"How can...Congress, who receive fairly decent health care, tell 47 million uninsured Americans"

[ProSense]

This was Conyers advocating single payer in May 2008:

Equally disturbing, the Institute of Medicine reports that 20,000 Americans die each year as a direct result of having no health insurance. How can we, in the Congress, who receive fairly decent health care, tell 47 million uninsured Americans that they cannot have access to health care?

With the knowledge that 20,000 Americans die each year without health insurance, how can we, in Congress, who do have health insurance, not place universal health care as a front burner issue in this chamber?

link

Good question. Don't Americans deserve "fairly decent health care"?

[Walk away]

1. I guess they figure dead people don't vote. n/t

[dave29]

2. they don't deserve health care if via a private insurance company, or jobs if via a corporate entity

or security if through armed force... but especially, they don't deserve progress... if through reason

So there!


:sarcasm:

[girl gone mad]

5. So then you're opposed to NAFTA?

[Donnachaidh]

3. how can Obama, effectively DISAPPEAR 17 MILLION people from the argument

and then call this POS bill a WIN?

Americans deserve health CARE -- NOT the Insurance Profits Protection Act of 2010.

[berni_mccoy]

7. He's not. The majority of those 17 million will take the tax penalty of not subscribing

to the mandate.

The mandate is optional, for a price. That was included for people who were freaking out over "mandated" insurance. If you don't believe it, you can see for yourself from the CBO. The remainder of those 17 million will be illegal immigrants not covered. That's not a good thing, but nonetheless, neither house supports covering illegal immigrants.

[Raineyb]

12. In other words, they're not covered now, and they won't be covered under this

plan of mandated feeding of insurance companies coffers. So they won't be able to afford the insurance AND they won't be subsidized so they'll be forced to "choose" the penalty as a result. They'll be paying for nothing. How exactly is that a benefit?

[girl gone mad]

4. Decent health care, not mandated defective health insurance products. n/t

[ProSense]

8. The plan in the President's proposal is equal to Congress'. In fact,

it may even be better.

More Health Insurance Choices

• Multi-state option. Health insurance carriers will offer plans under the supervision of the Office of Personnel Management, the same entity that oversees health plans for Members of Congress. At least one plan must be non-profit, and the plans will be available nationwide. This will promote competition and choice.
  
  
• Free choice vouchers. Workers who qualify for an affordability exemption to the individual responsibility policy but do not qualify for tax credits can take their employer contribution and join an exchange plan.

PDF


So given your comment "Decent health care," which seems to imply agreement with Conyers, what's there to oppose?

[girl gone mad]

10. Not interested in talking points.

Let's have some facts.

BCBS is a non-profit provider, lest you forget, and they certainly are no improvement.

Vouchers can help pad the profits of the insurers, but they will do nothing to help people afford to get actual care.

We need real answers. What are the limits on co-pays? How much more will those with pre-existing conditions have to pay? What about the vast majority of people whose income doesn't qualify them for subsidies?

[ProSense]

11. Not interested in facts, huh? n/t

[dflprincess]

14. The "non-profit" meme is a sop they throw to us

The executives at the non-profits are doing very well financially and their best to contribute to the problem. Without oversight they waste as much money as the for profits. When it comes to health insurance, non-profit doesn't mean honest.

The three largest insurers in Minnesota are all non-profit sevreal years ago the state Attorney General began audits of them and found incredible abuses. I seem to recall a lot of entertainment expenses for insurance brokers (an expense a single payer system would not have) and paying for a condo for an executive.

This links to a story about the AG's investigation:

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/200109/24_mccalluml_allina/

[ShortnFiery]

6. Because if you're not poor, you'll go bankrupt affording health care with this horrid bill.

It does little to nothing to control costs. It covers the POOR and the RICH while fleecing the WORKING CLASSES.

[ProSense]

9. "It covers the POOR..." That's horrific? Here

facts:

[PVnRT]

13. Boy, there's a rallying cry

Give me fairly decent private health insurance or give me death!