The Real Pat Toomey – Part 2

Yikes!  Pat Toomey hates seniors.  He is against health care reform which will begin to close the doughnut hole in Medicare Part D and make medications cheaper.  Pat Toomey wants seniors to pay more for their drugs.

Here’s more on the “Real Pat Toomey“.

Pat Toomey hates American workers.  He would prefer to send our jobs overseas.

• Toomey argued free trade would create jobs, while acknowledging that workers might be “displaced.” While Toomey supported free trade policies so that American products could be bought in global markets, he also acknowledged that American workers would be “displaced” and should receive help. “It’s very important for jobs in the Lehigh Valley,” Toomey said. “Lucent can export more chips, Air Products can sell more gas and chemicals overseas, and it means Victualic can sell more overseas.” [Morning Call, 12/5/99, 1/21/00]

The PA Congressional District DINO

Yesterday, Representative Tim Holden sided with the Republicans and the Tea Party by voting against the best interests of his constituents.  He voted “NO”, twice, for health care reform.

The historic health care reform bill that just passed the House will immediately provide the following benefits to Pennsylvanians in the 17th Congressional District:

. Improve coverage for 444,000 residents with health insurance.
. Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 168,000 families and 13,000 small businesses to help them afford coverage.
. Improve Medicare for 120,000 beneficiaries, including closing the doughnut hole.
. Extend coverage to 18,500 uninsured residents.
. Guarantee that 7,300 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage.
. Protect 900 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs.
. Allow 47,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans.
. Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 7 community health centers.
. Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $59 million annually.

Read more about the benefits of health care reform here…

Support a REAL Democrat by voting for Sheila Dow Ford at the Democratic Primary in May.  Here’s a link to Sheila’s statement regarding yesterday’s historic vote.

Gerlach, We Are Waiting To Hear From You

Press release from PA 6th Congressional District Candidate, Manan Trivedi…

Manan Trivedi to Rep. Gerlach: Do you have the courage?

MEDIA RELEASE

2.10.2010

Ed Niles, Campaign Manager

610-370-9489

READING, Pa – The following is a statement from 6th district Democratic candidate for congress, Manan Trivedi on the President Obama’s proposed health care summit and the refusal by House Republican Leadership to commit to attending.

“President Obama, in an unprecedented move, has offered to host a publicly televised health care summit to finally come with a solution for health care reform, and so far, Republican leaders in the House are unwilling to attend. I hear the Republicans in Washington clamoring about wanting an open and transparent process, and just when President Obama makes a bold and transformational gesture to meet their demands, they change their minds.”

“What I don’t hear is Congressman Gerlach standing up to his leaders in Washington and demanding they come to the table and solve our health care problem. What I don’t hear is Congressman Gerlach’s conviction to do what is right. And what I clearly don’t hear from Congressman Gerlach, is a public servant who is willing to listen to the public he is supposed to represent. Congressman Gerlach, do you have the courage to tell your leaders in Washington to meet with President Obama on television and fix our health care crisis?”

“As millions of people go without health care today, Gerlach and the Republicans in Washington who tell him what to do, play political games with American’s lives. As a physician, I have dealt first-hand with the harsh reality of those who are forced to go without health care. And when I am in Congress, I will never let an opportunity to improve our health care system slip by for the sake of political posturing.”

Manan Trivedi is a primary care physician, a former Lt. Commander in the Navy and an Iraq War veteran.

Website.

Public Option

Jack Smith, Working Class, posted this as a comment. It’s an important statement and way too long to be hidden as a response to another post so I am taking the liberty to post it in this thread.

A state based public insurance option is NOT!! a Public Option. Nor is it a Strong, National, Medicare like Public Option.

A majority of voters would rather have a Democrats only bill with a Public Option. Rather than a bipartisan bill without a Public Option.

ATTENTION!! Congress Has The Votes Needed To Pass A Public Option – TODAY http://bit.ly/TCq7O

Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential – By jacksmith – Working Class

Robert Reich explains the pubic option: http://bit.ly/dDYSJ http://robertreich.blogspot.com/

Hollywood Supports The Public Option 🙂 http://bit.ly/3XLwPi

It’s not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.

It’s not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan, available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!!

It’s not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.

It’s not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!

It’s not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don’t work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER!

It’s not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It’s professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL.

THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL:

The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.

At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE!

But the PUBLIC OPTION will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH.

