Hillary Clinton's Health Care Plan

Monday, September 17, 2007

Hillary Clinton released her health care plan today. My hopes were very high as far as where she would come out on this issue because I think it's one of the most important ones facing America and I know that the candidates that I most strongly support and who have come out with the best health care plans so far (Mike Gravel & Dennis Kucinich) do not have a good shot at becoming president. Clinton does. And that's what makes her health care plan so important. She was at the forefront of the health care reform of 1993 that was killed by the health insurance industry but she has backed off her stance of the time significantly since then (see Sicko, no really - see Sicko.)

While the plan she released today did not live up to my highest hopes (see Dennis Kucinich) it is better than I was expecting. Read a summary of her plan here.

The most exciting part is probably the first part (no coincidence, eh?)

"The Same Choice of Health Plan Options that Members of Congress Receive: Americans can keep their existing coverage or access the same menu of quality private insurance options that their Members of Congress receive through a new Health Choices Menu, established without any new bureaucracy as part of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP). In addition to the broad array of private options that Americans can choose from, they will be offered the choice of a public plan option similar to Medicare."

Clinton is having a live web cast tomorrow night (9/18) at 8 PM Eastern Time to discuss her health care plan.

Health Care Rankings

Saturday, July 28, 2007

With our country in dire need of health care reform and the implementation of a universal health care system there will be some people spreading much misinformation in order to keep the system as is. Those people are bought and paid for by the health insurance industry and this includes many politicians. People who speak out against universal health care are either lying or ignorant.

Below you'll find the most up to date world wide health care rankings by the World Health Organization. Consider that every country on this list except for the United States has a universal health care system. Think of this list the next time you hear someone lying: Rudy Giuliani Lies About Health Care.

1. France
2. Italy
3. San Marino
4. Andorra
5. Malta
6. Singapore
7. Spain
8. Oman
9. Austria
10. Japan
11. Norway
12. Portugal
13. Monaco
14. Greece
15. Iceland
16. Luxembourg
17. Netherlands
18. United Kingdom
19. Ireland
20. Switzerland
21. Belgium
22. Colombia
23. Sweden
24. Cyprus
25. Germany
26. Saudi Arabia
27. United Arab Emirates
28. Israel
29. Morocco
30. Canada
31. Finland
32. Australia
33. Chile
34. Denmark
35. Dominica
36. Costa Rica
37. USA

Also consider that the US spends by far the most money per person on health care of any of these countries. Why are we getting so little return on so much money spent? Because of the corrupt system we have in place which benefits the very rich health insurance companies and their investors but not the people of this country.

It's obviously well past time for a change. We cannot afford to support any presidential candidate who does not have a true single payer universal health care system ready to go. Right now Dennis Kucinich has the best plan of any of the candidates. Read about Kucinich's health care plan.

We Can Pay For Universal Health Care

Monday, July 23, 2007

This is a great article on universal health care.

The type of universal single payer health care talked about in this article is the type of health care plan proposed by Dennis Kucinich. No other candidate is really bringing a true universal (insurance company free) plan to the table. Why not? The facts clearly show that a universal health care system will be far superior to our current system.

We feel that we have to DEMAND of our candidates that they bring a true universal health care plan to the table. No candidate that does not bring such a plan deserves our support!

Rudy Giuliani Lies About Health Care

Monday, July 23, 2007

Rudy Giuliani, Republican candidate for president, had a campaign stop in Iowa on Friday.

Guiliani had this to say about Universal Health Care:

"We don't want socialized medicine. Maybe you should go see 'Sicko,' see if you agree with Michael Moore that we should have the Cuban health care system. That's where the Democrats are taking us… All the places that have government-run health care, it's inferior to us. We've got to preserve our private system. People will have to earn some of that access. Let's not become a nanny state. You don't help somebody when you make them dependent. You make it within their realm to do it, but give them a chance to earn it. The system gets destroyed when you start making big promises."

Lies:

1. "See if you agree with Michael Moore that we should have the Cuban health care system."

Michael Moore does not say we should have a Cuban health care system in the movie. Other systems for health care are shown including the French, English, and Canadian systems. These systems all far out perform the American system, it is not even close. Moore is recommending we learn from the success of other countries and create our own Universal Health Care system which takes the best from all the other systems to create an even better system. There is no reason why we cannot have the best health care in the world.

