Archive for the 'healthcare' Tag

15 Jan

Rep. John Shadegg (R) on Loss of Public Option

Man, this guy makes a lot of sense. The Dems are idiots for losing the public option.

10 Jan

If Air Travel Was Like Health Care

04 Nov

Horribly Injured Americans Against Obamacare

02 Nov

US Healthcare Costs Compared to Other Countries

Via Boing Boing:

Four graphs created by the International Federation of Health Plans that compare how much US residents and people in other countries pay for health care. As Jay Livingston of the Montclair SocioBlog says, “Our Lipitor must be four to ten times a good as the Lipitor that Canadians take.”

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27 Oct

Sen. Graham: The Govt. Would Be too Good to Compete With

“I think most people believe that if the government goes into the insurance business that the private insurers will fold because nobody can compete with the government. Politicians will write these policies very generous. They’ll never raise premiums, and eventually people in the private sector will give way to the government plan. Which is their goal, by the way.” -Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on FOX.

Um, so the government can do something better than the private sector and therefore they shouldn’t do it? That is freaking hilarious. What Senator Graham is suggesting is that Americans should settle for less; settle for a mediocre health care system because that’s the best that the private sector can provide. And, if we as a people can create a more effective and efficient system, we shouldn’t do it because what we create would be too good. Wow. Graham’s line of reasoning is just absurd. But maybe he’s right: Americans should settle for corporate mediocrity because that’s free market capitalism at its best. Hm. Fascinating.

27 Oct

Rachel Maddow Summarizes Health Care Options

A very succinct explanation of the types of healthcare systems and just how conservative the public option is. Thanks Rachel!

22 Oct

Call Diane Feinstein: Urge Support for Public Option

Here is the one thing you should do this week to help the public option pass: Call Diane Feinstein’s office.

If you live here in SF, tell Feinstein’s aide who answers the phone: “I am a constituent in the city where Senator Feinstein got her start, San Francisco. My city has health coverage for all residents. I want for all Americans what we San Franciscans have: a public option that helps to ensure the health of all citizens. Senator Feinstein has a long history of supporting health care bills. Please tell her to support the public option on my behalf. Thank you.”

Phone: (415) 393-0707 or email the Senator here.

DianneFeinstein1Feinstein and health care:
Feinstein skeptical on cost of public option

Feinstein’s solid record on health care

Feinstein’s stated position on health care issues

21 Oct

LOLChrist on Healthcare

oJ0Fx

21 Oct

Public Option as American as Apple Pie

19 Oct

Progressives Put Pressure on Reid Over Public Option

I make this pledge today: If Reid does not stand up for the public option in the Senate, I will not financially support him in his reelection next year. If he takes a bold stand and gets a public option into the Senate bill, I will donate money to Mr. Reid’s reelection campaign. Simple enough.

08 Oct

Republicans for Healthcare Reform

Bob Dole recently gave a speech in which he supported healthcare reform: “This is one of the most important measures members of Congress will vote on in their lifetimes,” Dole said, according to the Kansas City Star. “I want this to pass… I don’t agree with everything Obama is presenting, but we’ve got to do something.”

Other Republicans who’ve endorsed healthcare reform are:
Bill Frist (former Republican Senate leader)
Tommy Thompson (former Gov of Wisconsin and Bush’s HHS Secretary)
Mike Bloomberg (Republican turned Independent Mayor of NYC)

Salon.com has a good analysis of why and how these endorsements might matter:

“None of that is likely to make any difference in terms of attracting votes from Republicans in Congress now, of course. The current GOP caucus in both the House and Senate has made it clear that’s not in the cards. But the more support from prominent Republicans the legislation draws, the likelier it is that independent voters watching from home will feel comfortable with the reform proposals. And the more comfortable voters are with the reform proposals, the more comfortable moderate Democrats will be. So expect to hear quite a bit about all these various endorsements as the legislation moves along.”

28 Sep

Sen. Baucus Rec’s $4Million from Health Insurance Lobbyists

Hrm, knowing this, I can’t imagine why he’d be opposed to the public option.

Oh, and Bing Perrine is hot.

23 Sep

Obama’s Health Care Plan in 4 Minutes

22 Sep

Protect Insurance Companies PSA

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

17 Sep

Healtcare Costs Up 131% Since ‘99, Wages Only Up 38%

The Kaiser Family Foundation has a fascinating report on the costs of healthcare. Their report, released on September 15, 2000, is based on their research and analysis of the industry over the last ten years. Here’s the press release. And, here’s the report. Check out this little tidbit:

Since 1999, premiums have gone up a total of 131 percent, far more rapidly than workers’ wages (up 38 percent since 1999) or inflation (up 28 percent since 1999).