The nation’s health is at stake
People in America have gotten used to freedom of choice. From a consumer finance standpoint, choosing an instant payday loan or online cash advance is a right no government should be able to take away. Many people hold a similar view when it comes to the thorny issue of healthcare in this country. The free market has given many people the ability to make choices that best suit their medical needs. However, a large (and perhaps mostly silent) group of people are finding that choice means nothing when none of the choices are affordable.
This is the group of people President Obama has in mind when he encourages America to move toward socialized medicine. This is a red hot button topic in politics these days. The concept of the cream of the income crop paying more into the healthcare system so that those less fortunate can have access to care has its supporters and detractors. Supporters cite successful examples from Canada, the United Kingdom, France and even the American Veterans Administration system of hospitals, saying that the level ground makes for a happier, healthier populace. Detractors claim socialized medicine subsidizes the irresponsible behavior of others who abuse their bodies and paralyzes private health insurance providers. Furthermore, they suggest that healthcare systems like those in Canada don’t always work.
FreeOurHealthcareNow.com says no
An unknown group is using FreeOurHealthcareNow.com as an online petition that people can sign if they think that socialized medicine is the wrong option for America. They are particularly concerned about government-run health insurance and care. Their petition reads as follows:
President Obama and Congress are pushing “reform” that will move America closer to a government-run system like Canada or Britain. If they succeed, most Americans will no longer be able to keep the insurance they have. Instead, they will be forced into a government-run health insurance market, with most people enrolled in a government-run health plan.
I support the following as key elements of any health care reform plan:
Choice: I support the right to choose my own doctor and to choose a health insurance plan that best fits my family’s needs and budget.
Access: I want to get the treatment I need, when I need it, without delay or denial and I want my health care to be patient-centered rather than government-centered.
Fairness: I want the same tax breaks employers get if I have to pay for may own health insurance; and I want government assistance redirected to those that truly need help.
Responsibility: I want more control to cover my own health care decisions and I want a system that encourages everyone to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse. I want insurance I can take with me if I have to change jobs.
In closing, FreeOurHealthcareNow.com prompts citizens to declare this: “I, the undersigned citizen of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to stop any increased role of the government in my health care decisions, I also petition the U.S. Congress to protect my right to choose my own doctors and hospitals without delay or denial, to obtain care that is patient-centered, and to have health insurance that is personal, portable and best suits my needs.”
Americans will have the chance to choose very soon
Click the pic to spin this record
It appears Democratic lawmakers are at least willing to put the socialized medicine option out there to see if it sticks. But most do not agree with President Obama’s hearty endorsement of it. They want to continue to offer improved private options.
But make no mistake, you must choose. If you don’t, you just might be hit with tax hikes.
David Espo reports for the Associated Press that senior House Democrats are “considering slapping an unspecified financial penalty on anyone who refuses to purchase affordable health insurance.” Furthermore, Democrats are considering a new tax on certain insurance benefits as a means of covering those who have been uninsured.
Choice A or Choice B
Private insurance or the government option are your choices. Under the House Democratic plan, “individuals and small businesses would be able to purchase coverage from a health exchange and the government would require all plans to contain a minimum benefit,” writes Espo. One welcome aspect of this is that applicants would be exempt from rejection or a higher premium due to pre-existing conditions.
Then there’s the Medicaid upgrade option. Democrats are seeking a uniform level of coverage across the nation. A revamped Medicaid would also up the payments to health professionals (thanks to a tax hike, doubtless).
“Play or pay”
Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has confirmed that there will be a penalty for those who refuse to buy coverage they can afford. It’s “play or pay.” Waivers would be available for those who could not cover the cost of insurance.
“There is no use having a mandate without a contribution,” he said.
Democratic leaders hope to pass legislation in both houses by early August. Then they hope that a compromise measure will be ready for the president’s signature by the fall.
