It is never clear what Ben Carson is saying. Except when it is (his remarks on not letting a muslim become president, original remarks on getting rid of Medicare)---but just when it is clear, he takes it all back and changes it.... replacing it with something that is, again, unclear. Which is why I'm not sure what is worse: what he says or what others say he says.... https://youtu.be/M_avnghVnoM
38
Dr. Carson does not understand mathematics and financial intermediation (e.g., insurance) nor market economics.
The big problem in America is we pay the highest rates for pharma, hospital (facility care), specialist care (like Dr. Carson) and administrative costs - up to 2x and more than any other first-world health care system. Your primary care doctor generally earns far less than specialists.
Dr. Carson is either an idiot or a liar to profess "market competition" solutions in healthcare. The supply of physicians is limited in the U.S., so where's the competition? What idiot physician would compete on price when the supply is relatively fixed? I know my doctor isn't that dumb. How about yours?
Competition in health care is like competition in electricity. You can have it, but the cost of all that duplicate and triplicate infrastructure/overhead is damm expensive.
If a politician offers you a voucher or cash for your health care, ask them if you can take that money offshore to pay a provider (pharma, hospital or health care system) outside the U.S. They don't today and they will not tomorrow because that would introduce modest REAL COMPETITION.
Hello retirement in .... (pick your place other than some southern US state).
The big problem in America is we pay the highest rates for pharma, hospital (facility care), specialist care (like Dr. Carson) and administrative costs - up to 2x and more than any other first-world health care system. Your primary care doctor generally earns far less than specialists.
Dr. Carson is either an idiot or a liar to profess "market competition" solutions in healthcare. The supply of physicians is limited in the U.S., so where's the competition? What idiot physician would compete on price when the supply is relatively fixed? I know my doctor isn't that dumb. How about yours?
Competition in health care is like competition in electricity. You can have it, but the cost of all that duplicate and triplicate infrastructure/overhead is damm expensive.
If a politician offers you a voucher or cash for your health care, ask them if you can take that money offshore to pay a provider (pharma, hospital or health care system) outside the U.S. They don't today and they will not tomorrow because that would introduce modest REAL COMPETITION.
Hello retirement in .... (pick your place other than some southern US state).
34
So the plan is employers ditch their health care plans in favor of the common folk applying their money to health savings accounts to pay medical bills directly or pay insurance premiums on their own. And we're going to happily give up our Medicare and Medicaid because, Hey! We're rich now with all that health care savings and what not. I mean how hard can it be to save up $100K for a serious illness that puts you in the hospital or a million bucks if a premie is born into the family. Minimum wages shouldn't hold back a responsible person from doing what's right.
Why stop at health? Eliminate the middleman in all strata by outlawing insurance and while you're at it make lawsuits illegal. Disagreements can be settled at the barrel of a gun. I know Dr. Carson won't have a problem with that because he wouldn't just stand there and get shot. He'd jump all over that gunman. Strange, strange man with a very strange view of life.
Why stop at health? Eliminate the middleman in all strata by outlawing insurance and while you're at it make lawsuits illegal. Disagreements can be settled at the barrel of a gun. I know Dr. Carson won't have a problem with that because he wouldn't just stand there and get shot. He'd jump all over that gunman. Strange, strange man with a very strange view of life.
71
"The plan will still include some sort of health savings accounts. Mr. Carson has been consistent about seeking to eliminate the middleman between patients and doctors, and he says that asking people to finance more of their health care using cash will encourage them to seek bargains and use the health care system more wisely."
But if you take your health savings account cash, unconnected to any insurance plan, to most doctors or hospitals they will still want to know what your insurance plan is. (And you can't use catastrophic insurance just for a regular doctor visit.) If you don't have any insurance, you won't get the discounted rates that insurers negotiate with hospitals and doctor groups. There will be no "bargains" for you to seek. This is why people with no insurance are billed ginormous amounts for the same procedures that people with insurance are billed not as much. So Carson is not making any sense here.
Either you have insurance throughout the system, or you have a single-payer system in which insurance companies have been removed, thus lowering costs. You can't have a hybrid system where people bring in cash and expec the same reduced rates as people using insurance.
But if you take your health savings account cash, unconnected to any insurance plan, to most doctors or hospitals they will still want to know what your insurance plan is. (And you can't use catastrophic insurance just for a regular doctor visit.) If you don't have any insurance, you won't get the discounted rates that insurers negotiate with hospitals and doctor groups. There will be no "bargains" for you to seek. This is why people with no insurance are billed ginormous amounts for the same procedures that people with insurance are billed not as much. So Carson is not making any sense here.
Either you have insurance throughout the system, or you have a single-payer system in which insurance companies have been removed, thus lowering costs. You can't have a hybrid system where people bring in cash and expec the same reduced rates as people using insurance.
29
Being a doctor, you would think Carson would have more
insight into the problems of the US healthcare system than
other GOP candidates and what should be done to correct
them. This should be his greatest strength.
Yet, when I heard him trying to unsuccessfully explain his
plan to Chris Wallace, it became apparent that he really
didn't understand it himself or how it would be an improvement
over the current system.
Once people press Carson to go beyond the platitudes he's been
spouting and be more specific about his various proposals, it will
become apparent he's just an empty suit.
insight into the problems of the US healthcare system than
other GOP candidates and what should be done to correct
them. This should be his greatest strength.
Yet, when I heard him trying to unsuccessfully explain his
plan to Chris Wallace, it became apparent that he really
didn't understand it himself or how it would be an improvement
over the current system.
