My two cents for President Obama's health care plan

[shadowknows69]

Disclaimer: This idea only has one cup of coffee behind it so give it only the consideration it deserves. Probably not much.

Specialty Health Insurance

We have different kinds of insurance for nearly every situation in life (car, house, life), so why not our health insurance too.

This plan is dependent on Obama's promise that no one will be refused health insurance based on preexisting conditions.

We buy fire insurance and extra flood insurance for our homes, life insurance is term or permanent and even our car insurance is liability only or full coverage. Why not allow the same choices for our health insurance?

There would be your general policy that covers regular doctor visits and scrips, but then you would choose your "extra" coverage based on your conditions or potential conditions.

Heart patients or potential heart patients could get the Pulmonary/Circulatory option to cover that range of specialists. People with disks slipping and hemorrhaging in their spine like me would get the "Back,neck and spine" option and so on and so forth for mental health, cancer, reproductive etc.

As Obama says, no one will be forced to buy health insurance but all will be covered if they need it.

Giving many choices should cut out some red tape and the nearly corrupt "referral" system. If I have a crippling back ache or break my arm, why do I need to pay 100 bucks for my regular doctor to send me to the Otho guys? Cut out the middle man I say. You could even opt out of the general insurance if you don't expect your specialty treatments to include scrips or mundane stuff.

Say a person has only general insurance and some catastrophic event happens (injury, cancer, etc.) and you need to be sent to these specialists. Instead of being charged huge ER or specialist fees you would simply have to upgrade your insurance plan and only pay the difference in premiums.

What say you DU? As I said this is a one cup of coffee idea but just in case I'm accidentally on to something please alert the proper people. Thanks.
S

[eridani]

1. Or we could just pass HR 676

If we could do that, I'll bet Obama would sign it.

[shadowknows69]

2. Not familiar with that.

Damn, did I come up with another idea someone else already wrote into a bill again?

I knew I should have run for congress before I ruined my reputation in life with drugs, women and booze. Oh wait, I was 16 when I started that trip. Washington will have to get by without me.

[Tyler Durden]

4. HR 676 synopsis:

H.R.676
Title: To provide for comprehensive health insurance coverage for all United States residents, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Conyers, John, Jr. (introduced 1/24/2007) Cosponsors (90)
Latest Major Action: 2/2/2007 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.SUMMARY AS OF:
1/24/2007--Introduced.

United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act) - Establishes the United States National Health Insurance (USNHI) Program (the Program) to provide all individuals residing in the United States and in U.S. territories with free health care that includes all medically necessary care, such as primary care and prevention, prescription drugs, emergency care, and mental health services.

Prohibits an institution from participating in the Program unless it is a public or nonprofit institution. Allows nonprofit health maintenance organizations (HMOs) that actually deliver care in their own facilities to participate in the Program.

Gives patients the freedom to choose from participating physicians and institutions.

Prohibits a private health insurer from selling health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under this Act. Allows such insurers to sell benefits that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery benefits.

Sets forth methods to pay hospitals and health professionals for services. Prohibits financial incentives between HMOs and physicians based on utilization.

Establishes the USNHI Trust Fund to finance the Program with amounts deposited: (1) from existing sources of Government revenues for health care; (2) by increasing personal income taxes on the top 5% income earners; (3) by instituting a progressive excise tax on payroll and self-employment income; and (4) by instituting a small tax on stock and bond transactions.

Requires the Program to give first priority in retraining and job placement and unemployment benefits to individuals whose jobs are eliminated due to reduced administration.

Establishes a National Board of Universal Quality and Access to provide advice on quality, access, and affordability.

Provides for the eventual integration of the Indian Health Service into the Program.


Make you a deal that will make me some enemies: He SWEARS he will PROMOTE and SIGN it, I will vote for him.

[shadowknows69]

7. That would be ideal Tyler

But I really hope you'll vote for him anyway my friend. Obviously something like this is the utopia of US health care but you know it's not a perfect world we live in and that he will have to tear down some pretty entrenched special interests. I have a personal stake believe me. With my current condition roster I don't stand to be in this mortal coil much longer without some kind of health care so believe me this was a big consideration to me and I've always thought Obama's plan was one of the better ones proposed.

[Dark]

8. That would never pass.

"all individuals" includes illegal immigrants, meaning Americans would fight it tooth and nail.

[Tyler Durden]

10. Of course it won't pass.

It's MORAL and RIGHT, so in this shithole its chances are fucking zero.

