The Coming Test for Health Care Reform
Wednesday, April 01, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Robert Pear’s story in today’s New York Times on Democratic health care plans exposes the beating heart of the congressional debate over President Obama’s reform proposals. Overall, the administration’s campaign to overhaul the health care system is going well, Pear reports, with the White House “displaying a surprisingly light touch,” as it herds disparate constituencies toward consensus. The rub for Republicans is Obama’s insistence on a public insurance option to compete with private plans.
The key point in Pear’s reporting:
Lobbyists and Congressional aides have discussed a possible compromise: Congress would authorize a new government-run insurance program, but it would come into existence only if certain conditions were met — if, for example, private insurers failed to rein in health costs by a certain amount after several years.
This is the negotiating point to watch. As managed care consultant Joesph Paduda points out, fears that a public plan will crowd out, and eventually eliminate, private insurance are overblown. If the Democrats buy into this insurance industry compromise, the drive for fundamental reform will falter.
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Pingback posted April 1, 2009 @ 4:45 pm
[...] While the GOP is now calling for privatizing Medicare, according to Wonkroom, Democrats are considering a compromise to their health care reform proposal that would phase in a public plan only if private health insurers fail to rein in costs for several years, the New York Times reports. “If the Democrats buy into this insurance industry compromise, the drive for fundamental reform will falter,” comments Jefferson Morley of the Washington Independent. [...]
Comment posted April 2, 2009 @ 7:40 am
Who are you shilling for? Of course, a public option would drive out the private insurers as sure as night replaces day.
Comment posted April 3, 2009 @ 1:46 am
Finally, the time has arrived to fix Americas Healthcare crisis, and Americas healthcare nightmare. Hundreds of thousands of you are killed needlessly every year by your healthcare delivery system in a rush to profit. And because of a rush to profit Hundreds of thousands more of you are needlessly dying from treatable illness that people in other developed and civilized countries don't DIE! from. Rich, middle class, and poor alike. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.
Additionally, thousands more of you are driven into financial ruin, and bankruptcy just because you, or one of your loved ones got sick or injured. And all of this is happening at a time when America spends twice as much of it's GDP (Gross Domestic Productivity) on health care than any other country in the developed world. Individual Americans spend about ten times as much on health care as any other people in the developed world. This is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. AND IT MUST END!
But before we can truly fix this healthcare crisis and disgrace, everyone needs to clearly understand what the problem is. And everyone needs to clearly understand the real enormity of the problem. The problem is that HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL DELIVERY IN AMERICA IS SEVERELY CORRUPTED AND COMPROMISED BY GREED! AND THE PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MOTIVE. And it is corrupted, and compromised IN EVERY ASPECT, AND EVERY PLACE OF HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL DELIVERY. Unfortunately for all Americans, compromised healthcare ALWAYS results in needless suffering, injury, disability, and or death. Which is exactly what is happening now in America in shocking numbers.
Health care is NOT! a private for profit business. Healthcare is an essential public service. Like police, and fire. And healthcare is also a human right! PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE IS AN OXYMORON, AND AN IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL PERVERSION OF HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
So how do we fix this healthcare disgrace? I believe the fix for Americas healthcare disaster is essentially the same thing that every other developed country in the World has essentially done. “NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX PAYER SUPPORTED, SINGLE PAYER, AUTOMATIC, FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL”. Essentially HR676 (enhanced, and improved medicare for all). Just like every other CIVILIZED! country in the developed World has. There is no other way to truly fix and reform our current disastrous healthcare delivery system.
All Universal health care systems work best when everyone participates. But I know that the healthcare lobby, and some politicians will try and undermine “Not For Profit, Tax payer supported, Single payer, Automatic, Free Universal Healthcare for all” by falsely claiming that it will limit your choice, and require you to participate.
So, I propose that everyone be included in the national plan unless they choose to opt out. If you opt out and need medical care the national plan will insure your provider that they will be reimbursed under the rules for members in the national plan. But those who opted out, and their insurer will be responsible for the FULL! cost to the national plan for providing your care if you or your private insurer fails to reimburse the provider or the national plan in a timely manor to at least the standards of the national plan.