Once people press Carson to go beyond the platitudes he's been
spouting and be more specific about his various proposals, it will
become apparent he's just an empty suit.
49
I think that Carson thinks that if he speaks softly enough and slowly enough and politely enough, that his outrageous and preposterous utterances and proposals will actually pass for rational thought or that people will not notice how radical and extreme his beliefs really are. Time for journalists to point out how extreme and ill-conceived his thinking and proposals are.
57
If your a retired senior, and qualify for Medicare including part B, it works well. Yes you have to buy medigap or part D, so get over it. Medicaid is supposed to take care of the poor. Nobody including Obama has a viable replacement. The US simply cannot embrace Universal healthcare where everyone is cared for. Too too many interest groups. AMA wants to keep their income levels, INsurance companies thrive on not approving claims , hospitols group together to improve earnings. Am sure there are more as possibly independent test labs. Very very big business. With all the boomers heading into the social security bracket the medical complex will only expand. IT is no saviour for cost either.
7
I have an idea, let's go back to the original healthcare of America.
We paid for doctor visits, prescriptions, etc. and we had a major med policy that paid for emergency room and catastrophic illnesses.
People must accept responsibility for their healthcare, not depend on others to care for them when they are capable. We never had problems until our government (mostly democrats) decided they had better ideas and proceeded to buy votes with the notion that we DESERVE HEALTHCARE. No incentive to work, just give them a green card and welfare. I know first hand, my brother-in-law went on welfare because it was easier and he felt he DESERVED it and now his children are on welfare. WELFARE BEGETS WELFARE!
Wake up America, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
We paid for doctor visits, prescriptions, etc. and we had a major med policy that paid for emergency room and catastrophic illnesses.
People must accept responsibility for their healthcare, not depend on others to care for them when they are capable. We never had problems until our government (mostly democrats) decided they had better ideas and proceeded to buy votes with the notion that we DESERVE HEALTHCARE. No incentive to work, just give them a green card and welfare. I know first hand, my brother-in-law went on welfare because it was easier and he felt he DESERVED it and now his children are on welfare. WELFARE BEGETS WELFARE!
Wake up America, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
3
This guy's policy positions are -- it seems impossible but it's true -- even thinner and more incoherent than Donald Trump's! Carson could be the least qualified Presidential candidate since...um...Michele Bachmann. He doesn't understand the first thing about health policy or any other public policy. He sounds low key and humble but his hubris in thinking he has any qualifications or leadership qualities whatsoever matches Trump's.
40
Mr. Carson hasn't put forth a serious healthcare plan because he's not a serious candidate. He's trying to sell books. Same with Trump, who is trying to build his "brand" and his exposure.
25
Well we need something to replace Obamacare because it has peaked and is failing now. I like that Carson has new fresh ideas that will result in some creative solutions. Bottom line is people will need to pay their own way now in many ways as the government spending shrinks
3
The average brain surgery costs about as much as most people will ever receive in a lifetime under Carson's plan. Go figure.
33
Carson is probably as surprised as anyone to be leading in the Republican primary polls- he's making this stuff up as he goes. He's this cycle's Herman Cain.
26
Ben Carson is leading in the polls in Iowa. What does that say about Iowa? Yikes!
27
$2000 per year?? Is he serious?? I do hope the media start asking him serious questions soon!
50
An "allowance" for each taxpayer sure sounds like the "free stuff" Republicans always accuse the welfare state of handing out, and will look very much like "free stuff" when people simply elect to spend it on flat screen TVs instead of health care.
11
The reason Trump is no longer leading the Repuclian polls is that Republians decide someone else should win the dope of the month award. We just need to give Carson some time before another dope gets it.
25
Same old conservative healthcare plan: Don't get sick, but if you do, die fast.
50
What is not confusing is that the plan is simply inadequate.
Mr. Carson, please look at how well people have done saving for retirement, given ups and downs of work life. We need Medicare- in fact, Medicare for all!
Mr. Carson, please look at how well people have done saving for retirement, given ups and downs of work life. We need Medicare- in fact, Medicare for all!
32
For a Neurosurgeon, Ben Carson says the darndest things!
16
Wow! I thought Trump was crazy but Carson's latest health plan puts Mr Trump to shame!
17
The American people are tired of listening to lunatics who know nothing and explain less.
23
This explains why Carson became a brain surgeon. Not having one, he was curious to see what he was missing.
30
The doctor clearly does not understand the meaning of insurance. It's not "everyone for himself." This man should stick to discussing only what he understands. No need to broadcast ones ignorance and deceive the foolish masses, deliberately or otherwise.
18
I'm not convinced this will ever happen, but can you imagine this guy debating health care with Hillary Clinton???
20
I suspect Dr. Carson's plan is about as coherent as his statement that Jews could have fended off the Nazis had they been better armed (but somehow the armed French military was not.)
15
Even MORE incoherent ramblings from someone who seems to have no grasp of any single issue and has tons of wacko far right ideas on top of it. No wonder he's the new GOP front runner! Biggest nutter wack job to the top of the list as usual.
14
That sounds to me very likely to cause a lot more personal bankruptcies due to medical expenses that exceed the small amount contributed by the government plus personal MSA money accumulated. Also, it still allows adverse selection. Only the people who are sick, not the healthy young, will save for medical expenses. But even they may have accidental injuries and then who pays? The taxpayers pick up the emergency treatment of course. This is a sham plan.
10
All I can say is, if that plan goes into effect, I am converting to Christian Science.
