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Sick Economy

The recession threatens America's health.

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Over 46 million people living in the United States have no health care coverage. Worse yet, the jobless rate is at a record high as the recession's effects sweep across the nation, leaving patients without insurance and stressing medical facilities with increases in emergency department and community clinic visits. In this exclusive video report, watch as physicians, patients and insurance experts explain how the turbulent economy is sickening our nation's health as Americans rally for change and health care reform.

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I am in absolute agreement with Sarah.

As an independent healthcare provider I am responsible for my own insurance etc. I was offered an opportunity to obtain health insurance through an OT sponsored group rate and was then notified I was ineligible because my state doesn't allow it. However, we are fortunate in NY that we have a program which offers group rates for self-employed & other individuals that are manageable. This is a more effective and logical alternative to "fixing healthcare".

I think overall we do a pretty good job in this country providing the best healthcare available; let's make insurance affordable & viable for individuals; tort reform & open the states for greater access and competition. This is what needs reformation.

I think innately people do not like to ascribe industrial or business standards to health care because it is "offensive" to our sense of wanting to help those in need. However, health care is a service provided for which compensation is due. No one wants to think of it that way, but it is the reality. Insurance companies buffer this exchange (for better or worse) and to cover cost otherwise unaffordable. This system worked fairly well until the introduction of managed care;no one should be denying anyone a service if that individual(or employer) has paid into the system. The only people who should be deciding what tests etc. are necessary should be the healthcare professionals & the patient. Bottom line...get rid of managed care & health care will have been reformed for the better. Institute reasonable tort reform and open the states for increased competition and offer group rates and reform will have been achieved. There are already safety nets (ie-Medicaid) in place for those in need and no one can be denied care at a hospital.

A government option is going to create a domino-effect that has crippling potential. And no one seems to see it. Given enough time people will either be on a government sponsored plan, since insurance companies will be obliterated with diminished demand; or people will access care with cash (those with means will always have access).

Doctors, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals study long and hard so that they may provide the most cutting edge, effective treatments etc. To deny them adequate, competitive pay, which will occur with government care is unfair. Those of us in EI or CPSE in NY haven't seen a raise in 15 years; I receive the same rate today that I did in 1994. The cost of running my business has certainly not stayed the same. Doctors too, through Medicaid and Medicare do not receive full compensation; why would yet another government plan assume to be different?

If people think the government will not hold them to arbitrary standards or apply arbitrary rules to determine "need" they are ill-informed. They do it all the time with Early Intervention and school based programs. Well intentioned in creation, but poorly executed. And that is what we will get with government managed care.

People really need to try to fully understand the ramifications of these actions. And additionally there do not exist the necessary funds for these current proposals. Rest assured there will be cuts to Medicare and/or taxes will be raised. It is the most logical conclusion. Funding will have to come from somewhere.

Marie	November 03, 2009
NY

But how can we pay for and keep the program solvent? The government does not have a good track record running our services:

The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775 They have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke..

Social Security was established in 1935. They have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.

Fannie Mae was established in 1938. They have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.

War on Poverty started in 1964. They have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.

Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. They have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.

Freddie Mac was established in 1970. They have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.

The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. They had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.

The government should fix Medicare and Medicaid before starting another program. They should open medical insurance plans across states for more choice. They should modify tort reform. And we should demand Congress give up their current health care plan and participate in any new program they think up.

Sarah	October 31, 2009

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Sick Economy

The recession threatens America's health.

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