1 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Ah, there's always something to make you looked around and say, hey, 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: you know what, I live in a. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 2: Pretty great country. 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: President Trump is call on point on his game, and 5 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: i'mlike the last guy. 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 2: He is competent and coherent. Come, we're not bending the 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 2: knee anymore. 8 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: We're here to take a stand for God and country. 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 2: This is the Steve Gruber Show. Yes it is. And 10 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 2: Merry Christmas Eve, my friends, especial day. 11 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: I hope you're able to spend the rest of today 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: and tomorrow with the ones you love, focusing on the 13 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: Christmas story and the real reason for the season. You 14 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: know me, I'm not shy to call for change where 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: I think it's necessary, But it's also important to remind 16 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: ourselves of the everyday miracle of life and the good 17 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: things that God has gifted us, and most importantly, the 18 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: good news He has for us, for little ordinary us 19 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: and me two and the Book of Luke and the 20 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: Bible tells us about that good news, and no one 21 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: tells it better than Linus. After Charlie Brown asked what 22 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,199 Speaker 1: Christmas is all about, Yeah, Linus says, look, Charlie Brown, 23 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: it's not about the little tree, It's not about any 24 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 1: of that I actually can't play the clip for you, sadly, 25 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: but he says, it's not about that tree. It's about 26 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: the birth of Jesus. It's not about the presence and family. 27 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: Those things are great that they are, but it's about 28 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: the birth of Jesus. And even Linus has it figured out. 29 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: That's what Christmas is all about, the good news shared 30 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: to ordinary people who then share it with others. Yeah, 31 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: listen to this. Let's focus on those shepherds for a 32 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: moment this morning. 33 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: Shepherds. 34 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: They weren't royalty, they weren't rabbis, they didn't have the 35 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: luxury of spending every day in the temple, and didn't 36 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: have the Messianic prophecies. 37 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: Memorized word for word. 38 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: But they are who God sent his angel messengers to first. 39 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: They are who he entrusted was sharing the good news 40 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: to everyone else in Bethlehem. The fact that they were 41 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: in Bethlehem and there were shepherds is actually significant. Listen 42 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: to this Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Kahan explain. 43 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: The relevance. 44 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 3: Bethlehem. If you go there, it's it's filled with hills 45 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 3: and there are still shepherds there. It's a place of 46 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 3: shepherds and lambs, and it was It's without doubt that 47 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 3: Bethlehem was a key place to raise the temple lambs, 48 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 3: the lamb, not just slams, but lambs for the sacrifice. 49 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 3: So so where was the where would the Lamb of 50 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 3: God be born in the place of the lambs, and 51 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 3: not just the lambs, but the sacrifice lambs, you know, 52 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 3: the Lamb of God. Who is the sacrificed Lamb. It's 53 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: going to be born where the sacrificed lambs are born? 54 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 3: And who greets the who's there when you have the 55 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 3: birth of a lamb? The shepherds, they're the ones they 56 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 3: have to be. They're there with a birth. They have 57 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:07,360 Speaker 3: to take care of that lamb. They have to make 58 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 3: sure everything's right. So who greeted Messiah in bedlamb? The shepherds, 59 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 3: because he is the lamb and he is the sacrifice lamb. 60 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 3: So they were greeting. They would be greeting into the 61 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 3: world lambs that were for the sacrifice, And so they 62 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 3: did for Messiah. And at the same time, who's Messiah? 63 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 3: He is the good Shepherd. So what's in Bethlehem The shepherds, 64 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 3: and they're there at his birth also because he's the 65 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: Good Shepherd, so shepherds greet him as the Great Shepherd 66 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 3: at his birth, the. 67 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: Good Shepherd capital g identified that Christmas night with the 68 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: lowly shepherds, the most ordinary and blue collar of Bethlehem's residence. 69 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: Do you ever feel discouraged by your ordinariness? Ever feel 70 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: that you can't affect a change in the world because 71 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: you might not have the platform, the credentials, or the money. 72 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: I had to tell you today, that is exactly the 73 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,839 Speaker 1: kind of person that God reveals himself to, the kind 74 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: of person who he entrusts with his good news, with 75 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: the hope that changes lives. There's a lot that can 76 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: get you discouraged out here in the real world these days, 77 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,919 Speaker 1: and people don't trust the celebrities or the politicians, the 78 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: big wigs deliver hope anymore. They need the real life truth, 79 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: the touch of their neighbors or barbers, their friends and 80 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: family that bring hope to them. 81 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: That's you. You have the ability to rest in and 82 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 2: deliver that same message that those shepherds did more than 83 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 2: two thousand years ago. 84 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, 85 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: goodwill toward men, peace, goodwill. So we need more of 86 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: in this world, and Jesus Christ is the only one 87 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: who can bring lasting peace and good will. First you 88 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: have to embrace and accept his sacrifice. Then it's up to. 89 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: You in me to share it. 90 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: His glory meets you where you are, whether it's on 91 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: the hill side while these dirty, tired shepherds took care 92 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 1: of their lambs, or whether it's in your car on 93 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: the way to work, work, while you ask God for 94 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 1: the kind of help that. 95 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: Only he can bring. His glorious for you and for me. 96 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 2: It's meant to be shared. 