10
Mr. Carson who is very critical of the Affordable Care Act, said it is the worse thing since slavery. I wonder what can Mr. Carson's health care plan can be compared to? Let's just call it a Health care disaster. His plan is considered less politically toxic. Is it because employers will not be subsidizing it and no one knows how much it will cost the government ? A perfect plan for wealthy tax dodgers. Mr Carson is surging ahead in the polls. He may not be a Washington insider but he is a well schooled politician who panders his way to the top.
8
How about making it really simple. Everybody gets Medicare with a progressive deductible based on their family income. Certain things such as vaccines and other designated preventative healthcare expenditures would be exempt from the deductible. The end.
60
Pretty sure that's essentially what Mr Sanders is proposing... You'll never see that type of reform from republicans!
You're much more likely to see them completely defund Medicare as a whole. "Survival of the fittest"
You're much more likely to see them completely defund Medicare as a whole. "Survival of the fittest"
4
So, if you live 100 years you get a total of $200,000. You can blow that on one major operation. What do you do after that? And what do you do when Big Pharma wants to charge you $100,000 a year for specialized medication?
If you are lucky enough not to get sick during the first 40 years of your life, that amount, if invested properly, could give you a reasonable reserve, but if you are unlucky and get sick early in life that advantage is lost. Am I right in thinking that you are gambling with your health? Carson better go back to his profitable profession instead of playing with the health of the country.
If you are lucky enough not to get sick during the first 40 years of your life, that amount, if invested properly, could give you a reasonable reserve, but if you are unlucky and get sick early in life that advantage is lost. Am I right in thinking that you are gambling with your health? Carson better go back to his profitable profession instead of playing with the health of the country.
78
I am a single woman. How will $2,000 a year fund my health needs? I don't have a spouse and a "Duggar-load" of kids to share my annual $2,000/head allotment with. $2,000 wouldn't even cover the cost of the ambulance in case of a dire medical emergency.
The basic principle of insurance is spreading the risk among as many individuals as possible - not just one nuclear family!
The basic principle of insurance is spreading the risk among as many individuals as possible - not just one nuclear family!
54
Singapore has a health care plan that delievers quality care and costs about a fourth what we spend (4% of GDP vs. our 17%). It provides a bassc, funded health savings account for citizens from which they can fund normal health care needs. Each individual also has a catastrophic care insurance policy.
If there is money left in one's HSA, it can be passed on to heirs.
Not sure if this is the basis for Carson's plan, but this structure can work. The problem for the US is trying to incorporate something like this in our complex existing system.
If there is money left in one's HSA, it can be passed on to heirs.
Not sure if this is the basis for Carson's plan, but this structure can work. The problem for the US is trying to incorporate something like this in our complex existing system.
2
You forgot to mention the subsidies and price controls. Also the system is completely government controlled. Hardly sounds like Carson's ideas.
9
This might work, if, as Janet mentions, there were significant price controls on the cost of care and drugs/devices. Unfortunately, there are no such controls.
"he says that asking people to finance more of their health care using cash will encourage them to seek bargains and use the health care system more wisely."
It will also encourage people to avoid medical care when they need it. And who, in the midst of a heart attack, shops around to seek bargains? And why is bargain-basement oncology good for a woman with breast cancer?
It will also encourage people to avoid medical care when they need it. And who, in the midst of a heart attack, shops around to seek bargains? And why is bargain-basement oncology good for a woman with breast cancer?
60
Absolutely zero people could afford seeing a pediatric neurosurgeon with this so called plan of his. And if we are to begin the discussion on ending all tax loopholes then end all tax exemptions for religions. How did this man become a doctor in the first place, affirmative action?
27
Once again, Carson and the rest of the 'outsider' bunch, believe they stand at the beginning of time and that the answers are simple and obvious, if we could just get 'politics' out of the way. They forget these questions on economics and healthcare have been chewed over by much smarter people, with no 'politics' to motivate them other than the delivery of a service to millions under the auspices of the modern state, for the better part of 3 generations, all around the globe, with varying degrees of success.
Now, here comes Mr. Carson, reinventing the wheel yet again; trying desperately to fit a square peg into a round hole with a 'solution' that satisfies his ideology, without being able to deliver realistic services to all comers.
What seems to be missing from all/most of these Right wing attempts at 'reforming' the healthcare system (that was just reformed 5 years ago) is the distinct lack of the concept of 'sharing' in order to provide for those in need, which could be any of us at any time regardless of income. A society that can't condone ANYTHING through a shared sacrifice of resources, is fundamentally an unhealthy society, and one that will become brittle, embittered, and embattled in a neverending defense of 'theirs'. The irony is obvious. American Capitalism succeeded in the world when it had a correspondingly healthy sense of shared sacrifice. Yet today, the party that purports to represent the American Way absolutely abhors the notion of 'shared sacrifice'.
Now, here comes Mr. Carson, reinventing the wheel yet again; trying desperately to fit a square peg into a round hole with a 'solution' that satisfies his ideology, without being able to deliver realistic services to all comers.
What seems to be missing from all/most of these Right wing attempts at 'reforming' the healthcare system (that was just reformed 5 years ago) is the distinct lack of the concept of 'sharing' in order to provide for those in need, which could be any of us at any time regardless of income. A society that can't condone ANYTHING through a shared sacrifice of resources, is fundamentally an unhealthy society, and one that will become brittle, embittered, and embattled in a neverending defense of 'theirs'. The irony is obvious. American Capitalism succeeded in the world when it had a correspondingly healthy sense of shared sacrifice. Yet today, the party that purports to represent the American Way absolutely abhors the notion of 'shared sacrifice'.
