Shame on Who?

We've all heard the saying, "fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

Well, who is the shame on, when someone has been fooling every single one of us, every time we spend a nickel on medical care, since every one of us was born?

That would be our country's insurance companies, in case you haven't figured it out yet.

Well we are hearing (surprise, surprise) from Republican spokesmen, and the likes of ex-insurance man Bill Nelson, that we do not dare make one change in our execrable medical system that has any chance of harming insurance companies.

Here's my two cents on medical care reform: I want a medical system in America designed to help patients, not corporations. I do not give one damn how much damage is done to these inhuman thieves in the process. I do not want to hear a word about what is going to happen to the insurance companies.

In fact, after the endless harm done to our medical system by their rapacity, I want to see the insurance companies staggered to their knees. They have perpetrated a great evil on us, and I want to see them pay the price. Call it justice, call it vengeance- I don't care. I want their greedy hands off of our medical care.

Comments

Derek said…
I would like to hear the manner in which the insurance companies have harmed our healthcare system. Last time I checked, they do more good than harm. If you think Obamacare will be better, look no further than the 30 million who will be left uninsured. If you are uninsured, you can be taxed to any extent. You must provide any information to the Secretary of HHS. Not only that, but premiums will rise for most Americans as they will be subsidizing the premiums of the unhealthy. New Jersey is a good example of this in action.

And on top of everything, it will cost more than $1 trillion which is $1 trillion we don't have. Of course, this will just be tacked onto the red lines we have been seeing.
Green Eagle said…
Derek,
You start your comment by saying:

"I would like to hear the manner in which the insurance companies have harmed our healthcare system."

Honestly, I don't think I can even begin to have a rational conversation with someone who is that unwilling to confront reality.

However, if you really want an account of what we get for our obscene health care costs, try this: http://commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Fund-Reports/2007/May/Mirror--Mirror-on-the-Wall--An-International-Update-on-the-Comparative-Performance-of-American-Healt.aspx

It doesn't make pretty reading.
Derek said…
"Compared with the other five countries, the U.S. fares best on provision and receipt of preventive care, a dimension of "right care.""

Ok doing well.

". Information systems in countries like Germany, New Zealand, and the U.K. enhance the ability of physicians to identify and monitor patients with chronic conditions."

Socialized healthcare, or mandating insurance doesn't help this.

"Not surprising—given the absence of universal coverage—people in the U.S. go without needed health care because of cost more often than people do in the other countries"

This statement is false. Everyone in America has healthcare. All you have to do is walk into the ER of a public hospital. Regardless of your insurance status, you will be treated. If you cannot afford care, you are covered by medicare or medicaid.

"The U.S. and Canada rank lowest on the prompt accessibility of appointments with physicians, with patients more likely to report waiting six or more days for an appointment when needing care."

I find this to be an odd statement. Are they referring to checkups or emergency treatment? In canada, it can take days to receive care for chest pain. In America, it only takes an hour or two, at most. In Europe, the wait lists have become so bad, they have started to contract private healthcare providers to reduce them. I question the validity of this statement.

"Efficiency:"

Again, socialized medicine doesn't help this. I like how they note how Americans are more likely to go to hospitals for unnecessary treatment and this causes inefficiency. Socialized healthcare doesn't change people, it changes the system.

"Equity:"

This is interesting because last time I checked, low income Americans don't have to pay for care, which really is more unfair for those of us who do.

"The U.S. ranks last overall with poor scores on all three indicators of healthy lives."

Again, not changing the people. We are fat and treat are bodies like amusement parks instead of sanctuaries. This is no surprise.

I still see no place how insurance companies have harmed our system. They give millions of Americans the healthcare they need when they need it. We already have universal healthcare, and I apologize if that burst your bubble. If you could again, show how insurance companies somehow hurt our healthcare system and explain how Obamacare will amend this, that would be dandy. Honestly, this is more out of curiosity than to spark a debate.
Green Eagle said…
Derek,

This is a complex issue, and we obviously can't get it straight in the comments section of a semi-serious blog. I just want to add one more fact: Currently 62% of all personal bankruptcies in this country involve medical expenses. This is an intolerable and hateful situation, brought to us by our for-profit medical system. We as a people have a right to protect ourselves from this exploitation, and it is far past time to exercise that right.
Derek said…
"Currently 62% of all personal bankruptcies in this country involve medical expenses. This is an intolerable and hateful situation, brought to us by our for-profit medical system."

So you'd rather have those 62% be due to taxes right? Spoken like a true liberal.

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