Obama Success Could Hinge on Address

How the fuck do you think it would be "FREE"

@Bsmenot - What is your son's condition?

@bsmenot you don't speak for most americans. You probably just went around the city or town you live in and asked a few people. The polls show that actually there is no clear majority. People are split on this just like they're split on almost every other major issue. I wonder though, do you favor any change? Because if not then you are actually in the minority. Most people, democrat or republican, will agree that the health insurance industry fucks people any chance they can and that has to stop.

@odowd80...In answer to alternatives to government health care. This will be as brief in explanation as possible due to space but these are plausible ideas that are out there. The best way to cover all people is to reduce cost. It is estimated that over 50 percent of U.S. hospitals are now unprofitable. Inefficient use of technology is the key driver in health care spending accounting for an estimated 38% to 65% of spending growth, drug prices are 70% higher in the U.S., physician compensation is 6.6 times per capita GDP for specialists and 4.2 times for primary care compared to 4 and 3.2 in OECD ( Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations, the U.S spends 54% more for the top five inpatient medical devices, and the U.S. spends six times more for administration than the OECD nations. Let's take drug prices and technology first. Many experts say that unnecessary government regulations cause 80% of the cost of prescriptions to Americans. Drug companies say cut out these regulations and they can reduce the costs of our drugs by that 80%. The same for health care equipment. Government regulations are estimated to add 30 to 50% to the cost of this equipment. The reason experts say the government regulations are unnecessary because they are redundant. Industry standards are higher and more cost efficient. Notice a common thyme there? Government! Second, reduce physician costs. STOP frivolous lawsuits. Replace the current medical liability system with a dispute resolution process consisting of an objective, independent administrative process to provide quick and fair resolution to disputes while promoting evidence-based medicine. This would cut out enormous insurance costs and physician charges. Third. Hospital efficiency. There are many organizations out there that can compare industry norms and benchmarks in clinical quality, patient safety, financial performance, and operational efficiency. Encourage their use. Next. Use widespread adoption of tools such as electronic health records, personal health records, secure e-visits with physicians, and e-prescribing. The technology of being able to contact your doctor and receive your prescription online would eliminate much of the congestion in doctors offices and emergency rooms. There are many more ideas but I am running out of time and this is getting quite lengthy. Many doctors and hospitals say that under the right circumstances they could reduce costs up to 70%!!!! If this is done most healthcare could be paid for out of pocket and leave the insurance to cover only catastrophic illness or injury. This in turn would reduce insurance costs making it affordable to almost everybody. The rest would be covered under free clinics established by volunteer time by doctors and nurses and medicare/medicaid. By the way. Medicaid and Medicare should be able to be more cost efficient and effective do to the amount of people that would be off of it and would have their own insurance.

@emptycalm....You don't know who I have talked to. I have lived the medical system for the last year and a half spending most of that in trauma and burn hospitals. I have nurses, PT, counselors, and aids come into my house every day. My wife works for a large hospital chain. By the way her job is to deal between the hospital and insurance companies. I also used to write political editorials for the Denver Post. I have more insight than you ever will on politics, medical professionals, and how hard insurance companies can be. I also read things other than blogs. I read as much as possible. I try to sift through the bull and to get the facts. This is very important to me and I will never approach it with with a closed mind. I like to share what I believe and would love to discuss and debate it with intelligent people. Don't be so presumptuous about who I have talked to or what I know! If you would like to present some facts rather than use phrases like "f___ us all" I would be more than happy to talk.

yet people go nuts when you talk of fixing either one. Get your gov't hands off my medicare!!!!!!!!!!

yawn!

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

there is no hell, DERR

You've never been to Washington I see!

Yes, but he screwed it up by answering "that question".

Sounds like you needed more competition for insurance in California, instead of the gov't limiting it to 6 companies. You want another gov't solution to a gov't created problem. Now that makes sense.