It will be interesting to see whether or not the left wing of the Democratic party in the House will actually stall the only chance for legislation that even comes close to their agenda solely because it doesn’t have the Medicare for All option they so desperately want.
I am so tired of this “debate”.
I am tired of the lies propogated by republicans.
I am tired of the false compassion of republicans.
I am tired of the hypocrasy of republicans.
I am tired of republicans, period.
Simple fact is that republicans have always been opposed to reforming healthcare.
Every single time reform came up it was because of Democrats—- not republicans.
When given a call to action by President Bush—- Republicans did nothing, in other words– we the people were obviously not worth the time nor the effort (which speaks volumes about the so-called desire to reform healthcare).
1) America is ranked 37th in healthcare— not first
2) Satifaction in healthcare is higher in almost every other industrialized nation (america is third from the bottom in satisfaction)
3) rationing and interferance in medical decisions is the status quo and isn’t something that will “happen” because of a government healthcare system.
4) Even in America— the highest satisfaction percentage can be found under a government-run healthcare system (medicare/medicaid = 92% approval versus only 80% on private insurance)
If there is reform that does not include a public option and still has teeth and holds a hope of reducing consumer costs, then I’m all for it. I’m just waiting for republicans to offer ONE proposal that meets that criterial. So far, everything the republicans have proposed benefits only buisness. reduces costs only for buisness. There are NO republican proposals, as yet, that support the consumer. When, and more importantly if, Republicans come up with something that stands a chance to reduce costs for the consumer then we can discuss that then but don’t hold your breath. Depend on Republicans for effective reform and you’ll die of asphixiation first.
Brian, don’t know why you have these hangups. The only workbable health reform plan on Capitol Hill is the Coburn plan (which McCain copied as his own plan during the election).
It is the only plan which gets the incentives right and therefore will not explode when everyone tries to game the system. (Even Obama’s own health advisors admit privately that this is the ideal way to go. They view Coburn as too “radical” to get thru Congress at the moment.)
Now the last time I looked, Coburn had an R next to his name. And almost everyone who attacked this plan in the last election a had a D next to his/her name.
Having dealt with Brian, here is what I really want to say.
Let’s all hope Eddie Bernice Johnson is right. I hope the recent move is a deal breaker and we can junk all the versions of Obama Care and move on to sensible reform — like what Coburn/ Burr have proposed.
Ken-
I happen to be hung up in reality, something that republicans completely ignore. Fact is that what looks good on paper doesn’t always work when put into practise.
Coburn’s proposal relies on 3 things
1) market forces
2) government tax rebates/(credits)
3) preventive medicine.
1) Market forces-
The swame market forces that got us here in the first place? The same market foirces that have driven up costs, reduced availablity and affordability? The market cannot control costs and that has been provenj by history. Relying on insurance to change its buisness model out of the goodness of their hearts relies on insurance being ethics driven rather than profit driven. Insurance has proven itself to be profit-only driven. Market forces cannot be relied upon, realistically. so there is one pillar of his plan down the tubes.
2) Government tax relief.–
For the un-insured this holds no chance of working. When you are un-insured your taxes are taken for payment of those medical bills. THERE IS NO MONEY TO BUY INSURANCE. This is another republican failing. Tax rebates work on paper but when the un-insured generally do not recieve taxes, tax credits don’t work. Besides the proposed tax credit proposed is 2,000 individual or just over 5,000 for a family. 2,000 MIGHT just get you 2 months worth of premiums. Hardly a help when faced with the fact that insurance premiums are still going up and so for 10 out of 12 months you find yourself back in the same boat, un-insured and incapable of affording insurance. I did like the proposal of an exchange where insurance companies “compete” for buisness, but have very little faith that there would be any real competition. What these exchanges will turnout to be is a collection of companies that offer basically the same plan for basically the same amount. (there would be minor differences in covered service and maybe you might find a few dollars cheaper but essentially all health-insurance is the same— expensive and inadequate. No competition. Its not like we the consumer can go elsewhere and force insurance to lower premiums to attract buisness. Insurance, and most conservatives, are completely against any form of exchanges where companies are forced to compete for buisness.
3) Preventive medicine.
A bedrock of democratic reforms. One that is opposed by most conservatives and insurance as being in-effective in controlling costs. It is republicans that are claiming that preventive care doesn’t really lower costs—only encourages over-use of medical services. Republicans really need to get together on this one.
Like I said before—– as long as reform meets certain crriteria
1) lowers costs for consumers
2) is available for all
3) is secure (won’t dissappear when you get sick— like most insurance plans do)
4) will not drive any one person into financial oblivion to remain healthy.