It is also shown in the movie that the Cuban health care system gets a lot more "bang for it's buck." They spend only $251 per person yet they rank #39 in the world in health care. In America we spend over $7,000 per person yet rank only 2 slots higher at #37. That we (an extremely rich country) rank only 2 slots higher than a very poor country like Cuba is a disgrace.

2. "All the places that have government-run health care, it's inferior to us."

This is just a flat out lie. We rank #37 in the world in health care. All 36 of the countries in front of us have government run health care. They all have Universal Health Care systems. We have nearly 50 million Americans who are not covered for health care in our country. How is this acceptable?

The insurance companies get money by NOT supplying you with health care. How is this a good idea? Money controls the health care in this country instead of the needs of the sick. This is why we lag so far behind.

People cannot continue to accept these lies. The only reason Rudy Guiliani is saying these things is because he is bought and paid for by the insurance industry. You cannot trust this man. He does not have your interests at heart. How much longer can we take this before people wake up and start voting for their own interests?

3. "We've got to preserve our private system"

It's clearly not because of the service that we are getting that this system should be preserved. It's only because it's making a lot of insurance company executives very very rich. These same people give large sums of money to candidates like Rudy Giuliani.

4. "The system gets destroyed when you start making big promises"

Our system is already failing. As I mentioned earlier we have nearly 50 million people in this country without any health insurance. We have 18,000 people who die every year in this country simply because they do not have health insurance. Sick people are kicked to the curb in this country every day. It is not right.

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People who say we should be scared of socialized health care should think about some of the other services that are socialized in this country. The police and the fire department come to mind. The library system. The postal service. These things are all government run and thankfully so. Can you imagine if the fire department was privately owned and they only put out a fire if you paid them first? That sounds pretty insane doesn't it? How is it anymore insane than only helping sick people if they pay for health insurance first?

Think about this. Truly think about it. Our health care system is an absolute disgrace. A nightmare. It is absolutely unacceptable that a country of our wealth can allow so many sick people to go without care.

Universal Health Care (without insurance companies involved at all) must be the goal. The propaganda to convince you that our current system is great is produced by the health insurance industry that is making billions of dollars. Look at the facts! Our current system is not working. Their only chance it to tell outright lies like their bought and paid for spokesmen like Rudy Giuliani. Do not accept these lies anymore.

Michael Moore interview with Keith Olbermann

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Michael Moore interview on Keith Olbermann's Countdown:



Last week Olbermann ran this story about Moore's appearance with Wolf Blitzer:



Remember, so far Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel are the only presidential candidates who have come out with a universal health care plan. We must demand of the candidates that they step up to the task!

Sicko - Complete Movie

Thursday, July 12, 2007

The complete Sicko : Watch it. Find out why we should only support a presidential candidate that has a plan for true universal health care.



I do not know how long this movie will be available from Google Video but I do know that Michael Moore has said he's OK with this movie being shared for free because he wants as many people as possible to know about how poor our health care system is and to know that there are other possibilities (Universal Health Care.)

Michael Moore Vs. Sanjay Gupta

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Yesterday I wrote about Michael Moore's appearance on CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer following CNN's hit piece on Sicko starring Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Well last night Mr. Moore and Dr. Gupta both appeared on Larry King Live:

Part 1:



Part 2:



Part 3:



Every single "point" that Gupta tries to bring such as higher taxes to pay for universal health care and that Cuba is 39th (behind the USA at 37th) in health care rankings are actually already in the movie! That's what's really incredible about this who "fact checking" fiasco. The numbers CNN put up were either OLD (as Moore says from 2004 rather than 2007) or they were already included in the movie in the first place. This is an incredibly clear example of shoddy biased journalism trying to discredit a film because the film discredits their sponsors.

You cannot trust what the mainstream media says about universal health care. America needs universal health care. "Sicko" does NOT fudge the facts in any way. It is absolutely imperative that you watch this film and make up your own mind.

We must support a presidential candidate that is going to bring real universal health care to our nation. We must catch up with the rest of the western world.

Michael Moore on CNN - "Sicko"

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Michael Moore was on the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on CNN last night. Before he was interviewed, CNN played the following "Reality Check" segment:



Then the interview where Moore responds to the attacks made in the preceding segment and also takes Blitzer, CNN, and the mainstream media in general to task for their pathetic journalism:



As Moore promised he sets the facts straight on his website: FACTS.

