Comments on: Poll on Health Care Bill http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/ Politics for liberal newsgeeks Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:47:29 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: paz3 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41208 paz3 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:05:53 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41208 <blockquote><p>“NO Ability to negotiate drug prices” is THE main reason Medicare is having problems;… “</p></blockquote> <p> Isn’t Medicare (dis)Advantage another large cause of Medicare’s woes? Wasn’t that passed when the Republicans were in charge (thus it’s intended effect is to harm Medicare financially) ?</p>

“NO Ability to negotiate drug prices” is THE main reason Medicare is having problems;… “

Isn’t Medicare (dis)Advantage another large cause of Medicare’s woes? Wasn’t that passed when the Republicans were in charge (thus it’s intended effect is to harm Medicare financially) ?

]]> By: paz3 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41207 paz3 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:59:53 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41207 <blockquote><p>•NO Public plan<br /> •<strong>NO Rates tied to Medicare</strong><br /> •NO Ability to negotiate drug prices</p></blockquote> <p>I voted to block its passage without the three points above, but I’m struggling with the bolded second point. I’d like to see some real data concerning Medicare reimbursement rates and if they cover doctors and hospitals costs in treating patients (notwithstanding excess administrative fees) as I keep hearing about physicians who will not take Medicare patients. (Which seems suspicious since there must be very few folks over 65 who can afford private insurance if they are retired.)</p> <p>If this the wrong place to ask for such information?</p>

•NO Public plan
•NO Rates tied to Medicare
•NO Ability to negotiate drug prices

I voted to block its passage without the three points above, but I’m struggling with the bolded second point. I’d like to see some real data concerning Medicare reimbursement rates and if they cover doctors and hospitals costs in treating patients (notwithstanding excess administrative fees) as I keep hearing about physicians who will not take Medicare patients. (Which seems suspicious since there must be very few folks over 65 who can afford private insurance if they are retired.)

If this the wrong place to ask for such information?

]]> By: Legion303 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41110 Legion303 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:40:50 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41110 <p>Well this is an easy one. 76% of the public wants a public option, so if a public option is not in the bill, congressmorons shouldn’t vote for it. Regardless of what other shit they tack on to make it more palatable.</p> Well this is an easy one. 76% of the public wants a public option, so if a public option is not in the bill, congressmorons shouldn’t vote for it. Regardless of what other shit they tack on to make it more palatable.

]]> By: dkmich http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41109 dkmich Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:21:08 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41109 <p>Just what does non-negotiatable drug pricing have to do with this health care bill? Are these people nuts? Millions unemployed, losing their homes, in bankruptcy, and these asses want to continue to give big pharma a blank check on our credit card? Gee, maybe they want to trade off for a third war or maybe another trillion for the banks along with this boondoggle. How much of the tax payer money can they steal and/or waste. NO, NO DEAL.</p> Just what does non-negotiatable drug pricing have to do with this health care bill? Are these people nuts? Millions unemployed, losing their homes, in bankruptcy, and these asses want to continue to give big pharma a blank check on our credit card? Gee, maybe they want to trade off for a third war or maybe another trillion for the banks along with this boondoggle. How much of the tax payer money can they steal and/or waste. NO, NO DEAL.

]]> By: 2briteturnleft http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41108 2briteturnleft Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:32:32 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41108 <p>Anthem Blue Cross (Wellpoint) sent out an email today to their consumers encouraging them to contact their legislators because none of the health care bills in committee are, to use their words, “sustainable” and “responsible” health care reform. They went on to say that the current bills will result in diminished services and higher premiums for those who are insured through private insurers.</p> <p>I find it both ironic and insulting that they would have the balls to send this out to their consumers who pay as much for health care as they do a mortgage payment and think that we are so stupid as to buy their load of crap.</p> <p>What will not be “sustainable” if we have an a public option will be their profits. They will no longer set the standard for who is allowed to be insured due to wealth or health.</p> <p>Anything less than a public option will keep the for profit insurance companies in the drivers seat.</p> <p>We need Obama to find his balls and get out in front of this thing NOW. Its the least he can do for all of us that stood behind him and believed in CHANGE. Senator Kennedy certainly did and it is time for Obama to draw his line in the sand and make this happen.</p> Anthem Blue Cross (Wellpoint) sent out an email today to their consumers encouraging them to contact their legislators because none of the health care bills in committee are, to use their words, “sustainable” and “responsible” health care reform. They went on to say that the current bills will result in diminished services and higher premiums for those who are insured through private insurers.

