Healthcare Reform Means Taking "No" for an Answer

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I think most people would be more rational about accepting health care changes if a clear cost/benefit was laid out instead of all the political manipulations and attempts to make bad look good and good bad. Just be honest and tell us how much we are going to have to pay for it!

LJ of TN 3:30PM June 25, 2009

"Why should they worry if we get sick? They don't pay the bill. We do - and sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die. Not their problem."-Joan
Your talking about the food industry, but what about our federal government? They are not paying for this system either, we are! So why should they care or worry if we get sick...they don't pay the bill. We do and "sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die"...again, wouldn't be their problem either. It is also a nice way to smuggle in more of our tax dollars and make excuses for raising your tax dollars each and every year. You know how politicians are especially the ones we have in Congress right now. They'll make every excuse to increase or create a new tax while in the mean time, stealing your tax dollars through the little loop holes established through legislation, which is never read by the American people. I am for reform and I do believe that change is necessary, but is the Health care reform Democrats are proposing in Congress the right change? Thats my question and is it the only change or option or way? Absolutely not. There are many proposals right now. I am not looking for a band aid fix. This health care reform will leave many Americans vulnerable. It will eliminate competition and choice, and dictate American's decisions on issues that were once considered personal and private. It will force about 70% of Americans who are already insured to leave their doctors (some of whom they've had for many years) or least potentially will force them to. Also, it will cost triple the amount to maintain while the quality of your health care will decrease. Your putting the power of your health into the hands a very few and allowing them to make the decisions for you. While your taxes dollars (which you can guarantee will increase to ridiculous amounts as the years progress) are paying for the whole thing. Remember, who ever holds your money, controls your country. If government is generating billions of your tax dollars every year, they sure as hell are the ones who will be calling the shots and establishing and implementing the policies. I've heard some other proposals that are sounding a lot better than Obamas. I wonder why they are not getting any air time? I am deeply concerned. Please do not be fooled by the illusion. It's a bad fix for a deeply hurting America.

Sara of ME 11:35PM June 23, 2009

"Why should they worry if we get sick? They don't pay the bill. We do - and sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die. Not their problem."-Joan
Your talking about the food industry, but what about our federal government? They are not paying for this system either, we are! So why should they care or worry if we get sick...they don't pay the bill. We do and "sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die"...again, wouldn't be their problem either. It is also a nice way to smuggle in more of our tax dollars and make excuses for raising your tax dollars each and every year. You know how politicians are especially the ones we have in Congress right now. They'll make every excuse to increase or create a new tax while in the mean time, stealing your tax dollars through the little loop holes established through legislation, which is never read by the American people. I am for reform and I do believe that change is necessary, but is the Health care reform Democrats are proposing in Congress the right change? Thats my question and is it the only change or option or way? Absolutely not. There are many proposals right now. I am not looking for a band aid fix. This health care reform will leave many Americans vulnerable. It will eliminate competition and choice, and dictate American's decisions on issues that were once considered personal and private. It will force about 70% of Americans who are already insured to leave their doctors (some of whom they've had for many years) or least potentially will force them to. Also, it will cost triple the amount to maintain while the quality of your health care will decrease. Your putting the power of your health into the hands a very few and allowing them to make the decisions for you. While your taxes dollars (which you can guarantee will increase to ridiculous amounts as the years progress) are paying for the whole thing. Remember, who ever holds your money, controls your country. If government is generating billions of your tax dollars every year, they sure as hell are the ones who will be calling the shots and establishing and implementing the policies. I've heard some other proposals that are sounding a lot better than Obamas. I wonder why they are not getting any air time? I am deeply concerned. Please do not be fooled by the illusion. It's a bad fix for a deeply hurting America.

