Anthony Weiner: GOP Public Option Opponents Should Give Up Their Medicare

On Thursday, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) called on 55 Republican adversaries of the public option to give up their government-funded health insurance. The congressman argued that it is hypocritical for Senate and House members receiving "government-administered single-payer health care -- Medicare" to oppose making such coverage available to the American public.

"Even in a town known for hypocrisy, this list of 55 Members of Congress deserve some sort of prize," Weiner wrote. "They apparently think the public option is ok for them, but not anyone else."

Weiner, a member of the Health Subcommittee and co-chair of the Caucus on the Middle Class, has been a strong advocate of the public option. In recent weeks, he has challenged his own party, as well as President Obama to ensure that the final health bill includes an affordable public insurance plan for Americans.

A press release from Weiner's office identifies the congressional recipients of Medicare that he thinks should give up their government-funded insurance plans. The list includes Senate Finance Committee members Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), part of the Gang of Six that helped shape health care reform.

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Comments

[RightsGuy]

Two main arguments for single-payer healthcare:

THE MORAL ARGUMENT

Health insurance companies make their profit by denying health care to sick people. That is immoral and unethical.

THE ECONOMIC ARGUMENT

Our current system of for-profit corporate health insurance has created an unbearable national economic burden. Over 1500 separate insurance companies operate under different rules creating 30 % administrative overhead-- Medicare overhead is only 2%.

By converting to a single payer system, we immediately save 300 billion dollars.

We pay twice what other countries pay for healthcare, yet 50 million Americans have no healthcare coverage and 87 million were without health insurance in the past 2 years. 62% of bankruptcies are due to medical bills.

The US ranks LAST of 19 industrialized nations in preventable deaths, and 29th of 37 in infant mortality. The World Health Organization ranks the US at 72nd for healthcare accessibility and efficiency. We can no longer maintain the status quo.

WHY WE DON'T HAVE SINGLE PAYER OR A STRONG PUBLIC OPTION NOW

These two arguments in favor of a single payer heath insurance system (moral and economic) are so compelling, that one must conclude the only reason we don't have single payer now is because of lack of representative government.

The obvious conclusion is that our government does not serve the people who elected them. Rather, our elected government officials serve the special interests of the health insurance industry and other corporations who make massive campaign contributions.

[RightsGuy]

SINGLE-PAYER IS THE ONLY ETHICAL AND FINANCIAL SOLUTION:

A recent study shows SINGLE-PAYER WOULD BE MAJOR STIMULUS FOR THE US ECONOMY:

** 2.6 Million New Jobs,
** $317 Billion in Business Revenue,
** $100 Billion in Wages, and
** $44 Billion New Tax Revenues

Here’s the study: http://www.calnurses.org/research/pdfs/ihsp_sp_economic_study_2009.pdf

How to pay for single payer reform: HR676 - public financing and private delivery: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxi7DnCH3zk

Congress and the public need to see accurate numbers. The Single Payer plans currently before Congress must be scored by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Then we'll all know the truth.

[Philclock]

No to the "public option", yes to more patient control, affordability and better health care quality.

A "Public Option" is another government run program. We're not stuck with it yet.

We are, however, with Medicare. It's bankrupt in 8 years, billions in fraud, underpays market rate for doctor services, overpays (grossly) for supplies. It's also a legalized monopoly, insurance companies cannot compete directly, it controls 1/3 of the health care market.

So allow private insurance to be truly private instead of quasi-public, compete nationally instead of being restricted state-by-state into mini-monopolies, high prices and restricted coverage; remove federal mandates so insurance companies can write inexpensive long-term catastrophic care policies with deductibles (now mandated with "normal care" coverage, which drives up policy costs because normal care is used frequently, catastrophic not so). With true competition, insurance policies will come down.

And also expand patient Health Savings Accounts, allow individuals to buy tax-free insurance, same as companies. The more patients pay for their own health care, the more doctors, hospitals, etc. listen to them, rather than third payer insurers.

And require computerized medical billing be sent to all patients for every procedure, paid by the patient or insurance company, so each patient knows exactly what they are being billed for, and how much.

[ladyearth]

These 55 Republican lawmakers who oppose the public option provision in the health care reform bill and who have Medicare themselves are just like the Republican lawmakers who rant and rave about family values and have mistresses on the side.

[Juantnsoup]

And you really think those opposed to a single payer system or a public option are trying to protect the American peoples interest? Then get rid of it for everyone, the old, the veterans, and our own govt!

[Vashti4]

This article failed to mention that Rep. Wiener is one of congress's biggest supporters of medicare for All, or single payer health care. He believes the Public Option should be medicare for all.

[willpen]

Nice to see that someone has outed these hypocrites. Go Congressman Weiner.

[perk]

The statements make no sense.
Millions of people receive Medicare, not just the 55 "Republican Adversaries". So his statement "They apparently think the public option is ok for them, but not anyone else." is Fauxist.

"Medicare and Medicaid are the single biggest drivers of the federal deficit and the federal debt by a huge margin."
Barack Obama on Wednesday, June 24th, 2009 in a town hall meeting.

By the same twisted logic used by Rep Wiener, ( ie Medicare = the Public Option ) the President thinks the public option would be too expensive.

[Cyndy Keith]

If Obama said this, then my question about whether he would be an honest president has been answered. The deficit was not caused by Medicare or Medicaid. It was caused by war, big business bail-outs, tax breaks for the wealthy, pathetic mismanagem­ent... Obama is apparently working for the same people the previous president worked for.

[jimfl]

Weiner is one of the few real leaders in Washington.

[RightsGuy]

Agreed!

[9liberal]

This man is my hero. I love him. Great idea to put it right back on these republicans. I say Obama 2012 and Anthony Weiner in 2016...tha­t would get this planet fixed for sure.

[norman60]

Refreshing, factual and bold ! First, came Grayson, now, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.)
Could it mean the democrats are recovering from cowardice?
Halleluia!!!

[jws2346]

Oh noes, 55 hypocrite Repubs using a socialist program. Who'd even thunk?

[CR46]

Usual republican self-entitlement for them and for them only thinking

[Rocket80]

He realizes they don't have a choice right? You can't just back out or refuse it...in fact, Dick Armey I think is suing the government to allow him to get out of Medicare. Gotta look into that......­It's like saying it's hypocritical to pay into social security if you are opposed to it. You don't have a choice!

[outragedkar]

yeah - you can refuse it... by not signing up for it... or going w/medicare advantage programs which are a waste of taxpayer money because taxpayer money goes directly to some for-profit HMO to pay out what they want and determine what care will be covered regardless of what healthcare professionals recommend.­... these 55 hypocrites have chosen straight Medicare A and B, because it's the best coverage going and they know it. They also have a secondary insurance because they are members of Congress (ie Fed Employees)­...
Good for Weiner for calling them out - now if HuffPost could actually be responsible and post the 55 people's names, would be nice to inundate them w/letters and calls about their hypocrisy.

[sviolette]

It's not paying into social security that would make you a hypocrite it would be collecting from it that would make you a hypocrite.

[jordan327]

So weiner was able to walk up to them and ask how old they were.....w­ow....he's a god!!!

[Badbowler]

Weiner for the next Speaker of the House!

Republicant's