Health Care Reform - The Good, the Bad and the Lies: Post your comments

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Comment by M. A Davis on August 14, 2009 at 2:13pm

Brothers and Sisters of all races and colors this is amazing. I am retired 65 years young. Can I share with you that only this week I had an experience with health care. My wife had been complaining of shortness of breath. We went to the Doctor 4 (four times) and all he gave her was an inhaler. I took matters into my hands and went in with her on the fourth visit and demanded that something be done. He sent her to get some test done. I suggested that he give her an EKG and a stress test. He did not order any of these test.
This Monday I took my wife to work, since I am retired. She called me two hours later and we had to go to the emergency room. After a five hour wait, she was able to see a Doctor. Thank God because immediately they did the EKG and other test. My wife was diagnosed with "congested heart failure" "hypertension". We got to the emergency room just in time perhaps.

The previous test prior to going to the emergency room were sent to her doctor and he ignored the reports. Doctor jwhjewgdehjd if you are not going to read the reports why bother send your patients to get the test. When we got home after 2 days at the hospital we got a copy of the report and there were indications of an immenient danger. I almost lost my wife and best friend.

I do not understand this Health care debate but it is scary what I am seeing on the Cable TV. The debates are not about Health Care (in my opinion) they are about doing the previous 2008 Presidential Elections over again. Since the Viet Nam War I have never seen so much passion about an issue.

Please guys allow us Veterans to come home. The VA has the best health care system in place. Please look up "VISTA EHR health care" Hey the software is free to any Doctor that wants to use it. Free from the government. I now live in Florida and if I left today at 9 am and travelled to California, got there by 1 pm and went to a Veterans Administration Hospital and if they had to treat me for anything at 1:10 pm they could have my entire records in California. We already have this in place your government has Electronic Health Records already done in pkace free to any clinic or Doctor anywhere in the country ready to be implemented.

The same government they are saying cannot run anything.

Peace

Comment by jean44ddd on August 14, 2009 at 10:16am

FIRST LET ME SAY I, AM so sick OF THESE SO CALL BLUE DOG PLAYING LESS MAKE A DEAL WITH PEOPLE LIVE'S ! HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE BOUGHT THEIR VOTES ,AND WE THE VOTES WELL LOOSE OUR CHOSE FOR AFFORDABLE HEATH CARE.I AM SICK OF THE LIES,As you know Corporate America/Health Insurance Companies are pumping millions of dollars a day into stopping health Care Reform. Also I would like to remind everyone that the conservative talking point that reform will take the medical decisions out of the hands of physicians and give it to the government is a LIE, HMO's did that years ago.My doctor found an infection around my survival spine and wonted me to get an MRI.My insurance provider sent me a letter asking me why I wonted TO get an MRI like I just woke up one day and thought Damn it would be fun to get an MRI today!all my life I have head conservatives talking about how welfare is draining the county and how it needed to be reform,but for some reason it doesn't bother them that big business and , health Insurance companies is making billion by murdering people .Yes I said murdering people!Bye refusing serves they use words like preexisting,experimental ,which is code for we loss money.Less think about it Health Insurance is the only thing we pay for and we don't know what the hell we are going to get ! Really, I know we have insurance for just in case but really.Let the person know up front what the polices cover.With Health Insurance you don't find out until yea have something they don,t wont to pay for ! COME ON YELL ,WE STILL HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING.WE HAVE TO KEEP CALLing OUR REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR.THE SAME WAY WE GOT President OBAMA ELECTED IS THE SAME WAY WE HAVE TOO GET HEALTH CARE REFORM PAST! THOSE OF US THAT ARE NOT WORKING AT THIS TIME HELL WE Can CALL THE EVER DAY,E-MAIL THE EVER DAY WORRY THEM TO DEALTH .LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY MY GIVE THEM MONEY FOR THEIR CAMPAIGN ,BUT IT IS THE VOTE THAT GIVE THEM THE SEAT,AND WE CAN DAMN WELL TAKE IT FROM THEM.THEY WORK NOTEST I SAID WORK NOT REPRESENT ,BECAUSE WE PAY THEM TOO!WE GAVE THEM A DAMN GOOD HEALTH CARE PACKET! SO PLEASE PUT YEA GLUES BACK ON GET IN OUR STANDS !YEA HEAR THAT DAMN BELL ?FIGHT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An Easy way to Contact your Reps. RE: Heath Insurance Reform
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Comment by Craig Applebaum on August 14, 2009 at 1:52am

Ms. Miane,

I have read the bill (well mostly) and according to page 16. After year1 (Y1 in the bill) Insurance companies are not allowed to enroll new participants. How is that allowing anyone to keep their health care.

