America Will Win

[berni_mccoy]

Americans want healthcare reform, despite the failed tactics used by the Health Insurance Industry and Republican party. Their tactics have been exposed for what they are both on the Web and in some of the MSM. They've been exposed as the fear-driven misinformation campaign funded by the insurance industry. And it's starting to backfire big-time. The vast majority of Americans have suffered at the hands of their insurance policies who, in the least are expensive and make it difficult to get reimbursed for medical care and at worst deny people life saving procedures, allowing them to die even though they were insured.

Americans aren't afraid of losing their health insurance, as the industry and the GOP have tried to make them fearful of. Americans have been afraid that their insurance won't pay for their healthcare. And that is a real dread and fear most Americans live with every day. And it's in the numbers: 45 million uninsured Americans, 14 thousand newly uninsured every day, 18,000 Americans dying each year because they can't afford insurance and thousands more die who could afford insurance but were denied care, 62% of all bankruptcies due to medical debt, premiums rising between 20-40% each year. Republicans don't realize how ridiculous their fear tactics sound: "You'll lose your great private insurance policy!" Really? And that would be bad because...? or "You'll have a bureaucrat between you and your doctor!" No, that's just what we are trying to remove, the insurance bureaucrat telling us why the insurance company isn't covering our medical expenses.

Americans see that at least we need a strong public option and likely a single payer system. And they know that the Obama Administration along with Democratic leadership in Congress is working very hard for this. They know that Obama has tried to work in a non-political bi-partisan fashion. But that approach failed as not a single Republican voted for either bill in committee in the Senate or the House even though the Senate bill had over 160 amendments from Republicans and the House bill had more than 5 amendments from Republicans. Despite the effort to consider the concerns of the right, the right is hell-bent on making sure the health insurance companies get their way. They are hell-bent on continuing to deny people necessary medical procedures allowing them to die and they are hell-bent on driving up the billions in profits to the health insurance companies who will in turn line their campaign coffers.

Americans see this for what it is. And they would probably be quite happy if the Democrats said "To Hell With Bipartisanship, We're going to do what the American people need us to do!". That's what Americans want. And if Democrats and the Obama administration deliver this after recess, then America will win.

[Laelth]

1. Many of us do not want the individual mandate.

I am still urging my representatives (and anyone else who I think will listen) to vote "no" on any and all of the current proposals being discussed by Congress.

The "individual mandate" is a part of every plan now being considered, and this idea is a disaster waiting to happen. If HB 3200 (the most liberal bill under consideration) passes as written, the uninsured will get a whopping, new expense of between 1.5% and 12% of their gross income to buy the worst possible insurance (and that's after the subsidies). Those of us who can not afford health insurance now are not thrilled with the plans currently circulating in Congress. We need health care. We do not need a law that forces us to buy insurance or else become criminals. I am quite angry because Democrats (members of my own party, allegedly the liberal one) plan to pay for "health insurance reform" on the backs of the uninsured.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the solution to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness. I would rather Congress do nothing than to pass a bill that includes the individual mandate.

If congress passes a law based upon the plans currently under consideration, many Americans will LOSE (not "win").

:dem:

-Laelth

[Winterblues]

2. You already pay by Federal MANDATE for Medicare and Social Security

There would no longer be any need for your Medicare payment so that could go for the Health Care Plan. Should be about exactly the same so no change in your expenses..

[Laelth]

6. Yes, out of FICA taxes.

If you want to increase FICA taxes to pay for this, I would be on board. That is not what's being considered in Congress now.

The "individual mandate" will make criminals out of millions of Americans. The struggling middle class will get a whopping new tax increase of between 1.5% and 12% of their gross income.. They will rightly blame the Democratic Party for that. They will be driven away from the Democratic Party in droves.

It's insane. Ignore this warning at your own peril.

:dem:

-Laelth

[-wulf-]

7. "no change?"

How can the money that is currently paid into medicare (and isn't enough) be sufficient to support seven times as many people?

[berni_mccoy]

3. If you are urging your Congressmen to vote NO, then you are doing as much harm as the Republicans

We have to start someone and people who have studied this problem don't agree with you on the affordability. There are many options in HR3200 for the poor. Even Kucinich is supportive of HR3200.

[Kid Dynamite]

5. How is it that an issue that focuses so squarely on the poor is at hand

and you consider the poor a mere afterthought or an inconvenience to be brushed off with token assurances that "there will be many options for them"

In case you haven't noticed recently, there are alot more people classified as "poor" than there use to be. No small feat that, either.

[berni_mccoy]

11. The entire bill was created *for* the poor.

People earning less than 1.3x poverty will pay nothing. Those earning between 1.3x and 4x poverty will pay a scaled premium. And that income depends on single vs. family. Furthermore, hardship waivers can be obtained in the event they are still unable to pay. It also considers regional cost of living.

Laelth is incorrect that great care was not given for the poor in the creation of this bill. That's who this bill was designed for.

And if you knew me, you'd realize I'm a huge advocate for the poor in this country. Just read the posts in my journal here.

[Kid Dynamite]

14. Which bill is that?

The one that insures 10 million people by 2013?

[Laelth]

8. My belief is that Kucinich supports this bill because it currently lets states choose single payer.

He fought for that amendment, and, if it's in the final bill, I think he will vote for this terrible legislation because OH, PA, and NM might actually pass single-payer. I will be moving to one of those states as soon as they do pass single-payer.

But I'd be willing to bet that the final bill will not include this amendment, and, if it doesn't, I bet Kucinich will vote against it.

It's a give-away to the insurance companies. It does little to improve health care. It only marginally improves "health insurance," and the individual mandate will drive votes away from the Democratic Party in droves.

:dem:

-Laelth

[berni_mccoy]

12. Thankfully, that's just your opinion and not the facts.

You need to do more research and less time pushing hyperbole.

[Laelth]

13. Delete.

Deleted, in the interest orf civil discourse. Sorry.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Kid Dynamite]

4. Berni, there is a strong subtext that the Democrats

do NOT want what most Americans want. This is evidenced by the heavy handed way in which single payer advocates have been excluded entirely from the debate and also the way that the milquetoast plan (in the generic sense) offered by the President -- which by most reckonings constitutes a boon for private insurers -- is being sold as something different than what it actually is..and this is being done by Democrats.

Furthermore, it appears that attacks on preexisting programs such as Medicare -- very POPULAR programs despite the bad press -- are on tap to pay for the enormously expensive plans being bandied about in Congress. And yet these plans fail to insure everyone, fail to cut costs, fail to offer any guarantee of a reprieve from predatory private insurers

Now surely if the Democrats were TRYING to craft a plan that addressed those issues they could not have missed the mark so completely.

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. The plan offered by the President?

When did Obama submit a plan?

Isn't this ALL in the hands of congress?

Obama had a plan during the campaign, but did it ever go to Congress for consideration?

[steelmania75]

10. yes, but this needs to be GOOD health insurance

By paying for it, we need to put a tax on the private insurers, and people making more than 250,000 dollars.