Today is “D” day for Obama Healthcare. I am on pins and needles waiting for the vote.
I must revise most insurance companies will not turn you down now but they will not cover the preexisting condition for at least 2 years so most like me will not buy or change insurance companies.
If passed it will affect everyone but it will mean a lot to those who have no coverage.
So very true it seems like the more people get the more they want and someone always has to pay as nothing is free it is just a transfer of money. Don’t get me wrong there is sometimes a need for assistance and that is what it is there for but not to draw from forever. I personally know a family of 5 that they quit their jobs as they can make a better living on government assistance than both mother and father to work 50-60 hours a week.
We always think people are getting ‘free rides’ until the bad things happen to us… I AM a hard working American. I have lived, all my life, working… often 70 hours a week, since I was 17 yrs old. I moved away from parents house, and payed my own way through college. It is NOT my fault that I lost my job due to illness, and NOT my fault I have not found ANY work since I was let go… And I sure as hell don’t think donating plasma, doing everything I can to get money to pay for bills, is in ANY way people giving me ANY DAMN THING FOR FREE. I got diagnosed with Diabetes while I didn’t have insurance… And while you enjoy your cushy insurance, and benefits, and job… I will probably have to move to a homeless shelter… I certainly will not be here anymore, after Thursday, when my internet is cut off. I’ve done such a great job controlling my Diabetes, but I might not be able to anymore… No more money for good food, no more money for strips, no more money for Thyroid medications… We are the only western country who does not take care of it’s people. I am sick of ignorant attitudes that just assume we’re all bums, and wanting things given to us for free. You can hate me, and be angry at me all you want, but I am a human being and I deserve health care just like everyone else! Not to be left to die, somewhere, in some shelter. Now, I am not saying this bill is the best way to get it done… But it HAS to be done… We just can’t tell people dying, with no jobs, and no health care, to suck it up, and too bad… You people make me ashamed of being an American. 
I am sorry so many of you feel bitter about health reforms and that it will take away a part of your AMERICAN DREAM. But I do not think it should or it will. If we did not have the military spendings in Iraq and Afganistan, we would have enough many to provide health care to so many. Only few of you are so lucky to have good insurance, most even “insured” people are actually underinsured - their out of pocket expence several thousands$ before coverage kicks in. Co-pays? Donut holes? Every day I meet people unable to buy test supplies, insulin because of co-pays ($80 per 1 insulin vial) even they have insurance.
Insurance companies and medical industry should not make PROFIT of your health (or lack of) they should just provide SERVICE. This is what this bill is about, not to take money from you, but set regulations to prevent insurance companies, pharmaceutical industry etc from profiting from your unfortune.
We desperately need reforms. We already spend millions $$ on unneccessary tests and treatments for people who have good insurance and can not provide for the rest (majority) who are underinsured.
I am not a politician, I am just a doctor who sees these people every day struggling to live life with diabetes and other chronic conditions.
This is NOT an AMERICAN DREAM when we can not provide basic health care to everyone as it is done in the most (if not all) developed countries. Yes, and we have to stop military spendings.
Sorry, I am also bitter about it. I just wish my patients can just take care of their health, not to think how they are going to pay for it. Their lives are already difficult enough.
Have a good day, everyone.
John, Probably don’t need the profanity, but I agree.
The proof to me that the proposed bills (numerous versions) are no good is that the congressmen and senators have to be bribed to vote for it. If they thought it was better for the country, they shoudn’t have to be bribed to vote for this “landmark legislation.”
You forgot that they need to eliminate the anchor baby laws. That would reduce health care costs, as well, because we wouldn’t have pregnant uninsured crossing the borders to have their babies in a good hospital for free.
I agree with Lizmarie. And I have BCBS. If we can afford to send I’m not even sure how many troops to Iraq and or Afghanistan, plus all the money we sent to Haiti, then why can’t we afford to help our own people a little more? NOBODY with a health condition should go without insurance. I’m middle class and even if they wanted a little more money from me, I’d be willing to pay it.
Wait a minute Liz I think you miss what I said I am not applying a general statement to all people here as that would not be fair. There are many that have worked a lot of their life and can no longer do so those people that have paid for some time deserve to have help with their needs. I have paid for years as well and from time to time I also need help and I do not have a problem with helping ones who really need it. But there are some that have never worked and are getting a free ride I have personally seen it in many ways and it is not fair to the majority. Here is an example I paid lots of taxes as I was self employed my sister worked and made $2500 for the year and has 3 kids and I have a wife and one son. I had to pay an additional $6500 in taxes and she got almost $6000 for a return where is the fairness there? I had a drop in business but due to the fact that I had something I could not get any help for insulin her son had a cold and got 3 medications for free by medicade that I paid for in a way. I look at it as getting a return on your money if you paid in for a while you should be able to get something for it. Don’t get me wrong our children need care most of all as that is the future of everything.
