Coburn to Woman Trying to Keep Husband Alive After Nursing Home Kicked Him Out:

[Stephanie]

Woman: Senator Coburn we need help. My husband has traumatic head injury. His insurance will not cover him to eat and drink. And what I need to know is, are you going to help him, where he can eat and drink? We left the nursing home and they told us we're on our own. He left with a feeding tube. I've been working with him, but I'm not a speech pathologist, a professional, that takes six years for a Masters, and I've tried to get him to eat and drink again and it's been so much - (cries)

Coburn: Well I think think personally, yeah we'll help. The first thing we'll do is see what we can do individually to help you, through our office. But the other thing that's missing in this debate is us, as neighbors, helping people that need our help. You know, we've had a - (applause). The idea that the government is a solution to our problems, is an inaccurate, a very inaccurate statement.

Video is here, thanks to Jennicut in GDP.

So if your husband is dying because he cannot eat or drink due to traumatic brain injury, and the nursing home kicks him out, you are on your own. Unless your neighbors come over to help him relearn to eat and drink again. Quickly. Hopefully, your neighbors are fully trained specialists with lots of free time on their hands. Good night and good luck!

[sharesunited]

1. Oklahoma he's all yours! Inhofe too!

[Stephanie]

49. delete

moving downthread

[Scruffy1]

129. Oklahoma

I have had to spend a lot of time in this place, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It's entirely controlled by the oil money and the defense industry. They have been rewarded with much federal largess in the form of federal jobs with things like the FAA being based there and also many defense contractors as a reward for their Republican votes. All the media is right wing and there are no unions of any size there. Pull out the Federal dollars and watch these assholes scream. Coburn and
Inhofe are just the two latest of a long line of corrupt oil senators such as Moore and Kerr.I suspect that the Koch family out of Wichita has a large say in Oklahoma politics also. It's all about oil.

[Seedersandleechers]

134. Oklahoma FOREVER traumatized me

when I moved there at age 7 from Boston. The Oklahoma school system put me in a special ed class because they said I didn't know how to pronounce words correctly; ie, car. Yeah, no shit. Needless to say I was ridiculed and harassed. Oklahoma does not have any tolerance for individuality, or anything outside the norm. I was there for 4 long years then moved to Chicago.

[BolivarianHero]

142. Wow...

Putting a Northern liberal into an OK special ed. class is like putting Usain Bolt in the Special Olympics.

[notadmblnd]

2. with corporations being considered persons

why aren't they considered neighbors?

[surrealAmerican]

40. They're just very bad neighbors.

[LuckyTheDog]

71. But, it's all about LIBERTY!

Oh, sure, guy with the brain injury might is dying and his health insurer seems willing to let that happen. But, hey, at least he isn't being subjected to government bureaucrats and an intrusive nanny state! I'm sure he feels good about that, eh?

Maybe one of his neighbors is a highly trained physician with specialized skills and a lot of extra time. If not, at least the injured guy has his liberty, right?

</sarcasm>

[grahamhgreen]

117. Repeat often!

[Bluenorthwest]

3. Coburn is a bad and bigoted man

whom Obama often praises as a friend.

[madokie]

7. But I hear that friend word used loosely

in washington. I don't think he means like I do when I say someone is my friend.

[Toasterlad]

102. Believe Me....Obama Doesn't Mean a LOT of the Things He Says.

[RandomThoughts]

148. I noticed you capitalized LOT.

Interestingly, many people when they start to feel empathy for someone elses suffering, or feel guilt for their own easy life, they will invoke 'Lot' doctrine.

I would guess lottery even came from lot. Basically some people got it, others don't and there is some reason for why. Your lot in life.

I would ask,

If it is your lot, how do explain going from rich to poor, or poor to rich, or healthy to sick, or sick to healthy.

At any point that you say it is someones lot, there entire life might change the next day. So you can never say if someones current situation is there lot in life. So saying it is someones Lot is irrelevant for using it to gauge a persons worth.

Rarely does the obtaining of riches, and the description of Lot go together. The current worldly money system rewards those with profit first motive not righteousness. So comparing someones ability to buy health care with their Lot, is probably backwards at best.

And if someone thinks getting sick is just a lot, or for reasons of Lot, good luck with that. The whole 'its their Lot' is part of the prosperity doctrine. It is an excuse for some to not feel empathy, it disgust me how some take that doctrine to allow other people to suffer.



I think much of the lack of empathy on the far right is due to believing prosperity doctrine thinking.

[Toasterlad]

103. Dupe

[mustardman]

74. If you want a friend in Washington get a dog!

[theoldman]

4. Like always there is much more to the story than we know.

Why did the nursing home kick him out? Without know more facts I cannot make further comment.

[Stephanie]

9. "His insurance will not cover him to eat and drink."

eom

[xxqqqzme]

119. Wonder who is on the

'death panel' at the insurance corporation?

[alittlelark]

11. They kicked him out because the Ins co. does not want to cover

the $$$$$$ necessary to come back from a traumatic brain injury. Lotsa $$$$$ - it's cheaper to deny coverage.


