Universal Health Care for America

[Guest Frances]

Six states are now considering their own single-payer bills: California, which has twice passed the bill to be vetoed by the governor, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado and Massachusetts.

Keep this blog going.

[Guest John Kerry Supporter]

The current state of the health care debate reminds us of everything we need to know about stamping out the distortions and fighting back with the truth before lies take root. The rightwing and their allies have spent weeks and months spreading the most egregious mistruths about the health care reforms of Sen. Kennedy and President Obama, and whipping up anger. Now, you can't turn on your t.v. or radio without hearing repetition and repetition of misinformation, trying to drown out real debate.

 

We can defeat the big lies and achieve health insurance reform, but it won't be easy now that the mistruths and anger have taken hold.

 

Believe me, I've learned this through hard experience - if you let the lies take hold, it gets harder and harder to root them out. Lies are weeds, choking out our debate, and we need to go after them hard and early to keep them from growing.

[Guest Kim Lapp]

I am very concerned about the health care reform issue--not because I think Congress and the President are wrong on this issue--but rather the heated often ridiculous comments made concerning this issue. This has become an issue where the exchange of information is stifled because people are unwilling to even listen to the "other" side. It is my belief that people have made up their minds and can't hear anything else.

[Guest Ann Coulter]

You want to punish insurance companies? Make them compete.

 

As Adam Smith observed, whenever two businessmen meet, "the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices." That's why we need a third, fourth and 45th competing insurance company that will undercut them by offering better service at a lower price.

 

Tiny little France and Germany have more competition among health insurers than the U.S. does right now. Amazingly, both of these socialist countries have less state regulation of health insurance than we do, and you can buy health insurance across regional lines -- unlike in the U.S., where a federal law allows states to ban interstate commerce in health insurance.

[Guest Clarence]

Co-op insurance what most everyone had through the fifties to eighties, until deregulation (Reagan) opened up competition and the costs soared?

 

We have competition in the insurance industry, tons of it, and to avoid regulations some use the terms discount or assurance so they don't have to obey the rules.

 

And the way the insurance industry minimizes costs is by denying coverage or refusing certain doctors or treatments. No thanks.

[Guest Shawn]

Why not cap the annual tax subsidies that employers get for providing employees health care. Washington could see a revenue flow of several hundred billion dollars, if not more. That could pay for a big chunk of the trillion dollars it will take (at least) to finance a health care overhaul.

 

Here's how the current system works. If an employee earns $110,000 a year, and the employer pays $9,000 towards the employee's $12,000 insurance plan, the worker only gets taxed on the $110,000 salary. The extra $9,000 is, in effect, tax-free income. Say the company dropped its plan and gave the employee $9,000 in extra pay. He or she would pocket just $6,000 after taxes. So companies can buy 50% more health care for employee than the employees could buy if they got the money directly. Of course, the government is making up the difference with a $3,000 subsidy. That money isn't free either. The health-care exclusion is the biggest tax break in the U.S. budget, even bigger than mortgage interest. It lowers revenues, and hence raises taxes, by $300 billion a year.

[Guest Face]

You want to punish insurance companies? Make them compete.

 

As Adam Smith observed, whenever two businessmen meet, "the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices." That's why we need a third, fourth and 45th competing insurance company that will undercut them by offering better service at a lower price.

 

Tiny little France and Germany have more competition among health insurers than the U.S. does right now. Amazingly, both of these socialist countries have less state regulation of health insurance than we do, and you can buy health insurance across regional lines -- unlike in the U.S., where a federal law allows states to ban interstate commerce in health insurance.

 

Health CARE is not health INSURANCE - While the price of health insurance could conceivably go down if competition were introduced through a national health insurance exchange, that only solves the problem of expensive health insurance, not expensive health care (which drives the cost of health insurance). The fact of the matter is that most health care dollars are spent on EMERGENCY procedures.

[Guest Max]

Here is a no brainer. Why not extend Medicare for everyone.

[JT Allen]

No no no Max: that makes way too much sense and is way too easy - remember where you are - nothing isevereasy.

