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726 Comments
- BMoreKarl, on 06/19/2009, -25/+137Here's my question: Why does my employer have the right to choose my health care provider? What does he know about health care? He's just a millionaire.
If we can get rid of the middleman and make the insurance companies compete, isn't that the best way to get a fair price?
Most people can't afford to go to the almighty market, even if there were no screenings or pre-existing condition clauses.
Right now there is no "free market" for health care. - rmokhiber, on 06/19/2009, -18/+123In 2003, then Illinois state Senator Barack Obama said he favored single payer. Obama said that all we need to do to get it passed is for the Democrats take back the White House, the Senate and the House.
Fast forward six years. The Democrats have taken the White House, the House and the Senate. Now Obama is opposed to single payer. Why did you flip-flop, Mr. President? - Jimmy1920, on 06/19/2009, -21/+91Why is Single Payer "off the table"?
- johnclayton, on 06/19/2009, -7/+67Simple question: Once you've got everyone on some sort of insurance plan, how are you going to make sure that said insurer actually takes care of you when you need it? I've been a victim of private insurance providers before and know of many others who have had it even worse.
The situation is all too common - you & your employer diligently pay insurance premiums every paycheck, but when you really need coverage the most you are left high and dry by the insurance company. They either don't pay the full cost because of a cap or its 'above average cost', won't pay for the treatment that you really need, or otherwise leave you stuck with a bill that could take a lifetime to pay off.
I realize that there are millions of uninsured people in the country, but given the way that insurance companies treat their paying customers, I can't help but question how forcing everyone to be covered benefits anyone but those companies. The fact that they can take your money and not provide the coverage you need should be criminal...please don't put the health and well being of our citizens into their hands. - KevinZeese, on 06/19/2009, -13/+64President Obama promised not to let the corporate powers continue to control Washington, DC yet when it comes to health care (and too many other issues) the corporate powers are in control. He said he supported single payer when he was a state senator but we had to win back the White House, Senate and House -- well all three have been done and he is no longer supporting single payer. In fact, he is putting the interests of the insurance companies first. As a result the Congress is finding it cannot pay for health care reform. Why? Because 31% of the cost of health care is the waste, fraud, abuse and bureaucracy of the insurance industry. Why won't President Obama stand up to the insurance industry and put forward what most Americans, doctors and nurses want, according to polls, a single payer health care system.
- hodab, on 06/19/2009, -14/+63Polls show the most popular health care reform among Americans is a single payer system. Why is single payer not being considered?
- ljansen, on 06/19/2009, -15/+52Single-payer saves lives and money. Why aren't we considering it? Why aren't we ADOPTING it?
- eakle, on 06/19/2009, -0/+33I would like to feel that my doctor works entirely for me, and not for an insurance company or government agency. Will your health reform make this possible?
- charliecoop, on 06/19/2009, -5/+35I have a Masters in Health Administration, but I find my health insurance plan documents to be a thicket of incomprehensible giberish. The money boys do this to confuse us, not because they care about our health. They spend 30% of every dollar on red tape and profit rather than on health care whereas Medicare spends about 95-97% of every dollar on health care. I think people want to keep their health care providers, not their insurance companies. Do you really think people care about keeping their insurance company?
- jimrecht, on 06/19/2009, -12/+39President Obama:
As a physician, I agree with the majority of my colleagues and our patients: our country needs a single payer national health plan that insures medical care for everyone. Why won't you allow single payer to be debated on its merits? - brendancalling, on 06/19/2009, -12/+38why is single player health care off the table? not insurance : health CARE like in canada, france, and the rest of the industrialized world?
why is it OK for taxpayers to pay 75% of the premiums of senators and congressmen, in a program that requires no medical exam, has no pre-existing conditions, and doesn't deny care to anyone, but we can't have the same for ourselves? isn't that rank hypocrisy, never mind sustaining two different classes of Americans? - adameros, on 06/19/2009, -13/+38Will medical marijuana reform be part of your health care plan?
- KevinMac, on 06/19/2009, -12/+35Put very simply: Polls show the most popular health care reform among Americans is a single payer system. Why is single payer not being considered?
- tommytoons1, on 06/19/2009, -8/+28If we have the Money to bail out the rich on Wall Streeet and the Banks Mr. President, why do we not have the money and the will to allow single payer to be part of the Healthcare reform bill or at least Mr. President a public option to be included?
- chrisgnv, on 06/19/2009, -9/+29Why is marijuana still illegal? Please provide evidence it should remain illegal while alcohol and tobacco remain legal.