$1 trillion over 10 years
Financing socialized medicine as Obama envisions it could cost $1 trillion over the next decade, experts predict. Cutting Medicare payments to home health care, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, hospitals and others to cover the expense has been considered, but it is unclear how effective that would be at closing the expense gap. The idea welcomes a rash of other criticisms as well.
Locating areas for saving within the private insurance market is still underway, and this would perhaps be an ideal option to the majority of those concerned. Raising taxes on healthcare would go against the president’s previous pronouncements, but sometimes a politician has to do a 180 and be willing to go face down in the mud.
Getting rid of dead weight
Obama would be mostly alone there if he went with socialized medicine. FreeOurHealthcareNow.com would suey like a pig headed for a future in bacon. But Senator Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, would apparently be in Obama’s corner. According to Espo, she has been searching for a compromise that would hold government-funded healthcare as a last resort for those who cannot afford insurance, even after a Congressional overhaul of the current diseased system.
Personally, I’m willing to pay higher taxes for universal healthcare. The private system has had time to regulate itself via competition and it clearly hasn’t worked. If self-regulation were possible, I’d consider that first, to be sure. However, I look at healthcare and education as basic human rights (not privileges). If socialized medicine becomes a reality in America, I would like to see private companies be absorbed into the process rather than see them simply disappear. Of course some turnover would be inevitable, but I’d like to limit that to some of the top healthcare executive class (expensive dead weight). They’d serve America better hawking ShamWows or joining hands to form live border fences. Once in a while, consumers can pitch in with an instant payday loan or online cash advance to feed them. Because they mustn’t leave their posts near places like Juarez or the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Leaving their positions is bad for our health.
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leave our health care along.No place in the Constitution,it say the government is to take care of the people outside of civil right and the defense of the nation.
WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by the way we are not worthless, we are very hard working and loving parents….
I have a son that is now in his 20’s and we have to care for him because he can no longer work. He needs to see a specialist, yes he can go to the hospital and be seen but they only tell us who he needs to see. (we have a hard time just getting food, so this means he will die)The government will not help us at all….so let me see my child hmmmm dieing hmmm if it was your child and you needed them to see a doctor that you could not afford what would you vote for…Yes me and my husband live in a old house and both work, just in case you was wondering…but yes my son is to old to be kept on our insurance. We have hundreds on thousands of people here in the united states that need medical help that cant get it for the same reason and you are the ones that are letting them die. I am sorry but my son is dieing and he just needs to be seen by one specialist and maybe they could give him something to help him breath a little better….you are letting people die and something needs to be done…..even if it takes a little out of all our lined pockets….
NO to Socialized medicine. I already pay taxes for worthless people who don’t contribute to society: Medicare. Medicare is an example of a socialist system and it forces young people to pay for the old people, most of whom didn’t pay enough into the system.
Cancel Medicare and make people pay for their own risk and costs. I’m tired of paying for socialist systems for old people.
I want to sign… where is it?
Americans are being misled regarding so-called “socialised” medicine.
I am from the UK and would never, ever give up the NHS. In the UK the poor, unemployed, elderly, those with a BMI over 25, 30, or even 40, smokers, people with previous medical conditions etc etc can get treatment for their illnesses. They will not be refused treatment in the way that these people in the US are likely to be refused health insurance coverage.
No, it’s not ideal, but then there is no healthcare system that is ideal.
People in the UK would be happy to wait a few extra weeks to get a hip replacement if the alternative is not to get the treatment at all because you are not covered by insurance because you are deemed ineligible.
I get treatment for my underactive thyroid, I have had successful fertility treatment, treatment for labyrinthitis, all in the last year free on the NHS. The longest I had to wait was for the fertility treatment – a whole 6 months for the NHS to fund 2 cycles (2nd was successful) of treatment that would have cost me thousands of dollars.
My husband was cured of leukaemia twice on the NHS.
My father has had his back condition cured by the NHS.
My mother has free blood clotting treatment on the NHS.
My cousin receives free diabetes medication on the NHS.
