Obama: It's Now Or Never For Health Care Bill
by The Associated Press




read rest of article here http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...oryId=104673268

After reading this news story the 1.5 trillion dollar price tag stuck out like a sore thumb. Now or never sounds urgent but where do we get the money from? There is not question we need an overhaul in America's health care system in my book but how we go about it leaves many questions.
My feelings go back and forth on the subject. On one hand goverment run, non-profit health care sounds nice until I remind myself of how Medicare/Medicaid has been run so far.
On the other side I have had the unique expericence of social/privatized health care in the NL and do not feel all warm and fuzzy about it.
I am as divided as the nation.
What are your thoughts?

My thoughts: I hate to say this but I agree with you. The United States does need to do something about the health care system. I think that once they implement social/privatized health care there people are going to be really upset. They do not have any idea of what it is really about - they just think "cheaper". I recently went to the States and saw a doctor there and got to speaking to a couple of people in the waiting room. I described the health care system here and they could not believe it - "Why would people want that kind of health care". When I explained that it is similar to what they are pushing for in the States I was told by one woman that "President Obama would never do that to the people". I feel if more people were told the REAL facts about it they would not want it. I also know that alot of people in the medical field don't want it especially nurses. I don't know of any solutions but something definitely needs to be done.

The ideal is the right way to go. The implementation is always compromised however, due to a combination of politics and lack of money.

I agree overall that most Americans have not a clue as to what universal/socialized medicine is. As stated, they seem to think the term means “free medical care for all” based on the taxes of course... Meaning somehow the American taxpayers are going to be able to pay for it all and the government is going to make it all work budget wise and implement it over night.
I have yet to meet many Americans willing to pay much higher taxes than they pay now.
I see a more I want my cake and to eat too mentality.
The want the same expensive, high quality health care, freedom of choice, the same system they have now except free, for them and everyone else in the USA.
I would like that too but the reality is it will never work.
Let us just say the federal government could agree on such a plan, I think it would be a true miracle if the federal government will get every state on board to agree to such a plan and they must do this in order to implement such a plan.
I question how the state governments are going to implement a tax plan when they have to ask the American taxpayer to pay for it. I would like to hear just how much the taxes will go up. Would it be a federal and state tax? What about the states who have not any state taxes?
I am starting to think if we really want a new medical system, we will need to really make a NEW medical system unlike any other just as our government. The idea of putting on other countries medical systems such as NL’s is not a good fit. I do not see change coming quickly unless we become a different government all together.
I think this is why it has been on the table over and over (universal health care) but not anyone has been able to sell it because there is nothing viable in the box, it is just a sales pitch. Everyone agrees what we have now is not working but there is nothing new to put in the box.

American Health Care is in dire need of reformation. Now I've complained a great deal about the healthcare system in the NL but still I'd prefer the system of the NL over the US any day.

One great thing about the NL system is, that you really do not have to worry about finances when you get sick - it's all covered. Maybe you can't get 20 sessions of physio anymore, but if you get cancer you won't go bancrupt. And if you know how the Dutch system works, you'll find your way in it, too.
When I look at our health insurance that my partner and I have, well it's only good as long as we don't get seriously ill.
Then, I can't believe how ridiculously expensive healthcare in the US is. Really, if it costs that much, there must be something wrong. The quality is not always good, either - at least not in my experience. I've paid 160US$ for a visit to a GP's office where I didn't even talk to a doctor, they lost my sample e.g. couldn't perform the tests and never bothered to call me back, either. Had I had a serious infection, well I would've been donald ducked.
In general doctors, pharmacies, nurses don't seem to find it necessary to call you back for test results even if they promise to do so.

Whenever I went to the doctor in the NL one had to be a bit pushy for examinations or extra tests. That's annoying but after a decade I knew the system and when I really was convinced I needed something I'd just insist on it.
Here in the US it's almost like healthcare providers want to do any kind of testing, examination, etc. possible as soon as they find you have coverage. I don't feel that they do it because I need it and the doctor cares for me; it rather feels like the doctor wants to make sure I can't sue for malpractice and the secretary wants to make sure they get the most out of my insurance.
One simple health problem and it's x-rays, full-on blood tests, MRI scan and ultrasound...I feel like a cash cow, not a patient!

The number of 'supportive' staff in doctor's offices here is also unbelievable! 2-3 secretaries, nurses, nurspractitioners, etc. etc.
And want an appointment immediately? Forget it. Not where I live. You wait weeks or months until you get an appointment with a specialists.

They don't just need to reform the health insurances, the whole system needs a radical refomation. The US spends a higher percentage of its GNP on health care system than for instance Germany and yet the healthcare is so much worse here.
I don't say the NL or the German system is perfect, but at least everyone has coverage.