Sara of ME 11:34PM June 23, 2009

"Why should they worry if we get sick? They don't pay the bill. We do - and sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die. Not their problem."-Joan
Your talking about the food industry, but what about our federal government? They are not paying for this system either, we are! So why should they care or worry if we get sick...they don't pay the bill. We do and "sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die"...again, wouldn't be their problem either. It is also a nice way to smuggle in more of our tax dollars and make excuses for raising your tax dollars each and every year. You know how politicians are especially the ones we have in Congress right now. They'll make every excuse to increase or create a new tax while in the mean time, stealing your tax dollars through the little loop holes established through legislation, which is never read by the American people. I am for reform and I do believe that change is necessary, but is the Health care reform Democrats are proposing in Congress the right change? Thats my question and is it the only change or option or way? Absolutely not. There are many proposals right now. I am not looking for a band aid fix. This health care reform will leave many Americans vulnerable. It will eliminate competition and choice, and dictate American's decisions on issues that were once considered personal and private. It will force about 70% of Americans who are already insured to leave their doctors (some of whom they've had for many years) or least potentially will force them to. Also, it will cost triple the amount to maintain while the quality of your health care will decrease. Your putting the power of your health into the hands a very few and allowing them to make the decisions for you. While your taxes dollars (which you can guarantee will increase to ridiculous amounts as the years progress) are paying for the whole thing. Remember, who ever holds your money, controls your country. If government is generating billions of your tax dollars every year, they sure as hell are the ones who will be calling the shots and establishing and implementing the policies. I've heard some other proposals that are sounding a lot better than Obamas. I wonder why they are not getting any air time? I am deeply concerned. Please do not be fooled by the illusion. It's a bad fix for a deeply hurting America.

Sara of ME 11:33PM June 23, 2009

I say no to universal healthcare. My grandparents are on the health care system in Zaragoza, Spain and my grandfather died because he was misdiagnosed for over three years. The man who did his biopsy said it was impossible for doctors to have missed the tumor in his kidney on more than six different occassions....your life is literally at stake when you trust government to provide care for you...period. Heck, ten years ago a huge HMO scandal broke loose in Maine. Doctors were actually being paid by the government (HMO) to misdiagnose patients on minor illiness because it was less expensive for the government to pay. A few patients died because the minor illiness (untreated) ended up becoming major and by the time they were treated it was too late. Also, something else to note. All of the politicians, actors, musicians, in Spain are not on the Universal plan that most of the Citizens of Spain are on. Why? Because the quality of the care is very poor. They have private doctors that take care of them. It's very expensive to see a private doctor in Spain. Nearly impossible. I'll put money on it that if Obama's plan (and Congress's) passes he and his family will not be on this plan. All of those politicians, actors, musicians, even journalist, bankers who are advocating for this program will not be on it either. They have private doctors. In fact, if you investigate all the of countries who have adopted Universal Health care it's kind of the same scenario. Rich people get private doctors (doctors most Americans get to see) while typical middle class and poor Americans will get stuck in a system that does not provide us with choice and jeopardizes our health and not only that, but our lives as well. How can people trust their government to make ethical decisions when it comes to their health care when our government can't even make ethical decisions in just about every other area that affects our lives. If you look at their track record....it's extremely poor. Why would you trust them, of all people? I still don't understand how people do not make the connection. I do believe health care needs to be reformed but I don't believe that Universal Health care is the way to go about changing and improving our system. It will cost taxpayers triple the amount to maintain the system each year... The Universal Healthcare program is estimated to cost roughly 1 trillion dollars, just to implement. As tax payers we don't have that kind of money and with the state of our economy that will sure as hell bankrupt us for good. This is not the right time for such a bill or a reform and even if it were the right time, I would still reject it. Our government is corrupt and I do not trust
corrupt officials making policies that will affect my health and potentially put me in a position where my life could be jeopardized..all to say a couple hundred bucks by pressuring doctors to use cheap x-rays instead of cat scans. No thank you.

