Oh, no, only 7, to be the "pilot" programs so the other 43 can model their "exchanges" after ours. Now why do you reckon KS got picked for that?? Because we're so important? Or maybe so enlightened? Or maybe such a good demographic? BS. It was because the Sec of HHS is the old KS governor and anyone that believes otherwise is fooling themselves.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/60967.html
Jack
