Emmanuelcare

[Gravitymaster 0]

OK Libs. You were OK with the government dictating that you had to buy something. Here is just the beginning of what you asked for.

***Shape Up or Pay Up: Emanuel

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is giving city workers an important health choice: enroll in a new wellness plan, expected to be unveiled Friday, or pay a higher premium.

The price if they don't enroll: $50 a month.

The program includes an initial screening that focuses on preventative care for asthma, heart disease and diabetes. City employees would then receive wellness training to achieve long-term health goals, including weight loss.

Smokers wouldn't be penalized, but they would be encouraged to quit. Advisers overseeing the program will monitor progress on a bimonthly basis, and those who reach their goals could see their health care premiums reduced.


"We will help you be a good steward for your health," Emanuel said Friday, "but if you choose not to, you'll pay that price and that is the price you'll have to pay."

The mayor believes the program will help cut the annual $500 million bill for health care for city employees.

"We are going to implement a citywide wellness plan for city employees," Emanuel confirmed at a recent press conference, "because health care costs for the city are being driven by 10 percent a year, and we're not seeing revenue grow that way."

Most city unions have signed on to the agreement, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, except the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents more than 10,000 city employees.

The FOP says its members have different health concerns and it doesn't want members to pay higher premiums if they decide not to enroll in the program.

But Emanuel says the program is a necessary step to getting healthcare costs under control.

"You can't ask the taxpayers to pay for a healthcare problem that you can manage and do a good job," Emanuel said. "You can do that with cholesterol, you can do that through diabetes, you can do that through smoking, through heart, blood pressure. Every one of those is manageable."

BY Lauren Jiggetts // Friday, Sep 16, 2011 at 11:51 CDT


Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Shape-Up-or-Pay-Up-Emanuel-129945248.html#ixzz1YAAgDscl

[StreetScooby 5]

Liberals don't seem to make the connection that the more a government "takes care of you" the more it can dictate what you can and cannot do. Or, maybe they do make that connection and think it's ok.

I fully expect Obamacrats to start dictating more and more if Obamacare isn't repealed, i.e., "You can't skydive, you could get hurt doing that and then society would have to pay for it".

These wise government officials/ex-community organizers think they know best how to live our lives. "You can't develop all those energy resources you have because fossil fuels are bad for you", never mind all the jobs (and federal REVENUE) it would generate.

The debate in this country is pretty simple, IMO. To what extent is the federal government allowed to dictate our lives? That's pretty well defined in the Constitution. Liberals don't see that as being very important, while others do. Let's hope folks wake up before it's too late and keep the republic that Ben Franklin, and other founding fathers, gave us.

Individual pursuit requires alot of personal responsibility. It's hard work, and it doesn't always work out. Those that make it work invariably get knocked on their ass, and then pick themselves up to do it again. Taking money from those that are making the American Dream work, to give to those that haven't even bothered with individual pursuit isn't fair to anyone.

I know this is a bit of a rant, but it's early in the morning here, and I found myself in the mood...

We are all engines of karma

[Gravitymaster 0]

Since we know Liberals carry a defective gene, maybe the government could start forcing mothers who are pregnant with babies with these genes to have an abortion.

[StreetScooby 5]

That's a little extreme, IMO.

We are all engines of karma

[jclalor 12]

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Since we know Liberals carry a defective gene, maybe the government could start forcing mothers who are pregnant with babies with these genes to have an abortion.

You're on a roll this morning, did you wake up on the wrong side of the gutter?

[freethefly 6]

Conservatives are a bit confusing. When people don''t want to pay for their healthcare, they scream about it. When someone tells the people that they will have to pay for their own healthcare and this is it, conservatives scream about it. It would be nice if you could have 100% control of what we pay for, but we don't. I would like for none of my tax dollars going to another country. Fuck Afghanistan. Fuck Iraq. Fuck Israel. Fuck Saudi Arabia. I would like for none of my tax dollars going to help people in Africa when their are people here in true need. Fuck Africa. I would like for none of my tax dollars going to the oil corporations in the form of subsidies. Fuck big oil. I want none of my tax dollars paying for the healthcare of fuck heads in the Federal government. Fuck the Feds. I can go on, and on about where I do not want my tax dollars going, but I have no choice where it goes. In the matter of healthcare... pay up or have your pay check garnished if you don't have insurance. Pay the full amount of the treatment. "The price if they don't enroll: $50 a month." Most people spend several times more than that at McDonald's or Taco Hell every month.

