TP’s Igor Volsky Debates Medicaid Opponent On MSNBC
TP’s Igor Volsky Debates Medicaid Opponent On MSNBC
This morning on MSNBC, Igor Volsky, the Wonk Room’s health care blogger and co-author of Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Health Care Reform, defended President Obama’s health care proposal. When host Chris Jansing argued that the Congressional Budget Office is predicting that health care reform would “increase long-term costs facing the government,” Igor noted that the CBO released a statement last night stating that the House bill would be deficit-neutral.
Igor debated Robert Goldberg, the president of the industry-funded Center for Medicine in the Public Interest. Towards the end of the segment, Goldberg attacked Igor, saying, “I can’t believe I’m hearing a liberal think tank support systematically restricting minorities from access to quality care.” Igor noted that “no one is restricting minorities, Robert — what are you talking about?” Goldberg revealed that his real problem is that he hates Medicaid:
GOLDBERG: If you’re a Medicaid recipient, you are not allowed to take a voucher and go to a plan that you think is good for you. You are forced to stay into Medicaid. Do you think that’s right or wrong? Yes or no?
IGOR: I think Medicaid provides essential services for many Americans that the private market simply can’t provide, which is why we’re expanding Medicaid. … It’s not putting people into Medicaid against their will.
Igor also noted that the motive behind including a public health insurance option for all Americans is to ensure everyone is given access to a solid benefits plan regardless of their income or class. Watch it:
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I’m going to a healthcare rally in Portland, Maine today. Here’s my protest signs I will be bringing:
July 18th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Robert Goldberg: “My mouth is still numb…” from kissing health industry executive ass my whole professional life.
July 18th, 2009 at 11:37 amGood for you, Kay! I wish that I was going to Portland today!
And why does this Goldberg guy think that only minorities use Medicaid? Stereotype much?
July 18th, 2009 at 11:39 amIt is astonishing that these industry guys have as much success as they seem to have in this debate while having no solid ammunition at all.
None of their reasons for opposing a public option make any sense nor do they hold any water under any reasonable scrutiny.
A debate that focused on facts, reason and logical conclusions would be so one-sided as o not even meet the definition of debate.
I guess that’s why they are dependent on focus-group-tested buzzwords and an army of lobbyists for hire at a million and a half per day.
July 18th, 2009 at 11:45 amHey guys, if you want to see the conservative vision of health
July 18th, 2009 at 11:56 amcare, check out Hullabaloo and scroll to the story on the Cato
institutes health insurance-insurance plan. Bloody hilarious.
Did anyone else find it offensive that Goldberg seemed convinced that the only poor people are minorities?
July 18th, 2009 at 12:04 pmKayInMaine, I hope the rightwingnuts that attend the rally leave their firearms home. Seriously, as a fellow lib who is for healthcare reform I wish I could be there too.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:05 pmPlease double check that yubanet link. There are questions about the veracity of that CBO press release.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:06 pmKayinMaine
July 18th, 2009 at 12:07 pmCan you do me a favor and have a porter at Gritty’s and lunch at Jay’s Oyster Bar?
Thanks-
RockRichard says:
Did anyone else find it offensive that Goldberg seemed convinced that the only poor people are minorities?
July 18th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Yep – just like, to Rep. Tiahrt, only minorities get abortions.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:09 pmChris Jansing and the other fellow can kiss my butt. When do these people have to worry about medical bills? Jansing is a overpaid shill for Big Business and the other fellow is a lobbyist with no soul. If they were to walk a mile in an average man’s shoes maybe they would think differently.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:17 pmLet me get this straight, host Chris Jansing, of MSNBC, a major NEWS source, didn’t get the NEWS about the CBO’s cost
analysis before participating in a debate about health care
reform.
FAILURE.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:25 pmI understand that Republicanss want to appoint a health czar to implement health care reform. Their top choice would be “The Wizard of Oz”. Others being considered: Barbera Eden from “I Dream of Jeannie” fame and Merlin from “The Sword and The Stone”. A prominent Republican Senator was quoted as saying “our bipartisan approach relies on the health czar to constantly keep pulling rabbits out of his hat to pay for this massive new gov’t program. Without oversight like we had with spending for the war in Iraq I cannot support any new health care program.” The Senators’ views were extensively covered by the MSM news outlets as a breakthrough and heralded as really “thinking outside the box.”
July 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pmIt’s sad to think that societies like Japan, Germany, France, England, Canada, etc…, truly care about the health and welfare of their citizens, while in America, corporate profitability and multi-million dollar CEO salaries are more important.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:17 pmThe plot to destroy the access of Americans to any sort of health care is treasonous. These health insurance predators are destroying the future of our society.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:36 pmWell done, Igor. Slap ‘em down with facts.
Anyone I’ve ever known on Medicaid was not pissing and moaning about it.
Vouchers? Please…
July 18th, 2009 at 1:42 pmSeriously, evangenital. Every talking head on the teevee machine b!tching about health care reform already has excellent health insurance coverage.
Why don’t we all get jobs in television and politics!?