I could go on. You get the idea. The NHS is not the evil communist faction you are being led to believe it is.
It is a fair way for everyone to receive healthcare. And it works.
I want to sign the petition against socialized medicine…where is it?
What makes the government think they can run a national health care program for the entire country when they cannot effectively run the Medicaid program when it doesn’t cover but a small percentage of the population? Why do we as free and supposedly intelligent American citizens fall for this bureaucratic mum bo jumbo? We as citizens need to unit and make our voices heard as we enter the voting booths this next election.
I am not in favor of socialized medicine.
Consider too the burden on the hospitals and medical system as every low-life, teet-suckling, welfare case American (or non-American illegal) packs our hospitals to claim their ‘free’ health care hand out. Also, the medical industry is full of brilliant minds who came from other countries to practice medicine here so that they may become successful and wealthy. Many diseases have been cured and treatments have been developed with humanity and profit (oh, that EVIL profit) as a motivator. National health care will remove that motivation. What person would dream of practicing medicine in hopes of landing a position as a surgeon on a government payroll? Obama is a maniac. A socialist mad man.
Consider the vast, far-reaching implications of your government also controlling your health. If little baby Obama gets his way and gets this national health care garbage passed, congress will have unlimited power to tax and regulate any foods or drinks that are deemed unhealthy or dangerous to funds needed for universal health care. Donuts, Doritos, Cheeze-It’s, alcoholic beverages, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, candy bars, you name it – it will be in the governments cross hairs. This is some scary stuff Americans! Wake up and let your voice be heard. It’s THE PEOPLE, FREEDOM, FREE ENTERPRISE and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY that made this nation once great – not ONE MAN with HIS PLAN pushing his ideology. LACK OF GOVERNMENT made us great, not MORE GOVERNMENT.
I can’t find the petition to sign!!
turning into socialism,why do canadians come to us for care…
NO to socialised medical & health care
we have more than enough of the Fed-
eral Government medling in the lives
of the American citizens. If the Fed-
eral Government takes over the medical
care as the Canadians have there will be lines of people waiting for help,
because of denial by the gov., they will tell you when and where to wait
until they will let you have medical
care. Ask any Candian!
obama’s health reform act. has a paragraph hidden which makes it unlawful for any person to purchase health insurance from any provider should they get this thing go thru. what happened to competition, he is growing government and killing the free market. tell everyone you know, we must flood our congressmen with calls. If they vote for this we will put them out of office
I don’t want Obama’s health care plan. He is acting like a dictator without regards to the freedom that our Constitution is all about!
Pure Marxist’s can only write and promote Marxist legislation. Obama is a pure Marxist
I do not wish for any goverment to decide if my child or I should recieve health care.. Look at what has happened to every thing that the goverment took over .. The veterans get the worst health care ever and they fight for the right for goverment officals to sit up there making the choice they make for us. So why would they care any more for the average taxpaying person .. No thanks,
Socialized medicine does not work….it hasn’t worked anywhere….Since when has the government done anything for us?? People better wake up in this country. Government butt out! They better start listening to the will of the people…and stop putting this country deeper in debt. These people couldn’t even handle the lending business or anything else for that matter…. now they want us to trust them with our health care. Give me a break! I have had medical insurance since I first started working when I was 19 years old. I am now 61 and I still have health care. Why?.. because I took the initiative to make certain that the employers I worked for had medical benefits….People make choices..Frankly, we have socialized medical “somewhat”…people who don’t have insurance get help already….Especially the illegal aliens…So, Obama stay out of our health care system….”Mr. Organizer”…..Next election…vote these losers out!
We should have the right to decide who gets what and when for the Washington trash. Im employed by the state of Texas, been there 5 years. If this crap passes they will end the coverage THEY provide. The insurance is the main reason people stay with TxDOT. The pay is 22.3 percent lower than county or city pay. So in short we would all be screwed. OBAMA has no business making these decisions.
exactly, don’t you get it!!! you are paying for it anyway. We are all paying for it anyway. Free markets are wonderful but they are not magic. they don’t work for everything.
we already pay for vagrants everytime they walk into emergency rooms. the people of texas pay for you. you pay for it with lower wages. I pay for it so the CEOs of the HMOs can make hundreds of millions of dollars.
