Chris Hansen Comments on the 2011 State of the Union

[zimmyzimgir2]

"Why dont you take a seat right over there"

[TheNigerianScammer]

I'm chris hansen let's tell cancer to take a seat.

[darkchimeraa]

One word.. MARIJUANA

[dtmcnally]

Keep up the good work Chris.

[Alvarado20002009]

GREAT POINTS!! THANK YOU CHRIS!! YOU GOT MY HELP!!

[ZiggeeStardust]

Sorry ScullysBaby, if you understand economics 101, you will realize that you cannot mandate what will be covered, for whom, and at what cost/price. I have no love for the insurance industry, the bottom line is, without the government's meddling in health care perhaps we wouldn't even need medical insurance. You could have an appt with your doctor for the cost of what your co-pay is today. Government programs have driven up the cost of health care, thus creating a need for insurance.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust You don't know what you are talking about. The government program of medicare negotiates for lower prices for it's patients... namely the elderly & disabled on it's program. Other than that, it has no other involvement in the health care industry. It's the insurance companies that keep raising their rates in order to make higher and higher profits for their shareholders, CEOs and other greedy people involved. Wendell Potter could tell you how the insurance system works.

[ZiggeeStardust]

@ScullysBaby - The government negotiates for lower prices?? You mean like the $750 hammers they buy and the $998,798 shipping they paid a vendor to ship two $0.19 washers to an army base in Texas? Please... give me a break.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust Yes... that is right. Those negotiating for the government programs such as Medicare/Medicaid are able to negotiate lower group or bulk rates/prices for pharmacuticals, etc. which is how those costs are kept lower for the elderly and handicapped patients on those programs. That is not to say that there isn't some wasteful spending in those programs... no program is perfect. But my understanding is that has to do with fraudulent claims, not from outrageous costs.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust Yes... that is right. Those negotiating for the government programs such as Medicare/Medicaid are able to negotiate lower group or bulk rates/prices for pharmaceuticals, etc. which is how those costs are kept lower for the elderly and handicapped patients on those programs. That is not to say that there isn't some wasteful spending in those programs... no program is perfect. But my understanding is that has to do with fraudulent claims, not from outrageous costs.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust But the negotiation for medicare costs has nothing to do with hammers or the shipping of washers to Texas... those are completely different issues and more than likely have something to do with a congressman getting earmarks for their district. Sort of like how Speaker Boehner has been pushing a bill to force the army to take an extra engine on one of their fighters, at a huge cost to taxpayers.... which the military leaders keep saying they don't want.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust So much for Boehner's concern over the deficit spending. Why has Boehner been pushing for the expensive extra engines? Because they are manufactured in a factory in his district in Ohio, as well as one in Cantor's district in Virginia.... another of the illustrious Republican "deficit hawks". Though I call them both HYPOCRITES. Fortunately reports are that some of the new teaparty Reps have given them both the finger and come out against those engines the army doesn't want.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust Latest news on Boehner/Cantor supported extra engine bill.... AP - Determined to reduce deficits, impatient House Republican freshmen made common cause with President Barack Obama on Wednesday, scoring their biggest victory to date in a vote to cancel $450 million for an alternative engine for the Pentagon's next-generation warplane.

So Obama seems to be finding the new Tea baggers helpful in defeating stupid Republican policies. Let's hope they keep it up.

[denfeld777]

Thank you Mr Hansen

[denfeld777]

Really? People? My son is VERY heavily involved in cancer research..and guess what? While those of us that raise funds have raised millions it's costs BILLIONS to treat cancer patients...As a cancer Survivor myself who has lost loved ones to cancer I feel like I'm being slapped in the face everytime someone uses the excuse that Fundraiser like myself are lining the pockets of the Man. Grow up! If you don't wish to donate..fine I won't hold it against anyone but please show us a little respect

[ZiggeeStardust]

Obama and the federal government are not the answer. I know it's not what most people want to hear, but the only way a cure for cancer will be found is if there is a profit to be made from it. And the situation has been made worse by the current administrations attack on the health care industry which has already brought research and development to a crawl.

I know what it is, I was married to a wonderful woman for 20 years and lost her to cancer on March 14, 2008. You cannot regulate a cure.

[ScullysBaby]

@ZiggeeStardust

The current administration's attack on the health care industry? Are you kidding or just insane? I assume you are referring to the health care reform bill which does nothing to harm or "attack" the health care industry. It does attempt to make the health insurance industry treat their insurees fairly. Insurance companies do nothing to provide health care.. they are simply middlemen making money off the misfortune of others. They are the villians here, not the administration.

[Thermitillo]

catch a Predator, chris baby!!!

[burnsbct]

@Thermitillo Wrong Chris Hansen!

[neyriddle]

Well done Mr. Hanson!!! as an ACS CAN member we need more! Double the $ Double the HOPE!!! lets kick cancer in the butt!

[krislee1982]

Have you sat with a cancer patient going thru treatment? They are NOT feeling very "PEACEFUL" at the time! They ARE fighting a war! EVEN the most devout of religious. I guess you also think WE (USA) need to get rid of the Military who are protecting us from the enemies. Real smart thinking. With all due respect, If the tree huggers of American can't come up with a better argument, than please sit down and keep your dumba%$ opinions to yourselves.

