Obama Asks For Your Questions On Health Care (VIDEO)

President Obama is scheduled to hold an online town hall on Wednesday to discuss health care and the White House is asking people to get involved by submitting their questions about health care reform via video. The White House's blog says that in this instance "we are engaging online networks outside of WhiteHouse.gov, such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter." Watch President Obama's video about the discussion below. To learn more about how to submit a question, read here.

Comments

[mikekc]

President Obama - if you drop the public plan and sell out on health care what makes you think you will keep your base and have a chance of getting re-elected? What are you going to run on, the high unemployment, bankruptcy, and foreclosure rates? You must be familiar with President Carter, if he had introduced national health care instead of sitting around while things went into decay and then letting the Republicans destroy him for it maybe we would not have had President Reagan.

[blueskybigstar]

Remember that there was a deal between Republican operatives and CIA with the new Iranian government to hold the hostages until after the election and George Will stole Jimmy's debate notes and gave them to Ronald Reagan before their debate.

[Dynamohum]

YOU ARE 100% CORRECT

[talkitreal]

HEY! I thought the point was to get coverage for the 40 million Americans who have no Healthcare right now -- AND at the same time reducing the overall cost of Health Insurance, which has doubled in 10 years.

[JulieCarol]

Yes that is the point but not the only point. Another problem is people who have insurance, very expensive insurance, that does not cover their expenses when they need it the most. The insurance companies can do whatever they want...raise your premiums, deny coverage or only cover part of it leaving you with a mountain of medical bills, or drop you altogether when you get sick. Their main job is to find ways to deny coverage to their "customers".

And these crooks are buying our congress, and maybe our president too, to keep it the way it is.

All the republicans see is dollar signs or who is deserving of care and who deserves to suffer. Our health care system is not about healing, it is about profit. Period.

[jmpurser]

The "public plan" or "public option" or "public plan option" or "public option plan" (I've seen them all used interchangeably) IS THE SELL OUT PLAN!!!

Obama sold us down the river when he took single payer off the table. Everything else is just haggling with the health insurance companies over the price he's selling us for.

[mikekc]

Perhaps, but Obama campaigned for a public plan, he was clear last summer and fall when his numbers skyrocketed that he did not think a single payer system was doable until after a public plan was in place. He needs to follow through on what he campaigned on and deliver the public plan. Maybe if he gets a second term and a more liberal/progressive senate he could make that step in several years. But he can't sell out on the minimum public plan. And I agree, it needs to be gimmick free and it has to work.

[dagdavid]

No Republican will be able to beat Obama in '12 and, obviously, the dems will not run someone against him. If Obama fails to deliver real reform on health care and, given the weak energy bill that passed the house, progressives will need to look towards a third party candidate. How about Dennis Kucinich! He's got my vote

[Pigeon2]

We will see....

[ntegrity4me]

If a person has been laid off, unemployed, etc, they deserve "help" for health care. States already have programs in place for that segment. But the people who have the means, but are standing around waiting for a "hand out" from the government should NOT get free healthcare! Do they get free car insurance? Do they get free groceries? Do they get free gas? Why is health care any different? I don't want a socialized system. I see my Native American friends going to their "I.H.S." clinics for FREE HEALTH CARE, and they run to the private sector if they're really, really sick! Those walk in clinics are FREE. But ... they are getting what they pay for! Only the healthy ones like it. The sick ones want Blue Cross Blue Shield, or another insurance program. You don't want to be sick in a single payer system! Trust me.

[rgirl]

I completely agree with you, I also do not want to see socialized medicine. It's doesn't work in other countries. In fact in Sweden they let the elderly die if they are not in good health. I don't want this kind of control over me. On the other hand, if Mr. Obama is going to push the health care on us , then give us the same kind of insurance that he and Congress have. That's a big laugh isn't it?

[lj9283]

Actually "socialized medicine" work VERY well in most other countries. Your fear mongering statement about Sweden is not true (cite a link).

5 Countries with Universal Health Care and how they do it.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/

[lj9283]

"The elderly represent an increasing part of the Swedish population. Many are in good health and lead active lives. Most live in their own homes. Sweden invests more of its gross domestic product in its elderly citizens than any other country in the world."

http://www.sweden.se/eng/Home/Work-live/Society-welfare/Elderly-care/Facts/Elderly-care-in-Sweden/

[ntegrity4me]

The only people who are in favor of single payer, are those who don't have health issues. These people are clueless. They just want a handout.

