Trump's DERP State

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 14

Crusades said:

These are the last 2 paragraphs. What do you think was meant by this?

I'll let the poster speak for themselves whether it's suffering or a realization they are hoping for.

I'm not taking it that the person wants Trump voters to suffer. But if they do, it hits them in a way that wakes the up to Trump is about.

I was just reading about a US Citazen that voted for Trump that was arrested by ICE. I'm sorry about his suffering but glad it was enough to make him speak up. I'd rather he didn't go through that.

toomuchbaloney · Mar 14

I think it means that too many Trump voters will never admit to the harm of Trump's incompetent, corrupt, and vindictive policy unless and until they experience that harm themselves. Some will need a really memorable experience to comprehend the point and not just blame someone else for Trump's actions. I think that's what it means.

It was Musk and Trump that insisted that some people were going to have to suffer. Trump said just the other day that "it has to be done" and that his tariffs will bring back "stolen wealth". Some of us know that We the People pay the tariffs. Apparently the billionaires running our country think that we've stolen their wealth so they're going to take it back using tariffs. They are hoping that their supporters don't wake up.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 14

toomuchbaloney said:

I think it means that too many Trump voters will never admit to the harm of Trump's incompetent, corrupt, and vindictive policy unless and until they experience that harm themselves. Some will need a really memorable experience to comprehend the point and not just blame someone else for Trump's actions. I think that's what it means.

It was Musk and Trump that insisted that some people were going to have to suffer. Trump said just the other day that "it has to be done" and that his tariffs will bring back "stolen wealth". Some of us know that We the People pay the tariffs. Apparently the billionaires running our country think that we've stolen their wealth so they're going to take it back using tariffs. They are hoping that their supporters don't wake up.

Musk said "temporary hardship" and "temporary pain" instead of suffering telling us to brace for what was to come. He said this before the election so people understood what they were getting. But after it hits them personally obviously there doesn't seem to be much sympathy for them now.

Trump is saying that pain is necessary to rebuild our economy.

I guess what remains to be seen is it temporary and how long are Americans and lawmakers are willing to tolerate their plan. So far the lawmakers on the Republican side are lining up to support the economic pain.

The Dow is bouncing back somewhat as of this writing today.

Quote

Executives from across the retail and travel industries are bracing for a slowdown in demand amid President Donald Trump's trade war.

CEOs of strong companies like Delta, Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods have struck cautious tones in recent weeks, leading them to cut their guidance or give weaker-than-expected outlooks.

Compounding the issue is a slowing job market, persistent inflation and sliding consumer confidence.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/14/delta-walmart-warn-about-consumer-spending-amid-tariffs-inflation.html

Crusades · Mar 14

heron said:

Oh boo hoo! Suffering for the people you personally dislike/disapprove of is exactly what you voted for.

Many people in my religion believe that the energy you put out comes back to you three times over. I don't need to wish suffering on you, you did it to yourself.

What a fantastic example of the "tolerant compassionate left". LOL

Boohoo? This entire thread is Booho Trump won. Trump is mean and want us to be accountable for government spending so we can continue to fire money at minorities and tell them they are victims.

Trump is doing what I voted him to do(maybe not the way I like) but nonetheless. I have no tears to give.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 14

I was watching some of the Dr. Oz confirmation hearing today. My take away is that Republicans and red states seem convinced that Medicaid recipients are the main source of waste and fraud in CMS. Somehow children and grannies are gaming the system? Sen. Blackburn seems to think foreign nationals are getting rich off of Medicaid. In my state, at least, most immigrants are not eligible, except for pregnant people and newborns.

The Democrats seem to think insurance and large healthcare companies are the source of waste and fraud. I wish just one of them would bring up Rick Scott's former career as HCA's CEO, and the fraud that occurred there. According to Politifact, HCA was fined $17 billion.

I do wish they would do away with Medicare Advantage, which seems like a boondoggle to me.

Beerman, BSN · Mar 14

nursej22 said:

I was watching some of the Dr. Oz confirmation hearing today. My take away is that Republicans and red states seem convinced that Medicaid recipients are the main source of waste and fraud in CMS. Somehow children and grannies are gaming the system? Sen. Blackburn seems to think foreign nationals are getting rich off of Medicaid. In my state, at least, most immigrants are not eligible, except for pregnant people and newborns.

The Democrats seem to think insurance and large healthcare companies are the source of waste and fraud. I wish just one of them would bring up Rick Scott's former career as HCA's CEO, and the fraud that occurred there. According to Politifact, HCA was fined $17 billion.

