Wow. Short and sweet. No soaring oratory...

First answer: costs to families has increased beyond wages for the past (ten?) years.

Medicare and Medicaid on track to break the federal budget the way things are - hence need for change.

2/3 of medical costs already being spent by taxpayers.

The remaining 1/3 needs to be raised by limiting itemized deductions for the wealthiest Americans, but no bills out there have taken this up. There are other ideas out there.

Says that last 1/3 shouldn't be shouldered by the middle class family. Doesn't want it paid for by taxes on them.

About the August deadline:

1) burden on families is ongoing

2) if you don't set deadlines in this town (Washington, DC), nothing happens. The default position is inertia.

It is important to get this right. If the bill shows up that isn't right, he won't sign it. 

Also more and more Americans are losing health coverage when they lose their jobs.  A percentage of those millions will suffer an uncovered medical emergency from which they will literally never financially recover.

Universal coverage?

He wants everyone covered - but in a single payer system, there will always be somebody who doesn't purchase health care for themselves.

His and Congress' estimates are 97-98% of Americans will be covered. 

The idea is that if you want health care, you should be able to get affordable health care.

Uncompensated care - no longer the burden of those who have insurance; i.e., for those that show up to emergency rooms with no insurance, our premiums pay for them. That will no longer be the case.

160 Republican ideas were incorporated into the Senate version of the bill. Even if they haven't voted for it for political reasons, the Dems have taken their ideas when productive.

Economy of effort will be 'incentivized', i.e. duplication of tests will be eliminated.

Deficit and debt:  after bank bailout, and government spending on other fronts, how does health care affect government spending?

He inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit. 700,000 jobs being lost.

We stabilized the economy first thing. Because of our budget, federal deficit will be $2.5 trillion less than under previous policies. Continuing to reform budgeting in military, etc. But we also have to reform health care.

Health care reform will not add to the deficit, it will decrease it.

MedPac program originally a Republican idea - will put Medicare in the hands of third party to de-politicize its decision making. Now a part of the Obama program.

It will not reduce Medicare benefits - it will make them more efficient.  AARP has endorsed the plan because of this.

Next questions not about health care... Back when we return to topic.

Ann Coulter wants to know if The Anointed One will force us to subsidize the anti-anxiety medication you're taking as his fortunes sink like a rock in a pond: http://www.wnd.com/index.ph...

Insurance offered to the public will look a lot like the insurance presently given to members of Congress.

Reason for this is to keep the insurance companies honest.  They will have to provide a better service than this one. He seems to imply that the record profits that insurance companies are currently posted may come to an end as they try to compete with this government program.

It would be better if doctors made decisions purely on health care concerns rather than profit concerns.

Uses the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic as examples of MedPac and the way medicine should be run.

Pax: I'm not taking any anti-anxiety medications

(???)

Finished.

He made the two points that I feel had to be made.

The last question came in about the arrest of Prof. Gates by Cambridge Police and whether that was reflective of racial problems in America.

Wonder if that will outshine the health care headlines tomorrow?

"Ann Coulter wants to know if The Anointed One will force us to subsidize the anti-anxiety medication you're taking as his fortunes sink like a rock in a pond: http://www.wnd.com/index.ph..."

A few quotes from the Fox News Prostitute.......

“Even two decades after the collapse of liberals' beloved Soviet Union, they can't grasp that it's easier and cheaper to obtain any service provided by capitalism than any service provided under socialism.”

Yeah, after losing over 2 trillion of middle class wealth in 2 years, the effectiveness of Capitalism is unquestionable.

“You don't have to conjure up fantastic visions of how health care would be delivered in this country if we bought it ourselves. Just go to a grocery store or get a manicure. Or think back to when you bought your last muffler, personal trainer, computer and every other product and service available in inexpensive abundance in this capitalist paradise.”

Yeah, most of the products we buy are made in Communist China and they have to support our economy. When’s the last time a US consumer purchased a computer made in the capitalist paradise of America?

Nice try hooker.   Murdock is waiting to be serviced.

" Pax: I'm not taking any anti-anxiety medications ???"

Pax is projecting again,  he' s not to be taken seriously.

--virgil

Don~ nice pull.

pulled pork

Yeah~ Coulter is a ham bone.

Don't be pulling pork without the tortilla between your fingers first, Witters.

--virgil

With all this talk of pork and hambone, when can we expect universal food coverage to kick in? I'm dying for a Reuben sandwich. Feed me!

um, I think the rescue mission provides meals ... you better hurry though, it's already 7 pm.

--virgil

"  double entendre"~ who me? ;-)

People who hate Coulter are my kinda people. I do not hate lightly.

 What is a "double entendre going on here ...", anyway ?

--virgil

Apparently it is all in the eye of the beholder Virgil.  ;-)

The best way to eat slow roasted pork, Sage, is standing ( or sitting ) around the pan with warm corn tortillas - the only rule, in our house, is don't touch the pork without the tortilla first - and no double dipping .   :   )

--virgil

The Rescue Mission has double entrees? Geronimo ... talk about a stimulus package!

you better hurry, Pax !

