The strange plot of the national debate over health reform this took another twist over the weekend, after (now suddenly ex- Alaska governor) Sarah Palin posted a statement on her Facebook page on Friday denouncing the Obama administration’s plan to reshape the healthcare system as “downright evil.”
In a statement referencing Ronald Reagan and the economist Thomas Sowell, Palin warned of bureaucratic “death panels” that would decide “if my parents (or yours) or my baby with Down Syndrome” are “worthy of healthcare based on their level of productivity in society.”
The full text of the post:
“As more Americans delve into the disturbing details of the nationalized
health care plan that the current administration is rushing through
Congress, our collective jaw is dropping, and we’re saying not just no,
but hell no.The Democrats promise that a government health care system will reduce
the cost of health care, but as the economist Thomas Sowell has pointed
out, government health care will not reduce the cost; it will simply
refuse to pay the cost. And who will suffer the most when they ration
care? The sick, the elderly, and the disabled, of course. The America I
know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down
Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his
bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level
of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care.
Such a system is downright evil.
Health care by definition involves life and death decisions. Human
rights and human dignity must be at the center of any health care
discussion.Rep. Michele Bachmann highlighted the Orwellian thinking of the
president’s health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of
the White House chief of staff, in a floor speech to the House of
Representatives. I commend her for being a voice for the most precious
members of our society, our children and our seniors.We must step up and engage in this most crucial debate. Nationalizing
our health care system is a point of no return for government
interference in the lives of its citizens. If we go down this path,
there will be no turning back. Ronald Reagan once wrote, “Government
programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau
is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.”
Let’s stop and think and make our voices heard before it’s too late.
– Sarah Palin
Rep. Bachmann’s speech can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CHBvKGmevI
Categories: Matthew Holt
Does anyone think that she actually believes this rhetoric? We have already had “panels” deciding whether we get healthcare coverage…T-H-E I-N-S-U-R-A-N-C-E C-O-M-P-A-N-I-E-S! Some people want whats best for all of our society, not just for themselves. The fact that somebody makes more money than another does not necessarily mean that they work harder, just as it should not mean that certain people should get better healthcare just because they are members of government,unions or large corporations.
I was trying to Sign Obama’s health plan letter online, but it seems impossible to do that without donating money… I’m not opposing it, I’d like to sign it, but I don’t want to donate as I believe Govt. has trillions of money and I have very little.
So, the Task Force put in place by our present administration suddenly changes its tune on mammograms and self examination…..saying that it results in too many unneccessary tests for false alarms…..what’s that you all were saying about how treatments and tests won’t be rationed?
107 PEOPLE DIE WORLDWIDE EACH MINUTE.
THAT’S 153,000 DEATHS EVERY DAY.
HOW GOOD OF HEALTH CARE YOU HAVE WILL
MEAN NOTHING WHEN THAT DAY COMES FOR
YOU TO BE AMONG THAT 153,000.
ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN ON YOUR WAY TO
HEAVEN…OR ARE YOU STILL BOUND FOR HELL?
As a UK citizen I have listened to the likes of Sarah Palin criticise our own NHS. She is, in my view, an immoral disgrace preaching to morons of self interest. Here, if you have a cold or cancer, a headache or aids, you will receive life saving treatment immediately without question or credit card and I would pay triple taxes to safeguard it. The healthcare system in the US is an international disgrace. A culture is defined by the treatment it affords its most vulnerable citizens, and all I hear in this debate is how much more it will cost ‘me’. Americans are better than this.
Conspiracy Theory
Have you ever wondered how the Baucus healthcare plan got to where it stands right now? This M.D., J.D. believes, and I agree it’s out there, Baucus conspired with others in his party. So hear me out.
Baucus commisurated with his gang of 6 to set out a road map for his healthcare vision . Yet, neither the Dems or the GOP supported his plan. Strange, don’t you think.? Good so far, right? No one support his plan and, yet, within 48 hours after he (Baucus) announced his “healthcare plan” the Dems embraced it with a multitude of amendments while repudiating each and every GOP amendment offered.
I believe Baucus never thought for a minute the GOP would join in his plan, nor did he care. His arrogance precedes him. The Baucus plan simply provided a platform for Baucus to advance the “debate” while playing by the Senate Finance Committee rules and moving the proposed healthcare plan along. That’s exactly what he did. It is ow going to committee. Pretty smooth, don’t you think? This writer thinks so.
