Juan Williams Calls Out Bill Kristol For Using Health Care "Scare Tactics" (VIDEO)

On "Fox News Sunday" today Juan Williams criticized fellow panelist Bill Kristol for using what he called "scare tactics" in making the case against the current health care reform plan.

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[WIKANDER]

Way to Go, Juan! This week on the JOURNAL, Bill Moyers spoke with Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive who left the industry to become an advocate for health care reform. Potter discussed the industry’s history of denying care to members and its extensive efforts to prevent the federal government from creating a “public option” for health insurance to compete with private plans. Check it out on NPR.org!

[bycnan]

I agree, it's very worthwhile hearing/reading what Wendell Potter said. A good interview. He clarified the issue for me that the pro-private-mouths are trying to obscure and confuse.

[Vernon Brown]

I notice Bill gets to make an uninterrupted statement, but when it's Juan's turn, it's good cop/bad cop. Fair and balanced.

[Jalel Art]

This is often the case at Faux News.

See - it works this way...after they offer a one-sided opinion, any opposition to their diatribes is equally rebuked for a "balanced and often fair" attack. That way - they can use that mantra - fair and balanced - without feeling guilty for not delivering on what they say they offer.

Recovering alcoholics call it denial.

[peterdangit]

feeling guilty?! lol

[bycnan]

One of several reasons I don't waste my time watching that program any more. A bunch of bullys.

[j mcdouglas]

It's such a poor argument by the rightwing.

It's a simple choice.

Who do we trust to decide what treatment we get:

Insurance companies or the people we actually vote to put in office?

I for one wouldn't trust an insurance salesman over the person I voted into office to provide me with expensive healthcare.

And neither do the other 70% of Americans who want a public plan.

[Kanuk1]

so you think that your congressman has a better idea as to what treatment you should get for a particular ailment?????? what planet do you live on?

[biglover]

Yes, he does - far better than the insurance companies do. I'll trust my congressman over them anyday.

[aftershock]

"so you think that your congressman has a better idea as to what treatment you should get for a particular ailment??????"

And you think the clerks filing your claims do? Personally I don't trust either but the idea that insurance companies are looking out for people is just laughable. I'm in the middle of fighting a $1500 dental bill right now because my insurance provider claims I went to a dentist who doesn't participate in their plan, even though the dentist is listed on the search function of the dental website. I've even printed and sent a copy of the page from the insurers website it very clearly has the dentist listed as a preferred provider and they're STILL denying the claim

[TEHelms]

I don't think you understand. Rather than the congressman or the insurance company making the diagnosis it would be the doctor and the patient!

Wow, now try that on for a concept and stop trying to play make believe that the government would make those decisions.

[NOV42008]

As long as I get the plan they have. Don't the people pay for their health care plan, then he can pay for mine, and I am garanteed he wouldn't want to be wasting his money.

[aftershock]

"I for one wouldn't trust an insurance salesman over the person I voted into office to provide me with expensive healthcare."

I wouldn't trust EITHER.

[Lark817]

No one gets between me and my doctor because without insurance, I can't afford to have one. If I did have insurance, they would be between me and my doctor and could possibly limit my choice of doctors.

[Christine Noble]

Right there with ya Lark. I work my tuchas off in a hot kitchen and can't afford insurance to see a doctor about my bum knee or any of my other problems. My options are to A) quit work all together so I qualify for medicaid and be labeled a welfare bum or B) get another job so I can finally afford insurance, which may or may not cover me anyway, and then not ever have the time to see a doctor, and/or lose both jobs when my health becomes so poor from being overworked, and therefore lose my insurance too.

[sippewissett]

Kristol apparently knows more than whole countries that have national medicine and ignores that private medicine is part of the White House plan. It's the selective references to the Obama plan that conservatives are jumping on. Get a grip: this is about expanding health care, not eliminating private health care. These are not the same concepts.

Note to Kristol: you have a low score on being right about anything you've pontificated on during the last year. Tone it down.

[j mcdouglas]

Kristol thinks Sarah Palin should be president, so basically his views aren't worth anything.

His ignorance is actually a danger to our country.

[Kanuk1]

as is yours

[Whitley2009]

Go get''im, Juan. Kristol has failed in over 80% of his predictions in the past year. He is a failure, losing buyers of his little articles, and he is having his last gasps at working as a national "authority" on anything.

I regard him as a Chicken Hawk who never served, but is very quick to order your kids into combat.

[imsrui]

Guys,
Please please take a second and think.
We are over complicating this issue.

How much does a doctor make every year ?
Lets assume $250,000.
Thats $125/Hour.

