Right to Privacy

[FallbrookFarmer]

I'm holding my breath
The job I REALLY want is to be the official US government
acronym maker-upper! TARP-COBRA-HIPA
I've got some REALLY good one's

 

[MikePA]

Lets say you do lose your job and can get COBRA, now you can choose to pay for coverage or food which hand gets the money?

Go back and read the post COBRA was an answer to. It was a perfect example of where COBRA made sense. Some people aren't happy until someone else is paying for their health care.

 

[brin]

Morning Bob,

How about the IRS :laughing:

Actually, I think you must mean effective or efficient, not profitable. Gov't programs are not designed to be profitable. Profit making is normally restricted to the private sector.
Dave.

Hi Dave...I admit the IRS is effective in harassing folks but they are not collecting all the taxes for hundreds of billions in unreported and under the table income. Wait, maybe if they add another 10,000 pages to the tax code that will do it....Yeah, that's the ticket...LOL :laughing::thumbsup:

 

[dave1949]

Go back and read the post COBRA was an answer to. It was a perfect example of where COBRA made sense. Some people aren't happy until someone else is paying for their health care.

What's with the over the top responses Mike?

20_20's point is valid. With no income, it really doesn't matter that COBRA is available, unless you have savings to draw from. In this economy, a new job could be a long ways off. Those savings may be needed for mortgage/rent and food and utilites. It may not be possible to pay for COBRA coverage, which I believe was originally limited to six months in any case. Most people just end up with no health insurance for some period of time.
Dave.

 

[dmccarty]

Dan,

My point isn't to debate morality with anyone but rather to suggest that there are different notions of morality just as there are different notions of the family, the role of government in our lives and the role of America in the world. But the salient point here has to do with morality IMO.

But you said,

How could anyone claim abortion is immoral and be in favor of the death penalty?

How could anyone not be in favor of the dealth penalty and sanction abortion?

This implies that if you support one you have to support the other.

Which is simply not true for their is a vast difference between the death penalty and abortion.

If one wants to say that ALL life is sacred and both abortion and the death penalty are wrong I am ok with that position.

Later,
Dan

 

[MikePA]

What's with the over the top responses Mike?

My responses was not over the top, Dave. My COBRA response was to a specific post which was the forum equivalent of a news conference where people with some disease, illness, complaint, are used as stage props to make a political point. The poster blamed high medical bills for someone losing their house and their marriage and that nothing has gotten better. I pointed out that COBRA is now available as a stop gap when between jobs, so things have changed. I didn't make a blanket endorsement of it. It is amazing what people read into posts.

 

[FallbrookFarmer]

You obviously haven't read my other post on "Farmers Tax Guide" The IRS doesn't need another 10,000 pages,
they can just make it up as they go

Well, I guess posting ACTUAL wording from an IRS publication is "political", so it gets pulled

 

[brin]

Well, I guess posting ACTUAL wording from an IRS publication is "political", so it gets pulled

OK - that explains why when I went back to look for it I could not find it

 

[Chuck52]

Well, I guess posting ACTUAL wording from an IRS publication is "political", so it gets pulled

Just as a test, you might try posting something totally non-political, just to see if you've been flagged or something. There are lots of non-political "Related Topics" to choose from, like gardening, how-to questions, etc.

Chuck

 

[2manyrocks]

Ouch!

I'm saying this more as a public service announcement in case someone reads this that is facing a COBRA decision.

COBRA allows for up to 18 months of continued coverage, but the problem for an employee is that the employee is now paying all of the premium (unless the employer agreed to pick up part of it as part of severance) and the premium is usually more expensive than what the employee might find elsewhere. FAQs For Employees About COBRA Continuation Health Coverage

It can be cheaper and better for a terminated employee to go shop for his own insurance at a lower rate instead of paying for all 18 months of coverage on the employer's plan. The employer is supposed to provide a certificate of coverage that the employee can use to show he's been covered so the insurance companies can't lay the preexisting exclusion on him.

Faced with a choice between a mortgage and losing health insurance? If someone has a serious enough health condition, they might be better off to keep their health insurance. Everyone has to look at their individual situation and choose carefully.