80
Bargain shopping for health care is an impossibility. If you broke your arm this morning, exactly how are you suppose to hunt down a good deal on getting it reset? Have you ever tried to get a timely answer when you ask what a procedure will cost? My husband's colonoscopy -- covered by his insurance -- initially cost us $15,000. We didn't realize the doctor would use out of network pathologists and anestheticians. After we complained, we were billed $35.
Healthcare is not a commodity. Let's stop pretending that getting the care you need is just like shopping for a new car. And Don't forget that bargain shopping for prescriptions by buying them in Canada is technically illegal. Incoherency is just the beginning of Carson's many problems.
Healthcare is not a commodity. Let's stop pretending that getting the care you need is just like shopping for a new car. And Don't forget that bargain shopping for prescriptions by buying them in Canada is technically illegal. Incoherency is just the beginning of Carson's many problems.
101
Instead of all those article on polls which mean absolutely nothing, it would be nice to have more articles comparing the candidates' actual positions on the major issues such as health insurance. It would be easy to see who has something realistic that would secure medical care for Americans at affordable rates and who like almost all the Republicans are presenting nebulous plans that provide no detail or don't take reality into account.
As to just promoting catastrophe insurance, the problem is that then people don't often don't bother with preventive care such as regular checkups, vaccines, or tests like EKGs, blood work to detect diabetes, or colonoscopies that can identify early on or prevent diseases. And few people are going to bother with getting treatment for mental or substance abuse disorders if they have to pay for them out of pocket unless a court makes them.
As to just promoting catastrophe insurance, the problem is that then people don't often don't bother with preventive care such as regular checkups, vaccines, or tests like EKGs, blood work to detect diabetes, or colonoscopies that can identify early on or prevent diseases. And few people are going to bother with getting treatment for mental or substance abuse disorders if they have to pay for them out of pocket unless a court makes them.
15
As a health policy analyst, I hardly know where to start!
So let me just bring up a couple of points. HSAs violate the basic principle of health insurance: spreading risk. As such, they are a very nice perk for the well and the well-off. If that's not you, not so good. Does Dr. Carson realize that people do not get sick at the rate of $2000 per year? No spreading risk here either. Again, this is "health insurance" for the well and the well-off. And, BTW, does Dr. Carson have any idea how much his surgeries cost his patients? $2000 barely paid for the bandages!
So let me just bring up a couple of points. HSAs violate the basic principle of health insurance: spreading risk. As such, they are a very nice perk for the well and the well-off. If that's not you, not so good. Does Dr. Carson realize that people do not get sick at the rate of $2000 per year? No spreading risk here either. Again, this is "health insurance" for the well and the well-off. And, BTW, does Dr. Carson have any idea how much his surgeries cost his patients? $2000 barely paid for the bandages!
106
Yup. I had neurosurgery as an adult at the same hospital where he ran pediatric neurosurgery. One huge surgery + one minor follow-up + 6 weeks inpatient rehab + some home health care = $300,000.
It's bad enough that Carson seems to know nothing about other areas of government and politics (and life). But it's totally mind-boggling that he seems to be so unaware of the economics of health care.
It's bad enough that Carson seems to know nothing about other areas of government and politics (and life). But it's totally mind-boggling that he seems to be so unaware of the economics of health care.
30
At one time Ben Carson may have been a brilliant doctor but after reading this plan, I can only conclude that he has had a series of mini-strokes which have negatively affected his mental capacities.
66
Mr. Carson has the thinnest opaque platform of any candidate. If you go to his website there is only one paragraph on each topic outlining a very broad idea. It is not a platform...more like a wish list without any detail or execution plan.
With Mr. Carson there is no there there. Nothing behind the curtain, the emperor has no clothes, no real ideas, no actionable agenda.
He doesn't need details because he is waiting for the rapture...that will take care of us all.
Mr. Carson is on a book tour and I believe he will have a Three cups of Tea problem...
With Mr. Carson there is no there there. Nothing behind the curtain, the emperor has no clothes, no real ideas, no actionable agenda.
He doesn't need details because he is waiting for the rapture...that will take care of us all.
Mr. Carson is on a book tour and I believe he will have a Three cups of Tea problem...
45
Dr. Carson is so far over his head when it comes to policy that it's astounding that people actually take him so seriously.
As Gertude Stein is reputed to have said about "there"....!
As Gertude Stein is reputed to have said about "there"....!
24
And don't forget, this is the candidate who denies evolution! How he ever got his medical degree beats me. I always assumed that a doctor would be curious, why bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. But according to his belief system, resistance should be impossible!
1
This guy is a famous surgeon! And he doesn't understand the basics of our system??? How did he get paid? Didnt he have any idea if his patient billings and his cut?
Our system Is a terrible system but what he's proposing is far worse. I can't believe he is altering the very premise of any form of healthcare structure: the universal patient pool where healthy patients essentially subsidize costs for the sick and in turn get the same benefit when they fall ill.
It's inconceivable ti me that a medical professional of all people is si clueless. Some have called him Chauncy Gardner. Im beginning to see why!
Our system Is a terrible system but what he's proposing is far worse. I can't believe he is altering the very premise of any form of healthcare structure: the universal patient pool where healthy patients essentially subsidize costs for the sick and in turn get the same benefit when they fall ill.
