Quote of the Day -- On America and Universal Health Care

Quote today from one George D Morgan on Facebook.

He's so right.

"I spent 36 years in the insurance business. So I know a thing or two about the subject. The one thing everyone needs to understand is that insurance is an exclusionary product--though it includes good risks that the insurance companies want, it EXcludes bad risks they do not want.

Because of the exclusionary nature of insurance, health care is not, never has been, and never will be, a good candidate as an insurance product. This is because everyone needs health care.

Everyone---without exception.

So don't talk to me about Socialism or Capitalism or anything in between. We need to adopt a universal health care system because health care is universally needed--unlike what is provided by insurance.

It's really that simple."

And the rest of the Western, industrialized world does it. 

Somehow I think we could manage.

Our Obscene, Highly Immoral, Bankrupting, Even Murderous Healthcare System

In the past week, quite by accident, I've heard two different stories from two completely unconnected people, women, as chance would have it, about health care travesties. They highlight, very well, the ugly insanity of how we do health care.

The first was from a woman who said she worked full time at a law office and for her family's health insurance, she paid $600 per month.

That's it.

That's the whole story.

One person, one woman, trying to support her family and the best her company--heck, our nation--could offer her was to pay $600 per month for health care insurance.

She rightly and truly pointed out, too, that this didn't include the huge, thousands of dollars minimums she'd have to pay first if there were any health care needs nor does it include the co-pays.

That alone is, as the headline says, obscene and immoral.

Is it any wonder health care costs are the number one cause of bankruptcy in this nation?

The second example was from a co-worker, by chance, this afternoon. I heard her talking that she had, some time ago, gone to her doctor's office and had some sort of health care episode of some kind. She was in her doctor's office by coincidence, for something else, entirely. The doctor's office was physically attached to the hospital. One could go through the hallways to get there.

Once she started having this "episode"--I don't know what the ailment was--they told the doctor's staff, naturally. That staff informed the woman they would not only call an ambulance but that--get this--THEY HAD TO CALL THE AMBULANCE.  She couldn't go through the building or even go around to the front door or something. An ambulance had to be called, she had to be put into it and be taken to the emergency entrance.

So that's what happened.

And because of that, she was billed $800.

$800 for an ambulance trip, AROUND THE BUILDING, not even a block, that took seconds.

This is a woman who doesn't make a great deal of money, ladies and gentlemen.

We seem to not have any sense when it comes to health care in this nation. We're all about companies and corporations making loads of money and having big profits but we don't care about the costs.

Again, WE ARE THE ONLY NATION THAT DOES THIS.

We, the US, are the only nation in the world that ties health and health care to profit and profits.

Consequently, we are the only nation that has citizens that go bankrupt due to health care costs.

We are the only nation that has people die because they can't afford treatment. We are the only nation that has people die because they can't afford insulin, as just one perfect example.

We just are not very bright. In spite of what we tell ourselves.

Link:

Americans are dying because they can’t afford insulin

The Real Reason America Doesn't Have Universal Health Care

Republicans, Their AHCA, aka "Trumpcare", at Last

Cut health insurance coverage for 23 million Americans?

Slash Medicaid?

Make it harder for the elderly to get health insurance?

Make it harder for the disabled to have health insurance?

Make it harder for America's Veterans to have health insurance?

Make it harder for women to have health insurance?

Make it harder for families to have health insurance?

Take away the mandate for those with pre-existing conditions to get and have health insurance?

But give yet more tax cuts to the already-wealthy?

Really?

This is who we are?

This is who we want to be?

Tell us how this isn't oligarchy and plutocracy, both.

Fortunately, there is this.

Four GOP senators say they can't vote 

for Republican health care bill

And it only takes 4 Republicans defecting to kill it. There's no telling how many more won't be able to back it, as word of this nightmare gets out.

One last note. Check out what happened at the very cowardly and heartless Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office today, too.

Capitol Police drag disabled protesters out of wheelchairs during Trumpcare protests

This is not going to go well. It's not going to go well for them. How every Republican in Congress isn't already running from this thing, this health care nightmare, is anyone's guess.

I will be very, very surprised if this bill of theirs, the Republicans, isn't DOA.

Already.

Links:

Here's the simplest takedown of the Republican scheme to take away health care from millions

Senate's health care bill shreds Medicaid 

and essential health benefits

The people who will be hurt the most 

by Trump's Medicaid plan

Many Republican senators are unhappy about the AHCA draft

Nations That Have Universal Health Care

Yes, nations that have universal health care--health care for all--and so, don't tie its cost to profit like we in America. A partial list.

