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WHITE HOUSE HEALTH FORUM: LONG ON PROBLEMS, SHORT ON SOLUTIONS.
The White House Office for Health Reform held the fourth of five Regional Health Forums in my hometown of Greensboro, NC, on Tuesday morning, so I decided to stop by. The event lasted less than two hours, not nearly enough time to hear from the approximately 400 people in attendance or engage in deep discussion. North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue and Nancy Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office for Health Reform, presided over an event that was mostly orchestrated: many of the audience questions and comments came from individuals who had been pre-selected to speak. Individuals with special medical needs shared their struggles with the health care system; small business owners told of high health insurance costs forcing difficult decisions; and health practitioners (about half the audience were clinicians, by show of hands) imparted tales of conflict between their medical judgment and the strictures imposed by insurance companies.The forum was heavy on tales of woe and scary statistics, but disappointingly light on concrete policy remedies. Among the few changes proposed were Governor Perdue's promotion of North Carolina Community Care as a successful model for similar national programs and an orthopedic surgeon's suggestion that tax breaks be given to physicians who treat uninsured individuals. DeParle acknowledged these concerns and said she would pass them on to the president, adding "There's money that needs to be moved around." She offered no new proposals of her own, instead reiterating that health reform is near the top of Obama's agenda and that he wants to see major legislation by year's end.
The dialogue echoed the administration's hallmark "post-partisan" centrism, with many stressing solutions that all sides can support. While no speaker made an explicit call for single-payer health coverage, an MD received a roar of applause by saying that Obama must exhibit persistence in advocating for the creation of a well-run, evidence-based public insurance option. To my chagrin, no speaker framed the issue in terms of health care being a human right, a rhetorical shift that would alter the terms of the debate. After all, it is nearly impossible for the infirm, without medical help, to enjoy or exercise any other right or to engage in the pursuit of happiness.
Nevertheless, one local pediatrician (and unsuccessful 2008 Congressional candidate), Teresa Bratton, is made optimistic by the White House's attempts at outreach. But she worries that the longer it takes to put together a comprehensive reform plan, the less time advocates will have to build political support for it. The forum's mood suggests that the moment is ripe for major changes to gain traction, given that only insurance companies are defending the status quo. Now all we need are some concrete plans to get behind.
-- Malcolm Kenton
COMMENTS (2)
Angry about Medicare Part D that does not help the middle class? You can do something about it.
I have a plan to fix the prescription drug benefit and more.
Get people to Send a free prewritten fax to Sen. Minority leader Mitch McConnell telling him to STOP EVERY REPUBLICAN FILIBUSTER, get the Employee Free Choice act enacted into law, along with single payer universal health care, a fix for the Medicare Prescription drug benefit, a 10 dollar an hour minimum wage, an end to the Iraq war and until that happens you will boycott some Republican campaign contributors.
You can go to http://write-congress.democratz.org and send Mitch McConnell a free prewritten fax. This web site appears completely noncommercial. I don't sell anything there.
We have to hit the friends of the GOP in their wallets. Oh and if you only send your fax, this will fail. You need to get friends to send the fax and have their friends send the free fax and so on.
Thank you!
PS the prewritten fax reads thusly:
Hello
I want the following actions taken
and legislation enacted into law.
Congress and the President must
enact HR 676 single payer universal
health care and set up a new
prescription drug benefit in
Medicare Part B covering 80% of the
cost of all drugs with no extra
monthly premiums, no extra yearly
deductible, no means tests, no
coverage gaps, and remove the means
test for Medicare Part B and until
that happens, I won't buy ANYTHING
from Republican contributor
Rite Aid Pharmacies.
The President must end the war in
Iraq and until that happens
I will not buy any products from
Republican contributor and War
contractor General Electric
Corporation.
Congress and the President must
enact a $10/HR MINIMUM WAGE
into law and until this happens
I will not go to any Republican
contributor Wendy's Restaurants.
In 2008 Brown-Forman of Kentucky,
the maker of Jack Daniels Whiskey
and Southern Comfort gave Mitch
McConnell money for his campaign.
SENATOR McCONNELL MUST NOT
EXECUTE ANY REPUBLICAN
FILIBUSTERS FOR 8 YEARS
DURING THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY
AND MUST GET THE EMPLOYEE
FREE CHOICE ACT ENACTED
INTO LAW AND UNTIL THAT
HAPPENS I WON'T BUY JACK
DANIELS WHISKEY OR SOUTHERN
COMFORT OR ANY OTHER OF THEIR
PRODUCTS.
Thank you.
Posted by: www.democratz.org | April 2, 2009 2:32 PM
Finally, the time has arrived to fix Americas Healthcare crisis, and Americas healthcare nightmare. Hundreds of thousands of you are killed needlessly every year by your healthcare delivery system in a rush to profit. And because of a rush to profit Hundreds of thousands more of you are needlessly dying from treatable illness that people in other developed and civilized countries don't DIE! from. Rich, middle class, and poor alike. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.