It's inconceivable ti me that a medical professional of all people is si clueless. Some have called him Chauncy Gardner. Im beginning to see why!
61
To paraphrase GHW Bush regarding 'Reaganomics'--Carson-Care sounds like Voodoo Healthcare, Inc.
20
Everything about this guy is either incoherant or confusing. When will the naive right wing educate themselves about the right way to pick a credible and logical nominee?? They act like a herd of lemmings willing to jump off a cliff for just about anybody that's not qualified to lead!!!!!
26
By cobbling together assorted elements from other Republican so-called alternatives to Obamacare, such as HSAs, he highlights just how poorly thought out and ineffective they are. Nothing more than fig leaves to hide the fact they want to cut millions of people loose to... whatever their fates might be.
One thing's for sure: in the America of Ben Carson and those who support him, we ain't our brother's keepers.
One thing's for sure: in the America of Ben Carson and those who support him, we ain't our brother's keepers.
22
So his plan to abolish Medicare has been gone "for several months now"? What about his plan to abolish VA? And his plan to abolish all women's right to an abortion no matter what their circumstances, including if having a baby would kill them or harm their health or result in having the baby of incest or rape? And his plan to abolish the ACA? And abolishing that pesky 14th Amendment? Abolish the science of climate change, and maybe of evolution also?
I think Dr. Carson misunderstands what an abolitionist is.
I think Dr. Carson misunderstands what an abolitionist is.
21
$2,000 per year? What if you need brain surgery? That surely costs more than $2000 per year. Is President Ben Carson going to perform surgery for free?
29
He thinks most people spend most of their health care dollars towards the end of their life. So he thinks we should open health savings accounts and squirrel away dollars for the "end". We also have to save for retirement and our kids college educations, too. Since the government will no longer pay for that, either.
That means only the wealthy will die in hospitals, have their kids go to college, or retire before they die.
The rest of us will die in our beds (or give birth there or bleed to death on the street after an accident), work till we die and never go to college.
Whee! Isn't the Republican world fun?
That means only the wealthy will die in hospitals, have their kids go to college, or retire before they die.
The rest of us will die in our beds (or give birth there or bleed to death on the street after an accident), work till we die and never go to college.
Whee! Isn't the Republican world fun?
5
What I want to know about this plan is whether or not it will cover Mr. Carson's Xanax prescription.
31
I'm thinking he's smoking something a whole lot stronger.
1
His repeated and emphatic comparisons between Obamacare and slavery disqualify him from speaking about that subject. It's shameful that he is one of the most prominent African-Americans right now. I am positive he does not speak for most of Black America.
20
Ben Carson is not a viable candidate.
But he is a great straw man to distract and
weaken Trump. Will Trump and the Angry Americans
take the bait? Stay tuned.
But he is a great straw man to distract and
weaken Trump. Will Trump and the Angry Americans
take the bait? Stay tuned.
8
Carson was a physician. (Why he left Johns Hopkins hasn't been explained.) Does he understand that three nights of in-patient care runs into the tens of thousands of dollars? Is he insured? Of course. And no doubt he wouldn't surrender his coverage.
26
I'm delighted that Mr. Carson had an incredible gift - he was born with incredible hand eye coordination specific to being a skilled surgeon, a near photographic memory, studied hard and lifted himself out of poverty. None of these qualities make him qualified to be the next POTUS and frankly his comments - if I'd been a patient in need of his services, would have prompted me to seek another doctor's services. The bigoted, uniformed comments (pick one among many) take me down the path that I hope he remains in the front-runner chair for a very, very, very short timeframe. Mark me with the "sign of the beast" and stay the hello out of the white house.
17
"Confusing"???
That is not an appropriate word in a headline about Carson's incompetent, incoherent, in flux, and ill informed health coverage proposals.
Dr. Carson must be knowledgeable about neurosurgery, but his ignorance of health insurance coverage is dangerous. So, here we have the current leader in the polls among the Republican presidential candidates spouting nonsense about health care coverage, one of the aspects of life most important to citizens. Fortunately, he is unlikely to win the nomination. But if he does, he is certain to lose the general election.
That is not an appropriate word in a headline about Carson's incompetent, incoherent, in flux, and ill informed health coverage proposals.
Dr. Carson must be knowledgeable about neurosurgery, but his ignorance of health insurance coverage is dangerous. So, here we have the current leader in the polls among the Republican presidential candidates spouting nonsense about health care coverage, one of the aspects of life most important to citizens. Fortunately, he is unlikely to win the nomination. But if he does, he is certain to lose the general election.
14
Health savings accounts are a wonderful thing. I have one and put more than $6500 each year into it. It pays for my deductable, medical co-pays and dental care. I have two kids in braces. The money I put in comes from my paychecl but it is pretax giving me a small tax break.
But make no mistake. For my family of four I pay plenty
Annual Premium: $1800
Annual Deductible: $2600
Annual copay 20% of all medical bills
We are near the end of the year and my out of pocket has been well over $10,000. Note that I work for a fortune 50 company with great benefits!
We need Medicare for all and transparent pricing. All politicians should be furious that medical care is the only service where we agree to pay any and all fees without every knowing what we are agreeing to prior to service. But then again I am not surprised because they have their government Cadillac plan - and they don't have the problems we little people have
But make no mistake. For my family of four I pay plenty
Annual Premium: $1800
Annual Deductible: $2600
Annual copay 20% of all medical bills
We are near the end of the year and my out of pocket has been well over $10,000. Note that I work for a fortune 50 company with great benefits!
