MSNBC and Fox are covering the town hall. CNN has commentators talking over the President.
From Kossack KenBee on Grand Junction's efficient health care system:
LA Times
Fox actually admitted that the reason why there will be no shouting at the town halls is that the leader of the free world receives more respect than a Congressman or Senator.
Update -
Obama is discussing past town hall meetings and how insurance companies have denied coverage because a person was sick, has a pre-existing condition, or the cost.
The audience is cheering and there were a few boos. The MSM will cover the boos.
Obama is going over the lies - Recovery plan included 1/3 for tax cuts that are showing in 2 million american's pay checks there were no tax hikes. Small businesses were supported by being able to get small business loans. Unemployment benefits were extended to help those who have lost their jobs. COBRA is 65% cheaper to help those who are out there looking for work. For states with budget shortfalls the stimulus provided funds to keep police officers and teachers. 1/3 is for shovel ready projects to create jobs. Most of the work is by local businesses (don't tell the republicans). Money went to national parks to create jobs (don't tell the republicans.)
Obama loves nature and wants to preserve forests (don't tell the republicans). Ken Salazar is getting his props.
Generations past are just as important as future generations. Admitted that unemployment is still too high, but that economy is moving forward. (He is actually honest).
Reminds Americans that the top 1% benefited the most from the Bush era.
The economy will not succeed if health care is not affordable.
He called on the MSM (yes Fox Noise that includes you) to stop focusing on the drama filled town halls and looking for fights. He showed that constructive discussion is the American people and democratic. Major Garrett just hurled.
Arbitrary costs by insurance company will not be allowed with health reform.
Nathan's story shows that families are having to choose to divorce in order to get on Medicaid. How sad. Lifetime caps killed a child. It can happen to any American. There are lifetime benefit limits (Palin's version of a death panel).
Insurance companies are not being held accountable and companies are having to bear the brunt. Out-of-pocket expenses are going to be regulated. Insurance companies will not be able to cancel or deny coverage because a person got sick or their past medical history.
Preventive care is the key.
Again - Again - If you like your doctor or health care you can keep it. But health insurance companies should not meddle in your health care and neither should the government.
Health care tax credit should be in health care bill. Small businesses will benefit for providing health care to their employees. For the next decade no sweet heart deals for the health care industry and no addition to the deficit.
Coalition of the Willing - Doctors and Nurses and Drug Companies. Republicans are not part of the coalition.
The AARP is supportive of initiative. Older people will receive benefits on their medication. Grandma's plug will not be pulled.
Social Security was considered socialist when it was first introduced. Medicare was considered socialist that the government would get inbetween the doctor and patient. Contest between hope and fear.
Questions:
- Invitation to see how lower health care is provided. Original health care for qualified health centers. If private physicians are going to get incentives to reduce waste and costs what are the incentives for them to do the same?
Medicare and medicaid can be solvent by adding more to medicare and medicaid or tellproviders we are going to give you less money at $.80 on the dollar. Private insurance holders would then get charged more. Delivery system is being changed to get more for health care dollar. Right now multiple tests are done and tests are not sent to other doctors. Reduce costs by simplying health systems to use smart practices. A lot of people are on medicare and medicaid. Benefits spill over to private side if Medicare and medicaid has incentives. Changes will not occur overnight. Health care inflation reduction would health reduce deficit. health care is driving our deficit.
- Why are insurance afraid to compete with public option? If the public plan reimburses on average $.55 for every dollar and the private plan reimbursed by $.85 for every dollar then how is that fair competition?
46 million are uninsured and it is right thing to insure them. Most of the uninsured are employed, but they can not afford or the company cannot afford health insurance. Creating a market place to select a plan most of the plans are going to be private insurance companies. If the uninsured cannot afford plan then subsidys would be added. Insurance company could not have lifetime cap or discriminate for pre-existing conditions. A government run non-profit would have option that people could signup for and would have low costs to keep insurance companies honest. The idea being that as a non-profit with lower admin cots they could do a good job. The insurance companies have come back and said that is not fair and they cannot compete with government, which is fair only if gov is subsidying government plan which Obama will not agree. Nonprofit would have to compete on level playing field and collect deductible. If lower rate collection for medicare and medicaid then private insurance company would be run out of business, but health care bill will have negotiation price with insurance company. Medicare is a government run program that works well and that the costs of medicare with inflation has gone up at a slower rate than private insurance. Health care system needs to be updated. There will not a be a government take over. Again Everyone who has private insurance can keep their insurance.
- Providers being able to provide preventable medical errors. Errors are required to be reported. How much are you expecting from providers?
Different states have different rules. 100,000 people die every year from preventable diseases an illnesses in hospitals. How do you get more health systems, hospitals, and doctors to report errors and also make them report to consumers so that if there are too many that the hospital is embarrassed. Make sure information is available to comparison shop. Competitive pressure to improve system.