Watch what happens now. It will go to committee, there will be some tweaking. The House will come around and take what they can get. After all the only thing missing is the public option and according to Obama, if you believe him, he will not sign a bill that contains a public option . . . . or will he?
Big picture: The present Baucus plan is a nightmare. But beware, the Baucus plan can get worse and I predict it will. We will, certainly, soon find out how horrific it can get.
Sarah P is spot on! She’s reasonable. The key to successful legislation is just that. Be reasonable
The dems actions unwise and unreasonable and, likely, unconstitutional. So it looks like this healthcare issue will just play out over time.
“One solution”
Scrap the whole thing and provide a simple nominal plan to the indigent who cannot afford insurance or do not qualify for medicaid, thereby, making insurance affordible to them as a group. Or simply provide a medicaid like plan to those who fall between the cracks so everyone is covered.
Under any circumstance, no one is denied care when they present to the emergency room) under EMTALA (a federal statute) with or without insurance so why all the nonsense and insane spending.
Well, I guess Pelosi, Reid and Obama . . . .
Be careful what you wish for.
I have not yet read any one elses comments, so I am sorry if I am repeating anything.
I was wondering what about people like me? I am homeless, and I live at a Job Corps school where I am getting trained in a new career so when I leave I should hopefully have a home. I have never had a job that payed over 300 dollars every two weeks and have never been on my own.
What about people like me?
People who can’t even afford the insurance ?
If people cannot afford insurance, wouldn’t that mean that we cannot pay the fines either ?
I understand that health care is very important being that this is the field that I am going into, but saying that you must have something or else… it’s not right. especially when it comes down to something that you have to pay for.
These are tough times. In a time when people are trying to figure out what and how they feed their children every new day that comes to them, how do you expect people to be able to get insurance as well ?
As the president I feel that he should have more sense than what he is showing, and care more for the american people. maybe he could free health care instead of forcing people to pay for it and then saying if we don’t that we have to pay fines.
I just don’t see how this is right.
To me it’s unethical and unmoral
Dear President Obama,
Please do not accept a bill that excludes a public option for health care. It is essential that we have a public option to keep the private insurance companies honest and competitive.
Melodie Miller
Voter
I do not agree with 100 percent of any health care proposals so far. But one thing I believe in. If my country can spend a Trillion $ in Iraq and Afghanestan to promote freedom and Democracy (In Afghanestan maybe protecting national security)and sacrifice 45,000 lives of brave Americans, we can certainly spend one Trillion $ over 10 years to protect the people of this country. Isn’t the health of people a national security issue?
Socialism does not work, read history.
No one has the right to healthcare. Based on what philosophy? If one want’s health insurance they can purchase it. If they cannot afford it then they do not have the right to force someone else to pay, that is called tyranny, stealing via the government.
People need to think about what they are asking for. Obama is a politician! He has never worked a day in his life. To give politicians power over healthcare is dangerous, immoral, and illegal.
Sarah Palin is such a liar! For her to sit here and tell people she is all worried that her son who is on Downs sydrome wouldnt get the care that he is needed on the Democratic’s healthcare plan is such a bunch of bogus! My son is disabled as well, he has cerebral palsy. He was denied coverage in the state we live in because I made too much money according to the state income guidelines. I have a very small income and not the type of job which Sarah Palin has had or her husband. I’m sure if the state of Alaska, government run health insurance was based on income, she wouldnt qualify either! Government based health coverage is at this time, based on income! It was put in place for people who have low incomes, not high incomes. The people on it don’t always have coverage for everything nor do they always get to see a doctor of choice. This is because it is governement based. Most people on medical assistance dont care where they have to go to do the doctor because they cant afford it. They’d rather have it paid for them than receive a bill. The new plan is basically very similar than what is out there now. The only difference is that it won’t be income based, however it’s still free. So, maybe the rich people who have their own private insurance won’t need to use it but still have the option. Also, no matter what way you look at it, everyone will pay taxes just like they always have, it’s really no difference than now.
We are all for reform but the 1100 pages of reform and not one mention of lawyer reform. Why? Because the politicians are lawyers.
Check out this funny video.
http://www.socializelawyers.com
Or go to youtube and type in socialize lawyers.
