Sunday, April 11, 2010

Health Care or Your Job?

A reader comments:

I know that many Americans are "giddy" over the passage of the president's health care bill. As an employer, I can tell you that my peers and I are anything but excited. All we can see is that we are now going to have an additional expense and liability regarding people that we hire.

Thus, what those who are employees need to understand is that they may well have health coverage, but there is a very good chance that they will not have a job.

In most businesses the three most expensive things to deal with are inventory, taxes and people. Very candidly, in most businesses people are the greatest expense; therefore, when one is trying to curtail costs, people are the first expense to go. Many of my peers will spend the next several months figuring out how to begin downsizing ether through eliminating jobs that are not essential, or not replacing workers who leave because of attrition.

Employers also don't know what the playing field is yet, only that we now have an additional expense. The president's jobs bill is less than no incentive; thus, it will make absolutely no difference in the unemployment rate going down in the future.

So, please remain giddy that we have now surrendered one-seventh of the U.S. economy to the federal government. Keep in mind that the federal government runs the Veterans Administration, Medicare, Medicaid and the bulk of the U.S. rail service. Coincidentally, all of them are broke and can't pay their bills.

H. Barnes

Some large employers may consider lay-offs in dealing with the new health care reform bill, but the Delta has few large employers. A more realistic threat is that employers may decide to pay the $175 fine per employee for NOT offering health care and let the employees go find their own.

If you currently have employer funded health care, you know that it costs your employer significantly more than $175 to provide you with health coverage. Actually, other than salaries, it is the second largest expense that employers currently face.

Insurance costs will continue to rise for all of us, including employers. You can't add 750,000 people to Mississippi's insured roll without someone having to pay for it... and that will continue to be the taxpayers!

These newly insured will continue to use our hospital ERs like primary care clinics, running up exorbitant bills for their convenience. ER Docs in this state are already practicing "defensive" medicine by over utilization of expensive tests and procedures to keep them out of our "Jackpot Justice" courtrooms. Insurance costs for the newly covered will continue to be passed on to those currently insured (just as it has been for the past 75 years!)

Will we have enough primary care physicians? No. There are currently so many disincentives for doctors to practice in Mississippi that taxing the system further will only add to that list. We didn't need health care reform, we need "system" reform! Clean up the waste and abuses in our Medicaid system; quit paying people to invent "disabilities" that don't exist; stop those who have made welfare a "way of life" as an option to employment!

Once again, in our democratic rush to "fix" something, we have missed the mark. Nothing in this reform package does anything about stopping the waste and abuse in our system; nothing addresses the spiraling costs of pharmaceuticals or hospital stays.

In essence, we have "fixed" nothing that was broken! All this reform bill will do is increase the current costs of health care, while reducing its availability and quality. We should all be proud.

Forthright

71 comments:

Hot Pepper said...

I couldn't agree with Mr. Barnes more. I am a small business owner with less than 25 people, so I believe the law excepts me (TBD). This year I gave raises by absorbing a premium increase from Blue Cross--BCBS received 30% more money, but my employees didn't receive an additional dime for the same coverage.

As the law rolls out, I will sit and look at what makes the most sense for my employees, and that may be (depending upon individual vs business tax breaks) to eliminate my employer coverage, and give the money to my employees so they can buy whatever they want with the money. I actually prefer this, and my employees would too. However, they don't know yet what the "mandated" individual coverage requirements are going to be.

Hot Pepper said...

exempts not excepts

Anonymous said...

DELta health center lost a doctor

OneMoreComment said...

Who at Delta Health Center is gone?
Heard today that chiropractor Dr Greg Hairston is moving to Hattiesburg and will leave a foreign doc in charge of his clinic here.

Anonymous said...

Time to celebrate! Ray Ray is GONE! God Bless Meridian!!!!

Anonymous said...

Forthright, did you go to the farewell reception?

Anonymous said...

This board is lame.

All of you get a life--all you care about is your little world of RAY.

Wake up and live your own life and quit blaming it on others.

Anonymous said...

Agree with 11:03! Lets see who will get the blame now?

Anonymous said...

We all must except the fact that G'ville SUX and we all may as well just die along with G'ville!

Anonymous said...

