Obama accuses insurers of placing profits over people

[mdmc]

GLENSIDE, Pa. – President Barack Obama accused insurance companies of placing profits over people and said Republicans ignored long-festering problems when they held power as he sought to build support Monday for swift passage of legislation stalled in Congress.

"How much higher do premiums have to rise before we do something about it?" said Obama, making the first in an expected string of out-of-town trips to pitch his plan to remake the health care system.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100308/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_health_overhaul
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I earn $40k and have full health insurance through my employer. I cannot access affordable health care with my current insurance (too much co-pays and out of pocket expenses).
For profit health insurance does not offer access to affordable medical treatment. Giving poor people "insurance" instead of "medical treatment" is not reform.
And as far as reform goes, what reform does this bill offer to the working poor (like myself) that have health insurance and cannot afford recommended medical treatment?

[CountAllVotes]

1. $40K a year is considered "working poor"

oh don't I wish I had your problem.

N/T

[mdmc]

3. In downstate NY it sure is

You need to earn $21.45 per hour to earn a living wage in this area.

Working poor = full time or more but cannot afford
1. housing
2. transportation
3. medical treatment

[roguevalley]

33. I would find his 'concern' much more interesting if he hadn't sold out

our pharma prices before this started.

[gkhouston]

2. Of course they place profits over people. They're for-profit businesses.

How about adding a non-profit health insurance provider to the "exchange" you keep talking about, Mr. President? Something like... Medicare? :think: Put it up and see if folks want to buy it.

[CountAllVotes]

5. you have plenty of co-pays, etc. with Medicare

and once in maxes out it pays ZERO. And, it doesn't take much to MAX out Medicare. You really need a costly supplemental plan behind it which runs probably about $500+ a month AT LEAST.

:think: about it.

:dem:

[gkhouston]

10. I've got co-pays, fees, and low maxes now. And that's with insurance that

does its damnedest to squirm out of paying for anything. I don't think Medicare is perfect, but if it were one of the choices on the exchange, I'd give it serious consideration, as I would any other non-profit insurance option.

[CountAllVotes]

13. the problem with Medicare is ....

fewer and fewer doctors are taking it.

Good luck, you'll be needing it (I happen to know ok?).

*sigh*

[gkhouston]

16. Since I can't afford to use the insurance I have now, I don't know if my doctor's

still taking Medicare patients or not. She was, the last time I was there.

[subterranean]

4. Of course they do. They're not in business for their health (or yours).

The primary obligation of a for-profit health insurance company is to deliver profits to its stockholders. I haven't heard Obama explain how his version of health care reform will change that fact.

[Inuca]

6. Limits on out of pocket expenses

+ minimum standards on what the insurer must offer. If you cannot access health care (not clear what you mean bty "affordable") with full insurance through your employer you either have a VERY lousy insurance (and employer) or you are not being exactly truthful.

[mdmc]

18. Or there could be another choice

My health insurance was fine until I became ill (rheumatoid arthritis). Now I have $500.oo per month in out of pocket expenses.
I can't pay these out of pocket expenses, so I don't receive the treatment.

My insurance was fine until I needed medical treatment. Now I am sick and cannot afford treatment.

I have a prediction - Obama's HCR bill passes - my medical treatment will cost more next year then it does this year. Time alone, time will tell..

[Inuca]

22. This was option #1

i.e., lousy insurance. Don't you have a cap on yearly out-of-pocket expenses? I went through several insurances, some good, some pretty lousy, but they all had a cap that would have been way lower than that. I am talking about group employer provided insurance. Maybe I was lucky, and did not come across the really shitty ones....

[mdmc]

25. I may have some sort of yearly cap, but I cannot reach that cap

Or to put it another way, I can afford $75.oo per month for medical treatment. I have been prescribed $500.oo of treatment, but I can only afford $75.oo. I may have a yearly cap (perhaps $4,800.oo or something like that) but I cannot afford to reach that cap. I have $75.oo after food, rent, and gas..

My health insurance was fine while I was healthy. Once I was no longer healthy (in good health), I was no longer able to afford medical treatment.

[peacebird]

7. "Obama accuses the sun of rising in the east" (rolling eyes in disgust)

Of COURSE the insurance COMPANIES place profit over people, they are corporations - their entire reason for existance is making money.