97 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 1: Sometimes we can lose the message, lose our purpose when 98 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: we get too focused on the negative, like these kids 99 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: who derail their church's Nativity program. 100 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 4: Listen to this, Jesus. 101 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 2: Kids. 102 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: It's a lot cuter when those kids fight than when 103 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: we do. Though God used the ordinary, grueling process of 104 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: childbirth to bring his son to us, he first visited 105 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: the ordinary, lowly shepherds on that hillside to share the 106 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 1: good news his delights. 107 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 2: In the ordinary. 108 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: The apostle Paul shares a message God shared with him 109 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: in Two Corinthians twelve nine, where he writes, but he 110 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 1: said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for 111 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 1: my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will 112 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that 113 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: Christ's power may rest on me. Do you feel tired 114 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: or weak this Christmas season? It's in that weakness, that 115 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,960 Speaker 1: humanity that Christ says his power has made perfect. Embrace 116 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: that good news today and share it with the ones 117 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: you love. Like I said, it's great to share that 118 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: time with your friends and family, and I want you 119 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: to do that today, But I also want you to 120 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: share the good news. 121 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 2: Maybe pick up the Bible, dust it off. 122 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: Read from Mark, Matthew Luke, and John read the Christmas Story, 123 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: Read of the Immaculate Birth of Christ. Share it especially 124 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: with your kids and your grandkids and those that are 125 00:06:54,680 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: troubled today, because this is a message that transcends time. 126 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: This is a message that transcends time and changes hearts. 127 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 2: Sure presents are great. 128 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: Our tradition in this house we open one on Christmas Eve, 129 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: then the rest on Christmas Morning with a family, and 130 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: that's a wonderful tradition. But we will also do it 131 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: with the knowledge of who we're celebrating and why who 132 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: were celebrating and why. 133 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 2: It's that hope, that good news that we must remember 134 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 2: today and on endo this evening, and yes we can 135 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 2: get the updates on Santa Claus flying around the world. 136 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 2: It's all fun. It is. 137 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: It's a magical time of the year, but it's magical 138 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: because of the birth we celebrate. So my hope for 139 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: you today is that you accept the good news, that 140 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: you embrace the reason for the season, and spend time 141 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: with those that you love. And if you're struggling today, 142 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: get on your knees. 143 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 2: And pray. God bless this season, God bless this country, 144 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 2: God bless you for being here. Merry Christmas Eve. I'll 145 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 2: take a break and I'll be right back. 146 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: It has become the hot topic for sure. That is 147 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: healthcare in America. Healthcare in America has become a huge 148 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: hot topic. Democrats want to continue to do more of 149 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: the same. Continue to take your tax dollars to feed 150 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 1: the Obamacare monster. Rates go up, the services you get 151 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 1: come down. Many people can't afford it, and then they 152 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: blame Republicans who not one voted for Obamacare in the 153 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: first place. 154 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 2: And here we are. 155 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: Joining me today is Paul Secret. He's an employee benefits 156 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: practice leader actor. 157 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 2: Sure. 158 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: I've known Paul for a number of years now he's 159 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: been in the program. He appeared at a documentary with 160 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: me a couple of years ago called Flatline. You can 161 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: find that documentary on healthcare. It's called flatlinefilm dot com. 162 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: Flatlinefilm dot com. Paul, welcome back to the program. 163 00:09:57,559 --> 00:09:58,319 Speaker 5: Thanks for having me. 164 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 2: Nice to see you. It's been a bit. One of 165 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 2: the things you said to me that I still chuckle 166 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 2: about to this day. You used to work at the NSA. 167 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: You were a Russian analyst, right, You're a Russian analyst, 168 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: That's what you did for a living. And then you 169 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: got into the insurance industry and you said to me 170 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: one of the first times we met, the insurance industry 171 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: is far dirtier than the Russians. 172 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 2: And that still sits with me. Is it true? 173 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 5: True? 174 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 6: I think more true today than it was the first 175 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 6: time I said it. 176 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 5: Yes. 177 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, So here we are. 178 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:33,600 Speaker 1: You've got these lobbyists in the halls of Congress working 179 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: hard to get these subsidies pushed through. The Democrats want 180 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: three more years of these subsidies. Obamacare has been a 181 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: failure by design, I believe, Paul. 182 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 2: But there's no way the Obamacare plan, whatever it is, 183 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 2: will function properly now or ever will it? 184 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 6: Well not unless we're willing to borrow hundreds of billions 185 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 6: of dollars to subsidize it. I think the thing that's 186 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 6: been most ironic to me is to watch how we 187 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 6: mostly fight over who's going to pay for something that's broken, 188 00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 6: not how to fix it. You know, when you look 189 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 6: at premiums that are tens of thousands of dollars because 190 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 6: we've allowed healthcare conglomerates to form in other things that 191 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 6: we could kind of point to and talk about, we 192 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 6: need to fix some of those underlying problems. 193 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 5: And we've never addressed really any of them. 194 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 6: We just allowed cost of climate and we hide that 195 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,960 Speaker 6: behind subsidies. We can have people making hundreds of thousands 196 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 6: of dollars a year in this country getting subsidies today. 