Dean admits privatizing Medicaid in VT cost 3 times more than if state ran it.

[madfloridian]

Run time: 03:07 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhFhP3WuhYE   Posted on YouTube: March 10, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: March 10, 2009 By DU Member: madfloridian Views on DU: 1723

 
He admits he was drinking too much of the free market kool-aid at the time. He presents a good case for the fact that real health care change will only happen if there is a public option like Medicare as a choice.

He speaks of how medical decisions are made. A doctor and patient decide on a plan of treatment, then they have to send the bill to someone else who decides whether to pay or not. Makes it clear he was not a single payer advocate while governor, but that he sees the need for a public option now to have real competition.

This is the third part of an interview with the Wonk Room at Think Progress.

Here is more from the topic there today..

73 Percent: Want Americans To Have A Choice Of Private Or Public Health Coverage

Most progressives — including President Obama — argue that allowing a new public plan to compete with private insurers would increase choice, promote effective competition, bring down health care costs and create incentives for effective performance. (Jacob Hacker has much more here).

Well, a new poll released today by Lake Research found that most Americans agree with this argument. “A whopping 73% of voters want everyone to have a choice of private health insurance or a public health insurance plan while only 15% want everyone to have private insurance.”

Republicans and the insurance companies are part of that stubborn 15%. They argue that competition would force private insurers out of business and lead to a complete government take-over of health care. But as Howard Dean explained in a recent interview with ThinkProgress, giving Americans a choice between a public and a private plan is the only way to achieve real health care reform.

Here is some info at the site about savings with a public health coverage like Medicare:

According to the Commonwealth Fund, a public coverage program similar to Medicare would reduce projected health care costs by about $2 trillion over 11 years, and lower premiums by about 20% on average. Within a decade, 105 million people would be enrolled in the public plan, and about 107 million would have private insurance.

I am seeing ads on TV and seeing mailings meant to make seniors think they must chose a Medicare Advantage plan...a private plan..say Humana et al.

Many are confused, and this needs to stop.

[msongs]

1. private insurance = compete to see which corporation makes the highest profits nt

[Cleita]

2. Every poll that I have seen since 1998 indicates that 70% to 75% of the American

people want a national health care system. Thanks for posting this. Why are the 15%, who are insurance corporation shills no doubt, getting the gold mine while the rest of us get the shaft?

[madfloridian]

3. Because they have the power and the money that we don't have.

And because they effectively shut out voices that don't say what they want to hear.

I am beginning to think that what the public thinks has little to do with anything.

[aquart]

4. He doesn't understand where the competition needs to be.

Companies need to compete to provide the lowest costs to the government so that we'll use their drugs or their machines for our healthcare system. They should not be competing against our healthcare system.

[madfloridian]

5. Why not? Do you refer to Medicare as "our" health care system?

If so, why not compete?

[imdjh]

14. Medicare IS our health care system

Regardless of who you pay your premiums to all your young and healthy life- you are going to end up on Medicare when you get old or when you find yourself without insurance.

We should be paying our premiums into Medicare all our lives, spreading the risk to the largest possible pool, using the money for healthcare not for the real estate portfolios of private inuserance (SICOP) companies.

[JJ]

6. But, but, but, but, but,.....

I thought private enterprise and the "free market" were cheaper and better at everthing and filled with more chocolatey goodness, and big bad government is absolutely unable to do anything effectively.

"They argue that competition would force private insurers out of business and lead to a complete government take-over of health care."

They should be jumping at the chance to prove how right they are.

I say, let them go head to head, on one hand public medicare-style coverage, and on the other, completely unregulated insurance companies.

[DaLittle Kitty]

8. An Improved Medicare For ALL Plan AS A Choice Will Provide A Huge Stimulus To Our Economy

as we remove the huge cost burden on American business (think Big THREE Auto Industry), while also strengthening Medicare which is in a far more precarious fiscal state than Social Security. No person rich or poor who wants to keep their private health insurance plan should feel threatened with such an implementation plan.

Plenty of detailed analysis and explanation at www.johnrussellforcongress.com

John is a Nurse Practitioner with an MBA in Health Systems Management and answers many of the questions and criticisms levied by those who oppose a policy that is a MUST if America is to compete against the rest of the world economically. :)

[defendandprotect]

18. 2.6 million jobs . . . ???

[yamblaster200]

21. The only thing

that worries me about it is when the republicans are back in power some day.....they will do everything they can to make the fear mongering their spewing now come true, in an attemp to dismantle the system, but at the same time ruining people's lives.

[madfloridian]

7. Hope someone gets the Countdown video up soon. Dean was super tonight.

Most of the first half. He and Shuster really outspoken.

[bbgrunt]

9. k n r. I'm soooo happy to see the good doctor in

the media establishing the necessity of the public alternative. He's not being paid as HHS or any other official position, and yet he applies pressure and works for the good of the country. This man is the definition of integrity and leadership.

[madfloridian]

10. Here's the video of the healthcare part with Shuster and Dean from MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/29624337#29624337

The rest of it about the GOP does not seem to be up yet.

Hope someone gets it up on You Tube.

[Faryn Balyncd]

11. K&R

[Wetzelbill]

12. great work!

K&R!

[BrklynLiberal]

13. We need this man to work for us.......PLEASE!!!!!

[Bryn]

15. Does it mean Mom needs to stop paying 168.00 per month for Blue Cross/Blue Shield in addition to her

Medicare? I notice that her Blue Cross/Blue Shield nearly never pay any of her medical costs...it's almost always Medicare. Can I tell her to stop? I really need to know.

Thanks in advance.

[jtrockville]

16. When has privatization of ANYTHING been beneficial?

Except to the private corporations runnign the scam?

[defendandprotect]

20. So true . . . and frightening re Blackwater, etal with military!!!

Private medical care is scarey enough!!!

[madfloridian]

17. I see that SEIU and another union are pulling out of talks on this

because the public option won't be considered. I will find the article.

Sounds like AHIP may be winning. Will look up more in a few minutes.

[defendandprotect]

19. Good of Dean to be so honest --- I really admire him ....though he made wrong decision . . .

for Vermont --

Did they ever straighten that out and take out private companies????