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The program includes an initial screening that focuses on preventative care for asthma, heart disease and diabetes. City employees would then receive wellness training to achieve long-term health goals, including weight loss.

Smokers wouldn't be penalized, but they would be encouraged to quit. Advisers overseeing the program will monitor progress on a bimonthly basis, and those who reach their goals could see their health care premiums reduced.

Emanuel's plan, sounds pretty damn good, as well as extremely affordable.

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[Gravitymaster 0]

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Since we know Liberals carry a defective gene, maybe the government could start forcing mothers who are pregnant with babies with these genes to have an abortion.

You're on a roll this morning, did you wake up on the wrong side of the gutter?

Yeah, I stumbled over yo mama last night.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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That's a little extreme, IMO.

I don't know why you say that. Liberals think it's OK to abort a baby with a genetic defect. I'm just agreeing with them.

[DaVinci 0]

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Smokers wouldn't be penalized, but they would be encouraged to quit.

Well, he failed right there...... Each year, an estimated 443,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, and another 8.6 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking (CDC numbers).

[DaVinci 0]

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Conservatives are a bit confusing. When people don''t want to pay for their healthcare, they scream about it. When someone tells the people that they will have to pay for their own healthcare and this is it, conservatives scream about it.

Actually, we are not. We don't think the Govt should have control over our lives. So, I don't think a Govt should mandate that I do X,Y, or Z.... I also do not think they should mandate that they make YOU do X,Y, or Z.

So I don' think the Govt should be involved in providing HC, or mandating that group "X" pays more.

Would you be OK with the Govt saying that anyone who skydives pay a higher rate than a non-jumper?

[DaVinci 0]

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Liberals think it's OK to abort a baby with a genetic defect.

To be fair, they also agree with aborting a perfectly healthy baby.

[kallend 2,107]

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Conservatives are a bit confusing. When people don''t want to pay for their healthcare, they scream about it. When someone tells the people that they will have to pay for their own healthcare and this is it, conservatives scream about it.

Actually, we are not. We don't think the Govt should have control over our lives. So, I don't think a Govt should mandate that I do X,Y, or Z.... I also do not think they should mandate that they make YOU do X,Y, or Z.

How about The Govt. telling you that you may NOT do something?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[DaVinci 0]

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How about The Govt. telling you that you may NOT do something?

I don't think the Govt should be allowed to tell you that you may not do something that does not intentionally hurt anyone else.

For example, the crash in Reno..... While tragic there are people calling for air races to be banned to "save lives". If a person wants to take a 2.5m airplane and race around some cones.... Fine. If people want to go watch, also fine. If either the pilot or the spectators are so stupid as to not realize the danger of doing it, or being there.... Well.....

It was not that long ago that the ATF tried to prevent you from having model rocket motors..... Why should the Govt be allowed to say you can't fly model rockets just because THEY don't see the point?

The Govt should stay the hell out of most of an individuals choices as long as those choices only affect the individual making them.

Wanna smoke and eat HoHo's all day???? Fine, but don't expect me to pay for your bad choices.

Wanna skydive without health insurance? OK, but don't expect me to pay your health care expenses when you break your leg, and don't get upset that you don't get the BEST care.

[grimmie 186]

This thread is so off on a tangent.

He's saving taxpayer money. Isn't that what you want?

Lots of cities have mandatory wellness programs.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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This thread is so off on a tangent.

He's saving taxpayer money. Isn't that what you want?

Lots of cities have mandatory wellness programs.

I don't want the government saving me any money. I want them to quit spending more than I already pay them.

If saving me money was the only goal, we should just kill anyone over 65. Soylent Green.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

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I don't think the Govt should be allowed to tell you that you may not do something that does not intentionally hurt anyone else.

Running a red light doesn't hurt anybody
Doing 100 m/hr in a school zone doesn't hurt anybody
Driving drunk doesn't hurt anybody
Air races over populated areas don't hurt anybody

You are advocating anarchy. Doesn't seem to be working overly well for Somalia.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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I don't think the Govt should be allowed to tell you that you may not do something that does not intentionally hurt anyone else.

