Healthcare burden growing

Published

healthcare burden growing

nearly one-quarter of americans under 65--61.6 million people--live in families that will spend more than 10 percent of their income on healthcare in 2008, according to a report from families usa.

philadelphia inquirer, nov 29, 2007

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.
I think you missed my point. My parents' small business faced competition from "Big Retail", yet thrived because my dad learned to compete on points other than price. I am vehemently opposed to price controls (as was my dad). Viking seems to support them in the name of helping Mom and Pop busineses. But that isn't what price controls do. Price controls result in unnecessarily high costs to the members of the community. That benefits no-one. Mom and Pop businesses can compete with "Big Retail" and succeed without artificial price controls. What Mom and Pop can't withstand is overly-intrusive government regulation.

Well I'll just help you out and have you reference to your post #11 in the Which Presidential Candidate is best for business written in November.

"Environmental laws" were the cause for my parents business to close, leaving many workers unemployed. "EPA involvement" proved their was nothing in the "soil" to prohibit my family from keeping the business.

Have I really misunderstood your post(s)? Or are you IMO confused as to what you are referencing too?

My apologies if your posts were written in error and therfore taken as truth.

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

HM2viking,

I agree, let's carry on with the op's thread. Sorry for the hijacking.:idea:

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.
I believe that the State of MN has dis-allowed the practice of retailers selling prescriptions below cost. I seem to remember reading an article discussing Target's practice of meeting Wal-Mart's discounted prescriptions costs in every state other than its home of Minnesota.

Also, I believe that CRNA2007's reference to income tax is to make the point that at its inception, income tax amounted to a much smaller percentage of income than is now taxed, same with Social Security and Medicare. I agree with the point that if national healthcare is initially funded by a "modest" tax of 6-8% of one's income, it will quickly balloon to a much higher percentage.

Wrong, I buy my Rx's at Walmart and do pay $4 for 2 of them. In talking about Target(s), they give a percentage of every sale to help fund MN education. The very first Target built in the Twin Cities went down and a super Target was built. The restaurant in place that needed to be torn down for the parking lot, MN Target paid for the same restaurant next to the new store. IMO Target has a conscious for other retailers and shop owners. Yes, they are competative in free enterprise, that is their decision. You can't always believe what you "might" have read. I live here. I have seen it. And I am very proud of their education initiative for this great state. Rated #2 in the country.

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
well i'll just help you out and have you reference to your post #11 in the which presidential candidate is best for business written in november.

"environmental laws" were the cause for my parents business to close, leaving many workers unemployed. "epa involvement" proved their was nothing in the "soil" to prohibit my family from keeping the business. (sharona's words, not jolie's.)

have i really misunderstood your post(s)? yes, apparently so. or are you imo confused as to what you are referencing too? no, i am not confused at all.

my apologies if your posts were written in error and therfore taken as truth.

i have cut and pasted my post from the thread you referenced. it is post #9. post # 11 is yours, not mine. i am not at all confused as to what i posted on that thread. i believe i clearly explained that my parents closed the doors of their business due to excessive government regulation that made it impossible for them to turn a profit. ironically, they ultimately received a "clean bill of health" for their site, which clearly indicated that the updates the government would have required for them to stay in business were not necessary. i raised the issue on this thread to make the point that price controls are not needed to protect mom and pop businesses as viking suggests. what mom and pop need is less government intrusion and regulation. i am sorry if you find this difficult to follow.

from post #9 https://allnurses.com/forums/f112/presidential-candidate-best-business-263384.html

i was raised working from a very young age in a family-owned business. i continued to help my parents out with the business for the first few years after college until hubby and i were transferred out of state. my parents were forced to close the doors of the business due to changes in environmental laws. (ie government regulation) they were mandated to meet building standards that went into effect years after they built their building and established their business, even though there was no evidence that their physical property or practices were in any way harmful to the environment. they paid for environmental studies that demonstrated the safety of their existing property. no exceptions allowed. they obtained estimates which indicated a cost of over $1 million in order to comply with the new standards, and decided they could not recoup that expense at their late age, and would not bankrupt the business or themselves, so they closed up, putting dozens of people out of work.

btw, the epa cleared their site as non-hazardous, indicating that no modifications were ever necessary to their property. a perfect example of over regulation that caused the closure of a business and loss of jobs.

