Charles, I agree with you that Obama Care didn't go far enough because the public option was left out. That does away with care for a whole lot of people who can't afford it. Having spent 40 years in the Government and a lot of it on the hill, I know though that's it impossible to get anything done without compromise because of the different ideologies, so I guess we were lucky to get any kind of health care reform passed. The sad thing is that so many people vote against themselves because the politicians say the right things....but have hidden agendas. Anytime you hear the word "small business" (that would mean large business under the SIC codes), not mom and pop operations and when they mention "entitlements" or spending cuts to balance the budget, they are talking about reducing benefits to the the lower and middle class income folks. Health care is one of them. The insurance companies didn't spend millions of dollars lobbying against the health care reform because it wasn't a good idea; it was because it affected their profits.
I don't like to get too political on this kind of website, but I do caution everyone to take a good look at the 20012 budget plan being taken up in the house; it will totally do away with medicare for anyone under a certain age (I don't remember what it is but it's around 50) and will privatize it right back to the insurance companies. It will also destroy medicaide as we know it. They willl give you a voucher for medicaire and YOU will be on your own to buy insurance whether you can afford it or not. For Chiarians with a prexisting condition, you will be "up the creek" because the cost, if someone would sign you on, would be so high you couldn't do it. And, we all know what happens when you turn health care over to a profit making entity. For those of you who are on disability social security and depend on Medicare this is a real important issue. Senator Ryan's budget plan also cuts the tax bracket down to 25% for the very wealthiest people while cutting all these important medical programs which affect some of you. Added to the about 39 large corporations like General Electric and Bank of America I understand who don't pay any taxes now, that will mean more cuts for lower income folks. Not only do these corporations not pay any taxes but they get back millions of dollars in tax rebates becae of tax incentives. It's really a shame. Sounds off the subject, but it's not.....get that money back and we could fund health care for those who need it. It's really sad when we're the only industrialized country in the world which doesn't take care of health care for our people. You need to write your congress person and let them know how you feel if you don't want to risk losing what benefits you have. Even if you don't depend on Medicaire now, it affects our future.
I'm with you Charles on this one; For those who don't want the Government making decision about your health care, I would say there is someone who is doing it now; they are called insurance companies who are profit driven......right Charles!!! As Americans we all should be frustrated and angry.
Hugs and Blessings
Shirley
Charles Daniel Kelly said:
Frustrated and Angry!
Anthem / Blue Cross has denied an imaging process that my neurosurgeon has prescribed. Dr. Batzdorf called Anthem personally to explain the need for the imaging, but they still denied it. It has been nearly six weeks and after hours on the phone and being redirected to all the wrong people I am being told that my only recourse is to file an appeal. And what if that is denied?!.......No answer…..
I have to say that if I was fortunate enough to live in Canada, England, Australia, Brazil or any number of other countries with perfectly and equally capable neurosurgeons, that I would NOT be having this problem! In fact, I probably would be preparing for my surgery by now. If not already recovering.
At the cost of appearing to be antagonistic or confrontational: To anyone that subscribes to the ideology that sarcastically and arrogantly refers to our President’s attempt to reform our pitiful and embarrassing health care “system” as Obamacare, I say this. He didn’t go far enough for all the flack he’s getting to do something for the physical well being of everyone that lives in this country. And to anyone that says that “Socialized” health care will only mean waiting in lines, I say, I already do wait in line. The only difference is that I have to pay $585 / month to wait. Only to be told, “NO”. And even if they do finally say yes, I still have to pay 30% after I meet the $500 deductable! I would gladly and willingly pay at least 585 more in taxes to avoid this insanity. And more than likely, we would all pay much less in taxes to achieve a single payer system. Much less. But the corporations are too powerful to allow us to know the truth. That they are in business to make money, not to make us healthy. There’s no way around that argument.
In a for profit system such as ours, the only thing that matters to Anthem or any of the others is their share-holders bottom line and the CEO’s bonus. And to the people that warn of “Death Panels”…I can guarantee that Anthem would rather I die before they have to pay for surgery or, god forbid, one more MRI.
As it now stands, I am in the process of hiring an attorney that will sue Anthem for what they should be doing willingly. Which is taking my doctor’s advice and getting the imaging done that he knows I need. And of course, the lawyer will want Anthem to pay their fees and so on. The cost of which will be handed down, not to the shareholders and CEO but to the customers. But of course, the same people that call it “Obamacare” are the same people that want to disallow me the right to sue. How ironic.
How tragic that in this country that claims to be so many great things, really isn’t. Least of all, taking care of the very people that do make it great.
If I could move to Canada, or anywhere else, I surely would.