Democrats' concerns over abortion may imperil health bil

[BubMunkeyBles]

Originally Posted by Jenn026 I don't really think abortions should be covered aside fromnsituations where carrying a child is dangerous. Elective abortions should be catagorized and covered in whatever way all other elective surgeries are. I believe that this bill does not cover other elective surgeries, so I don't think abortions should be covered.

"elective surgery" is such a generalized term. Technically having an ACL repair is elective surgery.

[Jennifer Lynn]

I think abortions should be covered, but my real opinion lies with Trina. Just pass the ****ing bill already.

[mormonnavygirly]

I don't want this particular bill passed in the first place, there are better ways to revamp health insurance imho

[Wicked]

Originally Posted by mormonnavygirly I don't want this particular bill passed in the first place, there are better ways to revamp health insurance imho

What are those ways, in your opinion?

[mormonnavygirly]

I like this proposal: www.smallbill.org It is a much smaller proposal with a much smaller price tag.

[Melanie.]

Originally Posted by Wicked What are those ways, in your opinion?

At this point they could pass reform on the frivulous lawsuits - the cost of OB insurance for delivering doctors is asenine (not saying don't cover when the doctors do wrong but there are circumstances that just dont' need a lawsuit, and in some situations the settlements are crazy amounts). Increase the medicare fee schedule that all insurance companies base their reimbursement rates off of so the doctors get paid reasonably for their work. Offer more tax breaks for your health insurance preimums whether it's paid by the employer or the employee, also lower the amount of out of pocket payments you have to make before you can discount it on your taxes (people that have to pay 5k in deductibles before they can use insurance and stuff, that's crazy). Mandate some of what needs to be covered - do you know many health insurance policies don't cover transplants? Crazy. There is so much that can be done, so much corruption - they passed a law requiring providers to go paperless but the effective date wasn't for like 10 years - I think now it's like 2012 or 2014 or something. If they would just look at the reform in baby steps - or giant leaps instead of hurdles across the Grand Canyon I think they'd get more done.

[Melanie.]

Originally Posted by mormonnavygirly I like this proposal: www.smallbill.org It is a much smaller proposal with a much smaller price tag.

I think that's a good place to start....I support a public option and I WORK for a health insurance company...but at the very least if they can pass that above (the small bill) at least they're getting somewhere...

[Jenn026]

Originally Posted by BubMunkeyBles "elective surgery" is such a generalized term. Technically having an ACL repair is elective surgery.

Well having an ACL repaired is a medically helpful surgery. I can't think of a better way to put that. While you can live with it, it causes pain that can be relieved. I am saying ''Elective" meaning things that are not medically necessary and do not releave the patient of unnecessary physical pain. While you could say an unwanted pregnancy causes a woman unecessary physical pain, it's not the type of situation where it would be life long physical pain if an abortion was not performed. I think if a person wants an abortion they should have to pay for it OR I would be ok with a person paying extra for health insurance to include this.

[Wicked]

Originally Posted by Jenn026 Well having an ACL repaired is a medically helpful surgery. I can't think of a better way to put that. While you can live with it, it causes pain that can be relieved. I am saying ''Elective" meaning things that are not medically necessary and do not releave the patient of unnecessary physical pain. While you could say an unwanted pregnancy causes a woman unecessary physical pain, it's not the type of situation where it would be life long physical pain if an abortion was not performed. I think if a person wants an abortion they should have to pay for it OR I would be ok with a person paying extra for health insurance to include this.

How you define elective and how insurance companies define elective are not always the same though, and THAT is the problem. While elective may be not necessary to us, the insurance companies use terms like elective to deny procedures that would greatly improve quality of life.

Which is WHY we need a health care reform bill. Not nitpicking over specific procedures. I don't even CARE of they include abortion at ALL, to be honest, and I doubt the person who is dying of cancer knowing they are going to leave their spouse with hundreds of thousand dollars of medical debt does either.