Reid Issues Call-to-Action on Health Care

[7216sp]

harry Reid--- just goes to show you need to be alive to be a senator.

[mcdonalsuny]

Opps. Seems like I neglected to check the dates on a few of those polls I quoted. Allow me to correct myself. (All percentages are those who support) Gallup: (Nov 23): 39% Rassmussen (Nov 23): 38% Foxnews (Nov 20): 35% NYTimes (Nov 24): 33% ----- A few extras: Washington Post (Nov 17): 30% AP (Nov 16): 41% Wow, the Public Options approval rating is almost as low as Obama's approval rating.

[mcdonalsuny]

FYI for everyone else. Seems like Phillip and I comment on a lot of the same videos. As such, I've been witness to a multitude of his lies. Phillip is a pathelogical liar.

I've seen him say he was 22, 40, 45 and 50 years old. I've also seen HIM mention that HE has had the same OB/GYN for 30 years.

So yeah, look at everything he says as suspect, because most likely, it is a lie.

[phillipmarch22]

remember those mythological Obama "death panels" that Sarah Palin screamed about? While they never did exist in Obama's reform plan, they do exist in that Republican-led state of Texas! The Texas Futile Care Law allows a committee appointed by a hospital corporation to overrule families and pull the plug on granny if the hospital deems any more treatment to be "futile." It was signed into law by--guess who?--Governor George W. Bush.

[mcdonalsuny]

Two points. Obama has never had a reform plan. The two reform plans to date where authored by Baucus and then Reid. There was the "death panel/end of life counciling" in the Baucus bill, it was removed when Palin blew the whistle on it and it's back in the Reid plan.

So yeah ... you're a sad sad individual

[phillipmarch22]

The so called "death panel" amendment IS in the Reid plan. All this is about is that Medicare will reimburse a doctor if the doctor spends the time with a patient to talk about end of life wishes. It was originally a Republican idea years ago. A living will is a smart thing for everyone to do.

[mcdonalsuny]

Phillip, I suggest you actually do your research, because the "death panel" part doesn't involved the doctor at all. Shall I quote it?  Page 111, Section 223 - Establishes Health Benefits Advisory Committee. Page 733, Section 1401 - Establishes the Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research.

The Research determines which procedures are cost effective and allowable for life saving treatments. The Committee decides, based on research, which treatments you will be allowed.

[1911arthur]

Tie health care,food,utilities,housing to the CPI,only!

this would force change

[jack82431]

It doesn't matter how many people voice opposition to the government's massive power grab, they keep trying to shove it down our throats.

Arguing with idiots is pointless. Check out my video to see why....

[jeffmagic32]

vote this fraud out of office Nevada! He thinks taxes are voluntary! He made millions of dollars selling land he didn't own!

[dansnod]

Mr. Reid,

You sir, have allowed satan to influence your life and are one of the instruments he is using to bring about his global government. You know full well this health care bill is about control unfortunately the one calling for this control is the evil one.

I only hope your eyes are opened before your days on earth are complete. If you don't fall on your knees and repent of your sin, YHWY will judge you for the evil things you have done.

[97VR4]

and I thought COAL and OIL were bad...

[diggerjuly]

I agree with you Mr Reid. I want fairness and I will contact my Rep. for the "fairness" you are talking about. I feel we should all have YOUR health care plan, and if not, then all the State Rep's in Washington should have the one they are trying to push through. The American people deserve better, and the represention we have now is so poor and so far removed from reality that everything they do hinders the middle class. Get a hobby and get out of poltics. I WAS a Democrat, thanks to you.

[Gymjocked]

Right Harry. How bout medicare for all, healthcare should not be a for profit industry. These people who are frightened of "a government take-over" of medical care are people who HAVE CLEARLY NEVER NEEDED healthcare, because if they did-- they would know that insurance companies ALREADY RATION healthcare. Simply put, the wealthy deserve healthcare, the poor can eat cake.

[exweez]

medicare denies more claims than any private company by number and percentage.the profit margin of the the health insurance industry is 2.2 %.85%of americans are happy with their coverage.simply put, you are full of shit

[Gymjocked]

Don't pull numbers out of your ass and then say I'm full of shit. Medicare does not cap benefits, it does not deny claims based on pre-existing conditions, it does not call domestic violence, or pregnancy a pre-existing condition, it is completely portable AND AFFORDABLE. Your happy with your coverage because YOU HAVen't NEEDED IT! Check your facts, grow up, and stop be a selfish ass. The problem is with the UNINSURED YOU IDIOT. iF YOUR HAPPY WITH YOUR POLICY KEEP IT!

[exweez]

my numbers are from forbes oct.2009.the level of your screeching is astounding,also you are still full of shit

[Gymjocked]

I'm sorry, But you're wrong. Okay, say your numbers are correct. Fine, that 85% who are satisfied can keep it. I'm NOT satisfied with my premiums, or my plan. so I'd like a public option. If you don't want it--Don't get it. Jeez, you people care only about yourselves, and not about the under, or un-insured. It's an OPTION, do you understand the word??

