Carrie-On's Comments (380)

“It WILL force the insurance industry to revamp their medical coverages; however, the industry will still go on mounting enormous profits from their other instruments. One must wonder why the industry even WANTS to maintain health coverage, when all they have yelled about for the past year is how much money they are losing from the sick Americans! If "they" were smart, they'd apply for jobs with Uncle Sam!”

“They are two groups: a dangerous faction of the far-right Conseravitves, not Republicans; however, it would serve the latter to call the shots, and haul in these revanganists. Interestingly, I read more about this socio-political group in the new book about the downfall of Conservatism.

We are a baby nation that has yet to realize history will repeat itself, unless the populace is educated.”

“Insane personalities are confusing to the most sincere! The dichotomies that are obvious in "DC" today boggle the mind.

Presently, many concerns have surfaced about Congress in general the past weeks, months, and yesterday. One was mistruths! I often sat glued to C-SPAN so I knew what the process had been in votes, et al; yet within hours, I would received a letter from one of you diametrically opposite to that which everyone agreed on – or about being abused by the “Democratic leadership.” That sounded like 10 years old boys; unbecoming someone we elected to lead our nation. Lying in any manner must cease—for political reasons or not, our nation depends on honesty, and the U.S. needs independent thinkers, intelligent people in Washington, D.C.

What those who voted AGAINST the House bill (and are now huffing and puffing out their last breaths for their corporate contributors) fail to ACKNOWLEDGE, is that right now women in the US occupy the greatest per cent of our total workforce. Frankly, women would meet, have lunch, and discuss until total agreement was reached before going to VOTE on a bill. Same, worldwide. This has to stop, and these blokes need to be voted OUT of office, or removed, which can be easily done based on their conflicts of interest.”

“Agreed! From an Independent's standpoint, many things concerned me the past weeks, months, and yesterday (I sat glued to C-SPAN to catch yet another one of my all Republican elected in a lie -- they do or say something on C-SPAN, or a time for reading, and studying a bill is stated, and out comes a letter from them complaining they are being abused by the "Democratic leadership!"). That party lost me, and my family years ago - because we are focused on philanthropy, and improving the condition for many in our nation.

Yesterday, and leading up to the "vote," I was shocked that the naysayers presented nothing of substance against the Bill; in fact, they were totally ignorant-sounding. Their medicre anti-stances can be easily remedied, yet not one evidenced any willingness to work toward a common, acceptable resolution. That is a red flag in any industry. A CEO would be fired for such attitudes.

Secondly, they lied! Outright lied, then manipulated the truth. Trying to use U.S. voters against this was a mute point, yesterday - the responsilbity was at their feet!

Lastly, if the senate plays such games, they'll send a clear message - vote them out of office!”

“Good points. You are all cheering me. I have friend in Texas, and their lives have deteriorate the last 9 years there.”

“This could be settle overnight if the president would act, make an executive decision like Nixon did with biochemical weapons we had stockpiled, and kick the lazy, self-serving, selfish, inhumane, and untruthful Republicans in the rear end by permitting anyone who wanted to sign on with CMS to do so, based on income level costs. That would give everyone time to work on health care reform, and stop the insurance industry's lying, maligning, and fraudulent business practices put on the U.S. public. Once the Medicare Advantage and "Plus" plans are cancelled, everyone will have to find something anyway, and those plan paid for by Medicare as it is, do not provide for the policy holders what Medicare does in the first place, but WE are all paying for them!

Frankly, this is the end of Party Politics, for many Americans. It's been a tiring, dangerous, and useless battle, and worse to see those we elected fighting, being dishonest (I guess they don't think we watch and hear them on C-SPAN), and increasing their own incomes while being public servants. ENOUGH.”

“Without diminishing the seriousness of mental illness, it is NOT projected to be the 2nd leading cause of death in the world by 2020 - we have enough diseases ready to take that place,. Other than cancer (#2), it will be nudged out by respiratory illness/infections this decade (smoking, pollution, infections, etc).

By 2030, suicide, homocide and war move up for some nations/income levels, but there is no indication that mental illness will be the 2nd leading cause of death. However, violence is up there - and something that is not spoken about especially in the USA. More over, mental illness has dramatically increased in the U.S. this past decade - is it any wonder!

