It's that time of year once again where I have to sign up for my 2011 health insurance benefits at work. As expected, everything has gone up. My health insurance has gone up an additional $40 a month, and my deductible went up from $1,000 to $1,900. No doubt this is because of President Obama's health care reform, which I supported. In looking over the benefits, there are quite a few positive changes on there: there are no more lifetime maximums, preventative care is now covered at 100%, and my copay would be the same whether I go to my own hospital or any other hospital in the country. You can also keep your children on your health plan until they are 26 years old, but since my oldest child is only 5, this isn't a big issue for me.
Of course, right now as I'm typing this, Republicans are hard at work trying to kill this new healthcare reform. "It's too expensive!" they scream, while on the other hand they are fighting tooth and nail to keep the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of the country, which will in turn add over 600 billion dollars to the national debt.
The GOP hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me. Just the other day, the newly elected Republican congressman from Maryland, Andy Harris, an outspoken "Obamacare" critic, complained that he couldn't get his government health insurance fast enough. He caused a bit of a scene when told he would have to wait 28 days for his free health insurance to kick in. He then looked into getting some sort of government sponsored "gap" coverage for those 28 days, coverage that's addressed in the healthcare reform bill that he is so opposed to.
I have yet to know what the GOP plan is to fix healthcare. It seems all they really care about is "Repeal! Repeal! Repeal!" Ok....repeal, and then what?? Keep things the way they were? As much as Republicans and the big health care industries hate to hear it, but I think universal healthcare is the only true answer, and most of the country agrees with me. In a recent CNN poll, 69% of Americans favored universal healthcare. (click link below for article)
(http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/poll-americans-overwhelmingly-favor-universal-health-care----until-taxes-are-mentioned.php)
Why don't we have universal healthcare now? Because it would kill the giant, "for profit" healthcare industry. The healthcare industry is so worried about their profits that one company, CIGNA, even targeted Michael Moore because of his movie "Sicko." In a private meeting, they threatened to "push him off a cliff." (click link below for that article)
(http://topnews.net.nz/content/210026-insurance-companies-anti-michael-moore-campaign-revealed)
I think the Republicans, with their big victory in the last election, should really put all their focus on jobs right now. Hasn't that been their mantra for the last two years? JOBS JOBS JOBS! They thought Obama was spending too much time pushing healthcare instead of focusing on jobs. Now the Republicans are spending their time trying to kill healthcare and keep the tax cuts for the wealthy instead of focusing on JOBS JOBS JOBS. If this is the path they are going to continue to take, saying "no" to everything and not getting anything done, their victory will be short lived.
Of course, right now as I'm typing this, Republicans are hard at work trying to kill this new healthcare reform. "It's too expensive!" they scream, while on the other hand they are fighting tooth and nail to keep the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of the country, which will in turn add over 600 billion dollars to the national debt.
The GOP hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me. Just the other day, the newly elected Republican congressman from Maryland, Andy Harris, an outspoken "Obamacare" critic, complained that he couldn't get his government health insurance fast enough. He caused a bit of a scene when told he would have to wait 28 days for his free health insurance to kick in. He then looked into getting some sort of government sponsored "gap" coverage for those 28 days, coverage that's addressed in the healthcare reform bill that he is so opposed to.
I have yet to know what the GOP plan is to fix healthcare. It seems all they really care about is "Repeal! Repeal! Repeal!" Ok....repeal, and then what?? Keep things the way they were? As much as Republicans and the big health care industries hate to hear it, but I think universal healthcare is the only true answer, and most of the country agrees with me. In a recent CNN poll, 69% of Americans favored universal healthcare. (click link below for article)
(http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/poll-americans-overwhelmingly-favor-universal-health-care----until-taxes-are-mentioned.php)
Why don't we have universal healthcare now? Because it would kill the giant, "for profit" healthcare industry. The healthcare industry is so worried about their profits that one company, CIGNA, even targeted Michael Moore because of his movie "Sicko." In a private meeting, they threatened to "push him off a cliff." (click link below for that article)
(http://topnews.net.nz/content/210026-insurance-companies-anti-michael-moore-campaign-revealed)
I think the Republicans, with their big victory in the last election, should really put all their focus on jobs right now. Hasn't that been their mantra for the last two years? JOBS JOBS JOBS! They thought Obama was spending too much time pushing healthcare instead of focusing on jobs. Now the Republicans are spending their time trying to kill healthcare and keep the tax cuts for the wealthy instead of focusing on JOBS JOBS JOBS. If this is the path they are going to continue to take, saying "no" to everything and not getting anything done, their victory will be short lived.
(Picture above: a 2009 CBS poll)
The real issue is that Americans get very poor value for their healthcare. I have used the Canadian and US (MA) systems in the past few years and in my experience the Canadian outcomes were much better (I know, small data set). I think the key to a more effective healthcare system is to force providers to publish outcomes (maybe in return for some level of tort relief). In most countries, universal coverage has proven to be an effective way to get earlier interventions that lead to better outcomes. If the US does not want universal coverage it needs a way to (i) get earlier intervention and preventitive treatment and (ii) deal with freeloaders - people who avoid paying insurance and then require expensive treatment later on.
ReplyDeleteHow can "tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of the country [will] add over 600 billion dollars to the national debt" ???
ReplyDeleteMaybe our government already provides too many "services." Is there any chance that government employees could find jobs in the private sector?
Well, the only way it could possibly happen is if the "RICH REPUBLICANS" can get a return on their investments. That usually occurs when taxes are lower!!!
By the way, the 'Liberal' Rich Guy George Soros has just sold all of his shares in OSIS. That's the company that manufuactures the Full Body Scanners in use at airports.
The stock has almost quadrupled over the past 2 years. Well, hopefully Mr. Soros will share some of his wealth with the peons.
The Republicans are so bent on pushing for repeal but they are not stepping up presenting Americans with a better plan. If they are so against this, are they willing to give up their own health care plans?
ReplyDeleteThis is not the best plan. The health care reform still needs a lot of improvements but along the way it will help a lot of Americans. But how about repealing it or delaying the budget? Will this also help American families?
Anne C
I feel your pain. My monthly health insurance payments went from US$8.50 to $9.60.
ReplyDeleteWill the fat cat spendoKMT ever stop bleeding us dry.
I paid 1000 NT a month (US $33) in Taiwan for healthcare for 4 people. Now I pay about US $333 a month. And I still have to pay co-pays and other bills on top of that.
ReplyDelete