Obamacare and you

[Iormlund]

Germany doesn't have single payer.  The UK does, and it is known as the worst health care system in the western world.

Spain is mostly single payer and the overwhelming majority of services are public, and the results are pretty good.

Though I'll admit much of that success might be attributable to lifestyle factors -- all Med Euro countries are placed very high in WHO rankings.

[grumbler]

Germany doesn't have single payer.  The UK does, and it is known as the worst health care system in the western world.

  Of course Germany has (effectively) single-payer.  The Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung have traditionally been collected/paid by non-profit government-established organizations at rates set by the state (Lander), with optout provisions for those who want to (and can) pay for their own insurance).  Everyone has to have coverage, by law, and the government provides it for those who cannot contribute through the normal non-profits.

The British system has its problems, but I don't think anyone with a pulse would rate it worse than Bushcare (which provids no coverage at all for about 1/6 of the legal population).

[The Minsky Moment]

The ability to opt out or supplement is consistent with the concept of single payer.
The UK is both single payer (government is primary and universal payer) and single provider (government in primary provider of health care resources).  It is the single provider provisions of the UK system that typically are highlighted for criticism.

[Admiral Yi]

CNN showed quite a bit of footage of the Sibelius hearing.  She was excellent I thought.

[11B4V]

CNN showed quite a bit of footage of the Sibelius hearing.  She was excellent I thought.

Of course, she's a civil service executive. They excel at bullshit. 

[Admiral Yi]

I didn't hear any bullshit from her.

[The Minsky Moment]

CNN showed quite a bit of footage of the Sibelius hearing.  She was excellent I thought.

In what respect?  (Did not see)

[Admiral Yi]

In what respect?  (Did not see)

Calm, cool, informative, responsive.  Apologetic but not sock-sucking.  Accepted ultimate responsibility.  Resisted the temptation to bus under-throw.

She did blurt out the name of the underling (contractor?) in charge of the program at one point, but rode right over it and emphasized right after that she bore responsibility.

[11B4V]

and she should be fired...err moved as they call it.

[Admiral Yi]

Just heard on CNN that the favorable rating for Obamacare actually edged up during Glitchgate.

To 44%. 

Which makes me suspect that the oft-repeated refrain about the overwhelming popularity of Obamacare was bunkum.

[Sheilbh]

Which makes me suspect that the oft-repeated refrain about the overwhelming popularity of Obamacare was bunkum.

Who has ever said it's overwhelmingly popular?

Just heard on CNN that the favorable rating for Obamacare actually edged up during Glitchgate.

It climbed to the low-40s during the shutdown - which was another sign of how counter-productive that was for Republicans.

[garbon]

Just heard on CNN that the favorable rating for Obamacare actually edged up during Glitchgate.

To 44%. 

Which makes me suspect that the oft-repeated refrain about the overwhelming popularity of Obamacare was bunkum.

Whereas NBC/WSJ have him at a low.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/30/21252250-nbcwsj-poll-obama-approval-sinks-to-new-low?lite

[Admiral Yi]

Who has ever said it's overwhelmingly popular?

I can't think of a Democrat who has *not* talked about its popularity.

[DGuller]

Just heard on CNN that the favorable rating for Obamacare actually edged up during Glitchgate.

To 44%. 

Which makes me suspect that the oft-repeated refrain about the overwhelming popularity of Obamacare was bunkum.

I'd be curious to see how these poll questions are phrased.  There is a lot of gray area with things like "I'm happy that I can finally get insurance to treat my diabetes, lung cancer, and cardiac arrest, but I don't think there should be an individual mandate".

[DGuller]

Who has ever said it's overwhelmingly popular?

I can't think of a Democrat who has *not* talked about its popularity.

I can't really recall those claims, and they would fly in the face of known reality long before you caught that CNN poll.  What I do recall is claims that majority of Americans want to move on, and not keep trying to repeal Obamacare.