Proposition C passes by wide margin in Missouri

[Just Plain Ruff]

The voters in Missouri have spoken out against Healthcare Reform. At least the part where the federal government can force you to buy insurance.

The voters by a 71%(yes) to 29%(N0) margin voted Yes on Proposition C that would not require the citizens of the STate of Missouri to be forced to buy health insurance.

Good thing or not? Can't say as the ramifications are not all out there yet.

But I do want to say, the more people on healthcare the better. Less burden on the taxpayers to pay for uninsured citizens.

Do I agree with how the government is going to accomplish that mandate? Nope not at all but I'm not sure it's a totally bad thing.

I know that I have friends in the Health insurance industry who are struggling with the distinct possibility of being out of a job in 2014 when all the provisions go into effect. They see the writing on the wall that there will be less need of insurance agents with the new plans out there.

Health insurance for all is not a right, no matter what the people who think it is will tell you. I read the constitution and the declaration of independence and health insurance isn't listed as a right. Couldn't find it anywhere. I would suspect that it's not a state right either nor is it in any state constitution but I don't know that for sure cause I haven't read the state constitutions.

What's the answer, I don't know. Only time will tell.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Ruffems

[HERBIE1]

Well, agree with Obama care or not, it's clear a bunch of people are fed up. They even actually had to bribe people of their own party to vote for it.

[speedygodzilla]

As a Missouri voter I am very disappointed in this. I am tired of heathcare cost being so high. We are required by law to have car insurance! If we weren't many more would not have insurance and many more would have to pay. Our current system needs help and I think that it should be a requirement to have insurance if you can afford it. Stop making the rest of us pay for you!

[Just Plain Ruff]

As a Missouri voter I am very disappointed in this. I am tired of heathcare cost being so high. We are required by law to have car insurance! If we weren't many more would not have insurance and many more would have to pay. Our current system needs help and I think that it should be a requirement to have insurance if you can afford it. Stop making the rest of us pay for you!

First off did you vote yesterday? If so KUDOS To you, if not why didn't you?

I voted absentee since I was in Florida and I voted yes.

I certainly hope you weren't referring to me in making the rest of us pay? But if you were, why am I making the rest of us pay?

[Colton R.]

-With fewer people insured, I wonder when the reimbursement rate on ambulance transfers will be?

[speedygodzilla]

First off did you vote yesterday? If so KUDOS To you, if not why didn't you?

I voted absentee since I was in Florida and I voted yes.

I certainly hope you weren't referring to me in making the rest of us pay? But if you were, why am I making the rest of us pay?

Yes I did vote. And no I am not personally referring to you. I am just tired of the current system. It is not working. While I am not sure this is the best solution I am more annoyed by the continued blocking of one party to another. Nothing seems to get done with our goverment!

[Just Plain Ruff]

Yes I did vote. And no I am not personally referring to you. I am just tired of the current system. It is not working. While I am not sure this is the best solution I am more annoyed by the continued blocking of one party to another. Nothing seems to get done with our goverment!

I agree with you Speedy

What is the answer to this pressing question? I don't know. There are better minds than mine who are involved.

Is universal healthcare the best option, I think not, just ask Massachussetts and see what their budget shortfall is and how much it costs the average taxpayer in taxes each year.

Just ask the universal healthcare country's. The best way I think to gauge if universal healthcare is working is taking a look at how many people go out of country to obtain medical care.

I know that to pay for universal health care in the us is going to be so freaking expensive that we don't even have a true idea or freaking clue how much it will cost in the end, the initial estimates of the cost will no where be close to the overall cost.

The only way to pay for it is to raise taxes and fees for everything.

Similar to the taxes and duties that the British leveled on the american colonies. Very unpopular taxes on everything from paper to rum to molasses. That happened a long time ago but if it can be taxed, it will be.