Additionally, thousands more of you are driven into financial ruin, and bankruptcy just because you, or one of your loved ones got sick or injured. And all of this is happening at a time when America spends twice as much of it's GDP (Gross Domestic Productivity) on health care than any other country in the developed world. Individual Americans spend about ten times as much on health care as any other people in the developed world. This is a CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY. AND IT MUST END!
But before we can truly fix this healthcare crisis and disgrace, everyone needs to clearly understand what the problem is. And everyone needs to clearly understand the real enormity of the problem. The problem is that HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL DELIVERY IN AMERICA IS SEVERELY CORRUPTED AND COMPROMISED BY GREED! AND THE PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MOTIVE. And it is corrupted, and compromised IN EVERY ASPECT, AND EVERY PLACE OF HEALTHCARE AND MEDICAL DELIVERY. Unfortunately for all Americans, compromised healthcare ALWAYS results in needless suffering, injury, disability, and or death. Which is exactly what is happening now in America in shocking numbers.
Health care is NOT! a private for profit business. Healthcare is an essential public service. Like police, and fire. And healthcare is also a human right! PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE IS AN OXYMORON, AND AN IMMORAL AND UNETHICAL PERVERSION OF HEALTHCARE AND HUMAN RIGHTS.
So how do we fix this healthcare disgrace? I believe the fix for Americas healthcare disaster is essentially the same thing that every other developed country in the World has essentially done. "NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX PAYER SUPPORTED, SINGLE PAYER, AUTOMATIC, FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL". Essentially HR676 (enhanced, and improved medicare for all). Just like every other CIVILIZED! country in the developed World has. There is no other way to truly fix and reform our current disastrous healthcare delivery system.
All Universal health care systems work best when everyone participates. But I know that the healthcare lobby, and some politicians will try and undermine "Not For Profit, Tax payer supported, Single payer, Automatic, Free Universal Healthcare for all" by falsely claiming that it will limit your choice, and require you to participate.
So, I propose that everyone be included in the national plan unless they choose to opt out. If you opt out and need medical care the national plan will insure your provider that they will be reimbursed under the rules for members in the national plan. But those who opted out, and their insurer will be responsible for the FULL! cost to the national plan for providing your care if you or your private insurer fails to reimburse the provider or the national plan in a timely manor to at least the standards of the national plan.
Including reporting you to credit agencies, withholding of taxes, leans, and garnishment of wages for unpaid medical bills. Just like you have now under private for profit healthcare, and private for profit health insurance.
Further, people who opted out will be required to provide proof of financial responsibility for future illness or be required to participate in the national plan. And everyone with children will be required to participate in the national plan. Or provide proof of insurance coverage on each child to the standards of the national plan. It will be against the law to report anyone in the national plan to a credit agency for unpaid medical bills.
Frankly, only a dope would want to opt out of the national plan and opt to keep our current disastrous private for profit medical, and insurance plans. But they will be free to choose. The most important thing is that the vast majority of Americans that want the protection, benefits, and higher quality of a universal national plan have that choice.
You see, one of the most important aspects of a universal healthcare system is easy access, and patient protection. This is accomplished by having a single payer without a conflict of interest in patient care. And by having a payer who has the power to enforce minimum standards of excellence in healthcare delivery for everyone in the plan. This is much of what Medicare does now for senors. "Aeger Primo" (The patient comes first). Unfortunately in our healthcare system the patient comes last. We are just a peace of meat to them. Cash cows to be slaughtered for profit.
So this is IT! my fellow Americans, My fellow human beings, My fellow World Citizens. And my fellow Cyber Warriors. :-) The time has come. D day. H hour. HEALTHCARE REFORM THIS YEAR! Let no one stand in our way. Contact your representative and tell them you want "Not For Profit, Tax Payer Supported, Single Payer, Automatic, Free Universal healthcare for all. And tell them you want that choice now. Tell them you want President Obama's budget passed without delay. President Obama's budget is brilliant. And exactly what is needed now.
President Obama, and his allies will need all the support you can give them. The healthcare lobby will try to take out his people if they can, like they did with Tom Daschle and Nancy Killefer. And they will try to neutralize President Obama's popularity, and political power. Or they will try to take him down someway. Don't stand for it. If they attack him. Go after them ten times harder and remove them from office. We had an election. And you the people chose President Obama's leadership, and change agenda. Let no one in government disrespect the will of the American people and remain in office.
SPREAD THE WORD! And talk it up with your families, friends, and coworkers. Keep ratcheting up the pressure until there is a ROAR! across America for "NOT FOR PROFIT, TAX PAYER SUPPORTED, SINGLE PAYER, AUTOMATIC, FREE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL".
Let's get this healthcare reform done now my fellow Americans. This year. Take no prisoners.
God Bless All Of You
Jack Smith — Working Class :-)
http://jacksmithworkingclass.blogspot.com/
(http://jacksmithworkingclass.blogspot.com/)
Posted by: jacksmith | April 3, 2009 4:58 AM