Check that out.

Slovenia, for God's sake.

But no, we can't do it.

Idiots.

Quote of the Day -- On Our Health Care

On This Day, March 25, 1966

How completely timely is that, given the Republicans attempts, once again, to keep health care only for the wealthy, to keep it unattainable for the middle- and lower-classes?

It was true then, in 1966, all those many years ago and it's become ever more true, with every increase in pharmaceutical prices and health care insurance premiums and especially with the Republicans' attempts to repeal the ACA, "Obamacare."

Republicans' Plan To Repeal Obamacare---With No Replacement

The media have been reporting that Republicans in Washington have every intention of repealing, at long last, "Obamacare", the Affordable Care Act, also known as the ACA.  They've wanted to for years, of course. They wrote and attempted to pass this repeal at least 60 times in Congress, literally, wasting all that time and energy and so, our American taxpayer dollars, in their efforts.

Meanwhile, more Americans have health insurance for the first time in the nation's history. There are a lot more successes of the program, too.

Obamacare: an unheralded success 

- The Boston Globe

Obamacare Is A Success After All, 

Report Shows Proof

Another Obamacare Success: 

It's Cut Premiums By 30-50%

The success of the Affordable Care Act 

is a hugely inconvenient truth

6 Years After Obamacare's Passage, 

Haters Refuse to Accept Reality

There are rumors out there that the Republicans won't wipe it all away, that they'll keep some of it. It's difficult to tell. What's clear is that, after all these years of not wanting the ACA, they did not have then, nor do they, today, a replacement for it. Likely more than 20 million Americans could, then, lose their health insurance.  Who knows? They surely don't.

What we do know is this, from the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. It was true then, when he said it and it's still patently, sadly true.

I've pointed this out before. We have, beyond measure, the most expensive, exclusive, killing health care system in the world, bar none.

Once again, US has most expensive, 

least effective health care system

It's the most expensive health care system in the world. So much so, it's killing us. We also have the worst, lowest mortality rates of the top 17 industrialized nations.

So yes, we need health care solutions, Republicans.

Please stop putting your political party, your careers and the already-wealthy and corporations ahead of the needs of the American people, the nation.

Link:

GOP launches long-promisedrepeal of Obamacare with 
no full plan to replace it

Medical Bills Are the Biggest Cause of US Bankruptcies: Study

Medical Costs is the Number One Cause of Bankruptcy

Senator McCaskill, On the Trail of Our Crushing Health Care System

Proof positive, folks, of what the insanity of having our health care system tied to profit and profits does. Capitalism, at it's both worst and finest, and brought to light, thank goodness, by our own Senator Claire McCaskill. From yesterday's New York Times:


Senator Claire McCaskill, left, and Senator Susan Collins presented a 130-page report Wednesday on price gouging by prescription drug makers. CreditDrew Angerer for The New York Times

To Stop Price Spikes on Prescription Drugs, 

a Widening Radar

In the actual paper itself, it had a different headline and one that I like far better. It was

The Price of One Vial: $38000

A bit of the article:

Congressional reports can be a snooze. But that is not how I’d characterize Wednesday’s in-depth account of price gouging among prescription drug makers. The 130-page narrative prepared by the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging was juicy, detailing how four pharmaceutical companies have taken advantage of our health care system to enrich themselves and their executives, harming patients and taxpayers.

Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine who is chairwoman of the committee, and Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri who is its ranking member, published the report. But in a statement, they said their work was not finished and called for “continued efforts to stop bad actors who are acquiring drugs that have been off-patent for decades and driving up their prices solely because they can.”

The report focused on Retrophin, Rodelis Therapeutics, Turing Pharmaceuticals and an old favorite, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. But these four companies are not alone in pursuing the pernicious price-hike business model, the committee noted. Other companies take the same approach, hurting taxpayers, patients and the health care system.

That’s for sure.

It is unclear where the Senate may set its sights next. But fresh Medicare data points to a candidate right in Ms. McCaskill’s backyard: St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt PLC. It makes H.P. Acthar Gel, a 1950s vintage, off-patent drug whose cost has rocketed from $40 a vial in 2001 to $38,000 today.

That Epi-pen episode, not that long ago was just one more example of this kind of, again, Capitalist gouging of the American public. Sick Americans, actually.

Senators McCaskill and Susan Collins (R-Maine) get credit for bringing this to light and for doing this examination. Seems the women have the empathy for the American public who are trying to afford our grossly obscene and immoral health care system. Men in Congress don't seem to be as interested in doing this so-important work.