We need Medicare for all and transparent pricing. All politicians should be furious that medical care is the only service where we agree to pay any and all fees without every knowing what we are agreeing to prior to service. But then again I am not surprised because they have their government Cadillac plan - and they don't have the problems we little people have
22
Not sure you mean, but I've worked for the Fed gov and nobody has Cadillac plans. The best plans are PPOs, exactly what most people who work for larger employers have. The premiums and plans are subsidized (IF they are in ACA marketplace) but so are employer plans (so they get a tax break).
More of the same taxpayer subsidies for high overhead private health insurance companies operating parallel to and within Medicare Insurance.
What a rip.
What a rip.
3
When I see American politicians interviewed about health policy they never seem to be asked what could be a defining question, "who should be denied care? because all of these plans I keep hearing about will result in somebody being turned away. Will it be the unemployed, the underemployed, the old or the ones that are too sick and poor at the same time.
22
One thing we can be certain of: it will never be the wealthy who won't get care. And those are the only people any of the Republican candidates seem to care about.
3
Basically he's telling his constituents just what they want to hear: they won't have to pay for anybody but themselves if they don't want to, but the government won't let you die in case you're a poor planner. He simply ignores the idea that the system can be gamed or that the government-to-the-rescue solution costs tax dollars as well.
7
You can't expect that applying serious analysis to an unserious candidate will provide anything comprehensible or substantive. It's a sad state of affairs that the Times has to waste its resources on amateurish proposals from personality candidates like this.
25
But Mr. Carson is leading some of the polls, so someone needs to be educated about Mr. Carson's lack of knowledge.
3
I disagree with you only to this extent. If the NYT doesn't report on the silly, stupid and outlandish things morons like this say, then the public is never going to know how moronic this man is. I thank the NYT for their valuable public service in this regard.
1
Sounds a bit ignorant and delusional. Obviously he didn't think all this through.
11
Ignorant and delusional? Ben Carson? No way!
Wow! I sure would like to see this guy debate Hilary or Bernie.
45
So would I, but not for the reasons you probably are hoping for!
"Altogether, the average American’s health care costs more than $9,200 every year, though not even Bernie Sanders, who recommends a single-payer health care system, suggests the government ought to pick up the entire bill."
A true. but misleading statement. If you look at other developed countries, all of which have some kind of universal government run health care system, mostly single payer, you will see that on average other countries get better results and only spend about $3600 in PPP dollars which take the cost of living in that country into consideration. The cost for the US in PPP dollars is about $9000.
So the government could easily pick up 100% of the costs if we just had an efficient system as other industrialized countries do.
A true. but misleading statement. If you look at other developed countries, all of which have some kind of universal government run health care system, mostly single payer, you will see that on average other countries get better results and only spend about $3600 in PPP dollars which take the cost of living in that country into consideration. The cost for the US in PPP dollars is about $9000.
So the government could easily pick up 100% of the costs if we just had an efficient system as other industrialized countries do.
22
Neurosurgeons should stick to neurosurgery -- they don't know a damn thing about anything else!
33
It's no hard to understand. He wants the old people of moderate to little means, the disabled and the poor to go to the grave as soon as possible. What amazes me about this person, that in boosting this particular medical plan, he will bankrupt one of the largest non-profit (and great) medical systems in the country--that of the Seventh Day Adventists. Unbelievable.
6
So... if the annual $2K does not cover all of the expenses, does that mean the remainder is out of pocket? If so, we are back to the basic problem of the present insurance system. For many people the expenses are punishing -- sometimes bankrupting -- while for the very prosperous, they are just an annoyance.
Then there the part about encouraging people to buy catastrophic coverage. "Encouraging" again mans that those who can least afford the expenses are also those least likely to buy the catastrophic coverage because they can't afford that expense as well.
Then there the part about encouraging people to buy catastrophic coverage. "Encouraging" again mans that those who can least afford the expenses are also those least likely to buy the catastrophic coverage because they can't afford that expense as well.
12
It used to be that Democrats tried to solve society's problems with public-sector programs, while Republicans preferred to solve them with market-oriented programs.
Now, the difference has become much more stark: Democrats are trying to solve big problems by any means they can get through Congress, while Republicans have stopped trying altogether.
Ronald Reagan famously said, "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Sadly, the GOP appears to have taken this entirely to heart.
Now, the difference has become much more stark: Democrats are trying to solve big problems by any means they can get through Congress, while Republicans have stopped trying altogether.
Ronald Reagan famously said, "Government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Sadly, the GOP appears to have taken this entirely to heart.
14
In reality, the Democrats have handed control over society's resources to endless bureaucracies corrupted by massive corporate lobbying influence, waste and abuse.
While the Republicans have decided to skip the middle man and hand control directly to the corporations themselves.
All the while, neither party has done anything to protect the political and economic freedoms of the individual in society. Both parties have failed to protect informed consumer choice and enforce market competition, and neither party has stopped those same corporate interests from scooping up all the media and turning our once free press into a partisan noise machine, to keep us too divided against one another to unite against their corruption.
While the Republicans have decided to skip the middle man and hand control directly to the corporations themselves.
All the while, neither party has done anything to protect the political and economic freedoms of the individual in society. Both parties have failed to protect informed consumer choice and enforce market competition, and neither party has stopped those same corporate interests from scooping up all the media and turning our once free press into a partisan noise machine, to keep us too divided against one another to unite against their corruption.
1
CHhis, Market competition doesn't work in health care. The same way it doesn't work in police and fire protections.
