Comments on: Poll Bankrolled By Foes Of Health Care Reform Finds Overwhelming Support For Public Plan

By: Tara Janes

Tara Janes — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:15:49 +0000

Why do you guys still use terms like, democrates and republicans? You are either a socialist, or a capitalist. Call it like it is. If your for socialysim then call yourself a socialist. If you are and remember what America is all about, then call yourself a capitalist.

By: Rubicon

Rubicon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:28:38 +0000

The biggest problem w/ all of this is, we have not been told the truth on the costs for these proposals. How can we go for a public option, if its costs will bankrupt us? Why not try some of the targeted solutions first to reduce costs, & if they do not, then go w/a public option?
Lets face it, a government run public option is not ‘competition.’ It is a monopoly. Why not let all 1,300 existing private health insurers to market products nationwide? !,300 is competition, not one.
Setting up special plans for the pre-existing &/or ‘uninsurable’ plus allowing people to have individual tax credits so they can buy their own policies, rather than employer based coverage would also go a long way. Lastly, w/o serious tort reform, no reform is going to make a hill of beans difference. In Texas & California, it was reported they reduced premium costs by 30% & 40% respectively, where tort reforms were passed.
The other issue is, each state has its own health care laws, & they conflict w/ the feds. How can we ever have reason if we have the feds enacting legislation that contradicts states?

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:02:28 +0000

Ah, Bill, that’s one example of the polls that doesn’t garner 100% of US population for it’s stats…the same goes for any other polls ever conducted. Some demographic areas like Philly, Atlanta, Chino, Harlem, etc would definitely favor the healthcare reform while other demographic areas like Manhattan, King of Prussia, Northern Boston, loads of small towns, etc are against the healthcare because they are heavily vested in their insurance plan (probably investors in the insurance company) or they believe communism is going to take over the world.

People, Barry may not have the best healthcare plan…but there are states like PA that have it’s own version of a healthcare bill and it makes a bit more sense. It has increased taxes but it goes towards healthcare and for those that already have perfect health insurance (does such a thing exist?) and are crying about higher taxes, I have no idea of a solution for you except that I highly doubt private insurance is better than the same or better insurance for free.

The stats are there for US ranking in healthcare, infant mortality rates, etc…we are NOT a leading country in healthcare. We ARE the leading country in the most expensive healthcare though.

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:01:01 +0000

Very selective of you not to mention similar or even higher support for alternatives to a public plan. Read it yourself at http://www.ebri.org/pdf/briefspdf/EBRI_IB_7-2009_HCS_09.pdf.

It also shows fully 88% of respondents are happy with their current health plan. This is why Obamacare is failing, people don’t see enough benefit for the eye-popping cost.

By: Efigue

Efigue — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 14:07:50 +0000

Juliana – You hit the nail right on the head and are your post is the only one that makes any sense about the fact that something needs to be done. The problem is that most Americans “just want to be able to afford to do something about my (their) problems and still operate our (their) business and enjoy life” when it comes to managing their personal health care. All these arguments about what to do or not do about health-care reform simply mislead everyone about the fact that something needs to be done. Doing something “could” create a lot of government mismanagement. Doing nothing “will” prevent Americans from getting affordable health-care because the cost will continue to go up. It sounds to me like the only ones that will win from whatever comes from this debate are the lawyers who work for the government and for the insurance companies.

By: Juliana

Juliana — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:21:18 +0000

I just wish it didn’t cost several thousand dollars to get an MRI so my doctor could figure out why I keep having low back/piriformis muscle spasms. I’m already paying $300 out of pocket to have a meeting with an endocrinologist to try to figure out why my PCOS is so hard to treat.

My husband and I are self-employed so we don’t have employer health benefits, and it’s useless for me to try to buy insurance unless I lie about having PCOS.

I don’t want “free sh*t”. I just want to be able to afford to do something about my problems and still operate our business and enjoy life. I don’t take vacations. I don’t have designer clothes. I don’t even drive a car, myself; we have a 15 year old truck we can’t really afford to replace at the moment. I’m not one of these people that says “I can’t afford an MRI!” and then runs out and buys a TV on a payday loan. I’m just limited on options and if no new treatment strategies arise from this $300 meeting (that’s just the consultation fee alone. Labs will cost more.), I’m going to give up.

