The only question is to exactly what order of magnitude.

and then the Republicans start in with "Why are we spending money 'we don't have' on vouchers???" CUT ...

The ironic thing is, I have three "RW" 'bagger acquaintances ... and with my new job, I'll probably be funding their health care (I'm probably making more than all three of them combined ... I pass by two of them every day ... outside the gas station, smoking their money away ...)

So he claims it's not technically "on the open market". What want to know is - who the fuck is going to participate in the exchange?

The fact is that it's simply not possible to make a profit selling insurance to even otherwise perfectly healthy people over the age of 65, because the risk is just too high. Elderly people tend to have costly medical problems, that's just a statistical reality. For a bunch of people who talk so much about how they understand business, they sure as hell don't seem to grasp that simple business reality.

That's the entire reason we established Medicare in the first place. The free market can't provide a national defense, it can't provide roads and bridges, and it can't provide medical care for millions of geriatric patients. So like any civilized society should, we have the government step in and do it.

--namely, that it will work only for relatively healthy populations. Even there, the "free market" does a shitty job--it just isn't as obvious because of the lower absolute numbers of really sick people.

But remember, even though seniors cost a lot more in terms of total spending, the same percentages hold as in younger populations. 5% of the population of each demographic accounts for 50% of all costs, and 15% for 85% of all costs. That is why if Medicare is good enough for grandma, it's good enough for everybody.

Romney even said it himself when he went over to Israel and noted how great it was that they only spend 8% of their GDP on health care whereas we spend almost 20%. The way we deliver health care in this country is unsustainable, in no small part thanks to our ridiculous private insurance system.

The ACA is a bandage and as I've stated before I think it's a much needed bandage, but it's not a permanent solution. Sooner or later, the only viable options will be a single payer system (or something similar) or the Republican get sick and die option.

It happened that way in Canada, and I think it can happen here. Particularly given the fact that ACA allows for state experimentation.

"Repeal Obamacare" has morphed into "Repeal and Replace Obamacare."

Me thinks the internal polling is showing something.

That's the $10K question. Wonder if they ever filled up that blank piece of paper they wanted to start over on over 2 years ago?

She is 68, and spend a good part of career as an insurance specialist; she knows the details like crazy. Her friends, many of who retired from the state, get Medicare (80%) and then their state insurance (20%). They pay nothing.

My mom has explained to them that if Romney is elected and guts Medicare; seniors will be given vouchers to buy private insurance. So, these women will have to find something to replace the 80% from Medicare. They all have pre-existing conditions; so chances are they wouldn't be insurable, or, would end up paying a crapload for ins.

Without my mom telling them this, they didn't have a clue, and may have voted for Romney.

Betty Crocker, Republican Queen.

Watch the "cost" for health care to start to come down significantly. I remember the shock over $50 bandaids in hospitals...many years ago and it's worn off. It's a market. The costs soared significantly higher and faster than any inflationary influence and it will come down because Obama ended the automatic Gravy Train. Call it the Rick Scott (R-FLA) Medicare Fraud Case Effect. They fined his hospital company (HCA) and put him out of a job, then elected him Governor. There's just no getting past those crafty Republicans.

determine whether you are covered or not. He would then go on to state: "There is always the emergency room. And if you have a catastrophic illness you will probably die in 6 months anyway." He followed it up by saying: "It is better than mooching off of the government". I asked him: "What if you got sick?" He said: "I would die, therefore I would not have to pay, and then he left." The right wing mind is sick. He believes he is a moderate republican.

ACA only helps the symptoms for a little while, but it does not cure the problem. That problem is the cost of healthcare in this country is astronomical and its going to get worse.

Did you read the story of the woman in Arizona that got charged $80,000 to get anti-venom for a scorpion bite? The pharmaceuticals are out of control.

Both parties are clueless on how to solve this...

the affordable care act's minor symptom treatment is a stark contrast to GOP proposals which all make the problem significantly worse.

How can they propose something like this in an election year, and expect to win?

Apparently Romney misspoke at his pre taped, planned, interview today. Romney is apparently back in the "free market" camp regarding health insurance. So no... no pre existing conditions anymore.

Seniors and disabled individuals will be forced to clip coupons to buy insurance the insurance companies refuse to offer because of pre-existing conditions.