- thephatmann, on 06/19/2009, -9/+29Simplicity is the essence of a good solution. If the goal is to spend less on health care, the easiest way to do that is to remove the portion of our spending that goes toward insurance company profits. If the goal is to have more efficient system, removing the insurance companies in the middle is the obvious first step. Single-payer is not a controversial choice, it is the only choice that makes sense, which is why most developed countries around the world employ it. Why are we talking about any other solution?
- nsmith1024, on 06/19/2009, -10/+29Please ask President Obama about why single payer is now off the table.
- kylesellers, on 06/19/2009, -13/+32My question is about supply and demand in health care. There is currently a shortage in the supply of health care which has largely contributed to the increasing costs. Your proposals would increase demand, but if there are not enough doctors or hospital beds to meet this demand, there will still be a shortage in health care and a certain number of people will go without care.
Considering it takes between 4 and 12 years to train new doctors, how will you increase the SUPPLY of health care in order to meet the increased demand? What will you do to address any shortages while these new doctors are trained? - theone718, on 06/21/2009, -0/+19"Mr. President, I ahve been watching this debate over health care reform and with all due respect,it is troublesome. The lobbyists in and out of Congress are fighting for the status quo to remain intact. Mr. President you ran on change and a public option included in Health Care reform IS real change. It would lower and control rising costs, focus on efficiency and actually lead us towards Universal Coverage. All the facts and the data show that a VIABLE AND ROBUST Medicare-like public option will lead to all three objectives listed earlier and recent polls have shown a range from 72%to83% of Americans supporting such an option being included in a Heath Reform bill. So Mr.President I ask you, will you fight for the American people and tell Congress you will not allow a bill without a Public Option to come to your desk? Will you fight for something a BIPARTISAN majority of Americans approve of? Will you fight for US and tell congress the status quo must not prevail, a public option and REAL reform is what you will pass?"
- TerryinNevada, on 06/19/2009, -4/+22Right on! No one seems interested in the "Care" part of this issue. The Congress and White house are so intent on finding ways for us all to "pay by payroll deduction" money into the pockets of the health industry. After experiencing Health care in France, I know it can be affordable and it can do a good job. America is so off the mark on this issue it makes me sad and angry.
- Valvecap, on 06/19/2009, -7/+23Everyone I know wants single payer, in part, so that US businesses can better compete with businesses in other countries who are not burdened by having to provide insurance for their employees. Isn't this a way to best help OUR economy?
- SpykerSpeed, on 06/19/2009, -5/+21America is currently 11 trillion dollars in debt. How will you pay for this?
- minklepsis, on 06/19/2009, -6/+21I don't understand why Obama and his administration keep calling single payer 'not politically feasible' and a 'major disruption'? I thought he ran on a platform of real change but now he is claiming change is not feasible and dangerous. The real disruption and danger is that nothing less than enacting a single payer plan (even the public option plan doesn't come close to solving the problem) will lead to huge escalating costs and the continued dehumanization of millions of Americans.
- sphacelate, on 06/19/2009, -9/+23I would like to know why President Obama still refuses to give an intelligent and complete answer on legalizing marijuana, which has topped the charts on questions to the new administration's homepage during their open discussions TWICE?
- cds36, on 06/19/2009, -1/+15I am a single father with custody of his child in Calif, I was just laid off my job of 7yrs where I had no health insurance, I pay for my Daughters Health, Dental and Vision. I do not qualify for Medical as I apparently make too much from work and I still dont qualify because I make too much from unemployment. There are absolutely no programs for Fathers like myself with no Health Insurance. What happens if I get sick or get into a accident? There are tons of programs for single Mothers or a woman who is pregnant, but absolutely nothing for a Father. I’m sure there are many other Single Fathers in the same boat as myself. As President how will you change this? And what programs will you have for someone like me?
- manypebbles, on 06/19/2009, -9/+21Why is single-payer off the table? It works for most industrial countries. It should for us. The for-profit health care system is not working for the people of this country other than itself where is reportedly making 30 billion dollars in profits. The Congress, especially the Senate, has conflict of interest in that so many have connections with the HMOs and pharmaceutical industry. The USA people need single-payer system now. Show the courage to do the right thing for the people who elected you.
- DevilsLeftHand, on 06/19/2009, -5/+17A majority of Americans can fully agree that tax payer dollars should not be wasted on programs that do not work. Shouldn't we quit wasting our tax dollars trying to enforce prohibition and use that money to educate the public on safe drug use and to treat those that are hopelessly addicted to drugs? Wouldn't that be the sane and compassionate thing to do, rather than throwing people with addictions and illness into prisons?