PS - (from your post) "Without KNOW more facts I cannot make further comment"

Are you SERIES!!11!!

[demodonkey]

27. Nursing homes kick EVERYBODY out at some point, unless...

...you are a millionaire and can afford $7,000-10,000 per month for their mostly understaffed, for-profit "care"... OR you can "spend down" everything your family ever worked for and throw yourself as a pauper on the mercy of Medicaid which is a degrading and demeaning process not only for the patient but for his or her entire family.

WE DO NOT TAKE CARE OF THE DISABLED -- OF ANY AGE -- PROPERLY AND HUMANELY IN THIS COUNTRY.

This is a national disgrace. We are a nation of barbarians.

[LibDemAlways]

56. Truer words. And the mentally disabled are relegated to the bottom of

the heap. I recently had a personal experience with a close relative suffering from a form of dementia. He was insured but the health care system utterly failed him. There is literally no place for a person suffering the ravages of dementia to be humanely evaluated and treated anywhere near where I live - which is the outskirts of a huge US city with a hospital known for world class care for that sort of thing. It was impossible to get him in. The waiting list was long, and he couldn't wait. The consequences were horrible.

You are right. We are a nation of barbarians.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

58. true that. I think Medicare pays 100 days (unless one can prove

the "need" for an extension). Then one goes to "private pay".

[LibDemAlways]

59. Medicare will pay nothing unless the patient has spent at least

three days in a hospital just prior to nursing home admission. Then, you are right, benefits are limited and eventually the patient is expected to pick up the tab or qualify for Medicaid. Nursing home care quickly depletes life savings, so many families try to go it alone and it's a race to see who will go first - the patient or the stressed-out, overwhelmed caregiver.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

61. yes. ty for clarifying.

I said...I think.

[liberalhistorian]

64. I know that personally, since my stepdad is in a nursing home,

at a fairly young age, with a dementia disease, and they turned to Medicaid to pay for it. We simply had no choice, we sure as fuck didn't have five thousand a month for the institution. Now mom gives up half of his monthly pension to Medicaid to help pay for it, as that is what they determined she could pay. Both of them hard-working, responsible teachers for decades, and they give up everything because my stepdad had the audacity to get sick fairly early (in only his late fifties).

OTOH, Medicaid WAS available and it IS paying for most of his care and that is permanent, she doesn't have to worry about it being taken away at some point. Try saying that with a private insurance company; most of them can't get away from people older than forty fast enough, even if they're healthy. Had there been no Medicaid available, I have no doubt that he would have died by now, as no place would have taken him in and no insurance company would have paid for it. Private insurers simply aren't interested in such things, there's not enough "profit" in it for them, period. You wanna talk about "death panels", private insurers are the REAL "death panels."

[JDPriestly]

108. Translate: We are a nation of heathens, of Godless.

[demodonkey]

138. YourDictionary.com (Webster's) definition of "barbarian":

4. a savage, cruel person; brute

That is EXACTLY what I mean.

[JDPriestly]

144. We are savage and crule and brutish because we are heathens.

We have no sense of being part of the life around us. We don't even show our children in the cities where their food comes from. We have no sense of interdependence with each other or nature. That mystical sense of interdependence is what lies at the base of every religious movement. That is why I say that we are heathens.

[katkat]

73. why they kicked him out

A lot of insurance, including Medicare, does not cover long term care after a point. My guess that's why.

[AlbertCat]

77. know more facts I cannot make further comment.

How about the fact that their rep just told them to beg from the neighbors?

This is NOT about the sick man! :eyes:


I'm sure the good Senator will give up his Government health care for that man!

[LibDemAlways]

93. Coburn's paycheck comes at taxpayer expense. He is a government

employee who enjoys all manner of government benefits - including excellent health care for him and his family. Yet, this hypocritical thug tells a woman in obviously dire straits to knock on a neighbor's door for help. There are no words to adequately describe the scumbag. And the voters of OK who put him in the Senate in the first place must be stupid beyond belief.

[KatyaR]

131. He's not a government employee, he IS the government.

People need to realize that when some asshat like this says "the government can't help you," what they're really saying is "I won't help you." It's the elected offical's version of "let them eat cake."

These are the people who make the laws, not some flunky who sits around all day and shuffles papers. They need to be helped to remember just exactly WHY they were elected. These idiots walk around, members of the nation's most exclusive group, and act like kings, not the representatives of the people that they're supposed to be.

I have lived in Oklahoma my entire life, and I'm absolutely mortified and embarassed whenever this asshat opens his mouth (but that goes for all of our senators and reps as well). I can't believe he ever got elected, and I SURE AS HELL don't understand why any woman would want him for a physician.

[rucky]

106. Are there any circumstances you could imagine...

that would warrant being left to die?

[WinkyDink]

136. It's called LACK of MONEY. Are you new to this country??

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Just go ahead & say it coburn, "just grind him up & feed him to the dogs

for all I care, you miserable government loving twit". See what we can do to help you my ass.