Senator McCaskill gets additional kudos for this exploration since one of the companies they're looking into is based right here in Missouri, Mallinckrodt PLC.  That takes some guts since she no doubt risks some political capital--potential votes--in doing this though the article did mention one Senator Tim Scott (R-So. Carolina) did raise questions about this drug's pricing "over a year ago."

It's a fascinating, even, possibly important, very relevant, if depressing article. Virtually all adult Americans, paying for health care, should be aware of it. It shows just what the pharmaceutical companies are doing to us all and getting away with.

All in the name of health care.

And, again, that mighty, mighty Capitalism so many love so dearly.

Links:

Healthcare, Meet Capitalism

US Healthcare is an Embarrassment

Will Corporate Greed Destroy Our Healthcare System?

Health Care Problem Isn't Socialism, It's Capitalism

Healthcare Isn't A Free Market, It's A Giant Economic Scam

The Reason Our Healthcare Is So Outrageously Expensive

We're just not very bright.  We put companies and corporations and profit and profits ahead of people and people's needs.

America's Actual Health Care Problems

The news has been breaking lately--

Employees' Share of Health Insurance 

Costs Rising

So naturally, too many people are blaming it on Obamacare. 

The fact is, the culprit and problem isn't Obamacare, the actual problem is that we still have our health care costs tied to profit and profits.  It needs to be pointed out, yet again, that NO OTHER INDUSTRIALIZED NATION IN THE WORLD does this. No other nation ties health care to profit. 

It's why we have the most expensive health care system in the world. It's how we got where we are today. To now blame Obamacare and President Obama for the health care costs rising just gives further license to these corporations to raise their rates and premiums and prices all the further. It's insane. It's how we're getting things like this:

U.S. Health Care Costs Rise Faster 

Than Inflation

We have to end our current system of health care and go to a single payer plan, once and for all.

If Hotels Were Run In America Like Our Hospitals

The Republican Nightmare That Is Obamacare

Oops.

Question for you, America

The Republican Replacement for Obamacare?

So, after years and years of complaining and criticizing and 56 votes against it in Congress, the Republican Party has finally, finally come up with what they say is their replacement for Obamacare. And it's a beaut:

GOP replacement plan for Obamacare unveiled by Congressman Fred Upton, two U.S. senators

From the article:

Congressman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, is among the authors of a Republican plan released this week to replace the Affordable Care Act.

The plan would abolish the federal Health Insurance Marketplace and the expansion of Medicaid. In its place, Americans with an income of up to 300 percent of the poverty guidelines would receive tax credits to purchase insurance on the private market.

The federal mandate to purchase insurance would be abolished. Insurers would be required to insure people with pre-existing conditions, but only if they haven't let their coverage lapse. 

The plan would still allow young adults to stay on their parents' health care plan until age 26, but states could "choose to opt out of this provision."

In another change from the ACA, insurers would be allowed to charged older customers up to five times more for premiums compared to young adults, who are typically healthier and less expensive to insure. The ACA limits the cost differential to three times more.

The plan also would eliminate the types of medical services mandates in the ACA, allowing Americans more flexibility in purchasing plans that provide minimal coverage.

Overall, it appears the proposal would reduce the government costs compared to the ACA, but increase costs for some individual consumers and insure fewer people.

So it's a total "give" back to the health care insurance companies.
All these former, existing benefits of Obamacare for the people go away.

And the Republicans are for the people.

Yeah, right.

Guess which country

Further successes of "Obamacare"

To all the haters and non-believers out there, read 'em and weep (with thanks and a hat tip to The Huffington Post):

CBO: Obamacare Will Cost Less Than Projected

WASHINGTON -- The Congressional Budget Office has released updated estimates on the Affordable Care Act's impact on both the budget and the health insurance industry. The findings show that the president's signature health care law is actually growing cheaper to implement, costing the government $5 billion less in 2014 than was previously projected. The law also is projected to cover more individuals than previously believed, owing, in part, to some broader workforce trends.

Some of the highlights:

Twelve million more non-elderly people will have health insurance in 2014 than if Obamacare had not become law. CBO's projections on this crucial measure of the law's success are higher than recent surveys from the Rand Corp., which estimated a 9.3 million reduction, and from Gallup, which shows a 3.5 million decline.

For all of 2014, the CBO expects 6 million people to be covered by private health insurance policies purchased through the exchanges, fewer than the 7.5 million enrollment figure touted by the White House. That's mainly because the CBO expects people to cycle in and out of different types of coverage over the year -- perhaps by taking a new job and the health benefits that come with it -- and because some enrollees won't pay their first month's premium or will let their policies lapse during the year.

