Health care analogy works both ways

I am writing in response to Mr. Hamilton's letter Tuesday, Oct. 6, entitled "Post office, MVD a preview of healthcare." If you are going to compare the negative side of a national health care program to the United States Postal Service, you should also compare the positive side.

[Mike]

A good healthcare bill is one that requires our politicians to use the same healthcare the rest of us do

[lyn]

i have a friend who has NO HEALTH insurance and she found out she has mouth cancer. Applying for state aid has already taken 2 months. so she sits and waits for her approval while the cancer doesn't. our state should be ashamed !!!!! GOOD GOING NEW MEXICO...

[Analogy]

If you had a great horse whose shoes needed replacing, you wouldn't abandon the horse and buy a new one. You would address the problem and get new shoes. Don't upend a system that works for 90% (270 million) of the people in this country because 17-45 million people are incapable or choose not to have health insurance.

[uncivil]

Today Mrr. Brown says 50 million people are without health insurance. Last month President Obama said the number was 30 million. The month before, there were 45 million without health insurance. Those numbers certainly fluctuate.

[uncivil]

uncivil wrote:

Mrr. Brown

Finger stutter. Mrs. Brown.

[Angry Mobster]

Figures don't lie. Mr. Brown. Liars figure.

[bleeding heart liberal]

Analogy wrote:

If you had a great horse whose shoes needed replacing, you wouldn't abandon the horse and buy a new one. You would address the problem and get new shoes. Don't upend a system that works for 90%(270 million) of the people in this country because 17-45 million people are incapable or choose not to have health insurance.

Your idea that the current system is working for 90% of the people of this country is skewed....Yes, it works if you are fortunate enough to work for a company that includes ins. in your benefits. They are becoming fewer by the day along with pension plans. It works if you have the money every month to pay anywhere from $800. to $5,000. to buy your own, or if you have nothing and qualify for medicaid, or if you are over 65 years of age and get medicare. Thank God I fall into one of the above slots. Otherwise I would not be accepted in another plan due to preexisting conditions. What do you suggest we do about the 17-45 million [your figures] without ins.? The status quo? Are the incapable [your word] not deserving of quality health care? A plan combining the best of medicaid, veterans, and medicare available to everyone based on ability to pay could work, but of course that's not likely to happen. Go sit in the ER and watch the number that are coming in for basic services that should be attended to at clinics or Dr. offices.

[crouch mesa resident]

All americans should have access to health care. We americans are afraid of change and are brain washed to believe that we have the best, when in fact we are below most industrialized nations in covering our citizens. Words like pre-existing conditions and profit margins affect all of us because insurance companies are about profits and do not think about the person on the end of the request for coverage. Government control of health care cannot be as bad as insurance companies with risk management departments that weed sick persons out of the system and deny coverage. If we are ill we as citizens should be able to go to the doctor of our choosing and get the care we need. All citizens should get the care not just the ones with health insurance through their jobs. ALL CITIZENS. I hope that the bills pass that allow more access for all to health care. We currently pay for the people with no insurance and all of us pay a certain part of thier bill. Lets get everyone coverage.

[Saint_]

Mike wrote:

A good healthcare bill is one that requires our politicians to use the same healthcare the rest of us do

Wrong and simple-minded. A good health care bill is one where everyone has a choice, but everyone has insurance.

[Saint_]

bleeding heart liberal wrote:

<quoted text>Your idea that the current system is working for 90% of the people of this country is skewed....Yes, it works if you are fortunate enough to work for a company that includes ins. in your benefits. They are becoming fewer by the day along with pension plans. It works if you have the money every month to pay anywhere from $800. to $5,000. to buy your own, or if you have nothing and qualify for medicaid, or if you are over 65 years of age and get medicare. Thank God I fall into one of the above slots. Otherwise I would not be accepted in another plan due to preexisting conditions. What do you suggest we do about the 17-45 million [your figures] without ins.? The status quo? Are the incapable [your word] not deserving of quality health care? A plan combining the best of medicaid, veterans, and medicare available to everyone based on ability to pay could work, but of course that's not likely to happen. Go sit in the ER and watch the number that are coming in for basic services that should be attended to at clinics or Dr. offices.

Outstanding post. The insurance companies are the evil Darth Vader in this discussion.

How come we never seem to talk about them?

[History]

Ok, so we give everyone health care. Then we better give everyone free everything.

[Wilma Brown]

History wrote:

Ok, so we give everyone health care. Then we better give everyone free everything.

I did not say give everyone free health care. I said give us a public option along with the choice of private insurance plans. We could make it affordable for all, not just the wealthy. Right now the Senate dropped the Public Option debate. Why? Perhaps their pockets got stuffed from the Insurance Lobbyists. The current Health reform bill only helps the Insurance companies not the insured.

