Recently in the looming Health Care crisis Category

Public opinion appears to be changing. The forces of fear and greed appear to be swaying the public and our cowardly leaders away from health insurance for everyone, the so-called "public option".

I find it disheartening.

I also find it ironic that doctors themselves favor a non-profit public insurance option.

While critics scare people with the idea of a "bureaucrat between you and your doctor", how ironic is it that doctors themselves have no such fears? The same doctors who treat patients AND who deal with the complete fiasco that is private health insurance companies? The same doctors that ought to know a thing or two about health care.

I wish there was a lot more discussion of this poll and others like it.

It was also interesting to learn that the AMA, an organization that is more concerned about doctor fees than patient coverage, represents less than 1/3 or registered doctors. And they had to include med students to get to a third... I will think less of them in future.

Poll Finds Most Doctors Support Public Option

by JOSEPH SHAPIRO

September 14, 2009

NPR

LINK

This health care "debate", which is not much of a debate, has me pulling my hair out in frustration.

The hardest part about living in the US is the other people living in the US. How many times have I just wanted to live in a place with other people that agree with me...

But that is how everyone feels and that is not how it works. We are all in this together. For better or for worse.

I have had many thoughts on health care over the past few weeks. Will try to trickle them out as individual posts.

This week I watched an episode of Oprah on health care. Not the best program but we need more people to keep this issue in the news and on the public's minds.

Health care discussions are hampered by two things: most people dont pay any attention to it until they personally get sick; few people have any idea what anything costs.

Our current system totally hides the costs of things as well as the rules. Sure, you got the contract but did you really understand the rules or the caps?

This article is an example of both of these issues. People move to other states and find out they are unable to get insured. And those most in need of insurance are the least likely to get it.

One of the many reasons why health insurance should not be a for-profit business.

$1,000/mo just to get insurance? Ouch. Hope you saved a big wad of cash for your 30-years of retirement medical insurance.

Health Care's Moving Cost

Varying Insurance Plans, Pre-Existing Issues Are Factors

By VICTORIA E. KNIGHT

September 29, 2007

Wall Street Journal

The MacMahons' move to New Mexico appeared to make sound financial sense. It is generally cheaper to buy a house in New Mexico than in New York, and the cost of living is lower. Plus, the average monthly premium for single health-care policies, at $165, is among the lowest in the U.S. New York's average is $312, the third highest after Massachusetts and New Jersey.

However, in New York, insurers are required to charge all consumers the same or very similar premiums without regard to such factors as age, gender or health status. In New Mexico, insurers can factor these differences into their premiums, make permanent exclusions for pre-existing conditions or deny coverage outright.

"If you have health problems, you shouldn't assume that you can get insurance," says Gary Claxton, a vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit focused on health-care issues. Only a few states have "guaranteed issue," a requirement that all insurers sell all polices to all comers, regardless of their health.

In February, the couple secured comprehensive coverage through New Mexico's high-risk pool. Mr. MacMahon pays a $506 monthly premium and Ms. MacMahon $482 for plans administered by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico.

I have heard surprising little about this massive buyout offer by GM. I think this is a big deal because the main issue at stake is the cost of pensions and healthcare for retirees. I believe I heard that GM has 100,000 employees but benefits to over 300,000 retirees! Ouch.

With these people off the company balance sheet, they will join the Federal and State balance sheets. Will this finally precipitate some attention on healthcare? Maybe not since a $10B loss for a company demands change but $10B of our tax dollars is only 1 month of our occupation of Iraq... But it might be a start.

And this is sure to have an impact on the economies of the Midwest states.

A tax-payer bailout of health care pension plans for companies that have underfunded their pensions or gone bankrupt? In other words, you mean use my tax dollars to give some special people health care while I have to fend for myself?

Forget that!

It's time for ALL Americans to get health care from the federal government and leave the employer-based system behind. Like the rest of the world already has.

If your parents go broke, its a personal tragedy. If everyone's parents go broke, its a national crisis. Then again, there is safety in numbers as long as you arent first or last.

Looking at the numbers it is clear that people either dont know what they are doing and/or they arent thinking ahead. What was that parable about the grasshopper and the ant?

I keep waiting for the shoe to drop on health care. Waiting, and waiting and waiting.

And be sure to take the 5% test - odds are you wont like what you find...