By: been there

been there — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:54:31 +0000

do you mislead people on purpose? The NBC/WSJ clearly shows that 42% disapprove of the health care “reform” compared to 36% favor. BTW, this is a gain of 16% in disapproval during the last four months.

By: paid surveys reviews

paid surveys reviews — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:06:50 +0000

Not so sure I agree with all of this

By: Tom English

Tom English — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:55 +0000

I vote no to any goverment intervention in our private healthcare. Yes to offer limited health care to those citizens “legal” that cannot afford or obtain a policy due to, laid off, recently unemployed., have pre existing conditions that no one will insure. Also Yes to help pay hospitals for caring for all of the illegal immigrants and other persons using the emergency rooms without payment. Also offer “catastrophic health care coverage for those that are in need (at some cost to the individuals for the above)
1.If the reform goverment healthcare is so good, why is it the President and the House and Senate members are not signed up to use it for themselves and their families?
2. Look what has happened to Medicare..You really think the goverment can run anything well and stay out of debt? I don’t think so.
3. Look at our current VA medical system, broke, worn out and not really fully functional…Is that what you want taking care of you and yours???
Good luck

By: loan approval

loan approval — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:16:10 +0000

I found theplumline.whorunsgov.com very informative. The article is professionally written and I feel like the author knows the subject very well. theplumline.whorunsgov.com keep it that way.

By: Exumab

Exumab — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:29:01 +0000

It’s quite basic and all boils down to this.

“Of all the forms of inequality injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane.”….Martin Luther King

The president has said that a national health system is “Too Radical!” Two Wars with an open tab now totalling
$87 Billion and counting and $8.7 TRILLION to bailout the banks and those responsible for the economic collapse (This is apparently NOT too radical.)even as Taxpayers without subsidy are losing their homes makes it pretty obvious to all but the most dense or decietful that the welfare of the American taxpayer is not even on the political agenda. America must decide whether we are going to be about the business of healthcare or about the healthcare business.Failure to commit to the former and further attempts to preserve the latter in any way will I think inevitably bring further economic disaster.
Given the rampant greed on steroids evidenced by the insurance and Pharmaceutical industries it ought to be blatantly obvious to anyone that a Single Payer system is what is needed.Anyone opposed to it either has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo or they are so paranoid about socialism as to act against their own best
interests.I have no faith in the Democratic party and one thing is for damn sure. The Republican party is to the welfare of the American taxpayer what botulism is to a can of tuna.The last eight years are a testament to that point.

Stop the rhetoric people are dying! Not to suggest that this has ever been a factor were political considerations are concerned.Americans would sleep through the Sermon on the Mount but we’ll fight like dogs over political parties to whom we are all only votes and children of a lesser God.

By: Paul Fronstin

Paul Fronstin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:44:15 +0000

Concerning the “Poll Bankrolled By Foes Of Health Care Reform Finds Overwhelming Support For Public Plan,” as the author of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) report, I would note that the same survey looked at and found support for a number of different health reform concepts. 53% strongly supported a public plan option and 30% somewhat supported it. Similarly, 52% strongly supported allowing major health insurance companies to offer national plans that anyone can purchase, and another 36% somewhat supported it. 55% strongly supported guaranteed issue and 25% somewhat supported it. 45% strongly supported expanded government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, while 30% somewhat supported it. 42% strongly supported an employer mandate, while 33% somewhat supported it. And 38% strongly supported an individual mandate, while 30% somewhat supported it. Their opinions on all of the reform options may change as details surface, especially as they concern financing options and potential tradeoffs.

By: chabuka

chabuka — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:51:51 +0000

Something is fishy here…a DKOS diary just said that the WhiteHouse is recieving far more calls against single-payer or a public option..would it be possible to find out if the private health insurance companies, big pharma and the HMO are paying people to call against…? (Remember the phone jamming scam the GOP pulled in New Hampshire..and got away with?) We have Senators and Congress members behaving like lobbyist for the private health care companies, themselves ..and now this…? WTF? What the hell is going on in this country…?

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:33:26 +0000

- ps = was the nbc/wsj poll located here:

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/sections/news/090617_NBC-WSJ_poll_Full.pdf

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:30:34 +0000

The poll i read was just about evenly split into thirds – 1/3 for, 1/3 against, 1/3 undecided. I’d like to see the details – and I also wonder if my employer will continue to offer health-care after the public plan comes out.

Will anyone here be ditching their private health insurance for the public plan?

Whichever plan is put forth – I hope it is well thought out.