You mean they are alive? Democrats, with solid majorities in both houses are considering using the reconciliation process to pass Obama’s healthcare plan.
The bill authorizing this procedure has been around since 1974 and has been used several times to pass major legislation such as Reagan’s Domestic Policy agenda in 1981 and even George W. Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003.
Even so, Republicans are crying foul.
Many in the healthcare industry are worried that Obama’s healthcare plan might provide a lower cost government run alternative program, sometimes dubbed as “Medicaid for all”. This would make it difficult for private health insurers to compete and they fear they will be driven out of business.
Democrats, however, are motivated by statistics showing that the numbers of Americans who lack any coverage keeps growing—46.6 million in 2005, which was before the massive layoffs that occurred in the 4th quarter of 2008 and since then. Attaining 60 votes to pass the Senate seems unlikely at this stage, with Republicans holding firm in opposition, it seems logical to consider a legislative tool employed several times by Republicans to bring the legislation to an up or down vote.
The need for comprehensive Healthcare Reform has inspired recurring efforts since Harry Truman proposed a program in a speech November 19, 1945. Ted Kennedy then took up the mantle in 60's and 70's and wrote a book titled “Critical Condition”, while Hilary Clinton did so in 1993, while at this moment, both John Conyers (D-MI) and Jim McDermott (D-WA) have single payer proposals submitted to Congress.
But these efforts have continually been frustrated by a determined opposition.
Ronald Reagan participated in a viral marketing effort in 1961 called “Operation Coffee Cup” which was run by the American Medical Association. In the vinyl record he recorded, a youthful Reagan inveighed against the implied evils of “statism” and “socialized medicine”. While in recent memory, the Health Insurance Association of America ran television ads featuring “Harry and Louise” at their kitchen table discussing how the Clinton’s healthcare plan would result in deteriorating options and higher costs. The fact that none of this was likely to happen did not restrain them.
Some Democrats are still worried about angering GOP congressmen who oppose major healthcare reform legislation, but it seems that they should be even more afraid of the public. A recent Associated Press-Yahoo poll again shows that 65% of Americans support a Universal Health Insurance program where everyone is covered.
What Republicans are really afraid of seeing is a public program which might be offered at less than half the cost of current private or employer-based insurance with more comprehensive coverage.
Some in the GOP raise the fear that the business community won’t support this. But many companies have been crying out for relief because in a global trade environment they mostly compete with foreign companies who already have single payer healthcare which obviously doesn’t have to be included as a cost on their books. The truth is: In order to be financially competitive, we have to change.
Other arguments are downright loony. For example, the one complaining you wouldn’t have the freedom to choose (or keep) your own doctor. But this is a hollow argument because there is no such requirement forcing you to change doctors and aside from that, this assumes you already have coverage. Tell this to the uninsured. The health insurance industry seems to be saying that an abstract “freedom” is more important than a program which actually provides access to healthcare. Not only is this illogical, but you have to ask yourself: what kind of freedom is this exactly? It sounds like you will have the freedom to die because you are currently excluded from coverage or the freedom to needlessly suffer because you are out of a job and can’t afford to pay premiums.
Socialized medicine merely means we all band together to provide it to everyone. If we are going to ban organizations based on eliminating freedom of choice, why not start with corporations? Otherwise, drop the silly arguments and pass healthcare reform to cover everyone.
Comments
Welcome aboard Erik!
I heard they were going to use the reconciliation. I wish they would use it on everything! Of course it would be easier if they had Al Franken.
Welcome Erik! It is nice to have another voice of reason on these pages.
Peace,
Chad Shue
Seattle Progressive Politics Examiner
The problem, which you obviously don't understand, is that most physicians and medical students are opposed to the creation of a public insurance plan. Everyone is so worried about the "public good", yet no one seems to even care what the doctors who will be forced to practice under socialized medicine think of the issue. I say this not as someone with uninformed and unfounded opinions (that's you),but as a medical student who is becoming increasinly more alarmed.
The problem which you obviously don't understand, is that most physicians and medical students are opposed to a govt run plan. With all this worry about the "public good", you would think that would also include doctors and their opinions of the issue. The fact is, many physicians will not be forced to practice under socialized medicine, plain and simple. I say that as a medical student, so I am more informed on this issue than you. To be blunt: when you're sick, and there's no one to take care of you because future physicians are scared to enter medicine, what are you gonna do? All the liberal misleading and supposed concern for the common good wont make a damn bit of difference, will it? Think about it for once.
