Obama Launches Interactive Health Care Website

Seeking to, once again, blaze a new trail on the intersection of technology and politics, the Obama transition team launched a new website on Tuesday designed to generate discussion over health care reform.

The site, housed on the transition homepage -- change.gov -- is a blend of policy wonkery and cyber-community. It offers up health-care related questions to generate reader discussion. And, in an effort to spur a broader sense of responsibility and influence, the comment threads are rated, allowing users to develop a level of standing on the site.

This is new turf for a president-elect (obviously), but more noteworthy than the website itself is what the Obama team is signaling with its launch. It isn't coincidental that Obama is addressing health care in this type of forum. During the campaign, he was repeatedly critical of the closed nature of negotiations during the Clinton-era push for health care reform. Already, he seems to be trying to make the public a shareholder in the process.

It also now seems abundantly clear that the upcoming administration won't shy away from using various technological tools to pursue its political agenda. It's not hard at all to envision similar sites popping up in regards to environmental or education policy.

Comments

[sent2null]

Absolutely revolutionary, I am so proud to have supported this guy, sure we don't know if his policies will work. True, half the country still has great doubts as to his character and judgement, much of it based on their internal biases...but I can't help but be astonished at the consistent , methodical super tanker like momentum that Obama seems to be able to wield against any issue. We saw this methodical nature in the primaries as he Cyborg like kept to a single agenda in his battles with Clinton, who all but was crowned the Dem nominee just a few months before..and he beat her. He used the same laser like focus and attacked specific themes of weakness in McCain and helped by the economic meltdown that he predicted would come thought no one knew how severe it would be, his judgement again won through. And now here we are and the President elect is using the same zen like attack against so far two of the issues that he campaigned "change" most vociferously for. Win or Lose, you have to admire the consistency of this guy, also it is hard to quantify how the appearance of a strong leader as Obama obviously is will do to inspire confidence in the people to shake the economic malaise we find ourselves in faster than if we had no faith in the leadership (as is the case under the lame duck Bush)

[canucklivinginUSA]

Nicely said. You should buy his book, that consistency is quite apparent through the pages

[bubbuh]

Muy Caliente!

[ElBruce]

HOLY CRAP, I'M ON IT!

[dandypuddin]

Can someone tell me how to sign in to log on to Obama's health care page? I can't seem to figure out how to sign up to post. Thank you.

[suemag]

Go to change.gov

Under "agenda" on the right side of the page, click on "providing healthcare for all"

Submit your ideas (little blue box entitled "Of the people, by the people"

Enter info and make your comment!

[4wehttam]

I was trying to rate some of the comments, but it kept saying that I had to sign on or something. I guess you can post comments, but can't rate unless your signed on. I don't know, maybe I read it wrong. Will try it again.

[bubbuh]

Or, on the blog side, click "join the Discussion" or

http://change.gov/page/content/discusshealthcare

you can use this link to get started.

[chuk98death]

I am Speechless...JUST WHO IS THIS GUY?! I mean seriously. He already won what does he need to do this for?

[dandypuddin]

Surely you jest.

[chuk98death]

I'm sorry I'm just not used to politicians telling the truth and actually sticking to their word. This is just wierd is all.

[sheraz]

Is this a trick question?

[hapiday]

As a small business owner. It is difficult to afford health care insurance. As a result of this economic crisis my business my dwindled to almost 1/2. We must cut back and downsize we simply have no choice. If things don't get better I will have to drop my personal insurance. The stress alone will contribute to physical illness and of course I won't have insurance. It's sad because I would rather pay higher taxes than to have nothing to be taxed. If paying higher taxes will help the many I will gladly do it. This is a perilous situation Americans are in. Most don't have any idea what PE Obama is facing. People must go to the Change.gov website and read the touching and frightening stories. This is the first time anyone has asked the American people to participate in their future. I remain confident we will get through this, it's not going to be easy

[GreenHouseBrand]

right on. I would gladly pay more taxes to ensure my fellow countryman's and woman's lives are as privileged as mine.

By privileged i dont mean owning an SUV and shopping at the mall 30 miles away. That is not the American way of life, which some repubs try to define it as. We should look out for one another, and collectively defend out countries principals til the end. the last 8 years are a crap stain on the countries under wear. We must pull together to ensure it will never happen again.

