2009-01-29T10:22:30Z opencongress.org tag:opencongress.org,2007:/bill/comments/54471 2009-01-29T10:22:30Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-01-29:/comment/81788 rbain1 I agree, socialized medicine is not good. We should really be thanking Representative Conyers for proposing this bill instead putting forth a socialized medicine program. As you know, this bill proposes a single payer system, so that the Medicare program can pay all bills to private medical offices. There would be no government run medical offices or hospitals under this bill. The government would have no say whatsoever in the type of care you get or which doctors you get to see. The care would still come from the private sector. This bill only proposes to eliminate health insurance companies so that we can cut out the "middleman" in the payment structure. 2009-10-20T08:03:14Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-10-20:/comment/146379 DoulaLady Chicubsman, reading your post we can tell 3 things. One, you are not a true Christian, because you do not follow Christ's direction "What you do to the least of your brethren, you do unto Me." Two, you have no education on Socialism, Communism or Humanism, because you can not use the definitions appropriately. And three, you have no concept of what is happening in America in our health care system. I was a well covered American citizen with what I thought was a good plan. Then I tested positive for the breast cancer gene. I was dropped, and can't get coverage for my "pre-existing conditions" which cost nearly $3000 in medications a month. Please tell me how working 3 jobs at a time in addition to running a free-range organic farm and homeschooling my 3 children makes me a "lazy American"... how I am too lazy to work? 2009-10-20T08:13:37Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-10-20:/comment/146396 DoulaLady Over 70% of the health care profession supports this bill because they will now have a say in how much they are paid, they will have more of a say in how their patients are treated under this bill, and finally because under this bill health, not profit, will be the bottom line. Falls in nicely with the Hippocratic oath all health care personell take: "Thou shalt do no harm." Can the insurance companies make that claim? 2009-10-06T06:35:19Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-10-06:/comment/135712 msouthard People who are, as you say, "too lazy to work" (an idiotic phrase to argue about another day) already have socialized health care. It's called "Medicaid." This bill will eliminate the need for Medicaid (saving our states millions) and expand Medicare for all, with the main beneficiaries being Middle Class and Lower Middle Class citizens and legal residents who are struggling to pay for expensive health care plans that are inadequate and will refuse to cover them if they get too sick. The people in this country that don't have health insurance are not lazy or poor, they're our neighbors and friends that are facing circumstances beyond their control. Who's fault is all of this? Both insurance greed and our government, which doesn't have the guts to pass a bill as good as HR 676. Better to have government regulate your health care than insurance companies that will send someone to their death just to turn a profit. 2009-12-19T05:03:43Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-12-19:/comment/178495 tyg "One, you are not a true Christian..." Hmmm. I seem to remember something along the lines of "Thou Shall NOT JUDGE" being among Christ's directions. Why is it that "Christians" are the first to forget that? 2009-10-16T18:03:51Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-10-16:/comment/144213 DoulaLady Government run health care would imply that the government is hiring and providing the health care employees. That is not what HR Bill 676 is about. HR Bill 676 is about something that is REALLY controversial, upholding the ideal that we all have a "right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." It is a little hard to pursue happiness when you are dead, or when you are limited to living off of a mere $600 a month to stay eligible for medicaid to cover your $3000 a month prescriptions...not even getting into the dr's visits and hospital stays. 2009-01-27T20:00:21Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-01-27:/comment/81120 rbain1 This bill is the best approach to reforming our broken health care system. Eliminate the health insurance companies and let Medicare be expanded to include every American. Best common sense approach to the problem. 2009-07-13T16:01:58Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-07-13:/comment/113135 caa014611 Can you honestly be that naive? "The government would have no say whatsoever in the type of care..." The organization wielding the money controls the end product. In this case the government wields the money so they have all the say in the quality, type, amount, and duration of care one receives. They also decide the medical professionals salaries. So much for doctors that do well and rightly make more money because they are excellent at their profession. If you have read this bill you will see layer upon layer of beauracracy that will cause the cost of this endeavor to skyrocket. How does the government pay for the cost? Cutting benefits and/or raising taxes. That'll raise your bloodpressure so I recommend getting in line for care now because you'll be waiting a while. 2009-04-07T11:49:42Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-04-07:/comment/101344 DianaAmerican Poor people already get FREE Health Care from the Federal Government paid for by The Taxpayers. We do not need more of the Same. Do you think the Government has it's own money? NO, it does NOT. So keep in mind, they are spending your money because they think they can spend your money better than you can. The politicians writing this Bill do, but they Are Not going to Share Their Money with you, they want the taxpayers to share theirs and we have already learned they don't pay taxes unless they get caught. Pelosi said "she" wants to take care of the 47 million people who do not have health care, so I say, she personally should pay their insurance premiums. 2009-05-06T14:52:07Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-05-06:/comment/105760 aharris I have an fairly expensive chronic condition, and I know how I'll be treated when this monstrosity passes. Right now, I have a good standard of living and can hold down a job. When the government takes over, I'll be too expensive to treat, and they'll give me a bottle of narcs and send me home to sit in misery and pain in a corner until a die of a stroke like any decent sicko should. That's how people like me are treated in the UK and Canada. But I'm overruled by the young and healthy idiots who break a nail and are offended by a one-time bill they consider a little too high. Wake up, folks, this will bankrupt us faster than anything else we've done yet. Not only that, but you are basically handing your health over to the same people who can't educate your children. 