President Will Make Case For Public Option Wednesday Night

I cannot understand why we, taxpayers, the people helping to pay for congress’ health care, cannot have the same options they have in regard to health care. I find congress to feel that they are above the rest of us. What is good enough for them should be good enough for us. It is as simple as that, give us what congress has.
Sharon
VA

“Diane”, of course our taxes will pay for those public health costs, but I’d rather my taxes go to THAT then to pay for an expensive war I don’t believe in. Stop the war already and re-direct all our taxes to public health care.

Health *Insurance Reform Cannot Wait, It Must Not Wait, And It Will Not Wait Another Year. My God how much have already died over the years because their coverage was drop or they had a preexisting condition? How sad for any family who has a child or and adult that is born with a condition to be told by the insurance company that they can’t get health care. How ironic is it to fight for the unborn babies’ life but not the life of the born that may have through no fault of their own a medical condition that the Insurance Companies denies because it falls under preexisting conditions. It is ironic that there are those who would fight against the woman who aborts her child but yet the same set of people would fight against the right of the living to have insurance to survive. They call Obama a baby killer well they are all adult killers.

maybe the poor people should start living within their means like the rest of us and save what money they have for healthcare and food versus cellphones, flatscreen tv’s and ipods. a telling picture was of michelle obama serving food at a soup kitchen as the so called ‘poor’ people are snappin pics of her with their phone cameras. clearly the ‘destitute’ of today are a little different from those of the past. as such, i refuse to pay for their healthcare, i worked hard for what i got, nothing was ever handed to me and i have a great deal of selfpride as a result

THE ISSUE IS TWO FOLD…ONE YOU NEED TO BRING COSTS DOWN!!! PERIOD….THERE IS NO WAY TO HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL, PUBLIC OR PRIVATE IF COSTS ARE NOT BROUGHT DOWN…ITS THAT SERIOUS!!!! TOO MUCH IS BEING SPENT ON EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES AND DRUGS AND CARE THAT PERHAPS NEEDS TO BE SPENT FAR MORE EFFICIENTLY…LOOK HOW DOES IT COST FOR SOME DRUG COMPANY TO COME UP WITH A NEW ARTHRITIS DRUG FOR EXAMPLE THAT WORKS FOR ONE TENTH THE PEOPLE AND HAS TEN MILLION SIDE EFFECTS..I MEAN WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THESE NEW DRUG COMMERCIALS ITS ALMOST HUMOROUS…”YOU MAY DIE FROM TAKING THIS DRUG” AND THIS GOES ON AND ON IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS…HEALTH CARE MUST BE MADE MORE EFFICIENT, AND THE PRIMARY REASON FOR WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN EUROPE AND CANADA AND AUSTRALIA AND ELSEWHERE IS THAT THEY LONG AGO RAN INTO THIS PROBLEM OF HEALTH CARE BEING TOO EXPENSIVE AND WERE FORCED TO CONTROL THIS BY NATIONALIZING, OR OTHERWISE LIMITING SPECULATION ON HEALTH CARE IMPLEMENTATIONS!!! DO NOT LET THEM FOOL YOU, IN THE END THIS IS A VITAL ISSUE THAT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE HAVE HEALTH CARE FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OR NOT! THINK ABOUT THIS: PEOPLE WILL PAY ANYTHING TO SAVE THEIR LIVES…ANYTHING…WELL GUESS WHAT SPECULATORS HAVE LONG AGO FIGURED THAT OUT, NOW ITS TIME FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS AS WELL, AND TO DEAL WITH IT, IF THEY WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, OTHERWISE ONE DAY SOON, ONLY THE VERY WEALTHIEST MAY ACTUALLY HAVE FUNCTIONAL HEALTH CARE.

Kiku: “The public option will bring insurance to the poor, a good thing in it’s own right.”
That already exists. It’s called Medicaid.

Outstanding! That’s what he run on and what his voters expect. Thanks President Obama for representing the people who put you in office. Now make it fast and effective!

The sick should have to worry about lining the pockets of HMOs so HMOs can have a job. HMOs are a republican created phony baloney market who’s death is long overdue.

Whatever they come up with, congress and federal workers should be forced to use it also!!!

Enough with these presidential addresses that are no more than CYA promos. If Congress passes a bill with a public option, he’ll sign it. It Congress passes a bill without a public option, he’ll sign it. Other than trying to salvage his deteriorating public opinion polls what’s the point?