[talkitreal]

As a way of paying for Health Care in the future: Have you considered a permanent federal sales tax on items, ie: cigarettes, potato chips, soda, processed foods sold at restaurants, etc...

[ntegrity4me]

They'd rather tax "benefits"! Imagine that.

[NotPC]

EXCEPT if you are a member of a union......then your benefits will be TAX FREE. Exactly how FAIR is that???

[talkitreal]

Th Republicans are pushing the tax on benefits -- Republican Senator Grassley said benefits should be taxed -- IT IS REPUBLICAN WHO ARE PUSHING TAXING BENEFITS!

[Earl]

A: Yes, it has been considered.

[ntegrity4me]

While the POTUS's plan is not "all the way" single payer ... it's a step in that direction. He keeps saying people will have choice. Who will continue to pay for private insurance when Washington will offer citizens less expensive rates? The idea is to put private insurance out of business. It may not happen this year, but in 2003 Mr. President said he wanted a single payer system. This is Step 1. When I'm having pain, I call my Doctor. If my Doctor wants to run tests, she does. Under a single payer system, I can have that test after I've fallen out on the floor with no pulse. I agree that rates are too high. But having government takeover is not the solution. Fix the VA system ... Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, etc, before you take on something else. Those programs are a hot crispy mess!

[JulieCarol]

Oh you just heard "running tests when they are necessary instead of for profit" and now you think that our president wants a plan that says you can only have tests done after you die. Right.

[Dynamohum]

The only thing wrong with Medicare and Social Security is the Congress (both parties) raiding the trust funds for these programs to pay for republican't crap like wars, MIC, etc. THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH MEDICARE OR SOCIAL SECURITY and only republican'ts would say that. Medicare is more efficient than any other healthcare insurance delivery system!!

[rgirl]

The two party system is killing America, Whoever holds the power the other side will blame them for everything. Democrat in power or Republican in power. We have to quit pointing fingers at each other or we will never solve a thing. A house divided cannot stand. I do not believe the democrats caused this whole mess and I do not believe the Republicans caused this whole mess. Politicians in power need to do what is right simply because it is right. Not because some lobbyist wants it that way. I hate to say it but most of the government is corrupt. They only do things that will make their life better not ours.

[dagdavid]

I have question, Mr. President. Why did you take single payer off the table before the conversation even began?

[Earl]

I like that question, but I think he's already answered it, albeit not very well.

[jmpurser]

Stop stealing my question!!!

[ntegrity4me]

Because he is now thinking clearly. He is doing what a good President should do ... listen to both sides. Based on what he said in 2003, however, it's coming. If it does, he will be a ONE TERM PRESIDENT! Trust me on that.

[jmpurser]

Well, that's not what HE says but if you think he's a liar maybe he is one.

[lj9283]

He took single payer off the table during his campaign, and stated his solution would build on what already existed.

[dems08]

President (and Candidate) Obama never had it on the table as a first step.

[Peabodies]

If I hear one more Republican member of congress smoothly warn on C-Span of "rationing" under single payer, I would remind him/her that we have "rationing" under the present plan. It's called denial of care, and an avalanche of paper work, for the benefit of the private health care mafia.

Health care is not a commodity, health care is a human right, recognized as such by the rest of the world.

[ntegrity4me]

Check the taxes in those other countries. Government should provide insurance to people who can't afford it. That's not 46 million people! They want you to believe that, however. Some people would rather drive a BMW than pay $150/month for health insurance. C'mon! Government should help the unfortunate. They don't owe a dime to people who can afford it, but choose not to pay for it. And there's the issue of covering every person who is in this country illegally. Let's deal with that problem first! The government should pay for their care, too?

[blueskybigstar]

Excuse me. Providing for all is cheaper for all and makes a stronger economy. What is it about Republicans who don't understand penny wise, pound foolish?

[Dynamohum]

I pay $100 a month for Medicare and $400 a month for the Medicare medigap copay policy. That is $500 a month so get real. $150 a month HAHAHAHAHAHAha ON WHAT PLANET?

[NotPC]

How many people do you know personally who have been turned away from a medical facility because they couldn't pay? Where are you getting your infomation? We just accepted an infant at a Buffalo medical neo-natal facility because Canada did't have a "room" in their entire country to take this child. Our system isn't perfect, but I have NEVER known of anyone being turned away from receiving medical care due to lack of insurance or ability to pay.

[slocomgp]

Try going to a doctors office and not the emergency room. So people go to the emergency room for the flu, instead of going to the doctor who wont see them if they cant pay up front. The emergency room is full of people without insurance, no ability to pay and no emergency.