The next time you are in an auto accident, don't forget to tell the EMT that you want to research the hospitals to see which one you you want to go to.
The next time you are in an auto accident, don't forget to tell the EMT that you want to research the hospitals to see which one you you want to go to.
5
So its a 3 step plan:
1. Repeal Obamacare
2.
3. Everyone is covered, we all save money, and big guv'mint is reigned in.
1. Repeal Obamacare
2.
3. Everyone is covered, we all save money, and big guv'mint is reigned in.
43
But everyone wasn't covered prior to Obamacare. Nor would they be with its repeal. It's so easy to leave step 2 out, but so important to implement it correctly.
Number two looks a lot like what must be between his ears.
2
Everything this guy says scares me.
73
One of the problems in discussing health policy and health economics is the lack of understanding of averages and variation. The average spending on Medicaid varies greatly by the age of the person: children and adults under 65 in Medicaid cost far less than those who are over the age of 65 and are nursing home residents (and are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid).
A second problem is that the prices charged by hospitals to individual patients differ substantially to those charged to health insurers. Health insurers negotiate discounts that are often 40% to 60% below the "full charges". Unless there is a mechanism to apply the discounted charges to those who are covered by medical savings accounts, those accounts will be inadequate to cover even one hospital admission.
All of the Republican proposals will result in fewer people having health insurance coverage, and their coverage will be substantially less adequate than what they have now.
Has any of these Republicans ever tried to shop around for the best medical prices during a medical emergency? It is easy to shop for the best prices on cosmetic surgery, but emergency care for a thoracic-abdominal aortic dissection is another matter altogether.
A second problem is that the prices charged by hospitals to individual patients differ substantially to those charged to health insurers. Health insurers negotiate discounts that are often 40% to 60% below the "full charges". Unless there is a mechanism to apply the discounted charges to those who are covered by medical savings accounts, those accounts will be inadequate to cover even one hospital admission.
All of the Republican proposals will result in fewer people having health insurance coverage, and their coverage will be substantially less adequate than what they have now.
Has any of these Republicans ever tried to shop around for the best medical prices during a medical emergency? It is easy to shop for the best prices on cosmetic surgery, but emergency care for a thoracic-abdominal aortic dissection is another matter altogether.
29
And considering that if you are hospitalized you are often going to be handed a bill pages long with a charge for tens if not hundreds of different items, one wonders how someone could even begin to make price comparisons.
3
Or how is an elderly person, who is seriously ill or has dementia, supposed to "shop around"? The fact that a doctor is saying this makes me question whether he really performed all that surgery he supposedly said he did.
5
Contributing $2,000 per person annually to each of 325 million Americans would cost $650 billion – that's each year. Current Medicare outlays are just beneath $600 billion as is current revenue into Medicare of which about $240 billion comes from general federal revenue.
On its face, Carson’s plan increases federal outlay by $400 billion.
Were his plan instituted, disregarding for the moment costly or damaging messes as we switch the way in which people, oftentimes quite ill and helpless people, receive and pay for health care, all that notwithstanding, after time, his plan is doomed to angry and frustrating complaints. There will be large and healthy families who will come to have accumulated substantive accounts which they will never come to use. These people will resent and complain. More so than with Medicare, the numbers as applied to them personally will be clear and obvious. Concurrently, there will be people, surprisingly large numbers, who become lifetime drains on the system never accumulating fund balance; more than a few of whom, by nature of their illnesses, will not be members of family groups offsetting the government's expenses.
How does Dr. Carson not know better than to slip into simplistic solutions in an area about which he should have professional awareness?
On its face, Carson’s plan increases federal outlay by $400 billion.
Were his plan instituted, disregarding for the moment costly or damaging messes as we switch the way in which people, oftentimes quite ill and helpless people, receive and pay for health care, all that notwithstanding, after time, his plan is doomed to angry and frustrating complaints. There will be large and healthy families who will come to have accumulated substantive accounts which they will never come to use. These people will resent and complain. More so than with Medicare, the numbers as applied to them personally will be clear and obvious. Concurrently, there will be people, surprisingly large numbers, who become lifetime drains on the system never accumulating fund balance; more than a few of whom, by nature of their illnesses, will not be members of family groups offsetting the government's expenses.
How does Dr. Carson not know better than to slip into simplistic solutions in an area about which he should have professional awareness?
4
What a thick slice of baloney Carson's non-plan is! My prescriptions annually retail at about $8200. About $165 in co-pays under my prescription plan and not counting my other medical needs including surgeries, doctor visits and dentist care. In the last decade my estimated medical retail costs amount to over $100K. Carson the savant needs a large dose of brains to get his thought process an upgrade.
15
Dr. Carson operated on my son in 1995. I don't recall the cost of that surgery, but the hospitalization alone was more than $2,000. Should we have shopped around while our son needed care? Would Dr. Carson have foregone his fee so that we could stay under the $2,000 limit for our son's care that year?
112
Its only our entire healthcare system at stake here. It's nice to know that the leading candidate is changing proposals monthly, that his own campaign can't even explain what his proposal is, let alone defend how it would work or compare it to the current system.
39
Mr. Carson has no understanding of health care. During his nearly-incomprehensible interview with Chris Wallace last Sunday, he said that people on medicaid currently cost the government $5,000 per year, and that a concierge program costs $2000 to $3000 per year. He therefore believed that it would be reasonable to give a health savings account that amount ($2000 to $3000), leaving a few thousand for catastrophic coverage. Mr. Carson appears to be unaware that the cost of $2000 to $3000 for a concierge program does not actually pay for any health care per se, but just buys access to a physician for a year. All tests, physician visits, surgeries, etc are charged on top of this. As an aside, Mr. Carson said that he does not believe in imposing things on people. If that is the case, why does he want to impose his opinion about life and abortion on others that disagree with his view?