[liberalhistorian]

65. Hey, what the hell, his name isn't Terri Schiavo,

so what should that greedy, selfish old wife expect, anyway? :sarcasm:

"Pro-life" and "sanctity of life" and railing about a "culture of death", my ass. They're "pro-life" as long as there's profit in it for their beloved corporations and free-market masters. Anything else, people can just eat shit and die already.

[muntrv]

6. Coburn, just say it: I LOVE FETUSES ONLY!

[formercia]

62. So much for pro-life

If they are not potential cannon-fodder or worker ants, it's bleed 'em dry 'till they die.

[lark]

120. Actually bleed 'em dry is their moto, even for cannon fodder

:rant:

[formercia]

133. How many tours does it take to bleed dry a cannon fodder unit?

I think we're getting beyond dry.

[heppcatt]

8. So if you need medical help beg your neighbors?

Boy there is dignity and choice in that option.

[Stephanie]

10. Yes

And hope that they have credentials.

[Maru Kitteh]

28. My neighbor is a book binder. I guess he could make my last will and testament look nice

while I died.

[LibDemAlways]

60. My neighbor across the street crosses the street rather than say hello.

When I was in a wheelchair following ankle surgery she couldn't be bothered to find out why. Yep, I'm sure she'd be ready and willing to help if I was again in distress. What a joke.

[Cleita]

95. One of my neighbors is a doctor and two others veterinarians, but

with their private practices and having children to raise and lives in general, I doubt if there would be much time available to look after someone who obviously needs 24/7 nursing care.

[ima_sinnic]

not to mention: how many doctors want to devote spare time to free care of neighbors?

I might ask a dr. neighbor (if I had one) some minor medical advice "over the hedge," but I certainly wouldn't expect him or her to come into my house and give me free medical care. The audacity of coburn to assume that anybody would be comfortable with begging, or with giving free care.

[Cleita]

113. They will all help out in an emergency until the ambulance gets there but

not on a regular basis.

[JDPriestly]

112. What Coburn does not understand is that this lady's neighbors

probably have no time to volunteer the hours necessary to take care of the lady's husband. Many of them work and have children. Some are very elderly and need help themselves. Most of us are barely able to take care of our own needs. That is the reality in this country. And those who have the time because they have no jobs are too depressed to get out and help their neighbors. The neighbors can probably take out a few hours to help, but they also don't have the expertise that she needs.

You know what's wrong with this country? People like Coburn who just don't care about anyone but themselves and who think that everyone else should do all the caring.

[DBoon]

12. "it's only murder when the government denies health care"

when the private sector does it, they are protecting our freedoms from encroaching socialism.

The woman should be happy - her husband is a martyr to the holy cause of unfettered capitalism.

</snark>

[lies and propaganda]

13. such an Okie gent didnt even TRY to comfort her

meanwhile i burst into tears taht this poor woman has been tricked into voting for careless assholes.

[Stephanie]

18. I don't know why you presume to know how she voted

She makes no indication of her political views.

[Gemini Cat]

14. That's stupid.

You ask your neighbours to lend you a drill, a lawn mower or a cup of sugar. You ask your buddies to give you a ride, help with your roof or maybe watch your child. You can ask your family to maybe lend you a few bucks.

However, you can't ask your neighbours, buddies or even your family to help you take care of an ill person, especially when they probably would not have the skills or even the time to do so. For Coburn to even suggest something like that is stupid and stupid beyond. It's typical republic party answer.

[ejpoeta]

78. it just shows the divide between him and the rest of us. he lives in another world...

where i bet his insurance would cove such things in full... he has no idea what the hell he is talking about.

[Pangolin2]

87. His family is very

very very
very
wealthy.

[NashVegas]

92. You Once Were Able To

I'd think that most of us here over the age of, perhaps, 40 have some memory of a grandparent or great aunt or uncle who was a permanent invalid and cared for in their home by relatives, with one or two primary care-givers and other volunteers as needed.

[xxqqqzme]

122. well, I'm over 60 and I have no such memory.

But then, I lucked into a long lived gene pool.

[Gemini Cat]

150. Oh, yes. The good old days.

The good old days that never existed the way they are often pictured in the minds of those who did not live them.

[NashVegas]

151. Good Old Days? Maybe Not. But It Was Reality, Nonetheless

I'm sorry you're so bitter about it.

[roody]

15. I'm moving to Cuba if they will take me.

[sabrina 1]

16. They will, watch Sicko!

Michael Moore brought some of the victims of the 9/11 air pollution scandal to Cuba with him to see if they could the help they needed there that they couldn't get here. They did and the care-givers were very kind and really caring ...

He was nearly arrested later for violating some ridiculous 50 year old law that prohibits Americans from going to Cuba and they threatened to confiscate his movie ... lol, he loves pushing their buttons, but he did show that even in that poor country, no one goes without healthcare, even visitors from an 'enemy' country.