How long does each of your visit with the doctor last ?
15 Mins. Thats ~$30.

That is what I mean by Direct pay system. Just like you would pay for a Lawyer or any other service.

You need insurance ONLY for "Catastrophic and emergency issues". And since you eliminated a bulk of visits by the "Direct Option", this premium will be much lower than current level making it more affordable.

If government want to make it insentive for doctors and help poor, lets allow doctors take deductions for any person they help for "Free".

[joetherealist]

My family is already on a direct pay system, only we call it "not having insurance".

[BarryS]

some capitalist you are. how aboiut overhead:rent, utilities, supplies, staff. when did any doctor you go to charge $30?? 30 years ago?

[biglover]

$30 is most people' co-pay if they have insurance. Otherwise most people either pay the $150 or $200 visit or don't go. That's the problem here but you and kanuki don't seem to have the intelligence to understand

[j mcdouglas]

And I want a unicorn.

You don't get everything you want.

Right now you have a choice between sticking with the private murder for profit system or a public option.

Those are your choices.

Anything else is just ignoring reality... and ignoring reality ends up killing people.

[starboymikey]

How long does each of your visit with the doctor last ?
15 Mins. Thats ~$30.

That is what I mean by Direct pay system. Just like you would pay for a Lawyer or any other service.
_________________________________________________

Boy, do you not get economics. The doctor's hourly fee is only a small part of the cost of a visit to a clinic. What about the salaries of nurses, administrators, receptionists and maintenance staff? What about the cost of equipment and supplies, rent or building mortgages? This is the type of fuzzy math that has got our country into the deep doodoo it's in.

A typical visit to my doctor may take just 15-20 minutes, but without insurance it's fee for service at the door, starting at $150 per visit. And you can add to that the cost of any lab work, x-rays or other tests. You can't even shake the doctor's hand and say hello for thirty bucks.

[aftershock]

"How much does a doctor make every year ?
Lets assume $250,000.
Thats $125/Hour."

You're missing a lot of costs in there for starters, and that salary is average is probably quite low.

[expired]

Health Care: The Public Plan Option

These Democratic Senators have NOT agreed to support it:
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Senator Tom Carper (D-DE)

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)

Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)

Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE)

Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND)

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)

Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN)

Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR)

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

These names are reported by The Hill here and here

Update: Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) says she supports a public option.
Update: Senator Jeff Binghaman (D-NM) says he supports a public option.

You can also contact the White House and voice your opinion
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414

[imsrui]

Why can we not have an agreement between the patient and the doctor, Period ?

Why do we need an insurance company of government to be the middle man.

Guys, please please think.

Government and insurance company are the WASTE in our health care system. They add NO value.

If they were helping, they would not be making money.

[thisisntme]

That would be nice, the problem is who's going to pay for it?

[biglover]

It used to be that way until the insurance companies decided that doctors were making too much money and they wanted to control the costs of health care. In the meantime, these health insurance folks made billions off our backs, something the sheeple of the thug party don't get.

Why do you think the health insurance companies don't want this health care reform. They want to keep racking in the billions on our backs. Go to pbs.org and look for Bill Moyers and watch his show this past Friday. He speaks to Wendell Potter who was a big whig at Cigna and left because he had an ephihany. You should watch the show

[joceeco]

Vote the above listed Senators out of office, and you will see America's economy progress at a much faster pace.

[HawaiianPunch]

For curiosity's sake:

I've read more than a few comments on here mocking healthcare reform. I'll direct my question toward those of you who feel as though everyone is fine the way we are now...

As a nation that has 250M adults, 30M (not mentioning 15M children) of which are not insured/covered by a medical plan, how do you propose we as a nation take care of these individuals? Should we not?

Honestly. Nothing rhetorical about this question at all. Please respond with ideas.

[imsrui]

Why do you want insurance for everything ?

Why can we not have a system where we directly pay the doctors for things like common flu, viral infection, pregnancy, dental, fractures, etc ?

And have insurance only for the catastrophic and emergency health issues ?

Dems and republicans have one thig in common with their proposals, "INSURANCE".

That is whats wrong with the health care in this country.

[HawaiianPunch]

Where did I write that I want insurance for everything?

I wrote nothing about what I want.

[RKay Butler]

That would work fine if an office visit for the flu ran $50 or less like it did 25 years ago. But it doesn't. Just walk in the door without insurance and see what the tab is, $200 at least.
Do you have that kind of money to throw around, especially with 3 children who will each pass the flu to the next?

And forget a yearly checkup. Without insurance, that runs $700-$900, not counting the blood work, which runs over a thousand. Or the mammogram, which runs over a thousand counting the x-rays and radiologist. You must have great insurance or are independently wealthy if you have no idea what a terrible burden not having health insurance is.