You asked for a better proposal well here you go.

1) require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions (of course there would be a premium)
2) enact tort reform. The first component is the financial burden on health care providers. Instead of offering you lower prices for their services, American doctors pay as much as $126 billion to protect themselves from lawsuits while only 17 percent of lawsuits filed involve actual physician negligence. Defensive medicine adds another $70 billion to health care costs.
3) give patients (us) options as to what type of coverage we want. A single male doesn't need pregnancy coverage (for example)
4) Store medical records electronically.

Comment by Christopher Robinson on August 13, 2009 at 7:26pm

We claim to be the greatest country on the face of the planet. Yet, our best and brightest elected officials can't seem to replicate, or duplicate a healthcare system for their citizens. It angers and frustrates me to know that, the Insurance Companies, the Pharmaceuticle Companies, and certain Government officials make sure that the flow of money never stops(for them). If you haven't seen "Sicko" by Michael Moore you should. Our health care system to date, was set in motion by Nixon himself. If France, UK, and Cuba can figure it out, then why can't the greatest nation on the face of the planet? The fear of "Socialistic HealthCare" was implimented using Ronald Reagan back in the 50's, and they did it again to Bill and Hillary in the 90's. It's a boogy-man scheme and fear tactic. Micheal Moore interviewed an elderly white British statesman, and you have to hear for yourself his breakdown of the problem, and the singular solution he presents. Very powerful insightful words. Europe started their National Healthcare System at the end of WWII. I don't know if the town hall protesters are planted by the Republican party, or the Insurance Co., or not. They're just the people afflicted by fear...fear of change, ignorance, intoloerence and an uncompromising position that hinders the political process. Of actually coming to a common ground of finding a solution to our many social and political problems. Without realizing that if you're the have's or the have not's, black or white, rich or poor,
we're all in the same boat under the same damn umbrella - solidarity and unselfishness. the willingness to extend a hand when it's in your power to do so. And our government officials were "elected" to do just that, and we need to hold them accountable. "Of the People, For the People, By the People". This Country is ours, as is the future, and we have the power to make it what we want, and know it should be. Check out Sicko.

Comment by deborah/kansascity on August 13, 2009 at 5:47pm

In case you don't know Medicare is already a Federal Single payor insurance plan and they do not have access to people's bank accounts. It falls under the health and humand services department. However, the IRS already has access to your bank account if you have ever efiled and had direct deposit of a refund; or if you have Social Security and have direct deposit. The Patriot act, gave the President the right to monitor your mail, your email, your phone calls, your bank accounts, what books you check out of the library; it gave the President the right to have you placed under surveilance and arrested; with no warrent, no supervison by the justice system, no right to a lawyer, nothing. You were not afraid of that, but you are afraid of a Medicare like program that allows people to join if they want to?

Comment by Pamela Chapman on August 13, 2009 at 4:22pm

Dear Reggie,

How beautifully said. The present administration is quite frightening.

I have been a solopreneur for three years now. This is after leaving a very good corporate position, a position in executive management. I was paid well, received good bonuses and had great healthcare benefits. When I decided to leave that environment, I was presented COBRA at $440 dollars per month. This was not an affordable option. I looked at other health-insurance coverage, of course, and because of a pre-existing condition, they were not an affordable option either. So, what did I do? I turned to natural medicine and I began to exercise and eat properly. When I had to see the doctor, which was rare, his office made financial arrangements with me. Now, do we need healthcare reform? Absolutely! I've lost my father and a husband to cancer. But the system is BROKEN; and, I’m not hearing any real business solutions from this Admin. I’m hearing a lot of campaign rhetoric. And, God knows whenever our federal government makes financial projections; their actuals are always a lot more.

I also don't want more government in my life. I wonder if those who want government-run healthcare realize it will operate under the umbrella of the IRS? Do they realize the government will have access to their banking accounts? Do they realize there will be no recourse if they are not satisfied with care or have an issue? What if the government healthcare program refuses to pay for treatment for their mother or grandmother who has been diagnosed with cancer? Oh, they wouldn’t do that? It happened to my mother. The proposed bill states that any issues (unsatisfactory care, denial of benefits, etc.) would be directed to the Secretary of State...LOL

Well, I eventually found reasonable insurance coverage; great coverage, in fact, especially for a 53-year old woman with a pre-existing condition. Yes, they put a rider on the pre-existing but I’m doing everything necessary to prevent the illness from reoccurring to include visiting my naturopathic doctor on a regular base. I found the coverage through an agent who worked his socks off for three years to find me the good coverage I needed. He too is a solopreneur.