Thank you Maxine Waters. Finally someone put it out there with her comment about Republicans not agreeing or working with President Obama. It is time to stop dancing around the issue. Health care reform has gone beyond what is best for the country. Republicans see this as a way to destroy President Obama and they have no intention no matter what President Obama offers to support anything he wants. My only hope is that the President sees this and begins to try and push HIS agenda, the agenda the American people voted for him for goes through.
It is time that the Democratic party steps out there and call Republicans on their antics. It is time they come out and denounce the behavior and hate rhetoric that the American people have shoved down their throats day in and day out. It is time for someone to point out how un American, unpatriotic and hateful those on the right have become. I’m not advocating making them stop their rants because listening to them shows how ignorant they are. I am saying though to label it what it is: fear monger hate speech with the intent on indoctrinating those on the right. Denounce it the same way Republicans denounced any criticism of George Bush. It is time for Republicans/conservatives/right wingers be held responsible for dividing the country.
Thank you again Maxine Waters!!!!

realman1963, maybe the poor people should start living within their means like the rest of us and save what money they have for healthcare and food versus cellphones, flatscreen tv’s and ipods. a telling picture was of michelle obama serving food at a soup kitchen as the so called ‘poor’ people are snappin pics of her with their phone cameras. clearly the ‘destitute’ of today are a little different from those of the past. as such, i refuse to pay for their healthcare, i worked hard for what i got, nothing was ever handed to me and i have a great deal of selfpride as a result
when have you ever been in a poor mans home? You don’t know what they have in their homes because based on your comment it would be beneath you to ever visit their neighborhood. Unless of course you have gone there to commit a crime. Stop falling for the crap right wing haters feed you. I work hard for what I have as well. I also know that those “poor” people work hard as well. They may be working two or three low wage jobs. You know those jobs like taking care of your parents in the nursing home or in their home. Like serving you meals in a restaurant, cleaning your home, working in your child’s school, driving the school bus….Stop being so selfish because by the grace of whoever you believe in, next week you could be in the same boat.

Make the case! Won’t make a threat to veto!
Is this America, or Obamaville? What about the people that don’t want more government?
What about the people that know that the average civilian government employee has a salary that is $30K higher than theirs? Do they want even more government agencies not listening to their inputs?

6 words and a number
tort reform, public option 2! year trigger
and to those people who don’t understand how tort reform is killing us because every doctor prescribes in fear rather than in sound medicine because so many say MRI, blood tests or I will sue you.
Tort reform and a SHORT trigger…because (republicans this is addressed to you) your bologne about destroying healthcare has destroyed healthcare for years now…and here is a way to say go ahead change here is a pressing deadline you HAVE to meet.. and if you don’t we are stepping in.

To those who think the public option is a good thing – give me one good reason why I should pay for health care for everyone else – I have gotten myself an education, worked hard all my life, and you think I don’t have a right to my money – it’s mine and I should have the say in how it’s spent. It’s a known fact that many of the so called poor in the country are just those who don’t want to work; who want a government hand-out. I’m tired of paying to support the lazy. I’m not talking about people who are disabled or our senior citizens, I’m referring to those who have learned over the years how to work the system, sit on their butts, and collect a government check.

If obama and the democrates cram government healthcare down the throats of Americans they will lose in 2010 and 2012! We want insurance reform and that’s it!!!!!!!

Today, September 06, 2009, 19 minutes ago | Neil Robertson
Get with the Democrats, get out of their way or be run flat over.
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I sure hope the President adopts this attitude.
The Republicans need to be treated this way in order for them to respect him. I’m very serious here. Their mindset is such that they only respect power and the projection of power. It is the mindset of a warrier! This is very historically established behavior.
The President has been seen as weak because of his willingness to negotiate. He needs to neglect the Republicans until they are forced to come to him and the Democrats to negotiate.

Since Maxine Waters was one of the people who declared “Fannie Mae and Freddie are doing a fine job”, she has no credibility. Not only the wealthy were to blame, but everyone from top to bottom lied, cheated and stole to get the “easy” money. The politicians on both sides are to blame. The economy is a shambles and we don’t need to add more government healthcare to the debt we already have. If we don’t keep our country safe with our military and CIA intelligience we won’t have a country.

diane wrote:”in discussion with all these politicans on health care reform, i do not hear anything about these hospitals and doctors charging too much money for everything”.
I’m for the public option, but Diane, you make a very valid point.

Why doesn’t the government fund the FREE CLINICS and expand on that instead of voting on a government run Health Plan. Poor people already form lines at Free Clinics and get health care. Those clinics are already in place, NOW. Why not just fund them, support them, and expand them. Why all the talks about Health Care run by the government with so much controversy and which will cost our children billions of dollars because they are the ones that will really have to pay for all of this. Why doesn’t the government wait until there are enough doctors, nurses, practicioners, etc. available to handle all of the new people who will be given Health Plans. WE already have waiting lines at most of our hospitals, clinics, and HMO’s, and we, who already have health insurance, have to wait patiently in waiting rooms, even when we have scheduled appointments. When there is no emergency, it takes up to three months to get appointments with our own doctors. The Health Plan will make it even worse, it will probably increase our co-pays, and prescriptions. When the Health Plan goes into effect, we may also have to wait six months to a year in order to see our own doctors and wait in even longer lines when we do have an emergency. This Health Plan is counterproductive to health care in general. WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF DOCTORS, NURSES, HOSPITALS, ETC. to handle the flood of patients, before you put such a plan in force. I am in favor of a Health Plan, but not the one that we are now being railroaded into. Why not introduce some of this Plan a little at a time. We the people can then feel better about it. Also, the government should not own this Plan. AFter it is established, give it up, something like the Postal Service. I still think that the government should start with the FREE CLINICS that are now already in every neighborhood and help them out FIRST. Most of the services provided are satisfactory at these Clinics, this is where the government needs to focus first. This should be the first step in this Health Plan

