47

Daisy4RN said:

[...]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/09/democrats-press-on-with-shutdown-threats-even-the-media-isn't-buying-their-obstruction/

Broken link.

Beerman said:

And, wasnt Obamacare supposed to bring premiums down?  So, why are subsidies needed?

A simplistic question for a complex issue, The individual mandate was removed, very expensive treatments have been developed like glp-1s and cancer drugs, some pharmaceutical companies have driven up prices, and insurance companies are jacking up profits. 
 

nursej22 said:

A simplistic question for a complex issue, The individual mandate was removed, very expensive treatments have been developed like glp-1s and cancer drugs, some pharmaceutical companies have driven up prices, and insurance companies are jacking up profits. 
 

It was a somewhat tongue in cheek answer.  But,

The mandate was illegal.  So, to make that part of the plan to pay for it all was a bad idea from the get go.

New treatments...well, I would hope we would have been planning on that.

And, yes of course they jack up prices when the government is going to pay a big chunk of it.  Did you not see we happened to college costs when loans and grants started being handed out like candy?

Beerman said:

Exactly. 

And, wasnt Obamacare supposed to bring premiums down?  So, why are subsidies needed?

So was for-profit health insurance and healthcare delivery, back in the 70's. The schtick was that the profit motive would cause companies to keep costs down and quality high. After a 50 year trial run, how do you think they did?

Beerman said:

It was a somewhat tongue in cheek answer.  But,

The mandate was illegal.  So, to make that part of the plan to pay for it all was a bad idea from the get go.

New treatments...well, I would hope we would have been planning on that.

And, yes of course they jack up prices when the government is going to pay a big chunk of it.  Did you not see we happened to college costs when loans and grants started being handed out like candy?

 

Yes, exactly! Just why does college tuition and medical costs keep going through the roof. It seems the government rarely does anything to address the root causes of issues but instead just likes to throw (working people's hard earned) money at the issue/problem. It's almost like they have something to gain personally by doing that, hmm! 
Well at least Trump is trying to fix some problems even though the Democrats keep trying to stop him at every turn. 

chare said:

Broken link.

don't know why mine don't work but it does work off the next post by Beerman.

heron said:

So was for-profit health insurance and healthcare delivery, back in the 70's. The schtick was that the profit motive would cause companies to keep costs down and quality high. After a 50 year trial run, how do you think they did?

Well, its a bit of a mess, obviously.  But imo it's not the profit motive to blame.  

The train is too far down the tracks, however, to fix it in the way it should be fixed.

Daisy4RN said:

Yes, exactly! Just why does college tuition and medical costs keep going through the roof. It seems the government rarely does anything to address the root causes of issues but instead just likes to throw (working people's hard earned) money at the issue/problem.

And what, pray tell, are the root causes? If we take away student loans will tuition go down? Trump has cancelled millions in research grants. I haven't heard that tuition is going down as a result. If  health insurance is unfordable, will that drive insurance premiums down?  

nursej22 said:

And what, pray tell, are the root causes? If we take away student loans will tuition go down? Trump has cancelled millions in research grants. I haven't heard that tuition is going down as a result. If  health insurance is unfordable, will that drive insurance premiums down?  

Did I say anything about student loans? But since you brought it up...student loans in and of themselves are not a problem. The problem is the amount of loan needed and the fact that Biden is making others (who did not sign that they agreed to pay back the loan, ie tax payers) responsible for paying the loans (that the borrowers agreed to pay, much like car loans etc). As to why the increased college costs one of the big ones is bloated admin costs, and that also goes for healthcare as well. Of course there are many more reasons. And I don't see a problem with cutting research cost either because they are bloated as well.

nursej22 said:

And what, pray tell, are the root causes? If we take away student loans will tuition go down? Trump has cancelled millions in research grants. I haven't heard that tuition is going down as a result. If  health insurance is unfordable, will that drive insurance premiums down?  

Those two things will never go down as drastically as they went up.  However, maybe we should cut down on the things that continue to drive up the prices.

Daisy4RN said:

Did I say anything about student loans?

Beerman mentioned loans and grants, and you agreed with him. My mistake. 

Daisy4RN said:

It is the Democrats who are keeping the shutdown going.

This is a news flash?  

But it's not for the reason the Trump administration and officials keep lying about.

Beerman said:

Those two things will never go down as drastically as they went up.  However, maybe we should cut down on the things that continue to drive up the prices.

I am all for reducing waste. I think the chief executive should get a set budget for personal travel and vacation, and if he or she exceeds it, then they should reimburse us. 

I don't think the Sec. of DHS needs a new private jet, let alone 2. 

And speaking of Sec. Noem, I think she is still living rent-free in the Coast Guard Commandant's house. As far as I know, I don't think she is entitled to free housing. 

If the president wants his fancy gift jet for his library, fine. Let his rich friends pay to renovate it, like they are paying for the  Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Ballroom.