It is shocking to see that some people are still in denial about the way our GREAT country is headed. Either they are stupid are uninformed about whats going on in Obama's health care bill. He is sinking us so deep in debt that we never will be able to recover from his socialist ideas. Here is one example of someone that is very stupid or in deep denial of what is happeneing to this country due to Obamas socialist agenda.



Letters



About those decisions...


Friday, April 9, 2010 11:36 AM CDT


Editor:

I was most offended by Mr. Wyatt Emmerich’s editorial in last Sunday’s edition of the DDT. Granted, there are different opinions on the historically important healthcare bill which was signed into law last Tuesday. Where would our great country be without different opinions? That is precisely how our� checks and balances system is supposed to� work!� � But having friends without access to good healthcare, I happen to believe that this bill gives us a much-needed, long-overdue place to start. I also believe that this would have been a much stronger bill had the “nay” sayers had the courage to pitch in and work on it, rather than using this as an opportunity to pad their own political coffers.�

But when I read this sentence in Mr. Emmerich’s final paragraph, “Obamacare is the result of a freak election by an electorate furious over a rare financial collapse,” I could hardly breathe.

Wyatt Emmerich may be the owner of Emmerich newspapers. He may be an important person in these parts of the world. But as a journalist that never gives him, or anyone else, the right to abandon all protocol and totally disregard the Constitution of the United States, which provides for a clear and fair process for the election of leaders. That never gives him, or any one� of us, the right to disrespect the office of the President of the United States, whether he voted for him or not. As citizens we are subject to the majority voice, whether it turns out the way we want or not.

I am not ashamed to say that I voted for President Obama, who won the election fair and square. And I am proud to see our leaders serving their country for the right reasons. President Obama’s victory was not “��-the result of a freak election.” He is working hard for the good of our country.



I am ashamed, however,� of what you wrote,� Mr. Emmerich, in your� final paragraph. You are an accomplished writer. You own an historic and great paper. Please do not stoop to cheap and unattractive politics. Perhaps you should pay attention to your own words, “Decisions made in anger and haste always turn out bad.”



Sincerely Yours,

Rev. Dr. Ann Laird Jones

Greenville, Mississippi

Anonymous said...

Rev. Dr. Jones,
You contradict yourself in your comments. Everyone has the right to criticize anyone in public office, this includes Mr Emmerich. It has been going on a long time. I guess you have forgotten all of the criticism that elected democraps gave our then President George W. Bush! How easy it is to forget when that happened. And whether you like it or not the minority always has and always will speak out, up and against issues they disagree with. Do you remember when the democraps were the minority in charge and voted against every supreme court judge that GWB nominated. Hell, they even tried to disparage a qualified BLACK man. Thank goodness Clarence Thomas has the character and class that he does. It is our GOD given right to disagree with a president if we feel they are turning this country into a socialist state. I hope you pray regularly because we all need the grace of GOD to get through this mess.

Anonymous said...

4:30 PM

Amen!

Everyone has the right to their own opinion....even if it is different from the President of the United States.

The USA is "supposedly" not a dictorship country.

We also have the freedom of speech.

Anonymous said...

P.S.

And I'm not a reverend, nor a doctor!

Anonymous said...

You people (minus the Reverend Dr. Jones) clearly are IDIOTS. (There...someone else can use all caps effectively.)

This blog represents everything that shames us in the Delta. And once again...I am a WHITE FEMALE INDEPENDENT VOTER. A taxpayer and native Greenvillian. Gainfully employed. Married. A parent. Educated, with a bachelor's degree. And I'm so disgusted by the continued bigotry and backward redneck politics in this town, I can scarcely breathe.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 6:36,

Why do you continue to read this blog if you are so disgusted by "continued bigotry and backward redneck politics in this town?"

So anyone who disagrees with your opinion on this blog is an "IDIOT?" I find that facinating!

OMG! said...

6:36:

This blog is the only thing GOOD about the Delta. Here, we can speak our opinions and discuss matters freely. Do you think the DDT is offering you an unbiased opinion? They are bought and paid for by their advertisers!

If you don't want to know the truth about how Deltans feel... get the hell off this blog and keep your "educated, gainfully employed white" opinions to yourself and to your equally pin-headed husband!

And if you can't breathe... maybe you should come up for air... and see how the rest of us live!

Anonymous said...

6:36 PM

Yeah, it shames me that a person,
according to THE Rev. Doctor...has to agree with THE president 100%!

