Will HEALTH CARE REFORM hurt hobby?

[joeadcock]

I am writing regarding this because I would like to know opinion of card collectors regarding the effect of HEALTH CARE REFORM on the hobby.

As I work in this field since 1990, I have a direct link to this. I was around in 1993 when MANAGED CARE was going to fix the cost issue. It was a miserable failure, not liked by anyone. Will this new fix work? Speaking without politics involved, I can only use history for an answer. Government involvement in health care has not historically kept cost down. In such an INCREDIBLE expansion of takeover, COSTS CAN ONLY GO UP. I suspect, COSTS WILL SKYROCKET over the next decade.

Therefore, it will hit us all in our ability to afford things, including TRADING CARDS. Over time, this will eat more of the money we have. There is nothing political in this, it is simply historical, and in such a great expansion, it will be magnitudes greater in its effect.

I can tell you that probably the biggest REASON health care had become so expensive was TECHNOLOGY/ADVANCEMENTS and the demand once it was available. REFORM will likely thwart/slow down advancement(due to the money not being there). Now cost will go up due to sheer numbers of people being insured and more access. Lack of MD's will be a problem also. There is not enough primary care.

As I tell those I see, if you dont believe me, wait. Be patient. It will occur.

Before anyone makes the comment, I am not against some form of Health Care Reform. I am for it, the manner in which it is formed and implemented is the issue.

I hope you good collectors will be able to continue to buy cards, mem., banners, etc. I for one, would like to keep collecting pre war cards for the next 30 years.

If anyone has any thoughts, would be interested.

Frank

[ChiefBenderForever]

I think the ecomony in general has already taking a toll on post war somewhat as many that were casual or part time collectors quit collecting, but for prewar I think there is enough collectors with money to keep it going strong. One thing for sure is the stock market will implode and that will affect everything. Another wave of layoffs and continued property slides but hopefully things will be a little bit easier for those who are unable or don't want to work.

[egbeachley]

Off-topic: Why do they call it Health Care Reform? As far as i can tell, the Health care portion is unchanged. It was Health Insurance Reform.

[teetwoohsix]

I think people who love and collect pre-war cards will continue to do so no matter what.If they are struggling financialy they may only buy at a snails pace.As much as I try,I do not understand this health care reform thing.I have decent healthcare insurance right now,as well as supplemental insurances also.How does this affect me or my situation?I do not know,but I honestly do not have a good feeling about it.

Is it for the elderly?Welfare recipients?The 11 million illegals living in the U.S.?The homeless?The unemployed?What happened to medicare/medicade?

The past decade has really made me skeptical about our future as a nation.
Pre-war cards remains a wonderful escape from all this crap.
Long live pre-war cards & collectables

Regards-Clayton

[T206Collector]

...You were well-intentioned in this post, but it is a political post nonetheless and has no place in this forum.

This thread will just devolve. That is the only thing that is easy to predict. And it should be locked pre-emptorily.

Most people who collect pre-war cards are white, afluent males with no shortage of health insurance. If you believe your taxes will go up as a result of the reform, then you'll have less disposable income for cards. I hear in Communist Russia they have no baseball cards at all!

But the poor, non-whites that couldn't afford health insurance before the law passed will have loads of money left over now for things like tobacco cards. So perhaps we'll finally get some diversity in our hobby.

[Rich Klein]

And we'll have to see how this plays out. If it works, the way the bill is intended too; there will be more people able to afford to buy cards

If it does not work; well then less people will be able to buy cards.

May take years to figure all this out; so let's table this subject for now

Rich

[Rich Klein]

Was our POTUS talking about what he went through with the Insurance issues about his mom. Remember at that point; he was an average citizen and not an exalted politician. If he felt like the Insurance Company did not react well; then he had a long memory and wanted to get at their profits.

I would not be surprised that a little bit of "revenge" was involved here as well

I'm sure I have more opinions and I may go for the David Rudd record of consecutive posts in the same thread

[baseballart]

Originally Posted by joeadcock

Government involvement in health care has not historically kept cost down.

From the OECD

Why does the United States spend so much more on health than other countries?

22-Mar-2010

In light of the historic vote by the US Congress, this brief outlines some of the key challenges facing the US health system. The United States spent 16% of its national income (GDP) on health in 2007, which is by far, the highest share in the OECD and more than seven percentage points higher than the average of 8.9% in OECD countries. This presentation was given by Mark Pearson, Head of OECD Health Division, to the U.S Senate Special Committee on Aging.

[E93]

I think since more people will be alive to collect since they won't be dropped by their healthcare providers when they get a serious illness, it can only be good for the hobby.
JimB

[E93]

Originally Posted by joeadcock

there is nothing political in this
frank

lmao

[brianp-beme]

How will health care reform affect card collecting? When in the future my cards become ill, I can rest assured that I can take them to the card doctor and they will not be denied due to 'pre-existing' conditions.

