In health care debate, U-word is back

[rodeodance]

Source: ap



In health care debate, U-word is back

By NANCY BENAC, Associated Press Writer 12 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - It's been 14 years since first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's health care reform plan sank like a stone, swallowed by fears of a big-government power grab. In the years since, wary presidential candidates at first avoided the issue altogether, then gingerly dipped one toe, then another, back into the pool.

This year, no self-respecting presidential candidate wants to be without a health care overhaul plan, and talk about "universal coverage" is back.

There is a stark difference between the medicine being prescribed by Democrats and Republicans.

Democratic candidates argue it is the government's job to make sure everyone has health insurance they cannot lose. Republicans are pushing more limited incentives and subsidies to help people obtain affordable coverage.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070915/ap_on_el_pr/health_care_politics;_ylt=AvBsDazBAouuMjeGN8Of8y4Gw_IE

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very nice to see a headline on an issue of importance.

[rodeodance]

1. This time, the candidates are all "being very careful to say that, look, if

Democrats in general and the New York senator in particular approach the debate this time with better bedside manners than in the last major go-around.

Even defenders of Clinton's 1993 effort to change the system say the process scared the patient — namely, middle-income people who may want a better way, but have insurance and do not want to step into the unknown with health care.

Those fears were embodied by a middle-class couple named Harry and Louise, characters in an advertising campaign sponsored by the health insurance industry. The ads, targeting mainly opinion-makers in Washington and New York, showed the couple fretting over having to get their insurance through a new "billion-dollar bureaucracy" that would include mandatory health insurance purchasing alliances.

This time, the candidates are all "being very careful to say that, look, if you have health insurance today, you can keep it," said Kenneth Thorpe, a professor of health policy at Emory University. He has helped the top four Democrats crunch the numbers of their plans and was involved in Clinton's 1993 effort.............

[antigop]

2. And there is a "stark difference between the medicine being prescribed" by the Dem candidates

And Hillary hasn't even announced a specific plan yet.

<edit to add> ...but whatever she announces, it won't be single-payer run by the government, will it?

[rodeodance]

3. "And what might Harry and Louise think of all this?"

And what might Harry and Louise think of all this?

The health insurance association that sponsored the ads has since merged into a new trade group called America's Health Insurance Plans. Chief executive Karen Ignagni strikes a conciliatory tone, saying there is greater consensus this time to move toward universal coverage — and a better understanding of the political realities in getting there.

"We're in a different place than we were," she said. "I think that both sides are going to have to be very, very careful."

Democrats, she said, look at the Clinton-era debacle and know they have to be careful to avoid overreaching. Republicans, likewise, know they should not underreach, she said.

"The sweet spot in the middle is trying to create a workable program that individuals who currently have coverage believe is the right direction and will not cause them to lose coverage."

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. Harry was run over by a truck. Louise had a heart attack shortly afterward.

Unfortunately, since the truck that ran over Harry wasn't yellow with blue pinstripes and the accident didn't happen between 9:45 and 10:05 on an odd-numbered Thursday in an even-numbered month, the fine print in their HMO policy disallowed all coverage.

Louise, naturally, was quite chagrined about this. She fretted and worried herself right into a heart attack, as a matter of fact. Unfortunately, subparagraph 14.5.22(c) of their policy stated clearly that, for heart attacks to be covered, there must be an organic reason. Since the truck that ran over Harry wasn't considered organic, all her expenses were disallowed, too.

Contributions to Harry and Louise may be delivered to them at their new location: Fourth Cardboard Box on the Left, Under the 14th Street Bridge.

[rodeodance]

4. "There is a stark difference between the medicine being prescribed by Democrats and Republicans."

[antigop]

6. And there is a "stark difference between the medicine being prescribed" by the Dem candidates n/t

[TygrBright]

5. Is ANYONE hanging a bell on this kitty? There is no realistic way...

...that we can assure "affordable health insurance coverage for all" without a single-payer universal coverage system.

Health insurance only works when the pool of covered (paying in, via taxes or other payments) individuals is large enough to absorb the costs of providing services plus the costs of administration.

And you can only keep the costs of administration low enough to deliver services on such a scale if you remove the two largest incremental cost items incurred by insurance companies: profit margin/dividends; and marketing.

Telling the American people that we can achieve the goal of making health care accessible and affordable for everyone while maintaining a vast for-profit sector of insurance providers/care managers/etc. is out-and-out lying to us. Any candidate worth their salt who has examined, or even had spoon-fed to them by 'experts', real data on how large-scale health care provision works KNOWS these simple facts.

I do NOT want to vote for a liar. We've already HAD a liar and I didn't like it. While a Dem liar might be a small incremental improvement over a GOPpie liar, lies told with 'good intentions' can do just as much harm as greedy self-serving lies.

STOP LYING TO US, DEM CANDIDATES!

irritatedly,
Bright

[annabanana]

7. Universal "coverage" is a big gift to the insurance companies..

Kucinich is still the only one talking about Universal Health Care.

[antigop]

8. If true, then this statement should scare the hell out of everyone....

From the article:
>>
"The Democrats have tried to tone it down," Blendon said, and for the most part are trying to avoid alienating insurers, physicians and hospitals. John Edwards, whose plan is the boldest among the top tier of candidates because it mandates universal coverage, has not been shy about taking on the industry.

"But I think you will find Clinton reaching out to these groups with plans that many find quite acceptable," Blendon said.
>>

Oh, swell, Clinton is trying for an "acceptable" plan that avoids alienating groups such as insurers.
True colors. True colors.

<edit to add> Who wants a plan "acceptable" to insurers?

[sandnsea]

10. well where was this writer in 2004

:shrug:

There was a universal coverage plan then too.

Are people really this stupid. Or do they just not care what dumbass thing they say.

[ProudDad]

12. Harry Truman was ready to sign a Universal Single-Payer plan

This is not new...

Just overdue...

[ProudDad]

11. "affordable coverage"

Insanely ridiculous oxymoronic term.

[tabasco]

13. It's campaign time!! Health care in every pot!!

I have lost hope that there will be universal health care in this country in my lifetime.

There are too many gutless politicians, gullible people, and the bad guys have all the money.

Good thing I'm marrying a German girl. We can move there when we get older and need the care.

[kath]

14. We do NOT need a "universal coverage" plan or any such bullshit. What we need is SINGLE-PAYER

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE, dammit.

The insurance companies gotta go - let them keep selling life insurance, homeowners, etc. But we've got to get them out of health care. They suck SOOOO much money out of the system. Fuckin' parasites.

[Grey]

15. I'm with Kath on this one,

So many words, so little sense, from all of them.
Easy, Simple, Covers everyone. SINGLE PAYER.
All the blather about which 'plan' is best is just that,
Cut the Crap and go SINGLE PAYER, it's that simple.

[Justitia]

17. aka MEDICARE -eom

[mvd]

18. Single payer is the best by far

:thumbsup:

[Justitia]

16. Simplest solution: MEDICARE FOR ALL - we already have the mechanics, people know what it is -eom

[Hieronymus]

19. Kucinich has the only single payer plan. Edwards gives us a choice, and

that sounds like it would be more easily accepted. Once people see how well the single payer works, the insurance companies will go out of business.
According to Harper's Index, 51% in the US can get an appointment with their doctor on the same day or next day. In France, that figure is 57%.