What health care crisis?
Doctors and other medical professionals in the United States are the best in the world. Every County and State have multiple Health care facilities in addition to Emergency First responders. Hospitals by law, Cannot refuse treatment for any reason. Yet, I watch the politicians and many would have you feel that this system is a disaster. How can this be? It Can’t because there is no crisis at all. We keep on hearing how 47 million people have no health insurance. Putting aside the fact that there are those that suggest many of these either are illegal Immigrants or Simply do not have any because they pay cash. This entire debate on it’s face is a false issue. There is no health care crisis. It can be debated that there IS a health insurance crisis however. Simply put, Health care and insurance is expensive. I can give you one big reason that is a large part of the problem. The first is that every doctor has to pay huge amounts of money for Medical malpractice insurance. My own doctor who is also a friend has to pay $250,000 every year here in New York. The primary reason is the malpractice lawsuits are usually huge payouts. John Edwards himself became a multi millionaire this way. There are no caps on the amount of money rewarded. This is the real heart of this “Crisis” How many times have you read about a minor injury resulting in a huge reward? Now there are things that happen that are tragic and life time medical care is needed. Of course if there is fault or negligence, There should be a large payout. But this should not be the case if you burn yourself with Macdonald’s coffee while your driving for example! The expense of heath insurance is the issue. and a large part of the problem is the political lack of honesty on the part of some Republicans and far more Democratic politicians to address the need for Tort reform because the trial lawyers contribute a ton of money to see that it is not addressed. That in my view is a big part of the problem.
T. Lee Mac: States Opt Out of ObamaCare
Health care. It has grown into a political time bomb of nuclear proportions. Obama has set the timer to detonate by year’s end. Now several states are considering ballot initiatives for the 2010 election which will, if adopted, allow these individual states to opt out of a national insurance program should the administration get one passed.
Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Wyoming are all working on such legislation, and the Arizona legislature has already passed such an initiative, which will appear on the ballot in 2010 (contingent upon the governor’s signature). I talked with State Senator Ron Justice of Oklahoma just this morning. He tells me, while no discussions are currently underway, such legislation will likely be discussed this year. I suspect other states will follow suit, as many see this as more than just a threat to individual freedom. It is a states’ rights issue as well. (more…)
Prescription for America
Tonight at 10PM, ABC News Primetime will air from the White House in an event called “Questions for the President: Prescription for America“, hosted by Charlie Gibson and Diane Sawyer. ABC News web site describes the event as follows:
During the discussion from the East Room of the White House, President Obama will answer questions from an audience made up of Americans selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions in this historic debate. ABC News’ Medical Editor Dr. Timothy Johnson will also take part in the conversation which will focus on different ideas for how to fix the system and how proposed changes will impact our already fragile economy.
The health care conversation will continue on “Nightline” at 11:35pm ET.
Wednesday morning’s “Good Morning America” will originate from the South Lawn of the White House and will include an exclusive interview with President Obama. He sits down with Diane Sawyer to discuss healthcare and other issues on the nation’s agenda. Wednesday’s program will also feature portions of Robin Roberts’ exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama.
Charles Gibson will anchor “World News” from the Blue Room of the White House on Wednesday.
The Republican National Committee requested an opportunity to present their Party’s views and expressed concern that “this event will become a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda.” Their request was denied by ABC in a response indicating, in part, that ”no one watching, listening to, or reading ABC News will lack for an understanding of all sides of these important questions.”
Exclusive interviews with the President are hardly unprecedented, so is the RNC’s complaint valid? Do you think the program will fairly present all sides of the debate? What is the right answer for addressing the nation’s health care woes?
Also join us for a live discussion during the broadcast.