No offense Frank, but, come on, this is about as bogus a stretch for a connection to our hobby as has been seen here. The current economy's affect on our our hobby might be appropiate--the potential of a policy totally unrelated to the hobby is not, and just seems to be out of place on this board.

Brian

[E93]

Luckily the public option did not go through. Look what happened when some socialists in our government came up with the bright idea of having public education, and a publicly funded police force and fire fighters. It almost destroyed the hobby.
JimB

[joeadcock]

Perhaps you guys are right. It might be a stretch, seeing how others look at it.

Since this is something I live in every day, I guess I think about it alot more than others.

I will forego this for now.

As was said before, it will take years to play out.

Thanks for the input anyway

Frank

[Cat]

Originally Posted by E93

Luckily the public option did not go through. Look what happened when some socialists in our government came up with the bright idea of having public education, and a publicly funded police force and fire fighters. It almost destroyed the hobby.
JimB

Jim, with all due respect, those things have states and municipalities insolvent all across the country - mainly due to out of control pension obligations. I don't think we want to replicate that nationally.

[M's_Fan]

I just wonder if Obama called China to ask them if they were cool with paying for his new health care "plan" for us all ...

[Al C.risafulli]

Look what happened when some socialists in our government came up with the bright idea of having public education, and a publicly funded police force and fire fighters. It almost destroyed the hobby.

LMAO

-Al

[dennis]

"HEALTH CARE REFORM on the hobby." now i've heard it all

[Kawika]

Just what we need, another (non-political) political thread. Someone wake up Bruce and see if he's willing to chime in. That ought to rev things up.

[JP]

A 500-post Bruce Dorskind affair and a political thread both on the same day? Are the moderators taking the day off?

[joeadcock]

My intent was not to turn this into a political debate.

Health care takes up such a large part of our economy that it affects us all. It has now effectively(whether intended or not) started a path to much larger growth by this mandate.

Therefore, alot more money will flow into it out of all of us. Hence, less income to spend on cards. I simply wanted forum members thoughts about this.

This question may have been better served(if at all) months to years down the road.

With respect

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by JP

A 500-post Bruce Dorskind affair and a political thread both on the same day? Are the moderators taking the day off?

I see nothing here to moderate as long as people keep it to the topic. Will the new healthcare bill affect your spending on your hobby?

The question is far too early to ask IMO, but it was asked. It's card related so lets keep the ad-hominen out of it please.

[JP]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

I see nothing here to moderate as long as people keep it to the topic. Will the new healthcare bill affect your spending on your hobby?

Ha! Good one! Not even the original poster was on topic...

If you don't think the thread starters comments on
healthcare reform thwarting technological advancements
or
an inevitable lack of primary care
aren't poltical commentary, then you just aren't paying attention.

I can't even make my own comments without the reason behind them being political. Are we just supposed to give one word answers of Yes or No?

I agree with some of the previous posters in this thread...it doesn't belong and should be locked.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by JP

I can't even make my own comments without the reason behind them being political. Are we just supposed to give one word answers of Yes or No?

Yes.

[ElCabron]

Will HAVING A WIDE STANCE in a public bathroom affect the hobby? What about SNORKELING? There's nothing political about these questions, they're simply historical.

-Ryan

[ethicsprof]

no--health care reform will bring no harm to hobby

best,
barry

[JP]

Originally Posted by Leon

Yes.

Then maybe it serves better as a poll. Not sure anyone wants to read a thread filled with only Yes or No.

Edited to include that I just realized "REFORM" can be found secretly hidden within the word "REFORMIST" Not a political comment at all....just a word search observation.

[barrysloate]

I expected to wake up to a train wreck here and yet it wasn't. I'm proud of you guys!

[Rich Klein]

Really really important topics like ..... a certain poster from New York

Rich

[Peter_Spaeth]

--

[Hankphenom]

Anyone who's ever been self-employed knows what a nightmare getting affordable insurance can be. High cost, high deductible, you're basically paying double--for insurance and basic health care at the same time. And if you've ever had any health issues at all, it's IMPOSSIBLE. This in a country professing to encourage entrepreneurship. How many people are working for others or reluctant to change jobs solely because of the health insurance issues? How can that kind of inflexibility be good for our economy? I have no idea how this new reform will affect me or others, of course I'm hoping it's for the better. But as for the current (and rapidly deteriorating) employer-based system, how come we're the only ones in the world doing it this way? Something had to be done. Maybe these changes will enable more people to go out on their own as dealers, and competition is always a good thing, for this business and every other.
Hank Thomas