Protesters Disrupt Health Care Hearing (VIDEO)

A series of protesters demanding single-payer health care coverage disrupted a Senate Finance Committee roundtable on health care reform Tuesday. At the beginning of the hearing Tuesday morning, a man stood and yelled, "So let me get this straight -- you have 15 seats at the table and not one for single payer? Why is that?"

Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) banged his gavel and said the committee would stand in recess until police restored order. It wasn't long after the disruption ended before another began.

"We need more police," Baucus said, to laughter.

"Is there some place they can watch it on television?" asked ranking committee member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), apparently wanting to offer the protesters a seat on the couch, if not at the table.

The protest was organized by a coalition of groups, including Physicians for a National Health Program and Healthcare-NOW!, that advocates a single-payer or universal health care plan. "Other methods of communication with elected officials have failed in delivering the demand for single-payer national health care as evidenced by the exclusion of single-payer advocates from official hearings on health reform," said a release about the event.

"It's only when people who are living in the park and people who are living on Park Avenue have the same health care that everybody will have high quality health care," said one man. "Single payer now!"

Baucus begged for cooperation.

"Everybody on the committee and everybody in the Congress deeply deeply respects the views of all members of the audience, and all Americans who feel deeply about health care reform, especially those who are worried about a single payer system or public option who really do fervently believe that is the proper result," Baucus said. "We are going to get the best result here the more we can have an orderly discussion as to how we can best reform the health care system, so I want to say to everyone, especially those of you who might be inclined to stand up, I urge you not to so we can proceed with the hearing."

UPDATE: Katie Robbins, assistant national coordinator with Healthcare-NOW!, tells the Huffington Post that eight people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and disruption of Congress.

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Comments

[BullMoose1]

My brother died two months ago because he was unable to afford health care. He was only 47. This is very personal for me.

[rosal]

My heart goes to you and your family. This time we won't be quiet. Enough!

[hilary916]

*hugs* I'm very sorry to hear that. This should never happen in our country.

[Bernique]

Help is on the way, BullMoose. Sorry for your loss. Hang in there.

[BillMelater]

My father died on the operating table getting a big bleeder lung removed. He had that tumor for 6 months. He should of had surgery almost immediately after the diagnosis. But he had no health insurance and had to wait on medicaid to foot the bill for the operation. The tumor got much much huger in that 6 months.

[kesmarn]

Sincere condolences to you and your family. I lost a dear friend this year--not so much to the illness she had as due to lack of health care. Couldn't afford coverage. Made me more motivated to fight the good fight...

[rosal]

What happens are the logical consequences of years and years of having the wealthy, and the well connected, running the country's agenda. The people are tired, and the economy doesn't help with the frustrations, its time for the elected officials to pay attention to their constituents. I know we won't be quiet anymore, from now on we will witness what a true Democracy is. Politicians are on notice.

[punk]

I would like to think Americans are going to get LOUD and active, but they are too fat and happy with their plasma televisions and credit cards. The politicians know they can ignore us with impunity.

[bayarea000]

baucus is disgusting!!!! unless we gst health care i ask all dems to NOT contribute one cent to the party. only give to individuals. HARRY REID HAS GOT TO GO TOO!!!!!!! c'mon dems lets do something!!!!!

[Trogenhorse]

I think standing up and yelling helps no one. I would have rather had them stand against something. Being seen doesn't mean being heard

[rosal]

Play the video again, and this time pay attention to what the man on the audience is saying. Actually, he was speaking for all of us, and I am grateful.

[Waitaminute]

I heard them. So what does sitting down saying nothing do? You most surely don't get heard.

[miamia]

This is disturbing. I can't believe these are our representatives.

[CanadianBeef]

Of all the idiocies of the currrent system, no one has mentioned has mentioned the health freeloaders -- irresponsible but financially able people who figure because they are young and/or healthy now, they'll forego insurance and just show up at an emergency room for free care when their time comes. They don't have to pay anything.
In a public system, everyone pays in, and everyone is covered when their time of needs arrives. Here in Canada, I had a benign cyst taken off my back a couple of years ago. It was done within three weeks of my doctor's recommendation. I had general anasthesia in a fine hospital which did not have a marble waterfall in the lobby, perhaps, but that wasn't my biggest concern. No bill, no fuss.