In my previous post I was referring to 2 young people I know they are just 19 years of age and they are taking the easy way out without trying I think our youth should be taught better than that as I was always told that it is the youth paying the way for the ones now receiving Social Security as I have both parents on after working their lives. My point is I would say if you have paid for 10 years you should get services and medication as needed. The health care bill would call for my parents to die as they would cost too much for their plan. Is this not what they prosecuted Dr. Kavorkin for a few years back?
I completely agree with you Lizmari. Tjis is fpr people like you and many millions more we need to have health reforms. I wish you would speak up louder, or every time one turn TV on - all you see people protesting against health reform and Obama “pulling the plug on your Grandma”. We are pulling the plug on millions of uninsured, underinsured every day now. You have to fight, your voice should be heared. Do not give up.
No, I don’t miss what you say… what you say is that you want to punish the many, for a ‘few’, and that you believe every single lie republicans make up, as long as it’s on an ad on tv. Counseling, and considering all our options, when we are at the last stage of life is NOT letting people die. At some point, you need to know when a treatment is not going to keep working, or ‘extending’ anyone’s life… I should know. My father had End Stage Renal Disease.
OK Not a discussion for here maybe we can start a new one. I will get some video to send to back up some of my points. Not just the R’s disagreeing with this plan there is a Democrat on the east coast not sure of his name heard a little about it on a radio program and trying to find some info about it he is being threaded to be kicked out of the party for standing against the bill and he says it will bankrupt the country in 5 years.
well put DuckFiabetes
I am getting a Masters in Health Policy and actually have read parts, not all of the bill. My professor was one of the people who helped write this bill and he is a complete moderate, who did health policy for Nixon and Clinton. I’m happy with this bill. For most people who currently have insurance, it will not change much. For people without insurance, it will be much easier to buy individiual policies. This bill is modeled on MA, where we have the Health Connector, where you can choose individual health plans. Yes it is expensive, but we are working on that as a state. There are a few factors pushing up premiums in MA- but it is NOT because everyone (97% of residents) are insured. Hospital market share is a big factor. We have one enormous network of hospitals that demands payments 4x larger than other hospitals in teh state. Another factor is that we have too many specialists, which is caused by our American payment system. I can go on, but its rather jargony to explain some of the other factors.
Everyone on here has a pre-existing condition. Currently, everyone outside of MA would ahve a very tough time getting insurance if they were to lose their job or want to work for themselves. This bill will help ameliorate that problem with our health system.
Giving more people insurance will keep them healthier and prevent “free riders” in the system. That is one of the ways that this bill will save the country money. Congressional Budget Office, which is very conservative with projections, says this will save money in the long run.
Yes I have read the parts of the bill that will pertain to myself and my family
Diabetes is going to be considered as a disease much as it is by other insurance companies. Supplies will be covered as will meds…for many of us that is what makes it an important deal breaker in the yes or no column
I am hoping and praying there are…you never know who is going to surprise them at the very end.
Many, many, MANY times. My congresswoman is a blue dog, meaning a dem in a republican suit…and she worries me…so she has gotten my e-mails, letters and phone calls often about this bill.
My husband doesn’t have insurance nor does my 22 year old son. I am covered by Medicaid. I am fearful of what would happen to both of them if congress doesn’t pass this bill. We would be on the streets without coverage is something happens to either one of them.
I’m praying.
Alright, let’s try to be kind to each other!! Yes, this is a hot topic and there are always two sides to every story. But allow me to say to DuckFiabetes that I am married to a dentist and it drives me crazy to hear people assume that a doctor gets paid whatever he/she charges!!! Don’t you look at your aptly named “Explanation of Benefits” (aka, we the insurance company will steal this doctor’s money and pay about 1/3 of this charge, but continue to increase your premiums every few months.) We do not live in a million dollar mansion. You are about thirty years back in your estimate of a doctor’s income. Ha ha you are so creative with your car repair center joke… yes we should all be laughing that people need good heatlh and can’t afford health insurance to achieve it. Please don’t joke about that.
This is the same conversation people had when Medicare was started. People said it would start Nazism or Socialism, that it gave THOSE people a free lunch (those people are always a group of people that we really don’t know personally but a friend of a friend said a whole family is ripping off the system). I don’t think it’s perfect but this country has to start somewhere. And Medicare was changed over the course of years, so will this be, if it’s passed.
I have health insurance and I think everybody should have it. And not the kind where you pay thousands of dollars before it works.
Lizmari, don’t be ashamed because you’re not guilty. Although I’m no longer a working class person I can sympathize with all who don’t have health insurance. When I was dxed as a child I’m thankful my mom had insurance because I was in the hospital for almost a month…in the 1950s they let you stay for a while hehe. Anyway from that experience I realized as an adult that I would always have to have a job with health insurance.
Since we are supposed to be well off as Americans I never understood why we didn’t have socialized medicine. Even though everyone doesn’t agree with this healthcare bill what some people don’t realize that if it’s passed there will always have to be modifications made just as Medicare periodically makes changes. In other words nothing is hammered in stone.