Health is a topic close to my heart, and I keep stats on it's etiology and progress overall, and frankly respiratory deaths (now #3) should be a RED FLAG for our world. Next year is the world Year of the Lung, and we should all pay attention to our respiratory health--soon to be in #2 spot.

Having served for many years on a state mental health commission, the shocking fact that our budget kept decreasing (instead like all budgets - increasing) sent a clear message to me that mental health was of no concern to governments in general.

Thus, with all due respect to Glenn Close, the facts are incorrect.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/
http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_part2.pdf (see #8)”

“Mental health is the basis for all health in the body! Great contribution!

Like the woman who donated her kidney, and now her insurance company won't cover her because of "Pre-exisiting" conditions! OUT WITH ALL HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES.”

“I would like to have the budgets of each states' Foster Parent programes investigated! It is shocking what is "COVERED" and paid out by some programs, while those against "Freedom of choice" do nothing to adopt and/or take care of children who need parents, and homes. The children with "special needs" foster parenting programs pay out huge sums in some states and, get this, that income to the foster parents is NOT considered when they apply for aid (such as Food Stamps, education), etc. because it is paid by the "state."

Don't we wish . . .”

“Doctors are not hog-tied to write prescriptions!”

“And, thank YOU, hayness -- I am in total agreement, in fact, I would go another inch and say if people are not affected by "situations" that is a red flag signaling mental illness.

With the nation the way it has been the past 9 years, more and more people are depressed - it's becoming a full-time effort to move the walls aside from DC on down to the politically-driven communities. One power-monger begets another. Some depression is healthy.”

“Thank you! And, the survivors are, today, in large numbers suffering from the "late-effects" of polio, or post-polio syndrome (quite like ALS).”

“Politicians will NOT fly in the face of their "finaciers!" That is why this so-called reform has hit the mats. It's simple as outlined herein - remove the profit motive, and stop CMS from paying any for-profits; purchase DME directly from manufacturers (Even Japan told Toshiba there MRI was too d . . . . expensive and make a less costly one - they did at 1/10 the cost several years ago, which we will be getting in the US next year!).

To make a profit, see cars, homes, carpeting, farm products, planes, services, etc . . . but leave life and health ALONE!”

“That is called Propaganda, NCAVsub2. The irrational paranoia is nothing but revangism - neither Conservative or Democrat - just loud protestors to anything, about anything.”

“TODAY : Health Care Includes Community Choice!

http://www.jfactivist.org/

Many of "us" around the nation have been working on this non-stop for months, and months - to save lives, and lower costs . . .humane care, personal options, de-institutionalization, etc. Read on, and please thank the Senate Finance Committee for hearing us!”

“There always has been a price tag on Granny, and on the disabled. Health care in America is an oxymoron. Read some medical malpractice court case transcripts sometime. Shocking isn't the term for them.

BTW thus far, there has been NO Obama plan, so don't blame him - he has spoken about reform, but really needs to stop all for-profit involvement in health care, by Executive Order, or at least (hence the huge paid for OUTCRY by the regangists) all funds from CMS going to any for-profit entity, with the exception of medical equipment manufacturers - IOW: NO MIDDLE MEN.”

“They have risen because of the cost of for-profit medcial supply vendors, and home health care companies proliferating in those states, totally uncontrolled, leaving a trail of damages, patient abuses, overcharges, high costs, and excessive salemanship pressures on the healthcare consumers. BUSINESS AS USUAL.

The costs have risen because of the business moguls taking over hospitals so now its about competition for filled 'beds,' replicated services, over-purchasing of high-priced equipment (which MUST be used to pay for it!), tests, et al instead of a goal to decrease the number of "beds" needed. Nothing is patient-centered, preventive-centered, it's business-centered.”

“AND, every doctor has at least 2 lawfirms - they love lawyerss, so what's the problem?”

“AMEN, Matt - I just wrote on that, above. It's a horror down there. My husband's cousin just went through an unimaginable situation out in west Texas . . . and LIVED. Few could believe that she survived, too - including 2 medical experts.

