Limbaugh in Hawai`i - a view *from* Hawai`i

[kpete]

Limbaugh in Hawai`i - a view *from* Hawai`i
by raatz

Fri Jan 01, 2010 at 11:42:53 PM PST

Aloha.

I'm glad that Rush Limbaugh decided to vacation here in Hawai`i. And I'm happy that his medical condition is fine and that he's received excellent care.

I am infuriated, however, at his comments today when he was released from the hospital. This statement in particular has raised my ire:

LIMBAUGH: "I've been treated to the best health care the world has to offer and that is right here in the United States of America," he said. "Based on what happened to me here, I don't think there's one thing wrong with the American health care system."

..................

What Limbaugh neglected to mention is that Hawai`i enacted sweeping healthcare reform more than 35 years ago!

No one in Hawai`i has mounted a serious effort to reverse the reform law (based on employer mandates) since its enactment in 1974. The Prepaid Healthcare Act - summarized here - is largely working for both patients and the healthcare industry. And it's generally considered more beneficial to patients than anything currently on the table in Congress. That's why the House of Representatives earlier this month approved the Hirono Amendment, which allows for Hawai`i to be exempted from the federal reforms if the existing state law is deemed better.

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono's recent press release provides additional background on Hawai`i's healthcare system and the need for her amendment (.pdf):

http://hirono.house.gov/...

In addition, the nurses who cared for Limbaugh are union members.

more:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/1/2/821229/-Limbaugh-in-Hawai%60ia-view-*from*-Hawai%60i

[Cetacea]

1. +1

[spanone]

2. i know his medical problem, he's full of shit.

[Cetacea]

3. Excellent diagnosis.

[geckosfeet]

8. No - something much more vile than shit.

[civildisoBDence]

10. His heart scan has leaked onto the Internet (satire):

http://newsprism.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/newsprism-obtains-rush-limbaugh-heart-scan/">Rush Limbaugh's heart scan

[csziggy]

4. Maybe that is why he went to Hawai'i - Florida's health care system is overloaded

And understaffed by the for profit care providers. Since Florida is a "right to work" state, nurses have no security and can be poorly paid, overworked and fired at will.

Rush was probably hospital shopping for care the way he used to doctor shop for drugs.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. They didn't find the cause of his chest pain, did they?

I hope it comes back x10

[chelsea0011]

6. Well, he was lucky he has good health insurance so he was

able to go to the hospital to find out that there was nothing wrong with him. I would think that someone without health insurance would have ignored the pain and waited until it was too late if something were indeed wrong. What Rush is really saying is that he used his insurance to spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for no problem. So we can all thank him for the small increase in insurance premiums we will all need to incur to offset his healthy bill of health.

[liberal N proud]

7. It may be the best health care - IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY!

They don't get it, STILL!

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

9. Good point about HI's healthcare reform

I just sent a ltte of our local newspaper using some of the info in this diary. Thanks