[exweez]

no body is stupid enough to believe the option crap.you are either a lier or incredibly ignorant

[Gymjocked]

Nevermind-- I didn't realize you were a hired blogger for the insurance industry. Should have known.

[exweez]

thanks for the compliment,but no i'm not.just an average american who doesn't centralized government control of my life.

[Gymjocked]

You are in the minority on healthcare. 77% support a public option. The problem is the money from big insurance has bought the congress and senate in a bi-partisan fashion. I don't want government in my life-- but i wouldn't want a for profit fire station, or for profit police department, or for profit VA. There are just some things that should not be for profit-- that includes healthcare.

[exweez]

77% source please.i've never seen that .  lol

[phillipmarch22]

Medicare does not deny claims. I have worked with both my Grandparents on this issue. The bullshit lies and fear coming from the Republicans is appalling! Fear and lies is the GOP's platform on every issue.

Have you written your Congressman to repeal Medicare? How about those other "Socialized" institutions like USDA, CDC, FDA, FAA, DOD, DOJ, etc. If it was up to the Republicans, we would be a third world country is about a month!

[exweez]

it does and i source my stats,i'm sure your grandparents are nice and all,but your antedotale story is heart wrenching but i choose facts over emotion.

[phillipmarch22]

I just read that the current approval rating for Medicare is 80%. I don't see a bunch of old people at Tea Parties screaming about Medicare reform. Do you?

[exweez]

if medicare is so great why is it being cut 550 billion dollars in the new 2000 page pelosi HC bill?

[phillipmarch22]

Because the government subsidizes the private healthcare insurance companies to administer Medicare. The PHI companies make 14% profit for doing it. The reduction of $550 (I don't think it is that high), is because now the PHI companies will only make a 3% profit. The PHI companies are forbidden to pass that cost on to Medicare customers.

[exweez]

yeah and they will stop excepting medicare patients

[phillipmarch22]

The smart doctors won't stop taking Medicare patients! Most doctors say that Medicare patients are their bread and butter!

[mcdonalsuny]

So most doctors say that Medicare is their bread and butter?

On what planet do you live? Doctors hate medicare because it's a lot of extra red tape, paper work, denied claims and cost more to process than private medical insurance.

Do you actually research anything you talk about? Nearly everything you say is either wrong or a flat out lie.

[mcdonalsuny]

Phillip, once again, I suggest you actually do research instead of believing your liberal talking points.

You said "The PHI companies make 14% profit for doing it"

You are aware that the industry average profit margin is 3.3%. You want them to make 3%. You think that extra 0.3% will actually make a difference? Haha

[mcdonalsuny]

Also, instead of talking about the current approval rating for Medicare (which isn't as high as 80% BTW), lets talk about the Public Option Approval ratings:

Think Progress Poll : 39%

Fox: 42%

NYTimes: 31%

Gallup: 40%

Rassmusen: 41%

Funny that Fox (which you liberals hate) actually showes the highest approval rating. Odd, I thought you guys said they always lied and are bias? LOL

The more details that come out, the lower the approval rating drops. Funny how that works.

[evoval]

You have the funding for health care already you just decide to spend it on other things like the military budget, black programs, billions to other country's and billions on pure waste including your salary's. We should have the best health care in the world with what the government takes in yet you still insist on sticking it to your subjects. We're hurtin you blind bastard, you've destroyed are infrastructure, our way of life and your still not done. Your call for action is coming.

[SlyBennett]

In the free market if you cannot afford a Ferrari you buy a ford focus. In the health care free market if you can't afford the best care for you illness you die!

[redstone117]

No, we don't want a public option. The government should NEVER compete with private industry. Instead, we should allow the competitive forces of a free market to drive prices down and increase quality of care. The only role the government should play in health care is the elimination of monopolies and price fixing. Good thing you are losing your seat in 2010, Mr. Reid.

[JUDALATION]

so you think that seniors and the poor would get affordable coverage in a fair market? the cost of a heart transplant is the same whether you are poor or rich... so it would be in insurance companies best interest not to give insurance to the poor because the small premiums are not worth the risk... their goal is to make a profit after all. Thats why a one payer system is the best choice!

[johnsonm3012]

you're an idiot. Name one program the government hasn't screwed up. On top of that, 80% of the diseases in America are behavioral. So a single payer system will change that? Privatized health care is the best way. By making insurance portable, limiting tort litigation claims, and providing more discounts to healthier customers, we can have more affordable health care.

[keithwhitmer]

Excuse me, here is how it works. You will be required to carry health insurance. You are not required to use the public option. It is the public option that you may opt-out of. Nobody is paying EXTRA to have a public option. According to the CBO the current bill with the public option will actually be saving money and reducing the deficit n the NEAR AND long term. But conservatives are convinced of the opposite, because... well... just because.