Small business pays for it because they lose talented people because they can’t afford to pay for health insurance.
WE ARE ALL ALREADY PAYING FOR IT!
we might as well pay for it together. It will cost less in the long run because the HMOs will not suck hundreds of billions out of the system.
it will cost less in the long run because people with small problems will get treated before they become big, expensive problems. The poor will no longer cost us a fortune by using ERs as their family doctors and…
people like you will not be forced to accept sub par wages because they are afraid for their health.
Please respond if you see this. I’d like to hear your opinion. thanks
I am opposed to anymore government in out lives. The US was formed under free enterprise and little if no government involvement. Nationalized healthcare will give us doctors who are mediocre at best and no choice in our care. The gov’t will decide who gets to live longer and who doesn’t. This will also force companies to close or not hire employees because they can’g afford health care for them. I believe Obama only cares for control and nothing about the American people. Everythin he does proves this, although he pretends to appear as if he does. I work with many doctors who are excellent. They say they will quit practicing if this happens, so we will get doctors who are willing to be paid little so will give low care. Obama needs to listen to the conservatives who have very good answers to this crisis and leaves the government out of it.
Here’s my health care story
For the past 4 years my wife and I been saving up all our medical and dental problems and making the 18 hour journey Thailand where the medical care is excellent and the cost…just a fraction of what it costs the US. For example, last November I had an Endoscopic balloon dilation for a condition known as dysphagia performed in Bangkok. The specialist in the US said the operation would cost me $2500. (His bill for the 15 minute consultation was $250.) I decided to wait until I got to Thailand and had it done in at Chulalongkorn public hospital…cost $100 including biopsy. (all I needed for ID was my US passport. No questions asked!!)
7 months later I am happy to report that I am doing fine.
Why do we have to travel half way around the world for a procedure that we could have done here in America?
My wife and I are in our 60’s and self employed. Unlike the lucky Americans who work for an employer who foots a large portion of their medical premiums, we pay 100% of everything. And at our age, the best policy we’ve been able to find so far is a Blue shield plan that costs $900 a month and has a $8000 deductible.
So we are basically “self insured”..that limbo state where we are too rich to get subsidized medical care but too poor to be able to afford the typical $50,000 bill for a couple of nights stay in a US hospital
America is divided into two groups. Those who have adequate health insurance and those who don’t. So in essence, the US has a rationed health care system where those who can afford insurance get good medical treatment..and those who cannot afford insurance go without.
I highly recommend any American who can’t afford US medical care to look into going overseas. Countries like Thailand, India and Singapore are gearing up to provide top notch medical care at a fraction of the cost in the US citizens like me who are either uninsured or underinsured.
I am opposed to socialized healthcare. Presently, we have the best healthcare in the world, however, it is not free of problems that can not be fixed or improved.
i’m opposed to more goverment control.i’m opposed to the goverment choosing my doctors, hospitals,and most definatly opposed to the way i would recieve health care. by the way i had lunch in Dallas yesterday, this subject came up,the business owner has 15 employees. if he’s forced to take this program, he will have to close his doors. these 15 people will loose thier jobs!
I am also opposed to socialized healthcare that will not care about me, my health, what I want in my care. I am most definitely opposed.
I am very opposed to Obama’s plan. I want my own healthcare of my choosing.
I am opposed to socialized healthcare. I want to choose my own healthcare and doctors. I am elderly and I want to choose my own medicine.
I am opposed to socialized healthcare. I want to choose my own healthcare and doctors.
I am opposed to socialized healthcare. I want to choose my own healthcare and doctors.
