Representative John Dingell, on the need for universal health care:
Our current system is failing the patients. People are having to choose between feeding their families, paying their bills, or filling their prescriptions. Copays and other fees are so high that even people with health insurance are opting not to see a physician. Further, the most simple, cost-effective, and efficient medical procedures, such as check-ups, physicals, and other preventative measures, are being forgone for more expensive, reactive treatments.
For years, people made the case against a heath care overhaul, claiming it would ration medical care. I would say that because of our failure to act, that is what we now have. Instead of taking care of our people, the best health care goes to those who can afford to pay for it.
To which all I can say is that this describes my health care situation perfectly. I have put off Doctor’s visits. Dentist’s visits. I have fought with insurance companies to cover diagnostic tests. I have waited months to see a specialist. And I’m one of the lucky duckies that has health care. who has a primary care physician I trust. Yet every year our family spends thousands of dollars out of pocket in addition to the thousands we spend for our insurance coverage.
More Dingell:
If we are to succeed in making the necessary changes to reform our health care system, we must begin the process immediately. I know of which I speak, as I served as Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce during our last major push to reform health care in 1994. Too much time passed between a superb February 1993 speech by President Clinton, which won the solid support of the Nation, and the time the legislation arrived in Congress. Inertia stalled, and it became too easy for critics to derail the process. Special interests also commandeered the discussion, pouring as much as $500 million into lobbying against reform.
We cannot allow, nor afford, that to happen again. Our current financial stability and the health of future generations rests in our willingness to take action. We need a system that would lower costs and increase quality of health care, while making it universally available.
Are you listening President Obama?
Due to my respect for your blood pressure I’ll pass along a Media Matters counterpoint reply to a Bloomberg opinion hit piece on the Stimulus and Health Care Plan that was widely spread around on Monday and Tuesday.
The Bloomberg piece made its way to Limbaugh and Fox and, well, the Media Matters piece needs to be cirulated.
Think Progress also has a strong piece up on this now.
My husband retired two years ago and was fortunate to have worked for a company with good benefits for his last 13 years – the main reason he chose this company and took a pay cut.
This past year he had a major operation and I was stunned at our costs – his Medicare deductible, what Medicare didn’t cover – some diagnostic tests, then the co-pays, and mostly that his secondary insurance covered absolutely nothing of his costs. We could afford the costs (but cut back on other expenses). For sure, this experience tells me that we are an exception and for many retirees, it would be extremely hard to pay these medical bills.
Medicare has a good website that gives you information about your billings. The billings also are processed through his secondary insurance company and hard to understand. Then about twice a year, an independent company sends him an accounting of costs and asks him to verify these costs. So how does one verify costs when one does not see original billing from hospital and doctors? And certainly my phone calls to his secondary insurance company asking questions were futile.
Our nation’s health costs have one main purpose only: to make huge profits for a few.
USA–2009—Never have so many sacrificed so much for so few. Our nation has become a farce when it comes to decent health care for all our people. Why can’t we be more like France or Germany or Canada, and, now, Australia? Because political lobbies strangle every attempt at reforming our dilapidated health care system. Who is ultimately the blame? Why we ourselves for permitting this pathetic plutocracy for prostituting our politicians always on the make for more campaign contributions.
America is the ultimate capitalist country. Everything is for sale. Even health. Keeping telling yourselves, folks, that you are a role model for others, who laugh at our ignorant pride. I guess when you can’t learn, then you suffer. And, for our nation, suffering is becoming the name of the game.
Hi Booman,
I think the President is listening:
At the press conference yesterday he said.
12:44 p.m., Feb. 10: Question: Is health care reform a priority?
Answer: “People who say the economy comes first, they don’t understand that health care is the biggest component of our economy.” Also notes that converting medical records to electronic records will improve efficiency, save money, and save lives.
[http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/ft_myers_FL]
I hope that the rest of Congress understands the urgency. Many seem to think that the lesson from 1993 is don’t try to get everything we want or we might lose:
http://blog.healthcareforamericanow.org/2009/01/27/more-clyburn-now-vs-pelosi
I think we really need to go out of our way to remind our friends that voters voted for change, and we need to feel it in real way. For example: being able to go the doctor for a price you can afford, and getting preventative care. Or Congress will suffer the consequences.
DISCLAIMER: For those of you who don’t know me, I work for Health Care for America Now. http://www.healthcareforamericanow.org.
Oops. I didn’t meant to say hi to booman. I know this was posted by Steven. Sorry.
No apology necessary.
line 6, “keep” for “keeping”. So much for proof reading which I try to do.
No worries mate.