The fact of the matter is that with so many other countries attempting to provide universal health insurance for its citizens and failing, you would think our government would learn something. Right at home we have states like Massachusetts and Oregon that have offered universal health insurance and are seeing massive deficits with no choice but to kick folks out of the program. Massachusetts recently had to force over 30,000 people out of their plan due to cost overruns. Additionally, are you telling me the White House isn’t considering so-called Death Panels like the one essentially in place in Oregon – we can’t pay for an expensive drug to keep you alive, but we’ll pay to have you commit suicide. If you believe in this kind of government control, then you are IN THE WRONG COUNTRY – LEAVE NOW!
Oh Sarah, yes you are pretty hot. But that comment you made is the most fear mongering, ignorant thing to ever come out of her stupid piehole. And that says a lot. A genuine effort by some to try to help out millions struggling to get healthcare, as well as all of us that have it and could be screwed over by coverage denials any time that the insurance company decides they dont really want to pay. Absolutely shameful, I understand that people have concerns, we all do, but these kind of statements most notably from our ex-vp canditate/ex-alaska governor, are absolutely dispicable.
Might makes right, survival of the fittest, and love your country or leave it sounds more like Satanism than Xianity.
It is the paradox of the great Union that some of the so called freedoms that are championed, are in fact some of the heaviest shackles and obstacles to equality and freedom, unworthy of a great democratic state.
Under the cover of sometimes religious, dogmatic arguments – or worse – by abusing the good word liberty, the cause of Freedom is used to protect horrible injustices and bigotry.
Nobody can accuse the US of not taking its responsibility in the fight for democracy and freedom in the world. There would be no free western world without its contributions in two world wars and in the buildup of ruined societies in the afthermath.
How is it, then, that this great nation will inflict on its society millions of suffering, barely literate masses, without health care protection worthy a name. How can this society have committed thousands of its failed children to fry in electric chairs and to this day kill its own citizens by bestial means. How can it allow guns on each street corner and claim this to be more or less a human rights issue, while the Columbines come in quick succession.
And, how can it allow someone like Sarah Palin to get away with this sort of language, which can only appeal to the most populistic masses, the most basic, bigotted and uneducated minds? For those of us who admire and love the United States, this remains a constantly troubling thought.
Give the ones that seek to change the wrongly established dogmas a chance. “See wrong and try to right it” is the word that EMK would have used.
Wake up people, look around it’s happening in front of all of our eyes and some are to blind to see it!!! Sarah Palin is telling the truth. Read the fine print Obama is going to drive the United States down the drain! Would you like it when your parents or grandparents get old and they have no choice in healthcare? Or if you have a kid with a disorder or some kind of medical disease and you can’t get healthcare for them? I KNOW FOR A FACT I WOULDN’T WANT THAT FOR ANYONE!!!!! It’s like euthanizing a dog but, only this time they’re humans!!!!! that’s just cruel it’s like he’s trying to play God or something. If he keeps this up we’ll have no freedoms left at all.
If you people want a socialism for government then move to another country! THIS IS AMERICA IF YOU DON’T LOVE IT THEN LEAVE! Stop trying to change what we fought so hard to get from Britain. We fought for freedom and we won it over bloody battles. And here we are and some of you want to give our freedom away!! I’m an American and i like my freedoms especially when it concerns my families or my life!
I am Happy that Americans are now suffering and Begging for health care reform. Why? because back when Hilary Clinton was pushing for health care for each american in the 1980s , What did y’all do? You shot her down like a bird out of the sky saying that she was trying to promote a communist America. Well now you got a dying liberal america run by the multibillion dollar phamaceutical and insurance companies who are getting a Sick Glee from poor americas misery. Serves you right. thats Karma 101
ny grandma lived to be 99 yrs of age. at 89 she came back from broke pelvis and 91 a gallbladder and 6 inches of her intestines removed. on this particular surgery 1of 4 in the group of doctors would say I think she is strong enough to come back kicking and she did from a 6 wk stay in hospital to be at her home of 60 yrs till she was 96 and the broke hip got her. she remained in a nursing home till 99 and 2 months . my question in at what point would she have stopped recieving healthcare
Palin is a smart women, This story help me to think, do obamas plan are worth it for the country or just for himself, to say…” HE DID SOMETHING”””
I’m so glad I was born British and not American. I’d chose our so-called “Socialist” National Health Service over your ridiculously costly alternative any day of the week!
I will never understand how republicans can spend so much time arguing for the life of an unborn child while at the same time arguing against feeding and providing healthcare for that child once it makes it into the world.