197 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:34,720 Speaker 6: In some cases their whole premium is covered and they 198 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 6: can make two, three, four, or five, six hundred thousand 199 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 6: dollars a year. That's we're in a really crazy place 200 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,599 Speaker 6: that is absolutely unsustainable. 201 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: Well, I haven't figured out that formula how to get 202 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: it all paid for. I don't know how people do that, 203 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: but there must be some formula, some magic deal to 204 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: get there. 205 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,079 Speaker 2: But look here's the thing. President Trump came out a 206 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 2: were talking about how savings accounts. I think that's a 207 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 2: good idea because he said, and the Republicans are going 208 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 2: to reveal something I'm told before the end of the month, 209 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 2: maybe as soon as this week, but I would guess 210 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 2: not quite yet. That would include health savings accounts and 211 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 2: possibly co ops at ran Paul's talking about. We're going 212 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 2: to get to that in a minute. 213 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: But first, the insurance company profits have gone up one 214 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 1: thousand percent in ten years, one thousand percent because the 215 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 1: money that people pay in to the government for Obamacare, 216 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 1: twenty percent of that goes straight to the insurance company, doesn't. 217 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 6: It right, It's an incentive for cost to go up. 218 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 6: If you look at the cost of a healthcare procedure 219 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 6: today versus pre Affordable Care Act days, it is higher, 220 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 6: and not by a little. When you put them in 221 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 6: a cost plus model, they do far better if any 222 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 6: replacement costs one hundred thousand dollars than if it costs 223 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 6: twenty thousand dollars. So the incentives are so misaligned that 224 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 6: you have a whole system that does better if it's 225 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 6: less efficient. That is a medical loss ratio rule that 226 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 6: you're talking about. That's part of the Affordable Care Act 227 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 6: was was really never set up to do well. If 228 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 6: you're an optimist, it wasn't built well. But it's an 229 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,839 Speaker 6: absolute mess that's driven up costs tremendously. Yeah, and then 230 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,839 Speaker 6: these organizations said, well, how can we return even more 231 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 6: profit to shareholders? And so we allowed healthcare conglomerates to form. 232 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 6: It used to be, as an example, United and optim 233 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 6: Er separate companies, CVS, care Mark and Etna, we're three 234 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 6: different companies. Express Scripts and Signa we're two different companies. 235 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 6: And now you have these conglomerates. We won't let two 236 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,679 Speaker 6: budget airlines merge because you know, people might be upset 237 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 6: about airfare going up potentially, but will allow these healthcare 238 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 6: conglomerates to form. And then as a result, premiums are 239 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 6: up about one hundred percent in the last fifteen years. 240 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 1: And continuing to story, you know, one of the things 241 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 1: that I saw, one of the things that I saw 242 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: when I traveled the country doing that documentary film a 243 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: couple of years ago, you'd have these big companies come in, 244 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: they'd buy four hospitals, say, and they look at these 245 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: four hospitals in Tennessee, or wherever they might be. And 246 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: they say, Okay, these four hospitals are all profitable, but 247 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 1: these two are not as profitable, so we're going to 248 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: close those two and the people. 249 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 2: Will go to these other hospitals. 250 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: But what happens is you lose your emergency room, you 251 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: lose your obstetric you lose you're oncology in that community. 252 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 1: And what they have proven by doing this, people won't 253 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 1: travel that far. 254 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: People end up dying, don't they. 255 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 5: That's right. 256 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 6: Yeah, we create healthcare deserts because of this consolidation that 257 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 6: absolutely have not created better health outcomes. I mean, we've 258 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 6: got a disparity between urban and rural areas in health 259 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 6: outcomes and life expectancy. In the name of profit, it's 260 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 6: the experiment is not going well. 261 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 1: No, the experiment's not going well, and it's coming at 262 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: the expense of Americans, ordinary Americans. 263 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 2: Who lose access to healthcare. 264 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: I mean, if you have a hospital today and it 265 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: goes away, then you don't have the ability to get 266 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: to the emergency room if you chest pains. 267 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 2: I mean, that's just an easy example. 268 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: Ers closed. One of the first things to go away 269 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 1: is labor and delivery. Apparently that's an expensive part of 270 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: the hospital. 271 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 2: They don't like that. 272 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: They like surgical centers because that makes a lot of money. 273 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 1: Labor and delivery they don't care for so much. One 274 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,479 Speaker 1: of the things I want to get to here, Paul, 275 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: is something you mentioned. You said, knee replacement. 276 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 2: But whatever the procedure is, some of these procedures have 277 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 2: twenty different price points, one hundred different price points, depends 278 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 2: on what your insurance is, who's paying, how it's getting paid. 279 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 2: That's crazy to me. 280 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 6: Over one hundred and fifty is actually very common. And 281 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 6: then you think about these transparency rules that we put 282 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 6: in place as part of the original Affordable Care Act, 283 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 6: one of the few parts that I thought could be helpful, 284 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 6: and they become really unuseful. I mean, there's so much 285 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 6: information that broke the Internet. You can't as a consumer 286 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 6: go on and look at these one hundred and fifty 287 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 6: different prices and wage your way through it. What's even 288 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 6: worse is that it really doesn't matter in the current system. 