Re: Health Care clarifications from Moveon.org

[Guest guest]

Because of the McCarran Ferguson Act, the insurance industry isn't subject to

the antitrust laws. There have been several efforts to have the McCarran

Ferguson Act repealed, but the insurance industry always uses its big money and

lobbyists to keep that from happening. Congressman Gene from Mississippi

recently introduced this issue again. If you recall, Congressman was

furious about the way State Farm treated him after Hurricane Katrina.

________________________________

From: Carl E. Grimes <grimes@...>

Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 3:01:34 PM

Subject: [] Health Care clarifications from Moveon.org

Group,

Here's something I received from Moveon.org.Yes, they're liberal

and you may not like them. But...

They cite their sources, and those of the opposition, so you can

see for yourself who is telling the truth and who spreading lies

and creating fear.

My opinion: Regardless of what ends up in the new bills, I

cannot understand why the insurance industry has not been

charged as a monopoly in violation of anti-trust laws. Microsoft

was for much less justification than here. Also, who else can

enforce a contract for you to pay money, but when it's time for

insurance to deliver their part of the bargain they grab the

policy back, after the fact, and say you aren't covered. Isn't

that theft, taking money under false pretenses? Anybody else

would be put in jail for fraud. Like Barney Madoff. But current

laws allow this behavior.

Again, I don't know how " reform " will end up but I do believe

that what we have right now is theft, anti-trust, fraud and

putting the insurance company between me and my doctor.

My insurance just altered my prescription and my physician

can do nothing. They upped my co-pay while reducing the

number of pills in the Rx.

Finally, you don't want government involved with health care?

Neither do I. But who do you think passed and allowed the

laws responsible for the current mess with private insurance?

Government. So the question for me is, do I trust the

govenment to correct the mess they created? (Medicare and

VA are single payer, govt run). If not them, who? Which is why

accurate information is critical, and then let your congressmen

know your choice.

Top Five Health Care Reform

Lies-and How to Fight Back

Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!!

The truth: These accusations- of " death panels " and forced

euthanasia-are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the

Associated Press puts it: " No 'death panel' in health care bill. " 4

What's the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision,

supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a

professional medical counselor who will provide them with

information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older

Americans.5

___

Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and

force you into a government plan!!!

The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease.

Obama's reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a

one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality

insurance options.6 Included in the exchange is the public health

insurance option-a nationwide plan with a broad network of

providers-that will operate alongside private insurance

companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality

up and costs down.7

If you're happy with your coverage and doctors, you can

keep them.8 But the new public plan will expand choices to

millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it,

including many who simply can't afford health care now.

___

Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style

rationing!!!

The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-

quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and

businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big

corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors

you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is

covered-that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop

that.

Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious

aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing

conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick,

gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on

coverage.9And outside of that, as noted above, reform will

increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed

situation.

___

Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens'

Medicare benefits!!!

The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare

benefits.10 Reform includes savings from Medicare that are

unrelated to patient care-in fact, the savings comes from

cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance

companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.11

___

Lie #5: Obama's health care plan will bankrupt America!!!

The truth: We need health care reform now in order to

prevent bankruptcy-to control spiraling costs that affect

individuals, families, small businesses, and the American

economy..

Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health

care.12 The average family premium is projected to rise to over

$22,000 in the next decade13-and each year, nearly a million

people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses.14 Reform,

with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur

competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs.

Also, President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over

10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.15

We're closer to real health care reform than we've ever

been-and the next few weeks will decide whether it happens..

We need to make sure the truth about health care reform is

spread far and wide to combat right wing lies.

P.S. Want more? Check out this great new White House " Reality

Check " website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/ or this

excellent piece from Health Care for America Now on some of

the most outrageous lies:

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51729 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=1

Sources:

1. " More 'Town Halls Gone Wild': Angry Far Right Protesters

Disrupt Events With 'Incomprehensible' Yelling, " Think Progress,

August 4, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51733 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=2

2. " Fight the smears, " Health Care for America NOW, accessed

August 10, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51729 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=3

3. " Palin Paints Picture of 'Obama Death Panel' Giving Thumbs

Down to Trig, " ABC News, August 7, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51728 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=4

4. " No 'death panel' in health care bill, " The Associated Press,

August 10, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51747 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=5

5. " Stop Distorting the Truth about End of Life Care, " The

Huffington Post, July 24, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51730 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=6

6. " Reality Check FAQs, " WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 11,

2009.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#i1

7. " Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan, " The Wall Street

Journal, June 24, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51737 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=7

8. " Obama: 'If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your

Doctor,' " The Wall Street Journal, 15, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51736 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=8