As long as I am living and breathing...I WILL have my own opinions and WILL NOT "bow-down" to a dictatorship....whether it be in a city, state or this country!

Anonymous said...

Dear WHITE, FEMALE INDEPENDENT VOTER,

I too am a bachelors degree educated, gainfully empolyed, married, Greenville native and white taxpaying independent voter. My comments to Rev. Dr. Jones has nothing to do with "continued bigotry and backward redneck politics". My post states that everyone has the right to an opinion, whether they are agreed with or are in the minority. I am supporting a black man on his credentials, Clarence Thomas, not on his race. This is not bigotry. You sure appear to have a lot of anger towards people that you disagree with. I guess that good discussion of differing opinions to problem solve is a bad thing in your eyes? I fear the day when we can not express and discuss our differing views in a public forum. History shows that when it occurs, nothing good comes of it.

Anonymous said...

6:36
If you can't stand the truth then don't read this blog and leave town. Being educated does not make one smart. There are many so called educated people that can't get out of the rain. Being informed of the subject for which you speak of is most important.

Anonymous said...

what is the story about Dr. Hilton Ellis O'neal having a gun at DRMC?

Anonymous said...

You would have a gun too if you saw all the undesirables coming and going at drmc. Way to go Hilton keep on keeping the peace.

BArmed said...

Amen to the gun-toting doc, I carry one myself in my purse.
Too many thieves, thugs and freeloaders these days, I work hard for what I have and aim to protect it.

Anonymous said...

Hello y'all.

Ate at Kepler's Italian Grill, the restaurant that is opening this coming Wednesday in the old Fermo's location.

FOOD WAS EXCELLENT! I encourage y'all to try it when it opens this Wednesday. http://www.keplersitaliangrill.com/

Who says Greenville doesn't have good things going for it!

Anonymous said...

Yes, the new restaurant might be somethng good in Greenville...but THE Greenville Public Schools are still BAD!

Again,... twice this school year, the Greenville-Weston campus was put on "lock down" because of a school fight. And guess what, most of the "fighters" of the second fight were also, "fighters" in the first fight. What is wrong with this picture?

Dr. Franklin, Superintendent stated
that THEY needed a different career path...possibly the alternative school.

Send them to jail. Press charges. Kick them out of school. If they are wanna' be thugs, they can "practice up" in the city jail before they get to Parchman!

Enough is enough.

THE public education is free..but not if the student (and it's parent) can not abide by the rules.

And they have how many security guards at the schools? And the security guards are paid with what funds?

Anonymous said...

Forget the Greenville Public Schools. There is no hope for them. Thugs have taken over the high schools. Bring in the National Guard permanently. The parents and the thugs have been getting everything for free all of their lives. They respect nothing and no one. They all need to be put on a work-study program, possibly doing hard labor somewhere, and it must be made mandatory or go to jail. Have the military supervise the entire program.

Anonymous said...

So last night on the local news I witnessed our mayor hudson announcing she is having our "brown water" cleared up. Her city council was standing beside her all giddy with excitement. I think Greenville has many other pressing problems that need to be addressed before we worry about eliminating the brown water.

Anonymous said...

3:27 reference comment 9:21...that's one good example of what needs to be cleaned up before the brown water issue.

Anonymous said...

6:37 PM

9:21 PM

3:27 PM

4:ll PM

AMEN to ALL of YOU!

Anonymous said...

So one person tried to say something positive. And you all immediately responded with NEGATIVE comments about unrelated issues! PLEASE be focused on the good things in life. There is much here to love and be thankful for.

Anonymous said...

6:41 PM

It was Sunday when you wrote your post.

Save it for someone else--like maybe the wanna' be thugs in Greenville.

We ALL have our own pastors, preachers, and priests....and YOU are not one of them!

We DO have Freedom of Speech!

Anonymous said...

?????? What does Sunday have to do with writing one's post??????

Glad you have a clergyperson available to you, Mr. Redneck. Your fine Christian attitude begs for one.

Anonymous said...

did anyone go to the big auction in leland on sat?

Anonymous said...

Will they also remove the coliforms from the water along with the brown color?
http://www.bfhd.wa.gov/info/coliform.php

Anonymous said...

11:55 AM

Sundays are generally reserved for "preaching".

A person does NOT have to be a redneck, to express their own opinion.

AND the original poster "6:41PM" did NOT like negative things being said about the schools! Hmmmmm!
An employee perhaps!

