Comments on A Hollywood Republican: "Broken" Health Care by Craig Covello

Simple regulation. That is what our government do...

2010-02-07T07:52:50.878-08:00

Simple regulation. That is what our government does best isn't it. The insurance companies need guidelines to operate under, such as no pre existing conditions, low cost, affordable to all HMO coverage, Tort reform and an insurance exchange where all insurance companies that want to do business in the US can register and display all their plans in open competition with the rest. One-stop shopping. This would save the governemnt and us tax payers billions if not trillions less then any of the plans, republican and democrat, presently being proposed. In a perfect world high quality heathcare for all would be something to strive for in reality with the worlds present economic conditions it's unfeasible and not a reality. Low cost HMO's are doable and that is where we need to go. Would you give away your services for free on a regular basis? That's your livelyhood, it puts food on your families table. I wouldn't. Why would you expect doctors too.

OK Guys, lets talk turkey....Tell me how to tune i...

2010-02-06T17:16:25.103-08:00

OK Guys, lets talk turkey....Tell me how to tune it up? Convince me that left to their own devices, our insurance companies can lower administrative costs and provide lower premiums AND provide universal access???????

And please....stop acting like the VA are uncaring without at least stating that our insurance industry is at least as uncaring!!!!!

You know where I stand...access to high quality healthcare should be a given in this country, independent of means. Some of you think differently, and that's okay. But please stop bashing and offer solutions.

Craig's article did a lot of bashing, and no solving!!!!

I agree that the VA system is a mess. I have a ve...

2010-02-06T16:21:24.126-08:00

I agree that the VA system is a mess. I have a very close friend who is a Vietnam Vet. He is also a Paranoid Schizophrenic with a lost leg from the war. If it weren't for his brother who is his conservator to force the VA to act and to treat him, my friend would be in a permanent lock up. It is only the constant threats of law suits and the constant phone calls that get anything done.
My background is as a lawyer and I have had to go to the VA medical center a few times when my friend needed treatment for some ailment. When the lawyer shows up, they do something. Other than that, they are typical bureaucrats that collect their paycheck, get their great benefits and six weeks vacation. They could care less about the vets they are supposed to be helping.
It's similar with the Post Office and any other government bureaucracy I've ever experience. The Post Office loses money. FEDEX and UPS make money.
Similar pattern in everything.
Keep the FEDS and any government out of my life.

Well Billy if they didn't get it last month in Mas...

2010-02-06T11:12:28.780-08:00

Well Billy if they didn't get it last month in Massachusetts they will get in November when we send the bunch of them packing. One way or another we will get our point across.

I totally agree Ira!!! I don't really understand ...

2010-02-06T11:04:36.517-08:00

I totally agree Ira!!! I don't really understand how anyone can think the Federal government could run something as personal as health care. If you think Insurance companies are bad, try dealing with a full fledged government agency and find out what the word "impersonal" really means. Isn't there thousands of different insurance companies all working for your business? There will only be one government run plan.
Sometimes I feel like we are talking about weather its night or day! If I hear the word choice in this crazy health care debate one more time I'll scream!!! As far as I know, if you deal with the government agency you have NO choice. Taxes, License, Fees, Fines, Unemployment, and all the other little things that the government does for us or to us, if you don't get the paper work right you do it again till you get it right or you don't get what ever it is you want!!
I wish we could all agree about one fact, we don't want the federal government involved in our health care!!!!!

You know what, our present health care system is n...

2010-02-06T09:17:11.253-08:00

You know what, our present health care system is not broken all it needs is a tune up. The government has proved again and again that they can not run major programs efficiently. The Vetrens Administration, the Post office, Nasa for just a few. My close friend is a vet. Served 5 tours of duty in Vietnam, wounded six times and has a chest full of medals including the silver star. A year ago he hurt his knee, could barely walk it was so swollen. I took him to the VA hospital in Westwood Ca. Waited 4 hours to see a doctor, who looked at it an said, "Yep. It's swollen alright." Then he told him he would need n MRI and proceeded to make an appointment for him in SIX MONTHS. And don't tell me that an isolated case. I've seen it happen a dozen times over the years. I've read articles about the lousy care and seen news stories about the horrible conditions in numerous hospitals. Yes our health care needs to be reformed but the last thing we need is the government meddling in it. The track record is less than steller.

As a development officer, for a medium sized not f...

2010-02-06T03:15:07.929-08:00

As a development officer, for a medium sized not for profit health system and cancer center in south florida, I fall somewhere in the middle of the writer's opinion and your response, George. Yes, you are correct, the writer is mixing metaphors -- healthcare delivery and the quality of the technology medical care/services available to our patients today with health care costs. However, so often in a medical setting the two go hand in glove. Every day, we are solicited by our physicians and administrators to "find funding" to provide more surgical suites, cover the costs of cancer drugs and expand our community-based programs and services (including providing open internet that you so causally consider pervasive). Unfortunately, the quality health care that most Americans have grown accustomed to and expect and deserve, costs a lot of money. Money that is in no way recovered by the current health insurance system. Did you know that almost 1/3 of the people in my AFFLUENT community are considered indigent because they rely on Medicare funding. Did you also know that most of our seasonal population, wealthy Northeasterns who have private jets and personal concierge physicians at home, utilize our Emergency Room as a primary care physician? This year alone, my hospital must raise more then $20 million dollars to fund projects that will provide basic health care for an aging and demanding population. This $20 million dollars will not come from federal funding or the pharma companies (no matter how many Cialis ads they run, sorry). This funding will come from the generosity of the American people who believe that health care is a "civil right," not a multi-billion dollar industry. Health care is indeed broken...we just haven't found the right tools to fix it.

Craig, I thought you were arrogant from your last...

2010-02-06T02:53:40.247-08:00

Craig,

I thought you were arrogant from your last posts, but this one confirms it.

First, please don't equate efficiency with quality of care. We have the world's best healthcare delivery system...that is the best docs and technology....Our payment system is BROKEN!!!!

Efficiency means the percentage of output for a given input. In our case, we get less out (as measured in delivered health care) then we put in (as measured in $$$) due to excessive overhead by insurance companies,hospitals, and doctor's. Its this inefficiency that people cite when they say the system is broken. And its this inefficiency that reform aims to improve.

So, perhaps you should learn the meaning of the words you use before you use them.

Miracles cost money....yep they do!!!!! So does marketing!!!!!! My cynical side says that the marketing costs are being recovered by drug costs. Just how many cialis ads do we need to see every day? That was a rhetorical question.

Next, I find it galling that you dismiss a 15% rate of uninsured as nothing to fret about. Amazing!!!!

Lastly, let's fast forward ten years assuming the status quo....would his family be able to afford any healthcare????? I doubt it.

Every hospital I've EVER BEEN IN has wireless internet access. So, stop patting yourself on the back, and repeating your company's talking points about how all is well in the world!!!

OMG....I was doing these kind of IT projects 10 years ago....old hat!!!!!

As an employee of the fed government I find you cl...

2010-02-05T20:38:52.816-08:00

As an employee of the fed government I find you classification of the way they run healthcare inaccurate to say the least (or a outright lie but I'll be nice) . During Katrina who are the only people to have med records available ? The vets at the dept of vet affairs that's who (Electronically) so before casting disparaging comments on government run healthcare please know what and who you are talking about.
Also having myself spent upwards of 4 months in hospital I'll tell you this the private system is indeed broken. Had I not been a fed employee ,Union mind you,I would be dead . (with absolutely NO thanks to the ins co,they(are thieves) f..... up every piece of paperwork turned in ) I only wish i myself could have spent it in a V.A. hospital
So forgive me for laughing