And REAL Americans should be ashamed to hold such an opinion as you described, but that doesn't change the fact that you're probably correct.

GREED: the worst of the seven deadly sins.

[NorthCarolina]

41. Illegal Immigrants already get free Health Care

they cannot be refused treatment at a County Hospital, and so their usual path for treatment of anything is the emergency room at the county hospital...tab picked up by tax payers. Your argument is not a valid one "against" universal health care, but rather another example of why we NEED universal health care.

[OzarkDem]

13. As much as I like it

many consumers won't support it because they may have to change providers. The best option at this point in time is to give consumers a choice between a public insurance plan or keeping their current insurance.

[eridani]

63. This is just nonsense

Just because you don't keep your current insurance doesn't mean you don't keep your health care provider. In fact, it is current insurance that does not allow you free choice. My company's retiree benefit plan is better than average, but it does not cover the Group Health plan that they will also pay for if you are a current employee. What that means is that they will force me into the choice of giving up my current providers of the last 15 year or avoiding getting totally ripped off financially by changing to providers on their approved list.

Canadians have absolutely free choice of providers, anywhere, limited of course by where you live. If you live in the Northwest Territories, you just take what you can get. That's not much different than rural America.

[LWolf]

30. My thoughts exactly. HR 676 is far superior.

Let's get it passed.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

37. Taiwan passed Universal Health Care in the mid 90's

they did it by examining other countries UHC plans and picking the
parts they thought worked best for them and leaving out what they didn't like.

The only thing holding us back are the insurance companies, who
prevent people from getting health care and
who
drive the prices up.

The US could spend a whole lot less on health care.

Taiwan spends half of what we do when considering percentage of GDP.

[NorthCarolina]

38. Obama has stated that he would favor such a plan if we were starting from scratch

which is a roundabout way of saying that the insurance interests have simply become too politically strong to be able to break their money grubbing stranglehold on the citizens of this country. I think with significant public pressure in support of HR 676, including rally's-protests-the whole 9 yards, we might be able to bring it to fruition.

Eighty-seven cosigners have joined Rep. John Conyers in support of HR 676. This is a significant amount of congressional support already, and we voters need to push to make HR 676 a reality for all citizens. YES WE CAN!

[eridani]

49. Let's bold and underline the "WE"

Real health care reform will not be initiated by any president, even a Dem. It has to come from below.

[TahitiNut]

51. Yup. EVERY other industrialized nation on earth has it. We're dead last and dead worst.

:grr:

[redqueen]

58. THANK YOU!

None of the candidates' convoluted plans ever had ANY chance of getting through congress looking anything like what it looked like going in.

Our best hope is getting behind HR 676 and pushing HARD.

:bounce:

[newfie11]

3. This is providing you can afford to buy health insurance

We need universal health care!

[shadowknows69]

5. Baby steps

And Clinton's mandated health insurance isn't universal health care either. Both plans make the unfortunate assumption of how much people can afford. An a la carte system would help cut costs IMO.

[Tyler Durden]

11. Assuming the average worker can figure it out....

AND has the foresight to buy enough of it. AND can afford ANY of it.

Baby steps are for babies. Time for a little action if you ask me.

[Maine-ah]

15. Baby steps are for babies. Time for a little action if you ask me.

:applause:

[pattmarty]

18. BABY STEPS?????? We have been fighting for this since 1948.

Do it next year when we have a Dem president and majorities in both Houses. Pass a single payer universal health insurance plan (just like the "normal" industrialized nations)that the US should have passed 60 fucking years ago. FUCK the "baby steps" the child now is 60 yrs old. How the fuck long do you want to wait, exactly????

[shadowknows69]

20. I don't have long to wait

but to think that we'll dissassemble decades of entrenched interests instantly is stupid. I'm all for clearing out the dead wood (corporate enablers) from government but it will take a while.

[pattmarty]

23. I'm 61 and not in the best of health myself, but WAIT????

How long should we continue to wait? Our system now is worse than "patchwork" for Christs sake. Be bold next spring and you can always compromise SOME without giving away the house. Look at what this ass hole (Bush) has done to the US in 8 yrs. IT CAN FUCKING BE DONE, if people stand up and show some "balls". I have to say, the RW has accomplished (is that the right word) a great many of their goals in the last 8 yrs and especially over the last 30 yrs, NOW it's OUR turn.

[shadowknows69]

25. I wish I had your optimism

Suffice it to say we're on the same side on this.