- Frankyfan3, on 06/19/2009, -7/+19If congress passes legislation that bars federal prosecution of medical marijuana patients in states that authorize it's use under the supervision of a physician, will you sign it into law?
- jbsilver, on 06/19/2009, -0/+12As someone who has recently seen his mother's health come into question and now understanding all to well how important having health care is to a family, I have to ask: How can you, as person who watched your own mother go through a similar situation, consider reforming health care in this country without a significant public option to insure those that cannot insure themselves?
- philodygmn, on 06/19/2009, -20/+31Do you believe "medical merijuana" is an oxymoron? If not, why are you allowing the government to continue to ruin lives in order to keep it illegal, and to drag its feet on the miniscule amount of research it conducts while ignoring the preponderance of evidence generated elsewhere in the world?
- m2violin, on 06/19/2009, -9/+20In your campaign you stated you supported moving towards single payer health insurance. Lately, you have stated the single payer option is "off the table." Why? Are the profits of private health insurance companies more important that affordable health care for everyone?
- ninjagoron, on 06/20/2009, -4/+15the solution is to not have government health care :|
- ChuckDees, on 06/19/2009, -1/+12My question is why if in poll after poll.
Public opinion for single payer is at or above 60%
Why is Congress including many Democrats outright ignoring the wants needs and opinion's of the citizens by offering plans that even exclude a public option. - jefferyblackwel, on 06/19/2009, -5/+16The idea that a public option will compete with private companies is exactly the point. Like in many industries there seems to be collusion between the major insurers that is allowing them to continually raise prices by dividing up the market geographically or by product.
I would prefer a serious look at a single-payer system, but if the public plan option is taken off the table, I predict that the insurance lobby will render any "reform" toothless, and nothing will change. - Shen4891, on 06/19/2009, -6/+17The Senate Finance Committee's hearings on health reform this past May did not include testimony from any advocate for single-payer insurance. Why has the dialogue concerning health care reform largely left out the participation of single-payer advocates, many of whom are doctors and nurses? Why do you think Americans are so misinformed about our own health care system and the mostly nonprofit national health systems in most other industrialized countries who, by all measurements, are healthier countries?
- melbienenfeld, on 06/19/2009, -11/+21Many Americans, including many respected physicians and 20 of the 38 people who commented on this site before me, are in favor of a single-payer health insurance plan. Yet it is almost never even mentioned by leading politicians and news media. President Obama, is that because insurance companies control speech and thought in the United States?
- Koushiro, on 06/19/2009, -1/+11Health care should be something that we get as Americans. I wouldn't mind paying taxes so much if that were included. Right now I'm getting very little use out of my government dollars.
- kylesellers, on 06/19/2009, -3/+13Is there any guarantee that the government will not have complete access to my health records? I personally do not want the government knowing every private health issue that I have. How will you ensure that my privacy will be ensured?
- pl0770, on 06/19/2009, -1/+11Is substantial majorities of the american people want single payer or a very strong public option, and if we gave democrats an overwhelming majority in the house and a filibuster proof majority in the senate, why are we talking about any compromise with republicans and the insurance industry. You campaigned on single payer, we gave you all the tools to deliver, why aren't we already celebrating the victory?
- bw43, on 06/19/2009, -7/+16- As Congress works on health care reform they are finding the cost of covering everyone is exorbitant. Indeed, it no longer seems possible with the CBO estimating that the most robust plan would leave 36 million uninsured in ten years. Under single payer everyone would have access to health care and it would be affordable because $400 million in insurance costs would be no longer in the equation. Why is single payer not being considered?
- Polls show the most popular health care reform among Americans is a single payer system. Why is single payer not being considered?
- Aren't you just going to pour hundreds of billions into a failed system? Hospitals have more billing agents to deal with the insurance industry than nurses, often one administrator per bed. Your proposal does nothing to end the waste of the insurance industry because you have taken single payer off the table. Why not put single payer first since it puts patients before the insurance industry?
- President Obama has said that he would support single payer if the U.S. were starting from scratch. Well, it is looking more and more like the U.S. needs to start from scratch. The Congress is divided on key issues, the public health option looks unlikely, isn't it time to consider single payer?