Our government should not be in charge of anything, It is run by a bunch of idiots and morons and you want them to run health care. they all need to go so we can start over

Today, September 06, 2009, 11 minutes ago | lovingpolitics
…We want insurance reform and that’s it!!!!!!!
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Doing comprehensive health insurance reform will establish the need for the public option down line.
This is because once the insurance companies are forced to cover everyone regardless, and are scrutinized over their denials of payment, they will be forced to substantially raise their rates. This will happen because 1) they will be paying much more for claims, and 2) they will still desire to maintain their exorbitant profit margins!
This will cause a public option to be much, much more desirable. The public option will allow for competition and forcing the insurance companies to lower their profit margin to keep from losing customers.
At that point, the system will be in efficient balance.

“No more capitulation to those who lost an election by a landslide.” – jeff. Since when was 54% popular vote considered a “landslide”? The electoral college system is a farce; it says that where you vote supersedes how you vote. Many of the congressional seats were not won by a large margin either. The president and Congress may comfort themselves with the belief that they have a mandate, but the truth is that their place is not that secure and they cannot afford to alienate the swing voters who gave them the edge. I think that next November many who voted for President Obama and helped those riding on his coattails into office will be re-evaluating their choice.

I am not sure what the WH and Pelosi are smoking when it comes to the public option. They have yet to explain how it will be cheaper than insurance or how it will reduce costs. The only answer is it will compete against insurance companies.
Everyone thinks the insurance companies are evil dooers raping the insured for outlandish profits. Well the White house should analyze their financial statements to see that is not the case.
Health care is a multi-trillion dollar part of the us economy. Many of the areas quoted as having not enough insurance options maybe correct. But what they are not telling us is that a majority of these options are NON PROFIT. Most of the premiums they collect (85 to 90%) go to pay claims. Even for the for profit side, take out profits, executive comp, etc. and you still pay out over 80% to 85% of premiums collected to claims.
This tells me its the cost side of the equation that is the problem. NOt the insurance companies. Allowing national competition or coops for industry groups, unions and AARP, would help to provide competition. The government by reforming Medicare and Medicaid can and should help the cost side of teh equation.
Cut out non-valued added patient costs from the health provider side and you get savings. Any one who thinks the public option will be significantly cheaper than the private insuranc emarket is going to be sadly mistaken when they see bills for indivdual care of several hudered per month. obama and Congress should give us a target range of montly premiums and how much at what earnings level one would have to pay. Answer that question and the taxpayers migth run fast from the public option.

Today, September 06, 2009, 10:42:23 AM | brian
… Another corrupt, fraud ridden government program is being foisted on the public.
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The only thing we have been experiencing in the past many years is “fraud ridden” companies.
They have become “fraud ridden” because they operate under an unregulated ‘profit motive’.
Since a government program does not operate under a ‘profit motive’ (and is completely regulated) it has no incentive to commit fraud. But, even if it did, it does not have the legal protection for access to information that the private sector does.
Therefore government fraud is always discovered quickly and prosecuted. The same is not true with private companies! Only God knows how many (probably most) fraudulent companies still exist out there.

Today, September 06, 2009, 5 minutes ago | Publius
… The electoral college system is a farce; it says that where you vote supersedes how you vote.
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Then, I guess you believe that Gore should have been elected over Bush since he won more popular vote but not electoral vote.

Today, September 06, 2009, 2 minutes ago | Steve
So Obama went out of his way to say “I had never said I wanted a Public Option”
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If you believe the accuracy of this ‘quote’ (or even if you don’t but propagate it anyway) you are a far-right wing Republican.
If you know that this quote is a lie, you very well could be a ‘Proud Liberal Democrat’ or a ‘swing voter’! And, you may be a swing vote Republican.
Obama said that he “didn’t have to have” the public option…that it was “one of many options”.

how can the government force private citizens to buy insurance? If I don’t feel I need to sell my risk to a third party how can someone tell me I have to? Who are these elitist who have the authority to tell us how we live our lives?

Without some rules in the bill, the ‘public option’ will inevitably lead to a ‘single payer’ result for 99% of the American people. Some people feel that’s OK, but if you think about it, it can’t help but lower access and quality. There needs to be rules that gives incentives to employers to keep the ‘private option’ alive.

