At the very least we need a strong public option. Single payer health care for the entire nation would be the best. Please don’t go back on your promise. If you submit some weak plan, then you are just another politician ruled by the special interest groups, saying anything to get elected. We were all hoping you would be different. Please don’t let us down. We need a real leader.

Location: sebastopol CA

Everyone including Congress must pay their fare share of the Healthcare costs…no more free rides for anyone. Create a health care Lottery, it worked for supporting inner city public schools. Assess a snack tax on all foods and beverages that aid in obesity. If people continue to make poor nutrition choices they should pay extra towards Health care Insurance costs. In addition, a health care tax should be assessed on all tobacco&alcohol products. And lastly, their should be an option to donate your tax refund or part of it towards public health care. If you can donate to campaign funds, wildlife, forests, and highways, etc. you should be able to donate towards general health care as well!

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Subject: a better idea for health insurance

a friend pointed out to me today, if they advertised the whole national health thing from a different angle , like global warming to climate change, it would be far less threatning. we came up with federal catastrophic insurance. catastrophic insurance already exists today. eveyone would have a high deductable plan that is differentialy subsidized by the gov. it kicks in when our other plans exaust. and in cases where there is no other plan might have a wrap around option that covers them more. these are cheap plans due to the high deductable. most people this would surfice with a pretax health savings account. this pays all expences up to the deductable and is payed for by us by the savings from the catastrophic plan. poor people would get a subsity to pay , no cash.

over time it can be expanded but i think this would be an easier sell to accomplish the same over all end.

-gene

Location: 02356

Many people use ‘Urgent Care’ centers (e.g., ‘Doc in a Boxes’) for minor ailments, such as sprains, styes, burns, bad cuts, or as I just did, because I have a tendency to get impacted wax in my ear (okay, that’s yucky, but it happens). People also use these places for flu shots, vaccines, exams required for work, etc., as well as various minor illnesses (the flu, bronchitis, etc.)

I would suggest that we allow these places to charge OUTSIDE the insurance system. I had to pay a $75 co-pay for an extremely minor procedure performed largely by a nurse. Who knows what my insurance company is going to charge??

How can $75 be a co-pay to have my ears flushed out?????

I would have rather have paid an out of pocket, “this is it,” fee of say $50, which seems reasonable for the procedure. Yes, it would not apply to my deductible, but let’s face it, one’s deductible is about 20 minutes of hospital time if one really gets sick, while my paying $50 here and there for the fact that life happens, might well cut high deductibles. It might allow us to provide major medical for those between 18 and 30 who generally don’t get breast cancer or colon cancer, but do have normal problems.

“Doc in the Box” has replaced the family practitioner; the pediatrician, in the case of my family in the 50s and 60s who was happy to provide to flu shots for everyone, all the shots we needed for a trip to Europe, sew up mom’s finger when she got a bad cut, etc., and any other general practioner needs for the family. And it was generally $25 to $40 a visit, without all the insurance nonsense.

Will up date you when I discover in a couple of weeks on what Blue Cross thinks this was procedure was “worth.” Can’t wait to see the $250 bill for a big syringe of water, two reusable cups into which the water drained, 1/8 oz. of what I found out was an over the counter medicine used normally to resolve constipation, and a couple of diaper like pads to protect my clothing.

Everyone was very nice, but I can’t wait to see the final bill.

Location: Raleigh, NC

I suggest that insurance companies be required to forward to the individual receiving medical treatment the provider’s statement of services rendered for review prior to paying the bill. Yes, it will slow down the payment to the health care provider but it will save millions by weeding out mistakes and over billing. Controls can be put in place to ensure a speedy process. I have caught several errors in my recent hernia operation and had to fight with Aetna to get them corrected.

Location: Orlando, FL

Taxes should be applied:

$5 per pack (not box) on cigarettes (Disgusting habit)

Sodas

Sugared Drinks

Alcohol

Fast Food

Sweets (Candies)

Ice-cream

Deserts served in restaurants

All Fried Foods served in regular restaurants

Pork served in restaurants

TAX CREDITS FOR THOSE WALKING 10 -15 MILES PER WEEK

Location: Los Angeles, Ca

The UPS has seen a decline of it services over years not the least of which comes from the internet and the fact that I would have sent a letter decades ago but now am typing this to you direct. Basic mail service seems to be necessary but is straining to be affordable.

What if letter carriers were trained in supportive health services? Blood pressure monitoring, blood drawing for cholesterol, or even mental health services at the person’s home as part of their daily route? It would allow for the mail component to continue but reach a larger group of people with basic services that now require a trip to a doctor’s office so don’t occur due to the inconvenience. Kind of a bare foot doctor approach if you are familiar with China’s use of door to door monitoring.

Location: Milwaukee WI

REQIURE AT LEAST 3 MEDCAL OPINIONS BEFORE PERMFORMING MAJOR SURGERY. I ESCAPED BY-PASS SURGERY 12 YEARS AGO AND THYROID SURGERY 4 YEARS AGO BY GETTING OTHER OPINIONS. I SAVED MEDICARE AT LEAST 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS. REDDING CA.HAD HUNDREDS UNNECESSARY BY-PASS SURGERIES.HOSPITAL WAS CLOSED AND DOCTORS PUNISHED.

Location: REDDING CA.

What if we scrap the Public Option and instead push for an option for anyone under 65 to join Medicare at a premium

Location: Columbia, MD

1) Heavily Tax ALL fast food. Provide tax cuts to fast food companies that research & provide healthier alternatives. This forces the people that patronize fast food companies to pay for their inevitable future healthcare needs while giving companies incentive to provide healthier alternatives.

2) Legalize marijuana in liberal states and heavily tax it.

3) Consider heavily taxing america’s vices. The adult industry should be a treasure trove of revenue.

Location: Nyack, New York