With drug allergies listed on red wristbands, and a Medic Alert bracelet on, having given out on paper everything for the doctors, interns, residents, and fellows to be aware of - to all of them - some idiot anesthesist gave 2 drugs on the list during a surgical procuedure - IV, no less! Worse, 8 hours later, awakening (!!!!), she tried to call one of us - gaging, inaudible on long distance -- back in a room, left ALONE - she could NOT get help!!!! Short of it - after being discharged we had to fly her out of there to another hospital in Texas where it was all recorded - no one ever checked her ability to breathe, or the resultant secretions and my cousin has a neuromusuclar condition, and cannot breathe on her own easily, if at all. Outcome - merely trying to communicate with the offending institution has done NO good - no response to certified letters.

She will never be the same. In fact, she's terrified of ever going near another hospital, and still coping with the results of whatever they did to her to bring her 'BACK.' No one will say what it was either. IOW - be grateful. It broke”

“Tort Reform does not belong in health care reform at all. More over, most medical malpractice cases are based on "the standard of practice in the community." When the standard is marginal, at best, that leaves health care consumers and/or their family, loved ones with no protection whatsoever.

If the public knew the extend and number of horrific mistakes, "accidents," and errors in hospitals today, with each if not killing someone, leaves them terrorized for life about ever going into another hospital, they would not question patients rights, nor reparation.

Who pays when errors occur? The patient, their insurance companies, and everyone around the injured, killed. And they pay forever.

Look at Texas - the state's being flooded with re-cycled doctors (once sued and lost) who's medical malpractice insurance has gone sky-high, but not in Texas so they move there! Things are a mess there, medically, too. But with Tort Reform there ($250K) that takes up 3 "expert witness" testimonies so there are few if any cases now and the patients die on . . . and on . . . and on . . . Lose someone you love to an atrocity - a stupid error caused, for example, by someone merely talking too much, when he should have been thinking!”

“Dr. Hyman, I've been waiting for an article on this - thank you. I was present at the first presentation of (film production) lack of cholesterol receptors, but even back then it seemed obvious there was more to CVD than we realized.

Amazingly, entering a major medical center (they think!) recently, with more than normal LDL, HDL, all other chemistries normal (always have been in fact), no hypertension (hypo-in fact), IOW - nothing found of concern; however, what was ordered for this 1 RX human: Crestor, and something for Hypertension, and "just a blood thinner." After insisting on a REFUSAL in writing, I was informed, "Everyone gets them here . . . " I'd have died!

At the same time, I consume nothing in a bag, box, bottle, or can (except EVOO, perhaps!). ;-)) And, exercise because I HAVE to - once one starts on an exercise they love it's hard to stop doing it!

Now, question is how to not grow older with a perfect heart? Pondering the ticker hanging on, keeping me going tooooo long is about as bad as the converse - at my age.”

“Glacial, I do NOT believe you wrote that! THINK. READ. ASK. DECIDE. But do not say it has not been "properly tested."

I do agree with not wanting anything to do with RDIF, but if that's your 'case' join Dr. Albrecht's efforts.”

“I had polio! I survived after not knowing who or where I was for many weeks, waking in an iron lung. Today, the late-effects are mine - and unbelievable, worse, the medical community for the most part hasn't a clue what to do for us, much less how to NOT give us drugs, and treatments we cannnot have, or - we die!

Do not ever without a vaccine from a child, or yourself. The cost from the effects of the disease, and late-effects on the nervous system are untold. The entero virus is a potent, unpredicable, evil, organism - that includes measles, mumps, Rubells, polio, chicken pox, and coming down the pike, "bird flu."”

“Absolutely! I survived the Hong Kong crisis that hit the midwest in summer '57, and was the only one left literally standing in a group of about 103 people after 3 days. It was terrible! How I withstood it, I'll never know and often wonder if the fact that my mat. grandfather died in the 1918 epidemic, and my mother had a slight "case" of it then, at age 3, but did survive (of course!).

I never want to go through such a horror-filled experience like 1957 again! In my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined anything like it (I was the youngest in the group, too - summer employement). Ambulances were literally lined up hauling people out!”

“Eh, Salk was before Sabin , please!!

And look what the Sabin did to so many with his immunizations in the 60s - they contracted Polio - he was relentless in his battle for fame against Dr. Salk.”