Could not agree more Sarah! Less government is the best way. If Obama has his way, I quit!!! I enjoy working as an RN, but I’d rather clean gutters and windows, lay sod, shovel manure or put pickles in a jar than work as a nurse for Obama and his National Health sCare.
Sincerely,
– 1 RN
Of course Sara Palin’s views would never be heard had she not been on the McCain ticket. So now this embarrassment of a politician with a sub-par intellect gets to espouse on the national stage and the insipid American media covers every word. She is promoting the tried and true Republican agenda to hinder or destroy any initiative the government tries to help the average citizen. Ask her to define “socialism” if you want a good laugh. God help this country if it continues to promote the views of fools like her.
If you don’t have prescription insurance, check out http://www.nulegacyrxcard.com/bigrxdiscounts You can save up to 75% on prescription drugs and with the direction we are going, all savings will be needed.
Republican, Democrat. Both sides of the same filthy coin. The New American Aristocrats. They make the rules, and needn’t abide by them.
Republicans lie about: National Security, Individual Liberties, Supporting Small Business, One Nation Under God…
Democrats Lie about: Public Safety, The Greater Good, We will Care for You, Lifting up the Downtrodden, Government Aid…
Each side marshals it’s forces: Pro-Choice, Anti-Abortion, Union, Business, Gun Ban, Self-Protection. Each group a sure bet of voters and money. Each group marches where commanded.
And you can say it’s our fault, and vote the bastards out. And you can say, you get what you vote for. But I didn’t see any other choices. Did you?
Look, this is just overkill. Palin has given mixed-up op/eds since she started showing up in the national spotlight.
Death panels: “elective (self-chosen) end of life decision counseling,” which sounds to me like if you feel like it, you can choose to speak with an actual health professional about how you would like to be treated as a potentially dying person. And your doctor could be paid to help you figure all this out. If this is a death panel, sign me up.
As a 18-year type 1 diabetic, not having health insurance is scary. I was uninsured for about 4 yrs in college, and I scraped by because I worked at a summer camp for diabetics, and I worked 2 part-time and one full-time job while a student. I didn’t do anything to deserve my diabetes; this is what happened to me, and I’ve learned how to deal. Without health care, diabetes is expensive, and not all of us are wealthy white Americans.
Anyone arguing against universal health coverage, at least BASIC health care, doesn’t get a number of important things. First, the government is already all up in our collective health business. Without the government passing legislation and approving how health care works, it wouldn’t be the way it is. The profits go to private companies, the approval has gone through our gov. Not to mention medicare…
Second, if government control is what you’re really concerned about, why don’t you read the bill? See for yourself what’s actually in there. Believing blindly what anyone on any news show says is folly, because, as we know for a fact, everyone spins everything. There are some key deficiencies in the way health care reform has been portrayed in much of our larger corporate media, and there’s no getting around it. So read it for yourself.
Third, no Christian, who actually believes in what the Bible has supposedly taught you, can argue against Universal Health care and have a soul. It’s just not possible. There’s no way you could look into a struggling middle-working class parent’s eyes and say what you continue to say on here and in the public open forums: “Health care reform is evil.” That’s just not something I can see anyone being able to do with a straight face. Working people need help in managing their health. Health care right now is not a fair fight. And to say that how much money you have should mean that you have better health care is really scary. That’s what scares me, and that’s what communism means to me: those with loads of cash get their way, and the populace gets the dirty leftovers.
Get over yourselves.
Why do people hate Palin? What are they afraid of? I wish she would run, I’d vote for her. What’s happen to this country in the way of values, morality, character and integrity? We have become a corrupt nation, God haters and lovers of self. We have opened the door to those who wish to destroy this nation because we refuse to put God first, abide by the laws in our Constitution and allow foreigners to change our laws. We’ve become weak, appologetic,corrupt from the top on down. We will fall because we are no longer united. Just call us states.
Obama health care power grab is evil! Why are the Dems trying to push this health care so hard! Use your common sense folks. Why do you think the gov. can run health care? You are fools if you believe the gov. cares about you. Look how much this lying prez. has spent, double-talked and schemed. This is an evil admin. Bush wasn’t perfect but Obama is nothing more than a front man cause he is Black, so when people oppose him they are labeled racists. I’m Black and involved. I’ve been to T-Parties & others and the media and gov officials paint these people as un-American, terrorist etc. This admin. is a disgrace to the American Constitution.
