quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by Midwest Guy1:
Yes Sir, a coupon for a rectal thermometer and a Gofund me page it is!

It's probably a good idea as a new member to make yourself understood- effective communication and all that.

As a result of extenuating circumstances a new ID was established, this is Midwest Guy who has been a member here for eight years .

I don't think you're doing the whole WitSec thing right. ^

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
I don't think you're doing the whole WitSec thing right. ^

looks like the cat is out of the bag!

quote:

Democrats are pushing the government to the brink of a shutdown, with coal country Senate Democrats leading a strategy to oppose a GOP spending bill if their demands aren't met for a longer extension of expiring health care benefits for coal miners

quote:

WASHINGTON — Democrats pilloried Republicans for irresponsibly shutting down the government when Barack Obama was president, but as a minority party struggling to show resistance in the era of President Trump, they are now ready to let the lights of government go dark.
A group of prominent Senate Democrats on Monday raised the specter of a shutdown over the funding of President Trump’s proposed wall along the border with Mexico.

quote:

Democrats Are Threatening To Shut Down The Government Over Illegal Aliens And Illegal Drugs

quote:

Gov. Andrew Cuomo Tells Democrats to Shut Down Government Until They Get Gun Control

Any wonder those morons never get anything done? All they know is a shutdown.

quote:

Midwest Guy

What is the issue with your original account? I see that you logged into it 5 days ago.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Midwest Guy

What is the issue with your original account? I see that you logged into it 5 days ago.

Password lost , reset IPhone autofil cleared, original email address no longer used.

OTOH, while I understand the desire to "Just do something!"...

Don’t Just Do Something
By Erick Erickson

The perennial desire of those in government, elected or not, is to just do something. People expect the government to act. They demand laws be passed. They want the regulatory state to work to their benefit. When the elected branches fail, people will run to the courts to just do something, or to unelected regulatory bureaucrats. Perhaps they should not.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States and also best president ever, had the philosophy all of us, particularly those in government, should take. “If you see 10 troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you,” he said. Just stand still and watch.

Instead, much of local and state government these days spend time fixing laws already passed to address the law of unintended consequences. Each tweak causes another chain of events that eventually will lead to another tweak. According to Jason Russell in the Washington Examiner, the tax code is now 74,608 pages, including both statutes and regulations. It was only 26,300 pages in 1984 — only. The United States Code, which is the body of laws passed by Congress, consists of 52 titles, bound into multiple volumes totaling more than 8,000 pages, weighing more than 25 pounds, and taking up a bookshelf. Add in the annotated version that is more commonly used and it takes up multiple bookshelves and costs over $18,000.00 to buy. The Code of Federal Regulations is even larger.

Ignorance is supposedly no defense of the law, but how anyone can be expected to keep up with so many laws and the regulations thereto is beyond me. Still, Congress passes more laws, as do states, counties and municipalities. Beyond the basic laws of public safety and the general welfare, the various legislative entities maintain archaic laws and criminalize business laws. It is, for example, against the law in Texas to carry an ice cream cone in one’s back pocket. Likewise, a Tennessee guitar manufacturer ran afoul of American criminal law by harvesting wood in Indonesia that violated a trade deal, though was legal in Indonesia.

Perhaps the various legislative busy bodies should dedicate a few years to repealing laws instead of passing new ones. That leads me to the American Health Care Act, which the Republicans claim keeps a promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act. It does no such thing. Rather, it preserves Barack Obama’s signature initiative, but alters it enough that the Republicans will take ownership of all the ills of the law moving forward.

Conservatives shouldered all the blame for the American Health Care Act failing to pass Congress a month ago, but the reality is conservatives were right. The proposal broke more promises than it kept. Led by Mark Meadows, the House Freedom Caucus demanded changes to the legislation that steered it rightward and allowed states greater flexibility under Obamacare. That appears to be the best the GOP can do. They will not repeal the law, but will provide a way out of some of its major expenses.
Share this

While they contemplate that law, the Congress and president are considering a sweeping tax reform package. The United States’ tax code has not been comprehensively updated since 1986. As other nations have lowered their corporate tax rate to attract investment and fuel their economies, the United States has left its rate the same. The nation has further complicated matters by adding loopholes, regulations, and alterations through the advice and consent of paid lobbyists.

Corporate America has learned it is far better to carve out loopholes in statutes to protect themselves from competition than it is to actually innovate and compete. Why would any company spend the money to innovate when it can just hire a lobbyist to get a bureaucrat or congressman to tax and regulate the competition out of existence?