[Jahmekyah]

Hey everybody how about taking all the suggestions you've posted and actually going to the website and add ur two cents. If we've learned anything from Obama its that we need to take part in our democracy when we have the chance.

[dandypuddin]

How do I log onto his health care page?-help, I must be technically challenged and I don't see a "new user sign up" area.

[Jahmekyah]

Go to the bottom of the page, type your comment in the space provided, type in a username, type in your e-mail and check the box that says "Sign up for IntenseDebate". Then validate your account by checking your e-mail

[Ish11]

Well they call it soishiolizm the 48%

[psbintl]

Post continued:

What can be done?
Employers (especially those in the small business community), may need to be given some type of financial incentive to encourage them to offer benefits, primarily affordable health insurance coverage to their employees. These incentive may take the form of possible additional tax breaks to help offset the employer’s cost of providing health insurance coverage.

Clearly a new and improved regulatory body needs to be formed to oversee, supervise and enforce new regulations regarding costs in the health care insurance industry.

Additional health care coverage issues:
Prescription medication coverage, Medicare coverage, Equality in care, Non-emergency use of Emergency room resources

[psbintl]

Here is my Plank :Health Care in America- Making Provisions for Everyone

America faces a severe crisis regarding its ability to provide adequate health care to all its citizens. Several factors have led to this disturbing and dangerous dilemma.

Many have lost employment which has led to loss of affordable health care insurance coverage previously provided by their former employees.

Many employers today, especially those owning small business simply do not have the financial means to offer any or affordable health care coverage. And there are those employers who simply will not offer any coverage at all.

There has been a growing trend by employers to offer only the minimal amount of work, basically part-time work, thereby leaving the employee ineligible for any company benefits including health care coverage.

For those who are fortunately employed, their present salary is so low, they cannot afford to pay for health care coverage even when offered by their employers.

There has been a complete lack of regulation over the Insurance industry which ahs led to almost to a “wild, wild West” attitude. Health insurance companies have been allowed to charge whatever costs their desire in the company of under compensating health care clinicians for their service. Additionally, health insurance companies have even been allowed to harass and threaten clinicians if they feel too much care at their expense has been given to patients.

[DeanSmithLegend]

Here's a look at some of the challenges Obama will face:

http://www.informativepost.com/2008/11/25/Obama-Hopes-To-Implement-Aggressive-Agenda-Build-Consensus-2442.htm

[thepoliticalcat]

I want single-payer too, but I don't think we can achieve that without first persuading the 48 per cent of the country who voted for McCain/Palin that it will benefit rather than harm them. Perhaps this would be a good new direction for some Obama supporters to take -- following House/Senate discussions on health care, learning about Medicare, studying healthcare policy in other nations, and talking to friends and relatives and spreading the news. I think quite a few people will resist it, initially. It's up to us to make them see that it's a better way, meaning we have to figure out what the hell we want and how to implement it.

[SunshineDaydream]

i refuse to believe 48% of this nation wants to keep our system the way it is

[anothervoice2]

Why should providing healthcare be a for-profit business, with customers enriching HMO execs with the inflated premiums and dismal coverage? It is amazing that some would actually protest something so common sense. Maybe allow those folks protesting single payer to continue to cough up 12K a year - and allow those who want to sign on to a national healthcare plan, the ability to do so.

[LittlePurpleUSA]

I heard Bush commented on this. He said "Oh that Obama, always using the googles"

http://littlepurpleusa.blogspot.com/

[Brooklynindy]

Medicare woks great. Everyone should be offered two alternatives: Your current plan, or Medicare; you would pay a higher payroll tax if you choose this option. If you're unemployed, then you receive Medicaid.

[Colmore]

Yesm Medicare works well. The Senior Drug Plan is a rip-off, however. The cost rises every year, even if you do not use it. Also, if you drop out, you HAVE to re-enroll and pay the premiums missed. They should have raised the Medicare cost by $25 a month, and covered all seniors. Also, you have to have a Supplemental Insurance to cover what Medicare does not. I heard that the overhead for Medicare is 6%. We are being ripped off by insurance companies and politicians.

[Hawka]

Now now, I think if a person can afford better health care then I think its their right to take it up. Saves money for the government on a non-issue anyway, the most important thing is to ensure everyone at least has basic coverage.