Wallace brings up specter of "rationing"; Orszag notes that insurers, politicians already making health care decisions
July 19, 2009 10:37 am ET
From the July 19 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.'s Fox News Sunday:
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I'm on Medi-Cal, and Medi-care, and since insurance companies have infiltrated that, I'm soon going to be entering the "Donut hole".
What that means is once I hit my limit, I have to pay for my medications, out of pocket, until I hit castrostrophic coverage.
I have 917.17 till I hit that, then I'm on my own. Great health coverage we currently have.
There has always been rationing of health-care in every nation on Earth. In the case of America, more rationing happens due to profit driven motives, as well as a lack of available doctors (to do the surgery) and parts (if we are talking about transplants)
In a universal system where financial motivation is nil, you will see many more people being taken care of sooner, but alas, there will be a certain amount of rationing. It is an unavoidable consequence when you have more sick people than doctors to treat them.
What Chris Wallace mentions is just the same old tired talking points of the corporate right-wing ideological freaks of trying to scare people into being against the very thing that will do them the most good.
As for Mr. Orszag, based on this snippet, I think he more or less knows his stuff, but seems a little weak on delivery, which may be why he was allowed to guest on Fox-Noise.
There should be no shame in admitting that rationing will occur in a universal system for the very fact that it is already happening under our current hodgepodge system of private health care insurance.
What will change under a universal system in America is that rationing will occur less often because as preventative care becomes the norm, we become a healthier people and hence, less rationing occurs.
I wish all the networks would lock up their ideologies, come up to Canada and take an UNBIASED look at a Gov't run system. About the only weakness we have is there is no private system to fall back on when a well off individual want's to pay for quicker and possibly better quality treatment. The Public-private plan the US is now discussing would be the best of both worlds.
The fact people are debating this is just bizzare. Is it no as obvious as the nose on your faces what is going on. The only reason people are resisting this is because the Insurance industry does not want to lose their monopoly. That's it! Has nothing to do with the BS they are throwing out there about poorer quality care or cost. Why does the media not acknowledge this and ignore their noise?!
Just beyond silly. America has this massive debt, everyone knows that private healthcare with no real competition is why but nobody want's to fix it except for Obama. He is the ONLY person you people should be listening to. That is why you elected him and he is absolutely right in what he is saying and 'trying' to do.
How come we don't hear about how many times this happens already in the US with the plans that we have?
I also noted, listening to a right winger the other day saying he opposed a public plan, because insurance carriers can do it better, more efficient, and cheaper. The interviewer followed up nicely with, "Well, if you guys can do it better, than why are you worried about the potential of a public plan? You'll beat them out in the free market."
To which, he had no response of course.
Reality means nothing to these people. People with no health care will be herded like sheep to fight against health care reform because they'll be convinced that they are going to lose the health care they don't have. People who don't get tax increases have already been convinced to make public spectacles of themselves protesting non-existent tax hikes.
Laura Ingraham the other day toted all these great health care reform ideas that Republicans have "but we'll never hear about them in the liberal media." Of course, none of these ideas were brought up when the Republicans controlled each branch of government. Nevertheless, her listeners will accept that the GOP has all the answers, and if only they had political power, what wonderful things they could accomplish!
Until people grow up and wipe the dust out of their eyes, this kind of nonsense, where the masses rally to fight against their own interests, will continue.
CAN, not WILL. We always hear this nonsense- Businesses CAN regulate themselves. Of course- but they won't. Health Insurance Companies CAN deliver reform- of course, but they won't. Not until government, working in the best interest of the People, puts their feet to the fire.
Anyone who thinks that the insurance industry is going to "reform" itself out of billions in bonuses and stock dividends to provide Americans real health care is stunningly obtuse.
Is this all these corporate shills have?
Hilarious.