How Pharma and Insurance Intend to Kill the Public Option

[Life_Long_Dem!]

I'ved poked around Washington today, talking with friends on the Hill who confirm the worst: Big Pharma and Big Insurance are gaining ground in their campaign to kill the public option in the emerging health care bill.

You know why, of course. They don't want a public option that would compete with private insurers and use its bargaining power to negotiate better rates with drug companies. They argue that would be unfair. Unfair? Unfair to give more people better health care at lower cost? To Pharma and Insurance, "unfair" is anything that undermines their profits.

So they're pulling out all the stops -- pushing Democrats and a handful of so-called "moderate" Republicans who say they're in favor of a public option to support legislation that would include it in name only. One of their proposals is to break up the public option into small pieces under multiple regional third-party administrators that would have little or no bargaining leverage. A second is to give the public option to the states where Big Pharma and Big Insurance can easily buy off legislators and officials, as they've been doing for years. A third is bind the public plan to the same rules private insurers have already wangled, thereby making it impossible for the public plan to put competitive pressure on the insurers.

Robert Reich's Blog: How Pharma and Insurance Intend to Kill the Public Option, And What Obama and the Rest of Us Must Do

 

[KittenKoder]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

 

[Navy1960]

I'm sorry and killing this option is a bad thing? The Federal Govt. does not belong in the business of direct competetion with a private company that it also regulates. The Obama administration knows they cannot get a "single payer" plan through congress they don't have the vote. let's forget for a moment the constitutional issue. So what do they do? they set up a Govt. run option that will in effect drive everyone to the Govt. run program as Insurance carriers drop the option, or get out of the business period, in effect getting a "single payer" system anyway. So is there any doubt that a private company would not want to fight this? I know I would not want to be in direct competetion with the Federal Govt.

 

[Fraulein Hilda]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

 

[Lycurgus]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

In Obama's America that is the way it works.

God Bless The Obama Revolution!

 

[Chris]

I'm sorry and killing this option is a bad thing? The Federal Govt. does not belong in the business of direct competetion with a private company that it also regulates. The Obama administration knows they cannot get a "single payer" plan through congress they don't have the vote. let's forget for a moment the constitutional issue. So what do they do? they set up a Govt. run option that will in effect drive everyone to the Govt. run program as Insurance carriers drop the option, or get out of the business period, in effect getting a "single payer" system anyway. So is there any doubt that a private company would not want to fight this? I know I would not want to be in direct competetion with the Federal Govt.

I agree.

Therefore, you should give up your government sponsored healthcare.

 

[Chris]

I'ved poked around Washington today, talking with friends on the Hill who confirm the worst: Big Pharma and Big Insurance are gaining ground in their campaign to kill the public option in the emerging health care bill.

You know why, of course. They don't want a public option that would compete with private insurers and use its bargaining power to negotiate better rates with drug companies. They argue that would be unfair. Unfair? Unfair to give more people better health care at lower cost? To Pharma and Insurance, "unfair" is anything that undermines their profits.

So they're pulling out all the stops -- pushing Democrats and a handful of so-called "moderate" Republicans who say they're in favor of a public option to support legislation that would include it in name only. One of their proposals is to break up the public option into small pieces under multiple regional third-party administrators that would have little or no bargaining leverage. A second is to give the public option to the states where Big Pharma and Big Insurance can easily buy off legislators and officials, as they've been doing for years. A third is bind the public plan to the same rules private insurers have already wangled, thereby making it impossible for the public plan to put competitive pressure on the insurers.

Robert Reich's Blog: How Pharma and Insurance Intend to Kill the Public Option, And What Obama and the Rest of Us Must Do

This is why I don't have health insurance.

I refuse to support this ridiculously expensive and bloated for profit healthcare system. Every other Western country has a single payer system, and they pay HALF what we pay for healthcare. Why? Because they don't have to pay for insurance companies, liability lawyers, and Big Pharma. Even the doctors are now in favor of a single payer system.

 

[auditor0007]

Honestly, I'm just sick of this shit. I had insurance, but now I can't afford it because I moved to a different state. Hipaa rules didn't help me out any and I'm screwed. The only way I can get coverage again is to go to work for a company that offers insurance. I kind of like being self-employed. So now I have to choose, my career or health insurance.

The insurance companies don't give a shit about the health of their policy holders. Actually, I should rephrase that. They do care that you remain healthy. As soon as you become sick, they will do whatever they can to get you off of their plan because you are now a liability.