 

Now, for the "Lighter Side" of this debate:(photo 2) [url=http://http://blogs.newsobserver.com/multi/first-look-health-care-opponents-protest-in-raleigh][/url] http://blogs.newsobserver.com/multi/first-look-health-care-opponents-protest-in-raleigh

 

Let me repeat what the woman's sign says in the second photo: "No [sic] PUBIC option"

 

No "pubic" option? THAT'S an outrage!

 

I think I might just go "pubic" with this story, but let me take a poll of John Q. Pubic first.

 

"The pubic has a right to know"!!! she cried...

 

 

 

 

Here is a no brainer. Why not extend Medicare for everyone.

[Guest RUDumb]

This country already has co-ops. What do you think AARP is? What Obama is pushing is the formation of one large co-op. Can you say Cartel. The same exact thing is happening in the Dairy industry. Read about how Dairy Farmers of America is putting independent farmers out of business. President Bush looked the other way and the investigation was halted. If the current President wants my respect he will reopen the investigation. But, I know he will not. He is just like all the other politicians that have been purchased by big business disguised as a non-profit.

 

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/2003/200966.htm

[Guest LAW]

You are right

 

It looks like Deputy Assistant Attorney General Weiser is already discussing this problem.

 

The Sherman Act provides sound medicine for a free market economy and has thus been rightly celebrated as a very successful piece of legislation. Put in its broadest terms, the Sherman Act prohibits two things: (1) anticompetitive combinations or coordination among actual or potential market competitors; and (2) anticompetitive practices as well as exclusionary conduct by firms that have monopoly power in a particular market.

 

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/speeches/248858.htm

 

We recognize that the dairy market has experienced considerable consolidation over the past decade and there are questions about the state of competition in that market.

 

http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/speeches/248858.htm

 

The more I research it, the more I realize it is very hard to break into the insurance market. In some regions there is a complete lockout of competition. I wonder if a co-op will be able to compete with Aetna or Cigna?

 

The good thing about expanding Medicare is the infrastructure is already in place.

[Guest DC Government Worker]

A simple expansion of Medicare benefits targeted at covering medication costs and reducing inpatient co-payments will be cost effective. The General Accounting Office and Congressional Budget Office, for instance, has found that government programs may offer substantial savings in administrative costs over private sector plans.

[Guest Human]

Because it's going broke.This debate is nonsensical.

http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Medicare/2008/8-03-26-NewTrusteesReport.htm

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Here is a no brainer. Why not extend Medicare for everyone.

[Guest Human]

Because it's going broke.This debate is nonsensical.

http://seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Medicare/2008/8-03-26-NewTrusteesReport.htm

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Here is a no brainer. Why not extend Medicare for everyone.

[Guest LAW]

Great link. Since this is a major bill it should be bipartisan. What is your idea Human? Do you think Health Care is a fundemental right?

[Guest Rush Nation]

Health care is not in the Bill of Rights for a reason. The United States government should eliminate all subsidies to the sick or unhealthy. Subsidies for the ill and diseased breed illness and disease, and promote carelessness, indigence, and dependency. If we eliminate them, we would strengthen the will to live healthy lives and to work for a living. This means abolishing Medicare and Medicaid.

[Guest DCTransplant]

We the People, who have elected our officials in both the Congress and the Senate, and who are angered by those who choose to obstruct or water down the health care reform with a strong public option that is so desperately needed, not only by us as individuals, but for this country as a whole, do hereby petition as follows:

 

1)That the government put forth a plan which NO LONGER provides government paid insurance for the positions of ‘Congressman’ and ‘Senator’ which would require all Congressmen and Senators to ‘shop around’ for health insurance benefits in the same manner that ‘We the People’ have been required to do;

 

2)That all government paid insurance for the positions of ‘Congressman’ and ‘Senator’ end effective immediately;

 

3)That items in paragraphs (1) and (2) remain in effect until such time as our elected Congressmen and Senators decide to represent ‘We the People’ by putting forth the strong public option for health care;

 

4)That We The People shall receive the exact health care benefits that members of Congress receive effective immediately since such benefits are paid for by the People of the United States of America;

 

5)If We The People do not receive the exact health care benefits that members of the United States Congress receive per paragraph (4), all members of the United States Congress (The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate), will no longer be provided with health care coverage by the People of the United States of America, effective immediately.