I found this segment and interview important for many reasons:

1. We cannot continue to listen to what the mainstream media says without thorough fact checking of what THEY say. We have to understand the level at which these "news" programs are bought and paid for by big money (including big pharmaceutical money.)

2. It highlights the dishonesty of the mainstream media.

3. The health care problem is one of the biggest problems facing America. It needs to be at the top of debates in the current election cycle. We need to demand of our presidential candidates a true universal health coverage plan. There should be no such thing as a health insurance company.

Right now Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel have universal health care plans on the table. Kucinich has the most thorough and best plan: Read about his plan.

As Moore alluded to Al Gore who may be entering the race at some point. If he does he hopefully will be bringing a real universal health care plan to the table. I know that if he were to enter with a real universal health care plan he would immediately draw support from Obama, Edwards, and Clinton who have not done so.

He also mentioned that Clinton has not presented her health care plan yet and he is holding out some hope that she will come with a real universal health care plan.

We must let all candidates know that we are not OK with a proposal that merely tries to patch up the current system, we need a complete revamping. We need true universal health care. If they don't bring a true universal health care plan to the table then they don't get our votes. It's as simple as that!

Do not be fooled by the health care industry any longer. Do not be swayed by their nonsense about "socialized medicine," they are only concerned about their profits. They have absolutely no concern about your health. When you get sick you better hope that the system has changed. This is your chance to possibly save your life and the life of your children. The time is now for REAL CHANGE!

Democrats Health Care Plans

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Dennis Kucinich

As stated on his website Kucinich is the only candidate who has a plan for a universal single payer not for profit health care system.

His plan is embodied in the HR 676 bill which was written by Kucinich and fellow congressman John Conyers. Michael Moore supports HR 676.

This is the plan that we endorse.

Mike Gravel

Gravel also supports universal health care. His plan uses vouchers. In his plan the federal government would issue annual health care vouchers based on the needs of the citizens.

Hillary Clinton

Although Clinton deserves much credit for trying to bring universal health care to America during her husbands first term as president she has since gone soft on the issue.

Although she states on her website that "America is ready for universal health care" she doesn't provide any plan for universal health care. And her rhetoric seems to be more about lowering the cost of health insurance premiums rather than truly reforming the system.

Health insurance shouldn't be part of any sort of real health care reform. We need to follow the lead of other western nations such as Canada, the UK, and France. We need true universal health care like the plan that Dennis Kucinich supports.

Barack Obama

Obama does have a plan for "affordable" health care for all. This looks to be more of a patching up of the problem rather than a true overhaul like Kucinich's plan. Read more about Obama's health care ideas.

John Edwards

Unfortunately Edwards plan is a universal health insurance plan more than a universal health care plan. Sure his plan would be a big improvement over our current system and would help many people but I still do not think we should settle for anything less than true universal health care. Why should we not be able to match the systems of France or the UK?

Health insurance should be a thing of the past.

Chris Dodd

Dodd's plan looks similar to Edwards. Again it would be a big improvement over what we have now but I do not think it's the right way to go.

Bill Richardson

"Affordable and secure health insurance for every American should be our national goal." No. Health insurance should be a thing of the past. If you allow health insurance companies to be in the mix then it's not going to work.

Joe Biden

Biden does not seem to have a plan for universal health care.

Sicko

Friday, July 06, 2007

The new Michael Moore film Sicko is an important movie for every American to watch.

Why? Because it lays out inarguably that the American health care system is broken, corrupt, and far behind the level attained by other western nations.

It is absolutely unacceptable that something as basic and important as our health care is in the hands of insurance companies that exist entirely for profit.

Compare the situation highlighted in Sicko: In America employees of the insurance companies get bonuses for rejecting coverage. In the UK doctors get a bonus for having healthier patients. Which system would you rather be in when you get sick?

It's very important to realize that the problem does not only lie with the over 40 million Americans who do not have health insurance but that the problem is also for those who have health insurance and think that they will be covered when a problem comes up but when something happens they are ultimately left out to dry.

I am hopeful that Sicko will bring the health care topic to the forefront of this election cycle. Certainly no candidate that does not support universal health care reform should even be considered.

Which candidates currently support true universal health care?

Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel.