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

[YewNeekId]

2) Why are insurance companies allowed to negotiate 'contracted rates' with health care providers, with as much as a 90% discount - when the uninsured, who need the most relief, are forced to pay full price?

[YewNeekId]

1) Why do the same prescription meds cost half as much in Canada as they do in the US?

[quantumspin]

It's funny to me. Social Security was implemented without endless 'question time' sessions with FDR and the people. Same for the WPA, and Rural Electrification Program (which took electricity to the rural areas of America---ask yourself if this could happen today), banking regulation, etc. I view this endless "Obama wants to hear from you" as meaning: he cannot control the agenda, maybe doesn't want to control it, and lacks the power and ideological conviction to get anything done other than to continue the Bush agenda. Obama's not the alleged 'strong leader' we saw during the campaign. He's weak, ideologically confused. Not a leader, but a triangulator.

[YewNeekId]

1) Why do the same prescription drugs cost half as much in Canada as they do in the US?

2) Why are insurance companies allowed to negotiate 'contracted rates' with health care providers, with as much as a 90% discount - when the uninsured, who need the most relief, are forced to pay full price?

3) Do you remember your campaign promise to get all of us the same health care program that you and the congress get ? We would be happy with that.

4) Who do you need most to get re-elected - the Health Care Lobbyists or the American people?

[957]

obama should know the questions by now, sound like he's trying to regain that I'm running for president magic, the questions are on the table Mr. Prez. were waiting for answers and action and so far no cigar.

[ParacelsusTheophrastus]

I know that the chiropractors are lobbying hard to get in on the health care but I don't go to one and the people who do seem to never get cured and have to keep going. I hope that there are a few plans to chose from and that if we don't go to a chiropractor then we can opt out. No offense to chiropractors but I don't want to pay for something I don't really use, Just the basics--one check up per year and then sick care.

[boomslang]

Those who support the status quo, either have never been denied coverage or they benefit directly from the insurance industry. There has been ample documentation to show that the insurance industry behaves exactly as you would expect it too...devoid of any motive other than the bottom line. ( the current model does not engender real competitiveness either) The industry is just as busy sifting the records of the doctors to deny the coverage and "recover" payments.to the providers even more than a year after the service is provided. The appeal is very wasteful and time-consuming to the doctor's staff . This is a very pernicious way to provide health care. The public option only goes part way to what is really needed: single payer, The insurance industry needs to be relegated to competing to provide non essential "extras"

[Paisano]

Is this guy for real????? He wants our questions... OK

Are you going to push a health care bill through the reconciliation process our will the bribes from the insurance industry win out over the will of the people?

[isis]

I don't have questions. I want help. It has gotten so expensive that I'm afraid to try anything new--start a business etc, because then I might not have health care.

[linton]

Part of the solution to our problem will be to embrace public financing for all our politicians and thus reduce the influence that lobbyists and political fundraisers have.
The next challenge is to task our politicians to come out with a healthcare reform plan that works for all. If they fail in this regard, their health benefits should be taken and given to those who can least afford it.

[PattieH]

With all of the research of Drs Steffie Woolhandler, David Himmelstein and many others of PNHP, it is clear that the savings from the administrative costs of all of the private health insurance companies will pay for SINGLE PAYER health insurance for all residents of USA.
1. We need Single Payer health insurance for all (this country's own version with improvements on other country's Single Payer)
2. Private Health Insurance companies are corrupt. CEOs earn 20 million and there are profits of 30 billion. Since they "own" the politicians, no-one will stand up to them and speak the TRUTH!
3. It is a disgrace that Single Payer advocates were not brought to the table, led by Baucus!
4. AMA comprises 20% of MDs and are not the voice of MDs, and a huge percentage of MDs want Single Payer!
THE TIME IS NOW for Single Payer Health insurance.

[Peacein09]

Why bother, Obama? Nothing I say will make you courageous enough to face down the big lobbyists: AMA and the insurance companies.