[BarryS]

that's right: single PAYER, to PAY the doctors.

[biglover]

You put pregnancy in that category. Pregnancy is a very dangerous thing. Women are at high risk during pregnancy and especially at child birth.

[NOV42008]

Ok, lets say I have insurance for castastrophic and emergency, I go to the hospital thinking I am having a heart attack, the doctor say it is not, the bill for the emergency is $1,000.00, but the insurance want pay it because it was not deemed castastrophic, but I can't afford the $1,000.00. So the next time, I think I am having a heart attack, do I go, or do I not, because I can't afford the cost?

[ogidni]

Look at Europe and Canada. If it is working there, what is wrong with Americans especially the Republicans. The docs. in America are worried thier salaries would be capped. Why then take the Hippocratic Oath if they do not have the patients interest at heart but dollar signs in their eyes. This system is working in many countries, even the third world countries, execpt in America. Sad.

[catgirl212]

Face it the problem is about our culture. Did you see Sicko? The British doctor lives a good life, an nice apt. a BMW, etc. but he knows that there are limits and that just b/c he is a doctor should not expect more houses, more cars and more junk!!!!! We are the most superficial, materialistic, egocentric country. We are going to suffocate in our own filth!

[norgotoad]

I have to agree with Catgirl. Our culture is based upon ignorance as a strength and intense short sighted self interest. Add to that the John Wayne cowboy myth of "just sucking it up ," and we have American culture. Health care requires planning, and seeing issues beyond our volitional autism. But most Americans are cognitively incapable of planning. We prefer to manage by crisis. Health care catastrophes must happen to us PERSONALLY. Then, and ONLY then, do we "get it." Immediate PERSONAL tragedy is the only thing that radicalizes. But since it is a personal issue, nobody else really sees any crisis at all. We have a "too bad for you" attitude riding on the cowboy myth of rugged stoicism that gets weak at the knees with personal tragedy. So the health care tragedy will be played endlessly on a person by person basis, and nothing will change. Unfortunately, not enough Americans aren't OK with this. And the corporate right wing machine will win. Soo.. there will be no significant health care reform any time soon.

[SouthpawSass]

All they have to do is make medicare for ages 61 and under...

[OutsourcedAgain]

Has Bill Kristol been right about ANYTHING?

[Golfer59]

NO and what the heck is with that damn "Nasaly" Laura Ingram??

[catgirl212]

No.

[norgotoad]

NO. The Republican right wing has been 100% wrong on everything. But the conservative media, yeah CONSERVATIVE corporate media are bound and determined to cram their lies down our throats anyway. Per their hero Dr. Goebbels, "repeated lies become truth." That is what they are counting on. And it has usually worked.

[cognitivereddawn]

The best basic health care is found in the military & those doctors, etc., haven't put their hypocratic oath on the market & they & and their families live well.
Remember when we were young, felt ill, went to the local doctor, got some medicine, & mother gave it to us for a couple days? When it was gone, mother said that the doctor said NOT to give any more. Nowadays, when we go to a doctor & get some medicine, we are on that medicine for the rest of our lives!
Americans ought to get the same basic health care we got in the military paid for by tax dollars with individuals & families having the option of purchasing advanced health care packages of varying types.
About ten years ago the British pound dropped when actuaries discovered that the British pensioners are now living 15 years longer on average. Why? Maybe they don't have the stress & worry about their health care & spend less time in emergency rooms for routine medical needs than we do.

[imsrui]

Remember the days when you went to the doctor and paid his/her directly for his services ?

[Paganus]

No.

[RKay Butler]

I do. I didn't have insurance. So I didn't go unless I was desperately ill. Then I couldn't buy food for weeks. Are you from Canada or an EU country or are you just a troll?

[imsrui]

Librals are "NUTS" and Rebublicans are "SLIMY".

"NUTS"
For people to even think that we should not have "Profits" in healthcare is "NUTS". Doctors, Medical Assistants, Technologists, Nurses, etc have a family to feed. They live in the same world as we do where they see price fluctuations (Inflations). Every human being is driven in some way by the financial benefits associated with his/her work. Even if we have government provided/Single payer healthcare, wouldn't the employees/doctors want a year-year increase in their salary/benefits ?
Would anyone of you take a pay freeze for the rest of your life ? That is how insane this idea is. Hence it called these people "NUTS"

"SLIMY" - The republicans keep harping about some government bureaucrat making decisions for us. Yet they fail to mention that with today's system, we have an insurance agent making that decision for us. Doctors are scared of the Insurance company. The patient is not the consumer but a cow to scare and then milk it. This is deceit and hence I call them "SLIMY".