Running a red light doesn't hurt anybody
Doing 100 m/hr in a school zone doesn't hurt anybody
Driving drunk doesn't hurt anybody
Air races over populated areas don't hurt anybody

You are advocating anarchy. Doesn't seem to be working overly well for Somalia.

One day, left-wingers are going to wake up and find the government has banned skydiving because they felt it was too dangerous. Then you guy will yelp like a kicked puppy. But by then it will be too late to do anything about it.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

One day right-wingers will understand that arguing in absolutes resolves nothing. I really would have more respect for somebody to just say: look I just don't think they should do anything that negatively effects ME.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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One day right-wingers will understand that arguing in absolutes resolves nothing. I really would have more respect for somebody to just say: look I just don't think they should do anything that negatively effects ME.

I'd have more respect for someone who just says "I can understand how my stupid actions could affect everyone. I should get insurance because when something happens to me I don't want to have to reply on others to pay my medical tab".

I have more respect for someone who says, that until we change this attitude within our society that makes someone believe that however much they screw up, the government will bail them out" that people will continue to reply on government to do just that. When people finally realize they have to start taking responsibility for their own inaction, only then will they begin to change. If it takes a few people being turned away from a hospital because they have no insurance, then so be it. If they have to work 2 or 3 jobs to pay for it, then that's what they need to do. Perhaps the horror of seeing the consequences of not having insurance is what it will take to wake some people up.

[headoverheels 333]

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Would you be OK with the Govt saying that anyone who skydives pay a higher rate than a non-jumper?

Yes, that would make total sense if the Govt is providing the health care.

[billvon 3,076]

>If it takes a few people being turned away from a hospital because they have
>no insurance, then so be it.

I am glad we live in a society where this doesn't happen. We are better people because of it.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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>If it takes a few people being turned away from a hospital because they have
>no insurance, then so be it.

I am glad we live in a society where this doesn't happen. We are better people because of it.

We would be a better society in the long term if [people would start accepting responsibility for their failure to support themselves and be self-sufficient instead of depending on the government to do their bidding for them.

Weren't you preaching about how everyone needed to realize that their entitlements were going to have to be cut?

[billvon 3,076]

>We would be a better society in the long term if people would start accepting
>responsibility for their failure to support themselves . . . .

I agree. It's a good goal, but not everyone will be capable of that.

Fortunately, as a society we have this thing called compassion - so that even the fools among us do not die miserable and avoidable deaths when they screw up and forget to bring their insurance card when they get hit by a car.

>Weren't you preaching about how everyone needed to realize that their
>entitlements were going to have to be cut?

Yep. I recall you suddenly going very quiet when I asked whether or not veterans were entitled to their benefits.

[Gravitymaster 0]

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>We would be a better society in the long term if people would start accepting
>responsibility for their failure to support themselves . . . .

I agree. It's a good goal, but not everyone will be capable of that.

Fortunately, as a society we have this thing called compassion - so that even the fools among us do not die miserable and avoidable deaths when they screw up and forget to bring their insurance card when they get hit by a car.

Then let's come up with a way for them to pay the money to the hospital when they don't carry insurance. I believe the only way you teach people responsibility is to make them deal with the consequences. Maybe start a "Scared Straight" type of program. Seems to work with irresponsible adolescents, might work with irresponsible adults.

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>Weren't you preaching about how everyone needed to realize that their
>entitlements were going to have to be cut?

Yep. I recall you suddenly going very quiet when I asked whether or not veterans were entitled to their benefits.

Sorry about that. I must have missed your question. The Veterans will have to accept that their benefits will have to be cut. I think we need to start by means testing SS and other entitlements.

[billvon 3,076]

>Then let's come up with a way for them to pay the money to the hospital when they
>don't carry insurance.

Sure, I'm all for that; save their lives first, then figure out how to get them to pay for it. Combine that with some incentives to actually carry insurance and you could make a pretty good dent in the healthcare problem. The problem is that "go to the ER and worry about paying later" has become pretty standard - indeed, the GOP has touted it as the foundation of our healthcare system.