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dreamflowerI am well aware that there are many of my friends who may disagree with me over this issue, so I am putting it behind a cut. If you don't think you can read it without getting upset with me, then pass on by.
One of the main reasons that I was a supporter of President Obama in the last election was his staunch support of health care reform. My husband is a nurse, who has worked in health care in one way or another since he was 15, and started as a dishwasher in a nursing home, later becoming an orderly (back when they were still called that), an LPN and then an RN. He knows how badly such reform is needed.
So do I. As a child growing up, I was a military brat, a dependent back in the day when that meant something: namely free top-notch medical care. When I turned 21, and found out the cost of medical care for the average person, I was shocked.
But for the first 30 years of our marriage, we were lucky. We had excellent insurance plans through my husband's job, with reasonable deductibles, affordable co-pays, prescription coverage, and vision and dental coverage. Then we had another job change, and there was a gap between our coverage of one job and the beginning of the next job. That's what COBRA is for, right? It was $800.00 a month!
We couldn't have afforded it if my husband had not waived his sign-on bonus at the new job and had it applied to the COBRA instead.
Then fast-forward to another job change. This one did not have very good insurance, but it seemed that it might get better later on, and there were other reasons he needed to take the job. But guess what? Once he took the job, he was told he could not get into the new insurance plan because of our pre-existing conditions! And we could not do COBRA--the price on that had gone up from a year before and was now $1700.00 a month! We managed to struggle through a year with NO insurance before they allowed us to pick it up. But it's a lousy policy with a ridiculously high deductible and it only covers generic drugs. So, our $400.00 a month drugstore bill is not going to be ameliorated in any way by the new policy.
It's about time someone showed a little common sense over the health care issue. The screaming and hollering from people who ask questions and then fail to listen to the answers when they are given, is giving me a headache.
The anti-healthcare people are just rude. I've seen the clips of the town hall meetings, as someone will repeatedly scream a totally ludicrous question over and over at the beleaguered representative without stopping to draw breath or wait for an answer if it does come. When they do answer, IF they are heard, they are called liars.
These people are strident and unpleasant. Do they honestly think that a lack of common courtesy is going to accomplish anything? Or that they will convince anyone who does not already share their views?
I got the following from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
claudia603's LJ, and think it deserves to be shared.
Dingell: Reform health care based on facts
Citizens deserve full, fair debate so bill can save medical system
U.S. Rep. John Dingell
Town hall meetings continue a democratic tradition that goes back more than 2,500 years. In ancient Athens, they held "Ecclesia" or gatherings to discuss and decide civic matters. Great movements have been born from these gatherings of individuals with different ideas working to forge consensus.
Last Thursday, I held two town hall meetings in Romulus to discuss a matter of the utmost importance -- health care reform. The large turnout made me very happy. I want to hear from opponents and supporters of the legislation.
More important, I need to hear people's specific concerns and the changes they want. In fact, my desire to hear from my constituents is so strong that while only one town hall was planned, I actually added the second that evening to hear from as many people as possible. That is what makes better legislation. I strongly believe the vast majority of the people in that room had legitimate concerns and questions. Sadly, they were denied the opportunity because some refused to let others speak and were only there to disrupt.
I want to hear from my constituents, but also explain that by lowering costs, improving quality and giving more choices to Americans, we can save both our health care system and economy.
The impending collapse of our health care system is one of the most important questions facing our nation, and full, free and fair debate is urgently needed. Here are the facts. The bill would:
• End the practice of denying insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
• Not allow termination of insurance if you become seriously ill.
• Preclude exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays.
• End annual or lifetime caps on coverage.
• Provide guaranteed oral, hearing and vision care for kids.
• Allow people to keep their doctor and their plan if they wish, while also creating more choices of insurance plans.
• Eliminate lifetime limits on health insurance coverage.
Unfortunately, the fiction about this bill is getting more attention that the facts. This bill will not do the following:
• Will not lead to employers discontinuing health care coverage in favor of government coverage. Based on an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 3200 will actually increase the number of people who get health insurance coverage through an employer compared with current law.
• Will not create an undue burden for small businesses. According to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, 96 percent of small businesses will pay no additional fees under the bill. In fact, small businesses will benefit from tax credits to empower them to provide health insurance for their employees. Small businesses are now paying 18 percent more than big businesses for the same policy; we will stop this unfair practice.
• Will not exempt members of Congress. Our health care plan will be subject to the same rules as all other employer-sponsored plans.
• Will not cover illegal immigrants, leaving American citizens to pay for it. Section 246 of H.R. 3200 specifically prohibits federal funds from being spent to cover illegal immigrants.
