What is the Health Care Industry Doing!!??
EmailRepresentatives from the health care industry have pledged to reduce health costs by 1.5 percent a year over the next 10 years. It is a potential savings of 2 trillion dollars by 2019!
So, you ask, why are they doing that? While the offer is being applauded it does beg the question. Cutting $2 trillion in 10 years — or about $2,500 a year for a family of four — sounds like it will sicken the bottom line, no?
ABC’s White House correspondent Jake Tapper summed it up this way: “These health care industries are not doing this out of the goodness of their heart — they want a seat at the table, so they can fend off things in the health care plan as it’s being written.”
Here’s how Robert Pear puts it in the New York Times: "By offering to hold down costs voluntarily, providers said, they hope to stave off new government price constraints that might be imposed by Congress or a National Health Board of the kind favored by many Democrats."
And the Associated Press: "What is known now is that the move puts the industry groups involved firmly inside the process of expanding coverage, with the hope they can steer the final product toward something that doesn’t restrict their profitability."
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I have one thing to say about socialized healthcare……just where are the Canadians going to get health care should the U.S. become Socialized?
Since most of those along the border seek healthcare in the States this should tell you something about the state of affairs of this system. As a nurse, I say, “Shame on King Obama!”
Posted by: dolores | May 11, 2009, 2:40 pm 2:40 pm
OF ALL I HAVE READ I DO NOT BELIEVE SOCIALISED HEALTH CARE IS THE WAY AMERICANS WANT TO GO. IT WILL BE A HORRIBLE EXAMPLE OF HOW GOVERNMENT CAN CAUSE GREATER SUFFERING AND INCREASED COST…REGARDLESS OF THE INTENT.
Posted by: DAVID ROBINSON | May 11, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
There are 47 million Americans without health insurance.
Have you ever tried to get treatment without insurance?
Health care reform is long over due.
Posted by: Blindhowlin | May 11, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
Dolores, you may see a few Canadians in your “facilities,” but most of us are patient enough to wait our turn.
A few of our more well-heeled citizens will jump the border for MRIs, CAT scans and the like. For the most part, however, critical illnesses are dealt with on a timely basis. Our cancer care is second to none – I know this due to first-hand experience.
What is different over here is that we do not need to mortgage our houses to care for a sick family member. They are seen, treated, and come home with no financial burden on the family.
Those of you who have been brainwashed into thinking that socialized medicine removes some mystic options for medical treatment have been done a horrible disservice by the medical and pharma companies.
Far too many of you have the option to receive treatment, or die.
Posted by: Spud Lite | May 11, 2009, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
Medicare and Medicaid are socialized medicine. Let’s see how many senior citizens are willing to give them up.
Posted by: Blindhowlin | May 11, 2009, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
The claims of the healthcare industry do not compute. ABC reported the average cost of $8225/year. The industry is promising cuts of 1.5%/year. The government is saying this will save $2500. It looks like a fraction of that.
Posted by: Fred Welsh | May 11, 2009, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
I know of an Evangelist who lives in Canada, he needs a hip replacement, he has been on a waiting list for 2 years, to the Canadian Government, it is an elective type surgery, is this really what we want in the United States? I think not!!!
Posted by: Lee Patterson | May 11, 2009, 7:39 pm 7:39 pm
Why don’t someone check out France and some other countries. U S does not have the best plan. For years we have had caring and devoted health care people. Many now are only money hungry. Who cares if they get the best or any help?
Posted by: Karen Jacobs | May 11, 2009, 8:33 pm 8:33 pm
I get the feeling that the only ones who are against “socialized” medicine are those from the insurance industry who don’t want to lose their golden “fleece.” Look at all our politicians they are on and have always been on a single payer health system– that the taxpayer pays for. They are the ones, paid by the lobbyist, that are telling us how bad it would be, how costly it would be, yet, they are all on it. How many of our politician or government workers have you seen refuse their government-run health care? In fact, I wonder how many people run for office do so just to have “socialized” health care. It can’t be so bad if our Pols are hanging on to it and would fight for it tooth and nail, before losing it. If single-payer health care is so bad why haven’t all our officeholders dropped it? Have any of you complainers thought about that? We all know they won’t drop it because they like getting the great health care and prescriptions at taxpayers expense. I would be the first in line to sign up for Socialized medicine. Quit your belly aching and thank God for what you have.
Posted by: Ann Marie | May 11, 2009, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
Geez, are all you guys working for the Health care industry?? If “socialized” health care is so bad, how come none of our politicians have given it up? I bet you they would not give it up for anything. That is probably why they ran for office, to take care of themselves and guarantee they have a healthy pension and of course, a single-payer health care system they do not have to pay for. It’s ironic that some of the foot-in-mouth politicians, on both sides of the aisle, would bad mouth single-payer while they make sure they are on the receiving end of “socialized” health care. Only the “Hypocrits” who do not want the rest of us receiving the same kind of health care they receive–at the cost of taxpayers, condemn it but keep on receiving handouts. What a bunch of BS.
Posted by: Ataxpayer2 | May 11, 2009, 10:12 pm 10:12 pm
Anyone with what is called a pre-existing condition cannot at present get individual insurance even if he is able to pay steep premiums. He needs group insurance, the kind provided by a company or organization. For the first time I know of, this question is being discussed.
In England, of which I have personal experience, the Health Service is Government-managed and taxpayer-funded. And while it has its problems, the patient does not have the specter of bills hanging over her, not even co-payments, as she battles a major illness.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai | May 12, 2009, 9:53 am 9:53 am
I am a fervent admirer of that which is best in American society.
I am a socialist (Communist, I guess, in the minds of McCarthyites !).
Our British Health Services are nowhere near as good as they once were, since money has been practically hurled at the wrong objectives. (We have a tendency to ape American-style initiatives in both Health and Education and get it all badly wrong !!).
I understand the frontiersman pride of American people pretty well; but it shouldn’t prevent you from escaping the inhuman situation where you’re in hock for expensive medical treatment or maybe even go without it.
Way back, when the British National Health Service was instituted shortly after World War 2, we had a great many Americans crossing the pond to avail themselves of free spectacles and dental care !
We’ve goofed up ourselves by this time to such an extent that there are many Brits taking off for other countries in the European Union (once called the Common Market) for treatments considered to be better than anything they can get at home.
So please don’t think I’m out to make odious comparisons. Ultimately, it’s probably down to greed, expediency and maybe misplaced patriotism.
I may get shoals of indignant responses – but remember this – I love America, and I don’t fall for stereotype images of it’s people !!
Posted by: John Schofield | May 13, 2009, 6:40 am 6:40 am
The whole health care industry is out of whack! I KNEW I needed a biopsy on my lip, so I called my doctor to ask if I had to have a referral and the answer was that my policy required it. I went to my doctor, he looked at my lip, you need a biopsy (70.00) for nothing. I went to the specialist, spent five minutes with him, he said , you need a biopsy ( $300.00) for nothing. So far this has cost me and the insurance company $370.00 for absolutely nothing. Tell me we don’t need a big change.
Posted by: Jim Stevens | May 13, 2009, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
If the Democrats buy this ruse, they should buy up as much swamp land in Arizona as they can find.
Posted by: Terry Brauer | May 17, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm