AMERICAblog: AMA supports House health care reform bill. Will Blue Dogs Democrats support Doctors and patients or the insurance industry?
NAVDOC3rdMAR
· 4 months ago
It is morally repugnant to profit off the misery or ill health of Americans. It's criminal that medical bills to private for-profit MEDICAL/INSURANCE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX make up 62% of all bankruptcies filed in the U.S. each year. The overhead at private for-profit MEDICAL/INSURANCE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX is upwards of 35% of the healthcare dollar spent each year in the U.S. This allows the private for-profit MEDICAL/INSURANCE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX to pay for their lavish lifestyles and huge salaries plus perks and bonuses. All the while milking the hard-working men/women of this great nation of their hard earned money. On the other hand Medicare has an overhead of 2%, Canada's system is 1.5%, Europe's 2.5% on average. The money that could be saved by eliminating the private for-profit MEDICAL/INSURANCE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX is estimated at $500 Billion a year. Enough money to help pay for putting all Americans on MEDICARE/SINGLE PAYER TYPE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM We have to fight back and call, write e-mails, letters-to-editors and to Congress to let them know how Americans feel about for-profit health care in America. Here are some Senators and blue dogs who are wrong on Health Care reform. Give them a call and demand, "MEDICARE/SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE FOR ALL NOW!" (blue dogs) Ross D-AR, Boucher D-VA, Kind D-WI, Pomeroy D-ND, Tanner D-TN
These are the problem Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee: John Barrow (GA-12), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Bart Gordon (TN-04), Baron Hill (IN-09), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Charlie Melancon LA-03, Zack Space (OH-18) and Bart Stupak (MI-01).
Joe Lieberman I-CT, Chuck Grassley R-IA, Lindsey Graham R-SC, Susan Collins R-ME, Olympia Snowe R-ME, David Vitter R-LA, Saxby Chambliss R-GA, Tom Coburn R-OK, Jon Kyl R-AZ, John Thune R-SD, Richard Lugar R-IN, Jim DeMint R-SC Jeff Sessions R-AL, Richard Shelby R-AL, Mel Martinez R-FL, John McCain R-AZ, Mitch McConnell R-KY, Jim Inhofe R-OK, Lamar Alexander R-TN, Dick Burr R-NC, John Cornyn R-TX
Mark Pryor D-AR, Thomas Carper D-DE, Mary Landrieu D-LA, Max Baucus D-MT, Kent Conrad D-ND, Ben Nelson D-NE, Maria Cantwell D-WA, Kay Hagan D-NC, Blanche Lincoln D-AR, Ron Wyden D-OR, Evan Bayh D-IN, Diane Feinstein D-CA, Arlen Specter D-PA
Here are the toll-free numbers for the Capitol Hill Switchboard: (House and Senate) 1-800-828-0498 1-866-338-1015 1-866-220-0044.
Also give the President a call or write an e-mail:
White House Comments Line:
1-202-456-1414 M-F 09:00 - 05:00 est. (NOT A TOLL-FREE #)
Nothing rattles the Congress more than informed voters ringing the phones off the hook. Call the House, Senate and the White House and demand, "MEDICARE/SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE FOR ALL NOW!"
munjoyfan
· 4 months ago
thank you. It's rather discouraging that blog readers have to do this organizing...
NAVDOC3rdMAR
· 4 months ago
No problemo. I spend a couple hours a day calling these criminals, even on weekends. I keep reposting this posts in the hopes I can get some fresh eyes on these numbers and they would call half as much as I do. Thanks for helping out the cause. Keep up the good fight. Have a good one, later...
Steve_in_CNJ
· 4 months ago
The AMA represents a small percentage of physicians. I think their initial opposition to a public insurance option was just knee-jerk republican tribalism. I'm happy they finally got the message. Is there anyone left who opposes this besides GOP/FOX and the health insurance industry?
sonofloud
· 4 months ago
This looks like a pretty big roadblock to the Democrat’s health care plans: The director of the Congressional Budget Office, Douglas Elmendorf, said on Thursday that the bill drafted by the House and the Senate health committee does not propose “the sort of fundamental changes that would be necessary to reduce the trajectory of federal health spending by a significant amount,” according to The Washington Post. "On the contrary," he said, "the legislation significantly expands the federal responsibility for health care costs." When asked, “Do you see a successful effort being mounted to bend the long-term cost curve?” Elmendorf replied bluntly: “No.”
This CBO argument is a cherrypicked distortion, The following is a quote from a post by Douglas Elmendorf. You can read the full post here: http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=324
"The figures released today do not represent a formal or complete cost estimate for the draft legislation. First, as noted above, these figures do not address the entire bill. Second, the analysis was based on specifications that were provided by staff of the three committees and that differ in important ways from the “discussion draft” version of legislative language that was released in June. ... Some additional cash flows would appear in the budget—either as outlays and offsetting receipts or outlays and revenues—but would net to zero and thus would not affect the deficit."
wolfgang_jurgen
· 4 months ago
I'm dubious about the AMA. They have sided with the insurance companies so many times, that I wonder what's in it for them. Are they getting something?
