Health Care Reform | 07/02/2009 10:50 am

Obama Tries to Sell Health-Care Plan, But Others Still Worry About Medical Bankruptcies (Video)

There are too many people being sent into financial ruin with crappy coverage, experts say, so what’s Congress going to do about that?

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

We here at wOw told you a few weeks ago about a horrible tragedy going on in America. It turns out, two out of three bankruptcies in America are due to medical bills. If you or your spouse suffers from a serious ailment that lands you in the hospital for any extended period of time, it just may send you into financial ruin.

Now, The New York Times follows up on that, reporting on how even as Congress and Washington try to push through health-care reform to cover the tens of millions of Americans without medical insurance, many health policy experts say giving everyone an insurance card won’t be enough to fix this particular problem. For many Americans, the coverage they have is so skimpy, any major problem can send them right into the red.

"Underinsurance is the great hidden risk of the American health-care system," said Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor who has analyzed medical bankruptcies, and who is heading up the panel overseeing distribution of the government’s economic bailout funds, to the Times. "People do not realize they are one diagnosis away from financial collapse."

Many hope President Obama and Congress will take this into account when they debate health-care reform. Obama yesterday pushed his plan on how to insure the more than 45 million Americans currently without coverage, and he promised to sign a health-care reform bill by the end of the year that cuts health-care costs, expands access to coverage and creates greater efficiency in the system. A key part of this plan includes a public option.

The middle class may be a particularly tough crowd for Obama to sell his plan to. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released yesterday shows that people are worried their health-care costs would go up if the administration’s proposals passed, and only one in five thinks that his or her family would be better off under the Obama plan. Fifty-one percent of people surveyed say they favor the president’s health-care plan, with 45 percent opposed.

You can watch Obama at the Virginia town hall below:

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THINGS OBAMACARE WOULD RATHER NOT TALK ABOUT

"It’s all over but the slow walking and sad singing. The old U.S. health care system is about to receive the last rites from the high priest of hope and change. All that remains are a few arrangements relating to the funeral, which is tentatively scheduled for some time in August. And, if you are like many Americans, you’re thinking, "Good riddance." You’ve been convinced that what was once the best medical delivery system in the world has become too inefficient and expensive to be worth saving. You look eagerly forward to the new and improved health care model promised by President Obama and his allies in Congress.

If so, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. Much of what you have long taken for granted about health care and the way it should be delivered is about to change in ways that you definitely will not like. Your discomfiture will be particularly poignant if you happen to agree with the rest of the electorate about what exactly is wrong with U.S. health care. Public opinion surveys have consistently shown that most Americans consider access and cost to be the most important problems facing the system. Perversely, the primary changes Obamacare will bring to you and your family will be reduced access to care and significant increases in its cost.

As to the latter, the most noticeable pinch will come in the form of new taxes that you will pay to cover the direct costs of "reform." And, make no mistake about it, the costs of Obamacare promise to be stupendous. Not even the President’s allies in Congress and the media bother to deny it. The New York Times, for example, admits that the tab is "expected to top $1 trillion." Obama claims this breathtaking price tag can be covered with improvements in health information technology, a renewed emphasis on prevention, payment cuts to hospitals, and comparative effectiveness research. No one with any sense believes him, least of all the CBO.

Thus, the only serious question is: Who will pony up the trillion bucks? For the solution to that mystery, you have only to look in the mirror. As Bloomberg reports "Health-care overhaul legislation being drafted by House Democrats will include $600 billion in tax increases."

http://spectator.org/archives/2009/06/17/how-obamacare-will-change-your

By deber B on 07/02/2009 11:39 am

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Americans, you’re thinking, "Good riddance." You’ve been convinced that what was once the best medical delivery system in the world has become too inefficient and expensive to be worth saving. You look eagerly forward to the new and improved health care model promised by President Obama and his allies in Congress.

The above a quote from deber’s post and I didn’t even have to get past the first paragraph before saying, YIKES! Health care, as most informed people have come to realize, in the US is about twice as expensive per capita as in other developed countries––nearly 17 percent of US GDP in 2008––and its costs are rising faster. 50 million––I repeat––50 million people are uninsured, and the number is rapidly increasing. The best medical delivery system? Are you kidding me??

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 07/02/2009 1:29 pm

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And why is that, phyllis? Could it possibly be that our medicare and welfare socialist programs are so riddled with abuse and fraud that that is why it is the most costly? When you throw those bumbled failing programs into the equation it certainly makes the numbers look outrageous. Add to that the number of illegal aliens who get free health care in our country courtesy of the taxpayers and you can get a better picture of why health care is costly in America. Try over 8 million!

I believe our country needs health care reform. I have stated that. I have also stated that Obama needs to fix what isn’t working first before ramming yet another poorly planned program down our throats. He needs to start getting something right very soon.

By deber B on 07/02/2009 1:56 pm

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Add to that phyllis….in the past few days, on Charlie rose, there was discussion about our helath system, and how it compares to the rest of the world…guess what? WE, AMERICA, are 3rd from the BOTTOM, of all free world countries!

By Patty E on 07/02/2009 1:58 pm

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http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/generic.html?s=frol02p101&continuous=1

Indeed! Everyone, watch if you dare!

