Obama's Health Care Reform Won't Fly: But This Will

It's time to pull the plug. Call off the resuscitation team. Bring in the coroner. Health care reform is dead.

Obama gave it a good shot, but it was doomed from the start. It's better that we face it now and start fresh than to perform what would be the equivalent of taxidermy (with emphasis on the tax) and pretend it still exists.

All the talking heads will compare this to Hillary's debacle but in reality the two are nothing alike. In the case of the Clinton's, the failure was one of presentation. There isn't a person alive who can tell you what that plan entailed. If people don't understand something, they aren't going to support it. The message must be clear and if Barack Obama knows anything, he sure knows how to convey a message. Just as Ronald Reagan spoke in a simple folksy manner that clearly described his plans of action, Obama is the modern counterpart -- a hip, confident, straight up speaker who connects with the masses. Yet, he's talking less and less about health care in detail. And with good reason. He knows it's doomed.

We can get into the particulars, but I'll leave that for the TV entertainers -- you know, the loudmouths on both sides, be it Sean Hannity or Keith Olberman, who will blame the opposition as to why the failure occurred, but it's all regurgitated rhetoric. The answers are actually quite simple.

It's pretty obvious that Obama's plate is pretty full right now. I don't think anyone wants the economy, or the war, or the mending of foreign relationships or the potential threat of North Korea to take a back seat to engaging in more bickering over a health plan. And bickering there will be! No matter what plan is presented, the Republicans will try and knock it down. It doesn't matter how good it is, how much it can help the public or how cost effective, it will not get Republican support. They lost their ball and they just don't want to play. The end.

There will also be many Democrats who will vote against it because they don't want to be responsible for the outcome. And I can't blame them. The way it's going, the reform is nothing but a watered down version of the H.I.P. program we had in New York. And anyone who's dealt with them will tell you; it wasn't the greatest. It attracted doctors who hadn't yet established a practice. It was overcrowded and appointment schedules were limited. The waits were endless. You get what you pay for.

What someone must have to guts to say is the dreaded "S" word. Real reform can only come from a socialized medical system, otherwise it's just another version of what already isn't working.

But here's the irony - the one thing nobody mentions. We already have it.

No, I'm not talking about Medicare or Medicaid. In this country there are clinics in every State, every area of the city, every town that provide health care on a sliding scale. All you have to do is walk in and apply. Also, in case of an emergency, there are EMERGENCY rooms in every hospital and they CAN NOT deny you care.

So in reality, we do have a form of socialized medicine and it works pretty well. Is it perfect? No. But nothing can be or will be. When costs are low, service will suffer. That will be the case under any condition and it is the case in any country where health care is provided. You see, this is where the Republicans sneak in that "we have the best care in the world" catch phrase. Sure, if you can afford it. Everyone else will have to settle. But that would be the case no matter what we concoct and it's time we dealt with it.

Raising taxes to simply slightly lower the cost of outrageously overpriced private health care insurance is weak and uninspired. Attempting to revise the entire system is akin to reinventing the wheel -- too much work and the outcome is likely to be sub-par. Instead, we should improve on what we have - walk in coverage for everyone based on income. Provide for more discount chain pharmacy's that have reduced cost prescriptions plans. Allow for refills of scripts without excessive doctor's visits. Right there, I just saved a couple of billion dollars. Now throw that back into the system and make it better. There, is your answer.

People also have to take responsibility for their own health. The saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" has never had a more literal translation. So don't ask the government to stop McDonald's from serving big portions or for Ben and Jerry to keep the chocolate chips out of the chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. And don't try and sue Phillip Morris because you were too stupid to realize that inhaling smoke into your lungs every day wasn't a good idea. It's time we grew up as a people and a nation and took some responsibility.

Will all the optimism I have for the Obama presidency, I'd hate to see this albatross become his Waterloo. Let it go, Barack. And improve on what we have. (Feel free to ask Mike Bloomberg for some advice while you're at it. He knows a thing or two about managing a business.)

Just one more thing. You're going to have to let everyone know - the public and the pundits, the cantankerous conservatives and the lily-livered liberals alike. This is a Socialist program. Call it what it is.

