Democrats are leading the moral and practical charge to get South Dakota to accept the money-saving, life-saving Medicaid expansion offered by the Affordable Care Act. Republicans are dragging their feet, claiming oh-so-cynically that they want to take their time and study the issue thoroughly before passing policy (something we only hear when they don't like a proposal).
Memo to Rep. David Lust, Governor Dennis Daugaard, and other balky Republicans: smarter people than you and I have already studied the Medicaid expansion. They've found the ACA Medicaid expansion will save states money. It will expand access to mental health services. It will do good. Do it.
Extra memo to GOP obstructionists: more government-run health insurance would use resources much more efficiently than the private insurance system, says Robert Reich:
...we’d do better to open Medicare to everyone. Medicare’s administrative costs are in the range of 3 percent.
That’s well below the 5 to 10 percent costs borne by large companies that self-insure. It’s even further below the administrative costs of companies in the small-group market (amounting to 25 to 27 percent of premiums). And it’s way, way lower than the administrative costs of individual insurance (40 percent). It’s even far below the 11 percent costs of private plans under Medicare Advantage, the current private-insurance option under Medicare [Robert Reich, "The Hoax of Entitlement Reform," blog, 2013.01.06].
Reich notes that 30 percent of all spending in America's health care system is waste. Moving more people to the big pool of government health insurance could provide the leverage necessary to negotiate more of that waste out of the system.
Well, SD is not really too bright when it comes to figuring these things out. There are so many misconceptions about the ACA and when you tell people facts, they absolutely refuse to believe them and carry on with their own mindset. Case in point: Tonchi Weaver was on Gordon's little internet show this a.m. raging against the Governor for expanding healthcare and how it is going to cost us money. The irony is that Tonchi works for the USPS and I'm sure that she doesn't refuse her great healthcare over her principles. The stupid. It hurts.
While expanding government sponsored health care sounds great in theory, it does not address the problem of continued double-digit increases year after year for those of us that pay for our own insurance.
Michael you might want to do a bit of research, as there are measures to help with the increasing costs and some caps. We are all going to have to really research what will be best for us. http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/publications/reports/health-reform/helping-families.html
As a single woman in her early 60's I have alot of concerns of what it is going to cost me for health care if I need it. I really think SD is so... well, I want to see what the Federal exchanges will do for me, because I know SD gov. does not have my best interests in their hearts.
Last night I was watching some news program that talked about how Thailand and India hospitals are catering to the world with superior medical care and treatment for alot less. I have had a few friends who have used hospitals in Thailand and were very happy and their savings were not robbed, even with the flight costs. I am uninsured and put money in my savings for health care should I need it, and my 1st choice would be to go there if possible. I have never gone to the ER and always paid out of pocket.
Insurance is a racket, has always been and until we address the issue in this country of the corporate insurance robber barons, we are sunk. Just saying...
Republicans don't want anything that the President offers. Heaven forbid they actually do the right thing.
Try not having insurance. Your automatically treated as a second-class person. Money first and treatment after. Trust me I know.
A single-payer system is very much needed
What credibility does Robert Reich have with anybody let alone conservative people? And Mr. Owen, President Obama plays the jam it down your throat tactics that libbies in South Dakota whine about. So yeah, if Obama says "I think we should not kill goldfish" there will be a lot of people who will start killing goldfish. Maybe with newly purchased ball peen hammers or whatever tool they use. I'm just sayin...
Shorter Grudnick...cuz Kenya and stuff.
Just a guess, but I think people still hold a grudge against Reich for being short...no wait, maybe it's his work for Republican president Gerald Ford.
Or maybe they just disagree with Time Magazine and the Wall Street Journal's naming him one of the top business thinkers and economists on the planet.
Who knows, it could be his work with Bill Clinton in setting the economy up for record growth and a budget surplus.
Grudnznick Obama didn't shove Obamacare down anybodies. Out governor refuses to help and meanwhile there are a lot of people hurting that can't afford health insurance and have to pay bigtime at hospitals.
The Presidents and us Libs realize that something has to be done with the healthcare systems because fewer and fewer peole have access to it. The conservatives want to leave things the way they are. so the rich get richer.
Mr. reitzel. Indeed Obama did shove it and then he shoved it again. In South Dakota, people like me aren't getting richer. We want Obama to stop shoving his shit down our throats. It is a simple ask. If you cannot see that then I cannot explain to you why you libbies will never have a voice in this state.
Ms. Jana, none of what you blathered explains why this Reich fellow should be listed to as some automatic expert in this area any more than what makes me an automatic expert in why math is a better thing for students to study than foreign language. At least Mr. claimed that fewer people have access to health care and then accused the conservatives of wanting that so that they get richer, but neither of you gave me any supporting points besides your french hats.
Mr. Grudznick, our governor has taken two trips to China to promote trade.
Can you point me to where he has devoted state educated resources to the study of the Chinese language?
Do you think that would be helpful in nurturing a future trade relationship?
I'm thinking that if we are going to compete, export and thrive in a global market we should at least learn to speak as many languages as our competitors...don't you? Or are you thinking that having a Jethro Bodine understanding of the guzzinta's is enough to get us by. (please excuse using a Beverly Hillbillies reference...I did love Granny though)
Michael, single-payer would solve that problem for you. We'd put you on public insurance with 3% overhead instead of that private plan you have right now that's spending 25% to 40% of your money on office supplies and executive yachts instead of health care.
grudznick the President hasn't shove any shit down anybody's throat. The healthcare system is a mess and the Repblicons want to leave it the way it is. maybe your not getting rich but there are people in the healthcare system who are.
My daughter works for an employer that doens't offer insurance and she can't afford insurance. today she went into the hospital with a bad back and she had an epadural shot done.
she had to bring a money order or cash for $550.00 or they wouldn't give her the treatment. That's crap Grudznick and you and your conservative buddies don't have a clue to what the hell is going on in the real world. And I hope you never have to. Ya I'm a caring liberal.
Grudznicker, try acidophilus for your gastric distress.
Other things shoved down our throats: the "Patriot" Act, the Iraq war, warrantless wiretapping, Chief Justice John Roberts, welfare reform in 1996, the Interstate Highway Act, the Civil Rights Act... come on! Congress passes legislation, the President signs it... what's the threshold for this fake-rape meme Republicans keep shouting about every action our duly elected government takes? Why can't I yell about John Boehner and Kristi Noem and Dennis Daugaard and Brian Gosch shoving their reckless obstructionism down my throat?
well what do you know? Governor "wags the finger in the President's face" Brewer has decided to expand Medicaid in Arizona. Paging Governor DD? Quit dragging your feet just to make a point. It's not about YOU, it's about South Dakota citizens.
http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/brewer-opts-to-expand-medicaid-to-more-arizonans/article_bd37761c-ea9a-5089-9f88-f36006b88e51.htm.
I don't know if Gov Brewer considered "able bodied" or not, in her decision.....
Good catch, Dana! Time to update the thread: https://madvilletimes.com/2013/01/brewer-accepts-medicaid-expansion-in-arizona-daugaard-next/
It would appear that the GOP is recognizing that the PPACA is no longer a winning political point for them.
You are all forgetting something...the debt ceiling. The federal government is out of money. It is now time for the coveting Marxists to start taking care of the neighbors with their own money.
Reason: why liberals will win the battle for America:
http://www.amazon.com/Reason-Liberals-Will-Battle-America/dp/1400076609