Our nation has grown far more complex than our founders probably ever imagined. But that complexity has provided excuses for inaction on reform as legislators in search of money and votes scratch the itch of “just do something.” Instead, Congress should stop doing anything. We would all be better off.

http://theresurgent.com/dont-just-do-something/

quote:

Originally posted by Midwest Guy1:
Password lost , reset IPhone autofil cleared, original email address no longer used.

Tell me approximately when you registered, and tell me something about this place only someone with a couple of thousands posts or more would know and I'll restore your original account.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by Midwest Guy1:
Password lost , reset IPhone autofil cleared, original email address no longer used.

Tell me approximately when you registered, and tell me something about this place only someone with a couple of thousands posts or more would know and I'll restore your original account.

Hello Para, about 7 1/2 years ago I registered, you have a P7 part from me on your build.

That'll do it

And thanks again.

Then password for your original account is set to your last name in all lower case letters. If you want to use your new email address on your old account, it will have to be removed from the new account.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
That's do it

And thanks again.

Then password for your original account is set to your last name in all lower case letters. If you want to use your new email address on your old account, it will have to be removed from the new account.

. We're good , Thanks

The Prodigal Son

Good to see you back, midwest guy!

Analysis: Are House Republicans Close to Passing an Obamacare Repeal Bill?
Guy Benson

Yes, says one GOP vote-whipper -- some of whose vote-counting colleagues remain, er, undecided on the bill -- with some additional colleagues telling reporters that the margin is looking razor thin. If they're to be believed, House Republican leaders are excruciatingly close to getting a bare majority to pass the amended American Health Care Act out of the lower chamber (see update). Speaker Ryan, hedging his bets, says a vote could be called later this week. One thing you can take to the bank, though: If they don't have the numbers, they won't schedule a vote. But they may be close to locking down the numbers:

House Speaker Paul Ryan told Republicans Tuesday to “pray” as they try to win over the remaining holdouts on the health-care bill with leaders pushing for a vote later this week. Representative Dennis Ross of Florida, a senior member of the House vote-counting team, described Republicans’ closed-door meeting and said they are about “five votes away” from the number needed to pass the bill. “Now is the time,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said to House Republicans, adding that they should be prepared to vote Wednesday or Thursday on the measure. But a significant number of moderates remain opposed. A Bloomberg News count found at least 21 members opposed to the latest version. Republicans can only afford to lose 22 votes and guarantee passage.

That's very little wiggle room, and certain defections look worrisome for leadership. Former Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton announced that he's currently a "no," flip-flopping on 'community rating' flexibility for insurers. And a rank-and-file member from a deep red Trump state who wasn't seen as a likely candidate to buck the party also said he couldn't support the legislation. Unlike last time, when the conservative House Freedom Caucus was a significant culprit behind the March failure, it's primarily center-right moderates who are now threatening to torpedo the bill. Many are citing the need to protect consumers with pre-existing conditions as the source of their trepidation. We addressed that point in a post yesterday, quoting two analyses that explain why these fears are overstated. Paul Ryan's office put out a memo designed to reassure concerned lawmakers that the AHCA does offer several layers of safeguards for at-risk patients:

The amendment is very clear: Under no circumstance can people be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Current law prohibiting pricing customers based on health status remains in place and can only be waived by a state if that state has chosen to take care of the people through other risk-sharing or reinsurance mechanisms. Even if a state asks for and is granted a waiver, no person may be priced based on health status if they have maintained continuous coverage. In addition to these protections, the AHCA provides significant resources at the federal and state level for risk-sharing programs that lower premiums for all people. Although it gives states an option to tailor coverage limitations, the process is very strict. A state must explain how a waiver will reach the goals of lowering premiums, increasing enrollment, stabilizing the market/premiums, and/or increasing choice. States must lay out the benefits they would provide. And most importantly, states may only apply for a waiver if they have their own risk pool in place. Again, the coverage of people with pre-existing conditions will be protected.

Democrats have been beating the drums on pre-existing conditions as a rallying cry against the AHCA, even though the legislation doesn't gut those provisions of Obamacare. An emotional monologue by late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel cited the example of his newborn infant who required immediate heart surgery, pleading with Congress not to harm patients with pre-existing conditions. Republicans are currently working to convince their own members that their bill would do no such thing.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/...efends-ahca-n2321167

Another vote today?

Ho-Hum.

Obamacare replacement bill on Thursday

The vote will come almost two months after the aborted first vote on bill
The bill would repeal and replace key parts of the Affordable Care Act
Passage would send it to the Senate, where opposition may be stiff

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote Thursday on a controversial Republican bill that would repeal and replace key parts of Obamacare, the GOP's majority leader said Wednesday night.

"We're going tomorrow, yes we are," said Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Asked he if had the votes to win passage of the bill, McCarthy told NBC News, "Yes we do."