289 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 6: If you tell that hospital that you have insurance, you're 290 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 6: going to have to pay whatever the agreed upon amount is. 291 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:07,920 Speaker 6: You don't get to negotiate a better price. 292 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 2: That's your contract. 293 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: The contract says this, We're to talk more about the 294 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:13,760 Speaker 1: price points and how this is not good for the 295 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: American consumer. As we continue the conversation with Paul Siegert 296 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: about where we are with healthcare in America. 297 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 2: Paul, sit tight, We'll be right back. 298 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 5: I'll tell you to let me a little. 299 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: All right, So transparency, Here's what I don't understand, And 300 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 1: I'll bring Paul Segart back in because here's what I 301 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: don't understand, Paul. If I go to the hospital, an 302 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: MRI cost whatever an MRI costs. You know, an oil 303 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: filter cost but it costs a gallon of gas const 304 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: but it costs, but not not in medicine, not in healthcare. 305 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: One hundred and fifty different pricing points for an MRI 306 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: or a larger procedure. How does that even make sense? 307 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: And how do they create these bizarre forms is to 308 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: arrive at this destination. 309 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 6: That's a negative outcome of the whole insurance payment model. 310 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 6: I mean, if you go in there and you are 311 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,879 Speaker 6: a cash payer today, on average, the discount is eighty 312 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 6: to eighty five percent of what they're going to charge 313 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 6: if you have insurance, which kind of negates the whole 314 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 6: purpose of insurance. The idea was that these big insurance 315 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 6: companies go out and negotiate better deals for their customers, 316 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 6: and therefore they would attract customers because they created value. 317 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 6: We've gotten so far away from that. We're in a 318 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 6: place now. I just mentioned to you during the break 319 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 6: I had a baby twenty months ago. They thought I 320 00:17:37,600 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 6: had insurance. I was a cash payer, at least that's 321 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 6: how I presented. They thought they were going to bill 322 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 6: me twenty eight thousand dollars. I said, oh, whoa, apply 323 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 6: the cash discount. The baby ended up costing twenty eight 324 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 6: hundred dollars. Well paid for it on a credit card. 325 00:17:52,240 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 6: Ten crazy system. 326 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 2: That's a ninety percent discount. 327 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: I'm not great with math, but I can do a 328 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: ninety percent discount. 329 00:17:59,000 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 5: So crazy. 330 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: So how many people know that? 331 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 5: I don't think many people do. 332 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:07,679 Speaker 6: Yeah, they don't, and that's the challenge. I like the 333 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 6: idea of the health savings accounts. We can talk more 334 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 6: about that, but as soon as that consumer tells the 335 00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 6: provider that they have insurance, they're stuck with whatever the 336 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 6: negotiated reimbursement agreement is an amount. 337 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: So really quickly on that point there twenty eight thousand 338 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,680 Speaker 1: dollars for the new child, which by the way, is 339 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 1: just your down payment twenty eight thousand dollars that is 340 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: covered by insurance, or maybe it's not, so you're out 341 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: of pocket expense could well exceed the twenty eight hundred 342 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: dollars that you paid as a cash payer, real quickly, 343 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:39,680 Speaker 1: twenty seconds on that. 344 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 6: Yeah, well, no question it would have, because I would 345 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 6: have hit my max out of pocket. Right when you 346 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 6: look at the max out of pockets and these Affordable 347 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 6: Care Act plans they. 348 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 5: Go up every year. 349 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 6: An individual max out of pocket could be nine thousand dollars. 350 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,000 Speaker 1: It doesn't make any sense. All right, Paul, We're going 351 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: to continue this. We're going to talk about those health 352 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: savings accounts and the idea of co ops like costco 353 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 1: negotiating for health insurance. That ran Paul's put forth. We'll 354 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: be right back. It's the Steve grib Show, all right. 355 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:22,639 Speaker 1: Paul Segert is an insurance expert, an employee benefits practice 356 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: leader for Actressure, and he's been involved in this healthcare 357 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 1: mess for many years. 358 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 2: Now. Paul, let's continue the conversation. 359 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 1: I think we both obviously we agree Obamacare doesn't work. 360 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 1: I think it was designed to fail to bring us 361 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: to a single payer system because for some people to think, well, 362 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: that's utopia. 363 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 2: But then I look at what goes on in the 364 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 2: UK or Canada, I'm like, that's no panacea, that's just 365 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:46,160 Speaker 2: another mess. 366 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,400 Speaker 1: But that's where they want to lead us. But let's 367 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: talk about this country. Obamacare. How do we fix it? 368 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: What about these health savings accounts? Let's start there. 369 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 6: Well, we do need to create a system where consumers 370 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,240 Speaker 6: are rewarded for consuming well, and the system in its 371 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:03,479 Speaker 6: current form doesn't do that. We've talked a minute ago 372 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 6: about the fact that if you have insurance, you don't 373 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 6: get to negotiate what you pay. You can't really be 374 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,360 Speaker 6: a super smart consumer like you can in so many areas. 