Think about it - what does an insurance company really do for you? The doctor diagnoses and treats you, the insurance company takes your money then doles it back out very sparingly, and if you get too sick, will try to find a way to cut you off its roles...

[denimgirly]

12. +10,000

Yup. Corporations are doing what they are legally bound to do: Make Profit under existing laws imposed onto them. So the blame is NOT on these corporations for being too successful but on the laziness of government for not imposing new rules to help the people.

Seriously, Obama you are either stupid or willingly turning a blind eye on the problem and only giving lip service to the people for political reasons. If you really wanted to solve the problem the answer is simple...do what the people want (as ALL the polls suggest): Add real Competition via a form of Public Option. Or better yet, solve the entire problem forever via a Single Payer system that has worked in ALL developed countries who ahve implemented it.

I have lost my respect for this man since it is clear he is more for the welfare of the corporation than the will of the people. Nuf said.

[JTFrog]

14. -10,000

You never had any respect for him to begin with.

[hulka38]

46. More of that audacity. He blasts health insurers publicly

and meanwhile, behind the scenes he's been doing everything he can to ensure that health insurance companies don't have to compete with what they fear most, a government run health care plan available to everyone. New WH polls must show there are a lot of sssssuckers out there.

[Better Today]

26. +++++++++

[Skittles]

30. it's Obama tossing a bone to the outraged

there won't be any meat to go with it though

[GreenArrow]

40. It ain't a real bone, either.

More like a plastic squeaky toy.

[Moochy]

44. Made with Melamine Plastic from China

[Supersedeas]

8. that the nature of a corporation -- to see labor and services as a means to income

[peace13]

9. People....... do not enter into the equation! n/t

[ShortnFiery]

11. Then why is The Ministry of Truth BUDDIES with the Insurance Cartel and Big Pharma?

[Oregone]

15. So lets fix it by mandating their services!

[gkhouston]

21. You are evil in an interesting, useful, and entertaining way.

:thumbsup:

[Oregone]

28. Thanks!

[Moochy]

43. Exactly and how will this be remedied?

:think: Moar speeches!

[brentspeak]

17. Obama wags finger at insurers...then moves to force Americans to buy their product

And will toss in close to $1 trillion tax payer money to boot.

That will show those greedy insurance companies.

[EFerrari]

19. He sure told them.

I hate it when politicians expect us to be stupid.

[denimgirly]

35. As Dems move more Right they expect its voters to move right and thus get stupider

:shrug:

[GreenArrow]

41. "politicians expect us to be stupid."

And they're seldom disappointed.

[JVS]

20. Perhaps this would have been useful a year ago instead of saying they provide a legitimate service

[slipslidingaway]

23. Their responsibility is to provide profits to investors, not health care!

They add nothing in the way of care.

[denimgirly]

36. * Sorry wrong area *

[reggie the dog]

24. NOOOO SHIT!

[Faryn Balyncd]

27. That'll show 'em!!

[Bluenorthwest]

29. He spent the last year lecturing the nation that the Insurance

Companies deserve to profit, no matter what they do. He refuses to so much as think about a plan that does not place profit in the very first position, without alternative.

[frylock]

31. dang this guy is smart!

imagine! a corporation looking to make a profit. boggles the mind.

[Generator]

32. There's hope!

Maybe he also realized water is wet and Rahm is an active agent of the Republican party.

[PurityOfEssence]

34. Does he realize he's crossed the Rubicon, or will he continue to suck up to the right?

Time will tell.

If he goes looking for assistance from the right now, they'll have him for breakfast; that's like a guy pulling out a gun in a biker bar and not using it.

[denimgirly]

37. According to Obama they DO provide a VALUABLE SERVICE

And that is to deny care so as to increase profits.
From his logic and his own words this is very much envaluable and necessary.

Stay classy, Mr President.

[JoeyT]

38. He's right of course.

That's why it's vital that we force every American to deal with the insurance industry on their terms.
If we make it law that every American must deal with them, and make absolutely certain they hold all the cards, it will be easy to negotiate better rates. It can't fail and there's absolutely no way this could blow up in our faces down the road. :silly:

[mdmc]

39. kick

[GeorgeGist]

42. Oh, please ...

mr hypocrite.

[salguine]

45. Given your course of action on this issue, Mr. President, your accusation rings hollow.