The Early News on Obama's Aviation Picks - Scary Mary returns to power?

[Mamma]

On the other side of the coin many of those medical related services are getting what they deserve. Being a doctor is not supposed to be about driving in a luxury car, flying a 182 on the weekend or vacationing on a luxury yacht. It is about diagonising and treating medical patients. Another sector that is going to get it are the greedy health insurance companies who look to decline coverage for a growing number of Americans while the MDs milk insurance for garaunteed payment. Least we forget the pharmasuteicals (sp) who produce the medicines that cure the sick. Why is they keep looking for reasons to jack prices? Maybe that is why more sick people go without treatment, beacuse they simply can not afford the meds and despite what the phamasuticals want us to belive, the manufacturing of drugs has not greatly changed over the past couple of decades.

What goes around comes around, and it looks like the greed that has corrupted health care is about to get a nice big enema.

From what I read you obviously argue from emotion and not fact. Your comments on the drug companies is so far out in left field it is sad.

 

[Lear70]

Good grief... Maybe I just have the luxury of being the only pilot in my family (besides my dad) and being surrounded by medical, real estate, and finance people, so I understand a bit of the industry (it's a topic every time we all get together - immediate family includes 4 physicians, 2 LNP's, 2 R/N's, and a LRNA).

On the other side of the coin many of those medical related services are getting what they deserve. Being a doctor is not supposed to be about driving in a luxury car, flying a 182 on the weekend or vacationing on a luxury yacht. It is about diagonising and treating medical patients.

So, let me get this straight. YOU want to be able to have a nice new(er) BMW convertible, a cub to play around on, and vacation all over the world using your interline discounts, but the Doc shouldn't be entitled to the same?

I haven't met a pilot YET who didn't want those SAME things, yearn for the days of an average $100-120k a year 3-7 year F/O salary, and $200k+ year 7-15 CA salary, so they could have those pleasures in life (like they used to).

Pretty hypocritical.

Another sector that is going to get it are the greedy health insurance companies who look to decline coverage for a growing number of Americans while the MDs milk insurance for garaunteed payment.

OK, this one is hilarious... you obviously don't know ANYONE in the medical profession or know only the specialists (plastic surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, etc) who are the ONLY ones making large money.

Did you know that, the average GP (General Practitioner) only makes about $120k a year PRE-tax, after clearing all their medical office expenses, including astronomical malpractice insurance?

Did you know that, on average, only 1 in 3 patients seen in a GP's office actually PAY their bill?

Did you know that, in order to generate 1 hour of medical billing, it costs 5-7 hours of office work for the various employees? Scheduling, check-in, nurse pre-workup, doc visit, check-out, chart entry, billing and insurance, billing and insurance follow-up, etc? 5-7 hours to generate 1 hour of billing time. The docs have to pay that before they pay themselves.

You are angry at the insurance companies; they are largely responsible for the ramp-up in the cost of medical care. The more they disallow things and pay only pennies on the dollar, the more the doctors will mark up the cost of medical care to ensure they can pay their employees.

Make sure you understand a situation before you rant about it.

Least we forget the pharmasuteicals (sp) who produce the medicines that cure the sick. Why is they keep looking for reasons to jack prices?

If you're going to discuss a topic intelligently, start with spelling the medical terminology correctly. I don't mean to be the spelling police, but come on, we're having a debate here. Precision is important.

Maybe that is why more sick people go without treatment, beacuse they simply can not afford the meds and despite what the phamasuticals want us to belive, the manufacturing of drugs has not greatly changed over the past couple of decades.

Do you have ANY clue what goes into research for a drug, and how much they have to write off when that research line has to be trashed?

SOME drugs are greatly overpriced, yes. But many are not. If you haven't noticed, the price of many drugs is directly correlated to the demand for a drug. THAT'S what you want to get aggravated about. Pharmaceutical companies DO tend to price gouge, and there's a reason they spend so much on marketing them.

Have you ever seen the pharmaceutical sales reps? WOW! They pick the hottest and most-presentable young ladies between 26 and 35 and send them to the doctors offices, buy the doctors dinners at the finest restaurants (I've been to a few with the LNP I dated), all methods they can think of to get the docs to push their particular med.

It's a huge business, and it does need SOME reigning in, but you cap it like Hillary is proposing, and drug makers will stop making all but their lowest-cost drugs in the U.S., sell their leading drugs in Canada and other countries, and the U.S. consumer will be SCREAMING for them and illegally getting the drugs over the border and paying more than ever, because they have to pay cash.

What goes around comes around, and it looks like the greed that has corrupted health care is about to get a nice big enema.

You better hope not, or watch health care become like other countries.

I fly Air Ambulance these days. Have you ever SEEN what medical care is like in, say, South America? Russia?

It's God-awful. Socialized medicine does NOT work. There's a REASON people come to the U.S. from all over the world.