I do wish they would do away with Medicare Advantage, which seems like a boondoggle to me.

I don't think seniors and children are necessarily gaming the system, but anecdotally I've seen the system overused by Medicaid and Medicare patients. I'm not sure how cutting Medicaid and Medicare budgets would do much to fix that problem.

How would be insurance and healthcare companies be w source of waste and fraud? Unlike Medicare/Medicaid, they actually have incentive to prevent that.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 14

Beerman said:

How would be insurance and healthcare companies be w source of waste and fraud? Unlike Medicare/Medicaid, they actually have incentive to prevent that.

During the hearing, one senator brought up up-coding by Medicare Advantage (Med C) programs, and Dr. Oz agreed. Such programs add diagnoses that the patient may not have, so boost reimbursement. One specific condition was diabetic cataracts, even after the patient has had cataract surgery, but remains on the problem list.

Another fraud that I recently read about was limb revascularization, that was unnecessary and at times, harmful. https://www.propublica.org/article/thousands-of-patients-may-be-undergoing-vascular-procedure-unnecessarily

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 14

nursej22 said:

During the hearing, one senator brought up up-coding by Medicare Advantage (Med C) programs, and Dr. Oz agreed. Such programs add diagnoses that the patient may not have, so boost reimbursement. One specific condition was diabetic cataracts, even after the patient has had cataract surgery, but remains on the problem list.

Another fraud that I recently read about was limb revascularization, that was unnecessary and at times, harmful. https://www.propublica.org/article/thousands-of-patients-may-be-undergoing-vascular-procedure-unnecessarily

This is confusing to me because Advantage programs are really strict about what they will and will not cover and get more profits by putting limits on drugs and procedures they cover.

I think it's more of a provider issue trying to make profits by coding things incorrectly and over charging medicare and medicare advantage. This is what Scott was guilty of.

Best friend is retired from the state university system in Texas and his supplement is paid for by the university retirement system. He was switched to a Medicare Advantage system without a choice, but it's paid for so he doesn't mind. A drug that he was getting in his bad knee that straight up Medicare paid at first was denied by the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Medicare Advantage until he appealed.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 14

Beerman said:

IHow would be insurance and healthcare companies be w source of waste and fraud? Unlike Medicare/Medicaid, they actually have incentive to prevent that.

I didn't see the hearing however, I think that Democrats (and republicans too I'm sure) are more upset with private insurers denying claims than they are them committing fraud and waste. They are extremely frugal with what they cover and what they don't.

Since the murder of the United CEO it's been an issue that's gone front and center. The local news here has a series on the daily about people having their claims denied that's been going on a couple of weeks now. They have three stories about it on their homepage, including a story of someone on medicaid being denied DME. It's a hot button issue.

toomuchbaloney · Mar 15

Beerman said:

How would be insurance and healthcare companies be w source of waste and fraud? Unlike Medicare/Medicaid, they actually have incentive to prevent that.

This case is a good example of how insurance and healthcare companies can be a source of fraud.

https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2003/June/03_civ_386.htm

The chief executive who oversaw that specific fraud has since made a good career for himself in republican politics.

I think you have it backwards. CMS has an office of Inspector General. They have been successful in routing out some very bad actors in the public sector when it comes to waste and fraud and tax payer money. Is that one of the people that Trump fired?

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/01/27/watchdogs-pentagon-VA-fired-purge-of-inspectors-general-across-federal-government.html

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 15

I believe that Medicare Advantage uses capitation--providers are paid more if their patients are sicker. But some plans may be adding diagnoses, also called upcoding, that a patient doesn't have or may no longer have. Such as billing for cataracts after lens replacement surgery.

Perhaps this article explains it better.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/cms-pick-oz-vows-to-go-after-medicare-advantage/ar-AA1AWFYO?ocid=BingNewsSerp

When I see so many ads for Medicare Advantage, it makes me suspicious that someone somewhere is making big bucks. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 15

nursej22 said:

I believe that Medicare Advantage uses capitation--providers are paid more if their patients are sicker. But some plans may be adding diagnoses, also called upcoding, that a patient doesn't have or may no longer have. Such as billing for cataracts after lens replacement surgery.

Perhaps this article explains it better.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/cms-pick-oz-vows-to-go-after-medicare-advantage/ar-AA1AWFYO?ocid=BingNewsSerp

When I see so many ads for Medicare Advantage, it makes me suspicious that someone somewhere is making big bucks. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Makes sense, especially if it's true that they cost the government more than regular medicare.

Oz made big bucks promoting quackery, not impressed.