But I guess that's just my personal problem, so long as the rest of you are covered, why worry about me? I'm just a number anyway. I wonder how you all would feel if you were in my shoes. Would you still be so supportive of the wonderful insurance companies? Would you still be more worried about your choices? Oh that's right, you wouldn't really have many choices.

 

[editec]

Structurally there are three problems facing the HC delievery system

1. An aging population

2. Overall Diminishing wages for Americans in comparison to the inflation in HC costs

3. Increasing HC costs due to advances in medicine (not merely inflationary costs)

If we do nothing, these problems will continue to make our HC delivery system increasingly less effective.

These problems will challenge any system we devise.

 

[RodISHI]

We have not had health insurance since 1995. It became too expensive to maintain. Along with there were so many things it did not pay for and the deductible was $1,500.00 a year for each of us it was not something I could afford to keep paying.

On my trip recently to see my folks after my dad's heart surgery I met one of their neighbors I had not met before. She is the daughter of a guy that was good friends with my grandpa. She and her husband moved into her dad's house when they retired. Her husband's mom has alzheimer's. She was telling us how they had heart surgery done on this poor woman. Over eighty thousand dollars in hospital and doctors to extend the life of someone who does not know where she is or who she is. The heart surgery is estimated to extend her life by fifteen years. The institutions will make out well over the extended years of her life.

 

[editec]

We have not had health insurance since 1995. It became too expensive to maintain. Along with there were so many things it did not pay for and the deductible was $1,500.00 a year for each of us it was not something I could afford to keep paying.

On my trip recently to see my folks after my dad's heart surgery I met one of their neighbors I had not met before. She is the daughter of a guy that was good friends with my grandpa. She and her husband moved into her dad's house when they retired. Her husband's mom has alzheimer's. She was telling us how they had heart surgery done on this poor woman. Over eighty thousand dollars in hospital and doctors to extend the life of someone who does not know where she is or who she is. The heart surgery is estimated to extend her life by fifteen years. The institutions will make out well over the extended years of her life.

Yeah, that's part of the increasing age problem, too, isn't it?

Ironically as HC becomes better at extending lives, it also increases demand for more HC at the same time.

I don't know if it's still true, but in the late 70s almost 50% of every HC dollar spent in this nation was spent on the LAST YEAR OF LIFE for all paitents.

So one can EASILY see how much pressure might come to RATION HC on those people who are entirely dependent on HC to keep them alive for a few months more, right?

And that pressure will be applied on the payers of HC regardless of whether the payer is the government OR private industry.

The dirty little secret about HC is that we are ALREADY rationing HC.

We're just doing it now based on ability to pay.

The argument can be made that that's the best way to do it, but since there's more poor people than wealthy people, it's not a politically viable argument one can make out loud.

Hence, when advocates of the DO NOTHING school of HC thinkers get together they do NOT talk about the HC delivery system.

Instead they make true statements that don't really address the problem.

Statesments like

"We have the best health care in the world"

And that is probably, true, too isn't it? If you're wealthy enough the best HC in the world is available to you.

So we have the best HC available, but we do not have the best HC delivery system.

 

[Navy1960]

Well Chris as I've said many times on this board I'd be glad to give up my TRICARE as soon as the president and congress agree to forgo their salaries and benefits and agree to term limits. Then you will see me more willing to accept your suggestion. However, you do know the difference between earning a benefit and being given one right? The facts are my retirement benefits would not be there had I not met the criteria set down ahead of time. This is a lost concept on many Americans the fact you have to earn something you have and not have it actually be given to you. In fact it's not like your latest playstation game where you get to level 10 and they give you 10 more points and thats the problem, many people expect benefits to be handed to them as a "right" for existing rather than earning it. So if you think for one moment I'm ashamed of the benfits I earned for not seeing my daughter grow up or being deployed when my wife passed away you would be wrong.

 

[HUGGY]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

It "works" they way the majority of americans voted. You lost. What is it about that reality you don't understand?

Using the sick and dying as a commodity is american? Fuck you and all the sick fucks that think like you.

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in america.

in obama's america that is the way it works.

God bless the obama revolution!

<<< the problem!

 

[Barb]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

They'll have to become more competitive then, won't they? I don't see why the government shouldn't compete in a free market. In fact, the collusion and inflationary price fixing in the private markets mandates such competition. If they can come up with a system that the consumer would prefer over the government system, they'll survive. If they choose to remain the blood-sucking parasites that they are, then they won't. Its about time people had real choices.

