We'll see if the insurance industry can be ‘reformed'

[slipslidingaway]

http://pnhp.org/news/2010/march/well-see-if-the-insurance-industry-can-be-%E2%80%98reformed

I can't pretend to be even cautiously optimistic that the health insurance reform legislation passed by Congress on Sunday will accomplish its goal of making health insurance more affordable. More importantly, I understand that having health insurance doesn't mean a patient can afford health care. I want my patients to be freed from the burden of worrying about how to pay for the care they need. I'm tired of having patients get tears in their eyes, or become embarrassed and feel ashamed because they can't afford the care I recommend.


The president and his Democratic leadership want us to believe that this legislation will, eventually, help ease that burden. We'll see. From my vantage point as a practicing physician, what I see is legislation that solidifies the stranglehold private, for-profit health insurance companies now have on the health insurance market. We will mandate that citizens purchase a defective product and subsidize the premiums with our tax dollars. I don't want my tax dollars going to the coffers of health insurance companies that take those dollars and turn around and pay them to the president and Congress in the form of campaign contributions, or pay them to themselves in the form of multimillion dollar salaries and bonuses. I don't want my tax dollars helping to purchase insurance products that I know darn well won't protect the holder of the insurance from going broke if he or she becomes seriously ill and actually has to use the insurance.


Every other developed country in the world can't be wrong. They have all figured out their own unique way to provide universal health care and are accomplishing it at half the cost per capita as we are and they have better health outcomes. None of them include a profit-driven health insurance industry.


We'll see if the insurance industry can be "reformed" and if that reformed industry can provide useful health insurance that is affordable and actually improves our health statistics.

While we're waiting, I plan to keep advocating for Improved Medicare for All..."

Dr. Carol A. Paris, Leonardtown

[nightrain]

1. knr. Thanks for the sad truth.

[dflprincess]

2. Just a bunch of whiny doctors who think their patients are deserving of care

and what about the poor insurance executives should their companies be taken out of the mix. And if they're shut down what happens to those poor politicians who depend on the insurance companies for campaign "contributions" and those lucrative lobby jobs?

Next thing you know, the doctors will be demanding ponies.

:sarcasm:

[Oregone]

4. Someone called em fringe here

Fringe...heh.

[Oregone]

3. The idea is about reforming/restraining capitalism and fixing a grand flaw

That being, how to correct its amoral tendency to seek to maximize profits while delivering less than full supply (or quality) of a product or service to a population.

And even if you do that completely, you still need to justify why you are spending twice what other nations do to have the private industry provide a service.

[ipaint]

5. The political system is too corrupt to regulate anything adequately..

It's run on legalized bribery and a revolving door of lawyer/lobbyists morphing into politicians and back again. They are incapable of self regulation. Real health care reform would require a massive redistribution of wealth from the top to the bottom half of society.

Most politicians are rewarded quite handsomely in order not to let that happen. Which is why the best, most cost effective health care solution for all americans was kept off the table and out of any discussions.

[bvar22]

6. K&R

The term "Medical Bankruptcy" is unknown in the civilized World.
The US had an opportunity to join the Civilized World, but fumbled.
Intentional fumble?
All the signs point to "Yes".

[Skittles]

7. I see what Dr. Paris sees

a big fucking scam

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Go Team. YeeeAAAHHH! We Won .......

..... er ...... ah ......... oops.


Never mind.





(KnR)

[kath]

9. "Every. Other. Developed. Country. In. The. World. Can't. Be. Wrong.

They have all figured out their own unique way to provide universal health care and are accomplishing it at half the cost per capita as we are and they have better health outcomes. None of them include a profit-driven health insurance industry."


This should have been shouted from the rooftops by the "democrats" for freakin' YEARS.

Oh, wait. They had to keep their powder dry.
Or they're just spineless chickenshits.
Or they're TOTALLY bought and paid for.

:puke: :puke: :puke:
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Odin2005]

10. For-Profit Health Insurance is an oxymoron.

[sabrina 1]

11. "From my vantage point as a practicing physician,

what I see is legislation that solidifies the stranglehold private, for-profit health insurance companies now have on the health insurance market."

And that stranglehold they have is already being put to use to protect their profit margin by refusing to provide coverage for sick children until 2014 (when they'll find another loophole).

Not even a day after the celebrations, the Insurance Corps already began to challenge the bill, claiming they are not obligated to cover children with pre-existing conditions, under this law. See the full article linked here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8020438

And that's probably just the beginning.

[Lorien]

13. It's a symbolic "win" for the Dems which has obviously thrilled many here

and made the teabaggers blow more than a few blood vessels (even though they would love the bill if a repug had passed it). Other than helping America to feel good for a minute and take note of how looney the Right has become there are few benefits to it.

[leftstreet]

12. The Serfs will be transferring $ to BigMed, who will surely lobby for reform

oh wait...maybe not 'reform' the Serfs want

K&R

[slipslidingaway]

14. Thanks everyone for the replies and recs :))) n/t

[area51]

15. Kick. (n/t)