Both Dems and Rebs are actually having a reasonable discussion (so far) about health care–about time.
There has been spirited disagreement about the Congressional Budget Office’s letter dated November 30, 2009 to Senator Byah which indicated:
Nongroup Policies CBO and JCT estimate that the average premium per person covered (including dependents) for new nongroup policies [which would comprise approximately 17% of the insurance market]would be about 10 percent to 13 percent higher in 2016 than the average premium for nongroup coverage in that same year under current law. About half of those enrollees would receive government subsidies that would reduce their costs well below the premiums that would be charged for such policies under current law.
… [under "Notes"] The nongroup market includes people purchasing coverage individually either in the proposed insurance exchanges or in the individual insurance market outside the insurance exchanges.
http://www.cbo.gov/ftp docs/107xx/doc10781/11-30-Premiums.pdf
The study further reveals that approximately 57% of the nongroup members would be eligible for subsidies–in those cases, this group would see a decrease in their premiums of up to 59%!
In regard to the purported increased premium costs for nongroup members, in 2016, the CBO projects increases of 10-13%, which recognizes that the plan an American may choose to opt into massively improves his/her access to preventative health care–thereby improving the overall health care of this patient. Not bad for a relatively nominal increase in premiums which would be offset by subsidies, if I am correct in reading the above.
These politicians are neglecting to state that with improved health care outcomes, America will have a healthier workforce and businesses will lose less money due to employees being sick–all increasing America’s productivity and international competitive edge–something we are at risk of losing, if we haven’t already lost it.
Take a look at Dr. Weil’s commentary on this issue, wherein you can hear his congressional testimony:
Americans now spend far more than citizens of any other country in the developed world for health care, by virtually every measure of health outcomes – longevity, infant mortality, fitness, and rates of chronic disease – we are near or at the bottom compared to other developed countries. “We are paying more and more for health care, and have less and less to show for it,” Dr. Weil said.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03042/Dr-Weils-Senate-Testimony.html
Random Thoughts:
If the health care bill does not contain a public option, there is no point in mandating everyone to get health insurance.
Insurance companies are making enough money as it is by denying coverage. We don’t need to give them more customers without getting something in return.
Although there are good things in the Senate and Obama bill, the House bill, which includes a public option is much better with the exception of the Tupak amendment. That should be removed.
The Public Option forces insurance companies to actually protect people’s health by providing good competition.
If you don’t understand the public option, here is a comparison. You live in a town with one grocery store. They charge $20 for a loaf of bread. You are stuck because there isn’t any other stores around. You are forced to pay their price because of need.
One day, people got so fed up paying such high prices that some got the courage and dollars to open a new grocery store. At that store, prices were lower so everyone started taking their business there.
Well guess what? The old grocery store started hurting so they were forced to lower their prices. Because of that action, they started to get back some customers. That is what true competition is in the marketplace is.
That is why the Public Option is so important. The government will give the insurance companies competition and force the insurance companies to keep their prices reasonable as well as provide the protection that everyone needs including those with pre-existing conditions.
The Public Option will also help small businesses to compete with big businesses because they will now be able to offer health benefits like the big boys.
How could you not be for something that helps everyone?
If the bill, it will be good news for everyone and eliminate the death of 45,000(Harvard study) people who die every year because of no health insurance.
A bit of history:
The 40 hour work week; Unions-safety protection at the work place; fire departments; police departments;regulations for food safety; regulation on toy safety; Social Security; Medicare; Medicaid; The VA; The Post Office; Air Traffic controllers;Malpractice protection and so on and so on were all introduced and passed by LIBERALS.
I’m sure that everyone enjoys and use these on a daily basis. They are all government-run.
Imagine if Social Security was privatized when Bush was in office, today we would have a huge population of poor elderly people. They would have lost all their savings because of the games that the bankers were playing with people’s money. They could not afford to pay their portion of Medicare.
Well then, let’s add a Public Option, better yet Single Payer.
35% of Americans are Republicans or Conservatives. They don’t realize that when they are voting against the above, they are voting against their own interests. They are listening to Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity whose salaries are in the millions per year. Do you really think that they care about you? they have their private planes and limousines that takes them wherever they want to go. They are using your vote to keep up their lifestyle. Open up your eyes!
TansNational Corporations/Republicans don’t want to help the Middle Class. They don’t want a Middle Class. They want a working poor. You are so busy making ends meet that you will not have time to protest. They want to keep you down.
They want to turn back to the time of the robber barons where corporations/handful of rich families ruled the country.
Today there are 400 families who fall into the richest families category. Their income increased 200%+ the last year while the rest of us are struggling.
I’m all about capitalism and working hard for your money. But I am against people making big bucks on the backs of sick and poor people.
As an ex-foreigner, I wish Americans would take their votes more seriously. I wish that Americans would get active in the political process instead of complaining about it. I wish that Americans would do their homework on candidates and issues and not accept being spoon-fed by the likes of Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity. And that goes for the left too.
If you really want to learn politics and history and hear both sides of issues, turn to Thom Hartman on Progressive Radio 92.5FM or 870AM in Chicago or on-line.
Until next time.