Jun 24, 2009 9:48pm
Live-Blogging ABC’S Health Care Forum
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein reports: I’ll be live-blogging tonight’s televised health care conversation with President Obama, from 10 pm-11 pm ET, and back on again for “Nightline” at 11:35 pm ET, via Twitter. Check out my Twitter feed for real-time insights. And check back here at The Note blog for fact-checks from me and my ABC colleagues Z. Byron Wolf and Bret Hovell.
USS Gabrielle Giffords Honors Courage 
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
What happened to the promise of providing the health care afforded to the president and alike, to the american people?
Posted by: Norm Conant | June 24, 2009, 10:09 pm 10:09 pm
does Mayo clinic participate in the Medicare? I am not sure about it. check with patients who go to Mayo
Posted by: sankar | June 24, 2009, 10:18 pm 10:18 pm
Why can’t American people buy into the US health care group plan that the senators and congress receive? It’s a group plan . Why are the Congress and Senate arguing over health care when they receive top care paid for by the citizens of the USA?
Posted by: marlyn Kress | June 24, 2009, 10:18 pm 10:18 pm
just a thought….If medicare, which is what we want our nationalized healthcare to look like, would pay my wife the $250,000.00 plus they owe her the bank might not be foreclosing on her office and our house. The worst thing you can do is put the government in charge of health care. Look how well Cananda did for Natasha Richardson. I hate HMO’s, but compared to Obama-care HMO’s are great
Posted by: mark | June 24, 2009, 10:18 pm 10:18 pm
I am a health care professional as well as a student pursuing an MBA, I am curious as to the role of a medical doctor as a supreme court justice as an added value. Why has an MD not been appointed to the USSC?
Thank you
Posted by: Janet Cahill | June 24, 2009, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
part of the problem is the amount and time one spends in getting the codes correct for billing one way to look is it is providing employment. other way to look is waste of 25-30% cost.
information system so many HIPPA regulations that systems dont talk to each other. you cant get the information
Posted by: sankar | June 24, 2009, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm
Why not have the health care professionals contribute 25% of their time to helping those that need health care – for free? That’s why they they got into health care – to help others?
They have the jobs in this day and age.
Our society needs this help.
David
Posted by: David | June 24, 2009, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm
Why not have all test results electronically filed in several key areas across the country under the patients name not keep at their doctors office. So that no duplicate test are down. Test results would be the property of the patient but controled by a centralized filing system.
Posted by: Art Sweetland | June 24, 2009, 10:32 pm 10:32 pm
I keep seeing the rx symbol but pharmacy and pharmacist are never mentioned. yet they see the patient more than anyone else and work to co-ordinate care with out anu recoginition. The VA has said that for every dollar spent with pharmacy 4 dollars are sAved. Todays pharmacist have an average of 8 years education that is being wasted in procurement of prescriptions which could save the public many dollars by small revisions in the health care system
Posted by: barry sternberg | June 24, 2009, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
Mark, I am reluctant to call you a liar but here goes…You are a liar. I have spent over two decades in health care and I have never seen an office that was not committing fraud have a quarter mil on the books unpaid by Medicare. It. Just. Doesn’t. Happen.
Posted by: BG | June 24, 2009, 10:40 pm 10:40 pm
What is with these softball questions to the Prez. Ask him a real question on how this will be payed for and how much will it cost my family.
Posted by: the_402 | June 24, 2009, 10:45 pm 10:45 pm
What was that dumb question that Charles Gibson asked about how can 40million plus uninsured Americans if they get ins. possibly not cause a problem for people getting a doctor appt? So only the Americans who are lucky enough currently to have health ins should be able to see a doctor? Don’t all Americans deserve to be able to see a doctor? Do the American people who currently have employer based ins. think that this will continue? Employers are cutting coverage, deductibles and are asking for employees to share more of the cost.
Posted by: Elaine H | June 24, 2009, 10:51 pm 10:51 pm
Where will you find the doctors and who will educate them and where?
Posted by: Cathy Blau | June 24, 2009, 10:54 pm 10:54 pm
How many questions were actually asked? Ans how many were asked by ordinary Americans–not doctors or policy makers? What a joke of a presentation.
Posted by: Dominic | June 24, 2009, 10:57 pm 10:57 pm
Many of my doctors don’t take health insurance..I just got my bill..my policy costs me $19,000 per year…$17K plus 2000 deductible…how will you force doctors to honor insurance…
Posted by: Cathy Blau | June 24, 2009, 11:00 pm 11:00 pm
I felt like questions were asked of President Obama and he never really directly answered most of them. I do not want a government run healthcare system and I cannot believe that our country is getting ready to allow this to happen.
Posted by: Renee | June 24, 2009, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
Sure would like to talk about the health care program presented, however, other than identifying what all americans already know, no such plan was presented……not sure why we needed to have this covered in Prime Time
Posted by: norm conant | June 24, 2009, 11:09 pm 11:09 pm
I agree Renee. The very first question that was asked was if as a politician he would follow the same rules as everyone else when a member of his family were in dire straits. He couldn’t just say yes or no.
