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Health Care Reform

Everyone is buzzing about the new health care bill. Most people know very little about our health care system and the people who are really pissed probably get their ‘news’ from Fox. There is so much I’d like to say, but I don’t have the time right now to write the post that this topic deserves. This bill is so watered down that it will not fix the worst of our health care problems. Specifically, the for-profit insurance companies will continue to grow and thrive while our health care just gets more expensive. Bottom line: it is unethical to make money off the backs of sick people.

That’s it for now. I’ll take the small victory for health care and a big symbolic victory for President Obama. But as far as fixing our health care system, this bill is just a beginning. We still have a long way to go.

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Uncategorized | cindy | | Leave a comment |   bill Healthcare Obama passage reform

No Public Option = No Real Change

The American people are not getting the change we wanted when we elected Barrack Obama president, at least when it comes to the mess of our health care system.

True, there are a few regulations in the Senate bill that will help protect some Americans against the nasty ways of the private insurance companies. There are also subsidies to help people pay for insurance. But without a strong public option the worst of our health care problems are not going to go away. This is simply because the problem with our current system is the for-profit private insurance companies. The current health care bill is so watered down now that I consider it a loss. Without a strong public option, the insurance companies win.

Also, don’t forget that the subsidies are tax payer dollars and where will all these dollars go? Right into the deep pockets of the insurance companies. They will only get bigger and stronger, which is the main problem with our system to begin with. As for the new regulations, the insurance companies with their lawyers and lobbyists will find ways around these new regulations and do what they always do: make money.

As long as the goal for the private insurance companies is to make money off of the backs of sick people, our health system is not going to get fixed. Health care should not be a for-profit business; the more care is denied the better the profit margin. This is unethical in my opinion.

I do understand the Republicans who don’t want government controlling our lives, but in the case of health care, I don’t see how any government program could be as bad as the screwing we get from private insurance companies. If you don’t feel the pain, then you are probably not sick or disabled.

The current bill will just create more red tape and headaches for Americans. Until we have a single-payer system and cut out the money grabbing middle-man, our health care system will remain broken.

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Dear John, I Support a Public Option!

Dear John Boehner,

Public Option Fact Check
*All three House committees that have passed health insurance reform bills this session have included a public option. [Washington Post, 8/2/2009]

*Polls continue to show that two out of every three Americans support health insurance reform that includes a public option. [Kaiser Family Foundation, Quinnipac, WSJ/NBC News, September 2009]

*American physicians support a public option by an even greater margin—nearly three out of every four US doctors supports the inclusion of a public option in health insurance reform. [Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 9/14/09]

I support a pubic option!
Cynthia Bissell, RN, US citizen

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Society | cindy | | 2 Comments |   health care John Boehner public option reform republican universal health care

5 Things you need to know about Obama’s Public Health Insurance Option

The choice of a public health insurance plan is crucial to real health care reform. But right now, it’s being smeared by conservatives and insurance-industry front groups. Here’s what you really need to know:

1. Choice, choice, choice. If the public health insurance option passes, Americans will be able to choose between their current insurance and a high-quality, government-run plan similar to Medicare. If you like your current care, you can keep it. If you don’t—or don’t have any—you can get the public insurance plan.

2. It will be high-quality coverage with a choice of doctors. Government-run plans have a track record of innovating to improve quality, because they’re not just focused on short-term profits. And if you choose the public plan, you’ll still get to choose your doctor and hospital.

3. We’ll all save a bunch of money. The public health insurance option won’t have to spend money on things like CEO bonuses, shareholder dividends, or excessive advertising, so it’ll cost a lot less. Plus, the private plans will have to lower their rates and provide better value to compete, so people who keep their current insurance will save, too.

4. It will always be there for you and your family. A for-profit insurer can close, move out of the area, or just kick you off their insurance rolls. The public health insurance option will always be available to provide you with the health security you need.

5. And it’s a key part of universal health care. No longer will sick people or folks in rural communities, or low-income Americans be forced to go without coverage. The public health insurance plan will be available and accessible to everyone. And for those struggling to make ends meet, the premiums will be subsidized by the government.

We all need to speak out to make sure we get real health reform. Please pass this message on, then call your senators and ask them to support the choice of a public health insurance plan.

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Society | cindy | | 2 Comments |   government Insurance Medicare Obama Public Health reform Socialized Medicine universal health care