Interesting comments. Evil Health Care Systems, Death Panels, the goverment taking over everything, the right to healthcare, and the list goes on. It’s funny that you hear the same types of extermes on both sides of this arguement. Regardless of all the “talk” back and forth isn’t making some form of health care available to all Americans the right thing to do? I think so. I feel like I live in the greatest country in the world, and if that’s the case what type of message does it send that we have mothers, children, and the elderly without healthcare?
Palin’s comments are unfortunate. In her arguement she jumps right from nationalized healthcare to death panels? How do you get there? So she is saying that she wants all of us to believe that elected officials are going to endorse a plan that would do something like this? In the format that she has described it. Really? I’m thinking that comment insluts my intelligence a little bit – just a bit.
Secondly, I’m impressed that she would prefer her life and death decisions be influeced in our current system. By a corporation that has to consistently grow from a profitability perspective and add shareholder value. Which way are they more likely to decide – I’d bet they would kill you long before an elected bureaucrat would :).
Finally, to her third supporting point regarding Ronald Reagan’s comment on goverment programs being around forever once created – is this really a bad thing? Interesting if you think about it. Would she then deduce that Homeland Security is bad, the TSA, Social Security, CIA, FBI? How about any branch of the military? Of course not, so once again, don’t tell me all goverment created programs are bad, or use it as a supporting point to call something evil. You can’t get there.
Lastly, I love how she borders on the morality arguement with the death panel comments. Especially since she, a christian, supports not insuring children because they were born to a parent that can’t afford it. How do you do that? I wish I could and still sleep at night, but as it stands – I can’t.
Is this Palin lady for real ?
I’m so glad to live in Holland where we have healthcare for everybody. You pay a monthly premium of about 125 dollars,for basic coverage ( doctor’s visits, physical therapy, all operations, stay in the hospital, transportation costs etc ) .You can choose which company you want to use. If you want more ( special therapies, extra dental etc.) you get an extra package.
The first 50 euro’s ( about 70 dollars) yearly for prescriptions, you have to pay. The rest is for the insurance company.
Some downsides:
– for certain ( non life threatening) operations there are waiting lists,
– you cannot always choose the hosital yourself
Some upsides:
– affordable
– doctors are on call 24 /7
– rich and poor get the same basic care
Maybe Palin should look elsewhere in the world and see how things can work before denying the US people healthcare with scare tactis
President Obama, we are tired of the Whitehouse trying to sell us health care reform. You know, I know and the American people know this is really about more government power and control. Our biggest problem has become our government! Stop! Just stop all this nonsense! Do not treat U.S. like we are stupid, ignorant morons! Join U.S.!
Do Not Sell Out “We the People” of the U.S.A.! We Trusted You!
President Obama, great Presidents do Great things! They have great Honor and Integrity! We know you can do it! “We the People” know the truth! We want to hear it from you! Please join U.S.! Tell the American people the Truth! Confess! Americans are forgiving! We feel if this took place, a renewed Spirit of Patriotism could spread through our government! The American people have never lost our Spirit of Patriotism! We never will! Join U.S.!
“Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.” –George Washington
President Obama, You owe nothing to the manipulators who bought your way into office. Those people only used you! Americans do not want to use you. People have been using you and lying to you all your life.
You Have to Betray Them or Betray the U.S.A.! What’s Your Choice?
Look at the people of the United States. We are real! We are good people! We are intelligent and can think! The elitist mind is really small and weak! The elitist people are selfish and twisted. We just want a President with Honor and Integrity. This is your big chance to become the Greatest President of all time! You need to lead our government by example, with Honor and Integrity! President Obama just do the right thing!
Join “We the People” of the U.S.A.!
“Experience has shown that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.” -Thomas Jefferson
President Obama:
Can you stand on your own?
Can you make your own decisions?
Can you be a man of Honor and Integrity?
If we have any other elected or appointed “public servant” leaders in our government who have any Honor or Integrity left inside them, they should come totally clean with “We the People”! If most of our leaders have any intestinal fortitude, then we should have a long line of them holding resignation papers in their hands or begging to ask our forgiveness! Do they no longer think they are accountable to U.S. and believe they can do whatever they please? They have developed a “spirit of insubordination” that has gotten way out of control! We no longer need employees working for us that practice malfeasance in office.
