Comments for David Brooks Doesn't Like Obamacare #4567 at http://www.cepr.net , comment 1 to 8 out of 8 comments http://www.cepr.net Sat, 25 May 2013 18:38:26 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17242 bakho says: "Their basic idea is to ration health care through affordability of insurance. Those who cannot afford insurance are denied health care. " But do we really believe Americans are ready to deny health care? Someone drops their iPod on the street, no one offers to fix it. Someone faints on the street, and people rush to aid that person. Health care is a different type of commodity. So what strikes me in all the Repub proposals is the lack of accounting for these real health care costs (care for the uninsured), that their plans add due to their unaffordability. By 2040, most Americans won't be able to afford health insurance under their plans, voucher or no. - Joe T. Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:48:27 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17239 Republicans are proving that once you take myth and superstition seriously you can come to any conclusion you want about anything. And the media are enough like them that they can't question them. - fuller schmidt Tue, 03 Jul 2012 11:45:40 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17237 Individuals do not have enough bargaining power to lower costs with insurance companies even if they had credits or vouchers. It's not like dealing with a phone or cable company. Your BATNA has much higher stakes than missing the last season of the Office. - Jay Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:50:05 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17236 ... your complaint is just one more reason why many of us prefer the single-payer system. You can't get a larger pool/exchange than that. And the government seems able to hold its costs in check, since it's under the scrutiny of the electorate, as opposed to free-marketers who hide their grifting behind the apron of the Big Government they so oppose. - david Tue, 03 Jul 2012 10:34:49 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17235 "The authors apparently believe that the heavy hand of stronger government regulation combined with a larger market will somehow make the individual market work." But isn't this what the exchanges set up in the ACA are? Aren't people who have employment but no employer coverage put into these exchanges? There are minimum standards for the policies that are eligible for the exchanges. PLus no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. - catclub Tue, 03 Jul 2012 07:43:34 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17232 You do not have to have invoke trade policy to lower health care costs, there are professionals here willing to take on much primary care work--nurse practioners, physican assistants--that MDs either are not available for or are not interested. Policies that encouraged increased usage of these professionals, such as direct acess for physical therapists (eliiminating a MD visit just to get a PT referral) could make a significant impact in spending AND improve health outcomes. - Jennifer Tue, 03 Jul 2012 05:04:09 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17231 Certainly this is not Obama's health care, he thought Hilary's mandate was a horrible idea, as most progressives should, since it is so regressive. Prior to Obama care health care for the uninsured through county hospitals and such was funded by progressive income taxes. Now that's gone, and there is a new regressive (flat) "medicare" tax. Amazing that the Dems passed the right's welfare reform under Clinton, and now the right's health care. This goes along with Obama droning families throughout Afghan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia...keeping gitmo open....gotta think that the reason that the Dem establishment in 2008 picked the candidate with fewer popular votes (recall that Obama had fewer elected delegates than Hilary) was because with his clear lack of executive experience the real powers could control him. - pete Tue, 03 Jul 2012 03:51:59 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/david-brooks-doesnt-like-obamacare-4567#comment-17230 Nice dissection of an unworkable proposal. If it is not a workable proposal, it must be a smokescreen. Their basic idea is to ration health care through affordability of insurance. Those who cannot afford insurance are denied health care. - bakho Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:25:30 +0100