2009-04-14T04:28:24Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-04-14:/comment/102417 dygituljunky I recall from my economics class that in a free market system, the seller tries to raise their prices to the point where they will have the highest profit. The problems with free market health insurance are: - of course we will demand health services even if the price is absurd, - the insurance companies can deny a claim for an individual whom they supposedly cover, - the insurance companies can deny coverage for someone who might need their services more often. (end Part 1 of 2) 2010-02-09T14:00:28Z tag:opencongress.org,2010-02-09:/comment/184510 dittmer So why do all the rest of the civilized countries in the world have some form on single-payer? Do you even understand what this bill proposes? It would mean that millions of Americans wouldn't have to worry about going bankrupt and losing their homes if they lose their jobs. I have had personal experience. My husband has had cancer FIVE times and lost his leg in 2001. We are both 58 years old and still working because we simply can't afford to take retirement. We will have to continue to work until gods know when because of his health bills because EVEN WITH insurance, these are still crippling. Anyone who opposes this bill is a selfish hypocrite who cares not one iota about their fellow human beings. Do you want millions of Americans to continue to rely on charity and organizations like RAM which was initiated to serve the people of the Third World? Is that what you want - for us to be like the Third World? 2009-11-03T21:16:33Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-11-03:/comment/160977 Amonite ....please tell me this bill is a joke, and when I wake up this man will be voted out of office for even proposing it. The 5% of the wealthiest americans, as well as those who are self employed among other things, are shouldering the bulk of the health care costs of the rest of America - ie - those who would be FREELOADING on those who probably have the highest work ethic in america? I mean, yes, some of the richest probably inherited their wealth or have retired into managment, but usually to retain that sort of fortune or gain it, one has to have a strong work ethic, and usually has built some form of company putting many others to work! The last thing we should be doing is taking away the investment capital they have, which means the companies cannot grow, and people lose jobs! Or do we think the government does better at giving jobs at 900,000 a head or whatever the current rate is? 2010-02-06T11:31:04Z tag:opencongress.org,2010-02-06:/comment/184140 jorel I am absolutely, 100 % in favor of this bill being passed, and I feel strongly that all Americans should get behind this bill and support it with all your might. Write your congressperson, write both of your senators and tell them that they should quit fooling around and vote in favor of this bill. Get with the program. PRONTO !!! The administrative cost savings is estimated to be about 400 Billion from what we waste on the beastly system we currently have. That is far more than enough to pay for this plan. You should not notice any increase in your taxes by going to this system, and every single person in America (even the homeless child sleeping behind a dumpster downtown) would have health care from cradle to grave. This is the humane system to have. C'mon people, let's get it done !!! 2009-10-13T14:11:54Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-10-13:/comment/141212 cbsullivan16 I would suggest reading the following study. The gist of it is that Medicare operates with an administrative cost of only around 5% of total payments whereas private insurers have administrative costs of around 17%. These findings have been echoed in other studies. This seems like a pretty efficient government program to me... http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/CAHIMedicareTechnicalPaper.pdf 2009-02-26T06:15:56Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-02-26:/comment/90908 Anonymous can you say pre-existing conditions!! check out the cost of a private major medical policy if you can get one. This is not what I worked and saved for in retirement. If your layed off or become unemployed prior to the age of 65 your retirement savings or whatever you have saved for will all go to the Insurance companies. $1500/month is not affordable health coverage. All near elderly 55-65 self employed, unemployed, uninsured are in for a rude awakening when you try to protect yourself from medical bankruptcy should you become ill prior to age 65 and Medicare. YA GETTIN THIS BABYBOOMERS, and for those of a younger generation you too will age and need health care someday 2009-04-06T08:08:14Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-04-06:/comment/101033 qatharms The underlying reason for our healthcare problem today goes back to the Medicare act signed in 1967. The right solution would be to put people back into private healthcare rather than bringing the government in deeper. Look at every country that has ever tried letting government run their healthcare. Is that what you really want? Get the government out of healthcare and put it back in the hands of the doctor and the patient. PS I am not any kind of healthcare provider, just a private citizen who is thoroughly disgruntled over what government has done to our healthcare system. 2009-04-13T06:36:50Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-04-13:/comment/102233 pennycandy My mom's dear friend in Whales waited 5 years for hip replacement surgery. My best friend's father checked in to the hospital and never came out. They used dirty equipment on him as it was to expensive to buy new. Ireland's "program" is bankrupt. My husbands aunt came to the USA to recieve her cancer treatment (they own a vacation home here) quality drugs and treatment were not available in her own country, Canada. Oh, did I mention the wait period for treatment, 6 months. Talk to someone you know who has experienced it about the quality of a government run medical system. We already have the best healthcare in the world. Deregulation is part of the answer. Not more government interference. 2009-06-08T16:46:05Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-06-08:/comment/109167 murrhers See Wall Street Journal Opinion: "Obama's Health Cost Illusion" dated Monday, June 8, 2009 2009-09-29T06:00:24Z tag:opencongress.org,2009-09-29:/comment/131766 capricorn7nc There are not many places in America where you can comfortably support a family with less than $32,000. You are quoting that number like that is alot. That is less than the median income in America, which is $50,000. If we subtract the average cost for a family's health care which is around $1200/mth over 12 mths. that comes out to $14,400 a year. If we subtract that from $32,000 that leaves you with $17,600. That is almost $4,000 about the poverty level. So that means that using your numbers than the bottom 50% percent are either in poverty and one emergency room, one lay off, or one accident from being in poverty. How is that easy?