"We will pass this bill," McCarthy said. "I feel great about the [vote] count."

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said several days ago that he would not hold the vote without having those winning votes in hand.

House Democratic Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi blasted the GOP for scheduling the vote. And she pointedly noted that the bill had not yet been analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office, which will ultimately estimate what the bill will cost, as well as how it will affect premiums and the number of people covered by insurance.

"Forcing a vote without a CBO score shows that Republicans are terrified of the public learning the full consequences of their plan to push Americans with pre-existing conditions into the cold," Pelosi said. "But tomorrow, House Republicans are going to tattoo this moral monstrosity to their foreheads, and the American people will hold them accountable."



The expected vote will come a day after two leading Republicans, Reps. Billy Long and Fred Upton, agreed to switch their expected "no" votes on the bill to "yes" votes.

Long and Upton earlier this week had come out publicly against the bill because of a change made to it last week that would, in their view and in those of many others', weaken price protections for private individual plan insurance customers with pre-existing health conditions.

But on Wednesday, Long and Upton reversed their opinion after getting another amendment that would provide $8 billion in federal funding that would supposedly protect such customers from higher premiums.

Their reversal added momentum to the push for the vote. Another factor that may have played a role in the scheduling of the vote is a scheduled recess for the House at the end of this week, and the desire by GOP leaders that members not face lobbying against the bill from constituents at home.

Can't remember if I asked here before, but here goes.

Why do we even need health insurance? Walk in to the doctor. Get a quote for a procedure. Pay cash. Done.

Use tax free HSA's so while you're young, you save. If you need an expensive procedure, take out a low interest govt loan (if an eighteen year old can take out a $80,000 loan for an Art History degree, a sixty year old should be able to get a loan for bypass surgery).

It seems like all the price controls are hidden, but you're paying with other people's money, so who cares. (my MIL is convinced her cataract surgery cost only $200). There is no incentive to keep costs in line, and there are any number of parties skimming off the top.

And the worst part, I'm paying for something that if I don't use, I effectively lose. I paid thousands on a plan that got pulled out from under me by Obamacare. That value is just... gone.

quote:

Originally posted by Spokane228:
Can't remember if I asked here before, but here goes.

Why do we even need health insurance? Walk in to the doctor. Get a quote for a procedure. Pay cash. Done.

Use tax free HSA's so while you're young, you save. If you need an expensive procedure, take out a low interest govt loan (if an eighteen year old can take out a $80,000 loan for an Art History degree, a sixty year old should be able to get a loan for bypass surgery).

It seems like all the price controls are hidden, but you're paying with other people's money, so who cares. (my MIL is convinced her cataract surgery cost only $200). There is no incentive to keep costs in line, and there are any number of parties skimming off the top.

And the worst part, I'm paying for something that if I don't use, I effectively lose. I paid thousands on a plan that got pulled out from under me by Obamacare. That value is just... gone.

You heartless capitalist!
Yes, you are exactly right.
Call it what you want, but if the .gov mandates it, it's welfare NOT insurance.
Companies offer insurance when they can make a profit. If you have to mandate any part of it whether it's coverages or acceptance it's no longer profitable and so it's not offered or accepted voluntarily.

quote:

Originally posted by Spokane228:
Can't remember if I asked here before, but here goes.

Why do we even need health insurance?

You absolutely do not need it for routine care any more than you need insurance to cover oil changes and tires on your car. That's the total BS the insurance industry has convinced everyone to pay for. Unexpected, financially devastating events are a different matter. We should have the choice. Of course, if you roll the dice and end up in the ER with no catastrophic coverage, be prepared to pull out your wallet or go home/die.

quote:

I forgot my insurance card and the clerk advised me as she tried to verify my insurance that the MRI would cost $3100. It would only be $700 if I had no insurance and had to pay cash

There may be a regulation limiting how much they can charge indigent customers, there may be a state or federal program which would pick up part of the cost... or they may simply have to charge insurance companies enough to make up the difference for all the $700 MRIs they do for people with no insurance.

quote:

Why do we even need health insurance?

You don't... and what most Americans have isn't insurance anyway, it's pre-paid medical.

If you have insurance on your car it usually doesn't pay for new tires, oil changes and wiper blades. It pays if there is substantial damage or destruction of the car.

Health "insurance" however covers everything and is used all the time... the equivalent of oil changes and wiper blades.

If you had a health plan with a $2000 deductible that only covered catastrophic illness it would be relatively cheap... and it would be actual "insurance".

^^^^

More likely, $600 is what the insurance company actually pays them after UCR. Take a look at the difference between billed and paid on your next claim.