Even as the White House concedes that its options for recruiting Republican support on health care have dwindled, if not passed altogether, administration officials say...
No one's talking about what exactly went on in yesterday's Oval Office meetings with the Clintons, but Administration officials are thinking about how to use...
Note the phrase "threatened use of force" in the definition of terrorism, and then ask yourself what the guy at Obama's event with an assault weapon was doing, given the events of the past year or so.
Why are certain anonymous White House officials trying to undermine the President on health care? This is exactly what happened in the Clinton fight for health care reform.
The call for spirituality and the need to put aside selfishness and genuinely try to achieve the desired ends for the greatest of all concerned will result in a greater glory for America.
Obama the Developer wants to build a health club. Something classy, that's what he's thinking, with all the latest equipment, and enough room so everyone in town can join.
By taking the Rubinite path, Obama leaves government exposed as the lightening rod for everyone's problems. If he had taken a more populist tack, public anger could have been directed at the right people from the start.
Let's tell Lynn Jenkins if she isn't going to lead then she needs to get out of the way. We need to flood Lynn Jenkins' office with emails this week and let her know we won't allow her to keep her plan secret.
We need to harness the uncertainty and confusion in this country for constructive purposes, exposing the puppeteers of the far right and the corporate interests that are behind them.
Thank you very much for advocating that patients ask "Why?" before starting prescribed treatment. A member of my family recently made the mistake of blindly taking a prescribed drug for anxiety that left him dangerously addicted to a drug that caused waking blackouts, severe personality disorder and, in the end, liver failure and pancreatitis. Just because a doctor is on staff at a major US hospital doesn't mean greater harm than good can be caused by quickly reaching for the prescription pad instead of discussing lifestyle alternatives. It was disheartening to discover that drugs more dangerous and addictive than heroin are being routinely prescribed at high doses, off-label, for relatively minor problems.
Teadye: Thank you very much for advocating that patients ask "Why?"
As usual, Dr. Chopra, you are on target. Let's hope we can get an "Health Care Education" campaign going, so that people can understand what Health Care Reform is covering in the first place.
I think the President should host a Health Care Summit and invite some prominent doctors, nurses and non-partisan policy folks to discuss and take questions on ACTUAL health care and describe how Insurance Company beaurocracy is limiting (ultimately) the delivery of this care, in addition to addressing issues of health in America. Members of Congress should be required to attend for an education session for themselves as well. This issue is entirely too important as literally life and death are at stake, not to mention the fiscal health of every citizen and business.
I nominate Dr. Chopra, Dr. Drew Pinsky, and Dr. Howard Dean to the summit panel...anyone have any suggestions?
myke3000: As usual, Dr. Chopra, you are on target. Let's hope
You said "overhead in a public plan will be significantly less than in private plans." This is untrue and is the one flaw in a fine presentation. The often-cited difference in overhead in Medicare as compared with private insurers is not factual. Claims processed by fiscal intermediaries contracting with Medicare totaled 109 million for October 2008. If this most recent figure represented the average monthly volume the annual total would be 1.3 billion claims processed. Medicare expenditures totaled $468 billion in 2008 for 45.2 million beneficiaries, an average outlay of $10,400 a year per beneficiary. These figures yield a 3.4% "overhead" cost however this percentage is a total distortion of reality. None of the following costs generated by CMS are included:
ï‚· Informing beneficiaries about Medicare benefits
ï‚· Determining eligibility and enrolling beneficiaries
ï‚· Mailings to regularly inform beneficiaries about the program
ï‚· Negotiating the many carrier and fiscal intermediary contracts
ï‚· Monitoring and evaluating performance by these contractors
ï‚· Supervising movement of large sums from federal to private coffers
ï‚· Administering a large and cumbersome bureaucracy dealing with private firms scattered around the country, including significant travel expense for staff visits
This list doesn't include the huge cost of fraud in the Medicare program, not seen in the private sector. The comparison made with private insurers, who count as overhead every dollar not spent on an actual benefit, is nothing less than a complete sham. A public plan would share this same truth.
fumdazzle: You said "overhead in a public plan will be significantly
Deepak, why aren't you guiding the health care system for the President? We need your brilliance. There are too many incompetent cooks in the Health Care debate. We need your expertise advising a solution. Thank you for this awareness acid test.
What else can we do to help ourselves, our loved ones, and fellow citizens, before it is too late to salvage this mess?
Merrie Lynn Ross pledges, as a child advocate, to step up for our kids and the elderly, our most vunerable.