Posted by: Dominic | June 24, 2009, 11:10 pm 11:10 pm
What makes you think government can manage Health Care? Look at the great job they do with veterans. My wife had liver function tests come back off, what they mean by “OFF” I don’t know but they were off. She was “Referred” downtown. I followed TRICARE’s procedures, informed TRICARE when the scheduled appointment was made. I followed up with the doctors office to see if they had her records and the results of her blood tests (initial and follow-up) and her ultrasound screening. They knew of the initial blood tests but not of the additional blood tests or the ultrasound. They began trying to get the results from TRICARE and BAMC (Brooks Army Medical Center) on Friday afternoon. On Monday, when we went to the appointment they still didn’t have any info for the doctor to review. So, we meet the Doctor, he did a quick exam to see if she had a tender liver and left. We are scheduled to see him again in a few weeks. Had he had any info on these tests from BAMC or TRICARE this $529.00 appointment might have been more productive. But, what the hell, its only $529.
Just another example of Government Efficiency?
Posted by: Jack Roberts | June 24, 2009, 11:11 pm 11:11 pm
I know that now tests are duplicated. One way to help pay for this insurance is to stop paying for the duplication of tests — blood work, x-rays, sonograms, etc. Stop encouraging screening tests when there is no family history or symptoms. Stop routine check-ups, follow-ups when there is no indication of need.
Posted by: Betty | June 24, 2009, 11:13 pm 11:13 pm
The mayo clinic comparison was extremely unrealistic. Most peopel going there are going for specific reasons. How many people are going to the Mayo clinic as their first contact with the medical profession when they have a problem.
Posted by: Mike_C | June 24, 2009, 11:32 pm 11:32 pm
What will happend to existing Medicare and Medicaid when the President’s new
Health Care Plan, Initiatives become the
new fed. answer to the ills of our system of care?
Posted by: Charles M DeLettre | June 24, 2009, 11:34 pm 11:34 pm
Why not a public plan option. I like this option because I don’t trust private insurers. I have seen enough of their shenanigans with denying coverage upon filing a claim and mysterious explanations for why suddenly charges are not covered. Those with chronic illness are very poorly served by the current system. I this economy we cannot take a change that we will remain emplyed by employers that offer health insurance. The individual private insurance market is fraught with scam masquerading as policies. How would you like your policy being rescinded upon filing a medical claim for a newly discovered chronic illness after you have paid your premiums in a timely manner to a private insurers. The private insurance market is the wild wild west and needs to be reined in and disciplined by the presence of a public health coverage plan option for those who choose to have it.
Posted by: RD | June 24, 2009, 11:39 pm 11:39 pm
The presentation tonight could have been better. There were too many commercial interruptions. Why isn’t this being shown on public television? Why aren’t we looking at how other countries are handling health care? Also, the President never answered how this is going to be paid for.
Posted by: scofnj | June 25, 2009, 12:16 am 12:16 am
The only true way for health reform to occur is to go to a complete single payer system. Get the for-profit insurance companies out of the picture. That’s right! Make ‘em bid and cry for gov’t contracts to take care of claims/payments for doctors, make the system more efficient and ensure that ALL AMERICANS regardless of circumstance are covered. EVERYBODY IN, NOBODY OUT. SINGLE PAYER HR676 SUPPORT IT-LEARN ABOUT IT-LOVE IT! healthcare-now.org, pnhp.org, calnurses.org
Posted by: M. Darnit | June 25, 2009, 12:18 am 12:18 am
I want to see more public debate on this issue, also, President Obama should have his economic people answering questions. There should be a roundtable discussion open to the public with the CBO, Peter Orzag, President Obama, the AMA, Insurance Companies representatives, AARP, etc. The American people are not getting enough information on this important subject. ABC news should not be airing ads during these important presentatios. Or they should have FEWER ADS. There were too many ads and not enough information.
Posted by: scofnj | June 25, 2009, 12:20 am 12:20 am
If some people want a public health care option, why not allow people to start buying into Medicare at age 40? If a person had a job with health insurance and they want to start a business later on in life why not allow them to pay a premium for medicare? If they have a pre-existing condition and can’t qualify for their employer’s plan why not allow them to pay into medicare? Why is medicare restricted to people over 65? If more people were allowed to choose medicare coverage the pool would be expanded and costs could potentially be lowered. There should be restrictions however. Also, people who are 65 only pay around $100 a month for their mediare coverage. If they have a high net worth (over $1 million) they could afford to pay more. They should be charged $500 to $1,000 a month like everybody else if they have the money. Why should young people just starting out have to subsidize some retired millionaire’s medicare coverage?
Posted by: scofnj | June 25, 2009, 12:27 am 12:27 am
I can honestly say that I was surprised that ABC News (Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer) actually asked and allowed some legitimate questions. The Media has been so slanted with the current economic climate, I honestly thought this was going to be another “Obama” parade as usual. So I thank them for their moderate stance during this interview/forum.
