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Have you been to Japan lately? Your dead wrong. I won't bother with a stupid debate. Obama just gave his sorry little speech about passing healthcare a few minutes ago, with some cute little nurses supporting him. Meanwhile, in the real friggin world, I have been at the hospital with my dad for the last week. He's 86, heart failure, had four stents put in. Then a pace maker. I suppose you would say that's too much to keep him alive. The NURSES working at the hospital didn't. But what they did say if Obama's plan went through my dad wouldn't be considered as viable human life. And he would let him go. Do democrats even know how to love anyone? I don't understand you or people like you at all. There is no excuse. I could say a lot more but you are not worth the trouble.
Hmmm...which part of Obama's speech did you hear him say to let your dad go? Do you need a brain transplant or something?
BILL MOYERS: Why is public insurance, a public option, so fiercely opposed by the industry? WENDELL POTTER: The industry doesn't want to have any competitor. In fact, over the course of the last few years, has been shrinking the number of competitors through a lot of acquisitions and mergers. So first of all, they don't want any more competition period. They certainly don't want it from a government plan that might be operating more efficiently than they are, that they operate. The Medicare program that we have here is a government-run program that has administrative expenses that are like three percent or so. BILL MOYERS: Compared to the industry's-- WENDELL POTTER: They spend about 20 cents of every premium dollar on overhead, which is administrative expense or profit. So they don't want to compete against a more efficient competitor
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BILL MOYERS: We obtained a copy of the game plan that was adopted by the industry's trade association, AHIP. And it spells out the industry strategies in gold letters. It says, "Highlight horror stories of government-run systems." What was that about? WENDELL POTTER: The industry has always tried to make Americans think that government-run systems are the worst thing that could possibly happen to them, that if you even consider that, you're heading down on the slippery slope towards socialism. So they have used scare tactics for years and years and years, to keep that from happening. If there were a broader program like our Medicare program, it could potentially reduce the profits of these big companies. So that is their biggest concern.
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BILL MOYERS: I have a memo written by Frank Luntz. He's the Republican strategist who we discovered, in the spring, has written the script for opponents of health care reform. "First," he says, "you have to pretend to support it. Then use phrases like, "government takeover," "delayed care is denied care," "consequences of rationing," "bureaucrats, not doctors prescribing medicine." That was a memo, by Frank Luntz, to the opponents of health care reform in this debate. Now watch this clip. REP. JOHN BOEHNER: The forthcoming plan from Democratic leaders will make health care more expensive, limit treatments, ration care, and put bureaucrats in charge of medical decisions rather than patients and doctors. SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL: Americans need to realize that when someone says "government option," what could really occur is a government takeover that soon could lead to government bureaucrats denying and delaying care, and telling Americans what kind of care they can have. SEN. JON KYL: Washington run healthcare would diminish access to quality care, leading to denials, shortages and long delays for treatment. REP. JOE WILSON: How will a government run health plan not lead to the same rationing of care that we have seen in other countries? REP. TOM PRICE: We don't want to put the government, we don't want to put bureaucrats between a doctor and a patient. BILL MOYERS: Why do politicians puppet messages like that? WENDELL POTTER: Well, they are ideologically aligned with the industry. They want to believe that the free market system can and should work in this country, like it does in other industries. So they don't understand from an insider's perspective like I have, what that actually means, and the consequences of that to Americans.
They parrot those comments, without really realizing what the real situation is.
Here're some other pieces relevant to the thread:
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I watched the interview and everybody should. In fact it should be aired in public places such as Times Square and other ciities throughout the country. Once and for all put an end to the lies and rhetoric that are being spewed by right wing pundits and shills. For some reason they do not want the Obama administration to get credit for putting in place a system that the majority of Americans need and want. The would rather support the corrupt insurance industry and its bottom line. People are going bankrupt due to illness while the insurance companies lobbyists are lining the pockets of corrupt politicians. The Republicans fought Roosevelt on Social Security and aren't we glad he had the last word???
So the Japanese Government will run American Healthcare?
Sorry our Government does not exactly have the track record for running successful efficient endeavours the private sector can run as well or better.
Unless you want to point out medicare , social security, or Amtrak,
IBDeditorials.com: Editorials, Political Cartoons, and Polls from Investor's Business Daily -- Fix Medicare First (http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=332031100195115 - broken link)
Like GM, Chrysler, Lehman Bros, etc? I'd really like the likes of them running my health care. At least the govt. will always be around.
Like GM, Chrysler, Lehman Bros, etc? I'd really like the likes of them running my health care. At least the govt. will always be around.
What? where are the healthcare insurance companies in that list you provided. First I read a post about the Japanese Government then I read about Chrysler Lehman and GM. I thought we were discussing healthcare?
Please show me one major health insurance company that has been dissolved.
I can make any system look like that. Private would be just as complicated if you took every component and placed them all jumbly, including different parts of HR, sales, marketing, insurance companies, etc...
Gov't healthcare pays less proportion to admin than private.
The difference is, if a private system is inefficient and overly cumbersome, the company goes out of business. Government programs, however, we're stuck with no matter how lousy.
The DMV, USPS or Amtrak wouldn't last a day as a private corporation in a free market environment.
Sorry our Government does not exactly have the track record for running successful efficient endeavours the private sector can run as well or better.
I was giving some examples of "successful efficient private sector endevours" that are no longer with us.
Amtrak and Social Security do not provide health care either, of the three examples you gave.
If you think insurance companies are "efficient", you really have another think coming. I posted a link, several times over, from The Economist, not a right wing rag by any stretch of the imagination, on these health care forums. The article said, (paraphrasing) there is too much input per unit of output. In other words, too much administration. If economists think this way, I don't understand why people here on CD continue to support the current system. The only reason these companies stay in business is that they all operate the same way. They have no incentive to be more efficient. They don't even try. Do a search for that article.
einstein, i dont have time at the moment to go into this issue more but 3% overhead is really not realistic. even if you cut out out the profit because technically it is non-profit there still isnt a possibility of knocking it down to 3%. maybe i can find some overhead info later on non-profits to get some perspective.
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