Majority of public has unfavorable view of health insurers.
By on Mar 4th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Majority of public has unfavorable view of health insurers.
Both President Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) advocate giving private insurance companies and pharmaceutical corporations more power over Americans’ health care. But a new poll by USA Today/Kaiser Family Foundation finds that the American public highly distrusts these groups, ranking them just above oil industry:
Ezra Klein responds, “Americans are pretty clear on their desire for more government regulation of Pharma, and fairly unconcerned with the effect that could have on innovation.”
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May I be the first to say, “I’m SHOCKED, I tell you: SHOCKED!!!”….?
March 4th, 2008 at 6:23 pmAnd that could be that everyone (except the 19%ers) are waking up to the fact that we are being ripped off. Corporate thieves are destroying the country to line their pockets before the total implosion happens here.
You have a symptom take a pill.
You’re sick, too bad you aren’t giving us 1/4 of your paycheck a month.
Need gas to get to work, and to do the work, pay us 1/4 of your check.
The American way is not looking so American now a days.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:27 pmMay I be the first to say, “I’m SHOCKED, I tell you: SHOCKED!!!â€â€¦.?
Comment by Leftside Annie — March 4, 2008 @ 6:23 pm
You may, Annie. You may.
But I’m betting you won’t be the last…
March 4th, 2008 at 6:32 pmBreaking News… Majority of public has unfavorable view of rapists, muderers, and other thieves as well… what’s shocking is that the oil company exec’s did WORSE than the parasites that feed on the sick and the elderly…
March 4th, 2008 at 6:34 pmThe majority of the public has no insurance. Correlation or causation? Hmmmmm….
March 4th, 2008 at 6:34 pmJust think back to Harry and Louise. And be careful what you wish for because you may get it. I think it is hysterical that the Health Insurance Industry ended up in doing to us all the “scary things” that it said Hillary’s health care plan would do for us. You know, things like limiting what doctors you could see, rapidly rising cost, etc.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pmYeah, well I wonder why we don’t trust the Health Insurance industry.
Maybe my case would show why.
Jan 25, 2007, diagnosed with lung tumor 1.3 cm in width. Pet scan scores 1.6, below the 2.0 reading that would indicate cancerous.
Local hospital ‘tumor board’ (doctors, hospital admins & insurer) recommended waiting 90 days and taking another CT scan.
After 45 days, I insisted on surgery. It was cancer. Had I waited, the tumor that had grown to 2.3 cm would likely have started to metastasize.
No. I don’t trust them.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:42 pmWhen big pharma spends millions on advertising prescription drugs, available only through doctors, while charging Americans full price, there is something drastically wrong.
Why are they advertising Rx to the general public?
As for the insurance companies who eliminate sick people, charge extra premiums for chronic disease, yet reward stockholders with record profits and dividends, they are in the class of vulchers.
Yet, who comprise the largest lobbying groups in our government? We already know the answer.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:45 pmIt’s all about greed and profit – the public has learned this from the bottom tier up — it is finally hitting the entire population.
3 – Ralph….no bet. :o(
March 4th, 2008 at 6:45 pmNo. I don’t trust them.
Comment by RUCerious — March 4, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
Good for you RUC. Most people don’t have the wherewithal to argue with insurance companies or the background knowledge to know they have to. Why would the insurance companies want to catch cancer early, if they wait until it’s too late they save money. Freakin’ scum sucking bastards.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:47 pmDon’t the sheep realize that Big Brother knows what’s best for them?
March 4th, 2008 at 6:49 pmwhere do “car salesmen” fall in that list?…
March 4th, 2008 at 6:52 pmlawyers?
RUC, god bless you, babe. I am thrilled to hear that you took on Goliath and won…but moreso that you are ok.
For one of you, there are so many who didn’t and aren’t.
(hugs)
March 4th, 2008 at 6:56 pmNo. I don’t trust them.
Comment by RUCerious
we haven’t trusted them for years ruc. No one in our family goes in to see the doctor alone…..I am looking for a non-republican doctor in our area right now to replace our current family doctor.
Ever notice the racks of folders in the doctors offices…..those are not your patient/illness information files…..those are financial folders on each patient.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:58 pmPrivatisation of health care wont stop the implosion, it will likely speed it up.
I try to imagine what kind of country these folks are trying to create. And I am reminded of the animated show Futurama.
They should probably call it Planet of the Robber Barons.
Imagine no government, no taxes, low wage jobs creating things we dont need. Dr Pepper has bought out the healthcare industry. How would roads be built or repaired? Call AT&T Bithulithic. Who would pay for it? Why ATT Bithulithic would create drivers accounts and you would pay a monthly charge for the ability to use their asphalt network, like a cellphone. How would the Sara Lee military be financed? By selling you cake, the main diet of future Americans.