[pattmarty]

32. OUR problem (the "Left") is we are not aggressive enough.

I have always been willing to discuss with someone ideas and potential fixes for problems, as is almost anyone on the left. I have learned especially in the last 8 yrs that you cannot do this with these morons on the right. What they have shown me and others is, you fight and scrounge for the max and ONLY at the last minute when it looks like you might lose your fight, then you compromise. My belief is if we get Obama for President Whom I believe is a VERY liberal person, and we get a total of 58 Dem Senators with maybe another 20 or 30 members in the house we have a SMALL chance of passing a single payer system. I'm 61 so I wasn't born yesterday, but this will be the best chance in what, 40 fucking yrs that we FINALLY can pass some progressive legislation. The American people are tired of this conservative bullshit after 25+ yrs of policies that don't do anything (and actually hurt) for the majority of them. Get and stay positive and maybe FINALLY help is on the way. I sure as shit am hoping so.

[NorthCarolina]

40. There are currently 88 Congressional Reps. who have signed on in support of HR 676

eom

[NorthCarolina]

42. I agree, we can't roll-over on this one

it's too important.

[unapatriciated]

52. sorry an a la carte system would still leave many under-insured.....

the working poor to middle class would only be able to afford the basics and that would leave them unprotected in case of a catastrophic illness. No one can predict when or who will get sick... cancer , heart disease and many autoimmune disorders strike without warning. Even with the best plans the insurance industry will find ways of denying coverage( sadly I know this from personal experience and my son suffered greatly not to mention the huge debt and loss of our home). They have been doing it since they went into "for profit" mode regarding health insurance. It's time to start implementing single payer universal health care. Here's a clip that shows just how calculating and cold this industry is. Time to purge them from our Health Care because they truly do not care about yours or anyone else's health.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QkgUkM0o6Q


on edit: how will the poor and working poor hell even middle class be able to afford to "upgrade" their insurance should a catastrophic illness happen to them?

[MojoMojoMojo]

6. So I may as well stop paying on my policy .Ive never been sick.When I get sick I can start paying

again.

"As Obama says, no one will be forced to buy health insurance but all will be covered if they need it."

[shadowknows69]

9. Exactly

Completely A la Carte. You won't be punished for not having it but if you don't want to pay out of pocket for it all if you need it you will have to get it eventually. I see the difficulties in this as well. Just brainstorming, never promised it would be more than a trickle.

[papau]

28. No way the insurance mechanism can work - so you'd be charged total cost of care plus admin fees &

sales and profit fees.

The insurance company is not into insurance in order to lose money.

[amandabeech]

57. Not if you buy your own policy, not an employer's.

I can't find any individual policy with less than a 10-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions.

If you have one with a shorter waiting period, please let me know which provider you use.

[OzarkDem]

12. Too costly

Universal coverage is only sustainable and affordable if everyone is paying into the pool, not just waiting until they need coverage.

Its like saying you won't buy accident insurance for your car until you have an accident. Not how the insurance system works.

[shadowknows69]

14. Obviously people taking their chances and using it A la carte

would pay more. People with the foresight to buy a solid plan will save more in the end, only way it could work. Or, I'm not even opposed to maybe mandating a certain general insurance and then allowing for more, but affordable choices.

Think of it as a chinese menu. You buy your combo platters you're going to save a few cents/bucks, you buy it by the pint, you're going to get more of one thing but it might cost you more. The key is that everyone can at least afford the one dollar egg roll or bowl of wonton soup.

[OzarkDem]

16. We would all pay more

for the people who wait until the last minute to buy insurance, unless you put the entire cost burden on the individual who waits. In that case, the late buyer would not be able to afford the cost or would have to get charity care. It defeats the purpose of insurance pools.


Either way, the high cost of waiting til your sick to get coverage ends up costing all the smart people more money.

[pattmarty]

17. You better forget the coffee and start hitting the bottle earlier....

...YOUR IDEA BLOWS. You would be actually EXPANDING the insurance industry influence and grip on the American economy. I usually don't like to get in someones face (so to speak) on this site, but it's a fucking really stupid idea. Do you have stock or some kind of interest in insurance? Let the fucking government do it, they have been doing it (with Medicare/Medicaid) for what, 40 yrs now. All we have to do is keep the greedy fucking insurance lobby out of the legislation.

[shadowknows69]

21. Alright, no need to get testy to me

Just throwing it out there. Also, I think if I had stock in the insurance field, I wouldn't be so worried about not having health insurance.