I find it both ironic and insulting that they would have the balls to send this out to their consumers who pay as much for health care as they do a mortgage payment and think that we are so stupid as to buy their load of crap.

What will not be “sustainable” if we have an a public option will be their profits. They will no longer set the standard for who is allowed to be insured due to wealth or health.

Anything less than a public option will keep the for profit insurance companies in the drivers seat.

We need Obama to find his balls and get out in front of this thing NOW. Its the least he can do for all of us that stood behind him and believed in CHANGE. Senator Kennedy certainly did and it is time for Obama to draw his line in the sand and make this happen.

]]> By: letsgetitdone http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41106 letsgetitdone Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:24:30 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41106 <p>I voted no, because there were no cost controls in the bill, and I really don’t believe that we can’t bring this up again in 2010 if we keep the pressure up, and force them to confront it in an election year. They’d hate to do that, but they would if there are demonstrations in the streets. I also think we can get a lot of this done in stages and have written that up <a href="http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/7418" rel="nofollow">here</a>. What I’ve suggested isn’t perfect; but it’s a helluva lot better than HR 3200.</p> <p>Finally, my own preference in all this is Medicare for All. In my view the insurance companies are only middlemen who serve no useful social purpose that the Government can’t perform more efficiently, since even the most efficient insurance industry imaginable can’t deliver insurance with a mark-up of only 3%. the marketing costs alone would greatly exceed that.</p> I voted no, because there were no cost controls in the bill, and I really don’t believe that we can’t bring this up again in 2010 if we keep the pressure up, and force them to confront it in an election year. They’d hate to do that, but they would if there are demonstrations in the streets. I also think we can get a lot of this done in stages and have written that up here. What I’ve suggested isn’t perfect; but it’s a helluva lot better than HR 3200.

Finally, my own preference in all this is Medicare for All. In my view the insurance companies are only middlemen who serve no useful social purpose that the Government can’t perform more efficiently, since even the most efficient insurance industry imaginable can’t deliver insurance with a mark-up of only 3%. the marketing costs alone would greatly exceed that.

]]> By: letsgetitdone http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41105 letsgetitdone Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:10:23 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41105 <p>The HR 3200 PO can’t control costs because not enough people are eligible to join it and it doesn’t start until 2013 anyway. By 2013 costs will be up by roughly 25% anyway.</p> The HR 3200 PO can’t control costs because not enough people are eligible to join it and it doesn’t start until 2013 anyway. By 2013 costs will be up by roughly 25% anyway.

]]> By: letsgetitdone http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41104 letsgetitdone Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:05:08 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41104 <p>masslib, I don’t know that it was the progressives who walked away so much as some major progressive organizations who decided to go with what Obama thought was practical. I guess that suggests that our organizations need to maintain a little distance from any Administration, so that they don’t end up representing it, rather than us.</p> masslib, I don’t know that it was the progressives who walked away so much as some major progressive organizations who decided to go with what Obama thought was practical. I guess that suggests that our organizations need to maintain a little distance from any Administration, so that they don’t end up representing it, rather than us.

]]> By: sporkovat http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41101 sporkovat Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:20:02 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41101 <blockquote><p> Progressives put them in the position of advocating for something vague, that was already to the right of their preferred choice.</p></blockquote> <p>yerp, sometimes ‘pragmatic’ least worstism isn’t so pragmatic after all.</p>

Progressives put them in the position of advocating for something vague, that was already to the right of their preferred choice.

yerp, sometimes ‘pragmatic’ least worstism isn’t so pragmatic after all.

]]> By: SomeGuy http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41100 SomeGuy Fri, 28 Aug 2009 04:04:18 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2009/08/27/poll-on-health-care-bill/#comment-41100 <p>I voted yes, but after thinking about it for a few minutes I’d vote no. </p> <p>If they also allowed Doctors to take cash payments equal to the amount they actually receive from insurance companies, without penalizing them by lowering the prevailing rate, I’d be back in the yes column.</p> I voted yes, but after thinking about it for a few minutes I’d vote no.

If they also allowed Doctors to take cash payments equal to the amount they actually receive from insurance companies, without penalizing them by lowering the prevailing rate, I’d be back in the yes column.

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