136
Yes, Ben Carson may be a gifted surgeon but every time he talks about healthcare policy, he makes many healthcare professionals and lay people cringe. It also shows that he took NO time to learn anything about the costs of medicine; the medical community has been talking about concierge medicine for the last 2 decades. Had he ever picked up a medical journal and took a cursory glance at it or even talked to his colleagues, he would know how many concierge programs work.
When my father had heart surgery a few years ago, the total cost of the bill was $70,000 and that did not count the medications he took before and after surgery, the cardiac rehabilitation he needed, or the after-surgery care by other doctors. Imagine getting only $2,000 a year -- you'd have to save 35 years of funds just to get that surgery and during that entire time, you better never ever be sick at all or even go in for preventive care, like a flu shot or a Pap smear.
The other problem with health savings accounts and letting people direct their own care is most lay people do not know what to prioritize, how to evaluate for the "best'" care, etc. For example, someone may decide that treating their acne takes precedence over that funny feeling they get in their chest yet acne is unlikely to kill them while a heart attack will. What if they spend all their money on acne and then find out they need care for their heart? They may also put off paying for preventive care.
When my father had heart surgery a few years ago, the total cost of the bill was $70,000 and that did not count the medications he took before and after surgery, the cardiac rehabilitation he needed, or the after-surgery care by other doctors. Imagine getting only $2,000 a year -- you'd have to save 35 years of funds just to get that surgery and during that entire time, you better never ever be sick at all or even go in for preventive care, like a flu shot or a Pap smear.
The other problem with health savings accounts and letting people direct their own care is most lay people do not know what to prioritize, how to evaluate for the "best'" care, etc. For example, someone may decide that treating their acne takes precedence over that funny feeling they get in their chest yet acne is unlikely to kill them while a heart attack will. What if they spend all their money on acne and then find out they need care for their heart? They may also put off paying for preventive care.
5
Any plan that speaks about "asking people to finance more of their health care using cash will encourage them to seek bargains and use the health care system more wisely" is just code for "you're on your own". $2000/year? Really? And what exactly would that cover? If my most recent doctor visits are any indication, maybe three medical visits, no surgery, no emergencies. Better stay healthy because $2000 won't even cover your funeral expenses.
119
The number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the US is unpaid medical bills. How on earth can we call ourselves an enlightened Western democracy when this is the case? Only when we finally begin moving towards a universal single payer system will we be fit to join the league of truly civilized nations.
123
Carson may be a physician, but his utterances are purely political spewing whatever his audience wants to hear with no conscience regarding continuity of any though process or consistent policy.
44
It is hard to tell why the media have been so gentle on Carson's obvious ignorance of what he pontificates about compared to their treatment of Trump's obvious ignorance. Although his knowledge of healthcare is much greater than his abysmal ignorance of foreign policy, even distinguished surgeons like Carson are not automatically experts on how health care funding actually works--or does not work.
Now that he is a frontrunner, it is past time for the patronizing PC kid gloves treatment of him to end.
Now that he is a frontrunner, it is past time for the patronizing PC kid gloves treatment of him to end.
133
see my comment. he is not a real candidate just a lightning rod to drain away Trump's support. And it is working.
2
Doesn't he even know, how much he charges for his own services? And this person wants to allow each person $ 2000 for most health care needs? And he wants to be president!
3
In trying to follow Mr. Carson's policies. The only consistent thing I've noticed is his inconsistency. For most policies he has no coherent explanation of what he would do. In cases where he has something approaching coherency, if given enough time, he will change that idea to be less coherent. It's rare to see him answer a question directly and completely. Instead, he makes allusions to what can only be explained as ethereal thoughts that he thinks everybody holds as co?on knowledge. The only explanation I can give for rational Republicans warming up to this candidate is that they want the weakest president possible.
44
"Rational Republicans"? I think that's an oxymoron. The only explanation for Republicans liking Carson is that they have an irrational, delusional and myopic understanding of how other 'normal' Americans live our lives, make our decisions, elect our leaders. Carson-supporting-Republicans have no respect for the legitimacy of the needs of 'others', the legitimacy of the government institutions that affect their lives, and therefore no need to legitimately consider the consequences of Carson's plans, rhetoric or ignorance. What is most important to Carson-supporting-Republicans is that Carson is black and successful. Supporting Carson means they can claim their hatred of Obama is not based on Obama's race, just "his Muslim faith", or "reason of the hour to hate Obama."
4
I'm glad the media have finally paid some attention to the "alternative" health plans offered by the Republican candidates. It will now be clear that they have about as much thought behind them as a story told by a used car salesman.
These nut jobs have no understanding of the complexity of the health care system in this country, and they don't really care to understand it. They are gadflies out to seize the system and destroy what system there is, and they haven't thought through the implications. None of these plans would ever become law anyway, but the smoke they emit will obscure their incompetence for a while as they promise a free lunch.
These nut jobs have no understanding of the complexity of the health care system in this country, and they don't really care to understand it. They are gadflies out to seize the system and destroy what system there is, and they haven't thought through the implications. None of these plans would ever become law anyway, but the smoke they emit will obscure their incompetence for a while as they promise a free lunch.
99