Organizing for America | Duane's Blog: Calling for health care reform

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Calling for health care reform

By Duane Kuehn - Sep 13th, 2009 at 5:56 am EDT

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Tags: compare health care programs, Health Care, health care reform, universal health care

Hi All,

     I am posting a link to a thing I wrote about the need for health care reform. The link, because simply posting the article might be too cumbersome for the site. Anyway, I think it might be too long, boring and lacking of any humor. I hope you will read it and let me know what you think, where is might be corrected (or should I just trash it -to recycled waste of course. : )

     I always do my best to verify information that I use. However, because figures cannot lie but liars can figure, statistics are often hard to verify.

     On that note, I am hoping to find solid, verifiable information on the true cost of health insurance premiums paid to private insurers by individual households and by employers (especially small business).

     Sometimes when a link takes up more than one line, the link will not work and must be copied and pasted into ones browser. I hope this one works as is. The Helium site is safe to visit and does not collect any behind the scenes information or put unwanted junk into one’s computer.

http://www.helium.com/items/1580034-health-reform-universal-health-care-health-legislation-problems-with-universal-health-care

Loveya,
Your friend,
Duane

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Always good to hear from Duane | Report to Admin

By The Bard of Wilmette Sep 13th 2009 at 7:56 pm EDT (Updated Sep 13th 2009 at 7:56 pm EDT)

It is good to hear from Duane again. For me, at least, it had been awhile. I do not think that his essay should be "recycled" although my approach to the health care reform issue is different. His piece is lengthy, but I can hardly criticize that. I would refer Duane, or anybody else who reads this, to my essay which was posted shortly before President Obama's speech to the joint gathering of the House and Senate:

Link

My emphasis was not on the morality of the situation, but rather on the politics. My advice (in case my words are actually read by people in the White House) was that Obama drop the public option, at least at this time. He has to focus on getting SOMETHING passed in the name of health care reform, and it has to happen this year. I do not want to rehash my case here. People can read it if they are interested.

People who have an argument to make should make it, and it is usually best to do it in writing. I do not agree with Duane's implied premise about the insurance companies, but the simple fact is that people, and companies, pursue their own interests. If we do not like the way the insurance companies operate, we need to restructure their incentives. My own preference would be to leave most health insurance in private hands, for now. This is subject to two major changes from the present system. First, we need to end the discrimination against people deemed to be higher than normal risk. If the insurance companies are going to sell health policies at all, they should not be able to deny, limit, or cancel coverage due to somebody's personal health issues. Second, I like the suggestion that the "public option" or something similar would take effect in five years if the private companies are not operating in a manner consistent with the public interest. This would give them an opportuity and an incentive to reform themselves.

Re: Always good to hear from Duane | Report to Admin

By Duane Kuehn Sep 26th 2009 at 12:49 am EDT (Updated Sep 26th 2009 at 12:49 am EDT)

Hi All,

Thank you for your reply and the link Bard.

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I rarely get internet time in these past many months.

I will have to read your essay another time as this is my niece's school computer and I can only commandeer it for small quantities of time. lol

Having read your reply, I see your point but do not think that our elected officials (most of them anyway) would have the gumption to create or enforce regulations on the private health insurance industry.

I do agree with you though, that if it was possible to regulate this private industry. That they not be allowed to drop paying customers at will, it would do much to solve the problems.

I don't like giving "facts" without verifying them as best I can. Harvard Medical is usually a good, non-propagandized source (I hope).

To the best of my knowledge, private insurance immediately drops 25% of those who suffer a disabling injury. Private insurance will drop an additional 25% within one year from the occurrence of such an injury.

Sad that such things would be permitted.

I am very glad to hear from you Bard, even if we choose to disagree (after I read you essay). That is what is so wonderful, being able to put one's thoughts and opinions up front without fear of being ostracized. I believe this is the only way one can amend one's own conclusions and I look forward to reading your essay(s).

Hopefully, in the next few months I should be in a situation with computer/internet time.

Loveya,
Duane

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