Anonymous said...

I heard that Hilton accidentally shot himself with a gun brought in by an EMT. I also heard that he insisted he be transferred to Jackson to be treated.... Hilton is the director of DRMC's ER...

Nuff said?

Anonymous said...

i heard the emt was fired for bringing the gun in.

Anonymous said...

8:51,

You are full of bad information; you need a new source.

Anonymous said...

So,...even Hilton has enough sense to go else where for
treatment...if the supposedly rumor is true.

Can't really blame him. Look what the EMT supposedly did.

It's different carrying a gun with you in the parking lot while going to your car than bringing one inside the emergency room!

Was the incident reported to the police and newspaper?

Anonymous said...

how is that different? if you were going to your car carrying a gun, you would becoming from inside the hospital.

Anonymous said...

It would be concealed and you would not have it out in "public view"...showing it to a doctor!

Doctors in emergency rooms probably have many enemies...and the list grows...every Saturday night...after gun whote wounds and stabbing victims are brought in for treatment!

Anonymous said...

if we are getting bad information, would you please give us the correct information.

Anonymous said...

I am not the previous anonymous poster, but I can confirm that the info posted about Hilton's incident was incorrect in almost every respect (except that an incident did occur). He was not shot by an EMT. He certainly did not request to be taken somewhere else for treatment, and he was quickly and competently treated at the DRMC ER, after which he went home that evening.He's doing well, and looks forward to returning to work.

If you don't have first hand knowledge about the "facts" you publish, you might consider not posting them at all.

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear that Hilton is well, but we all know that DRMC is a S--t hole, including Hilton. He, like the rest of the good KD staff, had no option but to work for the only hospital in town when Ray Ray came to power.

The only thing I would safely bet about Ray Ray's replacement is that he/she will be black!

Anonymous said...

8:35 is in need of the DRMC's mental health evaluation staff. He is deranged. Delusional. Paranoid. Dangerous.

Anonymous said...

So what if he or she is black@ 8:35pm? Would it be better if he or she was white again? Geesh.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if it matters who we want. It looks like the Board of Trustees (Sam Newsome) are ready to give the whole thing to University Medical Center. I wonder how that will work out for us? Does anyone remember Quorum? How much money did they steal from our hospital? Are we going to pay UMC to run our hospital? I sure wish the Borad was not being so secretive about it. If they put this out to the public I bet they would get an ear full. The Board should atleast entertain other options before they make a decision about UMC. They are not even looking at other options. If UMC is that interested maybe there is someone else out there that would be a better fit. Baptist? St. Dominic's? I hope they are not so short sighted to look at all options!

Anonymous said...

If it weren't for Ray's delusions of grandeur, DRMC would have been purchased by CHS, who owned KD. CHS is a major for-profit corporation that puts its money back into the hospital, as they did with KD.

The board probably can even find an applicant for Ray's job... it's like advertising for a Captain for the Titanic! If UMC is stupid enough to take on DRMC... let'em have it!!! Get rid of EVERYONE in administration and they may have a chance.

Thanks Ray for leaving us your "field of dreams". God bless Meridian!!!

ImaWondering said...

New thread -- anyone know why Police Chief Patterson was given a 3-day suspension?

Anonymous said...

Clarion Ledger interview with CEO of Delta Health Alliance in Sunday's Paper. Did I read that correctly: Annual Budget of $35 million!!!! That would pay for a lot of health care!!!!!!!!!!!

Leroy said...

What up with my man Chief Patterson? Why he be sent home fo tree day?

Anonymous said...

I learned a new word today. Will this happen in the US?

Greek strikers hit Athens streets over austerity plan

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8658973.stm

In economics, austerity is when a government reduces its spending and/or increases user fees to pay back creditors. Austerity is usually required when a government's fiscal deficit spending is felt to be unsustainable.

Anonymous said...

Hold on to your pants....the Austerity plan is coming our way.

Anonymous said...

What's up with DRMC... by the way, Hilton was suspended for 2 weeks for asking that the gun be brought to the hospital for him to consider purchasing.... The gun accidentally went off from the bag it was brought in by the EMT. No big deal. Hilton is a damned good doc.

I guess nobody wants Ray's job? They are tying to pawn it off on UMC. SAD!

Anonymous said...