Now back to the thread, rant, whatever...

 

[dcyrilc]

OK, my day is finally over and I have time for my story.

Not too long ago, the police in the city I work for began participating in a test program carrying AED defibulators. An officer was at the large Group Health Hospital in town when a woman ran into the lobby stating that her husband was having a heart attack in their car. The officer and hospital personnel ran out to the car. The officer called for backup as per standard procedure. The officer and hospital personnel performed CPR until another officer arrived with an AED to shock the man and saving his life.

What I found interesting was that he was AT a large Group Health hospital facility and yet other than CPR no treatment was performed until a police officer showed up with an AED. Don't they have defibulators at the hospital? They have to wait for the police to provide one?:confused2: Makes me want to run out and get Group Health for my coverage.:thumbdown: The other interesting part to me was that he went to the other hospital (Overlake) next door to Group Health to recover. I think I would too.:laughing:

 

[dave1949]

What I found interesting was that he was AT a large Group Health hospital facility and yet other than CPR no treatment was performed until a police officer showed up with an AED. Don't they have defibulators at the hospital? They have to wait for the police to provide one?:confused2:

Of course they have defibs etc. The man wasn't admitted yet, no insurance forms filled out, didn't sign his HIPPA forms yet. You expect them to pass out treatment before all the paperwork is done?
Dave.

 

[20 20]

What's with the over the top responses Mike?

20_20's point is valid. With no income, it really doesn't matter that COBRA is available, unless you have savings to draw from. In this economy, a new job could be a long ways off. Those savings may be needed for mortgage/rent and food and utilites. It may not be possible to pay for COBRA coverage, which I believe was originally limited to six months in any case. Most people just end up with no health insurance for some period of time.
Dave.

Don't worry about it Dave1949, MikePA doesn't like it when I post. I'm okay with that though, I still like his posts . He likes to think he's getting me wound up so I'll go :shocked: :mur: :shocked:

 

[20 20]

Go back and read the post COBRA was an answer to. It was a perfect example of where COBRA made sense. Some people aren't happy until someone else is paying for their health care.

Agian, If you lose your job and don't have income which do you pay for food, house, clothing, or insurance? It's not about being reliant on others, it's about life and choices! Sometimes folks just hit a rut at full speed and can't get Mommy or daddy to pay for them. Not everyones life is perfect, some have bad luck. I hope this never happens to you, but don't go through life thinking you have the perfect answers. Some day that may just come back to bite you in the behind :drool:

 

[20 20]

Of course they have defibs etc. The man wasn't admitted yet, no insurance forms filled out, didn't sign his HIPPA forms yet. You expect them to pass out treatment before all the paperwork is done?
Dave.

:laughing::laughing: I'd say that sums it up at just about any hospital

 

[dcyrilc]

Of course they have defibs etc. The man wasn't admitted yet, no insurance forms filled out, didn't sign his HIPPA forms yet. You expect them to pass out treatment before all the paperwork is done?
Dave.

I guess that makes sense somewhat. I guess, in my mind, I just expect a hospital to handle something like a heart attack that's literally happening on their doorstep.

 

[dave1949]

I guess that makes sense somewhat. I guess, in my mind, I just expect a hospital to handle something like a heart attack that's literally happening on their doorstep.

Cyril, I know it's early there It was all sarcasm, it makes no sense at all. Just be sure you go about your day with your proof of insurance card taped to your forehead :laughing:
Dave.

 

[FallbrookFarmer]

Just as a test, you might try posting something totally non-political, just to see if you've been flagged or something. There are lots of non-political "Related Topics" to choose from, like gardening, how-to questions, etc.