[MsGroovy51]

When your own body attacks everything you have, its a war.

[loulou2lou]

I wish Organizations would stop using the word WAR on this WAR on that.Maybe it's because the USA is always at war.When are we going to bring on the PEACE.

[Elte156]

@loulou2lou You can't have peace without war. logically and metaphorically speaking. Much like you can't have good without evil or sadness without happiness.

[LADidier]

In addition to working on a cure, we must devote more effort to prevention & cessation of smoking/tobacco use. 90% of smokers begin before 19; 40 million continue to smoke and need solid cessation programs and support. Investing the minimum recommended by CDC (currently only 2 states do) will greatly reduce the prevalence and incidence of cancer in the U.S. Let's attack the low-hanging (and cheap) fruit and invest more resources in prevention & cessation. LAD-ND'70

[HealthConnections]

Phil... Modified Citrus Pectin has been shown to be effective in preventing and slowing Prostate Cancer. Some patients have even been CURED of Prostate Cancer by MCP used in combination with other, natural, protocols (cancer markers down to .01).

Vitamin D has been shown to be one of the best Cancer fighters... in both prevention and slowing of growth.

Considering that iatrogenic illness is one of the leading causes of death... it seems to me that prevention is key.

[ramosjr97]

@HealthConnections Now there is a better comment. Look at traditional and alternative treatments which may be appropriate for the circumstances of individual patients. Yes, prevention is preferable to treatment, but the focus needs to be on both and ACS CAN does that.

[HealthConnections]

Why are you only focused on the part you can make money on... treating cancer. Why don't you spend resources educating people on how not to GET cancer. Why should we spend tax dollars and donation dollars to help Pharmaceutical companies do R&D in order to find some drug they can patent and sell back to us at some obscene profit?

If we spend our tax and donation money to help find a "cure" ... are we going to then get the drugs for a reasonable amount of money?

I think not.

[ramosjr97]

@HealthConnections My goodness, you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Millions of dollars per year are spent by the American Cancer Society in educating people on how to lower all kinds of risk factors. In addition, the Cancer Action Network advocates for both prevention- and treatment-related policies at the local, state and national level. Get your facts straight - it will help you make less uninformed comments.

[ACSCAN]

@HealthConnections ACS & ACS CAN devote significant time and resources addressing issues of cancer prevention, early detection and healthy living. Visit acscan.org or cancer.org for more info.

[ripizzo]

Cancer has touched us all in some way... as Americans need to express to President Obama that fighting cancer is a priority.

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo

I think President Obama probably understands himself how important the fight against cancer is. His own mother died of it after all, and as I understand it... she spent some of her last days sick and having to fight her health insurance company to get them to pay for her treatments. Which I'm sure was another motivating factor for him in making health insurance reform a priority.

[ripizzo]

@ScullysBaby

I lost my father to Cancer so I know how horrible it can be to die this way. My father was an Air force Veteran who was active in the Vietnam war. . He fought for Obama's rights. His treatment was covered by his country. . . which he deserved.

Heathcare reform is necessary, but not Obama's way. When he and Congress share our benefits, then I will know he truly cares about our nation.

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo Pres. Obama's mother also died from cancer, & he remembers her having to spend time arguing with her insurance company while she was very sick. He is certainly aware & has concern himself for that situation.. it was one of his reasons for making health care reform a priority. He was well aware of the strong need for it. You didn't go into any detail about what you mean by "not Obama's way" or "When he & Congress share our benefits", so I don't really understand what your issue is.

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo I have to assume you don't really understand what is in the health reform bill and what it is trying to do. The health care reform bill is simply an attempt to give the public more power over their own health care as opposed to the insurance companies having all the power. It does this by creating some rules that the health insurance companies have to abide by in providing and paying for care for their patients...

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo such as not discriminating against preexisting conditions, not throwing people off their coverage, having to use a certain % of their $ to pay for health care instead of for advertising or profits for share holders, etc. They are rules that protect US as the consumer instead of the insurance companies having all the power and control over who lives or dies.... which is the way it has worked up to now.

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo The health insurance industry has simply used us as pons to make money off of our illness and misfortune. They don't actually do anything to provide health care, they are merely middlemen who collect our money & then up decided whether or not they would pay for the treatments our doctors said we needed. They were the ones interferring with our health care & coming between our doctors and us.

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo The majorities of doctors were for the health reform bill.. they must know something you don't. They will tell you that they have a harder time getting insurance companies to approve or agree to pay for procedures than medicare. Why? Because medicare (the Govt program) doesn't interfer with medical decisions between the doctor & patient, like insurance companies do. The reason.. they aren't trying to make a profit off of our health or illness. That is all insurance companies do.

[ScullysBaby]

@ripizzo Have you ever heard of Wendell Potter? He used to work for one of the big health insurance companies and was involved in all of the dirty tricks those companies liked to use to make sure they paid as little as possible for health care and made the most profits. He finally left that job because he couldn't reconcile what he had to do for the insurance companies with his own conscience. I'd suggest you read his book or give him a listen sometime. It might make things clearer for you.

[ThePhillipOlsen]

Count on me, Chris.

Phil Olsen, Hawaii Prostate Cancer Coalition

Honolulu

[ACSCAN]

@ThePhillipOlsen We're counting on you and all of our allies, volunteers and members! Thanks!