Cindy Lugo's Open Salon Blog

That Is Robbery Not Reform

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:09:06 -0400

The Baucus bill forces everyone to buy into, and subsidize, massive increases in profits for insurance. That is Robbery not Reform.

We will have nationalized "Romney Care." Massachusetts has mandatory purchase and plenty of competition between private insurance companies: yet "Bay State health insurance premiums highest in Country." (Kay Lazar the Globe). This is unacceptable.

I'm stunned at the refusal to accept the actual problem with our health care system. Unless congress is willing to force the Insurance Industry to lower prices and profit margin, they are not realistically addressing reform.

The Insurance Industry never lowers cost to the consumer. They lower prices by raising out of pocket expenses or denial of coverage, otherwise it affects profit margin for the entire industry. Any savings goes directly to stockholders. That is their job.

Without a robust and viable public option forcing the Insurance Industry to lower it's prices and profits, they will continue to take 25-30% off the top for exorbitant salaries, advertising, campaign contributions, lobbyists and stockholders.

It is because of "For-Profit" health insurance that: the U.S. is rated 37th (below Costa Rica); we have more deaths per 100,000 from treatable diseases than any other western nation. We spend $3-6000 more per person, 5-12% more per GDP on health care and we still don't cover 40+ million people.

ALL western countries have universal coverage because they require non-profit health care whether public or private sector, have a sustainable % of GDP and All have higher rates of survival from treatable disease.

A viable government run public is exactly like a non-profit private insurance without the advertising, exorbitant salaries, campaign contributions and billions to lobby congress.

We must face the fact that pitting profits against patients is economically unsound, unethical and a conflict of interest. It’s ghastly and unacceptable.

The 21st Century Crusade - Taxpayers Funding Christian Army

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:09:20 -0400

When 41% of the population does not believe President Obama was born in the US and the GOP and members of Congress refuse to strongly correct this position; When you have FOX news and right wing radio spewing lies and mis/disinformation 24/7; When you have the GOP putting out a Birther to rebut the President of the United States, this is no longer a fringe segment of the popuation.

Freedom Works is sponsored by NARLO, who are promoting violent revolution, saying: "THE SECOND AMERICAN REVOLUTION" Has just begun. Join it or buy a gun, because you are going to need it!”

Here in the U.S.A., they hide behind the 1st Amendment claiming it's only "free speech." They hide behind the 2nd amendment - claiming the right to bear arms. Yes it's their right, but not with the intent of exchanging our democracy for a theocracy.

The 9/12 march on Washington includes Tea baggers, "preppers," white supremacists, birthers, deathers, members of the SCV (who believe slavery was a benign institution), Fox News and their "flock;" all interconnected across the country.

These groups are almost all within the Christian right wing extremist movement. This includes the Family on C-Street with their members of Congress flying at taxpayers expense to bring World Leaders into their Christian theocratic ideology:

The head of Blackwater (Xe) and an unknown number within Xe itself - Taxpayers are funding the Christian militant ideology of these mercenaries:

We see parents and public schools refusing to air a back to school speech for fear of "indoctrination," but willing to bus their children to hear Bush speak on the same topic September 21st. These people viscerally hate Obama, calling him evil, appearing on foreign and local mainstream media spewing outrageous vitriol that is meant to cause him harm and create a violent revolution. That is their aim.

Their form of indoctrination is severe. No dissent is allowed to their view of "God's law." They indoctrinate their children with intolerance and hatred; adhere to a literal interpretation of the Bible; instill hatred of government and non-Christians; keeping them from any outside influence. These people are stockpiling guns and food in preparation for a violent revolution. They completely distrust any media but FOX, Christian Radio, Christian Conservative media, right wing television; believing only they tell the truth.

At Jesus camps they are training children to be willing to die for Jesus and to use force, if necessary, to take back "Their" country for God!, This is not only destructive, it's frightening.

These people and organizations are using "home-schools," Jesus Camps and Christian Extremist Evangelical churches like "Madrasah's, teaching their own brand of "Christianity" and God's Law they want imposed on everyone in America.

This is exactly how Islamic Extremists instituted Shiria laws, either taking over completely, or instigating a civil war. They started with Madrasah's, indoctrinating children with intolerance and hatred and their extremist view of Islam. As their numbers grew and their willingness to die for Allah rose, they instituted Shiria law by force.

Allowing this kind of deranged belief system to grow exponentially has become a threat to everyone, especially the President, and must be addressed. The question is how.

Public Option - Frustration - Depression

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:09:24 -0400

I feel like I'm losing my mind. Everything Republicans and Blue Dogs propose - Tort Reform, Competition Across State lines, Co-ops, benefit the Insurance Industry at the expense of the people.

Obama never let single-payer on the table as a barganing chip. We should have known as soon as he appointed Nancy-Ann DeParle from the for-profit Insurance Industry. Then brought in United Health Group to negotiate. It was over before it began.

And they've won:
If we kill the bill, they win.
If we pass a bill without a public option, they've won.

If we pass a bill without a public option but include a trigger, they’ve won. Trigger in legislation is never pulled. It’s a euphemism for “never going to happen.”

If we pass a bill with the public option as it is now, they've crippled it - no "teeth"

Only a very few people would qualify, and those that need subsidies wouldn't be allowed to choose the public option, instead we are going to subsidize them to buy one of the "for-profit" choices in the Exchange.

We will have "Romney Care" where there is plenty of competition between private insurance in the state: see Kay Lazar's article in the Globe: "Bay State health insurance premiums highest in country." They do not lower costs because that affects the profit margin for the entire industry.

