CNA: Clinton Health Care Plan Just Throws More People Under Wheels Of Insurance Industry

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Workers Independent News

By Doug Cunningham

The California Nurses Association says Senator Hillary Clinton’s health care plan just throws more people under the wheels of the health insurance system without fixing the fundamental problem – an out of control industry profiting off pain and illness with unaffordable health care. Geri Jenkins is on the CNA’s President’s Council.

: “Hillary Clinton is the number one recipient of health care and pharmaceutical industry dollars of all the members of Congress. So I think that speaks volumes to why the system is the way it is that she's proposing."

Jenkins says the California Nurses Association wants a national single payer universal health care system – essentially an expansion of Medicare covering everyone. A New York Times CBS poll this year found that 64%
of Americans want the federal government to guarantee health insurance for all Americans, and 60% would pay higher taxes to do it. So if we the people want it, why can’t we get it?

: “You don't see that translate into legislation because our members of our legislature and elected officials have pretty much been bought off by the industry. There shouldn't be money made on people's lives, whether people live or die coming down to some corporation's bottom line. And that's what happens with the insurance industry and their controlling the system."

Read more: http://www.laborradio.org/node/6856

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This story is not copyrighted and may be distributed freely.

[madrchsod]

1. what do they know?

there are people here actually defending hillary`s bailout of the insurance companies...i had to get up and walk away a couple of times today....

[superkia]

3. I feel your frustration. And their response is always, shes winning...

your mad. No you dip shit, she is flawed in many big ways. If she is the candidate for the democratic people, I fear our future government. I am a Kucinich supporter but I would gladly take Obama or Edwards with no problem but I am one of many who will NOT vote for Bush light, more of the same.

[lateo]

34. I agree.

If Clinton wins our nomination we will just get more of the same bs.

[BootinUp]

2. 64% of the money disagrees.

Money and politics, yeah it sucks.

[IndyOp]

4. Kicking for the truth. (n/t)

[Nevernose]

5. Wait, I thought she stole Edwards' health care plan?

At least that's what Elizabeth said earlier today. So who are we supposed to be pissed at: John or Hillary?

(And no, I'm not knocking Elizabeth. Most of the time, I'm wondering why SHE isn't running for president.)

[madrchsod]

6. that left me perplexed also

i really like john`s stance on many things but health care nope..she has a right to speak her mind on the issues but this statement ya---who are we supposed to be pissed at?

[Tom Joad]

8. hey, why not both? okay, i take both.

[mark414]

11. exactly what i was thinking...

[TahitiNut]

21. Sadly, Edwards isn't proposing much different. Kucinich is the sole SANE plan.

... and I actually like Edwards. Right now, he's still my second choice but he's disappointing on gay rights and health care. Very.

Clonton, Obama, Biden, Richardson, and Edwards all oppose "single payer" ... which is testimony to the political power of the insurance lobby and their wealth.

[Tom Joad]

7. Hillary again serves the needs of working corporate CEO's everywhere.

What's not to love?

[BlooInBloo]

9. Despite the requisite DU-Clinton hate, it's actually a very good plan...

... Anyone who wants a run-down of it can see it here:

http://ezraklein.typepad.com/blog/2007/09/the-americas-ch.html

[MadHound]

10. Sorry, despite the desperate spin that Hillary's supporters are putting on it

Hillary's plan isn't worth the paper it's printed on. Funneling taxpayer money to the health insurance industry, mandatory insurance, whether you can afford it or not, the distinct possibility of not being able to get a job unless you have proof of insurance, and the ongoing involvement of corporations in health care(a mix that is never good, witness the ample evidence we currently have). Sorry, you can put lipstick on a pig, but that doesn't make it look any better than what it is, a pig.

Let's see Hillary come up with something that is really, truly UHC, you know, a single player plan ala Kucinich. Oh, yeah, that's right. Her corporate masters wouldn't stand for that.

[BlooInBloo]

12. Except.... I'm not a Hilary supporter, despite not being rabidly against her like DUers.

[MadHound]

13. Didn't say that you were

If you noticed, I directed my comment at generic "Hillary's supporters." Nowhere was you name mentioned in connection with that.

[BlooInBloo]

14. I never said you said I did... if you didn't notice. What a fun game to play!!!

[Greyhound]

32. Yet, a quick search of your posts yields quite a different story. n/t

[ThomCat]

15. Not really so good, no.

It creates health plans. But there are already health plans. Creating a few more doesn't do much if people can't afford them.

It offers tax incentives to help people afford them. But we already know that tax incentives do no good unless you have money. So Keep in mind the median income is somewhere around $26,000 per year. Tax rebates don't really help until you're making significantly more than this. So immediately we know that the majority of people, those who need help the most, won't get any benefit from this.