I heard several individuals ask “who” would manage, monitor and enforce these new policies and never heard a straight answer from the President. Does Obama really know? I think what he is talking about is overly idealistic and would be far more costly than he is being advised it will be.
I agree with others commenting that American’s need more discussion and a lot more detail on this before making an educated decision on whether to support this idea. Additionally, we need to be putting pressure on our Senate and Congress Representation to vote and support what “we” as taxpayers want rather than what will promote thier own political agendas. There is far too much posturing in Washington on this issue.
Posted by: Theresa | June 25, 2009, 3:24 am 3:24 am
First off ….there is NO possible way the government could afford the same plan that the Congress ect has….which, Obama promised BEFORE….that is nearly 100% totally paid everything….no deductibles ect !!!! That was ALWAYS A LIE !!!!
Secondly, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE to “keep your current plan or doctor” folks….You cannot “keep” what WONT EXIST !!!! Employers will DROP all private plans immediately when Obama Care takes effect….EVEN THE UNIONS ARE FOR THIS MESS !!!! Either Obama will drive the other insurers out by bankruptcy and they cannot compete….or he will TAKE THEM OVER AND DICTATE TO THEM WHAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT DO….in other words…you have Government health care ANYHOW just under the same name as now…..OR he will send them a letter in the mail like he did the car dealerships TELLING THEM THEY WILL BE CLOSING !!!!
Doctors will RUN for the hills….they will not get paid what they do now…and they will “opt out” like they did the HMO’S years back…..there will be MUCH FEWER DOCTORS and ALOT MORE PEOPLE TO TREAT….it will be a NIGHTMARE esp with Obama going to give amnesty and full benefits to ALL ILLEGALS…..there will be a doctor shortage and horrible waits for care and the care you DO get IF you get it…will be substandard cause no “good” doctors will be practicing under this plan….
There will be “underground” doctors getting paid on the side by rich people so they dont have to go thru Obama’s system……ITS GOING TO BE A HUGE MESS FOLKS !!!! Already in other countries with socialized medicene doctors take bribes ect…..its a FACT…..if you cannot afford a bribe….you will wait longer….
Once Obama Care is THE ONLY PLAN….they will THEN begin denying even MORE care, and CUTTING BACK EVEN MORE…..longer waits, higher fees if you pay for the plans….THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT IF YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BACK TO !!!!! Don’t agree with the government? Perhaps they will just CUT OFF your care…..are you old? Perhaps they will determine you are “not worth” treating !!! Have a disease that is expensive to treat? Perhaps they will decide the treatment is “not cost effective” and you will be DENIED !!!!
Once America goes to socialized medicene….IT WILL NEVER GO BACK people…..the ONLY way to keep CHOICES is to OPPOSE THIS NOW….
There are OTHER WAYS to “reform health care”…..THIS IS NOT IT !!!! This gives the GOVERNMENT CONTROL over whether WE LIVE OR DIE……do you really want them to have that POWER? This is a way to CONTROL the American people…..
ABC would not allow any opposition to buy airtime giving other views and facts on this issue….Only in countries with dictators ARE ENTIRE STATIONS taken over to push such agendas….Responsible media would not try and KEEP YOU FROM KNOWING ALL THE FACTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PLAN…..But indeed that is what has occurred !!!
Posted by: Char In Ohio | June 25, 2009, 5:24 am 5:24 am
Instead of taxing people’s health care plans…let’s TAX welfare benefits !!! Notice he has NEVER mentioned “welfare reform” right? His poll numbers would DROP significantly !!!! Instead he TAXES those of us WHO HAVE JOBS AND OUR OWN HEALTH PLANS !!!! ??? They could tax welfare benefits…take the amounts out BEFORE THEY EVEN SEE THEM JUST LIK WHEN WE WORK !!!! If rent is worth $400…you tax that amount….if food stamps are worth $300…you tax that amount….Hey they are NO better than anyone else !!!! AND I PAY FOR MY HEALTH PLAN !!! They pay NOTHING !!!! Make welfare a “loan program”….set limits to 3 years in a lifetime….after that….NO MORE HELP !!! You pick and choose when but after 3 years….YOURE OFF PERMANENT!!! When you are working you should be FORCED to pay the government back AT LEAST A PORTION of the benefits you received !!!! Noone gets a FREE RIDE !!!! But no….INSTEAD of taxing those who use the ER for their headaches and their 10 kids by 15 different dads (cause they dont know which father is the father)….sniffles…THEY DECIDE TO TAX HEALTH BENEFITS OF THOSE OF US WHO USE OUR PLANS RESPONSIBLY and PAY FOR THEM? What a crock !!! Everyone needs to oppose this folks….you WILL NOT get any type of care WORTH having anyways….
Posted by: Char In Ohio | June 25, 2009, 5:37 am 5:37 am
What does it plan?
Posted by: celery | December 8, 2011, 8:03 am 8:03 am