By C jay on 07/03/2009 6:24 pm

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This one is for all of the "Yes we can’s" that don’t get that NO they can’t….and still have liberties and choice. Obama’s plan has fatal flaws, but he doesn’t care…not all at. It is not about FIXING our health care, it is about getting his hands on the 17% of the economy and making his big corporate buddies HUGE money.

We need to reform Health care, there are ways…much better ways. Mitt Romney has plan, as do others, that should be studied. We do NOT need to be bullied and pushed into a plan that is faulty and ruins our standard of care.

FIRST off…we do not have enough doctors or medical professionals to care for 50 million more people. So that’s not going to work, right off the bat. Add to that number the 120 million more that will be forced out of private plans and onto the government plan…now we are in a total meltdown of lack of doctors and nurses.

Private enterprize can not compete with government subsidized anything. The private plans will fold…employers will change plans….private will be gone. Just as Canada started out as a parallel plan, but the government one failed and had to take over the private one to get the premiums.

Even if 1.6 TRILLION does not faze anyone here…it still will NOT cover those currently without a plan. It will still leaves 37 million uninsured. THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLAN. IT WILL NOT WORK.

You will be faced with the "Comparative Effectiveness Research Council" and their 15 members to decide IF you get the tests, proceedures, doctors, that you need. It is called RATIONING and it is the ONLY way for Obama’s plan to begin to cover anyone. He knows it, that’s why this office will decide on who gets care. And NONE of "them" are praticing medical professionals.

* It costs more than there is money to pay for it….which means it will fail.

* It only covers an additonal 13 million as it stands….over 120 million will be forced onto this plan

* There are not enough doctors, nurses or medical professionals NOW…50-120 million more people will mean that people die, many more people will die waiting for care, services, tests, proceedures.

* Your health care will be decided by bureaucrats…a council will decide who gets care and who doesn’t.

* Rationing test, proceedures, is the only way. RATIONING.

* Obama has a hands off stance on the trial lawyers that have driven up our health care costs by millions and millions. Because he is one of them and they are the BIGGEST contributor to the Dems.

* Obama is doing nothing about illegal immigration because he wants the votes. Illegals have driven up our health care costs by millions and millions.

Do not let this flawed plan through….get a BETTER one out. Obama only wants the control for the government, his plan DOES not work…

It is ALL about government control….NOT about the people. Support a better plan.

By Kelly In Texas on 07/03/2009 3:09 pm

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I guess you were not aware that the Mitt Romney plan was having a lot of difficulties..ie…it isn’t working the way he thought it would—-looooottttssss of criticism…not by the Dems…nope…by the people in his State who work with it every day…..

By Patty E on 07/03/2009 8:56 pm

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Patty: not by the Dems…nope

Massachusetts is 85% Democrats. Romney’s plan was left to Dem. Governor Deval Patrick to administer. The Dems are having a difficult time with it… the major reason being that there are not enough medical personnel to go around. People are being turned away. The next reason, of course, is that it is very costly. Revenues in the state are just not there. Gov. Patrick just signed a bill to raise our sales tax 25%. I don’t think he’ll get re-elected next year, and if he doesn’t get re-elected it will be because Massachusetts Democrats are finally waking up.

By Marjorie C. on 07/04/2009 5:31 am

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I guess that you were not aware that my point is to take what works from other plans and make a better one. Obamacare is wrong on so many levels, but let’s deal with the basics…shall we?

No plan can work if and until there are enough doctors and medical professionals to actually care for patients. That’s the FACT. The system can not serve the 13 million more that Obamacare adds…not to mention the other 37% now uninsured, plus the additonal 120 million or so that will be FORCED onto the government plan.

So Patty….like it or not, you must FIRST deal with the most simple of issues…NO DOCTORS to actually treat anyone. Gee…ya think that may be a little glitch there?

Allow Americans to purchase insurance over state lines. Let small businesses pool together for coverages…there are many ways to improve what WE have now….instead of handing it all over to the inept government that only wants the chunk of economy that our health care represents.

We need time to put a better plan out there…but Obama is trying to cram his plan down our throats and steal our money and health along the way.

No doctors= no care.

Get that one?

By Kelly In Texas on 07/04/2009 11:44 am

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What planet are you from? Nothing that you have stated can be proven—-I tried looking some of your accusations up and this is what I think: I think you are propagandizing! It is your fear-based opinion—-not the truth……

By Patty E on 07/03/2009 8:59 pm

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Planet Earth, the United States of America….not the United States of the New World Order. So Patty…just what have you so earnestly attempted to "look up"?

I have more to do, than "make up" cr@p about Obama…his reality is way beyond anything that I could make up. But go ahead and keep that head of yours buried in that pile of Obama lies…you obviously have no interest in believing what is going on RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR OWN EYES.

Your choice, but it happens to screw MY life completely up and I will not stand for that one.

If people are not getting a bit fearful by now….they will….Obama is ruining our country and he could care less. He needs it to fails so that the government can keep pushing their socialist take over onto the people. Obama is the one making the most out of fear-based propaganda…orchestrated crisis to push your buttons…

You had better make a bigger effort to "look into" the real issues.

By Kelly In Texas on 07/04/2009 11:52 am