 

[Navy1960]

&#8220;I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.&#8221; &#8211; Thomas Jefferson

&#8220;Nations crumble from within when the citizenry asks of government those things which the citizenry might better provide for itself.&#8221; Ronald Reagan

&#8220;Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.&#8221; &#8211; Ben Franklin

&#8220;&#8230;a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government.&#8221; &#8211; Thomas Jefferson

The facts are in this country, yes a majority of people voted for Barack Obama to be President and he now sits in the White House as a result, however that in and of itself is not a license to change the very fabric this nation was founded upon. While it's noble to wish that all people not suffer, and those that cannot take care of themselves we as a society should take care of them. The fact remains, it is NOT the Federal Govts. job to provide healthcare to it's citizens, had that been the intent of the framers of the constitution then it would be in there. There are many ways in order to accomplish this within the framework of our Govt.. Perhaps the frist one the comes to mind is a constitutional Amendment on healthcare that 2/3rds of the states must ratify. This is well within the framework of our form of Govt. or perhaps another way would be for the Govt. to actually regualte commerce as it's supposed too and bring down the cost of care and further regulate the costs of mandated liability insurance that Doctors and Hospitals are passing on to the consumer. There are many ways to accomplish this, the facts are no one wishes to explore these becsuse the current mind set is that the Govt. owes it's citizens healthcare when it clearly does not.

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

It "works" they way the majority of americans voted. You lost. What is it about that reality you don't understand?

Using the sick and dying as a commodity is american? Fuck you and all the sick fucks that think like you.

Where did you get the idea that winning an election provides the winner with the means to 'do whatever they want?'

I mean I know you've claimed to have been a smuggler and such is indicative of one failing to grasp the civics portion of the education which was GIVEN TO YOU... but that doesn't excuse this absurd ignorance which you seem determined to cling to, which sets aside the full scope of whole "CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC" thing...

So again... what leads you to believe that the whole US Constitution can be scrapped, because you idiots won an election?

 

[Fraulein Hilda]

Of course they don't, since while the government is in charge of what companies are allowed to sell what, all they have to do is bribe them to keep out competition.

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

It "works" they way the majority of americans voted. You lost. What is it about that reality you don't understand?

Using the sick and dying as a commodity is american? Fuck you and all the sick fucks that think like you.

That's the way it "worked" in the Soviet bloc until it collapsed because there was't enough being produced to pay for everything everyone had a "right" to.

Americans did not vote for government control of their healthcare decisions and yet another government entitlement nobody has a clue how to pay for.

 

[rayboyusmc]

I am always amazed by those on these boards who have been sodomized by the Big Pharma and the Managed Care businesses and just keep smiling.


Oh, Oh, good golly Ms Molly, we can't let the goverment get this right, that would be socialism.

Medicare works. Medicaid works. TriCare works. A single payer for all Americans would work, but we just can't step on capitilism gone amok, that would be socialism. When capitlism's only guiding principle is greed, it really only takes care of those who own it.

Bend over righties and keep on taking it. Maybe you have gotten to like it.

We pay more than any other country for care per person and get less effective care than 36 other nations.

Mr. Shelby stated we have the best healthcare in the world. He may as a Senator, you don't as the average citizen paying the Aetana, Big Blues and Humanas of our country.

 

[Barb]

Wrong. It's the government going into business expressly to compete against them, and put them out of business. That's not the way it works in America.

It "works" they way the majority of americans voted. You lost. What is it about that reality you don't understand?

Using the sick and dying as a commodity is american? Fuck you and all the sick fucks that think like you.

Where did you get the idea that winning an election provides the winner with the means to 'do whatever they want?'

I mean I know you've claimed to have been a smuggler and such is indicative of one failing to grasp the civics portion of the education which was GIVEN TO YOU... but that doesn't excuse this absurd ignorance which you seem determined to cling to, which sets aside the full scope of whole "CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC" thing...

So again... what leads you to believe that the whole US Constitution can be scrapped, because you idiots won an election?

I don't believe in your overblown and rather melodramatic supposition about the "whole US Constitution being scrapped," but to answer your question within its extremes, the rolling it into a blunt and passing it around the republican majority (and don't give me any of that crap about two years for a majority dem Senate, Joe didn't count for our side, and the pubs threatened filibuster for everything) for the last eight years might do