375 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 6: Once you tell the provider that you have insurance, you're 376 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 6: going to you're going to be build whatever they agreed 377 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 6: upon reimbursement amount is. 378 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,800 Speaker 5: I think we have to fix that. We can't. 379 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,199 Speaker 6: If you can't consume based on cost and quality, how 380 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 6: do you consume well? So we need to make that 381 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 6: information available and we need to reward consumers when they 382 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 6: consume that way. I think the health savings account idea 383 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 6: gets us moving in the right direction. But we also 384 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 6: have to take this system that's driven up premiums one 385 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 6: hundred percent, deductibles one hundred percent, and put one hundred 386 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 6: million Americans in medical debt. And be honest, that subsidizing 387 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,680 Speaker 6: all of that with hundreds of billions of dollars a 388 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 6: debt doesn't even begin to address that problem. 389 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 1: You know, going back to what we were talking about, as 390 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: far as one procedure costing one hundred and fifty different 391 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: price points, if you put that in front of somebody, 392 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: you printed it out and put it on a piece 393 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: of paper, says well, here's what it can cost. It 394 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: could be twenty eight hundred dollars or it could be 395 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,360 Speaker 1: twenty eight thousand dollars, depending and then just list out 396 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 1: if you have this, this is your That would be 397 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,280 Speaker 1: so telling and educational to Americas that go, what the help, 398 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 1: because I don't think most people realize that. I don't 399 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: think most people realize the game is being played on them. 400 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 1: I mean, you've got a group of people, the Democrats, 401 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,439 Speaker 1: who want to extend the Obamacare subsidies for three years. 402 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 1: And of course, if you look the insurance companies, ninety 403 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: percent of their political donations go to the Democrat Party 404 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: ninety percent. 405 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 2: Gee, why is. 406 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: That because they continue to subsidize their bottom line. 407 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 5: Right yep, oh yeah, it's allowing them. 408 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:51,359 Speaker 6: The biggest winners clearly in the affordable character era of healthcare, 409 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 6: I think the only winners, if we're being honest and 410 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:56,679 Speaker 6: just follow the math and the money, the only winners 411 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:00,360 Speaker 6: have been large insurers. We're left with four big players who, 412 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 6: as you pointed out rightly earlier, have seen their stock 413 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 6: price go up one thousand percent. And at the same time, 414 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 6: we've got one hundred million Americans in medical debt. That's 415 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 6: not winning for consumers, that's losing. I mean, one hundred 416 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 6: million Americans in medical debt. What did we do to 417 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 6: address that and solve it? We changed credit bureau reporting 418 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 6: requirements and rules so that it would be a little 419 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 6: bit less obvious. I mean, that to me is a travesty. 420 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 6: It should not at all work like that. When we 421 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 6: truly have the best healthcare in the world. We did. 422 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:32,920 Speaker 5: People fly here from all over the world to. 423 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:33,560 Speaker 2: Get that's gooret. 424 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 5: We have the best healthcare payment model. 425 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 2: If you can get access, that's exactly right, right, That's 426 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 2: why people come here for knee replacements and open heart 427 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:44,400 Speaker 2: surgery and all sorts of things because they can't get 428 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 2: it in England, they can't get it in Canada. If 429 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:47,880 Speaker 2: they do that to stand in line for a year, 430 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 2: that's a single payer system at work. You stand in 431 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 2: line and before you ever get to the head of 432 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 2: the line, you drop dead. That's not much of a 433 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: healthcare system either. 434 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: What about house saving the gods instead of sending them 435 00:22:57,960 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 1: money to insurance companies. 436 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:02,160 Speaker 2: Let's start with that idea. Yeah, you send the money 437 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 2: to the people. Does that make sense to you? 438 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:04,880 Speaker 5: Right? 439 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 6: It does make sense. And then we also need to 440 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 6: pass some common sense. Now I'm not a politician, but 441 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,919 Speaker 6: if I were to make God wave a magic wand 442 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 6: and say, how do we fix this? We need to 443 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 6: create a system where those dollars in that account people 444 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 6: can consume with those effectively, we need to make transparency 445 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,920 Speaker 6: rules that really work. You know, we have all the 446 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 6: technology in the world. It shouldn't be that hard to 447 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 6: figure out around town, where can I go to get 448 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 6: this MRI that can range in price from seven hundred 449 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 6: to seven thousand dollars? Where can I go for the 450 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 6: seven hundred dollars version? And when I consume that, well, 451 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 6: why wouldn't the plan reward me for doing that? 452 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 1: It makes me think, okay, it's snowing where I am right? 453 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,640 Speaker 1: And it makes me think, yesterday I bought some tires. 454 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 1: What do you do when you buy tires? Or what 455 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 1: do I do? I call the three different stores that 456 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: I know, Hey, here are the tires I need, here's 457 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: the size I need. What do you got with the 458 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: best price? Right, that's what you do. If you could 459 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: do that with healthcare about any procedure whatever it might be, 460 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,399 Speaker 1: or medication, you know, that would be a winner. 461 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:12,439 Speaker 2: But we don't have that option right now? Do if 462 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 2: I mean, you really don't. 463 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 5: No, we don't. We don't. 464 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 6: Not only is it too complicated, you're not allowed to 465 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 6: really do that. If you have insurance, you have to 466 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 6: pay what they agreed upon that. We even have cases 467 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,600 Speaker 6: where in health plans that we manage where the plant 468 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 6: the provider bills less than what the agreed upon the 469 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 6: amount was, and we're required to send them more than 470 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 6: they build because of how this crazy system works. That 471 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 6: does not make sense. We don't have people think, cat. 472 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 2: You're required to pay more than the than the bill. 473 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 6: That's right, if that's the agreed upon amount, that's crazy. 