• Will not lead to government-sponsored euthanasia. This bill provides an option for individuals to discuss life-extending measures under various scenarios and for Medicare to cover the cost. It is entirely the individual's choice; it does not require anyone to use the benefit and it does not penalize those who don't. Patients and their families would consult with health professionals, not government officials, if they choose to use the benefit.
• Will not lead to government-sponsored abortions. An amendment was added in the Energy and Commerce Committee that explicitly states no public money can be used to fund abortions.
We will continue to maximize the opportunities throughout August for real and honest dialogue with those who have opinions, fears and questions. What we hope for is continued passionate involvement by many people in a civil environment. Democracy is at its best when this occurs.
Southern Beale's blog couldn't say it any better (link fromoselle.) Just shame on whoever is spreading those death panel legends. Shame on them.
One of the main reasons that I was a supporter of President Obama in the last election was his staunch support of health care reform. My husband is a nurse, who has worked in health care in one way or another since he was 15, and started as a dishwasher in a nursing home, later becoming an orderly (back when they were still called that), an LPN and then an RN. He knows how badly such reform is needed.
So do I. As a child growing up, I was a military brat, a dependent back in the day when that meant something: namely free top-notch medical care. When I turned 21, and found out the cost of medical care for the average person, I was shocked.
But for the first 30 years of our marriage, we were lucky. We had excellent insurance plans through my husband's job, with reasonable deductibles, affordable co-pays, prescription coverage, and vision and dental coverage. Then we had another job change, and there was a gap between our coverage of one job and the beginning of the next job. That's what COBRA is for, right? It was $800.00 a month!
We couldn't have afforded it if my husband had not waived his sign-on bonus at the new job and had it applied to the COBRA instead.
Then fast-forward to another job change. This one did not have very good insurance, but it seemed that it might get better later on, and there were other reasons he needed to take the job. But guess what? Once he took the job, he was told he could not get into the new insurance plan because of our pre-existing conditions! And we could not do COBRA--the price on that had gone up from a year before and was now $1700.00 a month! We managed to struggle through a year with NO insurance before they allowed us to pick it up. But it's a lousy policy with a ridiculously high deductible and it only covers generic drugs. So, our $400.00 a month drugstore bill is not going to be ameliorated in any way by the new policy.
It's about time someone showed a little common sense over the health care issue. The screaming and hollering from people who ask questions and then fail to listen to the answers when they are given, is giving me a headache.
The anti-healthcare people are just rude. I've seen the clips of the town hall meetings, as someone will repeatedly scream a totally ludicrous question over and over at the beleaguered representative without stopping to draw breath or wait for an answer if it does come. When they do answer, IF they are heard, they are called liars.
These people are strident and unpleasant. Do they honestly think that a lack of common courtesy is going to accomplish anything? Or that they will convince anyone who does not already share their views?
I got the following from
claudia603's LJ, and think it deserves to be shared.Dingell: Reform health care based on facts
Citizens deserve full, fair debate so bill can save medical system
U.S. Rep. John Dingell
Town hall meetings continue a democratic tradition that goes back more than 2,500 years. In ancient Athens, they held "Ecclesia" or gatherings to discuss and decide civic matters. Great movements have been born from these gatherings of individuals with different ideas working to forge consensus.
Last Thursday, I held two town hall meetings in Romulus to discuss a matter of the utmost importance -- health care reform. The large turnout made me very happy. I want to hear from opponents and supporters of the legislation.
More important, I need to hear people's specific concerns and the changes they want. In fact, my desire to hear from my constituents is so strong that while only one town hall was planned, I actually added the second that evening to hear from as many people as possible. That is what makes better legislation. I strongly believe the vast majority of the people in that room had legitimate concerns and questions. Sadly, they were denied the opportunity because some refused to let others speak and were only there to disrupt.
I want to hear from my constituents, but also explain that by lowering costs, improving quality and giving more choices to Americans, we can save both our health care system and economy.
The impending collapse of our health care system is one of the most important questions facing our nation, and full, free and fair debate is urgently needed. Here are the facts. The bill would:
• End the practice of denying insurance because of pre-existing conditions.
• Not allow termination of insurance if you become seriously ill.
• Preclude exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses, deductibles or co-pays.
• End annual or lifetime caps on coverage.
• Provide guaranteed oral, hearing and vision care for kids.
• Allow people to keep their doctor and their plan if they wish, while also creating more choices of insurance plans.
• Eliminate lifetime limits on health insurance coverage.
Unfortunately, the fiction about this bill is getting more attention that the facts. This bill will not do the following:
• Will not lead to employers discontinuing health care coverage in favor of government coverage. Based on an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, H.R. 3200 will actually increase the number of people who get health insurance coverage through an employer compared with current law.