[PlaceboStudman]

You had to wait 3 weeks to have the surgery? I thought you said there weren't wait times?

[sunshinerain]

He said a BENIGN CYST. That means it's not an EMERGENCY.

[Balancement]

If the surgery is not life-threatening, sometimes there's a wait (the cyst was benign).

[zius]

it was an elective surgery ......

[hilary916]

I had to wait about 3 weeks to get my gallbladder taken out. No one has surgery the same day it's ordered unless it's life threatening.

[Artemis34]

There is a difference between triage and wait times. If an operating room is needed for a emergency heart surgery (life threatening) but has been schedule for a knee replacement (non-life threatening), the knee may get bumped. That happens in all good systems.

The best care is the care you can actually get, like in Canada. The wait in the US is too often indefinite, never resulting in care.

20,000+ people die in the US per year due to lack of health insurance. Their "wait time" is eternal.

[MNinWI]

"Of all the idiocies of the currrent system, no one has mentioned has mentioned the health freeloaders -- irresponsible but financially able people who figure because they are young and/or healthy now, they'll forego insurance and just show up at an emergency room for free care when their time comes. They don't have to pay anything." Maybe because they don't exist.

[hilary916]

They do exist and is why we need to get everyone covered so people who have insurance will quit seeing hikes in their premiums year after year.

[Skorpyos]

The worst part of this is the cynicism of the committee laughing at people's real concerns.

[Artemis34]

They are way too far away from the desperation people feel in this area.

They feel safe.

They aren't going to die without care.

They aren't going to lose everything they worked so hard for all their lives trying to buy care for cash.

How could we make it "real" for them? How could they fee the pain of their constituents?

[civilbehavior]

Artemis 34.

This is one excellent comment.

[jonguu]

Forget extra police. Answer the fk'n question!

[Eilis27]

It is telling that in support of a single payer system Physician for a National Health Plan. Many physicians especially those who work in ERs support a single payer system.

[CanadianBeef]

Sure. You have to ask yourself, do doctors and nurses ENJOY spending time on the phone with insurance adjusters asking "mother, may I"? Or would they rather just concentrate on getting the correct threatmeent for the patient? Hmm . . .
My next-door neighbor who worked in hospitals in Texas decided to return to Canada after he developed diabetes and wasn't so attractive to private health insurers anymore.

[hilary916]

My doctor hates having to deal with insurance companies.

[sandals]

But this explains why Baca$$ is against single payer health care he needs to go, he is one of those dems who voted against the bill that would have helped out homeowners keep their homes.

[sandals]

They are so arrogant on both sides, this is our country they work for us and we have the right to be there.

[PhilipTaylor]

This is what the ConservaDems look like! Pretty DARN Ug1y!

Our Congress is owned by Health Care Companies/Providers, Bankers, and Insurance Companies!

For 30 years we have tried for Health Care and the CORPORATE INTERESTS STOP IT EVERY TIME with their ownership of Congress!

This is as bad as the corruption on Wall Street!

Who pays Baucus opensecrets.orgg): $10,579,544 Banking Related $3,168,287 Health Related

Medicare, a government program, is most effective Health Care Program Available!
-----100% could choose Medicare as a CHOICE
-----Choose base coverage of Medicare and if you want more buy supplemental coverage!
-----ELIMINATES PRIVATE MIDDLE-MAN's GREEDY EXECUTIVE PAY=$Million(s)
-----Public Health Care=Cost Effective
-----Europe=Live Longer=Public Health Care=Canada=PROFIT INCENTIVE GONE
-----Public Care=Center on Patient Needs Not PROFITS
-----We can DO THIS - Medicare FOR ALL
-----Remove $Hundreds of Billions taken by Insurance Companies and by Health Care Providers
-----Reduce having MRI machines costing over $1 Million sold to doctor's group every few miles
-----Remove Low utilization of EXCESS capacity in Hospitals that cost $Billion
-----Reduce costs of $60,000 for outpatient procedures
-----Reduce costs of $Hundred(s) of thousands for inpatient procedures