474 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 2: So the procedures one hundred bucks. The deal says you'll 475 00:24:55,600 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 2: pay five hundred. So that extra four hundred dollars where 476 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 2: to the bottom line? 477 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:02,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, you got to send it. 478 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 2: And the shareholders celebrate, Right, that's what you're telling me. 479 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 5: Well, yeah, that's right. 480 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,000 Speaker 2: What a system? Who designed this? 481 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 5: Yeah? 482 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 6: Well big insurers have been kind of running point on 483 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 6: how all of this works for many, many years. I 484 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 6: mean really since pre Affordable CAREAC days, but it's gotten 485 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 6: far worse in the last fifteen years. 486 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 5: It's that all these mechanics work. 487 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, So let me ask you. It is fixable, right, 488 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: It is fixable. 489 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 5: I think it is. 490 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,000 Speaker 6: We have the smartest minds in the world here, and 491 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 6: we have all the technology we need. I mean, I 492 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 6: have a smartphone sitting in front of me. I can 493 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 6: research anything now in the age of AI. This should 494 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 6: be imminently solvable if we have the will to do so. 495 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 6: You know, I guess if you want to get reelected, 496 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 6: it's hard to not vote for perhaps some subsidy extensions. 497 00:25:50,920 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 5: I've seen that some Republicans. 498 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 6: And I'm not you know, necessarily saying I'm on one 499 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 6: side or the other by saying this, but they want 500 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 6: to do a one year extension. I mean, I guess, 501 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 6: get it past the midterms or whatever. But whenever we 502 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 6: going to address the real problem that we've created a 503 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 6: system that doesn't allow people to consume well. I mean, 504 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,840 Speaker 6: capitalism is not the problem. We've never actually had or 505 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 6: free market forces aren't the problem. We've never had free 506 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,400 Speaker 6: market forces in healthcare in this country, not in my lifetime, 507 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 6: in many decades, in many decades. 508 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:22,199 Speaker 2: Right, right, not in my lifetime or yours. 509 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 1: That's right, because you've got government regulations, you've got insurance 510 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: company lobbyists, you've got and the government's just another problem. 511 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 5: You know. 512 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 1: The government reimburses hospitals, as I learned in my travels 513 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, but they don't do it well, 514 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 1: and they certainly don't do it efficiently. 515 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 2: And what they offer is a fraction of what it caused. 516 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:41,040 Speaker 1: If somebody walks into an emergency room or a rural 517 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: hospital in the middle of nowhere, the reimbursement might be 518 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: twenty five dollars. 519 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 2: That doesn't even pay for the nurse for the half hour. 520 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,919 Speaker 6: Seventeen hundred and eighteen hundred and twenty percent of what 521 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 6: they get reimbursed many times just to break even. And 522 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 6: so when people go out and say, if we're going 523 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 6: to talk about how to solve the problem, and you'll 524 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 6: have people that do a lot a math based upon reimbursements, 525 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 6: they'll say, hey, a single payer system would cost less. Well, yeah, 526 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,879 Speaker 6: but the whole system would collapse. These hospitals are going 527 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,640 Speaker 6: out of business in rural areas and poor urban areas 528 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 6: because their payer mix, their customer base is primarily people 529 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 6: who have government insurance Medicare, Medicaid, and that's putting those 530 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 6: facilities right out of business. So you cannot use that 531 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 6: math or that reference point to say this is how 532 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 6: we can fund a single pair system unless you just 533 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,040 Speaker 6: want the whole thing to collapse. 534 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:34,920 Speaker 5: It wouldn't it wouldn't work out. 535 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: It's not sustainable quite clearly. All right, we're going to 536 00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:43,919 Speaker 1: we're going to hear about the co op suggestion, the 537 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: idea from Rand Paul after the break here, so that 538 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 1: you have the power to negotiate house savings accounts, a 539 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: good idea, some free market in there, and maybe co 540 00:27:53,080 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: ops Paul Siegert, we'll be right back, all right, in 541 00:28:11,680 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 1: solving the Obamacare problem. And it's a problem, because medical 542 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy in America in 543 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. It's a sad thing. Paul Segert is 544 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: still with us here, Paul. Medical debt is a horrendous thing, 545 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: but it can be solved. First of all, we have 546 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: to get rid of Obamacare and replace it with something 547 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: that works for people. We start with house savings accounts, 548 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: and that. 549 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,400 Speaker 2: Would actually build wealth for your child, your twenty month 550 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 2: old child. Right if they had a health savings account. 551 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 1: And they don't use the money, and they're young and 552 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: they're healthy, and they don't need the money, it continues 553 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: to roll over. It can build actual wealth. Maybe they 554 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 1: can buy a house, Maybe they can do other things. 555 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: Maybe they don't feel so disconnected from the American dream. 556 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:55,280 Speaker 1: Second part is Rand Paul's idea, which I think is 557 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 1: very good, and I want you to hear it directly 558 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: from him. Rand Paul saying, what we need is the 559 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 1: ability to negotiate, and there is strength in numbers here. 560 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:03,959 Speaker 2: He is. 561 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 7: This is an idea I've been talking about for several years, 562 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 7: and President Trump has engaged on this. 563 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 8: Idea in his first term. 564 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 7: He actually tried to put it in place to an 565 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 7: executive order, but the Democrats suit in court and stopped us. 566 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 8: Basically, it allows people to buy insurance as a group. 