I fully support health care reform, and can hardly believe that any intelligent, compassionate, tax-paying citizen would not support a public option included in the health care reform package. The current system (which is terribly broken) is making tax-payers responsible for emergency room care, and the costs utilizing this broken system are outrageous.
I’ve had enough of the money-hungry GOP ultra-conservative, religious radicals and their gestapo-like tactics of intimidation and lies! In our house, we now refer to the GOP as the REPUBLICAN-COMMUNIST PARTY! They are working diligently to create a two class society – the rich and the poor – with no middle class!

Obama and his fellow Democrats need to stay the course and be more assertive in getting this passed. Stop capitulating and compromising on key issues. Take a page from the Republican handbook…Bush squeaked into office his last term and immediately claimed a “mandate” and proceded to bully his agenda through. Obama won by a landslide, partly BECAUSE he campaigned on health care reform…he truly has a mandate and he should use it. There is definitely a time for compromise and bipartisanship, but not when it comes to core issues like health care reform including a public option. Not when it means backing down and watering down until nothing meaningfull is accomplished.

If Medicare is so well run, how come they take out more in medicare tax (per month, by about 400%) than what some people pay for private insurance premiums each month.??? The answer is, it’s NOT well run. It’s NOT efficient or economical and it is a huge bureaucratic nightmare which will be made more inefficient by increasing government control of health care.

I guess democrats are TOO STUPID to listen to what they were TOLD.
I want to know WHAT BILL Obama is going to be talking about and I WANT TO KNOW
WHERE IT IS BEFORE HE OPENS HIS YAP and LIES TO US AGAIN.

When is the President going to get it! The Majority of Americans this this is way to much money for very little benefit. It is sad that he continues to waste our time with this very bad idea. I have no doubt he will bully something through despite that fact that most tax payers don’t want this. The only good thing that is going to come out of this is a more balanced congress.

The White House strategy is now: give a speech and then, by not really FIGHTING for the public option, hope their supporters fall for the “well, we tried” line. What a load of rubbish.

Give it up Obama. We don’t want your Doc-in-a-box medicine package that is nothing more than part of your plan to socialize us and turn us into the new Soviet Union. We’re not buying the doublespeak and slick sales job.

I don’t want a public option it will ruin health care as we know it!!! I lived with national health care in Europe it sucks and to this day it still sucks !!
My friend in Holland had to wait for a gallbladder operation 9 month!! While she waited ,she had 5 attacks during that time and they told here it wasn’t that bad she could wait !!!!
That will happen here too so good luck you fools that want the public option !!!

It is time for the Administration to START OVER — CLEAN PIECE OF PAPER!! Keep the far left and far right out of the picture, and develop a true Health Care Reform package for the American people — NOT THE US GOVERNMENT.
As a minimum, the following elements should be included:
* TORT reform – a real driver of costs!
* Health Savings Accounts to allow individuals to at least be partially responsible for their OWN health care.
* Inter-border health insurance sales
* Targeted language for fraud, waste and abuse of MEDICARE and MEDICAID.
* New initiatives to provide scholarships for doctors and nurses to pursue medicine to preclude a further shortage of doctors and nurses. Folks, there is no need to develop a ‘Health Care System’ if you do not have a viable delivery system.
* Language that will permit government funds for health care be only expended for US CITIZENS.
NEED TO KEEP NANCY PELOSI, HARRY REID, AND BARNEY FRANK AWAY FROM THE PAPER!! HOW HAS THEIR ‘DOG’S BREAKFAST’ WORKED FOR YOU SO FAR???

Get rid of the illegals and start spending money where it should be spent, on our own infrastructure, becoming independent of foreign oil and protecting Medicare and Medicaid. We have paid on for years and the elderly now need to be protected. Our upcoming work force has alot to be desired. Work on the real things that matter instead of how long it takes the monarch butterfly to come back in spring.

My Representative was an OBGYN (delivered over 3500 babies) and has many good ideas. But when he called the House leadership to share his ideas, he was essentially told, ‘We’ll call you if we need you’ … and was never called. Anyone whose been in business knows the best ideas and programs by getting input from the experts.

His lips are flappin’…

Today, September 06, 2009, 4 hours ago | jmb
I’ve had enough of the money-hungry GOP ultra-conservative, religious radicals and their gestapo-like tactics of intimidation and lies! In our house, we now refer to the GOP as the REPUBLICAN-COMMUNIST PARTY! They are working diligently to create a two class society – the rich and the poor – with no middle class!
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Absolutely correct!
The Republicans care about one thing, and one thing only…MONEY! They worship it…it is their God!
Given this well known fact, isn’t it very interesting that they were able to seduce the Christian community to put them in power?