If republicans can do that, they have my support, but republicans have yet to put ONE proposal forward that stands a chance of acheiving these ends. It helps to acknowledge the devastating reality of being un-insured. It takes being honest with what is broken and what needs to be fixed. Republicans, in general, have yet to acknowledge any of it.
They refuse to see that there are 47+ million un-insured and that insurance,(and /or lacking insurance) is a driving force behind poverty creation.
They continually invent and exxagerate statistics and use these inventions to terrify people into submission.
They continually dismiss real life experience as having no bearing on the debate at hand. (because again they cannot admit the reality).
I MUST state again that I don’t care who comes up with reform as long as it stands a chance of working. Right now the only proposal that stands a chance in hell of working is the public option.
As it stands every republican proposal only benefits buisness. Increases buisness profits through de-regulation, allows and supports insurance in claiming a years worth of premiums while having no obligation to cover ANY costs, (not just medical costs related to your pre-existing condition but ALL medical costs).
Insurance is essential to exist in society. Of course you can do without as long as you are ready to own no property, have no credit, have no job, live on welfare, and be constantly hounded. Its like dying of thirst and being given two choices…. you can drink the water from the sewer or you can purchase the promise of a drink. Insurance promises to give you a drink of water but when time comes for you to drink, they pour it out on the ground in front of you after taking all your money. Now insurance isn’t denying you water, you CAN drink from the sewer because you must, but realistically the only rationaly choice is to pay what is demanded, and hope for the best.
Actually the evidence for Preventive medicine isn’t all that impressive. It does sometimes lead to over-use of medical services and in other times no evidence can be found/evidence is inconclusive.
It is however a nice marketing scheme for the “public” instituitions who claim to be in charge of your “health” and of course the food police who are more than happy to continue to spout the “prevention is good” line.
regarding history showing that free markets don’t control costs that is very true because no such markets exist in the first place. The medical sector is still plagued by “halfway” markets with ubiquitous government regulations, direct financing and indirect subsidizes. The context within which they function is still shaped by government.
But the likes of Brian are more than happy to brush all that aside and instead talk to us about the evils of insurance companies– and wrongly equate insurance with a free market– and tell us that the free market brought us here! I ask “what free market ?”.
government us brought us all this mess much like they brought us the housing bubble through “affordable housing” and bailouts. Next will be “affordable healthcare” followed by a healthcare bubble
Sorry to see Armey lose his job. I hope it under scores how very high stakes this battle is.
It will be interesting to see whether or not the left wing of the Democratic party in the House will actually stall the only chance for legislation that even comes close to their agenda solely because it doesn’t have the Medicare for All option they so desperately want.
Hennessey’s piece is really good. Fine analysis.
I am so tired of this “debate”.
I am tired of the lies propogated by republicans.
I am tired of the false compassion of republicans.
I am tired of the hypocrasy of republicans.
I am tired of republicans, period.
Simple fact is that republicans have always been opposed to reforming healthcare.
Every single time reform came up it was because of Democrats—- not republicans.
When given a call to action by President Bush—- Republicans did nothing, in other words– we the people were obviously not worth the time nor the effort (which speaks volumes about the so-called desire to reform healthcare).
1) America is ranked 37th in healthcare— not first
2) Satifaction in healthcare is higher in almost every other industrialized nation (america is third from the bottom in satisfaction)
3) rationing and interferance in medical decisions is the status quo and isn’t something that will “happen” because of a government healthcare system.
4) Even in America— the highest satisfaction percentage can be found under a government-run healthcare system (medicare/medicaid = 92% approval versus only 80% on private insurance)
If there is reform that does not include a public option and still has teeth and holds a hope of reducing consumer costs, then I’m all for it. I’m just waiting for republicans to offer ONE proposal that meets that criterial. So far, everything the republicans have proposed benefits only buisness. reduces costs only for buisness. There are NO republican proposals, as yet, that support the consumer. When, and more importantly if, Republicans come up with something that stands a chance to reduce costs for the consumer then we can discuss that then but don’t hold your breath. Depend on Republicans for effective reform and you’ll die of asphixiation first.
Brian, don’t know why you have these hangups. The only workbable health reform plan on Capitol Hill is the Coburn plan (which McCain copied as his own plan during the election).
It is the only plan which gets the incentives right and therefore will not explode when everyone tries to game the system. (Even Obama’s own health advisors admit privately that this is the ideal way to go. They view Coburn as too “radical” to get thru Congress at the moment.)
Now the last time I looked, Coburn had an R next to his name. And almost everyone who attacked this plan in the last election a had a D next to his/her name.
It is amazing how truly uninformed you are.
Having dealt with Brian, here is what I really want to say.
Let’s all hope Eddie Bernice Johnson is right. I hope the recent move is a deal breaker and we can junk all the versions of Obama Care and move on to sensible reform — like what Coburn/ Burr have proposed.