9. " Reality Check FAQs, " WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August 10,

2009.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#r1

10. " Obama: No reduced Medicare benefits in health care

reform, " CNN, July 28, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51748 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=9

11. " Reality Check FAQs, " WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August

10, 2009.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#s1

12. " Reality Check FAQs, " WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August

10, 2009.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq#c1

13. " Premiums Run Amok, " Center for American Progress, July

24, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51667 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=10

14. " Medical bills prompt more than 60 percent of U.S.

bankruptcies, " CNN, June 5, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51735 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=11

15. " Reality Check FAQs, " WhiteHouse.gov, accessed August

10, 2009.

http://www.whitehou se.gov/realitych eck/faq#c1

Sources for the Five Lies:

#1: " A euthanasia mandate, " The Washington Times, July 29,

2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51732 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=12

#2: " It's Not An Option, " Investor's Business Daily, July 15, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51743 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=13

#3: " Rationing Health Care, " The Washington Times, April 21,

2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51742 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=14

#4: " 60 Plus Ad Is Chock Full Of Misinformation, " Media Matters

for America, August 8, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51734 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=15

#5: " Obama's 'Public' Health Plan Will Bankrupt the Nation, " The

National Review, May 13, 2009.

http://www.moveon. org/r?r=51744 & id=16782- 17174993-

HUVIahx & t=16

[Guest guest]

First let me say that there is no one on this board that I dont like or could

not be friends with. In fact I hold mad respect for everyone here. Furthermore

let me make my position on this subject very clear so that I am not miss

understood by anyone.

 

I am in full support of a change in our health care system of some kind. There

is an undeniable problem with the monopolies that have let the system get out of

control and indeed some kind of changes do need to be made. Let it be known that

I said that there is no other group of people than us here who know this better

than many others. I am neither Republican nor Democrat. I would never associate

myself with either party primarily because of what I am about to say.

 

When this discussion began it was from my understanding due to great concerns we

had over the H1N1 vaccine and that led into the health care issue which I

thought was good because we and everyone else need to discuss and debate over

this issue. I have not been feeling well so I did not read all of the posts

since my last post but tonight I read several and this is what has upset me and

what I feel is wrong with this issue country wide.

 

I think it is highly inappropriate to refer to anyone with comments like " right

wing liars " while sighting a left wing site for information. " Nuts " if you do or

dont believe one thing or another (I would think this word would be highly

inflamitory here, especially since we are allready refered to as " nuts " already

by those very people we are trying to get help from), " Left wing Loonies " (which

I did not see but the example is the same) or some of the other comments.  I see

this as disruptive, combative and insulting no matter which " side " you may be

on. My opinion is that the right and the left have done so much of this that the

whole situation has spiraled completely out of control and we wonder why many

are parinoid.

 

Am I wrong or is the real issue simply the fact that a rush to try to pass such

a huge issue would not be helpful to anyone and second,  is this  H1N1 vaccine

safe for anyone but especially those of us that are immune compromised already?

Why are these nasty tactics being used by both sides much less anyone here?

After four years in this group I must say I am disappointed to see this behavior

by any of us.

 

As far as a monopoly, I would like to address you personally but publicly Dr.

Thrasher. 

1. I respect you in ways I cannot explain as words would not be enough. You are

a very wise and educated man and have been a great help in many ways but I would

like to remind you that after discussing my personal situation with you and

begging for help to explain all that I have shared with you, not only am I

more confused than I was before. You made it clear I would not receive help nor

answers that I was seeking unless I paid you a large amount of money to hire you

as an expert witness in my legal situation. I received  emails daily from you

stating " did you talk to your lawyer yet? "  This when you knew I was bankrupted

by my medical bills already. Is that not part of the problem we are talking

about? I honestly hope this is posted as I mean no disrespect by my question

whatsoever, but I would like stuff like that discussed as well.

 

I think this would be a great lesson and that we should all take a step back, a

deep breath and calm down. That comment is for everyone all the way to the white

house. I am truly saddened that it has gotten to this and hope that EVERYONE can

see the tears in my eyes as I write this because I am truly saddened to my very

core that anything is ever discussed in such a manner.

 

I honestly hope, 1. This does get posted as I am speaking from my heart and have

not said anything that is insulting to anyone.  2. That every word I have said

is not taken out of context and understood in the manner I truly mean it. Those

of you who know me know I would lay down my life for you if it was ever needed

and I would go to the ends of the earth to help in any way I could any one of

you no matter what you might call yourselves politically. I see you all as

individual people and each one of you have a name and individual feelings,

concerns and opinions. They are just as legitimate and fair as the next

regardless of what it may be.

 

I honestly care for each and every one of you.