[Guest Mike V.]

The only part of health care reform is that emergency rooms do need some government regulatory oversight to control costs because people cannot shop around during an emergency.

[Guest HUMAN]

Law this is what I am for; Pre Existing Conditions Covered with payments on a siding scale.

Secondly that the Insurance companies pony up to what they have agreed to in the contract.

 

Let me give you an example of the latter one, because all of us here already know what the first one is.

 

On the Second point; Insurance Company "A" says [sure you are covered for this treatment, but FIRST YOU PAY FOR IT, and then they "The Insurance Company" are supposed to re-imburse us].

 

Now for all of us who have played with the insurance companies know that once you pay for it "even if it's just a penny" that you have assumed the responcesibility and they "Insurance company" are no longer obligated to pay for what ever you are getting done, or if you need a new wheelchair "Even though the insurance companies are supposed to pay for it".

 

What I would LOVE to see in the Bill is the first one, and that there be REAL Penalties for insurance companies that play the game where you pay for it first, then they will reimburse you. <~~~~~~~~ This is one heck of a game that the insurance companies are playing on ALL of US.

 

And not just financial penalties, but REAL JAIL TIME, as well as the Insurance companies losing their license for repeated infractions "Real Teeth".

 

 

If the Democrats who HAVE control of both the house, and senate were to do this? I REALLY WOULD GO THROUGH GATES OF HELL FOR THEM "NO BULL".

 

Also Full Coverage for Dental, but I am afraid that the third point is pushing a little bit too much.

 

Just the first two points and that would be one HECK of a HEALTH BILL with teeth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Great link. Since this is a major bill it should be bipartisan. What is your idea Human? Do you think Health Care is a fundemental right?

[Guest Mary L.]

Finally I find a place were both sides are discussing solutions and not slamming each other.

 

I think that covering pre-existing conditions on a sliding scale is smart.

 

I think a sliding scale mechanism could also be used for emergency care as well.

 

Creating a regulatory agency to monitor insurance companies business practices would be step in the right direction.

 

I also think we should be able to buy drugs from Canada and Mexico. We buy their other products.

And I know people do it anyway.

 

What about trading government work time for health care? I know many seniors would like something to do.

[Guest THE WHITE HOUSE]

Weekly Address: Myths and Morality in Health Insurance Reform

 

President Obama debunks the myths around health insurance reform, and discusses the public option proposal in which many of them are rooted -- but he focuses his address on the stark moral and historical turning point at which we find ourselves: "This is our chance to march forward. I cannot promise you that the reforms we seek will be perfect or make a difference overnight. But I can promise you this: if we pass health insurance reform, we will look back many years from now and say, this was the moment we summoned what’s best in each of us to make life better for all of us. This was the moment we built a health care system worthy of the nation and the people we love. This was the moment we earned our place alongside the greatest generations. And that is what our generation of Americans is called to do right now."

 

[Guest WinterHaven]

President Obama I would say the MAJORITY of people DESERVE to be excluded from insurance due to bad lifestyles. Obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes-95% of them is due to life style choices. When they have their heart attacks-DUE TO LIFESTYLE CHOICES-why should I have to pay for this? They usually continue to smoke and eat what they want. NOT a stereotype-it's reality how people are. Giving them FREE health care makes it easier for them to abuse their bodies at our expense.

[Guest Non Smoker]

The President should practice what he preaches. His smoking is going to give him cancer and cost us money. Should we foot smoker's bills?

 

[Guest Hoosier]

I think the government has made a great mistake. Our country is in massive debt with the highest jobless rate in decades. How can health care be paid for when people have no money and the tax base is shrinking? State and local governments are bankrupt. Where is this money coming from? I would love to help the poor, but now is not the time. Our government should have been concentrating on creating real jobs.

[Guest James III]

This reminds me of the period when Franklin Delano Roosevelt wrestled with similar political opposition when he proposed Social Security during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

 

Social Security is viewed as politically untouchable today, was buffeted by the partisan winds of his day as well as a multitude of compromise proposals.