So, the Insurance Industry, because of lies and mis/disinformation advocated by Republicans and Blue Dogs against their own constituents, and people who've been duped propagating those same lies, have screwed us all.

This isn't stopping me from continuing to call, write, email, fax every Blue Dog Senator and the progressive caucus' in the House.

I'm just extremely discouraged, after learning that Obama told the Blue Dogs the day after his speech, he was willing to negotiate on the public option.

Then yesterday, we learned that a United Health Lobbyist Announced a Pelosi Fundraiser As She backed off the Pubic Option.

Australia Anyone

Republicans and Blue Dogs Advocating Against Constituents

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:09:49 -0400

Everything the Blue Dogs and Republican propose: Tort Reform, Competition Across State lines, Co-ops, Trigger... Benefits the Insurance Industry Not the People.

The GOP made heatlth care a Constitutional Right for all Iraqi citizens, including Single-Payer. Yet they are advocating for the Insurance Industy, with misinformation, against their constituents' best interests.

It is the "for-profit" model - paying 25-30% more for health care to cover exorbitant salaries, advertising, stockholders, political contributions and for the Insurance Industry to lobby against us to increase their profits and remove competition. Pitting Profits against Patients is economically unsound, unethical and a conflict of interest. It is outright ghastly. cartoon video description

The top 10 rated countries have universal coverage, require non-profit health care whether it's public or private sector, and have sustainable % of GDP. They all have higher rates of survival from treatable disease. The U.S., rated 37th, has more deaths per 100,000 from treatable diseases, spends $3-6000 more per person, 6-12% more per GDP and we don't have universal coverage. It's insanity!

Free Market means the Insurance Industry pits patient care against profit margin. The less treatment you provide, the more money you make. The more people you refuse to cover because of pre-existing conditions, the larger the profit margin.

Tort Reform does not lower cost to consumers. It benefits Insurance companies and doctors at the expense of the patient. Doctors pay less for malpractice insurance, but it also spares them from high consequences in cases of egregious malpractice. The worst part of Tort reform is that it increases the Insurance Industry's profits. If a health insurance company is sued for refusal of treatment, or tests requested by a doctor for their patient, they will literally have zero consequences. Suggested is a limit of $250,000 per patient. Patients lose, doctors and the Insurance Industry win.

Competition across state lines sounds great in theory. The problem is it becomes "a rush to the bottom." Insurance Companies will move to states with the least regulations. You buy insurance thinking you’re covered, as your state requires, but it's not required in the state where the insurance company is located. Patients get less coverage, outrageous "out of pocket" expenses, but pay the same premiums; this increases the profits for insurance companies. There is no viable competitor. Costs are not lowered. This is "Romney Care" with plenty of competition between private insurance: "Bay State health insurance premiums highest in country." By Kay Klazar

Comparing the fact that Medicare is going bankrupt as a reason not to "trust" government run health care is ludicrous. Medicare is going bankrupt because it is used to hold money paid in over decades, then at 65 when seniors need the most expensive care, we pay the bills. A government run public option is absolutely nothing like this. The services would be the same, but it is exactly like a non-profit private insurance without the advertising, exorbitant salaries, and billions to lobby congress.

Co-ops were tried from 1930's -1940's and failed; funding was cut off. They do not affect Insurance Industry pricing (GAO study done March 2000). Co-ops that become actual competition (e.g. blue cross/blue shield) are bought up and run by the Insurance Industry to keep prices steady. They remain non-profit but do not affect % of GDP or price to the consumer.

United Health Group and others will run successful non-profits, writing off billions in advertising, exorbitant salaries and lobbyists. They will not lower costs because that affects the profit margin for the entire industry.

We will be forced ("mandated") to buy into, and subsidize, the massive increase of profits for the Insurance Inustry. This is unacceptable!

Triggering a Public Option - An Affront To Obama Supporters

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 22:09:37 -0400

President Obama appears to have completely "sold out." His approval rating plummeted, not because of Republicans, but because of how he is "negotiating" health care reform. Single-payer should have been used as a bargaining chip.

To compromise both single-payer and a public opton is to trade out health, financial stability and our nation's solvency in exchange for Blue Dog and Republican votes. This is a direct affront, and duplicitous act, against the very people who put him in office and gave him a majority in Congress to work with.

The fact that Nancy-Ann DeParle and United Health Group are involved in “negotiating” reform is appalling. She made her living advising health care investors, sat on boards of for-profit firms that make billions from Medicare and Medicaid. United Health Group is the most egregious, corrupt and disgusting Insurance Company in the entire industry.

It is highly unlikely that United Health Group and Nancy-Ann DeParle will recommend anything viable. Their "Asymetric Analysis" is ludicrous and misleading at best. The Insurance Industry will protect its profit margin at all costs. They stand to make outrageous profits and by no means will they help lower the cost curve.

United Health Group and others will run successful non-profits, writing off billions in advertising, exorbitant salaries and lobbyists. We will be forced to subsidize the massive increase of profits without "triggering" a government run public option for years, if ever.

Republicans are out for blood, and it will be this way until everything the democrats propose is defeated. Stop the "bipartisanship:" It only works if both parties are honestly working together. The republicans are not, and they will not. They are literally out to destroy Obama, and the Blue Dogs are cooperating.

"No one should die, go blind, or be crippled because they can't afford health care. No one should go broke because they get sick. No one should be unable to change jobs because of a "pre-existing condition."

~ unknown