[Stephanie]

19. If the insurance companies' new strategy to outsource health care succeeds

Travel restrictions to Cuba might indeed be eased:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/23/771210/-Outsourcing-HC:-Insurers-Send-Patients-Overseas-to-Cut-Costs

[sabrina 1]

31. They are shameless. Why does anyone need them

to go abroad to get the care they cannot afford here? My girl-friend just went to Europe to have dental work done (her policy didn't cover it and it would have cost thousands here). She and another friend got all the work done for one third of the cost here including room an board while they were there, and the air fare. They didn't need any HMO to do this.

Instead of being ashamed the Americans have to go abroad to get care, all they can think of is how they can get in on it and profit for it. No one with a policy should allow them to get away with doing this.

I try not to hate anyone, but these ghouls test that principle. We don't need them here either and I would love to see the end of them completely.

[roody]

20. I was in Cuba with Pastors for Peace.

One of our group got very ill with "Montezuma's Revenge", and they took excellent care of her. Doctors make house calls in Cuba.

[Stephanie]

25. What is the co-pay?

[roody]

33. a smile

[sabrina 1]

32. What a nice story. You know we judge people here by how

much money they have, but it seems to me that knowing you will get care from compassionate people when you need it is worth all the money in the world.

Regarding the ban on travel to Cuba, I received an email from one of the online travel agencies I've used asking people to sign a petition to end the ban on Americans visiting Cuba. I think it's about time to do that. I should post it here and get some more signatures as I think it is a great idea. I would love to visit Cuba.

[butterfly77]

63. Some kind of way this needs to be incorporated...

into an ad showing how Americans can get care in cuba.

[BattyDem]

17. WTF?

:wtf:

That's as bad as Bush's "Uniquely American" comment when a woman told him she was working three jobs! :grr:

[WonderGrunion]

21. This makes me wish someone would kick Coburn in the nuts

Until he needed medical care. Then he could be denied it because his being an enormous dick is a pre-existing condition.

[KansDem]

88. I'd volunteer for that job!

And each time I connected, I'd scream HOWDY, NEIGHBOR!!!

[Ikonoklast]

109. Oferfucksakes, that made me laugh!

Really good visual, there, KansDem.

"WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ASSHOLE!!" (Ooof!) "NICE LAWN YOU GOT THERE!!" (Urgh!)

[Berry Cool]

22. As they pointed out on CNN, there is great irony in what he said.

First he says he is going to see what his office can do to help.

Then, he says the government is not the answer.

What is his office, if not the government?

*sigh* I am so sick of these disgusting people implying that if only we were more self-reliant or more reliant on our neighbors and they volunteered to help us and came running with their assistance and their money, everything would be fine, because it's not the government's responsibility to provide people with anything.

I guess we should never have had an interstate highway system built by the government. We could have assembled it piece by piece on our own, us and our neighbors, just like an Amish barn raising.

We need our food inspected for safety? Knock on the house next door and let's see if they'll help us make sure the stuff we eat is safe.

Kids need educating? Either homeschool them yourself or send them to the neighbor's where they will homeschool all the neighborhood kids.

House on fire? Don't call the fire department. Just get all the neighbors together with buckets. If it was good enough in the old days, it's good enough for now.

That's what conservatives have brought us.

[Stephanie]

24. Because that's worked out so well so far

This woman's neighbors are no doubt generous, charitable people. And yet she is on her own, stranded, trying to keep a man alive who was sent home with a feeding tube and can't eat or drink.

[RagAss]

23. Poor woman. Does she really think this fucking reptile gives a shit ?

Didn't Katrina teach people anything about these scumbags?

[onestepforward]

26. There has yet to be any real life, human story that has

really touched any of these repubs. They just don't care.

[Maru Kitteh]

30. That's it right there. It does not bother them at ALL that Americns are suffering and dying

It bothers them not at all.

[patrice]

29. Hey, Tom, how about if the government helped people help each other by everyone chipping in

on Health Care for themselves and others?

And, of course, if you don't want any help and don't want to help anyone, don't chip in.

Wha' d' y' think Tommy boy? Wouldn't that be more effective? Can I get a "You betcha!"???

[Stephanie]

38. But think of the FREE MARKET!

Why do you hate America?

[patrice]

39. I like what Thom Hartmann says about that.

(Aside from the fact that our markets may be un-regulated, but they certainly are not free due to all of the tax breaks and various other subsidies that make them possible) TH points out that Health Care is a "natural monopoly" because you can't and don't have any choice about whether you are going to buy or not when you have a health crisis. It's not like clothing which you can "take it or leave it". You HAVE to have HC! So this puts all of us at an intrinsic disadvantage when it comes to buying or otherwise providing for HC. We are a trapped market paying whatever it takes to get care or else suffer and die. This seems like a pretty good case for regulation to me, that is IF America is about the lives of people rather than the privileges of corporations, that is.

[Johonny]

149. well you could choose to die I guess

although Republicans are against that too. So you can't win I guess with them.

[Romberry]

34. And there's your real 'Death Panel' right there.

Death panels are real. They are called...insurance companies.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

36. Or, in this case, politicians... n/t

[HCE SuiGeneris]

35. Callous, corrupt and condescending. Sure glad this phucktard was elected.

Far too many of these a-holes in power in this country.