- How will you prevent the public option, if it passes, from being the place where all the chronically ill, high risk patients go while the private insurance industry cherry picks the low cost patients thereby increasing their profits? Isn't single payer the only fair way to provide health care access for all? - inactive, on 06/19/2009, -5/+14Unfortunately, many individuals could not get insurance if they went out on their own to procure it. By pooling insurance at the employer level, those who are risky are offset by those who are not. Insurance companies would simply refuse to offer insurance to high risk people, or the prices would be unaffordable.
- elliotys, on 06/19/2009, -3/+12I am a 3rd year pharmd student, and my biggest problem is that there is a whole industry of people with no healthcare knowledge (private insurance industry) making a living off my knowledge and education.
- inactive, on 06/19/2009, -9/+18Where is the total transparency you PROMISED us?? All I've seen is cover up and dodge.
- johnclayton, on 06/19/2009, -4/+13Easy - instead of me and my employer making a significant contribution to a for-profit insurance company (that won't even pay up when it matters most) it's just another tax. In return for paying said tax I can go to any doctor for any reason and get the treatment that I need. Make it a fair, flat-rate tax across the board and it would certainly break even (or come out ahead) to fund health care for everyone!
Paying for universal health care would surely be easier, less expensive, and less risky than bailing out the greedy-***** banks that put the economy in its current slump. More importantly, it would directly benefit every single person in the country regardless of individual economic situations. - skogs34, on 06/19/2009, -0/+9It looks to me like the citizens of this country are mostly in favor of single-payer health care reform. Insurance and pharmaceutical companies are definitely against any kind of health reform that interferes with their profits and a single payer health care system would indeed do that. You said you were on the citizen's side while you were running for office. Why have you changed sides?
- aclasef38, on 06/19/2009, -6/+15Are not Congress and your family on "single payer" insurance? Why can't all Americans have that same type of health insurance. Surely you could have a copay or have citizens pay so much a month to offset the cost of all this. I am sure everyone with insurance now (paying high bills each month for insurance even with their employer paying a lot also) would love to pay a lower amount such as $100 and those who cannot afford even that much could be assisted with proof of income. It seems so simple to me and would save us billions in the long run.
- MistaMayday, on 06/19/2009, -2/+11We can always find trillions of dollars to fund wars, hundreds of billions to bail out bankers, but we can't afford to provide our own citizens with truly universal health coverage. Health care for profit is not designed to make healthy individuals, only massive profits. Why isn't HR 676, single-payer, on the table for discussion?
- JDRay, on 06/19/2009, -0/+9As a small business employer, I've struggled with choosing a health plan that is appropriate for our employees and our situation. Laws (some state, some federal) and insurance company policies combine to make it difficult, though any given insurance company is happy to offer an employer a nearly endless list of "options" for plans that are barely differentiated from one another, giving the impression of broad choice.
We ended up choosing a policy that was reasonably acceptable to everyone on our staff (twenty people), because we had to choose one policy and apply it to everyone. As the employer, we had to pay the same amount for every employee (which is fine with us), but also offer insurance to anyone who works over 17 1/2 hours per week regularly (state law, I believe), forcing us to have two classes of employees: those who barely work in a week, and those who work full time. The insurer's policy is that 100% of our qualified employees had to participate in the plan. In order to ensure this happened, we chose to pay 100% of the burden, but this forced us into a policy that provided basic care only. Options like prescription and dental coverage aren't included, as they drove the cost of the plan up too much for us to cover everyone. Some of our employees can afford the extra coverage, and would happily pay for it out of their own pockets, but the insurer doesn't allow "cafeteria" style coverage to small businesses.
So, what our employees (and us, as the owners are on the same plan) ended up with is something that sounds like it came from the government: a plan chosen, not for the individuals that it covers, but that is the most acceptable to everyone involved and with no options for anyone that might like to choose them.
When I was an employee in a corporate environment, I could choose from a few (two or three) company-chosen insurers, then choose the type of coverage I wanted from that insurer, even choosing whether or not I wanted prescription, dental, optical or naturopathic coverage riders on my plan, each of these riders costing a few extra dollars per month. Why can't I, as a small business employer, offer these same choices to my employees? - kylesellers, on 06/19/2009, -26/+35How can we pay for any of this? Wouldn't it be wiser to wait until the economy has recovered before attempting something which has the potential (however unlikely you claim it is) to disrupt the economy in a major way?
If this must be done now, what precautions will you put into place to safeguard the economy in case this does not work out as well as hoped? - PeppermintPig, on 06/19/2009, -8/+17Taxes will have to be raised to approximately 80% for the vast majority of people in 10 years to cover this government health care system.
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