[KSinTX]

19. The problem I see is that this almost requires a crystal ball

to select the right coverage considering that so many conditions are interrelated. I almost think you're talking about a PPO type of coverage as opposed to an HMO-based policy.

[shadowknows69]

22. Not too much of a crystal ball

I'm fat and don't eat right and can't excercise. I would opt for the Blood pressure/heart plan. Preventative care, therapy, meds etc. and the tests that go with it.
People with a history of mental health problems choose the pysche plan, including therapy, meds, institutionalization if necessary etc.

My head hurts now and I have to get ready for, wait for it, a doctor appointment!!! Paid out of pocket I might add which considering we don't have it to spare really sucks.

[KSinTX]

27. A PPO allows you to go directly to a specialist

I had a PPO and never even had a primary care physician (PCP). If my head hurt, I could go to a specialist in the program of my choosing. If I misdiagnosed then that was wasted $$ on my part (hence the PCP) but if I know my problem I was able to bypass that step.

[frickaline]

24. Until he provides me personally with healthcare coverage, I don't support his plan

I work in an industry where layoffs are a way of life. I nearly lose my coverage and have to fight to keep it each time we have an economic downturn. As I get older, I will be FORCED to change careers just to survive.

I'm really tired of people being excited for a healthcare program that fails to provide actual healthcare for so many people. I find every one of the healthcare proposals I've read so far to be failures. If we don't get universal healthcare, we get placated. How many years will this 'plan' push back real reform?

[shadowknows69]

26. I'm hardly excited about it, we should have universal HC period!

I guess I'm just trying to be realistic so I'm not too dissapointed again.

[NorthCarolina]

29. HR 676 is a very detailed and workable plan

the ONLY real problem with its passage is with conservatives who will see it as an "entitlement" and fight against it. Of course it is these same folks who see Social Security as an entitlement, which it isn't since we pay for it in the form of payroll deductions.

HR 676 is the solution to Americas health care woes. Other countries, albeit more progressive ones than the USA is at this point in time, have implemented similar health care as proposed in HR 676, and every citizen of every single one of these countries (save for Cuba which ranks essentially equivalent to US health care except that all in Cuba have access to it) enjoys a significantly higher quality of health care than citizens of this country.

Virtually all of Europe has publicly sponsored and regulated health care. Countries include Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems

"*" denotes Universal Health Care (not health insurance) provided for all citizens

Rank Country

1 France* (Has a Universal plan similar to that proposed in HR 676 and look where they are ranked :wow: )
2 Italy*
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta*
6 Singapore
7 Spain*
8 Oman
9 Austria*
10 Japan
11 Norway*
12 Portugal*
13 Monaco
14 Greece*
15 Iceland*
16 Luxembourg*
17 Netherlands*
18 United Kingdom*
19 Ireland*
20 Switzerland*
21 Belgium*
22 Colombia
23 Sweden*
24 Cyprus
25 Germany*
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada*
31 Finland*
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark*
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America (we're way down here :hi: )
38 Slovenia*
39 Cuba*
40 Brunei
41 New Zealand
42 Bahrain
43 Croatia*
44 Qatar
45 Kuwait
46 Barbados
47 Thailand
48 Czech Republic*
49 Malaysia
50 Poland
51 Dominican Republic
52 Tunisia
53 Jamaica
54 Venezuela
55 Albania
56 Seychelles
57 Paraguay
58 South Korea
59 Senegal
60 Philippines
61 Mexico
62 Slovakia*
63 Egypt
64 Kazakhstan
65 Uruguay
66 Hungary*
67 Trinidad and Tobago
68 Saint Lucia
69 Belize
70 Turkey
71 Nicaragua
72 Belarus
73 Lithuania
74 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
75 Argentina
76 Sri Lanka
77 Estonia*
78 Guatemala
79 Ukraine
80 Solomon Islands
81 Algeria
82 Palau
83 Jordan
84 Mauritius
85 Grenada
86 Antigua and Barbuda
87 Libya
88 Bangladesh
89 Macedonia
90 Bosnia-Herzegovina*
91 Lebanon
92 Indonesia
93 Iran
94 Bahamas
95 Panama
96 Fiji
97 Benin
98 Nauru
99 Romania*
100 Saint Kitts and Nevis
101 Moldova
102 Bulgaria*
103 Iraq
104 Armenia
105 Latvia*
106 Yugoslavia
107 Cook Islands
108 Syria
109 Azerbaijan
110 Suriname
111 Ecuador
112 India
113 Cape Verde
114 Georgia*
115 El Salvador
116 Tonga
117 Uzbekistan
118 Comoros
119 Samoa
120 Yemen
121 Niue
122 Pakistan
123 Micronesia
124 Bhutan
125 Brazil
126 Bolivia
127 Vanuatu
128 Guyana
129 Peru
130 Russia*
131 Honduras
132 Burkina Faso
133 Sao Tome and Principe
134 Sudan
135 Ghana
136 Tuvalu
137 Ivory Coast
138 Haiti
139 Gabon
140 Kenya
141 Marshall Islands
142 Kiribati
143 Burundi
144 China
145 Mongolia
146 Gambia
147 Maldives
148 Papua New Guinea
149 Uganda
150 Nepal
151 Kyrgystan
152 Togo
153 Turkmenistan
154 Tajikistan
155 Zimbabwe
156 Tanzania
157 Djibouti
158 Eritrea
159 Madagascar
160 Vietnam
161 Guinea
162 Mauritania
163 Mali
164 Cameroon
165 Laos
166 Congo
167 North Korea
168 Namibia
169 Botswana
170 Niger
171 Equatorial Guinea
172 Rwanda
173 Afghanistan
174 Cambodia
175 South Africa
176 Guinea-Bissau
177 Swaziland
178 Chad
179 Somalia
180 Ethiopia
181 Angola
182 Zambia
183 Lesotho
184 Mozambique
185 Malawi
186 Liberia
187 Nigeria
188 Democratic Republic of the Congo
189 Central African Republic
190 Myanmar