We need laws stating that any Representative, Senator or President that has the audacity to sign any bill without reading it and fully understanding it should go immediately to jail without any bond? We must raise the bar of Integrity and Honor for our employees! Elected or appointed “public servants” need to achieve a much higher standard. How did it get so low? If they are found guilty, a 30 year minimum sentences would not be out of line! This complete lack of responsibility is a very serious issue! It’s totally scandalous, outrages and just plain wrong! It’s Criminal!
We Must Never Again Allow Our Leaders to Have Unaccountable Trust! EVER!!!
People are corruptible! We must always question and watch very closely everything they do! Our Freedom, Our beloved Constitution, Our National Sovereignty, “We the People” and the fact that we are a Constitutional Republic is why the United States of America is the Greatest Nation in the World! Any bad truths about our Country are the slow results of the corruptible human nature of a few individuals! Power and wealth can corrupt a person if not kept in check! After we fix our current problems, and we will, we must put in play many more “checks and balances”. We must figure out a way to completely take away the opportunity of corruption! Nothing personal – but “We the People” must always come first and be protected!
http://www.tomdavidd.com/blog/
“We can all commiserate forever about how bad things have been, are, and will continue to be. But I don’t think that we can afford to wait for elections in order to have our say about putting a stop to this madness. Enough, already! Let’s start talking treason, prison, and death penalties for all malefactors in government who subvert, ignore, skirt and otherwise trash the Constitution of these United States of America. Those who have sworn to uphold the Constitution and have then ignored their oaths of office are guilty of perjury and malfeasance in office.” -Stephen A. Langford (personal communication to this author)
I’m a UK citizen so no doubt not qualified to comment. But being British, I am deeply offended at the rubbish about medicare and by extension our NHS being a Fascist and Nazi German idea. I can tell you the UK is NOT a Nazi state and our NHS has NOTHING to do with death panels, or euthanasia and is not anti-Christian.
Perhaps you need to know your great hero Tony Blair actually came to power in 1997 on the promise to save the NHS! That should make you reassess these perverse lies you keep being told by right-wing commentators and politicians such as Palin. Perhaps you need to look at the big wide world and be a little less chauvinistic and ideological.
I like debate as much as the next person but seriously lets put what she has said aside for just a moment and ask ourselves, “when has anything that the government taken over ever helped make anything better or didnt cost us in some way?” The answer to that is pretty obvious nothing they have done has ever went well or hasnt cost us alot!! Now to the healthcare debate itself. I would encourage all of you to actually READ the bill. You dont have to take her word or anyone elses word for it, just read what the government itself has put in the bill and make your own decision. What I am getting tired of is people making comments like “dont believe everything you hear”. Well I agree with that statement if you are not just hearing but have actually read the bill itself. The people in Congress that are going to be making these decisions, some of them havent even read it so who is believing everything they hear now?? As an American we have a RIGHT (at least last time I checked) to voice our opinions and that has been what Sarah Palin has done, and if you have READ the bill it is a little scary to say the least. We should be careful because like what was stated above once the government gets involved its almost impossible to get them out. I am all for health care reform but I dont think this is the way to go about it.
Matthew 25:31-46
we are the only industrialized country that does not provide health care for all of its citizens…why don’t we remedy that with single payer health care…we have become slaves to the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies
You can still have private healthcare under this bill. The people in goverment who are against this bill are for the most part are in the pockets of the insurance companies. This should not be a debate about anything other than AFFORABLE healthcare for AMERICANS who need it. The extreme right want you to believe this is in someway socialism. Everyother major DEMORACY in the world has goverment run healthcare systems, many better than our own. My response is if these people are so much against socialist ideas and goverment aid, then they should send back their SOCIAL security checks when they come. WAKE UP PEOPLE> YES YES YES
Push all the white wash aside and look at our government’s past record in the health care industry…the veterans administration health care program. As a veteran, we joked that for veterans, you could potentially give your life twice for the military, once in combat and if you made it past combat, again in the VA health program. These are / were our protectors that we put in this horrible joke on.
If you are for this health care reform and you end up in a ward left to expire in your own body fluids with several others losing their minds and lives, then I say you might just deserve it.
And before you respond and say not everyone had a bad experience in VA hospitals, your right. Those of rank and privilege were given far better treatment but you might just want that if you are rich and privileged.
The country needs health care reform, but not a federal health care insurance program. We need to address the problems, not the symptoms. When the medical industry became “for profit”, health care become a business; and like all business, it must be and remain profitable.