[Hannah Bell]

37. sure, i bet that's where he goes for his health care - his neighbors.

asshole. why do these people have jobs?

why do we pay their salaries?

my neighbor could do a better job as legislator than this fascist.

[AlbertCat]

80. sure, i bet that's where he goes for his health care - his neighbors.

Why, yes it IS where he goes....his neighbors... that is US! He's a Senator and WE pay for his government run health care.

[newportdadde]

41. At what point do stories like this end in violence?

When I see a story like this or where a child is dying because they cannot get care etc I often ask myself at what point will violence come into play. We have school shootings, workplace shottings.. are we heading towards a time in the future were we will see shootings related to medical care and coverage?

[demigoddess]

127. this kind of stuff has been going on for 30 years it has just been under the radar

I read of a case 30 years ago where a man who had health insurance through his job was asked to quit because the health insurance had gone up so much since his handicapped daughter was born. So for the good of his co workers he lost his job and his family's health care coverage, all because his daughter's handicap was not in the interest of the insurance company or the company he worked for. Out on the sidewalk. My, do we love those handicapped children to death.

[cap]

42. Neighbors helping neighbors for health care usually means get your womenfolk to do it..

Note to Coburn: the womenfolk are overwhelmed in cases requiring chronic assistance. I don't think that you personally are showing up to feed an elderly neighbor day after day. Middle aged women have too much on their plate as it is. We are working full time jobs that don't have the flexibility that they used to. We have taken in our kids because they can't find work; and we are already taking care of our elders. If our spouse is not healthy, we are bearing the burden for him too. Oh yeah, and I forgot we are putting our own needs second.

[fifthoffive]

43. What happened to "promote the general welfare?"

I could have sworn that that was in the U.S. Constitution. If the health of its people isn't part of the general welfare of the nation, I'm confused.

Preamble to the U.S. Constitution:

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Seems to me that this could be interpreted to establish equitable health care as one of the responsibilities of the government.

[PVnRT]

44. He reminds me of John Hostettler (R-IN-Prick)

He showed up for a photo-op type thing for breast cancer survivors in his district (formerly where I lived) and promptly started talking about the "link" between abortion and breast cancer.

[Christa]

45. Saw this on tv last night

and was so upset I thought I was going to have a stroke :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Skidmore]

46. Who wants to pay for a teevee ad using this with a little narrarative mentioning

that this is a doctor speaking and which side he's on? Can we say "status quo" and "not yours?"

[guitar man]

47. Coburn

A one man death panel. :mad: :grr:

[Fleshdancer]

48. His govt office will help but the govt is not a solution?

Way to contradict yourself there Coburn.

[WI_DEM]

50. Did the nursing home kick him out or did they leave on there own? it's unclear

"We left the nursing home and they told us we're on our own" Does that mean that she decided to take her husband out and they told her if she did that they are on there own. I don't see where it says that the nursing home kicked them out.

[Stephanie]

52. "His insurance will not cover him to eat and drink."

What's unclear?

[WI_DEM]

54. No need to get touchy it's just a question.

[Stephanie]

55. Touchy? I simply provided you with the quote.

And wondered why you find it unclear.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

135. Because she asked if they left on their own or if they were thrown out.

Your answer doesn't clear that up at all.

[JVS]

51. They'd do it for Terry Schiavo!

[Stephanie]

53. Follow up: Caseworker in Coburn's Senate office is helping her - not the evil GOVERNMENT

Sen. Coburn's office is NOT the government, you see. His office is just compassionate neighbors helping neighbors.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,542384,00.html

We Need Compassionate Response, Not Bureaucracy

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," August 21, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Senator Tom Coburn joins us live. Senator, is there something you can do to help this woman, or can we help this woman or -- or what -- how do you respond to this?

SEN. TOM COBURN, M.D., R - OKLA.: Well, sure, we can help her. But remember, the first obligation is for her neighbors and us to help her here in Oklahoma. And we need reforms and we're going to get reforms, but the answer is not having the government in control of those reforms.

And so she immediately -- I invited her up to my office, and my case worker started working with her, and we'll help her and her husband. But the fact is, is one of the things that makes our country great is that we, as individuals, should be helping everybody around us, rather than transferring that to the responsibility of the government. And the government's never compassionate.

And that lady got everybody's heart in our town hall meeting, and I'll guarantee you the city of Oklahoma City's going to pick that lady up and her husband and help her. That's without a government program.

VAN SUSTEREN: You know, I -- I hate to -- obviously, the word "lucky" isn't the right word to use listening to this woman, but this woman -- I mean, the fact that you had a town hall meeting gave her an opportunity to be heard, to get the attention of you and to the community and everybody else. But the fact is, there are a lot out there who -- who -- you know, who can't make it to your town hall meeting. They might live in the far regions of Oklahoma or they may live in a state where a senator doesn't hold town hall meetings. What do you suggest for -- you know, we do have a problem in this country. What do you suggest?

