debbiedoesnothing's Blog

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-29T17:11:12Z

I don't know what the law is but I know the reality. I personally know people who had insurance, changed jobs because of layoffs, and were denied coverage for pre-existing conditions with their new insurance. They work for companies with fewer than 50 employees.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-29T17:03:25Z

I call him Michele Bachmann's evil twin.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-29T17:02:23Z

People don't see it until they themselves or a close family member has a health crisis. Those who are healthy go trotting along through life, thinking their insurance will cover any problems that come up. Then they get sick and get a rude awakening.

Even my brothers - Mom's been having problems for years but she didn't talk to them about it. It's only been since this spring, when she had multiple hospitalizations that they caught on. She kept getting sent home because her insurance would only cover so many days. Then she'd get sicker at home and end up back in the ER and get re-admitted.

When the bills started coming in, I made her show them to my youngest brother. He was against health care reform until he saw the stack and I explained the reason she screens her calls is because she has collection agencies calling her day and night.

And she has "good" insurance.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-29T00:32:46Z

Paying for meds isn't the big issue for anyone in my family. My income is low enough to qualify for Medicaid - between that and Medicare, my copay is usually $3 or less per Rx. If a drug I need isn't available in generic, I'm SOL.

The rest of my family has private insurance that covers drugs fairly well. It's the cost of the insurance that's hurting them and the copays for doctor visits, tests, labs, hospitalizations.

My mom, for example, is on Humana. Every time she goes to the hospital, she has a copay for each doctor who sees her or reads an CT scan or interprets a lab, as well as separate copays for ER and for inpatient.

The biggest problem for all of us is the trap we're in. My brothers are stuck in their jobs and I'm stuck on disability in order to maintain the insurance that we have now. Plus their premiums keep going up and their coverage keeps going down.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on Public option: Senate contact list (updated) by AnswerFrog

2009-08-28T20:49:44Z

Dean's list says Rep. King of Iowa is "don't know" for public option. He's come out against it and there's never been any doubt about that. Most recent statements here:

http://siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2009/08/28/news/local/1e05e2ed29dde6ac8625761f007a35ea.txt

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-28T20:35:14Z

I cross-posted on my personal blog, for whatever that's worth. I should send a copy to Grassley and Harkin but I don't think I'd change any minds there.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-28T20:33:19Z

I have to confess the death teabaggers managed to intimidate me. I didn't go to Grassley and Harkin's town halls when they were in my area because I felt like I couldn't control myself if those if the nutjobs showed up. I would've been the one who ended up in jail.

And my congressman is Steve King. 'Nuff said, right?

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-28T20:30:22Z

Thanks to the link, Obey. It cheered me up too.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-28T20:28:30Z

The MSM in its present form is worse than useless - it's destructive.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-28T20:27:29Z

You've got it - it's just not right. One way health reform would save money: if I knew I had guaranteed health care no matter what, I could go out and get a job, start paying more taxes, and stop collecting Social Security. There are thousands of people in the same boat as me.

debbiedoesnothing recommended TPM depresses me by debbiedoesnothing

2009-08-28T17:19:11Z

debbiedoesnothing recommended "I Don't Think Everybody Needs Healthcare Coverage." by Kris Broughton

2009-08-24T11:52:08Z

debbiedoesnothing Commented on TPM bloggers imaginary office by tpmgary

2009-08-23T18:40:55Z

Little Debbie has a snack for you. I'll be in the break room.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on The Cafe Recommend System is Getting Screwed by OldenGoldenDecoy

2009-08-22T21:02:46Z

Quit drawing attention to the crap and it will go away. Don't you realize these people get off on all this complaining?

If you have a concern about this, email TPM and let them handle it behind the scenes.

Trolls and spam are annoying but all these discussions about the trolls annoy me more because the trolls are getting exactly what they want.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on JOSH AND TPM: WHERE R U? LET US HEAR FROM YOU PLEASE by Aunt Sam

2009-08-22T01:42:18Z

You're right on target, bwakfat. The best way to get rid of trolls is to ignore them. They get bored and go away. The more attention they get - the more people argue with them and the more people start new discussions complaining about them, the happier they are. Their only purpose here is to get a rise out of people.

Don't feed the trolls, people. Ignore them.

debbiedoesnothing recommended Audacity my ass, Mr. President by Ripper McCord

2009-08-17T09:39:03Z

debbiedoesnothing recommended No Public Option? Then Kill It by oleeb

2009-08-16T20:39:53Z

debbiedoesnothing recommended More Tales of Health Care Woe From Across the Pond by David Kurtz

2009-08-13T13:13:17Z

debbiedoesnothing Commented on Sen. Grassley: Govt. Would 'Decide When To Pull The Plug On Grandma' by Rachel Slajda

2009-08-13T06:59:56Z

And by that, you mean pig farmer, right? Because he is one.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on Sen. Grassley: Govt. Would 'Decide When To Pull The Plug On Grandma' by Rachel Slajda

2009-08-12T22:14:01Z

Et tu, Chuck? I'm so disappointed. I didn't think he'd sink that low.

debbiedoesnothing Commented on Lies, Damn Lies, Cash for Clunkers and the Volt by Donal

2009-08-12T06:05:54Z

What irks me is that my clunker - a 1990 minivan - is not eligible for C4C because when it was new, it got better than 20 mpg. All of the "clunkers" I see on TV being destroyed are in far better condition and get better mileage than my car, but I can't participate in the program. And I can't even go out and buy one of those used cars because they're being crushed. It pisses me off.

The asshats who bought big SUVs are being rewarded while someone like me, who bought a sensible vehicle, gets nothing.

debbiedoesnothing recommended Obama Arrested Attempting to Break into White Power Structure by Cheesemoose

2009-07-23T20:32:16Z

debbiedoesnothing recommended Presser Transcript by David Kurtz

2009-07-23T14:02:48Z

debbiedoesnothing Commented on Stephen Colbert in death match with black Barbie by Bertha Lewis

2009-07-22T16:43:34Z

You were great! You handled him better than just about anyone else I've seen--you got as many laughs from me as he did. I'm disappointed they cut the Barbie-Transformer duel.

debbiedoesnothing recommended Gang of Sickos: Six US Senators Sell Out Constituents for $11 Million from Health Industry by eades

2009-07-19T03:01:02Z

debbiedoesnothing recommended Kudos to Rachel Maddow by nemokc

2009-07-16T04:01:36Z

debbiedoesnothing Commented on Not Steve Rattner! O, Lord in heaven, NO! by San Fernando Curt

2009-07-16T17:04:50Z

As someone who lives in a state that has more pigs than people, I have to ask why you dragged poor old pig farmers into this?

debbiedoesnothing recommended The case for keeping "single payer health care" off the table by SleepinJeezus

2009-07-15T12:14:04Z