We, the consumer, have to sit up and recognize that we are a part of the rising cost of health care. We need to stop going to the emergency rooms for common colds and daily ailments. That being said, the health care industry needs to provide an avenue to first echelon health care. This may be the level where the government may want to step in and provide county, city and neighborhood health care clients. The problem is that there is little or no profit in first echelon clients, just liability. To get clients going, we need the old Family Practitioner back. Family Practitioners, as I remember them, birthed babies, set common fractures, stitched up minor cuts, gave shots and counseled on family issues. They were our personal medical care professional; making recommendations as to when we needed to go to the hospital and recommending medical specialists when required. To offset the cost of health care, we need this individual back.
Frivolous lawsuits are also driving up the cost of health care. We need to prevent frivolous lawsuits against hospitals and health care workers. Somehow we need a mechanism in place that the plaintive must, at their own expense, prove probable cause for a liability suit. The medical associations and state medical boards need to set up and take on the responsibility of reviewing lawsuits and determine their viability. If it is determined that the actions on the part of the hospital or medical worker were within normal standard practice and under the circumstances the action taken was reasonable, then the lawsuit needs to be dismissed as frivolous. This has to all be set in place so that it is a no or low cost program to the hospitals and/or medical care workers. If the suit goes to court and the hospital or medical worker is found liable, there has to be some sort of a reasonable liability cap.
We need state training and county hospitals that will take on the indigent and uninsured. What county hospitals can or cannot do for a patient has to be determined by the available tax revenue. The county residents have to recognize that the county may not be able to give a heart transplant to an 80 year old individual and that all they can do for this individual is to reduce their pain and suffering.
The insurance companies need to setup and deny payment for redundant tests. They also need to make payments in a timely manner. Everyday that a billing is not paid, the hospital or doctor has to borrow that money for the services rendered. The doctors and hospitals have to build in the cost of borrowing money into the billing rates. So, the quicker they get paid, the more they can reduce their rates. Anything that the insurance companies can do to reduce the doctors and hospitals overhead by standardization and reduction of paper work will reduce their cost and again allow hospitals and doctors to reduce their rates. Maybe something like a medical credit card that pays the doctor directly for basic and standard procedures ie: checkups, shots and office visits. This would be directed more towards the Family Practitioner/clients than to hospitals.
In conclusion, the help we need from the federal government is setting up county and neighborhood health clients, promoting the return of the Family Doctor, provide reasonable liability caps, standardization of insurance forms and regulation of insurance companies to expedite their payments to the medical industry.
I am not a doctor or medical worker but business is business. When doing business becomes too expensive to compete, cut the overhead, not the quality of product and/or the services.
the only industrial country without nation healthcare. hmmmm.. im willing to wait obamas full 8years for healthcare. this is the most fundamental right as a taxpaying citizen. i guess we have to wait til the republican america finds a way to gouge the governments kitty with companies that fraud everyone. maybe we have to wait til the gop has turned all its supporters into brainwashed retards. whatever the case may be, i want free healthcare for me and my family. this downright silly.
HAS ANYONE NOTICED THAT PUBLIC OPINION IS NOW PAYD FOR BY THE REPUBLICAN PRIVATE SECTOR? ESPECIALLY IN THE RUAL AREAS WHERE THE INTERNET IS STILL A PUPPY.
I am so sick of listening to you people bitching about the poor and the homeless dying due to the fact that they can not afford health insurance.
No one in this country dies due to the lack of insurance, they die due to lacking the common sense to go to their local haspital and getting treatment.
You can not be turned away from any hospital due to the lack of insurance. You must be treated.
If you want socialize medical care move to Canada.
This blog will not allow me to give my honest opinion, regarding the pharmaceutical industry and their connections to Congress as they have deleted my comments and have sent me an email stating that my DATA could not be accepted, the truth is always suppressed, shame on you.
I also want the same health care that is being provided to all members of Congress For FREE, why is this okay for them to get free health care and the rest of the country have to pay $300-600 a month for it. I personally don’t have health care because I can’t afford it any longer the mortgage is my priority. That said I can’t even get my B/P, but I noticed that it is okay for 11 million illegals to obtain health care for free no questions ask. I needed to get my B/P refilled but the doctor visits was $105 dollar something I could not afford to pay, so I go without what kind of government lets an American Tax Payer take such a risk. As a country we go out of our way to help other nations and it appears we have forgotten about our own. Something is radically wrong with this system.