- Problem with misinformation. It is hurting health care reform and dividing the country. We all know where it is coming from. (People Boo the guy)
There is no perfect painless silver bullet that resolves every problem and gives everyone perfect health care for free. There will not be a health care utopia. He is not the Messiah. He can be reasonable and realistic and stop the path we are on and improve the system. federal and state budgets cannot be unsustainable which will happen if nothing happens. Change has to come. Either medicare will have to be cut and the plug will be pulled on grandma and everyone will be broke and we will still pay more than France and England. Debates are good. Honest disagreement is okay, but stop saying that we want to set up death panels and pull the plug on Grandma. When you make such comments that is ridiculous. He did not run for public office to kill grandma. Dishonest particularly when Members of Congress (Grassley) supported same provision in 2003. The voluntary option is in Medicare. The biggest proponent is Grassley. The exact same provision was in the Republican led bill a few years ago. ( Go Obama). Euthanazia is stupid. And there is enought to deal with. (Audience claps and Fox news blows up).
- Small businesses are going to bear brunt of health care costs.
Again - perfect solution is not possible. Absolutely true that in order to provide health care to uninsured it is going to cost money. The cost is roughly 8-9 billion dollars over 10 years. 2/3 could be paid for by cutting waste such as cutting $17 billion a year in form of medicare advantage subsidies to private sector. There is no evidence that seniors are better off using medicare advantage. That would help pay for costs. No additional taxes. For the 1/3 remaining there are several options - those making over $250,000 that instead of full itemized deduction for bracket should be cut to 28% like middle america. Donations should be equal for all on tax deduction, which would pay for costs. Debate in September. No plan that puts burden on middle class is okay. Tax cuts for middle class.
Small businesses benefits for those doing right thing for employees. Would probably make money because you are providing health insurance and would get tax credit. Employers who can afford to pay health insurance, but choose not to would have to pay - would not get benefits and would have to pay for uninsured employees. Otherwise tax payers bear the brunt.
- Obama already answered this question. How can private companies compete with government? Dude thinks he can debate Obama and tries to act angry(LMAO). Maybe he is trying to get some time or a job on Fox News.
Public option is nonprofit separate entity. Blue Cross is non-profit, so what is your point. Public option does not mean entire private industry is going to collapse, eg UPS vs. USPS. Right and left are fixating on public option instead of actual lives impacted. Proposals are being drafted to address questions and concerns. Other countries have public option, but for profits are thriving. Again No Government Take Over.
- Insurance is high when a patient goes out of network. Why should their be limits on geographic care? Is that competition?
Care is not being rationed and doctor restriction is not true for the government, but private insurance companies are doing that now. No system could be setup easily to allow for no restrictions where you could see any doctor anywhere anytime. There are going to have to be some choices to be made on where doctors can be seen, which is made in private market place. Just want to make sure that there is no discrimination and that patients get a good deal. Hospital should be penalized for making mistakes. More options means better security and protection to reduce overall costs. Wrong information has to be dispelled. Implementation will take several years. Young people need to have health insurance cannot wait until sick. Deficit is huge and is clouding debate. Source of deficit is 1.3 trillion January 20, 2009 from the Bush era and financial crisis. Bank bailout and auto bailout spiked the deficit. Even if there was no fiscal crisis whatsoever more money was spent then taken in. The Medicare drug bill was not paid for and the Iraq war was not paid for. The Bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest were not paid for. It is going to add up to 9 trillion dollars over 10 years. To tackle problems Medicare and Medicaid spending has to be resolved. Foreign aid is 1% of budget. 1% of budget is pork. Most of spending is defense spending, social security, medicare and medicaid. Only 25-30% of budget is nondefense discretionary funding.
Fiscal hawks looking out for next generation should want to fix health care problem.
Fox News admitted that when the President holds a town hall meeting. (Must be something about the Secret Security). Obama used tools from election by rolling up his sleeves and Q&A. According to Fox News Obama took a page from McCain.
OBAMA KICKED ASS
Overall Obama did a good job. He stuck to all the naysayers. Going to be interesting to see what they say now. Why are folks still saying there should not be a rush to pass healthcare when we have been discussing this for decades and most of the same senators and reps have been in Congress almost as long?
Post Coverage:
CNN dispells the real american comment. Ed Henry is calling dramatic when Obama talked about his grandma. Sorry Ed that was not dramatic. Ed Henry is still pushing that Obama wants a government takeover and that Obama is soft.
Dr. Kent Holstrof on CNN - Public Option will lead to more corruption just look at what happened in Hawaii.
The Obamas have left Grand Junction.
This hurts to say, but remember to watch Meet the Press tomorrow. Dick Armey is going to be dismantled by Rachel Maddow. His reaction to today's town hall meeting will be interesting.
PARTICIPATE IN YOUR CONGRESSMAN'S TOWN HALL MEETINGS. There is no excuse for silence and inaction.
Don Lemon on CNN is going to speak to people in Grand Junction to get their take on health care reform.
Muzikal203 is continuing Post Coverage. Good night.