Besides, Joe, contacting our reps and senators is a losing battle. It seems as though they are for keeping us Tennesseans paying out of pocket, and I'm not just talking those at the lowest pay scale. I'm talking about people like me and my wife. We aren't making the $100k plus income that many of them are and can't pay for many of the medical procedures that they can. It guess when you have it, it's easy enough to tell those at the bottom they need to fend for themselves.
ndtovent
· 4 months ago
So am I, but the house plan is much better than the senate's.
Bostonian_Queer_in_Dallas
· 4 months ago
OT but grand!
Mitty is the GOP front runner in polls today!!!
OMFG They hate Mormons more than they hate fags down here in the Babble Belt! This is gonna be fun to watch! Pretty Mitty with the magic undies duking it out with Caribou Barbie!!!
scottinsf
· 4 months ago
Something smells fishy here. In fact it makes me even more suspect of the "reform" that seems to be headed our way. We'll see I guess.
shadowfax
· 4 months ago
I got an email from Jay Inslee (WA-01) which seemed pretty much "on board" with the draft as it is. He indicated he wanted some changes on Medicare compensation as regarding pay for quality, but he was specifically very strong on the public plan. If you like, email me and I'll forward you the full email.
Inslee doesn't strike me as a "problem" dem; he's pretty progressive, in fact.
evil_insurer
· 4 months ago
This is actually bad and it is a good indicator that the house health reform bill sucks. The AMA is pretty much a branch of the insurance companies.
NotTimothyGeithner
· 4 months ago
So the AMA basically thinks that a 2013 start date will piss people off so much that Obama won't be President at the end of January 2013 making health care reform impossible. Thats what this says. Remember the AMA made a crummy actor a political force by pushing his speaking against the dangers of socialized medicine.
HelenRainier
· 4 months ago
Isn't this a 180 in the position the AMA originally took on this issue? I could swear initially they were opposed to it -- seem to remember reading an article about it and that several of their members were up in arms about it and quit the AMA.
Did I dream that up?
5boymom
· 4 months ago
The AMA has apparently been in deliberations with the administration for several months re: this so-called health care reform act. They have totally sold their souls for a seat at the table. There is so much more than just "reforming" the doctors and insurance companies. Has anyone heard Obama say he's going to reform the legal system that has driven the practice of defensive medicine?? Of course not! Torte reform, damage caps and "loser pays" legal fees will dramatically cut health care costs without reforming anything else! But lawyers stick together and will never see the need for reform there. BTW: The AMA membership presently consists of 19% of practicing physicians with about 2/3 of those being residents and fellows. It is hardly representative of all doctors. This "reform" will lead to rationing and destruction of the quality care we now receive.
scaryclips
· 4 months ago
we need this!!!
munjoyfan
· 4 months ago
After reading the editorial in the Times today endorsing the House bill, I learned that my Senator, Olympia Snowe, is on the Senate Finance Committee which is acting like a millstone around the neck of health care reform. So I went to the Senate Finance Committee website to see how she voted, and what their schedule is. Shocking. There is no information there past June. My state legislature does much, much better--you can quickly get updated bill markups and learn when votes are scheduled, allowing for informed and useful (to the legislators) input. And also allowing you to get all your friends to blitz the legislators with email in a timely way.
I am really amazed there is no organized public input into this process.
Less than 20% of practicing physicians in America are members of the AMA. They have only their financial and enterprisal success within their interest. They directly destroyed virtually every effort exercised by all other medical fields from nursing through respiratory therapy whenever attempts to extend care to more Americans is made and expect reimbursements separate from the AMA physician business. As strict alopaths, the AMA member is interested in making their fortunes on disease care on over-diagnosis and over-medication of the medical guniea pigs they see us as. Remember, why, with less than 20% membership, does the AMA represent one of the most powerful lobbies in D.C.? Well, because they are among the richest of all physicians in practice. Just as the NEA is a lobby for teachers,not students, the AMA is a lobby for physicians, not patients (or anybody else for that matter. With ObamaCare, physicians through help and support from their political companions, the AMA physician will continue to grease their palms with financial gains made through maintaining a system not for curing disease but by classification and manipulation of disease process for 'scientific advancement', most of which is academically interesting, but clinically irrevalent. An AMA supported system would maintain a sound and continuing system of citizens in pain, confusion and dependancy. Soon, Americans will figure this one out and take their health into their own hands, and by healthier for it.