Why are the politicians exempt from the law they wrote and will pass? This bill is the greatest money maker for the government since social security.
As aphysician former Canadian I know how the system works”IT DOSE NT!”We DO NOT WANT IT!
I am totally opposed to any form of government control of our health care system. Ihe way government wastes money we will not be able to print money fast enough to keep up with the waste. I am also tired of being told what to do and think by the Obama dictator administration.
I did send a comment, I don’t understand when you say (My comment is awaiting moderation?
Working in the health feild as a nurse I can see the impact of the government making decisions for the patients. Who is the government to decide who recieves life giving treatment and who is doomed to die? I have seen very elderly patients come through surgeries better than alot of 50 year olds, but with government deciding whether or not some one is worth the expense they would not allow surgery for elderly. So the crack head 30 year old will get the surgery because of his age and potential to get more tax money and the 90 year old will be denied treatment on the bases they are too old. No thanks, I want to keep the decisions for health care in the hands of the people, not the government, they are only concerned about thier pocket book and not the people themselves.
yes, health care decisions in the hands of the people. By people of course you mean HMO’s who want nothing but the best for us.
Just say no to the big O
OBAMA
The health care system is just fine as it is. The trash in Washington does not need to put ANYTHING on us they wouldn’t use healthcare wise.
I do not want the government involved in my healthcare. I like what I have.
The President and his Congress are constantly bombarding us with intrusion on our way of life as lived under the Constitution. And we the people are getting sick of it.
Now, reforming our wonderful health care system is their next target. Leave us alone! As far as those who are poor and have no insurance is concerned, perhaps the answer to that would be to establish free clinics around the country for them.
HEALTH CARE SHOULD BE DECIDED BY THE INDIVIDUAL. DON;T MAKE EVERYONE GIVE UP THEIR HEALTH CARE FOR A FEW, JUST HELP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NEED & LEAVE US ALONE.
I would like to see the health care system left as is.
No to socialized healthcare. This is the united states not canada.I also think obama polosey harry reed and all others that are trying their best to ruin our great country should get out of office .Also A big No to so called cap and trade. I’m sick of these losers that are in office. Its A joke. Enough is enough.
They must hate this country. only people who agree with you love this country.
I am 72 years old and i like the health pland i have at this time.I have never see anything that the goverment has taken over and run worth dam yet.LEAVE OUR HEALTH SYSTEM ALONE.
leave our health care along.No place in the Constitution,it say the government is to take care of the people outside of civil right and the defense of the nation.
I never realized it could all be so simple. Thank you….thank you
Do not fix what is not broken.Everything the Government touches turns to crap.Name one program that the Government is running that is not bankrupt.Those lowlifes in our government could not even run their own cafeteria without being in the red!!!Hussein Obama never held a real job.He is a professional agitator, a guy full of hot air.His recent statement “I WILL ALLOW YOU TO KEEP YOUR OWN DOCTOR” He was elected as a President.Who in the hell he thinks he is that “HE” will ALLOW us to keep our own doctor?!! He is insulting all of us.
We all know that there are pros & cons with our system. I think however that there needs to be some type of fair balance to fill the gaps that too many seem to fall through. I think big HMO’s are a ripoff at times, but a government run only system would be too. Something in between needs to be done
just say no to obama, yes we can, please mr obama youve done enough. leave our health care alone.
NO TO OBAMA, I like my healthcare just as it is. It is perfect, i have great healthcare now. It’s just that when I get sick my life depends on the choices made by a corporation that owes its allegiance to its stockholders. and its much better for them if i die. so i will die. But I will only die if the doctor and the hmo act in their own self interest, so I should be fine. But why should they pay for me against their own self interest so I guess I will die…darn
I say no to the program that our????wants for the US of A. We like what insurance w have but it is also very costly. Rather pay our dues with what we got than to have SOCIALIZED medicine.
When members of congress and the president are willing to be insured under the SAME PLAN they want to impose on the American public, then I will listen to their proposals. Until then, leave my health care alone.