Wheres the accountability, the courts? We dont need no stinking accountability. Eat your cake. But I cant afford all these things cant you see that what your creating can never work? Eat your cake. We know whats best for you.
Nightly News: The Burger King Cake Corporation has hired Sara Lee and has Acquired McDonalds in a bold business move. Burger King expects to raise prices by 25% and now has its eyes on Wendys.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:01 pmI’d rather have a choice as to whether I buy expensive health insurance as opposed to being forced to buy expensive health insurance ala Clinton and Obama.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:05 pmComment by Gin
we tried your way with your people managing it…….who manages is the key you see as is evidenced in the disfuncitoning of this admistrations many agencies such as fema and the fda…..crony’s instead of qualified people…….get it?
your way is a total failure…..can you honestly even mount an argument to that?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:06 pmI dont know how I got here on this planet filled with these crazies of eternal war debt and greed. I dont understand the mentality behind sociopathic money before life healthcare. Why even use the word care with health?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:08 pmGin, why arent you worried about the lack of healthcare for the troops?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:11 pmgin, is that your argument?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:12 pmAll healthcare is expensive Alejandro. Its called Capitalising, that is to say exploiting your sickness.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:14 pmWhat good does it to force or provide health care through insurance companies who can still deny you lifesaving care cuz ya had a preexisting condition? Anybody really serious about it would remove the greedy insurance companies from the equation. Medicare seems to function without them.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:15 pmFred, that is just embarrassing, typical for this board, but embarrassing.
Comment by Gin
So you would say that fema under bush worked as well as it would have under Clinton?
You’re saying that the quality of our food has not deteriorated under bush and his appointees in the food and drug admin?
your’r saying that our health care system is not broken because of the greed of the insurance and pharma in this country…
is that what you meant by embarrassing?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:21 pmComment by Gin — March 4, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
Good point Gin, once we have national health care we can never let Republicans gain power again. You people preach government doesn’t work and then set out to prove it doesn’t. But really you people aren’t good at anything. If you were you’d be Democrats.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:22 pmI dont know how I got here on this planet filled with these crazies of eternal war debt and greed. I dont understand the mentality behind sociopathic money before life healthcare. Why even use the word care with health?
Comment by Xisithrus — March 4, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
**standing ovation**
March 4th, 2008 at 7:24 pm£1.8bn surplus forecast for NHS after cutbacks in patient care
The National Health Service in England is heading for a surplus of £1.8 billion this year, provoking anger among patient bodies over cutbacks to the funding of care.
Comment by Gin — March 4, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
Wow. And that’s about equal to the “surplus” netted by ONE managed care firm, Wellpoint, in the United States in 2007:
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/snapshots/111.html
March 4th, 2008 at 7:25 pmOk my horror medical story, I had a small minor blockage, they recommended a “stint” and I would be good to go. Had the surgery, was minor, no big deal, till it backfired and clogged the vein in a month, surprise I need open heart now, bummer…the insurance company said they would not pay for it because “I had not HAD A HEART ATTACK.” which your chance of surviving is 50%. Luckily my doctor can to rescue and informed them that it was not my fault and the prior procedure had caused the clog.
Insurance companies need to be taken out of the process, to them it was about profit, and if I died, more profit for them.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:25 pmThey are good at breaking the law and ripping people off, Shayne =p
March 4th, 2008 at 7:27 pmComment by Gin — March 4, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
Good point Gin, once we have national health care we can never let Republicans gain power again. You people preach government doesn’t work and then set out to prove it doesn’t. But really you people aren’t good at anything. If you were you’d be Democrats.
Comment by Shayne
Like the democrats who gave us social security…..that’s such a success that the republicans want to destroy it and spend the money on something like a war….
like the democrats who took us to the moon in a decade.
got any real success stories for republicans Gin?
How about Sub Prime mortgage corruption scandal under bush deregulation accompanied by a recession or worse which was predictable because it’s the pattern always followed by republicans……reagan and the S & L debacle…followed by recession. Hoover with deregulation….followed by depression. I’m sure there’s more but you get the idea.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:28 pmI think Hillary and Obama are talking about national insurance for healthcare not socialised healthcare.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:29 pmThanks Zoo =)
March 4th, 2008 at 7:30 pmAs buckieboy, sadly, just pointed out, its not about care, its about profits!
March 4th, 2008 at 7:31 pmComment by Buckie Boy — March 4, 2008 @ 7:25 pm
It’s not Buckie’s fault he didn’t have a heart attack!!