567 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,560 Speaker 7: So if you're an individual accountant and you have three employees, 568 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 7: or you're a landscaper and have four employees, you're a 569 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 7: small group. You don't have a leverage to get a 570 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 7: better price from big insurance companies. 571 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 8: But what if you could join Costco. 572 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 7: Costco has forty four million members, and if one person 573 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 7: negotiated for all forty four and they bought a group 574 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 7: plan like Toyota or General Motors does, they would be 575 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:44,560 Speaker 7: the largest corporate or largest collective entity in the country. 576 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 8: They would drive prices down by sheer might and leverage. 577 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 7: In all likelihood, whoever was in charge of the buying 578 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 7: group would sit down with the CEO of United Healthcare 579 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,000 Speaker 7: and Blue Cross and they would have to negotiate, and 580 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,719 Speaker 7: they would get things that nobody's been able to get 581 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 7: in the asked. So this is an idea of letting 582 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 7: people join a group like a co op or a 583 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 7: collective to a bargain together. 584 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 8: And they're called association health plans. 585 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: Association health plans. 586 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: I like his idea here, Paul, and look even if 587 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: you have the four big companies United Blue, Cross, Blue Shield, 588 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: the top four, the big ones, well then they would 589 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 1: be thrown against each other, wouldn't they That would drive 590 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 1: down the cost. It was interesting to hear him say, 591 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: democrats soon to stop us from doing this? Why would 592 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: Democrats sue them to stop the American people from getting 593 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: a better deal at a better price. 594 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 6: Well, I think it's not in the interest of insurance 595 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:38,360 Speaker 6: companies for this to occur. You know, they're going to 596 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:41,920 Speaker 6: do far better dealing directly with each state to set 597 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:45,200 Speaker 6: rates for small groups, where they tend to get what 598 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 6: they want in terms of increases each year. 599 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 5: We were coming off of. 600 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 6: A fifth this year is the highest increases in insurance 601 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 6: premiums for healthcare in fifteen years. And these insurers can 602 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 6: go to the head of insurance for each state, the 603 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 6: commissioner or whatever they're called in each state, and say, hey, 604 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 6: here's our losses, we need an increase, here's how much 605 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 6: we need and get that done with often little pushback, 606 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:12,240 Speaker 6: little to no pushback, you know, so it's a much 607 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 6: better losses. 608 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 1: We've already covered the fact, Paul, their profits are up 609 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: one thousand percent in just over ten years. I mean 610 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: their profits are in the billions and billions of dollars 611 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: and they're having losses. 612 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 2: I don't see that. 613 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: I guess I'm missing that part of the balance sheet. 614 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 5: Yeah. Yeah, well they're really kind of false losses. You know. 615 00:31:35,920 --> 00:31:39,680 Speaker 6: It's saying, hey, this, we've created this healthcare conglomerate. We're 616 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 6: allowing our owned companies to overcharge each other. For example, 617 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 6: the drug benefit the pharmacy benefit managers overcharging our health plan. 618 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 6: But we own the pharmacy benefit manager, and we're allowing 619 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 6: that all occur, which inflates costs. So then we can 620 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 6: go to the insurance commissioner and say, look at how 621 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 6: much it costs our health plans to buy drugs, even 622 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 6: though we're the ones selling drugs. 623 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 5: Do the health plan at an inflated costs? 624 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 6: It's obviously it's a math game that's worked out well 625 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 6: for them and not well for anyone else. 626 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 2: Right, So let's go through it. We got about two 627 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:10,960 Speaker 2: minutes here. 628 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,880 Speaker 1: Give me your three steps to fixing health care and 629 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:17,600 Speaker 1: coverage in America so we have less money out of 630 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 1: pocket and better services. 631 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 2: It could be done. 632 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,440 Speaker 1: You said it's a math game, but I don't want 633 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:24,160 Speaker 1: to get gained by the insurance companies. I don't want 634 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: to get gained by politicians. And there's politicians on both 635 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: sides playing this game that get tremendous amount of money 636 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:32,840 Speaker 1: for their campaigns from the insurance industry that they're you know, 637 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: subsidizing through taxpayer dollars. 638 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 2: Give me your steps to fixing this well. 639 00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:39,240 Speaker 6: I think health savings accounts are one of them. That's 640 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 6: a step in the right direction. Another one is transparency 641 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 6: rules that really mean something and then allow consumers to 642 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 6: consume with those dollars in those health savings accounts outside 643 00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 6: of the arrangement between the insurer and the provider. We 644 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 6: have examples of healthcare working quite well. You have to 645 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 6: remove the insurance pay model. Primarily look at the cost 646 00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:04,760 Speaker 6: of lasik surgery. Over the last fifteen years, cost has 647 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 6: gone down, quality has gone up. Where it's a cash 648 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:12,959 Speaker 6: based transaction or a real transaction between a consumer and 649 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:17,240 Speaker 6: a provider of a service without an intermediary gumming it up, 650 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 6: it works very very well. Other examples would be cosmetic procedures. 