I am against government health care. I have taken care of this my whole life also against energy tax
If you think health care is expensive now? Wait until it’s free.
Government is not the solution; government is the problem!
yes, very true, we should immediately disband the armed forces. close every public road, release all prisoners and allow your electric utilities to charge whatever you might be willing to pay.
WE RUSHED INTO BAILING OUT THE AUTO MAKERS AND THE BANKS AND THAT WAS A TOTAL FAILURE. WE SHOULD NOT BE SO FAST TO JUMP INTO HEALTH CARE WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION. PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND ALLOW THEM TO HEAR YOUR POINT OF VIEW. WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO CHOOSE NOT BE TOLD WHAT WE NEED BY SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T EVEN KNOW MEDICINE.
I urge our “reresentatives” to vote down this upcoming bill. The USA cannot aford another high cost addition to the cost of living espesially at this time
1 Trillion is a very low estimate. If this rediculous plan is passed all private industry bwill stop to cover private health ins. Illegal immagrants will end upo getting covered and deserving people will end up with lesser quality coverage.
“I, the undersigned citizen of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to stop any increased role of the government in my health care decisions, I also petition the U.S. Congress to protect my right to choose my own doctors and hospitals without delay or denial, to obtain care that is patient-centered, and to have health insurance that is personal, portable and best suits my needs.”
Why change the whole program for 15-20% or less of the uncovered citizens. Perhaps a large nr of them have not requested state assistance meaning they could have coverage.
I, the undersigned citizen of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to stop any increased role of the government in my health care decisions, I also petition the U.S. Congress to protect my right to choose my own doctors and hospitals without delay or denial, to obtain care that is patient-centered, and to have health insurance that is personal, portable and best suits my needs
I am VERY opposed to socialized medicine!!!!!!
It’s simple, the government can’t
run anything right, take the Post
office or Amtrack just two samples.
Please stop this train, it will
only cost more than anyone can afford.
and take away more of our freedoms.
yes, the post office is horrible. it costs almost half a dollar to send a letter coast to coast in 2 days….awful, shameful
I am opposed to government one payer healtcare. It would degrade the quality of care we presently have and in the long run cost the taxpayer more money. Let’s fix Medicare and Social Security before we go charging off on another grovernment program that will cost billions of dollars that we have no money to pay for.
I am against the Presidents plan for medical care.
I am opposed to other people telling me what I can and cannot afford to spend on healthcare. My budget is personal. Yes, the system is broken. I have healthcare through work, but my daughter is not insured due to the expense.
So that means I should pay for her? I can’t afford to pay my electric bill. Will you help me? I’ll say please.
my house is not burning so i don’t want to pay for a fire departmennt. my children are grown so why should i pay for your children to go to school. i don’t like books anymore so close the library. i have never driven on the street where you live so why should i have to pay for your road.
Socialized medicine is a big ticket issue these days, and there are a lot of good reasons both for and against. The Pro side is that some sort of socialized medicine would mean access to health care for all citizens. It would mean higher taxes, period. However, it would also mean that hospitals would not be able to provide the kind of standard of care that…wait, hospitals don’t provide a lot of real quality care in a lot of cases already, and a lot of MRSA infections are caused by staff simply not washing their hands, and it takes hours to get a script for a simple infection for a lot of people, but that’s getting off topic. If market forces alone would drive down medical costs, then that is the course we should choose. But let us not be fooled that one of the reasons why there is so much opposition to it is because a lot of our leaders that are supposed to be representing us, may have had big campaign contributions from HMOs and Big Pharma, but by the same token there shouldn’t be a mandate for private insurance, especially if people can’t pay for it. If the free market works, that is what we should do, but it has had a long time to prove itself, with little to show for it.
everyone shuld be able to choose.
I like health care the way it is now.
I’ll be happy to join any plan as long as the congress is going to have that same plan too. Will they? When you can answer that, get back to me.
a