Screw with that at your own peril.

 

[Mamma]

Lear,
You hit the nail on the head. My wife used to sell drugs for Lilly so I know a little about the industry. A drug company puts up billions (sometimes the entire company) to develop a new drug. It has to make it through trials, the FDA and then the public. Any snag in the process costs even more. When the drug finally hits the market, the company only has 10 years to make their money back and turn a profit before the drug goes generic. Also, the drug companies also know that not everyone can afford the drugs so they keep the doctors stocked with samples and take part in many programs to get the drugs to needy people. Sometimes it happens that someone does not get the meds they need, but the system is not perfect.

 

[GogglesPisano]

Don't break your heart over Big Pharma. They have historically had the highest profit margin of any industry.

http://everydayecon.wordpress.com/2006/04/26/oil-profit-margins-vs-other-industries/

 

[Blade Runner]

I was hired by two airlines during Bush's tenure so are you saying my FO jobs were bought on federal debt? Also, who exactly is the cause of this credit problem? I suppose you will say it is all Bush's fault. People like you are the reason this country won't come together. You refuse to see anything outside your partisan point of view. Try being a little more flexible and open and many pieces of the puzzle will become visible to you. It is my opinion this problem we are in today in regards to the economy is everyone's fault...Congress, Fed, Bush Admin, banks, Americans. Greed, stupidity, arrogance, a complete lack of accountibility and wanting something for nothing has become ingrained in our culture and until we weed it out I don't see things getting much better in the long term. If you lay all the blame at Bush's feet, you are going to let all the rest of the guilty walk away. I'm sure that is not what you want.

Well said !!

 

[Mamma]

Don't break your heart over Big Pharma. They have historically had the highest profit margin of any industry.

http://everydayecon.wordpress.com/2006/04/26/oil-profit-margins-vs-other-industries/

You could play the "my website proves my point" game all day long.

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/news/Jul2002/DrugCompanyProfitsvsResearch.html

 

[Smacktard]

And if because of those 2 things you end up having an income above 250,000 grand, then good!! I hope you and those people get soaked with taxes!! It's high time that the people with the big bucks, 250grand plus, start paying the lions share of taxes. The little guys have seen the rich have a field day with the present administration. They have run companies into the ground while lining their pockets, they have destroyed pensions all the while lining their own pockets, they have deteriorated the working mans wages, especially of the airlines employees and pilots in particular. while you guessed it, lining their own pockets. It's time for the hammer to fall on these pukes.

If you are earning more than 250 grand, you have well above the minimum finances to put a modest roof over your head, and food in your mouth. The problem with the pukes that earn that much, is that they have to buy their fancy homes, and 50G plus vehicles, instead of buying a home in the median price range, or a 20-25grand car etc.

It's so funny listening to these people b*tch and moan about having to pay some more taxes when their are people out here that are having all they can do paying for their below average priced home, their 10G USED car, their insurance, elec., student loans etc. For all of the rich out there....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!:beer:

The top 1% own 19% of the money and pay 40% of the taxes. The top 5% pay 60+% of the taxes. Are you referring to these 'selfish' folks?

 

[ackattacker]

The top 1% own 19% of the money and pay 40% of the taxes. The top 5% pay 60+% of the taxes. Are you referring to these 'selfish' folks?

These numbers are not accurate.

The top 1% have about 21% of "Adjusted Gross Income" but own over 40% of the nation's total wealth.

 

[Smacktard]

These numbers are not accurate.

The top 1% have about 21% of "Adjusted Gross Income" but own over 40% of the nation's total wealth.

Yes, and aren't taxes based on income? They pay the highest average tax rate. They pay the vast majority of tax revenues. They pay their share.

 

[pipejockey]

Wow Wealth envy at it's finest!

Pipe, what percentage of total income should someone making 250K pay towards taxes
10% 20% 30% What do you feel is the right amount?

Taxes are too high for EVERYONE!! get rid of all the waste and we could probably cut our federal budget by 30%. But I am sick and tired of the wealthy that have many times over, the net income they need to live a good life, paying the same percentage in tax that a guy like me, who can barely pay the necessities of a MODEST lifestyle must pay. And the wealthy always seem to have an endless little stream of loopholes they can take advantage of to decrease their tax burden to far less of their gross than I can.

To answer your question....lets see, a guy grossing $1,000,000 being taxed 50% still has a net of 500,000. That's many times over what I earn. So 50% sounds reasonable to me. And they can still live a lifestyle far beyond anything I could ever attain.

Oh, and our Social Security shortcomings would probably remedied by applying that tax to ALL of your income, not cutting it off at 100 grand or so. Whats up with that? Why do I have to pay the SS tax on ALL of my income, but the wealthy don't? I'd love to shove just enough of their cash down their throats to choke the vultures with!!!