COBURN: Well, what I don't suggest is tearing what's -- tearing what is good and great about our health care system down in the -- in the name of fixing the areas that it's not good. And what I think is in front of us is violating the first oath of medicine, which is the first thing is to do no harm. And that's not to deny a recognition that we have significant problems in terms of competitiveness and cost in our country.

But the thing that denies her access is cost, and when we spend way too much health care and we get not get enough value for the dollars that we're spending, to say we need to spend more money is the wrong answer. What we need is to get far greater value for the health care dollars that we're spending. And we need a compassionate response that is never going to work through a bureaucracy. And we're going to be able to take care of those that really need us.

But that's really a community obligation and not a federal government obligation. And we can do that, and we'll do it in Oklahoma, and do a pretty good job of it in Oklahoma.

[quiet.american]

57. Thanks for posting that followup. This guy is a real piece of work.

Just disgusting.

[beac]

67. And when that disgusting POS gets old and sick, his GOVERNMENT health plan

will take care of him. Talk about a waste of taxpayer dollars! Coburn, Lieberman, Grassley and all the other jerk offs who are standing in the way should be forced to give up their commie-socialist-big-government health care and try to buy it on the open market.

:mad:

[quiet.american]

70. Amen! nt

[Gormy Cuss]

75. What an idiot.

Twice over: first as an M.D. who should know better and second as a senator who thinks his staff isn't the government helping out.

[never cry wolf]

81. What is wrong with this guy?

"the city of Oklahoma City's going to pick that lady up and her husband and help her. That's without a government program."

The city of Oklahoma City is not a government? They won't be using it's citizens tax dollars to pay for the care this lady's husband needs?

WTF!!!!

[noiretextatique]

123. what a shameless asshole

:grr: i hope the voters of oklahoma are listening. your government rep is telling you that he's not interested in helping you. his "neighbors" are insurance companies.

[Neecy]

132. I'm just stunned by this

And so she immediately -- I invited her up to my office, and my case worker started working with her, and we'll help her and her husband. But the fact is, is one of the things that makes our country great is that we, as individuals, should be helping everybody around us, rather than transferring that to the responsibility of the government. And the government's never compassionate.

This man needs specialized medical care, not a neighbor to bring over a casserole.

He's a doctor, right? So where is he publicly urging doctors to check in with their neighbors to give them free medical care in their spare time? After all, as individuals, they should be helping everyone around them.

This is SO fucked up. I'm almost speechless.

[EC]

66. Working with a speech therapist is important

to relearning to swallow and doing the exercises to make sure you swallow correctly and not end up with liquids or food in your lungs...


When my Mom went through this it took a lot of work and time...

[xxqqqzme]

124. Agree, I had just such a head injury.

It affected the part of the brain that controls swallowing (among other things). Even now 14 years later, I still occasionally choke because the function is permanently impaired. It takes a dedicated therapist working w/ the person to 'eprogram' a head injury. I was lucky it was 14 years ago and my insurance covered all my therapy. If I was in that accident today, I shudder to think what would happen.

[Quantess]

139. Speech Pathologists who do swallowing treatment carry liability insurance

because there is such a great risk of aspiration (getting liquids in the lungs). Aspiration causes pneumonia, and death.

Speech Pathologists go through extensive training and continuing education for swallowing treatment.

[crazylikafox]

68. Coburn: Favors Insurance Company Death Panels

[sinkingfeeling]

69. Come on, I'm sure Sen. Coburn will help this man in the same way he helped Terry Schiavo.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/116479.html

The Sooner State family doctor Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said, ''All you have to do is look at her on TV. Any doctor with any conscience can look at her and know that she does not have a terminal disease and know that she has some function.''

[guitar man]

72. I just called my wife

We have a neighbor just down the street who is a real ass. He has Coburn stickers all over his car and had a huge Coburn yard sign last time he was up for re-election. I just called my wife and asked her to put any medical bills we get in the assholes' mailbox, and if/when he shows up with them and tells us the postman made a mistake, we'll explain to him that it was no mistake, that his man Coburn promised that our neighbors would help us with our health care . :evilgrin:

[beac]

89. Wickedly delicious!

Just bein' neighborly!


I hope every Coburn constituent with a health problem is calling his office for help today.

[guitar man]

90. We should just send our bills to his office

with the explanation, "Tom is our neighbor and he said our neighbors would help us out". It would be fantastic if he just got a flood of medical bills in his office :D

[LibDemAlways]

99. I hope you'll write a letter to your local paper suggesting that

all residents of Oklahoma send their medical bills either to a Coburn-loving neighbor or to Coburn himself. That POS deserves a pile of medical bills in his office so high that he can't open the door.

[guitar man]

107. yeah, I think I'm goint to write a LTTE

to the Tulsa World suggesting we start a "Tom Coburn is your Neighbor" campaign :D

[guitar man]

121. Ok, here's my LTTE

In a recent town hall meeting, Senator Tom Coburn bemoaned any government role in healthcare. It's awfully peculiar to me that Congress could whip put the public checkbook and write a trillion dollar hot check for an unnecessary war in Iraq at the behest of Bush and company, but can't see fit to make sure our own citizens have access to healthcare in our own country.