This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run MEDICARE like public option. We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong MEDICARE like public option on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.

To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time…is…UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op’s! No Triggers! NO INDIVIDUAL MANDATES! without a Strong MEDICARE like public option on day one.

Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS.

BUT WE MUST ACT!

I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone.

SPREAD THE WORD!

I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious.

Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED.

God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings

jacksmith – Working Class

Things You Can Do To Help NOW! http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/09/tired_of_watching_people_die_n.html

No Triggers! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-rosenbaum/a-trigger-for-the-public_b_277910.html

Triggers http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/weve-seen-these-triggers_b_283583.html

Krugman on heathcare (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)

Senator Bernie Sanders on healthcare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSM8t_cLZgk&feature=player_embedded)

John Garamendi on the Public Option and the Grassroots: http://bit.ly/TJMty

Howard Dean on the Public Option http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKfW2dUnow&feature=player_embedded

We’re Number 37! in quality of health care http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4&feature=player_embedded

Twitter search (#welovethenhs #NHS #hc09 #hcr #healthcar #obama #p2 #topprog #) Check it out.

To access the links, visit the original comment posted here…

Earn Between $4000.00 and $5000.00 In One Hour

Yes, this is the typical salary for the CEO of any health insurance company. No one is worth that much money, yet the health insurance industry uses the premiums that is collects to pay these exorbitant salaries and to pay for lobbyists to protect their interests. In the meantime, people that have insurance are denied care.

We need real reform with a public option, now, before another 44,000 Americans die in one year because they can’t afford health insurance. What the health insurance industry is doing to Americans is a crime.

(I just couldn’t keep myself from posting, again.)

Now, A Word From…

“We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace: business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism.  They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.  Never before in all of our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hatred for me and I welcome their hatred.”

“It is an old strategy of tyrants to delude their victims into fighting their battles for them.”

President Franklin Roosevelt, 1936

Sounds a lot like the Beck worshiping 912ers, teabaggers, birthers, deathers, and racists that are now controlled by the insurance industry.  Yes, they are tools and fools for people that are making huge profits off of their backs.

Cowards

The Democrats in Congress and our Democratic President are showing a lack of courage.  By removing the public option from health care reform, the Democrats are turning their backs on the majority of Americans that want and need a public option.  They are behaving like cowards by allowing the minority Republicans to determine our health care.  Without the public option, there is no health care reform.  It will be just the same old wine in a brand new bottle.

There is talk about non profit co-ops without any mention about who will manage these co-ops.  Small cooperatives will not have the power to negotiate lower prices like big insurance companies can so people will continue with high premiums and if the government subsidizes any of these, the government will be paying high prices just like it does now with the pharmaceutical companies under Medicare Part D.  These cooperatives are just another way of grabbing money from the government and the Republicans will trash the Democrats for not providing health care reform in 2010.

If the Democrats think that the screaming teabaggers are going to go away if the health care bill removes the public option, they are sadly mistaken.  The oil and coal lobbyists are ready working on the same plan of using screaming people to disrupt any changes in our energy policies due to climate change.

President Obama and Democrats in Congress:  show some courage, stand up for the majority of American people that want a public option and fight for us.  If you can’t fight for us, then I can no longer fight to get you elected.

Health Care We Can Afford

This past weekend, a health care event took place at the Wise County Fairgrounds, Wise, VA.  Some people waited two days to receive free health care because either they didn’t have insurance, couldn’t afford insurance or didn’t have enough insurance.

It’s criminal that all Americans can’t have health insurance.  A woman was denied breast cancer surgery because she was treated for acne in the past.

And it’s terrible. Basically, anyone who had to fill out a medical underwriting application to get health insurance (this is basically the individual market, not the group market that people are in if they get insurance through their employers) is at risk of finding out that that insurance doesn’t actually exist precisely when he or she needs it most. The insurers claim that rescission is very rare; at the Congressional hearing, two of three industry representatives said it happens to less than 0.5% of policies per year. But that is a deeply misleading number. That means that if you are in the individual market for twenty years, you have a 10% chance of your policy being rescinded; 30 years, and it goes up to 14%. There is a big difference between health insurance and a 90% chance of having health insurance. And remember, insurers only try to rescind policies if you turn out to need them; so the percentage of people who lose their policies when they need them is even higher. (The denominator should exclude all those people who never need expensive medical care, at least not before 65 when they go onto the single-payer system.)

