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You Heard it here Second. Coonsey caught it first. The Majority of Doctors Support Public Health Option.
A RWJF survey summarized in the September 14, 2009 edition of the New England Journal of Medicineshows that 62.9 percent of physicians nationwide support proposals to expand health care coverage that include both public and private insurance options--where people under the age of 65 would have the choice of enrolling in a new public health insurance plan (like Medicare) or in private plans. The survey shows that just 27.3 percent of physicians support a new program that does not include a public option and instead provides subsidies for low-income people to purchase private insurance. Only 9.6 percent of doctors nationwide support a system where a Medicare-like public program is created in lieu of any private insurance. A majority of physicians (58%) also support expanding Medicare eligibility to those between the ages of 55 and 64.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Great stuff at the link, including slide show and additional selling points.
Now who is going to write an ad with this tag line:
Who Do You Trust, Your Doctor or Your Medical Insurance Company?
How's that for brevity?
Sorry Coonsey, Coonsey's post:
Advertisement
I monitor Physicians for a National Health Program. They claim their at the forefront of research and action for a single-payer national health program.
url : http://www.pnhp.org/
It's worth the effort to check out. They have a Get Active section and a few other nifty links too
September 15, 2009 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thankee. I'll bookmark them.
I should also give credit where credit is due, as I yell at them often enough. The story about the survey broke on NPR's Morning edition If this link works, you'll be taken right there.
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=112839232&m=112839219
September 15, 2009 8:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
And so let's recap here if we can...
WHEREAS, The Democrats won both Houses of Congress and the Presidency in the election of 2008; and
WHEREAS This election was commonly recognized as a "change election"; and
WHEREAS Health Care Reform was discussed a great deal throughout the campaign as a "change" that was necessitated by the unsustainability of our present system and a desire to provide universal health care coverage for all Americans; and
WHEREAS Single payer was commonly discussed among health care reform advocates and promoted as a solution to the present "for-profit" system, but this objective was downsized to a "public option" as a political compromise that would at least introduce SOME degree of competition into the monopolistic "free market" now enjoyed by the Insurance Industry; and
WHEREAS The public consistently shows in polls that they are in favor of the public option, even despite the fear-mongering and outright lies spread by the GOP and the Health Insurance Industry and the misinformed mobs set loose to torpedo any cogent discussion of the issue; and
WHEREAS Now the Doctors and caregivers on the frontline of health care say they are in favor of a public option.
THEREFORE, in the spirit of bi-partisanship our leadership shall abandon the public option because it does not have the support of the GOP nor the Health Insurance Industry and is therefore way too divisive to support with vigor. Furthermore, the leadership shall ignore the mission requested by the constituents who elected them and instead refocus their priorities toward creation of the "Health Insurance Industry Profit Enhancement Act of 2009" with a hope that perhaps the Insurance Industry and the GOP might allow us to work on health care reform at a later date.
There's a serious disconnect here between the Whereas's and the Therefore. And I think most anyone can see it. Ultimately, it points to little more than the Democrats taking a good ass-beating in the off-year elections unless they can find someone to wrap a bow around this stinking pile of shit and sell it as "Change You Can Believe In." I, for one, ain't buying any of it.
September 15, 2009 8:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
SJ, the only way we'll get single payer is when all those yahoos fighting it are in the $hitho1e the rest of us are standing next too. By the way, Slate has a very good article that indicates it may not be to far into the future.
Today, businesses are trying to keep the level of health care stable by passing the increase for premiums onto the employees as well as increasing the amount of co-pays and deductibles for services and care received. That means take home pay will drop and more disposable income will have to be set aside to pay for those routine medical visits and prescriptions.
In short, the yahoos are going to find out the hard way the insurance they love so much is going to cost them so dear. It may take next year 2010 or maybe by 2012 for the financial bite to sink in, but when it does, be ready to say we told you so, but you won't listen a lot.
Unfortunately, the way health care reform is being debated means a lot of people have to really get hurt financially hard to drive home the fact there's a problem with the way the current system works and band-aid fixes can't stop the bleeding. Only then will there be enough support to get a single payer health care system up and running.
Article: The Private Option
url: http://www.slate.com/id/2227984/
September 15, 2009 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know what worries me? I'm afraid that so much of the fear and anger and hatred that we see in the faces of the teabaggers is genuine, only it is in response to just all the pressures you talk about and not to the "enemies" they have identified. The problem is that these people aren't sufficiently introspective to identify its true cause. They just know they are hurting.
Enter the Glen Becks and the Lou Dobbs' and Dick Armeys and the GOP who are sufficiently cynical or crazed themselves (ever watch Glen Beck?) to exploit such anger and fear. Soon you have a raging mob just this side of out-of-control without any moderating influence of sanity nor reason to keep them from exploding.
This is the nightmare that keeps me awake.
September 15, 2009 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
By the way PNHP has a link to an article by Michael Hiltzik in the LATimes, Will U.S. learn its healthcare reform lesson from California?
url : http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik14-2009sep14,0,7041044.column
He brings out a point that California created an insurance exchange in 1992 and buried it in 2006. From what I read, it failed because there wasn't anything to mandate all employers had to use it nor the all insurers had to offer policies. Eventually it became a dumping ground for the riskiest groups and insurers were able to demand whatever they wished.
His point was the legislation was more like swiss cheese - there were too many loopholes for both employer and insurer to weasel around the intent of the legislation.
It's worth the time to read to get some hard earned facts about just how successful the Congresses attempt will be to wade into that putrid swamp.
September 15, 2009 9:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
And another NPR story. Two in a row. What's with those folks today? The boss must be out of town.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112839236
September 15, 2009 9:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
1) Washington Post-ABC News Poll
url: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_091309.html
2) Doctors Like the Public Option
url: http://www.slate.com/id/2228356/
Damn, Amike!
Single payer isn't dead ...it's still got some life in it! And the MSM is breathing life into it even!
September 15, 2009 9:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
But it sure leaves you a bit awestruck at just how corrupt the political system is when you witness the terrific amount of energy that is put into killing single payer and then even the pubic option - by both sides! - when all polling and common sense would indicate that it should be a slam dunk for approval.
Insurance Industry don't want it? "Don't worry, boss." sez the pol. "They ain't going to get it. Let's discuss it over lunch, and bring your checkbook."
There's a time when they at least tried to be subtle about such things. But maybe this is what we get when they promise more openness in government.
September 15, 2009 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ya...but they're just Doctors. If they were specialists, they'd be singing a different tune.
C
September 15, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
amike,
Thanks for this. We need more 'exposure' of this manner of truths to be published far and wide. Hopefully, we will all take this post and share promptly. (Hmmm, I believe I will 'share' with my state's Congressional members too, just in case they weren't aware of the facts! heh heh)
Appreciate the links too. (So glad there is no youtube or other embed that doesn't allow me to rec or comment!)
September 15, 2009 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why not write them and ask them to consult their doctors? :-) Staffers too can ask theirs.
September 15, 2009 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent point. I will sending this afternoon and will advise of replies. Thanks.
September 15, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
amike, if you're still here, go to the following url. It's the ultimate single payer!
url: http://www.billionairesforwealthcare.com/
The song is really catchy too!
September 15, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've loved the Billionaires since I saw them at a Take Back America Conference in DC a few years ago. One of those guys looks like the Penguin from Batman, the TV series. :-)
September 15, 2009 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just am not sure I want somebody in government getting in between my doctor and her insurance claims people...er
I am not sure I want somebody in government gettin in between me and my insurance claims agent...er
I DONT WANT SOMEBODY FROM GOVERNMENT GETTING IN BETWEEN MY DOCTOR AND HER STOCK BROKER.
This entire matter is so damn confusing to me.
September 15, 2009 4:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
One of the doctors said he didn't want anyone to come between him and his patients, and that medicare was less invasive in medical decisions than Insurance companies were....invasive, you know, like noxious weeds? Medicare let doctors practice medicine better than the insurance companies did...not perfect by any means, but better.
September 15, 2009 7:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Last year PNHP published a survey that said 59% of American physicians favored SINGLE PAYER over the current craptastic "system".
http://www.pnhp.org/news/2008/march/most_doctors_support.php
September 15, 2009 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK - so NOW you all think the doctors are right.
I see. Of course, when doctors from that same Massachusetts Medical Society (that publishes the NEJM) says that medical malpractice needs to be reformed, well in THAT case the doctors are lying because they're just looking out for their own self interests.
But NOW the doctors are really smart guys. Funny how that works.
September 15, 2009 10:19 PM | Reply | Permalink