What disturbs me is the 'YOU LIE' heckler at the recent Obama healthcare speech.

After alll the cr... Bush put the country through for 8 flippen years ... never has anyone so disrespected the President such that they would go off like that at one of his speeches....

He is the first President taking Healthcare reform seriously and he´s even said ... ´ I you have a better idea, please let me know´. No one can offer a better plan because they don´t want to step into the sh.. either.

Of course, Obama was above it all and flicked it off.

He is surrounded by intelllectual insects!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnF4rQQktfs...feature=related

Obama´s health care speech.

The great ´Unfinished Business´.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONKxGko-JNI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf_3okCBfUc&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2fSTTLWS1A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGsH3EZjKic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ydIhpA-Bjk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmcV9SK2xlg...feature=related

When in doubt go for as little goverment interference as possible so I don't support Obama's plans.
Either eliminate medicar/medicaid and the entire universal healthcare idea or not but don't come-up with some half measure compromise... I was covert by the DOD when I was younger and it wasn't all that great so one could say I have very little trust in the federal goverment....
But to be frank I don't have THE solution but the idea of having to pay through the nose for all those 300 lbs landwhales that just stuff their face and demand an enormous amount of care doesn't seem all that fair to me.

AS a newly arrived wife of an Belgian and remembering the evilness of the US healthcare system I find the system here in Belgium far more suited to the needs of the patient instead of the almighty cash cow. Obama is the first one in a long time that has stepped up and is trying to make a change for afforable health care for all. I know that socialized health care is not perfect by any means however when I see so much money just blown away in wind and people make choices about weather to get needed medicines or not...the time has come for something anything to be done. One should not have to choose between food or medicine. There should be no choice. I am not familar with the Dutch system but the friends that I have in Holland do get little upset at times because they may have to demand for needing testing,wait for appointments etc but on the same breathe are glad that they have it.
Case in point I was one of uninsured and I had to make a decision not to purchase my medicines so I could eat that month. The medicines were over 350US here in Belgium 15euros. I nearly cried with relief. My hubby didn't understand why til I explained to him the sorry state of affairs that is the US system. DO I have an answer for it? No I don't but I do support Obama's efforts in change for a better future for all.

Today the bill for my annual obgyn checkup arrived. I think I nearly fainted.
180US$ for a 15min. doctor's consult and a whopping 400US$ for a standard ultrasound plus I paid 36US$ (and that was reduced price) for some very basic meds. I mean holy sh*t!!!! That adds up to almost about 600US$ for a simple annual check-up.
My friend in Switzerland told me that her annual check-up costs 180US$ incl. pap smear and ultra sound and the same kind of meds would've costed about 10US$.
Seriously, with such outrageous costs it's no wonder the whole healthcare is a mess. They really need to do something about that.

Well, Healthcare is one of several 'broken systems in The States actually.

People just like to keep quiet about them all.

Obama IS the first President to take Healthcare reform seriously since it was first recognized as 'broken' back in the 1940's.'

Of course, the nay sayers don't like the plan though they have nothing to propose themselves. Typical.

Quoted for the truth.

I actually figured it up one day. Our house hold only pays about 400 or less a YEAR in medical taxes than a similar salary pays in medicare taxes in the US. And they get so much less. But you can't tell a Republican that. They all think we're baby and elderly killers here.
THIS is a scarily accurate essay on the "Gault's Gulch" crowd.

That's similar to what I read in the NYT magazine recently. They stated in an article that the US spends more of its GPA (?) on their healthcare system than for instance Germany. I was quite shocked when I read that and wonder how it's possible they already put so much money in there and people get so little.

They are calling Obama ..Hilter now but check out the long lines for the kind of treatment we offer third world countries!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht_W5_Ogh0U

As I can not speak on the current state of health care in the NL, I must say that during my 15 years in the NL (late 79-97) thank God for the coverage we had. I realize that many changes have taken place in the 12 years since my family moved back to the States with family still there and the opportunities I've had to visit my GP during my frequent holidays to the NL there is no doubt that the NL has a better health care safety net than we do in the States. I am very fortunate I work for the Government and earn a six-figure salary, but I am not immune to the devastating risks of the U.S. health care system. The right-wing political machine in the U.S. figured out long ago that there is enough closed-minded ignorant Americans who will believe anything their told. Add the mis-information from the media outlet Fox News along with the Drug E Limbaugh's on right-wing radio mix emboldens the systemic racism that still exists in the U.S. It should be no surprise that you have idiots with guns at presidential events, fools carrying signs calling the President Hitler and Congress who's Corporate Masters prevent real health-care reform. America needs real change starting with campaign finance reform, but that my friend is change more difficult that health-care reform.