Ugh.
Sad state of affairs, indeed.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:33 pmYeah, Zooey they actually wanted me to have a heart attack because the chance of my survival was 50%. That is just callus. And I have been paying for insurance for 23years at this company (now $550) a month, and they wanted to see if they could get out of $40K. Which I have more than paid in to them.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:40 pmFred, read the article I posted, maybe that will explain it.
If you don’t understand it, I can’t help you.
Comment by Gin
Well…..I thought you would at least try. You’re so quick to throw your bs out there but when someone else wants you to talk about what you have said and try to justify it you just bow out and try to act like its them that is confused…..and no….you can’t help me
March 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pmFred, read the article I posted, maybe that will explain it.
If you don’t understand it, I can’t help you.
Comment by Gin — March 4, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
gin, you moron, that is because England now has a conservative backwards, greedy, thieving government, just like ours. It is actually proof that only under a liberal government can government work fairly and effectively. Your argument is destroyed by your argument. Good one, idiot. And, you’re an ignorant racist, so your comments have no credibility anywhere. You’re not a real American.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:45 pmComment by Gin — March 4, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
here’s a headline for you:
gin gets sick, dies.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:46 pmMaybe the headline should have been….
British Socialized Medicine Rakes in Surplus While Cutting Services
Comment by Gin — March 4, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
maybe the headline should have read
“Conservative morons screw the public, again”.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:46 pmGin is doing nothing but playing to the fears of the big bad socialized medicine thing.
Both Clinton and Obama want us to go to private companies to get insurance. They want to make it where everyone can get insurance and it will be affordable.
I say bull$hit to both. I want socialized medicine. Every country I visit (which I do often in my job) I talk with them about their healthcare. And each country is by far better than us.
There is not a thing wrong with socialized medicine. You go to your doctor, the one of your choosing, and walk out. He bills the government who takes the money out of what we pay into it. How much do YOU pay into your insurance now? The government administrates it, just as BC/BS does. Just as they do with Medicare.
I know what I pay monthly for the joke of a policy I have. I would gladly take Canadian, UK, or Belgium healthcare over what they call healthcare here.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:47 pmI dont much care about healthcare, the sooner Im off this crazy-go-round the better and so I wont spend a penny on it. Let them run themselves out of business with high costs.
We have politicians talking about how good and moral and compassionate they are when all they think about is themselves and their material possessions
Jesus would be appalled to see what has happened to his religion and the lowley depths to which humanity has sunk.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:48 pmthey’ll just spend more money on PR.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:48 pmConservatives have been proven thoughout history to be treasonous, incompetent, bloodthirsty and incapable of defending their homelands. If conservatives never gained power again, the world would be a far better place. they should be put to work doing something useful, like cleaning restrooms, where they’ll enjoy each other’s company.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:48 pmMaybe the headline should have been….
British Socialized Medicine Rakes in Surplus While Cutting Services
Comment by Gin
I explained this to you too Gin….it’s about who is managing the system, whatever it is. I would be the first to say that private insurance has worked in the past here in America but it has been mismanaged and has to be changed……you and your constituants had the chance to fix it and you knew it needed to be fixed but you didn’t and now we have arrived at a dead end……people paying through the nose for inadequate health care. Now as in the past the democrats will have to step in and fix what you have neglected, which is our American Citizens and their well being. You failed…..we will not.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:49 pmI know what I pay monthly for the joke of a policy I have. I would gladly take Canadian, UK, or Belgium healthcare over what they call healthcare here.
Comment by Ms_Joanne — March 4, 2008 @ 7:47 pm
exactly. Get the profiteers and mass-murdering businessmen out if it.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:49 pmComment by Buckie Boy — March 4, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
They’re pretty willing to take that bet — when it’s YOUR ass on the line.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pmGin, you didnt answer my question. Why is socialised medicine okay for the troops but not for you?
Wouldnt you rather see the troops with national insurance they can take to the doctor of their choosing?
March 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pmConservatives fail at everything except bringing misery to the people.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pmComment by satirev — March 4, 2008 @ 7:48 pm
Hi, “satirev.” ;)
March 4th, 2008 at 7:51 pmConservatives have been proven thoughout history to be treasonous, incompetent, bloodthirsty and incapable of defending their homelands. If conservatives never gained power again, the world would be a far better place. they should be put to work doing something useful, like cleaning restrooms, where they’ll enjoy each other’s company.
Comment by Lefty Patriot
the only function they have ever served well is as the minority opposition party…….