July 18th, 2009 at 1:45 pmHmm. The voucher system. Exactly what Medicare Advantage is. That plan that costs the US taxpayer an extra $15 billion each year in order to have private healthcare provide Medicare recipients the exact same benefits they would receive under traditional Medicare.
Why are the free-marketeers so scared to have the free market compete with the incompetent government when it comes to healthcare?
I sure feel bad for all those Medicaid folks… imagine being forced to receive no cost, no copay, no benefit limit, no pre-existing condition exclusion health insurance. That’s gotta suck.
PEACE
July 18th, 2009 at 1:52 pmCenter for Medicine in the Public Interest?
Don’t they mean, Center for Medicine in the Corporate Interest?
July 18th, 2009 at 1:59 pmSpeaking of Oz linkwray @13,
I think Goldberg’s corporate wizardry is being overlooked here, even though he comes out from behind the curtain almost daily, now.
And that public concern mask he has on is rapidly wearing thin.
Goldburg is to the pharmacuetical and healthcare industries,
as Karl Rove is to Bushco and the right wing polical machine.
Spinmasters.
Lie laundriers.
Goldberg is fighting for the life of his “institute”, which will crumble into obsoleteness if Americans get what THEY want:
Single payer universal healthcare!
July 18th, 2009 at 2:29 pmThis doctor must be a proctologist.
July 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pmHe’s everywhere making an ass out of himself.
tony and lido
B.O.’s health care is taking a dive…just like Hillary’s did in the 90’s. LMAO
Even his own party members are starting to laugh at his idiotic notions. He never puts forth a plan…just gets up there and talks about broad subjects and lets someone else figure out the details.
He is reminding me of Carter…because he is doing the same stupid stuff Jimmy did…and he is looking like he is WAY over his head already!
Hillary has to be Laughing her a$$ off at this idiot. B.O. will have worse approval rating then any man to hold the office by the time 2011 comes around!
hahahahaha
July 18th, 2009 at 4:05 pmDang, can’t they interview people who know something? Private insurers provide CHIP, Medicaid and Medicare services in many states. Take AmeriGroup:
States We Serve:
Florida
Georgia
Maryland
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
http://www.amerigroupcorp.com/about/areas_served/Pages/StatesWeServe.aspx
Texas
AMERIGROUP Texas, Inc. serves Medicaid, SCHIP and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) members through the STAR and STAR+PLUS programs in the State of Texas. It began serving members eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid in 2005 and has expanded to offer two other Medicare Advantage plans for people eligible for Medicare only.
The health plan has been operational in Texas since 1996.
AMERIGROUP Texas is a subsidiary of AMERIGROUP Corporation. We have offices in Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
July 18th, 2009 at 4:30 pmTexas has the highest uninsured rate in the country. My community has 28% uninsured. Many could have a payer source come 2013, the implementation date of the House version of the bill. However, not many could get into a doctor’s office today, even with coverage. Most primary care doctors are not accepting new patients.
There are lots of variables in improving access to care. Volksy and Goldberg have their scripts to read. They don’t reflect the industry.
July 18th, 2009 at 4:41 pmTime to study up on revamped ideas, per Massachusett’s experience. Capitation is back, disguised as global payment:
http://stateofthedivision.blogspot.com/2009/07/capitation-and-managed-care-return-as.html
July 18th, 2009 at 4:45 pmplease! i know there’s some kind of ‘don’t interrupt’ rule, but the bad guys disregard it and so should we.
all it would take is “no … no … no…” after each lie…
they are rude and obnoxious with the chortles and hrmpfs off camera…
give it back!
but, other wise, GREAT JOB, IGOR!
that was directed at ALL prog/lib/left spokespeople!
July 18th, 2009 at 5:22 pmvia C&L:
Zappatero at DKos:
A simple word of advice from me to our United States Senators on health care reform and their “centrist” colleagues: just say “No” to Ben Nelson if he comes a-callin’ with scary stories about getting all our citizens covered by health insurance this year:
Arbitrary?
Because 15 years after the last attempt at meaningful health care reform is too soon?
Maybe the 44 years after Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare Act is rushing it for Senator Nelson.
Arbitrary could be the 64 years since Truman said this:
http://crooksandliars.com/node
July 18th, 2009 at 5:33 pm.
GOLDBERG Said:
I find it appalling that an industry guy can’t wrap his head around the fact that not everyone can afford Goldberg’s plan. How about those people Goldberg plans to leave behind? He may be against Medicaid, but he proposes no alternative EXCEPT death.
.
July 18th, 2009 at 5:36 pm“Maybe the 44 years…is rushing it for Senator Nelson.”
Maybe Senator Nelson thinks he’s an Ent?
July 18th, 2009 at 8:49 pmThe jobs that Universal single payer Socially Democratic system will create is quite substanial and you would think that this piece of crap Mr.Goldberg would want that.The lies he spews forth is striaght from Mr.Scott and Mr.Luntz`s handboks.
July 19th, 2009 at 12:15 amIf the geriatric fox crowd is smart enough to be offended by this, then the repubs will have completed their alienation of the American people.
July 19th, 2009 at 4:32 amYou are forced to stay into Medicaid.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:46 pmNo, You are not forced idiot.youtube