Including reporting you to credit agencies, withholding of taxes, leans, and garnishment of wages for unpaid medical bills. Just like you have now under private for profit healthcare, and private for profit health insurance.
Further, people who opted out will be required to provide proof of financial responsibility for future illness or be required to participate in the national plan. And everyone with children will be required to participate in the national plan. Or provide proof of insurance coverage on each child to the standards of the national plan. It will be against the law to report anyone in the national plan to a credit agency for unpaid medical bills.
Frankly, only a dope would want to opt out of the national plan and opt to keep our current disastrous private for profit medical, and insurance plans. But they will be free to choose. The most important thing is that the vast majority of Americans that want the protection, benefits, and higher quality of a universal national plan have that choice.
You see, one of the most important aspects of a universal healthcare system is easy access, and patient protection. This is accomplished by having a single payer without a conflict of interest in patient care. And by having a payer who has the power to enforce minimum standards of excellence in healthcare delivery for everyone in the plan. This is much of what Medicare does now for senors. “Aeger Primo” (The patient comes first). Unfortunately in our healthcare system the patient comes last. We are just a peace of meat to them. Cash cows to be slaughtered for profit.
So this is IT! my fellow Americans, My fellow human beings, My fellow World Citizens. And my fellow Cyber Warriors. :-) The time has come. D day. H hour. HEALTHCARE REFORM THIS YEAR! Let no one stand in our way. Contact your representative and tell them you want “Not For Profit, Tax Payer Supported, Single Payer, Automatic, Free Universal healthcare for all. And tell them you want that choice now. Tell them you want President Obama's budget passed without delay. President Obama's budget is brilliant. And exactly what is needed now.
President Obama, and his allies will need all the support you can give them. The healthcare lobby will try to take out his people if they can, like they did with Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer. And they will try to neutralize President Obama's popularity, and political power. Or they will try to take him down someway. Don't stand for it. If they attack him. Go after them ten times harder and remove them from office. We had an election. And you the people chose President Obama's leadership, and change agenda. Let no one in government disrespect the will of the American people and remain in office.
SPREAD THE WORD! And talk it up with your families, friends, and coworkers. Keep ratcheting up the pressure until there is a ROAR! across America for “NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX PAYER SUPPORTED, SINGLE PAYER, AUTOMATIC, FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL”.
Let's get this healthcare reform done now my fellow Americans. This year. Take no prisoners.
God Bless All Of You
Jack Smith — Working Class :-)
http://jacksmithworkingclass.blogspot.com/
(http://jacksmithworkingclass.blogspot.com/)
Comment posted April 3, 2009 @ 5:37 pm
Nationally, health care costs occupy close to 16% of the total GDP in the United States. Barr also notes that “governments at all levels – federal, state and local – are responsible for a combined 46% of all health care expenditures”.
The 140 Billion that will go towards health care from the stimulus package is a nice gesture, but its not going to cut it. As Arnold Relman, MD exclaims in his book A Second Opinion, “the average rate of increase in health expenditures since the late 1960's has been between nine and ten percent per year, which is more than twice the rate of general price inflation”.
Do you see the problem yet? Government obtains the money it needs for health care through acquisition of taxes, and taxes generally rise at the same rate as GDP growth. But Barr sagaciously points out “health care expenditures rise faster than GDP”. Thus, the government and all purchasers of health care have historically been playing an unachievable game of catch-up. Unless major reform is considered in the financing, organization and delivery of health care we are only going to be running into short sighted dead ends. That is the challenge we face – as patients, doctors, health care practitioners, politions and citizens.
http://www.mentalpestilence.com
Comment posted April 19, 2009 @ 11:16 am
Hey there, what makes you say that? I would like to learn more about it.
Chris
Comment posted April 19, 2009 @ 6:16 pm
Hey there, what makes you say that? I would like to learn more about it.
Chris
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