MerrieWay: Deepak, why aren't you guiding the health care system for
Please, Mr. Chopra, as you stated, "it's not that our system doesn't work, it's our system is misused." By your own words, you do agree that the system works, but you feel that it is not being used appropriately. I feel the same way as you do! But, I do not believe a federal bureaucracy will fix the problems you identified. Controlling costs and providing care to those that are unable to afford it is critical. But, I also believe health care is NOT an entitlement. Items such as tort reform and lobby reform need to be included. I do not believe a total free-market approach works, but I also do not believe a single-payer systems works. These are both extremes of the same coin. A middle ground does exist, but it does not sound like what you are preaching.
Mr_Art: Please, Mr. Chopra, as you stated, "it's not that our
amazingly, many countries figured out this problem long ago yet in the US we;re still stuck debating the culture wars on this topic: a single payer option or a govt run service along with privately run system.
Palito: amazingly, many countries figured out this problem long ago yet
These two videos are the most informative source of statistical and fact based information that I have seen. They should be at the top of the Huffington Post front page, but they aren't even on the front page at all. We should be burying Huff Po in feedback so that these get a prominent position.
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO LOBBY HUFF PO TO GET THESE IN PROMINENT SPOT???
I'm not yelling. I'm just trying to catch the eye of someone who knows how to do this. Thanks.
karela: These two videos are the most informative source of statistical
This is the real issue. While universal care is important, the real issue is controlling costs and improving care.
Unfortunately, this appears to be completely off the table and a non-issue to Americans, and especially, pundits and the media. Clearly the insurance/pharma/ABA/healthcare lobbyists are excellent professionals at steering Congress and media.
rip: Well said. This is the real issue. While universal care
Wow! That was a concise and outstanding summary of what is going on and an exceptional recounting of the research that has been done. 100,000 Americans die each year from disease states that they didn't have before they went to the hospital--they caught it there. That's 30% of all hospital patients! Another 200,000 die in hospitals from blood clotting anomalies that were brought on by procedures that people wouldn't have gained any real benefit from or didn't need. Deepak had the statistics to show that those deaths alone were equivalent to all souls dying on two jumbo jet crashes every other day. The waste and suffering is obscene. My brother was 87. For the past 18 months, he has been kept alive and miserable by repeated hospitalizations, countless tests and unending treatments and drugs-----at a cost of $500,000.00. And for what??? His body was worn out. Nothing was going to change that. And the 18 months were hell for him. This is repeated countless times every day, every month and every year. The money spent on it drains the economy, causes suffering and means that there isn't enough money to educate and care for our children. Obama can only point the way. If this is to change, it will be because we convinced the people we know and live near. We could put an end to a great deal of suffering. We are the ones we've been waiting for. No one else will come to save us.
karela: Wow! That was a concise and outstanding summary of what
Thanks Dr. Chopra for always being enlightening and engaging and truthful.
I wish everyone could go to the Chopra Center for Well Being for a week, so see how to live a better, healthier life with joy and happiness. The facts you stated about our disease care system were staggering. A hospital is the last place I'd want to go to get well in this country, as I'd have a huge chance of contracting something else that I didn't even go there with. Except for catastrophic accidents and chronic debilitating conditions people are in, like wheelchairs 24/7, making the change in your daily life to pursue your own health care reform, starting in your home and life is where this should be. At the end of the day, nobody is going to care as much for you as you and your family, don't look to washington to solve your needs. Again, 100% right on Dr. C. And btw, Quantum Healing was my first book that lead me into a wellness path years ago now. Thank You for writing it.
WAY2MCCOOL: Thanks Dr. Chopra for always being enlightening and engaging and
I have a spinal cord injury & I can't get decent medical care on Medicaid. I am slowly becoming paralyzed. I am unable to work for 15 years now. Some days I can barely sit up. I am losing my teeth because I have no dental coverage & cannot afford dental. I cannot chew many vegetables or meat anymore. I am 48 years old. I am glad to have basic health care but believe me it comes at a great emotional & mental cost.
Vitamins, massage & accupuncture are the some things that helped me greatly but nobody will pay for what helps. Only DRUGS that cause more side effects.
Please President Obama....Stop the madness of the for profit insurance system, we are captive slaves. I WANT CHOICE! Watch "Sick around the world" on Frontline at PBS.org. You will want to move to another country by the end of the program.