Ken-
I happen to be hung up in reality, something that republicans completely ignore. Fact is that what looks good on paper doesn’t always work when put into practise.
Coburn’s proposal relies on 3 things
1) market forces
2) government tax rebates/(credits)
3) preventive medicine.
1) Market forces-
The swame market forces that got us here in the first place? The same market foirces that have driven up costs, reduced availablity and affordability? The market cannot control costs and that has been provenj by history. Relying on insurance to change its buisness model out of the goodness of their hearts relies on insurance being ethics driven rather than profit driven. Insurance has proven itself to be profit-only driven. Market forces cannot be relied upon, realistically. so there is one pillar of his plan down the tubes.
2) Government tax relief.–
For the un-insured this holds no chance of working. When you are un-insured your taxes are taken for payment of those medical bills. THERE IS NO MONEY TO BUY INSURANCE. This is another republican failing. Tax rebates work on paper but when the un-insured generally do not recieve taxes, tax credits don’t work. Besides the proposed tax credit proposed is 2,000 individual or just over 5,000 for a family. 2,000 MIGHT just get you 2 months worth of premiums. Hardly a help when faced with the fact that insurance premiums are still going up and so for 10 out of 12 months you find yourself back in the same boat, un-insured and incapable of affording insurance. I did like the proposal of an exchange where insurance companies “compete” for buisness, but have very little faith that there would be any real competition. What these exchanges will turnout to be is a collection of companies that offer basically the same plan for basically the same amount. (there would be minor differences in covered service and maybe you might find a few dollars cheaper but essentially all health-insurance is the same— expensive and inadequate. No competition. Its not like we the consumer can go elsewhere and force insurance to lower premiums to attract buisness. Insurance, and most conservatives, are completely against any form of exchanges where companies are forced to compete for buisness.
3) Preventive medicine.
A bedrock of democratic reforms. One that is opposed by most conservatives and insurance as being in-effective in controlling costs. It is republicans that are claiming that preventive care doesn’t really lower costs—only encourages over-use of medical services. Republicans really need to get together on this one.
Like I said before—– as long as reform meets certain crriteria
1) lowers costs for consumers
2) is available for all
3) is secure (won’t dissappear when you get sick— like most insurance plans do)
4) will not drive any one person into financial oblivion to remain healthy.
If republicans can do that, they have my support, but republicans have yet to put ONE proposal forward that stands a chance of acheiving these ends. It helps to acknowledge the devastating reality of being un-insured. It takes being honest with what is broken and what needs to be fixed. Republicans, in general, have yet to acknowledge any of it.
They refuse to see that there are 47+ million un-insured and that insurance,(and /or lacking insurance) is a driving force behind poverty creation.
They continually invent and exxagerate statistics and use these inventions to terrify people into submission.
They continually dismiss real life experience as having no bearing on the debate at hand. (because again they cannot admit the reality).
I MUST state again that I don’t care who comes up with reform as long as it stands a chance of working. Right now the only proposal that stands a chance in hell of working is the public option.
As it stands every republican proposal only benefits buisness. Increases buisness profits through de-regulation, allows and supports insurance in claiming a years worth of premiums while having no obligation to cover ANY costs, (not just medical costs related to your pre-existing condition but ALL medical costs).
Insurance is essential to exist in society. Of course you can do without as long as you are ready to own no property, have no credit, have no job, live on welfare, and be constantly hounded. Its like dying of thirst and being given two choices…. you can drink the water from the sewer or you can purchase the promise of a drink. Insurance promises to give you a drink of water but when time comes for you to drink, they pour it out on the ground in front of you after taking all your money. Now insurance isn’t denying you water, you CAN drink from the sewer because you must, but realistically the only rationaly choice is to pay what is demanded, and hope for the best.
Actually the evidence for Preventive medicine isn’t all that impressive. It does sometimes lead to over-use of medical services and in other times no evidence can be found/evidence is inconclusive.
It is however a nice marketing scheme for the “public” instituitions who claim to be in charge of your “health” and of course the food police who are more than happy to continue to spout the “prevention is good” line.
regarding history showing that free markets don’t control costs that is very true because no such markets exist in the first place. The medical sector is still plagued by “halfway” markets with ubiquitous government regulations, direct financing and indirect subsidizes. The context within which they function is still shaped by government.
But the likes of Brian are more than happy to brush all that aside and instead talk to us about the evils of insurance companies– and wrongly equate insurance with a free market– and tell us that the free market brought us here! I ask “what free market ?”.
government us brought us all this mess much like they brought us the housing bubble through “affordable housing” and bailouts. Next will be “affordable healthcare” followed by a healthcare bubble