The GOP's Health-Care Strategy: 'Death By A Thousand Paper Cuts'

Time:

House Republicans on Wednesday introduced their official alternative health-care-reform plan. Well, kind of. It's not the official alternative, but it has the support of the leadership. And sure, some leaders may support other alternative bills out there, but this one also has the support of the top Republicans on the relevant committees. Oh, wait some of them may also support other bills. But in any case, all this should remind you that the GOP does really stand for something.

Read the whole story: Time

Comments

[escobar]

the GOP has fought tooth and nail against any social program the country has ever had.
They add things to programs and apoint losers to purposely screw things up so they can develop a national feeling of futility and helplessness.
They are despicable and should not be consulted on this.
After all, the Gingrich Reagan Bush Chaney cabal never cared what any Democrat ever had to say when they held the upper hand.
The only thing they are willing to spend money on is the murder of poor people.

[breakingpoint]

Democrats are dropping the ball and giving voice to the GOP only to protect their Big Donors in the Insurance Lobby. Don't allow them to play the American People in this way.

The Democrats can pass a Universal Single Payer Health Care Plan in the US
(HR 676)

Don't fall for these tricks
http://jischinger.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/obamas-a-bad-boyfriend

[kdublya]

"De@th By A Thousand Paper Cvts"

Hey, that's their GOP's foreign intelligence platform, also too.

[mharg11]

The thing the GOP needs to be doing is seeing how they can work with the Prez. to assure Americans have good health care. But it is ovious the GOP does not want Americans to get anything, including having good health care. This party has no use for americans other than wanting your vote, period. They want their jobs in the capital, but the he*ll with you.

[roudy]

The Goppers don't have to stop true health care reform, the Democrats have already done that on their own. What a joke this is turning out to be.

[Dadeo]

Question, Will bile obstructions caused by reading Bold Fresh be covered?

[marvm]

hope he was not a part of that plan the rethugs had on wed no dollar amount and how to make it work also go to foxattack.com/facts

[mharg11]

No numbers of how many people would be covered either. 46 - 50 million without coverage and they didn't address this at all in their 4 page health care plan, LOL. Also, remember that they were in power for 12 yrs. and never mentioned reform of health care.

[research]

Conservatives want the Serfs to be homeless, sick and starving, all so they can "grant" life and health as Gods might do.

We just want the same health insurance option congress has.

[motoGpifupleez]

Just looking to get in the way of progress. Thanks GOP. Thanks for nothing.

[sosi]

The GOP Party Strategy Is 'Death By A Thousand Paper Cuts'. Bravo...

[jinjinpinti]

In my 66 years on this planet, I have used our hospital and ER health care system, not counting labor and delivery, about 4 times. The level of depersonalization and lack of genuine caring was obscene. The clinicians and care providers are so controlled in their care and ministrations by the administrations and insurance corporations, they are unable to realize their potential as healing beings. I have decided I will do anything to avoid going to the ER or being admitted to the hospital again. My recent experience was quietly terrifying.

[wanda665]

i am your age and hve used health care system very little. i agree with everything you said. i experienced same thing.

[4real]

If the GOP really cared about helping people with healthcare why haven't they done anything for the past eight years and block it with Clinton. What a bunch of p honies.

[joecoolconservative]

The reality of “free” health care is that people wait. In the United Kingdom, one in eight patients waits more than a year for hospital treatment and the British government recently set its goal to keep wait times to less than 18 weeks - that’s more than four months! In Canada, almost a million citizens are waiting for necessary surgery and more than a million Canadians can’t find a regular doctor. In the small town of Norwood, Ontario, a weekly drawing is held in which a townsperson wins the right to access the town’s one family doctor.

Governments ratchet down health-care costs in different ways. Doctors went on strike last year in Germany because their government’s system pays them less than they thought they deserved and forces them to work thousands of hours of unpaid overtime. In the United Kingdom, one hospital was inspired to save money money by not changing sheets daily. British papers report that instead of washing the linens, nurses were told to just turn the bedsheets over.

Source - http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Stossel/story?id=3580676&page=1

[poochytown]

I read that article and I smell a rat. The claims of UK and Canadian health care problems are too broad and general to have meaning in this argument. Also ther is this:

"Out of every dollar that the United States spends on health care, only 12 cents comes out of the pocket of patients, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Most of us have our medical expenses covered by a third party, either an insurance company or the government­."

That makes no sense at all. Insurance companies don't cover people who don't pay premiums, or have their employers pay them, so what is this "third party" stuff? Taxpayers frequently pick up the tab for ER visits and some hospitalizations, but to the tune of 88%? Who else is paying for our health care?

If I'm wrong about this I hope someone will enlighten me.

[mharg11]

Ok, let's attempt to help you. Third party is an insurance co., gov. like for millitary, or private plains like some teachers and railroad retirees have. You mentioned 12 cents which is referring to the cost of Medicare and Medicaid. Most people are not covered under these plans, you have to be age 65 and over, or low income. The ER visits that tax payers are paying are mostly from illegals in this country that are flooding ERs. As a citizen, the hospital will chase you down for an ER visit without insurance. We are better off being illegals when it comes to health care.

[chriss0114]

so keep your private plan--no one is trying to take your "cool" GnOP gold plated 4 page devoid of content plan that may deny you care when you need it meaning even if you are covered, it may stop when benefits run out then you go bankrupt for those cancer treatments for your spouse and you have to quit work becuse you become the primary caregiver and you are foreclosed on and lose your home to pay you medical bills (this is REAL and is the nimber one reason for bankruptcy in the US)

So, go ahead, I will be happy for you--it is your right--pay what you want for the best--you deserve it!

I am happy for you! Go for the gold.

I want what the rest of the industrialized world has and, if you were to go there and try to sell them what we have in exchange for what we have, you would be run out of town by a lynch mob

Canada's voted number one hero is the politician who came up with their plan

[Pupadup4oBama]

why are Republicans so anti-choice?

[mharg11]

LOL, you must have heard this on Fix news or the WSJ. Some small towns in the U.S. have no Drs. and if you need a transplant, you are going to wait here. So what are saying?

Hotels in the U.S. don't want to change your sheets on a daily bases. Every Canadian I've seen are completely happy with their health care. Also Americans that have moved there are delighted with the care. So please, don't give use the Fix news lies.

[MovingtoNorway]

I am a physician who has to deal with private insurance denials everyday. This industry is an embarassment to our country and a threat to public health and ultimately our economy. They need to go. We need a single payer system in this country. Currently politically untenable. A public option is the next best chance. Let's see if the private sector with their huge administrative costs and need to turn a profit can compete. They can't, that's why they're going to fight this. It's all about money.

[jinjinpinti]

As an oldster, I have witnessed the effects of the Insurance industry and health care administrations on the creative and intuitive processes of clinicians trying desperately to provide real healing and empathic care. It's highway robbery of their professional potential and patients' health. Thanks, for your comment, Doc.

[mharg11]

Thank you for your comments. Pls. say this over and over on as many articles as you can so people will get the facts.

[Grunty1]

"Death by a thousand paper cuts" isnt' the GOP's plan for health care, it is their plan for their own party!

[1dogs2]

Bingo! Though I would argue that it's their plan to keep their coffers full, since I don't see how it will help the GOP to once again frustrate the wishes of an overwhelming majority of US citizens.