--virgil

"... getting it straight... tortillas are not the bun of choice... cheap hamburger buns are the ones you want to go for."

um, No way.

old hamburger buns break apart and make a mess.  With corn tortillas, there's no such think:  rip, hold between  fore finger and thumb and grab a chunk of pork, dip  in the pan juice  as desired, or salsa ...

--virgil

humburger buns stick to the roof of your mouth .

--virgil

ummm....

Didn't I have a topic going here?

I'm so amazed at how many people are pretending they're happy with their health care, especially the cost. Seriously, it's like people have extra money to throw around like those lame geico commercials where people are raking up cash and throwing it away.

Every penny proposed for taxes is more valuable than a human life.

Every thousand bucks or so wasted on health care? Ho hum.

The Blue Dog Democrats, besides the dozen or so in the House who won't support the bill because of the funding of abortions, likely will turn tails on getting this boat of bloat to float when they see the sea of red being caused by Massachusetts' floundering universal health care system.

Some key points from my point of view regarding the President's speech:

1. With each passing day another 14,000 Americans lose coverage if nothing is done.

2. The current system is unsustainable as it stands, doing nothing is the equivalent of not diverting the oncoming train on a collision course to a new track to avoid total disaster.

3. Each American in the health market here pays $6,000 more per year than citizen's do in other competitive world nations. And with this tremendous overcharge we still force millions our citizens, even with coverage, into bankruptcy due to illness or accident.

From my perspective, the only thing missing from the speech was a mandate to force everyone to buy into the system. Other nations using an insurance model require all provider companies to sell to everyone, and all people in the nation must buy in. It is a double mandate. If we are to continue with a private insurance model and option for a publis option these mandates are a necessity.

 From my perspective, the only thing missing from the speech was a mandate to force everyone to buy into the system. Other nations using an insurance model require all provider companies to sell to everyone, and all people in the nation must buy in.

And the horror stories of those systems are legendary.......

The horror stories from our own system are legendary, but we only look at the stories that prove our own points don't we.

Oscama has no idea what's in the bill. All he can do is repeat the same old crap.  He has a press conference or a televised meeting every day and spouts the same old garbage.  It looks like he is trying to use the "big lie" theory.  Tell the same lie to the sheep enough and they will believe it.

DS:

Uses the Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic as examples of MedPac and the way medicine should be run.

I was wondering what you thought of the Mayo Clinic's post in their policy blog stating that the proposed legislation currently being considered "misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients."  I'm not trying to argue you with you any points, I'm just curiuos as to what you think about this particular blogger's thoughts.  Here is the link:

http://healthpolicyblog.may...

Mayo Clinic’s reaction to House Tri-Committee bill

Although there are some positive provisions in the current House Tri-Committee bill – including insurance for all and payment reform demonstration projects – the proposed legislation misses the opportunity to help create higher-quality, more affordable health care for patients. In fact, it will do the opposite.

In general, the proposals under discussion are not patient focused or results oriented. Lawmakers have failed to use a fundamental lever – a change in Medicare payment policy – to help drive necessary improvements in American health care. Unless legislators create payment systems that pay for good patient results at reasonable costs, the promise of transformation in American health care will wither. The real losers will be the citizens of the United States.

I'm so amazed at how many people are pretending they're happy with their health care, especially the cost. Seriously, it's like people have extra money to throw around like those lame geico commercials where people are raking up cash and throwing it away.

Well, most industrialized countries have figured out a way to cover all of their citizens and are paying a lot less than we are. See, the thing is, the more people in "the pool" the cheaper it is. Kind of like buying 300 rolls of toilet paper is cheaper per roll than 6. 

Should Obamacare become a reality, I wonder whom Uncle Sam will assign me to. Perhaps Dr. Evil?

Pax, if you *WANT* Dr. Evil, you'll be able to pick him. 

What, you think Obama will personally decide which doctor you get?  He ain't Blue Cross. 

Well, most industrialized countries have figured out a way to cover all of their citizens and are paying a lot less than we are.

Wow, they figured out a way to cover all THEIR citizens, and send their illegal citizensand unwanteds to the US so they can get free healthcare...And liberals wonder why OUR healthcare costs so much...

Yep. We don't want to have to pay for Mexicans so we shouldn't change anything then? I hate to break this to you, but we will pay for the uninsured no matter what. Instead of doing it in an inefficient way like we are now, why not just cover everybody?

Would you prefer illegal aliens (mexicans) just die in front of the hospital so you don't have to pay for them?

Wow, they figured out a way to cover all THEIR citizens, and send their illegal citizensand unwanteds to the US so they can get free healthcare...

DAMN those sneaky Frenchmen, sending so many folks here!

.

Would you prefer illegal aliens (mexicans) just die in front of the hospital so you don't have to pay for them?

Silly question.  Of *COURSE* he wouldn't.  Out in the back alley would be *MUCH* tidier.

".And liberals wonder why OUR healthcare costs so much..."

No, actually, I don't think there are any liberals wondering this at all. The confusion, if any, seems to come from the right where illegals are seen as a much bigger burden on the system than they really are.

Wonder where that came from? Imagination?

Wonder where that came from?

Loud Obbs.