Bureaucratic stupidity? Say it ain't so!

[BryanP]

Crap like this is at least part of why insurance is so expensive:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/technology/15speech.html?_r=1

[vaskidmark]

but ... you could use it to make a phone call to the white house or your congresscritter.  we can't have that happening with our private dollars that are supplemented with tax funds.

bunch of luddites.  so what if she surfed the internet for teddybear pron 95 per cent of the time - at least she can talk to her kid for one/100th of the cost of the dedicated machine and everybody still saves money.

i am officially outraged.

stay safe.

skidmark

[red headed stranger]

I'm against a government takeover of health care as much as any other card carrying conservative. 

That said, one of the least persuasive arguments against a "public option" is the idea that it will, unlike private insurers, put bureaucrats between you and your healthcare.  Well, most people that have dealt with their HMOs or PPOs have had plenty of interaction with bureaucrats such as the ones mentioned in this story. 

[Boomhauer]

That said, one of the least persuasive arguments against a "public option" is the idea that it will, unlike private insurers, put bureaucrats between you and your healthcare.

There's no bureaucrat like a government bureaucrat, and you can take that to the bank.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

That said, one of the least persuasive arguments against a "public option" is the idea that it will, unlike private insurers, put bureaucrats between you and your healthcare.  Well, most people that have dealt with their HMOs or PPOs have had plenty of interaction with bureaucrats such as the ones mentioned in this story. 

I'll take a private insurance company HMO bureaucrat over a government bureaucrat any day.  There are many advantages of a corporate goon over a government goon, but perhaps the biggest is that I can replace a crummy corporate goon with a different goon from a competing company.  You can't do that with gov't.

[MicroBalrog]

Aren't HMO's a creation of state regulation, too?

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Aren't HMO's a creation of state regulation, too?

I believe the 'lion of the senate' took credit for that bit of genius.

[CNYCacher]

Can we get back to the part where someone decided that a full laptop running windows and then locked down to only use the TTS software was a good solution?
Not to mention the fact that they charged $8000 for it.

WTF.

My 3-yo neice has a game stuck to the refrigerator.  You stick letter fridge magnets on it and it says the words you spell out.  I think it cost $19.95

Put a physical keyboard on an iphone-sized device, a one or two-line LC display, and embed the TTS as firmware, you could build the exact same functionality for under $50.

[MechAg94]

Aren't HMO's a creation of state regulation, too?

That was partly my thought.  What is an HMO, but a govt regulatory creation?

[InfidelSerf]

How about the point that she was quite capable of paying for a device that solved her dilemma on her own.
Without the need for ins. or medicare to cover that cost.

Had she just looked into a solution on her own in the first place, then taxpayers (medicare) wouldn't be on the hook for the 8K
And or an insurance co. wouldn't shell out 8K for one policy while raising rates on the rest of the policy holders with that company.

Self reliance is always the best option.  Even if it costs you a bit more out of pocket.

[Nitrogen]

oh come on, you just KNOW there'd be people on this board complaining that their tax dollars went to buy iphones for people, so either way, you cannot win.

[mtnbkr]

That said, one of the least persuasive arguments against a "public option" is the idea that it will, unlike private insurers, put bureaucrats between you and your healthcare.  Well, most people that have dealt with their HMOs or PPOs have had plenty of interaction with bureaucrats such as the ones mentioned in this story. 

My fear regarding the Govt option is that eventually they'll get a say in what treatment you can pursue regardless of who's paying for it.  As of right now, even if my insurance won't pay for a given treatment, I can pay for it myself out of pocket.  What's to say the govt doesn't eventually tack on a new law that says you can only get treatment approved by the govt's plan, even if you are willing to pay for it yourself?  I'm not ready to take that risk.

oh come on, you just KNOW there'd be people on this board complaining that their tax dollars went to buy iphones for people, so either way, you cannot win.

Too true unfortunately.

My 3-yo neice has a game stuck to the refrigerator.  You stick letter fridge magnets on it and it says the words you spell out.  I think it cost $19.95

We have that one and the more advanced 4 letter version.  Yes, Dad has had some fun with that one. :D

Chris

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

oh come on, you just KNOW there'd be people on this board complaining that their tax dollars went to buy iphones for people, so either way, you cannot win.

Naturally.  Tax dollars shouldn't be used to buy iPhones or computers, or, well, anything, for another person.

I think you're right, when government is in the buying-stuff-for-people business, you cannot win.