[CanadianBeef]

While I applaud your example of Canada, I don't agree that Medicare should provide base coverage while some people buy extra coverage. Either you believe that all medically necessary care is included, or the private sector will gradually eat up Medicare. The only reason Congress tolerates Medicare now is that it looks after people insurers don't care about: the high-cost old, and the no-paying poor. Offer real public insurance to everyone. The present system cannot be "reformed."

[PhilipTaylor]

Agree that is the IDEAL!

[KeepMeLearning]

I can't live with the fact that millions of children go without basic health care and local LA hospitals routinely dump elderly sick patients on Skid Row--in their wheelchairs, still wearing their hospital gowns and wrist bands--simply because they can't afford to pay. We treat animals in this country better than we treat people. We cannot afford to treat fellow human beings like this. At the same time, small and medium sized businesses cannot afford health care benefits for their employees--but they also can't afford to have them out of work because employees or their family members are sick.

We cannot afford to *not* invest in our people--it will be the end of us if we don't. It's not about money, it's about karma. I think Jesus would agree with me.

[zelduh]

Why DON'T they have a couple advocates for single payer health care seated at the Health Care REFORM table? This is very strange. Is the fix already in? Time to call our representatives again.

[whitebird46]

"they" are probably receiving big donations from insurance companies and they are rightly afraid that with single payer, (the most efficient and cost effective medical delivery model) donations to their campaigns will dry up.

[helonias]

If Jesus showed up at the hearing they would have thrown him out too,

And called the FBI about a suspicious middle eastern looking trouble maker

[coultersnemesis]

lol

[CanadianBeef]

As a Catholic -- and therefore Christian -- I say you're right-on. There's way too much selective reading of the New Testament, which could not be clearer on this very moral issue. I seem to recall Jesus being concerned about the sick and the poor. When I hear some people call America a Christian nation, I can't help but remember that in America, millions can't get health insurance but any fool can get a gun.

[helonias]

Where are all the bible thumping conservatives in this?

Mittens, Pat. R. the Huckster, Rev. Rick?

Jesus wants you front and center now.

Are are you cowards.

[flossophy]

Yes, but Jesus did not advocate for the State to take care of the sick and poor... He told his followers to do this.

To co-opt Amity's formula:

If "A" (pr0gressives) and "B" (pr0gressive voters) want to get together to help "X" (sick & poor)... They must coerce "C" (taxpayers & producers) to fund A & B's programs... regardless if those programs are even effective or not.

So does "C" have a say in this? Or should they go along with whatever "A" & "B" want?

[flossophy]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

Yes, but Jes`us did not advocate for the State to take care of the s|ck and p00r... He told his followers to do this.

To co-opt Am`ity's formula:

If "A" (pr0gressives) and "B" (pr0gressive voters) want to get together to help "X" (the s|ck & poor)... They must coerce "C" (taxpayers & producers) to fund A & B's programs... regardless if those programs are even effective or not.

So does "C" have a say in this? Or should they go along with whatever "A" & "B" want?

[KeepMeLearning]

You are so fanned...

[mamazon]

Everythinhg in America is pay to play -- that's how most politicians got their jobs. I have no health care now that my job was outsourced to India and so my only hope is preventative medicine. Universal health care is the only true democratic solution... But until being poor in America is no longer borderline illegal -- those of us "have nots" willl just have to eat right, exercise, drink clean water and use the herbs that Mother Earth gave us to stay die-ease free. And then just borrow phartmaceuticals from friends who have health care when we get really sick. Makes me homesick for the old country where health care is free. Ah America -- A- mere-icon!

[helonias]

So much for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,