HR 676 is the answer for America. There is NO NEED for a For Profit Health Insurance Middleman between you and your doctor.

[frickaline]

31. I have used the French Healthcare system and it was very good

although my nurse was pretty mean! I was amazed it wasn't too costly for an American to see a doctor there. They got me immediately to an English speaking doctor since my medical vocabulary in French is not good. The place was not crowded , not hectic, and the nurses were not overworked.

I'd love to see us implement anything close to theirs, they did it right as far as I'm concerned.

[NorthCarolina]

33. There is no reason the US couldn't implement a similar system

if we elect officials who aren't afraid of the health insurance lobbyists. Health Insurance...what a ridiculous concept when you think of it...a "middleman" between you and your doctor that takes a piece of the $pie$ for no other purpose than to dictate to you, the patient, what parts of what the doctor orders are covered and, more than likely, whats NOT covered. The insurance companies do not make money by being magnanimous in their coverage. How anyone can rationalize a benefit to having a for-profit middleman in the health care loop is beyond me....in fact it defies basic common sense and logic.

[frickaline]

34. I couldn't agree more

Insurance always turns into finding ways to not cover the things you expect to be covered.

[NorthCarolina]

35. Of course. They are not in the business to Spend Money on your Health Care

Health Insurance Companies have Investors and they need to show "Profit" and "Growth". It's really a no brainer...there is no tangible need for a for-profit insurance middleman period.

[frickaline]

36. mrone2 in 2016!!

ha! you've got my vote.

[NorthCarolina]

39. Sorry, but I am unelectable since I am a partnered gay man

I appreciate your voice of support though.:pals:

[unapatriciated]

53. times they are a changing....

you just might be electable in 2016 but I don't want to wait until then for universal health care. We need to keep getting in their face about this and convince the unbelievers that it is in their best interest too.

[NorthCarolina]

55. I agree. The masses need to push hard for HR 676

eom

[penndragon69]

43. I have a better plan...

Every working person 17 and older gets enrolled in a national pool.
Each week, everybody puts $10 into the HC pool, even illegals who are enrolled.
Come Friday, all the doctors and hospitals line up at the payout window and make their
claims to the insurer who is handling their region.

Leave the patients alone and let the medical world get their money from the Ins. guys.

If the money runs out before the next Payday....they take a number and come back when the pot is full again!

[BEZERKO]

44. Um, no

That is the system we have now, a health INSURANCE system. Stop talking about it like it's a commodity to be traded, stop talking in terms of coverage and insurance. Talk in terms of a Doctor-patient run health care system, which is the term I prefer over "single payer." Go here, for campaign materials http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/health

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bg44c9ZvA0E&eurl=http://www.rockridgeinstitute.org/health

An insurance system won't work because the only way to make money is to deny coverage. The worst performers will make the most money.