651 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 6: You can get a cosmetic procedure today by a very 652 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 6: top person in the country for less than you could 653 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 6: ten years ago. And the quality is as good or 654 00:33:32,880 --> 00:33:36,320 Speaker 6: better because there's real forces of free market forces of 655 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,479 Speaker 6: competition there. We need to bring those forces into our 656 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 6: current system and reward consumers for consuming well. And that 657 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:45,480 Speaker 6: to me is that's the rule of government, or the 658 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 6: role of government is to create good guardrails and rules 659 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 6: for engagement between those selling services and those purchasing services. 660 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 6: But the insurance payment model is just completely in the way. 661 00:33:55,840 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 6: I like the co op idea. Go a step further. 662 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 6: Let that co op negotiate directly with big health systems. 663 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 6: Cut the insurer right out of it. You know, they'll 664 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 6: on their own get a far better transaction going with that. 665 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 1: That's a pretty good idea right there. Cut the insurance 666 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 1: out completely, go directly to ill use. Henry Ford Health 667 00:34:16,080 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: the largest in Michigan. You know, there's your healthcare system 668 00:34:19,160 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 1: and now Blue Cross that services this region of the 669 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:24,960 Speaker 1: state of Michigan. Therefore, we're going to negotiate directly with 670 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 1: you for services for our patients. 671 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:28,320 Speaker 2: A really good idea, Paul. 672 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 1: It's been a masterclass here an education and what's wrong 673 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,160 Speaker 1: and what can be fixed. And it can be fixed, 674 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: but it does take political will on both sides of 675 00:34:36,680 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 1: the aisle to make this happen, and it's not to 676 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 1: continue fleecing taxpayers. Paul, I really appreciate you taking so 677 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: much time today and walking through this because you know 678 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: it so well. Thank you, Thank you for having me 679 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:50,439 Speaker 1: really appreciate it. I hope you learned something as well 680 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:52,680 Speaker 1: I did. And that's a pretty good idea. 681 00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 2: Negotiate directly, not just insurance companies, maybe take them out 682 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,279 Speaker 2: of the way. Negotiate directly with the healthcare providers, the 683 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 2: big conglomerate hospitals and so forth, or the surgery centers. 684 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 1: I'd like your feedback. Send me an email. Steve Gruber 685 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:09,360 Speaker 1: dot com. Steve Gruber dot com, send me an email. 686 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:12,240 Speaker 1: What are your thoughts on what we discussed here today? 687 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:16,800 Speaker 1: It impacts everybody. It will have political ratifications in November 688 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: of next year. I'll take a break and come back. 689 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: It's the Steve River Show. Well, as we run through 690 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:37,239 Speaker 1: this Christmas Eve special program of the Steve Grewer Show, 691 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:42,680 Speaker 1: and for all intents and purposes, we are on schedule 692 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: now as the twenty twenty six min terms really are 693 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,439 Speaker 1: officially underway now, and so as I think about Christmas Eve, 694 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:50,399 Speaker 1: I think about Christmas tomorrow, and then I think about 695 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,680 Speaker 1: New Year's just a week from now, which puts us 696 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,439 Speaker 1: squarely in election season. Donald Trump has taken his show 697 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: on the road a couple of times now to Pennsylvania, 698 00:35:58,680 --> 00:35:59,360 Speaker 1: North Carolina. 699 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 2: He's going to continue that. Democrats are going to argue 700 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:06,399 Speaker 2: that Trump's on the ballot, and so is he. He's 701 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,800 Speaker 2: going to put himself fairly squarely on the ballot. 702 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:12,240 Speaker 1: He's gonna make people decide, do you like a secure border, 703 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: do you like inflation below three percent? Do you like 704 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:19,320 Speaker 1: the idea that you're going to get two thousand dollars checks? 705 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 1: Do you like the idea that here in the next 706 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:23,200 Speaker 1: few weeks people are going to get giant checks for 707 00:36:23,239 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 1: refunds eleven to twenty thousand dollars according to Hasset. Kevin Hassett, 708 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,719 Speaker 1: I mean, these are all very positive things, and so 709 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:34,400 Speaker 1: that sets the stage for the midterm elections. 710 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 2: And of course you've. 711 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: Got a huge decision coming out of the Supreme Court 712 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: in June about whether or not you can jerrymander based 713 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 1: on race. 714 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 2: It's a case out of Louisiana. 715 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:46,359 Speaker 1: If that goes through in favor of the Republicans, which 716 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 1: I believe it will it's been decided before. That could 717 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:54,360 Speaker 1: move a dozen seats in places like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, 718 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 1: Tennessee over to the Republican column and other places as well. Meanwhile, 719 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 1: states like Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri have already decided to 720 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: do redistricting, which means more seats coming to the Republicans. 721 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:12,120 Speaker 1: The Democrats really could find themselves behind the eight ball 722 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 1: in this deal. 723 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 2: I think the Senate is safe. 724 00:37:14,920 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: I think the Republicans have a chance to pick up 725 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,359 Speaker 1: two to four seats in the Senate, taking him from 726 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 1: sixty three to possibly sixty five seats, because you got 727 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: stats like Georgia, Minnesota, Michigan, and New Hampshire. 728 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 2: All in play. They're all in play, and. 729 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: With a positive economic situation unfolding, that'll put the Republicans 730 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:32,560 Speaker 1: in the driver's seat. The question is can they hold 731 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: the House? They certainly can with redistricting, and of course 732 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 1: a favorable Supreme Court decision would really push the Republicans 733 00:37:39,840 --> 00:37:41,799 Speaker 1: over the finish line to hold on to Congress and 734 00:37:41,880 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 1: keep Speaker Mike Johnson where he is. 735 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 2: All Right, we're going to take a break. 736 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 1: I hope you've got your Christmas shopping done because you're 737 00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:48,799 Speaker 1: basically out of time now. 738 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 2: Seven elevens open late, though we'll take a break. 739 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:53,840 Speaker 1: We've got two more big hours of the Steve rivershow 740 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:54,960 Speaker 1: still to come.