Even with those gains, a good chunk of the country will still lack coverage. The number of uninsured in 2014 will be 42 million people, according to the CBO. It will fall to 36 million in 2015 and 30 million in 2016 and 2017.

Most of them will remain uninsured because they will have declined coverage, the CBO said. Forty-five percent of them will have access to private insurance through the exchanges or an employer, while 20 percent will be eligible for Medicaid but will not sign up. In addition, 30 percent will be undocumented immigrants, who aren't permitted to use the health insurance exchanges or enroll in Medicaid, and 5 percent will be legal residents eligible for Medicaid but living in states that refused to expand the program under the Affordable Care Act.

Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program will grow by 7 million more beneficiaries in 2014 than if Obamacare weren't law, the CBO said. The law calls for an expansion of Medicaid eligibility to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $15,300 for a single person, but 24 states declined to broaden the program this year. The number of enrollees will jump next year but eventually level off. The CBO projects that 11 million more people will sign up for Medicaid in 2015, and 12 million to 13 million per year between 2016 and 2024. The CBO does not estimate how many more people would have signed up for the programs this year had their states chosen to participate in the expansion.

The cost of the health care law is falling, according to the CBO. Between 2015 and 2024, the price tag of Obamacare will be $1.383 trillion, $104 billion lower than prior estimates. This is because of a combination of factors, including a reduction of $165 billion in the gross costs of coverage (the government will spend less on exchange subsidies) and fewer people and businesses paying penalties for either not purchasing coverage or not providing it to their workers.

So, the long and short of it is, as Vice President Joe Biden said at the signing, rather famously, "It's a pretty big f*cking deal."

Oh, and the two of them and the Democratic Party were all right on this thing, all along.

Just sayin'.

Need or want proof "Obamacare" is working?

Read it and weep, Republicans, Right Wingers and haters out there.  For the rest of us, it's a relief and the beginning of good things:

Top-Ranked Hospital Cuts Budget $165 Million Due to 'ObamaCare

And lest anyone here think it's from some Left Wing, very Liberal, biased and deeply slanted site like 

The Huffington Post, check out that source for the article:  Christian News, The Christian Post

Snippets from the article:

Possibly signaling a national trend, The Cleveland Clinic, ranked the fourth-best American hospital by U.S. News & World Report, announced that it plans to cut $330 million from its 2014 budget, and attributed about half of those cuts, roughly $165 million, directly to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as "Obamacare."

Massachusetts General Hospital, ranked number two by U.S. News & World Report, also reported increased budget cuts but did not have a specific number.

"We had to take about $330 million out of next year's budget," Eileen Sheil, executive director of corporate communications at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an interview on Monday. Sheil told The Christian Post that "half of the 330" is directly attributable to Obamacare.

And as for jobs?

But Sheil set out to correct rumors that the Cleveland Clinic had plans to lay off 3,000 employees. "We offered early retirement to 3,000 employees who were eligible for it," she clarified.

One hospital. One highly-ranked hospital. One budget. 165 million dollars.

It's a start.  Heck, it's a great start.

We have the most expensive health care system in the world. 

We have the worst health outcomes, from that absurdly-expensive system, of the top 17 industrialized nations.

More Americans go bankrupt from health care expenses than any other one source. Some 40% of the total bankruptcies in the nation are from health care expenses.

The system was and still is, truth be told, broken, folks. Very broken. It was only working for the corporations and wealthy, not for the people.

We needed a fix. We needed the Affordable Care Act. We direly needed "Obamacare."

The great American health care system

--The most expensive health care system in the world.

--The worst results from that health care, per person, compared to all other of the 17 industrialized nations of the world.

--More bankruptcies caused in the nation due to health care costs than any other source--approximately 40% of all bankruptcies in the country are due to health care expenses.

These three reasons alone show why we need health care reform.  And badly.  We need to get control of health insurance costs and rules, as the ACA, "Obamacare" does.

It's not rocket science.

Think the European countries spend more on taxes than the US on their health care?

You would be very, very mistaken.



We, the US, spend far, far more on taxe--as well as and on top of our health care--than any other nation.

We are being taken for a very, very expensive ride, ladies and gentlemen and it's all so the insurance companies and pharmaceuticals and other corporations can make--and keep making--big, big profits.

All on our backs.

We need to demand an end to this.

"Obamacare" is just one start in our favor.