[mnieman1001]

I don't understand jjr's post--Reid obviously didnt want the opt-out. Conservatives pushed for it--which isnt all that bad, because at least everyone in the blue states will benifit from a federal gov't that works for them rather than giant corporations. Let the red state politicans explain to their constituency why they choose to support the insurance companies who profit from denying people health care.

[jjrglobal]

Which conservatives pushed for the opt out?

Why would anyone opt out of something they are required to pay for?

[dc4047a]

Because people tend to do things that are against their rational self-interest.

[jjrglobal]

So you know better than all the irrational people and you're going to make their decisions for them, do I have this about right? Let me tell you something you arrogant, ego maniacal, lying, liberal, the American people are not stupid. We can make our own decisions. We dont want you making any decisions for anyone other than yourself.

[dc4047a]

Am I going to make their decisions for them? No, but I'm going to fund them. Tone down the personal attacks.

[keithwhitmer]

Even if that were true you are currently funding healthcare for people who don't have it anyway. People who don't have health care and go to emergency rooms are being funded by you and me and I'm tired of it. Insurance companies raise my rates based on other people's health, not mine and I'm sick of it. I really don't know if I will be covered when I really get sick because nobody is preventing insurance companies from canceling my benefits for any reason they like. You are paying for it all now

[dc4047a]

Um, so are you for or against the public option?

[keithwhitmer]

Sorry, that's not clear? I am for a robust public option. If there is a mandate without any P.O., robust or not, I believe this will all be disaster. A public option will give those who are currently doing the ER only route for example a plan they can use instead of the public covering their cost. The P.O. will also help bring costs down for all of us. Without one you will be strapped with a mandate and no price controls. Can you imagine? The worst of both worlds.

[jjrglobal]

Actually the hospitals and docs are the ones paying for it. They dont get paid a nickel and they sure dont make it up by charging insurance companies more. The ins co's dictate how much they pay the dr's based on how large the ins co is. The bigger the ins co the smaller the reimbursement. We cant afford to drop the big ins co's because we lose 30% of our patients. There are answers but they dont involve the government. The senate dems keep censoring my comments because they are scared

[keithwhitmer]

Actually that is totally wrong. Doctors and Hospitals get paid one way or another. When the patient can't pay for the Emergency care the State pays for it or the Hospital writes it off as bad debt, and guess what, they pay less income taxes which is costing tax payers money to make up the difference. And if they can't write it off, they just increase the price of services to make up the difference. Then, yes the insurance companies charge us. We are paying for this one way or another. Wake up.

[jjrglobal]

So you work in the health care business, right? More specifically, you work in the hospital or physician billing administration, right?

I mean you're an expert, that must do this for a living. Where do you work?

[jjrglobal]

@keithwhitmer

Should corporations and the rich pay for this health care through higher taxes.

[johnsonm3012]

no. Corporations should, as a service, offer health care to any worker 20+hrs per week. The rich already pay the most taxes than anyone. Keep in mind, the rich employ everyone else. Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

[mnieman1001]

People are fully able to make decisions for themselves. A majority of us elected a guy who promised to improve health care in this country. As it stands--we dont have much of a choice about what type of insurance we want to buy, and those that can afford health insurance have no guarantee that their insurance company will pay out when they need care. The insurance companies are accountable to shareholders--not customers. The gov't, by contrast, is accountable to everyone who votes.

[mnieman1001]

and no one can deny that free enterprise creates amazing things. Free-market fundamentalism, however, is a shortsighted ideology and undemocratic. A functioal capitalist society must have limits: when human life takes a backseat to profit--the risk is clear. We voted for a democratic majority in Congress and Pres. NOT because we are egomaniacal or because we are stupid--we voted that way, because it seemed to be in our own self interest. We pay taxes--shouldn't we get something in return?

[jjrglobal]

Be careful what you wish for, especially things that are not well understood by people not involved in the business.

[jjrglobal]

Does Harry Reid really think that a state will opt out after it's citizens pay for it? Is he delusional or is he trying to scam us?

[hamdudley]

jjrglobal loves health insurance companies, just loves em!

[jjrglobal]

No I hate the insurance companies. As CFO of a children's clinic I had to deal with them everyday, but I would rather deal with the ins cos than deal with Medicaid, Tricare, SSI, or Medicare. It was so bad that we eventually stopped seeing their patients. The answer to reform is removing tax incentives to employers, give them to individuals. Get a catastrophic policy and pay as you go for normal medical care. The prices would fall if the free market is allowed to operate.

[dc4047a]

Take it up with the state governments. If they fail their citizens, it's not the federal government's fault.

[jjrglobal]

Take what up with the state governments? Where you perhaps referring to the comment that is now deleted by the House Democrats who are censoring their Youtube account to try and stifle any meaningful debate?

[dc4047a]

Them opting-out, if they do, of the public option. And no, I wasn't.