Obama's "Health Plan" is lacking

[SHRED]

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I don't know.
While it appears to be an improvement there still is the element in it that has destroyed our health care system.
Namely private insurance companies and big pharma.

What in the hell is Capitalism doing intertwined into our health care system?

Doctors and Nurses need to make a decent wage and I am all for that. That is not my beef.
My problem is the enormous amount, percentage wise, of an insurance payment that is siphoned off to pay for advertising, CEO salaries, profit margins to keep Wall St. happy, etc.
The drug companies and insurance corporations are based in profit and not care.

We need to tell big pharma and the insurance companies that they had their chance since the Nixon era and they blew it. Time for them to move aside for a true Universal (single-payer) System:
http://www.pnhp.org/facts/single_payer_resources.php

Baracks' plan relies on insurance corporations way too much and I think it is wasteful spending to create a "watchdog" arm of government. We have all seen what happens when "watchdogs" meet big Lobbyist money. They turn into little puppies.

This is a bit disappointing but maybe a start?
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/


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[Indenturedebtor]

1. Have to start somewhere. Part of me wants him to take the risk

But we don't have a free media or a free and fair government... I'm nervous that anything too big would result in a big "loss" in november or even death.

These corporate predators won't go easy.

[SHRED]

3. That is true

Big pharma and insurance own our airwaves.

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[Indenturedebtor]

9. It's worse than that too... all the major corps now own each other

They're all invested in making sure that no one gets shaken or bumped from the table. That's our real government. One nation under corporation.

[Captain Hilts]

2. At least he's progressed from making participation voluntary. nt

[SHRED]

4. I do like the fact...

...that being denied for "pre-existing" conditions will be a thing of the past.

My concern is what does he mean by "affordable"?

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[Captain Hilts]

20. I can't get health ins. because I'm unemployed. And I even qualified for the 'healthy' discount!

But when they discovered I had no employer - "Come back when you've got a job."

[Dawgs]

5. Scrapping the whole thing is NOT an option.

Why do so many not understand this simple fact?

[SHRED]

6. Not an option?

You mean now, or at anytime?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. But radically changing it should be

As long as insurance companies are allowed to practice medicine by allowing or denying payments for simple things like prescriptions or lab tests, we are in big trouble.

Example: One patient needed a scrip for Ambien, but his company would only allow him to get Lunesta. Notice that, in this case, the choice wasn't for a generic, but another name brand drug. Ambien CR was the only medicine that would work for this patient, but the insurance company didn't care--it was Lunesta or pay for it himself. (I work in a doctor's office and see things like this happening all the time.)

[SHRED]

17. But scraping the "not-for-profit" era...

...by Richard Nixon is what?

We scrapped that back then so why can't we go back to a better form?

So the only "scrapping" feasible is the one Nixon did?


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[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Taking out Big Insurance and Big Pharma will be tough

as they are so entrenched and powerful. However, I agree with you. Right now insurance companies are practicing medicine without a license. I work in a doctor's office, and see this happening every day--insurance companies insisting that they will only pay for certain drugs and not the ones prescribed, even though both the doctor and patient agree that the one prescribed is the only one that will work. I've seen insurance companies refuse to pay for lab work that would determine the cause of illness, and refuse to cover treatments because, even though they have been shown to cure disease or alleviate suffering, the company has chosen to call them "experimental".

It is heartbreaking to watch as a patient in pain or with a life-threatening condition have to decide if they can afford the treatment or medication, since so much of their money is being gobbled up with the insurance company premiums.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. However, many insurance companies don't encourage wellness

I work for a doctor who specializes in diet and lifestyle changes in order to stay healthy. It is amazing how many insurance companies refuse to pay for things like our weight-loss clinic (based on changing the way you eat, not on using drugs or surgery to lose weight) or the labs we order to determine if a person has a food allergy (many chronic illnesses may have their origins in food allergies). As long as insurance companies and Medicare are interested only in treating illness rather than working to achieve wellness, our medical system will continue to be messed up.

[dsotm-wywh]

15. They're coming around...very....slowly......

Just in the past few years my insurance company is reimbursing people for exercising and encouraging wellness. It's one of BCBS Kansas City's new focuses is on rewarding wellness, which is a good thing for those of us who are well.

[KharmaTrain]

19. Bingo!

In his final years, I helped my father run his practice...he was one of the last of the GPs and those last years were constant battles with the insurance companies who felt they knew far more about medicine than his 50 plus years of actual practice. I was endlessly writing letters and battling with these goons to "justify" what we were doing...its as if my father's many years of personal care of most of his patients meant nothing.

You are correct, the system is not set for preventative, but reactive care. Millions are wasted every year on illness and other health problems that could have been prevented from getting worse had we have a system that encourages people to get check-ups instead of confusing them with all sorts of red tape, telling them where they can get treatment and letting the insurance companies and big pharma play god.

The bottom line is that we have the best healthcare system the insurance companies can buy. Their profits always come ahead of anyone's personal care...thus those who pay the most get the best care, those who have to rely on a group policy are treated like cattle.

Cheers...

[SHRED]

12. "illegals"

Name call much?
Good grief.

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2640739320071126

It is the core system that needs reform.
Everything you cited are all fringe issues.
You did not address those that can't get access due to pre-existing.

FOR PROFIT IS THE ISSUE.
Capitalism has ruined health care.
We need to go back to a "not-for-profit" system.

Health care is a Wall Street traded service and that has got to stop somehow.

[Indenturedebtor]

13. You're right we should make fat people, old people, young people, sick people, etc pay more

Everyone but you should pay MORE. The fact that the insurance companies take 1/3 of ALL dollars paid into the healthcare system has nothing to do with the system's current failings.

I'm sure that the fact that the majority of doctors and nurses, who work in this system every day, are wrong by supporting the ideal of universal healthcare. They must just be eager to see potentially lower wages.

Universal health care works in nearly every other industriaized, and many developing countries world wide, but we just couldn't make it work here.

I see what you're getting at. America is a completely incompetent country, and we couldn't possibly succeed where dozens of other countries have failed? We need the insurance companies to run the show, even if we have to pay another 200 dollars per pay check to have them do it right?

Well personally I have faith in our ability as a people to do something right when our only motive isn't PROFIT.

And by the way, while we're going after drunk drivers how about if we just get better public transportation like a civilised country? Instead of filling the road with cops who are only concerned with taking money from poor people to grow their departments and meet their quotas? Or do you think we need cops everywhere to make sure that everyone but you "stays in line".

Are you a republican? You sure sound like one ;)

[SHRED]

14. probably a Libertarian

[Indenturedebtor]

18. Yeah the old "I'm healthy and rich, fuck everyone else" approach. Classic libertarian pov n/t

[SammyWinstonJack]

16. Sure sounds like one or else a CEO for an HMO.