As a small business owner (since been made a dorman company) my health insurance quotes to cover myself, my wife and two children was 1250.00 per month. That was 30% of what I was bringing in after taxes. due to the high cost of insurance I was forced to cease operations of my company and place it in a dormant state and take a job that had insurance. It is my understanding that if my companies plan changes in any way before 2014, if the co-pays go up or other items change then my companies health insurance plan is not grandfathered in anymore and my company loses the privelidge of offering me insurance and I get to either pay more for insurance to keep this plan or I go on the government plan. (info gathered from a health insurance salesman I'm friends with)

I also read somewhere that several government agencies did a review of current healthcare plans and fully 57% of americans will not be eligible for insurance coverage by their employer based on those employers losing their grandfathered status thus forcing those 57% of americans to go on the government plan.

Truth or not? I don't have time to vet the info because both sides are probably lying about the above.

Buyt that is the type of information Joe the Plumber and everyone else out there are getting.

I just wish there was some way of getting to the truth.

[Lone Star]

The insurance industry is a multibillion dollar industry. This is the profit margin after what little the insurance companies actually cover.

This tells me that the insurance premiums are overinflated, and unfortunately because of this, there are far too many people that can't afford the premiums. It's not because they dont WANT the insurance, it's because theres no money left after paying all the bills that seem to keep going up to increase that company's profit margins.

I once worked in a 'warehouse job', and when I finally qualified for the company offered insurance plan, it worked out that the weekly premium (for one person) was my weekly pay PLUS an additional $25.00 per week.

THIS is where the 'reform' needs to start! I was working 40+ hours a week, and still couldn't afford the weekly premium.

[Just Plain Ruff]

The insurance industry as well as the oil industry are easy industries to attack in regards to their profit margins but as you see in the following as well as the figure there are other industries that are reaping double the profit margin as the oil companies. At the top of the list if the pharmaceutical industry. There is no attempt or no outcry over their 20+% profit margin.

Why are we not chomping at the bit and trying to go after the pharmaceutical companies? It's easier to demonize the health insurance industry than it is to demonize the others.

http://everydayecon.wordpress.com/2006/04/26/oil-profit-margins-vs-other-industries/

I remember reading an article with comparisons of the profit margins of several industries.

Oil industry - profit margin approx 8%

Insurance industry - profit margin approx 10%

Pharmaceuticals - 20%

Makeup/cosmetics - 23%

Telecommunications(cell phones etc) - 11%

Banks - 18%

Software and computers - 11-12%

Food service - 9%

All industry - 7%

Hmmm, this makes me think that their profit margins aren't so bad.

This is taking profit margins in to account ONLY.

So before we demonize a company on profit margin alone, let's compare it to other industries. Remember there is no constitutional right to health care coverage and industry is free to charge what they will.

Let's not forget, most if not all insurance plans are based on covering many many illnesses, pre-existing conditions, new problems and the like. Even though I as a subscriber does not have a cardiac condition or a lung condition, the insurance plan covers cardiac conditions and lung conditions because they have to. If it's covered for one person on the plan it's covered for another. That is expensive to cover all those problems.

What I don't understand is this, everyone bitches and moans about how much their insurance coverage costs and how much they would like the price to drop. But when that CVA or that heart attack comes they aren't bitching about the cost of their insurance then.

How do we expect these insurance companies to continue to provide services if we continue to demonize their profit margin and demand that it be lower and that they charge less to the consumer. When they are mandated to decrease the cost of providing insurance but keep the same level of benefits then do we honestly expect the insurer to keep covering people?

If we run insurance companies out of town or out of business then that puts the government run insurance plan one step closer to being the only plan available.

I for one do not want to be pidgeonholed into being forced to be under one plan only. That's like saying I only get one car to choose from because that's the only car available to anyone and that car is a YUGO!!!!!.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Ruffems

[speedygodzilla]

I for one do not want to be pidgeonholed into being forced to be under one plan only. That's like saying I only get one car to choose from because that's the only car available to anyone and that car is a YUGO!!!!!.

I could be confused as I honestly have not kept up with all the healthcare debate. The federal government is just thinking about making insurance mandatory not telling you who you must have it with. Right?

I have never had that experience with my healthcare premium being higher than my 40hours a week check it is more like another tax, maybe a little higher. That is where you the consumer look for better options. I can't talk to much because my healthcare isn't really costly for me or the insurance company. No pre-existing conditions, nonsmoker, etc.