Chuck

I thought long and hard before replying to you, mainly because I was angry and disappointed by your comment.
But I feel that instead of ignoring you, as I have been attempting to do, I feel I should reply.
Firstly in response to your instant comment, Yes I posted a quote from a current IRS document that talked about
how the IRS says that it is ignoring current court decisions "until it is appealed to a higher court".
Personally, I don't think that that is "political", but obviously you and some others, who thought so, were able to get it pulled. Congratulations.
Secondly, You obviously feel that because I served my country in wartime that I'm getting something that you feel you deserve, just by the dint of being an American citizen(perhaps I'm mistaken?). As I said before to you, if you feel that you want to receive VA care, there are many recruiting stations around that would be happy to take your enlistment papers, and then after serving your country honorably, you too can receive some "free" health care.
Thirdly, I have attempted to keep my responses to you civil and friendly, but it seems that you are more fond of posting ad hominem attacks, then actually offering a rebuttal to the ideas that I have posted. Perhaps if you
have a disagreement with an concept, it would be better to attack the idea, rather than the messenger.
For me, personally, religion=morality=politics. And perhaps in my myopic view of the world, I have sometimes crossed the line that has been drawn by our hosts. If in fact I have done that, I apologize.
Again, for me personally, I feel that the future of our country, is more important that rutabagas, or canned fish.
One man's opinion.

 

[Chuck52]

I thought long and hard before replying to you, mainly because I was angry and disappointed by your comment.
But I feel that instead of ignoring you, as I have been attempting to do, I feel I should reply.
Firstly in response to your instant comment, Yes I posted a quote from a current IRS document that talked about
how the IRS says that it is ignoring current court decisions "until it is appealed to a higher court".
Personally, I don't think that that is "political", but obviously you and some others, who thought so, were able to get it pulled. Congratulations.
Secondly, You obviously feel that because I served my country in wartime that I'm getting something that you feel you deserve, just by the dint of being an American citizen(perhaps I'm mistaken?). As I said before to you, if you feel that you want to receive VA care, there are many recruiting stations around that would be happy to take your enlistment papers, and then after serving your country honorably, you too can receive some "free" health care.
Thirdly, I have attempted to keep my responses to you civil and friendly, but it seems that you are more fond of posting ad hominem attacks, then actually offering a rebuttal to the ideas that I have posted. Perhaps if you
have a disagreement with an concept, it would be better to attack the idea, rather than the messenger.
For me, personally, religion=morality=politics. And perhaps in my myopic view of the world, I have sometimes crossed the line that has been drawn by our hosts. If in fact I have done that, I apologize.
Again, for me personally, I feel that the future of our country, is more important that rutabagas, or canned fish.
One man's opinion.

I had no part in removing your other attempt at a political discussion. I assume one of the moderators did what they are supposed to do. Frankly I don't give a rat's ***** if you ignore my comments....you clearly have your own ideas about reality and I certainly wouldn't want you to have to think.

One example: I have never said or implied that your VA coverage was free to you. My father served in WWII, my older brother served in Vietnam, and my older son served a tour in the Navy. I am quite happy they received and still receive the medical care they earned, as I am happy you receive the medical care you earned. I don't think the great majority of Americans should receive FREE medical care. The whole argument is who is the middle man between the patient and the medical provider. You seem to want that to be a private insurance company which is obviously trying to make money on the process. I don't even argue that the company should not be trying to make money. I simply think that the government could collect money from us and pay the medical providers, and do it at a cost savings for the populace of the United States, as is done for you, except that where you earned your medical care by your service, the rest of the population would pay for theirs through the agency of a government plan. The people would still be paying, so there is no free lunch, just perhaps a somewhat less expensive lunch. Clearly, some citizens would indeed get "free" medical care under such a system, but they already do! It would just make that part of the system more organized and transparent. I further think that all of you who are already covered by a government plan, which you EARNED, should be exempt from paying into this other government plan....you certainly should not have to pay twice, by your service and out of your pocket. Is that clear enough? Do you understand it would not be FREE?

Now, it is clear that most correspondents on this discussion group agree more with you than with me on this subject, as they trust private enterprise more than government. I can live with that. Remember, however, that this is a limited groups and does not come close to representing the population of these United States. However, I would like to think that a fairly high proportion even of this group can tell the difference between FREE medical care and what I see as a reasonable alternative, which would certainly not be free.

Chuck

 

[riptides]

On one side we have the Government.

On the other side we have private corporations.

In the middle we have the consumer.

Both have their hands in our pockets, but these last few years IMHO the private corporations with Wall Streets guidance have set me back more than my government ever has.