Republicans Attempting To Poison Debate On Health Care Option

May 25th, 2009

Assuming overall health care cost are lowered for individuals, and as far as our government tax burden; then I’m all for a public health option. If this is going to lead to another entitlement program that’s a huge problem I could never support; because all government entitlement programs do is get mismanaged and grow; and the ones we already have cost way more than they ever were supposed to, and verge on bankruptcy.

But as health care cost take up to a 3rd of some state budgets, and many people still don’t have health care, which the rest of us pay for by getting over charged to cover their cost; things can’t go on as they are either.

From Move.org:

Last week Republicans on Capitol Hill held a strategy summit on how to defeat key parts of the president’s health care plan.

At one point, Republican pollster Frank Luntz declared, “You’re not going to get what you want, but you can kill what they’re trying to do.”1

Luntz wrote a confidential memo that laid out the Republican strategy: Pretend to support reform. Mislead Americans about the heart of Obama’s plan, the public health insurance option. Scare enough people to doom real reform.
Since most people don’t know much about the public health care option, these lies could take root if we don’t fight back. Can you send this out to all your friends and neighbors?

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBAMA’S PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION

The choice of a public health insurance plan is crucial to real health care reform. But right now, it’s being smeared by conservatives and insurance-industry front groups. Here’s what you really need to know:

1. Choice, choice, choice. If the public health insurance option passes, Americans will be able to choose between their current insurance and a high-quality, government-run plan similar to Medicare. If you like your current care, you can keep it. If you don’t—or don’t have any—you can get the public insurance plan.2

2. It will be high-quality coverage with a choice of doctors. Government-run plans have a track record of innovating to improve quality, because they’re not just focused on short-term profits. And if you choose the public plan, you’ll still get to choose your doctor and hospital.3

3. We’ll all save a bunch of money. The public health insurance option won’t have to spend money on things like CEO bonuses, shareholder dividends, or excessive advertising, so it’ll cost a lot less. Plus, the private plans will have to lower their rates and provide better value to compete, so people who keep their current insurance will save, too.4

4. It will always be there for you and your family. A for-profit insurer can close, move out of the area, or just kick you off their insurance rolls. The public health insurance option will always be available to provide you with the health security you need.5

5. And it’s a key part of universal health care. No longer will sick people or folks in rural communities, or low-income Americans be forced to go without coverage. The public health insurance plan will be available and accessible to everyone. And for those struggling to make ends meet, the premiums will be subsidized by the government.6

We all need to speak out to make sure we get real health reform. Please pass this email on, then call your senators and ask them to support the choice of a public health insurance plan. Here’s the info for your state:

Senator Lamar Alexander
Phone: 202-224-4944

Senator Bob Corker
Phone: 202-224-3344

Then, help us track our calls by clicking here:

http://pol.moveon.org/call?tg=FSTN_1.FSTN_2&cp_id=907&id=16123-9129383-Lhc8Zgx&t=3

The public health insurance option is a big part of the change we fought so hard for last fall. We didn’t let the smears beat Obama then. And we can’t let new lies beat us now. Please forward this to everyone you know.

Thanks for all you do.

–Patrick S., Joan, Wes, Laura and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. “Words Designed to Kill Health Care Reform,” Huffington Post, May 7, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51414&id=16123-9129383-Lhc8Zgx&t=4

2, 3, 4, 5, 6. “The Case for Public Plan Choice in National Health Reform,” Institute for America’s Future
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51396&id=16123-9129383-Lhc8Zgx&t=5

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posted in Health | | | View blog reactions |


2 Responses to “Republicans Attempting To Poison Debate On Health Care Option”

  1. Gman on August 10th, 2009 1:58 pm | link

    http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/weekend-opinionator-a-sick-debate/

    August 7, 2009, 8:13 pm
    Weekend Opinionator: A Sick Debate
    By Tobin Harshaw

    Comments:
    12. August 8, 2009 1:57 am
    I have lived in Europe, the USA (NYC and FLA) and currently live in Canada. I am a reasonably well-informed financial executive. I make my living as a capitalist.

    I wouldn’t know where to begin re: the health care debate but I will make a couple of observations:

    1. The USA has the finest health care in the world — bar none — provided that you have a no-limit gilt-edged money is no object health plan. Or you are rich. In my experience the 2 go hand in hand.

    Failing such insurance or such boundless wealth how any rational human being with an IQ over 75 and an income below, say, $250k (forget the social compassion argument) could defend the existing system is beyond comprehension.

    2. The outright lies — yes lies — that critics of health care reform spew is disturbing. The intentional misrepresentation of the Canadian and European models is outrageous. The Canadian model is flawed. There needs to be greater access to ‘private-delivery’ alternatives (which currently exist in some fields.) Having said that, since I returned to the province of Ontario in the late 1990’s until now the improvement in standards and care is staggering and in most cases matches anything I witnessed or experienced in NYC. Yes, health care is rationed here (hence a need for ancillary private care) but it is rationed everywhere — including the US. The exception being as per point #1 above. Per capita Ontario spends approximately 65% of what the consumers/taxpayers of the US/NY spend. However Ontario delivers 90% — or more — of the US standard. That is one very big financial/efficiency/productivity gap. That money gap goes to the US insurance companies, doctors, malpractice lawyers and lobbyists. The common canard about Canada etc is that “faceless bureaucrats make life or death decisions” (as opposed to, say, faceless HMO clerks). The truth is that in Canada the ‘gatekeepers’ who allocate critical care are the physicians themselves — the specialists.

    3. Aside from private-payment plastic surgeons it is true you will not see many doctors in Canada driving a Rolls Royce. But you will see an awful lot driving a Benz or a Jag. Doctors here work hard and are well compensated. What we lack here is the concept that a medical degree should be attributed Venture Capitalist returns.

    4. Lastly, a general observation/question (again, I really am a capitalist). Why is it that in the USA (a country I genuinely love) millions of people who barely make a living or are working class and/or just holding on to the ‘middle class’ are the most vocal — hysterical wouldn’t be an exaggeration — in defending the privileges of the rich and the corporate? Against their own self-interest I might add. Anywhere else in the western world the existing US health care tyranny would have people in the streets demanding reform — not ‘debating’ it.

    — jon c

  2. D. Yobachi Boswell on August 11th, 2009 12:21 am | link

    Thanks for posting Jon, some good and interesting perspective. I’ll comment on the specifics if I get a chance.

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  • D. Yobachi Boswell

  • Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.

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