This doesn't mean we're headed for a Marxist regime. It just means we'll be doing what works. And it's about time. I've had this nagging pain in my side and I need to get it checked out.

Comments

[Romulus]

Then there's the drug companies. Another friend of mine is disabled, receives SSDI of about $1300 a month, has Medicare but has to pay about $300 per month for additional prescription covererage. He needs a medication that is not covered by that plan. The drug company was charging $150 for 30 pills per month. Then, arbitrarily, the drug company doubled the cost. So now my friend is forced to do without that medication because he just doesn't have the money.

Even if my friend had coverage, it seems to me that doubling the cost of the meds is purely greed on the part of the drug company and regardless of who has to pay, the individual or an insurance company, the drug company is ripping off the payor.

[Romulus]

An experience with an emergency room a young friend of mine had:

He had an infection in a tooth which was causing his throat to swell. He went to an emergency room at a local hosptial and had to wait several hours before being seem. Then the doctor saw him for about 10 minutes. He was given pain medication but no anti-biotics. Know what the bill was for those 10 minutes? 700 HUNDRED DOLLARS!

Unfortunately for him he had lousy insurance which refused to pay the bill. So the hospital, not even giving my friend the opportunity to work things out, immediately got a court order requiring my friend's employers to withold 25% of his gross earnings each week and give it to the hospital.

[Romulus]

Another experience I had with a hospital. I was involved in an automobile accident on a trip and taken to a local hospital emergency room.. I was in there for a couple of hours during which they monitored my vital signs, gave me some pain medication, and had some x-rays taken. Then they put me in a room, kept me that night and the next. I was in the hospital for about 36 hours total.

I spent most of that time completely by myself. Rarely did the nurses check on me as I was hooked up to some kind of central monitoring system that they could see from the nurse's station. I did have staff come in to give me a couple of breathing treatments as I was having trouble with that.

So what was all that worth. I would have said a couple of thousand, tops. Know what the bill was?

OVER TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!

[Chaimirija]

Why does everyone gloss over the fact that health care is super expensive? And that is one of the reasons insurance is so expensive? Making everyone buy insurance is not going to lower the costs of care. And they are not pushing for socialized medicine, ala England...­it is more along the lines of Germany, or Switzerland. Single payer is govt insurance.

As for ER care...the­y will bill you. And even if you have insurance, with lets say 80 or 90% coverage, you owe what they won't pay.

People cannot afford the bills. People cannot afford to get care.The inflation is unsustainable. Hospitals are laying off, physicians offices are like production lines, the entire system is a mess.

It is comparable to having an old house with no insulation, so your energy bills are out of control. Wasted energy and wasted money. Huge demand for more energy too!

[minerva117]

It's a national shame that we have become a nation af beggars thanks to the for-profit health insurance industry. Everywhere you go, you will see flyers advertising "benefits" and "fundraisers" for people with catastrophic illnesses and coffee cans on the checkout counter begging for spare change. People who would not have ever considered begging before, desperately trying to forestall bankruptcy or homelessness. Someone needs to make a commercial featuring all of these desperate begging measures that people have to do to pay for health care. The saddest fact of all is that many of them have health insurance. No other civilized nation makes their citizens resort to begging in order to have necessary care!

[care4mypeeps]

I will not allow anyone to shape my views who is a pessimistic as this.

Let the chips fall were they may but lets fight to the end. It is evident to the American People that those who are vehemently against the Health Care Plan is in bed with the Lobbyest and the Phamaceutical Companies that set the prices and shape the polocies.

2010 is just around the corner and we will settle the score again in 2012. This makes me sick on the stomach that these Politicians pretend to care about this great Nation of ours while they get rich on kick backs and campaign deals.

We undestand perfectly whats going on and we also know what to do.