[Prophet 451]

45. My problem with this, Shadow...

...is that like any two-tier system, it will inevitibly lead to both cherry-picking of clients and price-gouging. Knowing the way the insurance system works, the people most likely to be accepted for a speciality program on, say, pulmonary ailments (btw, "pulmonary" indicates something to do with the lungs) are the people least likely to need that form of care.

The other problem is the same one that afflicts all systems involving necessary services: price gouging. Let me explain; The free market system doesn't work for necessity services. Necessity services are things we all need and need all the time, things like electricity, water, mail and health cover. If the price of, say, a Whopper gets too high, you just don't have one, simple as that but with necessity services, you can't just choose not to have one because we need them all the time. Therefore, you have what's called a "captive market" and although the market can shop between the various suppliers, they cannot choose to forgo the product. Since all suppliers try to keep themselves within sniffing distance of the rest of the market (under the principle of "pricing whatever the market will bear"), that means that is nothing to stop the suppliers within the market from raising their prices 300%. Granted, the consumers would then shift to whichever was the lowest supplier but since corporations are motivated purely by profit, that price will not be massively different from the market leaders. Since the electricity market was privatised here about a decade ago, prices have risen over 1000%. You can shop around but the difference between highest and lowest is going to be perhaps five percent, not five hundred.

Of course, I say this sitting in England, covered by comprehensive socialised medicine. That total cover costs around $2000 a year out of my taxes. To cover the entire USA, every man, woman and child, under the NHS model would cost around $600 billion, less than one year's military budget.

[Heather MC]

46. I don't think any of the Candidates answer the real problem

With Heathcare.

The problem is the cost of healthcare. If we make Heath insurance manditory but allow Healthcare companies to make a profit, the cost of HealthCare Ins will always be subject to price hikes.

I think it's insane that in the US a 2 day hospital stay is $25,000.
A broken leg can run $8,000.

And A friend of mine who works for Kaiser said her bosses make 400K a year. Now I am not against people making money, but not if I am expected to pay their salary.

I don't know if any of the candidates plans take into account that prices must come down and alot of OVERPAID Company Exec need to take Major Pay cuts, and or not Charge people based on paying over inflated Salaries.

I hope when Obama Wins the GE, he will take time to Study what Other countries have done that have succerssful HealthCare Programs and create one that will best fit Our Countries needs.

[SoCalDem]

47. UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE..paid by taxes

NO employer-participatory plans allowed
No more VA, Union, Medicaid,Medicare,Govt Employees plans

NO INSURANCE...PERIOD..

No more "for-profit" hospitals, clinics, medical groups

But I will never see it in MY lifetime (I'm 59) because:

It would REQUIRE some VERY GOOD ID cards to insure that ONLY US citizens have access.. and there are too many brainwashed people who FEAR ID cards..

The lack of an iron-clad ID card that would allow for implementation of health care is what will kill any good plan..

[Gore1FL]

48. HR 676 is the best solution--It was Kucinisch's plan as well

It is cheaper overall and has the least restrictions.

[JPettus]

50. This part makes no sense

"As Obama says, no one will be forced to buy health insurance but all will be covered if they need it."

So, why would I buy it?

And if I don't buy it, and get treated, who covers the cost of my health care and how does this slow the up escalator of medical costs?

To me, this sounds like a regular campaign promise: say anything even if there is no way it can work.

If you are going to fix the problem, you need true universal health care, mandated for everyone in order to really minimize the risk.

But, it's not going to work if we don't fix the economy and give people raises and put people to work so that they can afford to purchase health care.

So, that's TWO problems linked together.

[Vinca]

54. We need to urge President Obama toward the Kucinich plan.

If we get the White House and enough votes in Congress, it would be possible.

[shadowknows69]

56. I'm game. I'm a DK man at heart anyway.

[redqueen]

59. *None* of the candidates' convoluted plans ever had ANY chance

of getting through congress looking anything like what it looked like going in.

Our best hope is getting behind HR 676 and pushing HARD.

DO IT!

It's already got nearly a hundred co-sponsors.

WE CAN DO THIS!

[Imagevision]

60. How many Billions per month have we been spending in Iraq?

[blindpig]

61. Fuck health insurance, we need health care.

Anything that keeps health insurance companies in the picture is utterly in inadequate.

How is it that tiny, poor Cuba can do it and we can't? I'll bet you know the answer.

[lastliberalintexas]

62. Because that's about what his plan is worth?

:shrug:




Kucinich's plan is the only real reform, though at least Edwards' plan put private insurers in competition with Medicare. Either of those would be a vast improvement over Obama's current plan.