There is that word again in today's news:

ATHENS, Greece — Rioting over harsh austerity measures left three people dead in a torched Athens bank and clouds of tear gas drifting past parliament, in an outburst of anger that underlined the long and difficult struggle Greece faces to stick with painful cutbacks that come with an international bailout.

Hot Pepper said...

Gee...Call Outsourcing was a complete scam.

Who knew? (please check my past postings)

Anonymous said...

9:04 I don't see your past postings on this column. Can you copy and paste it on this link? Thanks. P.S. I don't take the DDT because there is so little in it to read and they are not listing their news on line anymore. They just show a pic of the front page. The front page last night showed an article of the City asking the call center for money. Can you paraphrase the article on this post so I can read it? Thanks again

Leroy said...

Somebody have got to know what be up wit da chief, come on folks let us be knowin what he did!

What up with my man Chief Patterson? Why he be sent home fo tree day?

Anonymous said...

11:00 am....More than likely,it had something to do with issuing Steve McNair a badge, holster and a block.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant to say a glock and not a block. I guess I spelled it correctly but I am not sure....anyway it is a GUN!

Anonymous said...

And, please, "clue" me in.

Who exactly IS Steve McNair?

The name does sound familar, but I can't place him.

Hot Pepper said...

Call center facts: Look at 9:38 post in Nov 2009.

Jamaican Dude said...

cool...so like if I'm a football player, all I have to do is be a friend with a cop and I get my own badge and gun!?!? WOW....what a great country!

Anonymous said...

Steve McNair is that professional football player who was shot and murdered by his girlfriend and then she committed suicide. He was married and had three kids. I have forgotten all the other details. I think she was from Iraq or Iran...somewhere in the middle east. He was at his apartment that he had on the side and I think she came over for sex.

He was originally from Olive Branch Ms and was a friend of Chief Patterson and the Diva Mayor. Patterson was getting ready to send him to the police training academy. He had him sworn in as a Greenville police officer and issued him the badge, gun and papers. But McNair never has lived in Greenville. He just wanted to be a cop and said that he needed to be an officer of the law to come to Greenville to speak to kids about life, etc. It just all doesn't made sense to me. But Council discussed it in Executive session so the citizens won't ever know the real story.

Anonymous said...

ok Hot Pepper...I went back and looked up your posting. Interesting. So now what's going to happen? As I said before, I don't subscribe to the pitiful DDT and didn't read the front page last night.

Anonymous said...

So,...now Greenville has a dead
professional football player on the Greenville Police Dept....with paperwork, badge, and a gun!

I guess before his untimely death, maybe, he was going to be one of THE mayor's personal body guards?

Greenville. My, oh my! Such drama!
But, THE mayor loves drama, doesn't she?

Jimi Crack Corn said...

Can someone please tell me why the DDT bothers to have a WEB site? The news is so old and worthless. It is a shame to waste good band witdth on that thing, not to mention that they cut down good trees to get the paper to print that rag on.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 2:41 pm. Other newspapers allow you to read the entire paper on the website, including the Clarion Ledger, but you can't read anything on the DDT website.

Hot Pepper said...

RE: Call center: Apparently, the city is going after the remaining $85,000 outstanding of the original $95,000.

It is amazing to me that we wasted Gov Barbour's visit on this escapade, which (had our economic development folks done just an ounce of homework) would have been easy to spot as pie in the sky. I'm sure we lost whatever little credibility we had left as the Queen City of the Delta.

Even more amazing--the paper was notified of many facts before they began publishing their economic fluff on this story last fall, but it fell on Dominick the Deaf's ears. Apparently, he only believes Obama tells the truth, and that Bush lies. Standard liberal drivel. The reality is this....When can you tell that a politician is lying: When his/her lips are moving.

Anonymous said...

So,...THE call center is not working out as planned?

No NEW jobs?

Just another scam?

Anonymous said...

A 750 employee call cente in memphis called sitel will be completely shut doun by june of this year. what does ms. luke know that these people dont know?

Good luck folks said...

GREENVILLE - According to figures, the instances of burglaries and home invasions in the city of Greenville is alarming.

Through April of this year, the Greenville Police Department had recorded 203 home invasions; by Friday, June 11, the number stood at 372.

“It’s troublesome,” said Greenville Police Chief Charles Patterson.

Nice job GPD. So glad I got out of that hell hole!