[Chaimirija]

maybe he's dating one of those hot pharma reps

[murphbill]

In an era or high unemployment and disappearing jobs in manufacturing due to foreign offshoring or just about everything, we need to recognize that employer paid health care is no longer feasible. If we implement a value added tax on all consumer items other than food in order to support health care then foreign goods would contribute to health are and American employers would be freed of a significant disincentive to hiring and retaining workers. China has a 17% VAT but exempts exports which is a key reason for their economic success. Use the tax to support a Medicare equivalent plan for all employees and dependents including private insurers competitive with a public plan. Current efforts to support expanded health care by taxing employer paid benefits will result in more layoffs to reduce that burden.

[Nelson Montana - Huffpost Blogger]

Kiku's comments are a microcosm of why we continue to have this problem. For so many people, it isn't about finding the best way, it's about advancing the agenda that they embrace. What's the difference how people receive care and coverage as long as they get it? One way is practical and affordable. The other way is lofty and unlikely. I don't see how donating money is going to change anyone's mind. That's ego -- the believe that a long as you're heard, and the more you're heard, the magnitude of the message will resonate throughout the land. Let it go. Brass tacks folks. What can we get for our money we can spend? Anyone who owns a business will tell you that's what it comes down to. So I maintain, improve on the current system by providing sliding scale payments , based on income level for each doctor and EM visit. Simple. It'll work.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Coburn should not be in health care reform committee

he needs to exit

now- then he can inform us on ex-convent on C Street in Washington D.C.?

I am curious- Can you please enlighten us on the oldest Conservative Christian organization in D.C. We really need to be aware of the expenditures of that housing unit on C Street.

Can you please advise how an OB/GYN Doctor/Dea­con/Oklaho­ma Senator Coburn- is immune from answering questions from any law in this country regarding his advice to bribe Senator Ensign's mistress and her family -

Please explain that?

The righteous Coburn of OK - advising Ensign of NV how to handle his mistress and her family!

"Mr. Hampton (husband of mistress) added that Coburn confronted Ensign and urged him to provide millions of dollars in assistance to the Hamptons to pay off their mortgage..­."

Where would those millions come from sir?

Oh- that's right- the righteous OB/GYN does not have to disclose doctor patient relationship? Or as a Deacon- Clergy disclosure?

Does Coburn or Ensign pay rent at C Street?

How is that taxed?

Just a few questions- are bribes legal through one of bush's signing statements?

[dwk01us]

It's time for us all to tell Congress that we want them to foot the bill for their own health care. Oops,pardon me if that happened Humana or United would provide it for them and their families. I live in Louisville,and see the Peter Graves headquarters of Humana everyday.M­any of the execs here live in multi-million dollar homes. Do you really think they are going to give this up w/out a fight?Pushing keyboards and pen and paper has got to go!

[mamacita]

I don't think it's time to throw in the towel just yet, but it could be that we'll have to tie campaign reform to health reform to get it done. Too many Congress Critters are on the payroll of the current for-profit health care system, and they're not going to bite the hand that feeds them. THAT is our biggest obstacle to single-payer health care.

Here's my two cents: expand Medicare to everyone, using the tax system already in place to pay for it. Employers also contributing on a sliding scale--it's still cheaper than providing insurance for employees on their own. Use some of the funding to assist in educating medical professionals, in return for a term of service in a public walk-in clinic.

[jumperpin]

Why throw in the towel now - when we've never been closer.

Sure, after some soar arms in the Senate, we'll barely have any form of structural reform. Even short of that, we'll still enjoy better coverage from private insurers.

Single-payer is inevitable. The manner and speed with which we get there are certainly subject to debate.

In any case, it's not as simple as "victory" or "defeat".

[Kiku]

I've come across this attitude before. "Give it up, it's over..." months ago. To which I can only say: coward.

Get on the phone, write some letters, donate some money. Here's some links:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/health-care-action-center/

http://action.firedoglake.com/page/s/publicoption

Obama said we are the change. If we give it up, it will be lost. Yeah, it's a tough fight. Now, go, get active, and do your part.

[Gottasayit]

Thank you Kiku - we need to hear more voices like yours!!! Thank you for the website links.

We must never give up or throw in the towel. We ARE the change. I wake up hopeful every
day since Obama was elected.