Individual Health Care is not complicated. He needs doctors and physicians, Patients trust and belief in God.

This idea of spreading healthcare cost by providing health care INSURANCE for all is absurd.

By following a "Direct Pay & Emergency Insurance" path will may have some (~10 Mil) poor who will be left behind. Guys 10 Million out of 300 Million is NOTHING. We can help them through charity.

[TestAndVerify]

Hi, I'm "NUTS", in the state of Minnesota, where I live, every health insurance company, MUST, by state law be a nonprofit organization. Most hospitals systems in the state are nonprofits as well. Everyone in the health care business still gets paid a salary and people still receive care, profit doesn't enter into the equation. In fact, for various reasons, I would go as far as to say that health care in Minnesota works better, has better outcomes, and costs less.

High deductible insurance programs are a nonstarter, inexpensive, granted, but totally useless for those with chronic hereditary health issues beyond their control. It also makes one have to pay for quality of life procedures like gastric bypass surgery, which is not an easily absorbed cost all one time at $20K. Then there is the quality of life that could be expected for the 10 million who are left behind? Unable to work, need a procedure to improve your quality of life and you are poor? Well tough, you don't have money and you aren't as valuable as a person as an executive working 100 hours a week who is managing to flush his company and the economy down the tubes.

During an economic downturn to the amount of donations to charities goes down and the number of people needing help from charities goes up, especially after the government has fails to provide for and cuts back on those services. That is why your plan does not work.

[biglover]

Hi Nuts. I like Nuts. Much better than slimy.

[A Bobby]

Ok, if we go by what you are saying that I rather be NUTS like the NUTS in France, GB, Canada, Japan, Germany and even some third world countries.

[exkenya]

My doctor is a businessman who has the usual overhead that businessmen have. In the medical building his office in, is a clinic that does bloodwork and uninalysis and another that does x-rays. They send him results. There are about 8 other doctors in this medical building and an afterhours clinic for evenings and weekends. He is not a salaried civil cervant earining an annual salary. He does however charge the governent a negotiated fee for each office visit, but that is the limit of the government's "intrusion" to how he runs his practise.


My late husband was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. He was given 3 - 6 months to live. He had chemo and when that stopped working, he was given trial drugs that kept him going enough that he volunteered as a blacksmith and made 2 trips back to his hometown to say good bye. He was diagnosed in November 2004, he died in November 2006.

I live in Ontario, Canada. Access to healthcare is a right of everyone, some pay premiums if they are making a lot of money. Healthcare is cheaper here because the administrative costs are less, less litigeous, seek care before our illnesses become life threatening and almost all women get prenatal care. Are there problems, sure, for some quality of life operations there are waiting lines, getting to see a specialist can be a bit of a chore first time.

[Jonathan Perkins]

Lets get something straight here. Individuals, other than the extremely wealthy, are NOT making their own choices about which medical procedures are covered today. Insurance companies are. The insurance company's primary goal is profit.

[Totto]

Finally! Repeat several times a day.

[mummbleswers]

Thank you! Conservatives act like we don't have bureaucrats making these choices already! As long as health is for sale somebody is gonna take a loss - and right now it's us.

[iskra]

Actually they aren't making choices.

Deny all claims then see who fights hard enough. Easier than picking and choosing.

[tbonehead]

rationing is the biggest part of the current system: 1) try to get coverage w/a pre-condition
2) who decides what procedures are going to be covered, regardless of what your doctor thinks 3)
try to get coverage for an alternative therapy that works, and the drug or insurance cos. haven't ordained it. I'm fighting w/insruance co re: pain shots taken after car accident; they want to tell me how much pain I suffered. Rationing! RatiONING! RATIONING! PLEASE!!!

[catgirl212]

Good point. Next time the Repubican talking point comes up, "do you want a bureaucrat making choices for you?" the retort should be, do you want a profit hungry, business men make medical choices for you?

[azureblue]

our congress critters get free, government run socialized health care- the best. And our soldiers also get free, government run, socialized care, both in service and after.
Why can't we? I'd be willing to pay for mine, even.

[Anasazi]

When the Republican members of Congress get their health care, do they turn to Blue Cross?

No!

They sign up for FEHB coverage http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/eligibility/index.aspp], then tell you the government can't administer your healthcare coverage!

Cognitive dissidence.

[HomerJFong]

I think you mean 'Dissonance', although your version does offer some comedic potential vis a vis the folly of governmental groupthink...

[biglover]

Good catcj HomerJ.Fong