All Comments
On the other hand Medicare has an overhead of 2%, Canada's system is 1.5%, Europe's 2.5% on average. The money that could be saved by eliminating the private for-profit MEDICAL/INSURANCE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX is estimated at $500 Billion a year. Enough money to help pay for putting all Americans on MEDICARE/SINGLE PAYER TYPE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
We have to fight back and call, write e-mails, letters-to-editors and to Congress to let them know how Americans feel about for-profit health care in America.
Here are some Senators and blue dogs who are wrong on Health Care reform. Give them a call and demand,
"MEDICARE/SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE FOR ALL NOW!"
(blue dogs)
Ross D-AR, Boucher D-VA, Kind D-WI, Pomeroy D-ND, Tanner D-TN
These are the problem Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee: John Barrow (GA-12), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Bart Gordon (TN-04), Baron Hill (IN-09), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Charlie Melancon LA-03, Zack Space (OH-18) and Bart Stupak (MI-01).
Joe Lieberman I-CT, Chuck Grassley R-IA, Lindsey Graham R-SC,
Susan Collins R-ME, Olympia Snowe R-ME, David Vitter R-LA,
Saxby Chambliss R-GA, Tom Coburn R-OK, Jon Kyl R-AZ,
John Thune R-SD, Richard Lugar R-IN, Jim DeMint R-SC
Jeff Sessions R-AL, Richard Shelby R-AL, Mel Martinez R-FL,
John McCain R-AZ, Mitch McConnell R-KY, Jim Inhofe R-OK,
Lamar Alexander R-TN, Dick Burr R-NC, John Cornyn R-TX
Mark Pryor D-AR, Thomas Carper D-DE, Mary Landrieu D-LA,
Max Baucus D-MT, Kent Conrad D-ND, Ben Nelson D-NE,
Maria Cantwell D-WA, Kay Hagan D-NC, Blanche Lincoln D-AR,
Ron Wyden D-OR, Evan Bayh D-IN, Diane Feinstein D-CA,
Arlen Specter D-PA
Here are the toll-free numbers for the Capitol Hill Switchboard:
(House and Senate)
1-800-828-0498
1-866-338-1015
1-866-220-0044.
Also give the President a call or write an e-mail:
White House Comments Line:
1-202-456-1414 M-F 09:00 - 05:00 est. (NOT A TOLL-FREE #)
President Obama's e-mail: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Nothing rattles the Congress more than informed voters ringing the phones off the hook. Call the House, Senate and the White House and demand,
"MEDICARE/SINGLE PAYER HEALTHCARE FOR ALL NOW!"
Have a good one, later...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...
http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=324
"The figures released today do not represent a formal or complete cost estimate for the draft legislation. First, as noted above, these figures do not address the entire bill. Second, the analysis was based on specifications that were provided by staff of the three committees and that differ in important ways from the “discussion draft” version of legislative language that was released in June.
...
Some additional cash flows would appear in the budget—either as outlays and offsetting receipts or outlays and revenues—but would net to zero and thus would not affect the deficit."
Besides, Joe, contacting our reps and senators is a losing battle. It seems as though they are for keeping us Tennesseans paying out of pocket, and I'm not just talking those at the lowest pay scale. I'm talking about people like me and my wife. We aren't making the $100k plus income that many of them are and can't pay for many of the medical procedures that they can. It guess when you have it, it's easy enough to tell those at the bottom they need to fend for themselves.
Mitty is the GOP front runner in polls today!!!
OMFG They hate Mormons more than they hate fags down here in the Babble Belt! This is gonna be fun to watch! Pretty Mitty with the magic undies duking it out with Caribou Barbie!!!
Inslee doesn't strike me as a "problem" dem; he's pretty progressive, in fact.
Did I dream that up?
I am really amazed there is no organized public input into this process.
They have only their financial and enterprisal success within their interest.
They directly destroyed virtually every effort exercised by all other medical fields from nursing through respiratory therapy whenever attempts to extend care to more Americans is made and expect reimbursements separate from the AMA physician business.
As strict alopaths, the AMA member is interested in making their fortunes on disease care on over-diagnosis and over-medication of the medical guniea pigs they see us as.
Remember, why, with less than 20% membership, does the AMA represent one of the most powerful lobbies in D.C.?
Well, because they are among the richest of all physicians
in practice.
Just as the NEA is a lobby for teachers,not students, the AMA is a lobby for physicians, not patients (or anybody else for that matter.
With ObamaCare, physicians through help and support from their political companions, the AMA physician will continue to grease their palms with financial gains made through maintaining a system not for curing disease but by classification and manipulation of disease process for 'scientific advancement', most of which is academically interesting, but clinically irrevalent.
An AMA supported system would maintain a sound and continuing system of citizens in pain, confusion and dependancy.
Soon, Americans will figure this one out and take their health into their own hands, and by healthier for it.