What frustrates me the most is that he has only been in office a matter of months, and has
already accomplished above and beyond what Bush did in his first 4 years. There is
a lot at stake right now. But we have leadership for the first time since Bill Clinton.
Both Obama and Clinton are very intelligent, well-spoken, charismatic men that have
great influence, not only here but in the world, for the most part they are respected.

I also wake up sad and angry at the ugliness that has come out after this election.
Racist, horrible, cruel things from people who for some reason still have the ears
of others. Scandals everywhere - and to think Clinton was actually impeached for
what is now an almost laughable transgression.

The American people have spoken, and we need to band together under our
President, this is the most pivotal time we have ever experienced and we have
the power to make the right decisions and offer support where it is most needed
to achieve what we have envisioned.

Throwing in the towel is a choice, and has its consequences. I would rather
keep the towel in the ring and see what happens, for it surely can't be any

[Nelson Montana - Huffpost Blogger]

A few quick points.

A lot of people are disagreeing and saying thing along the line of "it SHOULD be this way." But it isn't.

As for "who I am", I'm someone expressing ideas. You can debate them or disagree with them however I'm always suspicious of people who don't address thoughts and instead, wait to see what titles one may have or what "team" they belong to before deciding if they agree or not.

And I was not comparing Hannity to Oberman. I just said they were both loudmouths.

I have no idea what classicalgeeks reference to McDonalds is getting at. Because people have no choice they MUST eat it and OVEREAT it? So therefore McDonalds should be held accountable? You must be joking.

And as far a EM being expensive, sure, but how many times do you need and ER? The cost of a few months insurance is likely to be more than the visit. And bills can be negotiated. However, I do believe ER visits should also work along a sliding scale.

The single-payer system has merit and maybe some aspects of it can be implemented , but it isn't without its pitfalls as well.

You see, there are ways of making it better. But some people are more interested in the complaining about a problem than correcting it.

[Acidic]

"You see, there are ways of making it better. But some people are more interested in the complaining about a problem than correcting it."

So your just expressing ideas? There was not a single one in your article other than GIVE UP. How much did they pay you to to write this? Your do nothing attitude is disturbing. " How often do you need an ER anyway? " Take a guess pal, a lot outside of the sliding scale clinics you describe. You are completely blind and frankly, SHALLOW. You cannot even begin to fathom what millions of people are going through. The answer is simple, the RIGHT as no valid points to be made in regards to Health Care and you definitely fall into this category. I suggest you pull your head out and smell something other than your own stink. When I really think about it, nobody probably cares what you think. I just can't believe how ridiculous you come off. Pompous, arrogant, and again shallow. Stick to acting or something. YOU CANNOT HAVE HEALTH CARE FOR PROFIT. What is so hard to swallow about that? Single Payer's "pitfalls" pail in comparison. Facts do not lie and you apparently have no idea what they are.

[TheKurgan9]

Here us the problem with the democrats and especially Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi. They want to pass legislation though congress on health care reform without giving congressional members time to actually read the bill. Just jam it through because Nancy Pelosi promised the president that "We will have passed this through before the August recess."

Yeah, that's a gret reason to push the bill through. This would have been a disaster just like the stimulus bill. Pelosi and Obama gave congress two days to read thousands of pages of legislation before offering a vote. So what did 99% of congressmen do? They just voted yes without reading the legislation. NOW when asked, nobody knows where the money went from the first leg of the stimulus. Well, how could anyone know except for Mr. Bernanke and he will not relinquish that info because he does not have to by law.

Now the democrats in the Senate have blocked the transparency bill from going through..w­hy? Isn't this suppose to be the most transparent administration ever?

Thank GOD this is not going to pass. We need congress to be properly informed of how a large plan like this ought to be allocated. Unreal how people just think that Obama should just push legislation through congress without knowing how they are going to actually pay for it. This is as crazy as Bush on going into Iraq without an exit strategy.

[Chaimirija]

I used to be like that with my programming assignment­s..til I got an F

[been2there]

Those clinics aren't so common. My adult daughter suffered through a kidney infection before Planned Parenthood finally helped her. We do need a good, solid, national health system, because our obese and often ill population is a genuine national security risk.