Speaking of Zeke Emanuel..he wants to phase out Medicare, proposes vouchers.

[madfloridian]

From a post of his at Huffington Post in 2008.

More Reform is Cheaper: The Paradox of Health Care Reform

The biggest surprise is that even more comprehensive reform, not only achieves universal -- true 100% -- coverage of all Americans but does so while controlling costs. Prof. Victor R. Fuchs and I have proposed Guaranteed Healthcare Access Plan. It phases out employer-based insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare. Instead each American would receive a voucher to buy a standard benefits package modeled on the federal employee health benefits plan through regional insurance exchanges in which private health plans would compete. Workers would receive a pay increase from their employers who no longer pay for health care; state taxes decline because states no longer have to devote 32% of their budgets to health care. The plan is financed by a value-added tax.

Our plan is similar to the Wyden-Bennett bill in the Senate in which employers would have to convert workers' health care premiums to higher wages or, if they do not provide coverage, to pay a tax to pay for Americans to buy coverage. Americans would then have to buy health coverage through a state insurance exchange. American families earning under $80,000 per year would be subsidized. Both our proposal and the Wyden-Bennett plan assure Americans complete portability, guaranteed enrollment, and preclude exclusions for any pre-existing conditions.

That is a dream world to believe that employers would be gracious enough to do this. Around here companies lay people off rather than have anyone go over the 29 hours that would constitute full time under ACA. It wasn't meant to happen that way, but that is often the reality.

Someone I know runs a sizable company, and his wife was recently talking about how the ACA was causing him to lay off so many long time workers. I asked her why, and it is because of the 29 hour deal of having to provide insurance. Ideally it shouldn't work that way.

I notice a lot of discussion lately about his statements on not wanting to live past 75.

I find that alarming from someone who was one of President Obama's main health care advisors during the reform time.

I believe that is scary. Views like that would influence the way seniors are given health care. Hey don't worry too much about them. They are old, we don't want to spend too much money on their health care.

Knowing how corporate concerns control our nation now, if they adopt that view seniors would be deprived of the latest technology in many cases.

Zeke's view of life may appeal to some, but I think it is a defeatist view. He sounds like a depressed person pretending to be tough.

When a person limits themselves by age as Zeke does, they might as well get all their affairs in order at 74 and sit back and wait. It's a terrible view.

[jwirr]

1. I disagree on this. Leave the big 3 alone. They are about all of the safety net we have left. As to

limits in ones life. No one has to give up because they decide to have a living will that says they do not want to be placed on life supports after 75 years of age. And that is all he said. I have a living will at age 73 and have no intention of giving up any part of life until the conditions in that will are met - i.e. I do not intend to lay in a nursing home for years totally unable to enjoy life.

When I was 72 I almost caused an accident driving. The accident would have involved 3 cars. I went home gave my grandson the keys to his car and have never driven again. From your logic I should get out there and see how many other lives I can put into jeopardy.

I am not going to die any time soon but I am also not going to live to be 150 years old. That is a fantasy. A living will takes into account that tomorrow any of us regardless of age could die. That is a reality.

[madfloridian]

3. I think you assumed I meant to be irresponsible.

That is not true.

[jwirr]

5. What did I say you were being irresponsible about? You were mainly talking about the use of

vouchers for the big 3. I was reacting to the idea that limiting the conditions of ones life in a living will is not a bad thing. I had to write a living will for my disabled daughter when she was in here 30s. The medical profession wanted to know how to handle her in an emergency. I do not think everyone needs to write a living will but everyone should know that if they get into a medical emergency the hospital staff cannot make the decision for you later. Most people over 70 have a living will. I do not see anything wrong with that and that is what Zeke was saying. He has written his living will.

[madfloridian]

7. I have had mine for a while. I agree everyone should have one.

[jwirr]

8. Thank you. I was afraid I had somehow made you angry.

[madfloridian]

10. Oh, no. Didn't mean to sound cross. The Emanuel brothers bring out the worst in me.

I simply can not stand Rahm or Zeke.

[jwirr]

13. I actually feel the same when it comes to their political stands.

[cascadiance]

15. They call us "f*ing retarded"? I call them F'ING EVIL!!!!

[still_one]

2. zeke emanuel speaks for himself, NOT for the vast majority of Democrats, or President Obama. The

voucher bullshit was ryan's stupid idea.

The Democrats won't do it, but if they did sign on to this, there would be a mass revolt within the party, and it would cease to exist as a viable party, and go the way of the wigs.

[bullwinkle428]

4. I KNEW this was where he was going when he brought up that whole

"I'm okay with dropping over at 75!" crap recently. Kiss my ass, Zeke.

[madfloridian]

6. Note how Zeke's Medicare plan looks a lot like Paul Ryan's plan.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidwhelan/2011/04/05/paul-ryans-medicare-plan-sounds-just-like-zeke-emanuels-voucher-system/

I don't often quote Forbes, but this is quite true. The plans do look alike.

Paul Ryan is taking a lot of flack today for his party’s budget proposal, which cuts $4 trillion in spending over the next decade. One feature that’s drawn fire is his plan to swap future all-you-can-eat Medicare benefits for vouchers to buy a certain amount of insurance (see page 44). The Ryan plan would also include subsidies for lower-income beneficiaries to cover out-of-pocket expenses.

The reporter presents some posts praising another book published earlier with the same ideas.

It was quoting Emanuel's book:

Drumroll, please. The author was Ezekiel Emanuel, a doctor and the older brother of Obama’s inaugural chief of staff. Zeke worked in the White House office of health reform, reporting to Peter Orszag during the year-long campaign to pass the bill. He occasionally served as a spokesman for the White House. With the bill passed, he recently returned to his old job at the NIH as a medical ethics specialist.

[TBF]

9. Yup - premium care for 1% ers -

everyone else (who used to get Medicare/Medicaid) can die. They aren't even trying to pretend anymore.

I've also noticed a bunch of stories in the media lately "girl with brain tumor has last basketball game", "29 yr old Seattle woman ends her own life". And while I do understand the inevitability of death I find it interesting that all of a sudden the media is focusing on these stories. It is just like the austerity crap. "You too can live in an 800 square foot house". Not that everyone needs or desires a McMansion - but the point is the media keeps running these stories to make austerity/death seem like reasonable and acceptable answers to people. While the 1% party on with their huge bonuses, multiple homes, etc. They are literally dancing on our graves.

[GeorgeGist]

11. Maybe he'll die sooner.

[MisterP]

12. and CNN.com headlining "death is just groovy" nt

[Warpy]

14. Zeke is a fucking idiot who has no earthly idea why Medicare was passed.

Hey, Zeke, ever think that no one over 65 with multiple health problems can get insurance? Ever think that people over 65 used to go through their savings with the first serious illness, plunging themselves and a spouse into poverty with nothing to leave ungrateful punks like you? Ever think that health insurance companies collude and never compete?

Zeke is an utter and complete ignoramus.

[awoke_in_2003]

16. He is Rahm's brother...

a family of assholes.