Sara of ME 11:09PM June 23, 2009

I have just finished reading about carcinogens in some fast food broiled chicken offerings and also in milk. I have read of the influence that industry has on our government and the lack of oversight of the food industry which has followed that tidy relationship. Why should they worry if we get sick? They don't pay the bill. We do - and sometimes we get destitute in doing so, and some of us die. Not their problem.
My thought is that if the government paid for our healthcare it would take a much more active role in maintaining our health.
Instead of trying to take vitamins and herbs off the market and then substitute drugs which isolate the active ingredient and cost much more and necessitate many doctors visits - our government might encourage both doctors and patients to learn more about natual/cheaper remedies and encourage more phys-ed in schools.
There is something called red yeast rice (I think). The government had wanted to ban it because the same active ingredient is in some patented cholesterol lowering drug. It was found that a percent of the population had horrible side effects from the drug, but not from the red yeast rice.
More walking paths and bike lanes would be encouraged/constructed if the government had some responsibility for our health care. Yes, and the junk in our foods would also be removed. Most of Europe has banned high fructose corn syrup, for example.
I think it is not only the insurance industry that feels threatened, but also the food industry.
Perhaps if we have bad behavior that threatens our health we should not expect public systems to support our health care - some insurance companies now extract a premium from smokers.
I believe the state of New Jersey will only pay for the support of one child born to a poor woman who is unmarried. I heard that action curbed many irresponsible births - I don't know this as a fact, but people have told me.
There should be a greater parental financial responsibility which covers the life of a child if the child is brought to term with the knowledge that it will never be able to fully function as an adult.
So many doctors now are encouraged to order tests for patients that may not be necessary, but the hospital with which they are affiliated needs the business to pay for all the expensive equipment.
Most of the doctors I know are rushing patients in and out just to be able to make money under the restraints that the insurance companies place on them. I don't think there is much job satisfaction left in that profession.
We really cannot continue on the road that we are now on. People with jobs and medical insurance are becoming bankrupt due to medical expenses. Before this financial problem those people constituted the greatest number of bankruptcies.
There is really no other option than change.

Joan Dalton of AR 10:45PM June 23, 2009

There is no doubt that some of the high cost of health care is driven by avaricious physicians seeking to feather their nest and enjoy some of the same luxuries as health insurance company CEO's. Much more of this cost, however, is, at least in my opinion, driven by patient demand. I'm thinking here of the medicaid patient who goes from one doctor to another and then to the emergency room for minor problems simply because he knows it isn't going to cost him anything, and because he's blessed with the "If it's free, I want all I can get of it" mentality. We can thank the media also for their alarming reports about swine flu, lyme disease, or any other "disease-of-the-month" which brings out the hypochondriasis in many causing them to seek unneeded medical attention. By attempting to make individuals health conscious, i.e. to eat right, exercise, and stop smoking, we seem to have made them more disease conscious. Many seem to have the idea that taking care of themselves means running to the doctor or the ER everytime they get a case of the sniffles. And let's not forget the internet with its access to medical information both real and bogus which has turned many with less than a high school education into full-fledged "physicians" who have diagnosed their own ailment and then bounce from one doctor to another looking for someone who will confirm it. Everyone with a headache knows they need a $2000 MRI, everyone with a chest pain knows they need a coronary angiogram, and on and on. Finally, and probably most importantly, there's the Trial Lawyers Association and the constant threat of a malpractice lawsuit stemming from a missed diagnosis. Enough has been said about that already, so I'll say no more. To sum up, it should be obvious that in my opinion many persons use the health care system excessively and needlessly and tend to hold the system responsible for maintaining their health rather than assuming some of that responsibility themselves.

Retired MD of KY 2:22PM June 23, 2009

Americans need to restore personal responsibility and take accountability for their actions: financial, personal and health, and the congress must do the same. Too many Americans are fat, lazy, inactive and always ready to blame someone else for their self induced problems. If you engage in high risk behavior and activities you should pay for your health costs and don't ask me to directly or indirectly subsidize your behavior. We need mandatory physical education at all grades up through high school. The old "Eastern/Soviet Block" athletes are better because phys ed was mandatory fall all and instilled a more active life style early on. Americans would rather take a pill instead of a walk around the block. All the reform of healthcare programs will not fix the lack of a healthy attitude in society. Save the healthcare dollars for preventive care and those with catastrophic illness, accidents and other non-self induced problems.

J Songin of NY 2:06PM June 23, 2009