Congress, quit talking and vote. How many hundreds of polls have news outlets taken? How many millions of words have they written? How many thousands of hours have people like Wolf Blitzer, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, et al, dwaddled on?
Everybody knows where everybody stands. Congress, quit talking and vote!

based on some of the comments on this blog. I will take a good guess that there are a great deal of uneducated people lingering on here, so I will break this down in very simple terms. I am a Benefits Manager for a company that employs 400 people. 6 years ago I was a benefits Specialist for a company that employed 40 people. If all employers are going to be required to offer their employees insurance coverage. (Which I think they should be) The employer with 100+ employees will get better rates on their benefits that they can offer, the 50 and under employers will end up with a very large quote. If you incorporate co-ops, so that the smaller companies can buy into their insurance, it will level off the cost, and all employees can offer their employees coverage at a pre-tax rate, which helps to put them in a lower tax bracket when they sign up for the coverage. Ok, let’s add the public option. If you add a public option, then all of the employers will take the cheap public option and offer it to their employees, The big companies that we currently have will eventually fall because they will lose their accounts with many businesses. When they fall the public option will be our only choice and then we have to deal with the same horrible customer service that we deal with at DMV and Tri-care(where your child never sees the same physician and cannot have a standard pediatrician, this would be a disaster. I work hard and I choose to get the best coverage eventhough it is more expensive, it is worth it for my family, and it’s pre-tax so that helps. I choose not to get the HMO that is offered on my job because it is to limited and I have to get referrals to do what I need to do. If you work, you should be offered enough options to afford one, but everyone will never get the top option because they cannot afford it. If you do not work, by choice or because you were laid off, they can have the medicaid option. All the government has to do is regulate the system so that smaller community health plans can get back in the game and have cooperatives for those that cannot afford to pay for their 50 and less employees and that alone will help. If the government gets involved it will be a mess. Lets wait and see what happens when one of your kids get sick and they tell you that you have to wait 6 weeks for them to be seen, people need to stop politicizing this and think logically about what’s best for them and their families. I don’t have a political agenda. I have a family agenda. I want to make 100 percent of the decision for mine and my family health care. Period.

Posted by: Kim | Sep 6, 2009 6:05:33 PM
….Ok, let’s add the public option. If you add a public option, then all of the employers will take the cheap public option and offer it to their employees, The big companies that we currently have will eventually fall because they will lose their accounts with many businesses….
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Not so! The reasons are numerous, but a few follow.
A government organization has a lot more regulation to comply with. Also, overall, its employees are much better paid with much better benefits (for instance government guaranteed pensions). Therefore it’s costs are higher than the a typical large company in this area.
However, it does not operate under a ‘profit motive’ nor does it have shareholders or investors that make money from its operations. This reduces its overall operating costs. The potential for ‘fraud’ is also substantially reduced since there is no financial incentive (‘profit motive’) as with private companies.
The government organization is still a bit more costly to operate than a private company. And this will still allow any health insurance company to operate and make a ‘modest’ profit. However, the roaring 20%-40% profit days will be gone!

I have a dream:
this what the President will say Wednesday:
Through the month of August I have listened to you.
I understand your fears about the public option, so will concede; rationing health care, as the public option would by dispensing services to a few, is, as you have so clearly expressed, is un-American. So I will ask Congress to accept the people’s will and remove the public option from the bill.
But I want them to go even further, as Chairman Steel has said so eloquently, we must protect everyone from rationing care, we must pass a bill, as he said, to make it illegal to ration on the basis of age or any other discriminatory reason. So today I am asking congress to enact such a bill.
Finally, we are left with only two choices, eliminate Medicare, Medicaid, Schip, and Federal employee insurance and get the government off the backs of ALL the people or, extend these services to all Americans.
The rejection of the public option has been loud and clear, people are tired of paying for others and getting nothing for themselves. They are, understandably, afraid of unfair rationing.
I heard you and will respond to your voices firmly and swiftly.
The 14th amendment of the constitution also speaks to your concerns, so I am directing congress to send to my desk, for immediate signing, a bill where everyone is in or everyone is out.
Should congress fail to act, I will direct Attorney General Holder to file a discrimination complaint against all existing health care subsidies and entitlements.
Thank you and good evening.
Now, please nobody wake me up!

Lobbyists outnumber elected officials 6-1. Should that matter in the battle over health care reform? Did the SHEEPLE elect lobbyist’s to represent them? Or did they elect politicians to vote for matters with the SHEELE’s best intrests in mind?
Certain politicians made ill concieved comments about health care. Some made up outsight lies about what a stand alone option means. Let’s put the lies and the propaganda away. No death panels, run by government, end of life conversations are not death panels. Someone somewhere is having that conversation right now, and is paying for it from his/her pocket. End of life
conversations are currently NOT COVERED by any health insurance carrier.
WE THE PEOPLE thank you very much for your contribution, ex-Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin.
SECREG_756

