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Forge system with existing programs
Monday, Sept. 14, 2009 | 2:03 a.m.
Today all Americans have a public health care option. It’s called the VA, Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and Tricare — let’s call it VMMST for short. So consolidate VMMST into “the” public plan and open it up to outsiders.
If those on the right are terrified by the cost, then they don’t understand the future cost of doing nothing about health care costs, which are truly serious.
Just like baseball, health care companies are exempt from our antitrust laws. So why should we now trust them to do the right thing? If people on the right think not-for-profit health care co-ops are the answer, then they are not old enough to understand that for-profit health care companies bought up many of them decades ago and will do so again.
If those on the left want to have everyone insured, they need to understand that much of today’s health care rationing — by contract, by need and by cost — will remain.
The fundamental problem in resolving these issues in a coherent, productive manner is that we have a gutless Congress. It seems politicians have forgotten that although they were elected to represent their constituents and their political party, their representation must go beyond that narrow band of thinking in times that affect the national interest.
I, for one, am tired of watching sausage being made in Washington and would like now to see a pizza. You know, something where everyone gets a piece of the pie.
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bravo...
it really is very simple...
you either support the greedy pig insurance companies and their very real death panels and the money grubbing whore doctors...
or...
you support health care reform...
period...
end of story...
birdie - can you have an intelligent conversation without name calling all the time? You really hurt your arguments with the petty names you place on folks. I hope, for your sake, that some money grubbing whore doctor does not have to perform heart by-pass surgery on you in an emergency to save your life someday.
could be the end of your story.
brownIn4,
You do realize you are implicitly asking for some doctor to break their oath if birdie needs treatment? I don't think you intend for more endoscopy institute scandals even if that one showed Birdiedreamin is correct that some doctors forget their oath in pursuit of money.
That insurance companies often act callously is no surprise given the surfeit of horror stories about their direct responsibility for the deaths of fellow citizens. Do you defend such actions?
msschaffer-now lets be real. No, I would expect any doctor to treat their patients with the utmost care and with the best available treatments, even birdie. I want birdie to realize his approach to issues through name calling and blaming the former administration for everything is just getting ridiculous. Agreed, the insurance companies are being callous and they could surely treat people better, but on the other hand, people should not try and beat the insurance companies for more than what they are covered for. There needs to be some give and take on all sides here over the health debate. If I had the magic answer, I would certaintly share it so maybe our legislators would wake up and smell the coffee. There must be something wrong with the current proposal giving that no republican supports it. Even the stimulus bill gained some republican support. Not every republican or every democrat plays partisian politics, like so many want to believe. Lets start over, with some good ideas and come up with a bill that both sides would agree on.
brownIn4,
Can you point to a specific instance backing up your claim here:
"people should not try and beat the insurance companies for more than what they are covered for."
And show that any specific instances were not justifiable for your claim to hold water.
Also, you do realize that you are logically wrong to claim there must be something wrong with the current proposal because republicans don't support it. There are always interest groups opposing policy changes so according to your logic no proposal can be sound. This is obviously an extreme and wrong headed position.
ms-- I know personally of people, on a small scale, that demand the latest drug prescription that they have seen on TV. The doctor caves after badgering from the patient and writes the script which is charged to the drug portion of the person's insurance. Yes, that is the doctor's downfall, but the insurance company pays the price, not the doctor. I know where, after pleading, a patient was allowed to spend another day in the hospital, charged to insurance, even though the person was able to go home and have family care for them. Again, its the doctor who caved, but it does not affect him financially. Part two of your reply - right or wrong and I do not want to debate the Iraq war, but President Bush had support from both sides of the aisle prior to invading. Of course there are interest groups opposing policy changes, but our elected officials took an oath and their job is to sort through the static and reach a concensus agreement for the overall betterment of the majority. A presidents' legacy should not be based on what bill he supported and signed, but how they advanced the country for the betterment of all, not a few. If there was some proof that the latest health care proposal would benefit a majority, I could get behind it, but I have yet to see that. A lot of words about lower costs, freedom of choice, etc, etc, but I have yet to see an efficient, cost effective gov't run operation ( note post office, medicare). You know, you receive proposals all the time for goods and services and offers from salesmen and you need to sort through the facts and exagerations and make an informed decision that is right for you. Thats what I expect from our legislators. How can I believe that every democrat can fall in line behind Nancy and every republican can get in line behind John, and this bill is not partisan but is for the good of the country??
I to am tired of sausage being made in Washington so, I guess everybody in Mt Washington is a wiener?
I am a retired military and served for 21 years. I have Tricare and VA. I have never used VA because of the long wait and poor service. I purchased a POS option with the Health Plan of Nevada as a School District employee just to cover what Tricare would not cover. Currently, Tricare only pays for the co-pay of my prescription and still argues with Health Plan of Nevada for a lousy $3.00 on one of my prescription drug. Is public option Tricare and VA what you want for yourself and your family's health care. Think hard.
Why do those who so mistrust and question the ethical morals of insurance executives have so much faith in politicians?
brownIn4,
Your first example is not one of "beating the insurance companies for MORE(emphasis mine) than what they are covered for" or the insurance company would have, as they do every day on a frequent basis, denied coverage. In addition, there are many stories of people reaching caps in coverage with tragic results for them and their families. Do you think people should suffer?
Your second example merely illustrates my point that you commit logical fallacies without understanding where you have gone wrong.
As for efficient the overhead for Medicare is far lower than private insurance and you will have to make your case by referring to valid studies that have not come from some right wing so called think tank. This leaves out Hoover, Manhattan, Heritage, and Cato as none of them have any credibility. This is not up for argument unless you wish to cement your lack of judgement.
As for usnpnoy,
Government policy should be set based on statistical analysis rather than your poor anecdotal account. If I "think hard" about your posting the first thing I have to realize is that what you wrote is completely uncorroborated and therefore cannot be used to draw any conclusions.
I wouldn't call the pols gutless -- they just seem to bounce between ignorance (real and feigned) and deceit, depending on which way the wind ($$$) is blowing.
There's a lot of things Congress could do to genuinely reform healthcare without geting into a public option debate. Maybe go after all the supposed fraud & waste (that they want to use to pay for the public option) NOW?