• Will not create an undue burden for small businesses. According to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation, 96 percent of small businesses will pay no additional fees under the bill. In fact, small businesses will benefit from tax credits to empower them to provide health insurance for their employees. Small businesses are now paying 18 percent more than big businesses for the same policy; we will stop this unfair practice.
• Will not exempt members of Congress. Our health care plan will be subject to the same rules as all other employer-sponsored plans.
• Will not cover illegal immigrants, leaving American citizens to pay for it. Section 246 of H.R. 3200 specifically prohibits federal funds from being spent to cover illegal immigrants.
• Will not lead to government-sponsored euthanasia. This bill provides an option for individuals to discuss life-extending measures under various scenarios and for Medicare to cover the cost. It is entirely the individual's choice; it does not require anyone to use the benefit and it does not penalize those who don't. Patients and their families would consult with health professionals, not government officials, if they choose to use the benefit.
• Will not lead to government-sponsored abortions. An amendment was added in the Energy and Commerce Committee that explicitly states no public money can be used to fund abortions.
We will continue to maximize the opportunities throughout August for real and honest dialogue with those who have opinions, fears and questions. What we hope for is continued passionate involvement by many people in a civil environment. Democracy is at its best when this occurs.
Southern Beale's blog couldn't say it any better (link from
oselle.) Just shame on whoever is spreading those death panel legends. Shame on them.![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-08-12 02:55 pm (UTC)My biggest complaint about all the screaming that is going on regarding the proposed Health Care Plan is that most people are taking their info from soundbites on the news--regardless of which side of the Liberal-Conservative span they are on. And most of the things that are being said are outright wrong, or being taken terribly out of context.
I have pulled up the 1000+ page bill and have begun to read it, to try to understand just what it says for myself. It's going to take me a few weeks to get through the whole thing as I really want to understand what it says.
I get the impression that very few of the screeching mob on either side have actually done so. What bothers me most is that a good portion of the politicians on both side have not read it in its entirety either, and so can't answer questions when they are speaking to their constituents.
I want those who can't be covered by insurance under current rules, or those who can be covered but only by impoverishing themselves, to be able to get and pay for quality care. I most definitely want all pre-natal and neo-natal quality care to be provided for every woman who is bearing a child, regardless of ability to pay.
I want families who have members with cancer (whether children or adults) to be able to get the very best care they can for them, regardless of the prognosis, even if it's giving the person another year or three before the cancer takes them; without having to work three jobs (assuming jobs are available) or filing bancruptcy. (This is a very sensitive point for me as this happened to my best friend and twenty years later they are STILL paying the medical bills for the 12-year-old son they lost.)
But I hate how everyone is RUSHING to get this passed. We've seen in the past where government programs that were rushed through they ended up being a disaster for the people that they were initially meant to support. I'm sure you can name several of them without much mental effort. I'm not saying to take 4 to 10 years to get it done, but surely we don't need to force the bill through in the next 30 days, do we?
Can't we afford to take the time to make certain that everyone knows exactly what is really in the bill so that the misinformation that is being spewed by the media and people with an agenda doesn't force an unnatural outcome to the bill's passing or not? Read it yourself before you make up your mind about it. Don't rely on the media to educate you about it.
Call your congressman and senator, and insist that they stop and read and UNDERSTAND the whole bill... all 1000+ pages of it... before they vote on it, not just "talking points" that obsfucate the reality of the legislation. Insist that they use objectivity and not "Party opinion" when it comes to voting on it. I might not necessarily agree with their final decision but I'll certainly respect it a LOT more if I know they made it with full knowledge and understanding of what and why they voted the way they did.
I truly want Health Care Reform... but I want it done well, and not just rushed through to prop up a politician's approval ratings or to show they kept a campaign promise (most of which get broken anyway quite quickly after the election ends and the person is in office).
Let's just take the time and effort to do it right with thoughtful consideration for what is really needed, and not just what is politically expedient.
*Er, sorry about the speech... Let me get down off this soapbox*
no subject
Date: 2009-08-12 03:58 pm (UTC)I sadly suspect you are correct that most have not read all the bill. I confess, I've only checked out certain parts of it, rather than trying to actually read it all the way through.
Unfortunately, I also suspect the reason for the rush and hurry. The President remembers the last time reform was shot down. It took 16 years before anyone was brave enough to tackle it again. Our country can't afford another 16 years of the same-old same-old.
If I honestly thought both sides would spend a few months actually going over the bill and not simply trying to railroad it (one way or the other) I would not mind waiting another few months, or even a year. But I am afraid that the money and effort being poured in by the opponents will do the exact same thing that happened before.