A government stand alone option will kill Granma. Too ridiculous to comment on. Untrue, no American will vote for a bill that will kill their grand mothers or grand fathers. Not even their cat.
Just a scare tactic.
GIANT CORPORATE CEO’S are against a stand alone option. Since they are some of our elected officials biggest donors for their re electoon campaign, they are usually swayed to vote against the SHEEPLES best intrest.
SECREG_756

kimSHEEPLE, based on some of the comments on this blog. I will take a good guess that there are a great deal of uneducated people lingering on here, so I will break this down in very simple terms. I am an American citizen who has been part of and seen up close and personal how ineffective our health care system is.
KIMsheeple–If-(Please correct me if I am incorrect. If means it could not be in the final bill at all.)The next several paragraphs of your posting go off on if’s, so they might never happen.
KIMSHEEPLE posts-If- that word again- you incorporate co-ops, so that the smaller companies can buy into their insurance, it will level off the cost, and all employees can offer their employees coverage at a pre-tax rate, which helps to put them in a lower tax bracket when they sign up for the coverage.
Kim, do you know your own tax bracket? Did you end up paying taxes last year? of course the exception would be social security tax. Everyone working pays that.
KIMSHEEPLE goes on- Ok, let’s add the public option. If you add a public option, then all of the employers will take the cheap public option and offer it to their employees. yes, cheaper, more efficent, so far the only crying is coming from the insurance lobbyists. KIMSHEEPLE proposes- The big companies that we currently have will eventually fall because they will lose their accounts with many businesses. No, not so. The 6 Carriers will have to do something with the 40% of every premium dollar that goes towards administrtaive costs. Share prices might go down. CEO compensation might not be as lucrative, but go out of business, NO!
KIMSHEEPLE- this is heresay and fear mongering aimed at the SGHEEPLE that baaaaa loudly against their own best intrests.
KIMSHEEPLE says- the same horrible customer service that we deal with at DMV and Tri-care(where your child never sees the same physician and cannot have a standard pediatrician, this would be a disaster.
No, that’s completely your opinion. SHEEPLE every where have been brow beaten by you and are baaaaaaing and cowering. Is that what you eant KIMSHEEPLE? Is that the purpose of your post? To scare people with your ifs and half truths, based on nothing?
Kim goes on- I work hard and I choose to get the best coverage eventhough it is more expensive, it is worth it for my family, and it’s pre-tax so that helps. I choose not to get the HMO that is offered on my job because it is to limited and I have to get referrals to do what I need to do.
Most SHEEPLE can not afford your TYPE of coverage. I guess that means, you have yours lrt th rest of the SHEEPLE go with out;
KIMSSHEEPLE says-If you do not work, by choice or because you were laid off, they can have the medicaid option. All the government has to do is regulate the system so that smaller community health plans can get back in the game and have cooperatives for those that cannot afford to pay for their 50 and less employees and that alone will help. If the government gets involved it will be a mess. Lets wait and see what happens when one of your kids get sick and they tell you that you have to wait 6 weeks for them to be seen, people need to stop politicizing this and think logically about what’s best for them and their families. I don’t have a political agenda. I have a family agenda. I want to make 100 percent of the decision for mine and my family health care. Period.
When was the last time anyone with health care waited 6 weeks to be seen?
You are peobably being paid to post here. I say this because most of everything you have written is here say, convaluted and if.
SECREG_756

Dan in S.C. said “Only far left-wing kooks are pushing for the public option”
That’s not remotely true. Virtually every poll save Ramesden says a majority of voters support support public option. Poll after poll reflects it George pointed it out during today’s program. Americans may not share the same idea of how to reform health care, but its clear more Americans support the PO than oppose it.
The attempts to state otherwise only indicate how inaccurate many of the right wing news sources have become. Something is amiss when many GOP voters seem unaware of the actual numbers and poll status on significant issues.

I am a benefits manager and have been for over 15 years. I have negotiated benefits for my employees for that lenght of time and have always gone back and faught for a lower increase or none at all based on our usage. I take the time to read and understand what is going on. I don’t follow blindly behind any one group, this is the problem, everyone is so quick to blame an so quick to politicize this whole thing. You automatically think that beacause I am against a public option I am A: a fair mongeror as you call it and B: I am some republican operative. Well here is a blow in your theory. I have been a registered and voting democrat since I have been able to vote at age 18 now 42. I have my own mind and common sense to use to figure things out. I do not agree with everything coming from the Dems nor do I automatically dismiss the Republicans. I have an open mind, but you people are so tunnel visioned that you fail to see anyone elses point but your own. Take the time to do some research. I have family members in the milatary or that are ex military and they deal with tri-care on a daily basis. I know what they go through. Their infants can never see the same pediatrician, they see someone new each time they go. If there is a concern anbout theirs or the childrens health, they are told that they are given a referall to go to the so called specialist who cannot see them for sometimes up to 2-3 weeks. I had a nephew that had to be taken to the ER because the milatary Dr. sent him home with a double ear infection, when she took him to the ER, they had to put him on two differen atibiotics and the Tri-care gave her hell to pay for it. What was she to do let him burn with a 103 temp and not take her child to the ER. Tri-care is government ran and it is horrible. Especially for people with small children. If it is just an individual maybe it works, but when you have sick kids, there is not time for that sort of foolishness. Say what you like, there is nothing that is ran by the government that is efficient, not to mention the fraud is ridiculous. (Medicare, Medicaid, FoodStamps, Section 8, Unemployment. I can go on and on, lots and lot so waste. What I have written is not hear say, it is from experience and dealing with it on a daily basis. Plus I never said any of this would be in the bill, it was a suggestion of how Co-ops would work better than a public option, maybe you should take your time and read, instead of assuming. For you to assume because I can afford a better coverage I have no concern for others, you are so far off on that, that you are ridiculous. I have always and will always continue to fight for others, but you would not know that because you assume because I am not of your way of thinking that I am some right wing nut job. WRONG!! Contrary to what you may think.