If you break this promise to America then SHAME ON YOU. I am sorry I had to choose between you & McCain. Hillary had a BACKBONE!
azdisabledsci: I have a spinal cord injury & I can't get
You lay it all at Obama's feet. He can only point the way and lead. You are still able to use a computer, so join us in sharing all these facts with everyone you know and blog like crazy. We are the ones we've been waiting for. No one else is going to save us. Obama always said that he wouldn't be able to do it alone because we're the only ones who can put pressure on our elected officials and their aren't enough of us paying attention and doing it yet. If everyone who voted for Obama would get down to business and pressure their Senators and Representative, we wouldn't be in this pickle. Too many of us are taking a powder and letting it slip away. Don't be one of them. You may not be able to go door to door, but you can go blog to blog. Don't lay it on Obama. Take responsibility. I am and both of my Senators have signed on for the public option since two months ago when I started writing to them often. We can change this if we all get the facts and get busy. These people are all about keeping their jobs. If we convince them that the only way to keep their jobs is to vote for health care reform with a public option, then we'll get it. Simple as that.
karela: You lay it all at Obama's feet. He can only
Those are horrific statistics, a few of which I already knew (from you) but it's even worse than I thought! I really do wish Americans would educate themselves instead of falling for the rotten bait.
Thanks again Deepak Chopra.
LifeChangeStartsNow: Great post. Those are horrific statistics, a few of which
I think the President should host a Health Care Summit and invite some prominent doctors, nurses and non-partisan policy folks to discuss and take questions on ACTUAL health care and describe how Insurance Company beaurocracy is limiting (ultimately) the delivery of this care, in addition to addressing issues of health in America. Members of Congress should be required to attend for an education session for themselves as well. This issue is entirely too important as literally life and death are at stake, not to mention the fiscal health of every citizen and business.
I nominate Dr. Chopra, Dr. Drew Pinsky, and Dr. Howard Dean to the summit panel...anyone have any suggestions?
ï‚· Informing beneficiaries about Medicare benefits
ï‚· Determining eligibility and enrolling beneficiaries
ï‚· Mailings to regularly inform beneficiaries about the program
ï‚· Negotiating the many carrier and fiscal intermediary contracts
ï‚· Monitoring and evaluating performance by these contractors
ï‚· Supervising movement of large sums from federal to private coffers
ï‚· Administering a large and cumbersome bureaucracy dealing with private firms scattered around the country, including significant travel expense for staff visits
This list doesn't include the huge cost of fraud in the Medicare program, not seen in the private sector. The comparison made with private insurers, who count as overhead every dollar not spent on an actual benefit, is nothing less than a complete sham. A public plan would share this same truth.
What else can we do to help ourselves, our loved ones, and fellow citizens, before it is too late to salvage this mess?
Merrie Lynn Ross pledges, as a child advocate, to step up for our kids and the elderly, our most vunerable.
DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO LOBBY HUFF PO TO GET THESE IN PROMINENT SPOT???
I'm not yelling. I'm just trying to catch the eye of someone who knows how to do this. Thanks.
This is the real issue. While universal care is important, the real issue is controlling costs and improving care.
Unfortunately, this appears to be completely off the table and a non-issue to Americans, and especially, pundits and the media. Clearly the insurance/pharma/ABA/healthcare lobbyists are excellent professionals at steering Congress and media.
I wish everyone could go to the Chopra Center for Well Being for a week, so see how to live a better, healthier life with joy and happiness. The facts you stated about our disease care system were staggering. A hospital is the last place I'd want to go to get well in this country, as I'd have a huge chance of contracting something else that I didn't even go there with. Except for catastrophic accidents and chronic debilitating conditions people are in, like wheelchairs 24/7, making the change in your daily life to pursue your own health care reform, starting in your home and life is where this should be. At the end of the day, nobody is going to care as much for you as you and your family, don't look to washington to solve your needs. Again, 100% right on Dr. C. And btw, Quantum Healing was my first book that lead me into a wellness path years ago now. Thank You for writing it.
Vitamins, massage & accupuncture are the some things that helped me greatly but nobody will pay for what helps. Only DRUGS that cause more side effects.
Please President Obama....Stop the madness of the for profit insurance system, we are captive slaves. I WANT CHOICE! Watch "Sick around the world" on Frontline at PBS.org. You will want to move to another country by the end of the program.
If you break this promise to America then SHAME ON YOU. I am sorry I had to choose between you & McCain. Hillary had a BACKBONE!
Those are horrific statistics, a few of which I already knew (from you) but it's even worse than I thought! I really do wish Americans would educate themselves instead of falling for the rotten bait.
Thanks again Deepak Chopra.