In addressing a woman's concerns about her husband who had a traumatic brain injury with feeding needs that were not covered under health insurance, Senator Coburn suggested we should be able to turn to our neighbors. Well, isn't Senator Coburn one of our neighbors too? How about those of us with medical bills we cannot afford to pay just send them to our neighbor the good Senator? Maybe if his office gets flooded with enough of them, he might see the light.

sincerely

[Greyskye]

126. Perfect. Everyone in his district should do this.

:thumbsup:

[OwnedByFerrets]

76. Have a bake sale, ya slacker. What?? You want a govmet handout??

just in case its needed :sarcasm:

[Vinca]

79. I'm assuming all the dimwits who clapped will be heading over to this poor family's house

to help with the care of the husband. Coburn is a heartless asshole.

[Javaman]

82. An analysis of why coburn is a complete and utter scumbag...

Coburn: Well I think think personally, yeah we'll help. tries to empathize with her

The first thing we'll do is see what we can do individually to help you, through our office. tries to help her

then it goes off the rails and he throws her under the bus

But the other thing that's missing in this debate is us, as neighbors, helping people that need our help. the wind up



You know, we've had a - (applause). The idea that the government is a solution to our problems, is an inaccurate, a very inaccurate statement. and the pitch

at this point, he's completely forgotten the woman exists, what her problem is and what he just promised to do to help her

[colsohlibgal]

83. Unbelievable

Coburn must be trying to catch up on wing nut crazy points with Oklahoma's other senator nut job.

What struck me is the hearty applause Coburn got for his inane reply. Wow - birthers, death panel folks, etc, is there a virus that folks are catching that makes them act like they are mentally challenged inbreds? Or is the dumbing down of America really picking up steam.

It's sickening and troubling, that's for sure. This could be a great country if we could eradicate stupid.

[LibDemAlways]

96. The idiots doing the applauding have no doubt never been

faced with the challenge of caring for a seriously ill person without any help. I've experienced it, and it's something I wouldn't wish on anybody. I guarantee that if one of their loved ones suddenly required round the clock care that they were expected to provide or else pay someone big bucks out of their own pocket to do it, they'd be all in favor of reforming the system.

[FLyellowdog]

84. Today's WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD.

I'll just bet...

[kevsters]

85. Coburn thinks like Cavuto...

Have you all seen this video of Neil Cavuto saying that it is not Obama's moral obligation to make sure Americans have health care, but it is his moral obligation to protect the American dollar?

This is unbelievable! here is the clip.

http://progressnotcongress.org/?p=2640

[valerief]

86. I thought taxes was "helping people who need help." Coburn is a cruel bastard. nt

[sakabatou]

91. Uh-huh... and the federal highway act was what now?

[Cleita]

94. I heard that. If I had to rely on my neighbors to help me give my husband

dialysis, he would be dead of infections. I had to be specially trained to be aware of the sterility and antisepsis required to do the procedure four to five times a day. I could have used the help occasionally just to refuel myself, but there is no way I could have trusted anyone without the training to help me. God these people, if not heartless, are clueless. In a different and better world that man would be in a special hospital unit getting the care he needs until he could go home or to a nursing home.

[sui generis]

97. how dare he stay alive with all that costly damage!

Why don't we cut Limbaugh's salary and have his neighbors all pitch in for his Oxy habit?

[TomCADem]

98. So, The Answer Is To Beg Your Neighbors b/c Gov't Is Not The Answer

[Rainngirl]

100. This whole "let's take care of each other"

thing is all I hear now from the right wingers. It must be the latest talking point brainwashing tool. They all say we shouldn't expect any help from the government, but that the neighbors, communities and churches should all pitch in and take care of each other. I want to yell at them, "THAT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN, YOU MORONS!" It sounds nice in theory, but can anyone imagine any of those teabagger/birther/death-panel types being compassionate enough to help a non-white or gay or female neighbor??? But I bet they wouldn't hesitate to cash a Social Security check or use Medicare when they qualify. Sweet Jesus, I'm SO tired of these sanctimonious, narrow-minded, selfish, non-thinking fuckers.

[Echo In Light]

105. First I've noticed you, Rainngirl. I'd Rec your post if possible

:thumbsup:

[lsewpershad]

101. I Wonder

how his constituents feel when they hear shit like this unles all or most feel they should run over there and help this family. My god what a mindless dickhead this coocooburn

[Ilsa]

104. So Coburn wants to pass this problem off to the woman's neighbors, local therapists, etc.

Sounds to me like he wants people to stop working their 55 hour weeks, spend less time with their kids or ailing parents, and go to work on the sick people. Does his entire family do this? Do they spend all of their free time helping others?

[Toasterlad]

110. What a Disingenuous, Hypocritical Piece of Shit.

Every damn sick person in Oklahoma should gather outside the door of his home - his HOME, not his office - and beg for help. Let's see some good old Oklahoma generosity in action.