[Wilma Brown]

crouch mesa resident wrote:

All americans should have access to health care. We americans are afraid of change and are brain washed to believe that we have the best, when in fact we are below most industrialized nations in covering our citizens. Words like pre-existing conditions and profit margins affect all of us because insurance companies are about profits and do not think about the person on the end of the request for coverage. Government control of health care cannot be as bad as insurance companies with risk management departments that weed sick persons out of the system and deny coverage. If we are ill we as citizens should be able to go to the doctor of our choosing and get the care we need. All citizens should get the care not just the ones with health insurance through their jobs. ALL CITIZENS. I hope that the bills pass that allow more access for all to health care. We currently pay for the people with no insurance and all of us pay a certain part of thier bill. Lets get everyone coverage.

Excellent post!

[Wilma Brown]

uncivil wrote:

Today Mrr. Brown says 50 million people are without health insurance. Last month President Obama said the number was 30 million. The month before, there were 45 million without health insurance. Those numbers certainly fluctuate.

30 million or 50 million, the fact is we all make up the difference for those who are not covered and need medical attention, when they go to the ER and can't pay the bill. So we can either pay now or pay later.

[Orchardmom]

The proposed legislation is not a "health reform bill". It is a "health insurance reform bill". It might provide a way for people to get covered by insurance but it does nothing to reform the "cost of medical care." You can have all the insurance in the world but if you cannot find a doctor that will take you, what good does the insurance do?

[jlu]

Wilma Brown wrote:

<quoted text>
30 million or 50 million, the fact is we all make up the difference for those who are not covered and need medical attention, when they go to the ER and can't pay the bill. So we can either pay now or pay later.

Good job bringing this up Ms Brown. We must not loose sight of the fact also that of of all the richest countries on the planet, we pay the most and get the least. This is a fact and it's getting worse every year. The existing system is filled with fraud, waste and inefficiencies. Currently over 17% of our GDP goes to support this white elephant and 2012, it will be close to 25%. To ignore the situation is just plain stupid.
You right on when you say we either pay now or pay latter. Only pay latter means pay a lot more. Think of it! Soon, if we don't act now, 25% of everything you earn will go toward health care that will delivery less health care for the buck than ever before.
If we don't pass a reform bill now, it will be at least 10 to 12 years before someone is brave enough to bring it up again. That will be around the 2020 time frame. Most of you will still be around then, are you sure you want to chance what no action now will bring in 2020?

[lyn]

I WANT TO ADDRESS "ANALOGY'S"COMMENTS. ALOT OF PEOPLE IN THE USA CANNOT AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE EVEN WORKING FULL TIME. AS IN MY FRIEND WHO HAS ORAL CANCER.......HER AND HER HUSBAND RAN INTO HARD TIMES. THEREFORE, SHOULD WE NOT AS A GREAT COUNTRY GET HER TO A DOCTOR ASAP??? SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO DIE WITHOUT TREATMENT SHOULD NEVER,,NEVER HAVE TO WAIT TO GET TREATED. 2 MONTHS WAITING FOR A STINKEN PIECE OF PAPER FROM THE STATE OF NM IS NOT RIGHT!!!!!! HEY YOU DOCTORS OUT THERE WHO FLY TO OTHER COUNTRYS TO TREAT PEOPLE FOR FREE......WHY NOT TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE OVER HERE FIRST.????????? OR ALL YOU BIG MONEY MAKING CONGRESS PEOPLE, OR MOVIE STARS, ETC... I THINK YOU ALL MAKE A LITTLE TO MUCH MONEY. THATS RIGHT, HARD TO GIVE UP YOUR LOBSTER LUNCHES HA? HOW ABOUT HELPING A FRIEND OF MINE GET TREATED FOR HER MOUTH CANCER????

[just_nobody]

doesn't matter. in San Juan if there is no public option, as we currently have NO insurence companies trying to insure us now, they will not have to. we will be right where we are now, uninsured affodably, and Medicare is useless. No matter what bill they pass, we will not benifit at all, cause we don't exsist in NM as a population by anyone.

[Kate]

Thank you for your well-reasoned and civilized communication, Ms. Brown. My son visited SJRMC's emergency room recently after days of stomach pain and being unable to keep anything down, even water. They sent him for a CAT scan, pronounced his illness "a virus" and sent him home, where his condition worsened. A trip to Reliance Urgent Care yielded a diagnosis of a bacterial infection, for which he was prescribed antibiotics, and saved 50% by paying his bill at the time of treatment. The hospital bill was a staggering $4600, which he and I are still paying, as the small business where he works full-time, offers no health insurance. Something has to be done, and if the obstructionists would just work at finding solutions instead of doing everything in their power to see that our President fails, we would all be better off.

[oneeyedjack]

just_nobody wrote:

doesn't matter. in San Juan if there is no public option, as we currently have NO insurence companies trying to insure us now, they will not have to. we will be right where we are now, uninsured affodably, and Medicare is useless. No matter what bill they pass, we will not benifit at all, cause we don't exsist in NM as a population by anyone.

Me thinks you best jest move on down da road dere pard!
BTW, jest got back frum see'n my specialist. 80% paid by midicare and 20% paid by my supplement. Maybe people don't lak the cut of yer jib der swab.
But with a public option thar hoss, ye can git your insurence under writ from dde feds. an affodable too. So ye won't have no worries lak I don't.