[Nevernose]

16. They won't get an economic benefit, no

But they will get health care. And while they'll be paying more to insurance companies, they'll be paying less in taxes, so it works out the same.

It's far from perfect, granted, but I think that in this country it's an important first step. We could nominate Jesus as our candidate, and He wouldn't be able to give us UHC in January 2009.

And no, Hillary's not my first choice, or my second or third. She's my "Better than a Giuliani/Romney '08" choice.

[ThomCat]

17. How will they get healthcare.

If you can't pay for the plan, you still have no healthcare. And a tax rebate will save you far less on your taxes than the cost of a plan.

If you aren't earning well more than the median wage, you won't be saving anything on your taxes because you'll probably be paying nothing in income taxes already.

It's not only far from perfect, it's useless for the people who need it most.

[Nevernose]

25. If you can't pay for the plan, you still qualify for Medicaid

And if you're a small business who can't afford the associated costs of private insurance, then you pay less in taxes, which equals out to what you were paying before. This provides for the 40 or 50 million who can't afford health care.

"Useless" is hyperbole. Maybe not as good as what we want, but it's an important first step. George McGovern can't win this election, and progress is made in small steps.

I'm not on the same page as you, but I am reading the same book. The difference is that you've skipped to the end, and I read slowly.

I will reiterate: Hillary is not my first choice, but she's better than any of the Republicans.

[AlGore-08.com]

31. Are you sure? I haven't seen any specifics about the plan

Her website says things like the price paid for mandatory insurance won't be allowed to rise above a percentage of your income, but it doesn't say what that percentage is. What if the plan has a percentage cap of 12% but all your family can afford is 8%? How does the plan respond? Does it allow your family to "only spend" 8% and get the same insurance? Does it change you to Medicaid without you having any say in the matter? Does it investigate your finances and insist that you really can afford 12% so you just have to find the money somehow or loose your insurance?

There's no way to tell if this plan is progress or not until the specifics are revealed.

[eridani]

20. Why do you thing that they will get health care?

Insurance companies remain free to cut costs by refusing claims, just as they are doing now.

[Nevernose]

26. That's a largely seperate issue

And one that is largely up to the individual states.If there's a problem with your provider, then chances are it could be better solved locally.

[eridani]

29. That's crap. All private providers of insurance deny claims where possible

That's how they make money. It's their entire reason to exist, which is actually the main issue here.

[BlooInBloo]

19. (shrug) You're no longer talking about Clinton's plan then.

[ThomCat]

22. Funny, I read the link you posted.

[BlooInBloo]

24. You're right. That is funny.

[eridani]

18. If it leaves private insurers in charge, it isn't good

Period. End of statement.

[TahitiNut]

23. Nonsense. Utter nonsense.

Without single-payer, we're fucked.

[Richard Steele]

27. Good for Insurance Companies, maybe. For people, not so much. nm

[SirBlackAdder]

28. Hillary highest paid by Insurance companies!

Michael Moore, on Jay Leno, stated that she was the largest receiver of INSURANCE INDUSTRY dollars, after her failed fiasco.IE: fraud,

She well knows all she has to do is put up some scheme, as it will never go through, it cant, but Dem's everywhere will get a hard on, cause she 'cares'.

They will all play the system.


Ob-ama as President, you've got to be joking? 2 Years as a Senator, and he's 'ready to go'! Yea, right, he already has shown hes NOT, (he wants to bomb Pakistan, destabilizing Mushariff, bringing radial islam to Pakistan government. Os-ama couldn't be happier. Thats why hes IN Pakistan. Duh.....so we CANT TOUCH HIM DOUCH-BAG...

Well, we really don't elect presidents, as Satan Spawn in there proves. Its the people behind them we elect, and we dint know who they are. Bill Clinton was the RARE exception.


Ob-ama would be George Bush but without the 'pedigree'. Total dufas, with no government experience. I guess you want an idiot who thinks hes gonna learn 'on the job'. Yea, great. Hes doing soo good now.


Basically, you have to vote for Hillary, er Bush light. At least Bill has a brain, and they know the ropes. There is no other choice unless Ron Paul get the Retardican nod. Bill Maher just turned around and endorsed Ron Paul!

He's not Dem, but hes clean, so he cant possibly get in, and then congress is well, just look at them.......



Must vote for the lesser of 2 evils, even if only by a hair.....

sorry

[Richard Steele]

30. Uhhh...welcome to DU?

I hope.

Hi! :hi:

[Greyhound]

33. Yeah, what he said.

Could go either way...

[Vidar]

35. Yup, just robbing the poor & giving to the rich. She's a worthy successor

to the shrub.