RS wrote: "The problem which you obviously don't understand, is that most physicians and medical students are opposed to a govt run plan."
In early 2008 The University of Illinois Medical Center conducted a poll of 2000 Practicing Physcian regarding the matter Health Care Financing. Their poll found that 59% of Physcians favored a Single Payer Health Care System when the question was put directly posed. 31% opposed a Single Payer System with the remainder undecided. The same poll was conducted in 2002 and the results then showed that 49% of doctors favored a Single Payer System. So it follows that the trend among Doctors is shifting heavily in favor of Single Payer.
RS please stop lying !
I'm so glad to have your column to read and share with my network. Getting the truth out is so difficult in what is otherwise a closed market.
I also wonder where you got the quote 'medicaid for all'. That is pure propagada from the neocon/lib. I've been at this a long time and have never seen a proposal using that term. There is an overwelming support for a policy proposal akin to 'Medicare for All'. When you site in referring to Conyers and McDermott.
And as for RS's comment: purely unfounded uninformed individualistic retoric. As Bob pointed out, and there are other noted studies as well.
Lots of folks in WA have been at this for a very long time and we cannot let the GOP or the Dem's dilute what the public wants. Affordable Comprehensive Health Care!
I would encourage you and your readers to look-up healthcare-now.org or our very own pnhpwesternwashington.org.
And oh, RS, pnhp by the by stands for Physicians for a National Health Program!
Or you Could ask yourself why in countries such as Canada who have single-payer health care, they are sending patients here for care. Could be because of the "law of unintended consequences! Would you wait 22 months for a diagnostic MRI in a country where it is illegal to pay the doctor to avoid long waits? Try searching on "Health care in Canada" just as an example. In Wikipedia * According to a September 14, 2007, article from CTV News, Canadian Liberal MP Belinda Stronach went to the United States for breast cancer surgery in June 2007. Stronach's spokesperson Greg MacEachern was quoted in the article saying that the US was the best place to have this type of surgery done. Stronach paid for the surgery out of her own pocket.[47] Prior to this incident, Stronach had stated in an interview that she was against two-tiered health care.[48]
* When Robert Bourassa, the premier of Quebec, needed cancer treatment, he went to the US to get it.[49]
* In 2007, it was reported that Canada sent scores of pregnant women to the US to give birth.[50] In 2007 a woman from Calgary who was pregnant with quadruplets was sent to Great Falls, Montana to give birth. An article on this incident states, "There was no room at any other Canadian neonatal intensive care unit."[51]
* Champion figure skater Audrey Williams needed a hip replacement. Even though she waited two years and suffered in pain, she still did not get the surgery, because the waiting list was so long. So she went to the US and spent her own money to get the surgery.[52]
* A January 19, 2008, article in The Globe And Mail states, "More than 150 critically ill Canadians – many with life-threatening cerebral hemorrhages – have been rushed to the United States since the spring of 2006 because they could not obtain intensive-care beds here. Before patients with bleeding in or outside the brain have been whisked through U.S. operating-room doors, some have languished for as long as eight hours in Canadian emergency wards while health-care workers scrambled to locate care." [53] Where are U.S. patients going to go when we have those kind of problems? Maybe Canada will have given up single-payer by then and we can go north.
Kathy,
Wiki? Really? Thats where you get your source? There are all kinds of boogymen in every issue. Great stuff though.
Mona--Thanks. I was just doing a search looking for the sources of some of the things I remembered reading in the paper. I used the Wiki because it was concise and all documented already. See the numbers in brackets. I was only gave it as an example anticipating that if anyone was at all open to an alternative point of view it might encourage them to do their own search. The information is abundant and accessible and I used Canada because it is so obvious what is happening there. Wiki is a great Starting point for information--not the ultimate resource.
It's kind of funny, the poor, living off the McDonalds dollar menu, are going to be the biggest user of govt. healthcare. However, they don't have to pay crp... Thats BS...
Single payer healthcare, but ban fast food!!!
cant have it both ways
If you are uninsured and does not have insurance, you should check out the website www.UninsuredAmerica.blogspot.com - John Mayer, California
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!