Let me add this note…I also worked as a case manager, for four years, in a nonprofit organization. I worked with homeless women and children. My clients were on Medicaid; and some of their stories were unbelievable. The honest truth is I spent a great deal of my time fighting with a broken system that was supposed to be in place to help but instead created greater financial devastation for my clients.

Remember, you always get what you pay for.

Comment by Craig Applebaum on August 13, 2009 at 3:12pm

Yara,

To be fair this forum didn't exist when the war was going on. Now you say Bush lied. He may have or he may have had bad intelligence. I am not defending Bush as the war in Iraq was ill-timed. However, President Obama has stated that unemployment will not go over 8% (it has) he has said that the AARP endorsed the proposed legislation and they haven't.He also said the plan would still allow the private sector and if you read HR32 which I have read almost all of, It says otherwise

Now I have given The President the benefit of the doubt that he had bad advising. But those are lies. So to criticize one President for something and not another is a little hypocritical.

Can you elaborate on what you mean about the country the way it was when the founding fathers wrote the constitution. Are you against that and what are you against

Comment by Reggie Auzenne on August 13, 2009 at 12:49pm

The American people may be slow to anger but when you spark that anger, look out! Now, people are awake and paying attention. They are angry because of the arrogance and audacity of this administration who are shoving one economy busting thing after another down the throats of the people.

Over 75% of Americans are satisfied with their health coverage. Why trash the system for them? Who are these people who are not covered? Look at some of the below comments. You will see what the real problem is: People drop their coverage and then complain when they cannot get pre-existing conditions covered!

The administration and the media constantly use the number of 47 million to create an illusion of a much larger problem than really exists. Out of that number, about 10 million are illegal aliens. Another 12 to 16 million are 18-25 year olds who are healthy and choose not to get coverage. There is a significant number of low income people who are eligible for medicaid and choose not to apply. Then there are the people who were in between jobs when the census was taken and who have since been covered by their current employer.

The actual number of people who are actually in need is very small. It makes you wonder what the real agenda is of this administration.

Note: The very nature of "insurance" means that pre-existing conditions would not be covered OR, the insurance company may rate the premiums higher. Mostly, insurance companies will provide coverage excluding the pre-existing condition. You won't hear the proponents of this boondoggle explaining that. Their agenda includes the demonization of insurance companies and business in general.

How long would an auto insurer be in business if the government forced them to cover an automobile that had already been in a wreck(pre-existing condition)?

How long would an auto insurer be in business if the government got into the auto insurance business and offered it for free. You could also ignore your coverage until you got into an accident and then the government would force them by law to cover you as they propose to do with health insurance.

It is blatantly dishonest for Obama and his cronies in Congress to tell the people that they would be able to keep their current coverage and doctors. An insult to our intelligence.

The only plausible explanation for the actions of this government is to summise that they are "progressive/socialists" whose stated ultimate goal is the complete destruction of the "Free Market Capitalist" system which America was founded on and raising a totalitarian regime that controls every aspect of peoples' lives. The opposite of "Freedom."

Comment by Andre R. Broussard on August 13, 2009 at 12:09pm

Are these the same people who consistently voted to spend over $600 billion on an ill-conceived invasion of Iraq, and who authorized a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry last fall, much of which went to CEO bonuses?

Plus, these are the same folks that claim that America's healthcare is the envy of the world. Even though our American babies are three times more likely to die in their first month as children born in Japan, and newborn mortality is 2.5 times higher in the United States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway, Save the Children researchers found.

Only Latvia, with six deaths per 1,000 live births, has a higher death rate for newborns than the United States, which is tied near the bottom of industrialized nations with Hungary, Malta, Poland and Slovakia with five deaths per 1,000 births.

How is this possible in the world's richest country?

Comment by Craig Applebaum on August 13, 2009 at 9:21am

George,

Right now the numbers show we can not afford this plan without raising taxes (income). Putting everyone on it would kill us.

Midge,

I feel for you. I don't think people with pre-existing conditions should be denied. They should be able to get insurance for a premium.

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