I went to a town hall last week on health care reform. What a shock. Not the fact that reform is really not an option because financially it is a necessity, but the out and out hate that disguised itself as oposition to health care reform. The far right fringe has taken reform as their banner and is doing everything from lying to name calling to discredit Obama by using this issue. The truth is that under all the retoric is hate and fear perpetuated every day by FOX. And underlying all this, a little better hidden perhaps but definitely still there, is racism. Of that I am convinced. These so called “conservatives” who are not conservatives at all but extremists and racists. They have a whole lot of good people following their lead sort of like Hitler had because they are blind to how they are being used and have been swept up into this “hate mill”. I am very afraid for our country not from what is outside our borders but from the extremists within our borders. We need to really pray and stay attentive to the what is happening.

George, your interview with Robert Gibbs illustrates the shortcomings of the so-called debate over health care reform. Each time Mr. Gibbs tried to provide information about the public option and what it means, you interrupted him with questions about polls and Congressional votes. You and your colleagues in the media are clearly more interested in process and politics than in substantial policy debate. This is quite frustrating, since the administration invariably gets the blame for the lack of information about the President’s proposals. No one seems to notice that the media consistently blocks any real discussion of the issue. I enjoy your program, but I was ready to SuperGlue your mouth shut.

I believe that if Obama bails on the Public Option, then Checkmate
The Republican Tsunami is already heading for the Capitol. The Health Insurance/Exxon Coalition isn’t going to give anything to Democrats this time. So, the Democrats can forget about sparring over K-Street treasures with the Republicans; the Republicans already have K-Street all for themselves. And, they’ll be surfing on their death panels all the way through 2010.
The President needs to create his own simple program that works. Not so much for the people, but for the Democrats in Congress. It has to be something that will immediately win over their constituents.
The program needs to be simple to implement; so just extend Medicare to people willing to pay something every month. (Subsidize those who can’t pay so much). No exclusions necessary.
It needs to give the people immediate and good results. It also needs to improve Medicare for people over 65 so they can get behind it. It must also be deficit neutral; so tax millionaires.
But, before he does this, he needs to ram anti-corruption legislation through congress so that the Corporate Blue Dogs can’t zip up their golden parachutes and bail out.
All lobbying needs to be done with a court recorder and a lawyer present.
Large campaign contributions need to be taxed progressively to reflect the damage those contributions have on our country.
Congressmen cannot be allowed to sell their services as lobbyists for 10 years after leaving office. Nor can they be allowed to take golden parachutes or any money whatsoever from anyone but the government. So, keep them on the government payroll for a decade after they step down.
If Obama can make this happen, he will make his mark as the greatest leader we have ever had.
As far as campaign funding is concerned, Democrats will have to find new sources; people like you and me.
Obama’s team did it before. They can do it again.

This is absolutely wrong:
“That already exists. It’s called Medicaid.
Posted by: Chuck”
If you don’t have children, in many states you don’t get anything at all. Do your research before you make flat statements like that.

do any of you have any idea at all of what is happening to this country with obama as President? No administration has ever had Czars, that is so against the constitution. He is forcing his health plan on us in which he can eliminate old people. He is transforming this country into socialism. His Czars are filled with hatred, and racism. Once this health plan takes over, we CAN NOT get out of it. You won’t be able to keep your doctor, you will somehow be moved to one of the doctors the Government chooses and it is bad. If it is such a great health plan, how come Congress isn’t on it. The Government should not be telling us what to do, who to buy from. This is 1984 but worse. I would really be scared if I was you and I would definately put up a fight about this health plan. Our forefathers did not die to have communism in this country. You will lose your freedom. Don’t let this happen.