[Earl]

Public opinion means little to nothing in this debate, because the American public is, quite frankly, ignorant. The vast majority of the public has virtually no knowledge of how single payer/socialized medicine works, and the primary source of public information to date is fear-inducing propaganda paid for by our own healthcare insurance premiums, in ads produced and aired compliments of our insurance companies.

[NotPC]

Not to mention the propaganda being "flashed" at us by the Obama administration using your tax dollars. It's everywhere. Both sides are to blame for where we are today.........insurance companies and the US Govt. And you're right the vast majority of folks only see what each of these sides wants them to see........the folks will have to do some of their own "investigative work" if they are to truly understand how this problem should be dealt with, because the answer isn't coming from either side right now.

[Earl]

I haven't seen the taxpayer funded propaganda everywhere.

[Earl]

I have one question: WHEN?

[dems08]

When what?

[Earl]

When do we get it?

[JackRusselTerrier]

When are you going to stop selling the plan the insurance companies want. When are you going to admit the Public Health care Option is a scam. Orchestra pit Is that your euphemism for lobbyist.

[PaxEterna]

Here's the question:

Why can't the American people have the same health care coverage as the members of Congress, and yourself?

There is no good answer to this, Mr. President, except to move to Single Payer.

if American taxpayer dollars can pay for Wall St., then Wall St. needs to pay for the American worker.

Make good on your promises; roll back the tax cuts for the wealth, end the forever wars, and get on with the business of putting the American people, not congressional self-interest, on the front burner of the 21st century.

it's time ...

[dems08]

“Given that a lot of people work for insurance companies, a lot of people work for HMOs. You’ve got a whole system of institutions that have been set up,” [Candidate Obama] said at a roundtable discussion with women Monday morning after a voter asked, “Why not single payer?”

“People don’t have time to wait,” Obama said. “They need relief now. So my attitude is let’s build up the system we got, let’s make it more efficient, we may be over time—as we make the system more efficient and everybody’s covered—decide that there are other ways for us to provide care more effectively.”

- President Obama, Aug. 2008 (he was elected on this platform)

[Coinyer101]

He is wrong about single-payer. Our system is too broke. And those people working for insurance companies are earning a living denying peop[le coverage. They need to go find 'honest' work, other than stealing from the s ick and the old.

[slocomgp]

I second that!

[dems08]

If we can pay for it, the public option will be the stepping stone to single payer coverage.

[flapjack]

This is the reason it is being fought. Thanks for your honesty. Obama knows this as well, but he claims otherwise.

[dems08]

What's being fought? The public option?

[YOUChampion]

I do not understand Congress, the majority of American's want single payer insurance and yet no one seems to be listening. Maybe it is time American's take to the streets and demonstrate to the Congress we are serious. We are in awe of the Iranian's for standing up to a cruel and heinous regime and yet we allow corporations and lobbiest to dictate our healthcare. Peaceful and massive persuasion will get attention, we seem to be able tohave "Pride" parades across America,how about parades for "singlepayer"? I personally have a government sponsored insurance and I love it. Yet it is managed by a well known insurance company, get real people, we already have it for a select few. Congress has the best, are they better then the rest of us, they seem pretty human to me lately.

[dems08]

The majority of American do not want 'single payer'. Single payer means no more ins. companies.

The majority of Americans want the option of going with private ins. companies, OR signing up for a government plan.

[Earl]

The majority of Americans are filled with fear, thanks to their insurance premiums paying for insurance company sponsored ads. Every country with socialized medicine also has private insurance, private doctors and private hospitals.

[slocomgp]

Why do we need the middle man? All the ins companies care about is their bottom line.

[northstar11]

he wants questions?????

the people have suggested ANSWERS he chooses to ignore them

[blueskybigstar]

No time for compromise.

[dems08]

It looks like we have 2 choices at this point:

Number One:

Push for single payer and ONLY single payer NOW, knowing there is NO WAY it's going anywhere in Congress.

Number Two:

Push for getting a public option NOW, with all its faults (of which there are many)
Work on PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS (no more ins. co. campaign donations!)
Work on getting single-payer supporting politicians elected!!!
Pressure on President Obama to state "SINGLE PAYER is the best cost-wise, but.... "
Push for single-payer plan when we get closer to having the votes.

Even getting the public option NOW is very iffy

[Peabodies]

Republican tro// ...

[dems08]

get what?