Initially when Wal-Mart announced the plan Minnesota had a law on the books saying they couldn't sell below cost. Obviously that has since been revised but again here is a company doing more for the poor only to have the state government interfere with that process.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/02/21/lowcostdrugs/

Walmart in my hometown in MN sells RX's for $4.

I thought you're parents lost their business due to soil problems? Retail Too? As far as Target goes, they stay competitive and there is nothig wrong with that. Target is one of my husband's largest account. They build at least 100 stores a year. Walmart on the other hand has different prices on their items depending on which side of town you live in and if it's rural or urban, Or a Northern State vs a Southern state. That's a Walmart decision not a govertment one.

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Quote from Sharona in post # 46: WalMart sticks it too any employee they can get away with.

Wrong, I buy my Rx's at Walmart and do pay $4 for 2 of them.

It sounds like despite your disdain of Wal-Mart, you benefit from their business practices. Ironic.

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.
Quote from Sharona in post # 46: WalMart sticks it too any employee they can get away with.

It sounds like despite your disdain of Wal-Mart, you benefit from their business practices. Ironic.

I don't have a disdain for free enterprise nor Walmart. I have a disdain for the injustices caused when free enterprise is abused. If WM has made a corporate decision to have $4 Rx's, that is there perogative and as a consumer of goods, if I choose to purchase a lower-priced medication, so be it.

My quotes concerning your posts Jolie were only words used in quotes and I finshed the statement as how it seemd to apply to me. Hence the quote marks.

I apologized if it was misunderstood, and I will apologize again, in case you failed to recogonize the first apology.

I have to admit, it appears at times it is difficult to know where you are coming from and what your are trying to say as IMO there are contradicting expressions.

Maybe we are just not ever going to be able to respect our differences in a logical manner. And that is just the way it is.

Frankly, I have been in favor of allowing corporations to purchase their health benefits for their employees through Minnesota Care etc. Note that the word is purchase from the public not get it for free as a corporate subsidy.

I think one of my thoughts was ignored and/or lost in the noise.

Minnesota leads the nation in quality health care, in top five for education. Perhaps the state government might just be doing SOMETHING right? Corporations like Walmart wouldn't need regulating if they weren't constantly sticking it to their workers. I don't shop at Walmart, and I wouldn't no matter how low their prices are.

Don't mourn, organize. Joe Hill,1915

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

I agree WM has and it is no secret stuck it to their employees. That is what bothers me the treatment to individuals. My dh will never step a foot into a WM for that reason alone. It may appear ironic that I do go to the WM pharmacy, but I place alot of respect for the pharmacist there you was so kind and helpful during my severe illness. Customer Service counts. And in my situation this choice works well for me as a dsiabled individual and also on disability.

I would have no problem using a different pharmacy, and have used the mom and pop's one in town, it becomes a matter of circumstance in my situation.

Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

HM2viking:

Food for thought. My experience with Minnesota Care was that I was denied because my spouse has insurance that carries me. I wonder with both parents working, do they usually stay with one insurance or do they each take insurance? I don't know the answer to this. On the other hand maybe MN care wold revise their policies so that it could help even more people as your statement is a good one and makes sense.

I agree WM has and it is no secret stuck it to their employees. That is what bothers me the treatment to individuals. My dh will never step a foot into a WM for that reason alone. It may appear ironic that I do go to the WM pharmacy, but I place alot of respect for the pharmacist there you was so kind and helpful during my severe illness. Customer Service counts. And in my situation this choice works well for me as a dsiabled individual and also on disability.

I would have no problem using a different pharmacy, and have used the mom and pop's one in town, it becomes a matter of circumstance in my situation.

I too am disabled and must use Walmart Pharmacy to get my meds. I am appreciative, for the low cost, but to tell the truth I am afraid every time I put a pill in my mouth that it is tainted somehow, made in China.
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