Posted by: meegan46 | Sep 7, 2009 4:19:31 PM
No administration has ever had Czars, that is so against the constitution. He is forcing his health plan on us in which he can eliminate old people. He is transforming this country into socialism. His Czars are filled with hatred, and racism. Once this health plan takes over, we CAN NOT get out of it. You won’t be able to keep your doctor, you will somehow be moved to one of the doctors the Government chooses and it is bad.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
That is about the most paranoid delusional hate-filled remark I’ve heard in some time. You are clearly from the far-right. The following is not for the benefit of the others on this board:
If you look up Drug Czar in Wiki, you will see that the Obama administration is in the process of suppressing the use of the term Czar. Notice the following from that page:
On May 14, 2009, President Obama’s new drug czar: Gil Kerlikowske, called for an end to the ‘War on Drugs’.[3]
In his first interview since being confirmed to head the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy with the Washington Post, Gil Kerlikowske said the bellicose analogy was a barrier to dealing with the nation’s drug issues.
“Regardless of how you try to explain to people it’s a ‘war on drugs’ or a ‘war on a product,’ people see a war as a war on them,” he said. “We’re not at war with people in this country.”

The federal government has been so successful at running programs – most are failures, and all have cost a fortune. This guy doesn’t know how to economize, and can only call people who oppose his ideas “silly” – oh yes, he does stay on the plane a lot, and loves himself on TV. There’s little substance to him – we’re in serious trouble in the US.

Obama is a joke PERIOD

Go to the internet and enter ‘Michael Connelly constitutional law on your browser’. You will find several URLs that discuss the fact that this type of bill is unconstitutional and Congress knows it.

He told you “we are going to spread the wealth”.
Now, what is it that you don’t understand about that statement. The community organizer is going to give your wealth to the poor. Everything you have worked for will be given to people to lazy to work for it themselves.
If you think town hall meetings are rough now, wait a year.

Good to hear that the President will restate his support for a public alternative to the horribly-performing for-profit system we have now. I hope he remembers that he campaigned on that, which is one of the reasons we elected him.
As for the fairy tale of bipartisanship, I wonder what more the GOP has to do before it convinces Obama that they are not playing to compromise or participate in health care or health insurance reform.
Sitting GOP Senators talk publicly about Death Panels that they know full well are lies. Their spokesmen announce their hope that Obama’s presidency fails. Their supporters organize around playbooks to shut down the town hall meetings with chaotic shouting. They show up at Presidential appearances with shotguns on their hips. They keep their kids home from school when the President makes the traditional video address encouraging our kids to study hard.
The Republican Right is fully committed to destroying Obama. To them, health care reform is nothing but a prime opportunity for doing this, while at the same time protecting their HMO backers.
Please, Mr. President, wake up and smell your honeymoon dwindling away, and stop playing this fantasy bipartisan tea party with the GOP. They are not playing with you.
I hope you will call for the public option tomorrow. If the GOP, or the self-celebrating Blue Dogs vote against it, then let them deal with the voters next year. If need be, pass real health care with a simple majority.

There are millions of people who do not qualify for Medicaid simply because they have a few assets. They are called “the working poor”. We need to make sure that everyone in this country has health insurance, including the ones who fall through the cracks!

“jan” You obviously don’t know what it is like to live hand to mouth. I was raised on nothing…we didn’t have all the crap you talk about in your post. Not all “poor people” live beyond their means. You obviously have never been denied any necessity in your entire life. You obviously have no idea what it’s like to have a father that refuses to support you and a mother who works three jobs to afford a trailer home with holes in the floor and a clunker that breaks down every week. It is sad when people don’t have empathy for their fellow man. The stereotype you put on “poor people” is the very one that comes from ignorance. Some may be the way you describe…BUT NOT ALL. You are an insenstive person and I’m sad you are out there spreading your lies.
I now can afford a nice home…insurance for my family…and a vehicle. I have lived in both sides of the economic lines…and I hope my children never feel that way about “poor people”. Nothing angers me more than that level of insensitivity. Nice.

I’ve read this bill several times. Within 5 years, everyone under the age of 65 (who isn’t auto-enrolled in Medicaid) will have the choice of a government designed health plan (say goodbye to whatever you have today).
Private insurance companies will have to submit government bids to offer these plans through health exchanges. The government will control the profitability of all private plans by establishing thresholds on Medical Loss Ratios and how factors, such as age can be used to vary plan premiums. There’s no need for a government sponsored plan, because the government will have complete control over private plans.
Employers will be forced to pay for at least 72.5% of plan premiums on behalf of all full time employees–driving up the cost of goods/services–or–resulting in lower wages or layoffs.
If you are unemployed, you will be enrolled in Medicaid (this will require a tax increase, as Medicaid is funded by your taxes today).
If you cannot afford the plan premiums, the government will give you “affordability credits” based upon your annual income (which means they’ll be taking a much harder look at your tax returns).
Please note: HR 3200 does not prohibit illegal aliens from purchasing a government plan–only from earning affordability credits.
The rest of the bill really focuses upon provider reimbursement and exploring HMO-type pilot programs to control costs. Let me know if you have any questions.

And then we can hear how “Obama nailed it”, “Obama is back”, “Obama delivered”, “Obama read the teleprompter perfectly” yadda yadda yadda.
I’m sure the airwaves, including this one, will be full of swooning droolists after we watch a dog chase his own tail tonight.