March 4th, 2008 at 7:54 pmConservative DOES NOT mean what it meant 60 years ago, Back then the conservatives were FOR the constitution, they were against foreign entanglements, they were fiscally responsible.
Today conservative has come to mean radical capitalism. Patriotism is not supporting your government, Patriotism is questioning your government
Patriotism not exploiting your fellow American for bottom line profits, Patriotism is caring for your fellow American.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:57 pmHi Zooey! How’s the weather up there? :)
Comment by satirev — March 4, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
Cold and sunny, right now. The end of winter is in sight. I won’t ask about your weather. :D
The name has been nagging at me for a few days. ;)
March 4th, 2008 at 7:57 pmWell satirev, the socialised healthcare for the troops under the current administration is not very good at all, which is all the more reason I dont trust the radical capitalists with privatised or social healthcare nor national insurance.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:59 pmVeritas. =)
March 4th, 2008 at 8:00 pmToday conservative has come to mean radical capitalism. Patriotism is not supporting your government, Patriotism is questioning your government
Comment by Xisithrus
they were just on the sneak at times….your definition still applies…..see greed of the rober barons and the great depression. For the Patriotism see the McCarthy era…….They just didn’t get their heads so far out of the sand for long stretches back then.
They haven’t changed since they moved away from the values held by the Republcans of Abraham Lincoln……IMHO
March 4th, 2008 at 8:04 pmgee – why would anyone resent those who profit exorbitantly from the suffering of others??
March 4th, 2008 at 8:04 pmComment by satirev
kinda fun, isn’t it?
March 4th, 2008 at 8:04 pmStill, I was enjoying the fantasy you were an emissary from the star system Satire 5
Today conservative has come to mean radical capitalism. Patriotism is not supporting your government, Patriotism is questioning your government
Comment by Xisithrus
I’m just saying that my Grandfather hated them for the same reasons that we hate them today….I don’t like using the word hate but it feels right under the circumstances.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:10 pmmoronic wingnuts still think they can stick the word “socialized” to anything and make it an instant taboo. just like “liberal” it’s supposed to be some magic word that makes reality go away.
righties are lucky the “Knights who say “Ni!”" don’t come galloping into their towns, so afraid of words are they.
maybe we could chase all of them down into Florida with a picture of Janet Jackson’s boob wielded by a gay guy with a t-shirt that says “single-payer healthcare”
March 4th, 2008 at 8:15 pmToday conservative has come to mean radical capitalism. Patriotism is not supporting your government, Patriotism is questioning your government
Comment by Xisithrus
I’m just saying that my Grandfather hated them for the same reasons that we hate them today….I don’t like using the word hate but it feels right under the circumstances.
Comment by Fred — March 4, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
I’m with Fred here. We must not romanticize either the old conservatives. After all, Prescott Bush was a conservative then, and a nazi collaborator, McCarthy was a rabid fascist prosecuting innocent people because they were progressives, Ayn Rand was simply an egotist and messianic maniac…. There exists good people and bad people always, in the right and the left, and situations where organizations become almost completely corrupted, as is the modern day Republican Party.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:21 pmComment by Buckie Boy — March 4, 2008 @ 7:25 pm
How’d your open heart (bypass?) go? How long ago? Hope you’re fully recovered. My one year CT scan is coming up next month, nervous as hell…
March 4th, 2008 at 10:53 pmThat totally pales in comparison to the great american ripoff called the “Hormone Replacement Conâ€
Comment by satirev — March 4, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
In light of the headlines that Wyeth’s Toxic Synthetic Hormone replacement therapy causes cancer, here is what the real battle is about:
http://drerika.typepad.com/notepad/
And, to keep reminding you all, Ted Kennedy wants to put more power in the FDA’s and Pharmaceuticals hands and basically put Bioidenticals and herbal companies out of business.
http://www.patsullivan.com/blog/2007/04/ted_kennedy_wan.html
March 4th, 2008 at 11:49 pm.
And Clinton and Obama are reserving a place at their tables for Big-Pharma too.
.
March 5th, 2008 at 1:31 amUnchecked capitalism allows oligopolies to flourish, resulting in oligarchies — that are the worst form socialism.
March 5th, 2008 at 5:28 amUnchecked capitalism allows oligopolies to flourish, resulting in oligarchies — that are the worst form socialism.
Comment by lespool — March 5, 2008 @ 5:28 am
Don’t fool yourself, oligarchies have NOTHING ado with socialism and alot ado with conservativism and fascism. “Socialist” is the boogey men in the USA, and therefore everything bad must have the label “Socialism”, isn’t? A bit naïf.
March 5th, 2008 at 6:38 amThese statistics are very interesting
March 5th, 2008 at 9:50 am