Who wants to be one of the 0.5% that has their health insurance policy rescissed?  The members of the Senate Finance Committee need not worry about their loved ones being refused surgery for breast cancer because they have great health care benefits paid for by us, the tax payers and by the very woman who was refused surgery for her breast cancer because of a history of acne.

Back to the original story about the free health care offered at the Wise County Fairgrounds.  NPR reported on this event.  You can read the complete story here or listen to the story here.

It was a Third World scene with an American setting. Hundreds of tired and desperate people crowded around an aid worker with a bullhorn, straining to hear the instructions and worried they might be left out.

Some had arrived at the Wise County Fairgrounds in Wise, Va., two days before. They slept in cars, tents and the beds of pickup trucks, hoping to be among the first in line when the gate opened Friday before dawn. They drove in from 16 states, anxious to relieve pain, diagnose aches and see and hear better.

“I came here because of health care — being able to get things that we can’t afford to have ordinarily,” explained 52-year-old Otis Reece of Gate City, Va., as he waited in a wheelchair beside his red F-150 pickup. “Being on a fixed income, this is a fantastic situation to have things done we ordinarily would put off.”

The most amazing part of this story was the cost of providing health, eye and dental care to 2,700 people was less than $1 million dollars.

RAM organizers say they spent about $250,000 providing care worth about $1.5 million. In 10 years in southwest Virginia, they say, they’ve treated more than 25,000 people. They have eight more expeditions planned this year, from Virginia to California.

Granted, the work was performed by volunteers.  Even if you take the cost of the salaries for 1,800 volunteers, it would still be less than $1.5 million.  The reason?  Services would not be charge per item of care.  Instead, the cost would be the quality of care and not the quantity of care.  The insurance industry uses a numeric code for every procedure and every item which means the more codes that a physician can check off, the more money the physician makes.  If the physician gets paid a salary instead, then the physician won’t be tempted to see 4 patients at the same time.  Providing salary based care instead of item based care is why the Cleveland Clinic is able to provide quality, affordable health care.

Health care reform seems like forever in the making and if the health care reform bill that comes out of Congress does not include a Public Option, then there will be no change at all and we will continue with the poor quality of health care that insurance companies provide while their executives fly around the country in private jets with gold plated flatware.

Call your Congress person, today and everyday and demand that they support a public option.

Specter Now Supports a Public Option

Senator Specter has been traveling the state of Pennsylvania these past few weeks.  He has taken the time to meet with his constituents.  This past weekend, he attended the Berks County Democratic Committee Meeting and spoke with precinct leaders from Berks County.  Yesterday, he met with a group of health reform advocates from Pennsylvania.  He now supports a public option.

Speaking moments ago to a large and animated crowd of union organizers and health reform advocates in a brewing house just North of the Capitol, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) said he supports a public insurance option.

“Schumer has it right about having a public component,” Specter said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has taken a lead role on negotiations over the public option in the Senate Finance Committee, and earlier this year proposed a compromise: the committee’s health care bill should include a public plan, he said, but one that competes on a level playing field with other insurers. Such an entity wouldn’t be able to use its sheer size to set prices the way Medicare does–but it could nonetheless incur savings in a host of other ways, and in so doing drive down the cost of health insurance in the private market.

Perhaps more importantly, though, the Schumer proposal is in line with the principles of the major reform campaign Health Care for America Now–and, as such, just about every major health care and labor organization in the country.

Sounds like Senator Specter may be listening to the voters of Pennsylvania.

“Health care is a right,” Specter said. “Your presence here has a big effect. You will get health care this year.”

I’ll still be watching his voting record.

A Public Health Care Plan

Americans, it’s time to organize for a public health care plan.  We did it before and we can do it again.

President Obama’s Public Health Care Option…

The Republicans DO NOT WANT to cover all Americans.  They want the insurance industry to continue to make big profits while Americans lose their homes and life savings because of a major illness.  One thing that the Republicans have not been talking about is how we the taxpayers pay for their health insurance premiums.  They are not about to give up their benefits.  We still have the “let them eat cake” mentality in Congress.

If you can, call your Senator or Representative and DEMAND that health care reform must include a public plan.  There will be a health care rally in Washington, DC on June 25.  If you can attend, please do so.

You can read about the “nothing burger” here.