[WritusMaximus]

Now now! The worshipers are sure to tell you that without compromise, health care reform aint possible, even when the dems have the votes to pass it. So in the spirit of compromise, Obama/Backus may need to pull the plug on health care public option. In addition, it's all Bush Jr.'s fault we have to fix health care, and it's Bush Jr.'s fault if both Congress and Obama say NO to public option. And you thought the repubs were the party of NO! Besides, having heard your complaints on video, Obama can say that he heard you say that you understand we cannot have everything we want---unlike the banksters who got everything. You may have video of a lobbyist or two, er, American citizens expressing desire for keeping things as they are, er, keeping government option out. In the end, it's all Bush Jr.'s fault.

[Servility]

But... But... But... If Clinton had fixed it during his administration it wouldn't have gotten worse during Bush's...

[marco01]

Courtesy,

"Annoyed Canuck @ 19:

Hi, all. Today’s report from Soviet Canuckistan:

Just got off me commiephone after a 4 hour interrogation by a commissar at the Ministry of Mandatory Soviet Health. I need to see the doc about a sore throat. With luck, I should be able to get an appointment in early 2009. Had to promise to work under the table at the commissar’s private garden plot, digging potatoes and feeding his pigs. He’ll even throw in a handful of black-market aspirin. What a bargain!! Who says we aren’t free??

Comrade capitalists of benighted Amerika! Do not fear the end of exploitative, capitalist medicine. Join us as we march together in Socialist Solidarity, arm in arm toward the Workers’ Utopia and Big-Government Health Care For All!!

Now I must leave you to line up for my ration of sausages and pickles.

Solidarity!!

Yours, Eh?
Winston Smith-Tremblay"

[thenorthshore]

comrade the shelves are empty; no sausages or pickles

Comrades...
The end of the Bush imperialist, oppressive regime means that we are now free. We are free to

labor for nothing under the great Socialist regime of our dear Leader Obama.

NOW..we Americans can be ONE with the WORLD. We too can be taxed unmercifully. We too

can be part of the world and know the wonders of complete multiculturalism because now illegal

invaders from everywhere will enter our land.

We can be one with the world and know the tranquility of want and abuse. We can now eat one

meal a day. We can live in tree-houses with no electricity and be touted as "green" and 'native

lovers of the land'.

We can join the world and live in squalor and watch our children scavenge in dumps. We can

know the joys of being one with the world by being stripped of our rights and abused beyond

belief. We will have the warm feeling of knowing that our dear leader and those he appoints are

living in luxury.

What wonders of Socialism lay before us.....???

Thank you Obama...for replacing the relative safety of the Bush years...with unbridled spending,

fear, the taking away of freedoms.... and all that Socialism affords. At least we are all equal

...now..equal with the world.

Long live Socialism.

Comrade Sovietskayakaputnik

[dogdiva]

How confusing. You've framed everything in Communism and yet evoke socialism. It's almost as if you just take cues from talk radio and don't have any idea what your talking about.

[robbep]

Do you know what socialism is? You seem a little confused about it. Also, over 2 billion people live on less than $2 a day and many of them live in countries with no central government. So your premise about us living without electricity and living in trees has more in common with those countries and not Europe.

[1dogs2]

I spent much of yesterday at Taste of Chicago collecting signatures on a petition for health care reform that includes a public option. I spoke with an amazing number of Canadians, who could not, of course, sign the petition, but offered their best wishes that we Americans succeed in reforming our system to produce one that gives us the quality of care at the far lower cost and the peace of mind that theirs gives them.

The day's work confirmed my suspicions about who wants genuine health reform and who doesn't. Most do; the North Shore doesn't. No surprise there.

[robbep]

one day they will, they are just a pink slip away frm not having it.

[dashcat]

Did I see that right? You have to make a video of your question?

[Carolab]

Yes, it's all theater, don't you know?

[dashcat]

I think you might be as angry as I am about this Carolab.

[dashcat]

Angry about the fact that single payer may be off the agenda and we have to make a video to prove we aren't ringers(?)

[Samalabear]

Just an another opportunity for Obama grandstanding, evasive answers, generalities, blah, blah, blah.

[Pigeon2]

Hollywood NoBama...He is a joke

[Luvial]

When will Obama let the "public" participate in the discussion of reforming healthcare? So far only industry executives and lobbyists are allowed to speak to Congress or the president. What about the money? The FDA sets the exorbident prices for drugs. Slash the price of drugs for starters. Obama is with the lobbyists again. There will be no reform, only higher prices for healthcare and less access.