Jesus Fucking Christ on a fire truck, I hate people like him.

[1776Forever]

111. We went through this too with my son who has Progressive MS - He almost ended his live over it!

Damn! Death Squads - They are alive and well in the Hospitals and Health Insurance Halls of Shame!!!!

[ima_sinnic]

114. where are the comments of the lurking asshole teabagger trolls?

suddenly gone to crickets, it appears. When their bullshit is shown to be absolute dumbass insanity, the fucktards are suddenly speechless.

so aren't any of you "libertarian" limbaugh-loving assholes going to comment here?

[MrScorpio]

115. Where did Coburn vote on Terri Schiavo?

Anybody? :shrug:

[dysfunctional press]

116. government of the people, by the people, and for the people IS about neighbors helping each other.

what people have to realize is that the government is US, not "them".

[Deep13]

118. I know why people like Coburn rise so high in government.

Shit floats.

[Joanne98]

125. He's a one person DEATH PANEL!

He thinks he's GAWD cause he belongs to C st.

[Quasimodem]

128. From my experience:

If the fellow is being fed through a gastric feeding tube, he needs competent assistance just to get basic sustenance, as well as trained medical maintenance to avoid infection from what is, in essence, an open wound. And then there is whatever it is that is the matter with him which makes a gastric feeding tube necessary.

According to his biography, Coburn is a doctor, a minister, and a senator. Competence in any of these fields demands a more serious response, and I don’t mean merely verbal.

He is nonetheless correct when he suggests this situation a problem for the poor fellow’s neighbors to solve. And it will continue to be so as long as they continue electing charlatans and incompetents to represent them in Washington.

[noiretextatique]

130. exactly

stop voting against your interests, idiot america.

[WinkyDink]

137. Don't forget we are a Christian nation! Coburn should have told the poor woman to pray harder!

[happyslug]

140. Nursing home kicked him out????? Something is wrong

Under the laws in my state (and I believe it is federal law but I have NOT checked that out, but Federal Law governs HOW nursing home are paid for long term care) you can NOT be kicked out of a Nursing home except if another place can be found for you. No place to go, you can NOT be force to leave.

Now, Medicare does NOT pay for long term nursing care, Medicaid does. The problem is to be eligible for Medicaid your assets must be below the assets set for a person on welfare. What happens is people get put into a nursing home and then use up whatever insurance they have and then whatever assets they have (including their home) to pay for the long term care. When all of their assets are gone then Welfare through the Medicaid program pays for the rest.

Yes, welfare pays for most long term medical care, not insurance, not Medicare. Long term nursing home costs are the number one cost of most state's welfare programs (The cash grants the state give out in welfare is small change compared to the cost of long term Nursing Care).

Now, there are protections for the rights of spouses, including the right to live in the family home even as the other spouse is in a nursing home. There is a five year look back period for people who give away their home. i.e. if you give your home to your children and you end up in a nursing home within five years of that transaction, the nursing home can go after the home unless the children can show they paid their parents full value for the house (If the parent does NOT go into a nursing home within five years of transferring the title, then the children keep their home free and clear). This is FEDERAL law to help reduce the cost of long term nursing care.

Just an observation something is wrong here, could be a nursing home kicked her husband out when they had no right to do so (Told her they were removing him and she had to take him in but did NOT tell her that if she said she could NOT take care of him they had to keep him. This is a tactic used even in my area by Nursing home who want to get rid of long term patients whose assets are used up and all the nursing home is getting is the Medicaid grant amount).

Another possibility is she wanted to try to keep her house for her children's inheritance, but that meant keeping her husband in her home until the five year rule had run (Provided both her and her husband had signed over their property to their children). A variation of this was she wanted to preserve the home for her children by keeping him at home but the cost of doing so is higher then she thought it would be and now is facing a choice she does NOT want to make, give up his half of her home for his care (She can stay in the house but the house at her death goes to pay for the nursing care NOT to her children) OR keep him in the home, something she can no longer do.

Just a comment that she may NOT be the innocent victim she makes out she is, she may just be unwilling to accept the unpleasant fact that she can NOT leave her children anything upon her and her husband's death. What she is facing is unpleasant but driven by current law (and has been the law since the 1980s).

[jwirr]

141. The way I understand her need is that her husband has a feeding

tube and the nursing home would not pay for the necessary supplies needed for that. Apparently neither would her insurance. The idea that her neighbors can come up with the kind of money it takes to feed a grown man with a supplemental food is ridiculous.

[K8-EEE]

143. Compassionate Conservativism: GO BEG! TOUGH SHIT!

Assholes...

[BrklynLiberal]

145. Maybe she could get three jobs, be a real American....like the one that Bush thought was so great.

x(

[walldude]

146. The government is not the solution!!!!!

But come to my office and we'll help you.


Is this irony, hypocrisy or stupidity? This is why you can't debate with the other side. This man just said government is not the solution but come to my government office and we'll help you. :crazy:

[BanzaiBonnie]

147. He's telling people they should become beggars

That was the most telling display for

WHY WE NEED HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM

NOW