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Memo to Jim Denning: You stop the madness!
I read Mr. Denning’s guest column with interest as I am always interested in understanding both sides of an issue.There were many things in that article that I would take issue with; but one of his statements made me livid! “Give the business owners one last chance to reform the insurance market. This legislation has been a wake up call to us. We will not waste the opportunity to solve this problem if given one last chance.”
Where has Mr. Denning been the last 15 years! The issue of affordable healthcare was a main part in the first Clinton administration’s list of things to accomplish. The Republicans and healthcare special interest groups defeated any attempts by the Clinton Administration to keep the lid on escalating costs, while making it possible for everyone to obtain insurance coverage.
Those same tactics are being used today. Here we are 15 years later, and the private sector has done nothing to slow down those escalating costs or to offer complete, affordable healthcare for everyone.
I have always been a proponent of letting the private sector work on issues. But the fact remains that these issues have not been addressed by the private sector. That is why we have seen obscene amounts of money spent in Washington, D.C., by the medical profession (yours included), the insurance profession, and the pharmaceutical companies on lobbyists to fight against reform.
It these organizations are not getting wealthy, how do they have so much extra money to spend on the lobby machine?
It is why HCA was able to force the Independence government into allowing it to build a new hospital on the eastern edge of the city and put covenants on the existing two hospitals to prevent them from ever again being competitive hospitals. If HCA were truly an organization committed to healthcare for all, would it not have made sense to build the new hospital in the midsection of Independence? And while we are thinking of expenses, why is it that a decent pair of bi-focal glasses costs $300 to $400?
I have been unemployed and faced with spending over $1,000 per month on health insurance. It is not fun. At the time there was no one to speak for me. And that still exists today. Who speaks for the families that cannot afford healthcare? They have no lobby group, putting money into the coffers of lawmakers.
Memo to Jim Denning: You stop the madness!
I read Mr. Denning’s guest column with interest as I am always interested in understanding both sides of an issue.There were many things in that article that I would take issue with; but one of his statements made me livid! “Give the business owners one last chance to reform the insurance market. This legislation has been a wake up call to us. We will not waste the opportunity to solve this problem if given one last chance.”
Where has Mr. Denning been the last 15 years! The issue of affordable healthcare was a main part in the first Clinton administration’s list of things to accomplish. The Republicans and healthcare special interest groups defeated any attempts by the Clinton Administration to keep the lid on escalating costs, while making it possible for everyone to obtain insurance coverage.
Those same tactics are being used today. Here we are 15 years later, and the private sector has done nothing to slow down those escalating costs or to offer complete, affordable healthcare for everyone.
I have always been a proponent of letting the private sector work on issues. But the fact remains that these issues have not been addressed by the private sector. That is why we have seen obscene amounts of money spent in Washington, D.C., by the medical profession (yours included), the insurance profession, and the pharmaceutical companies on lobbyists to fight against reform.
It these organizations are not getting wealthy, how do they have so much extra money to spend on the lobby machine?
It is why HCA was able to force the Independence government into allowing it to build a new hospital on the eastern edge of the city and put covenants on the existing two hospitals to prevent them from ever again being competitive hospitals. If HCA were truly an organization committed to healthcare for all, would it not have made sense to build the new hospital in the midsection of Independence? And while we are thinking of expenses, why is it that a decent pair of bi-focal glasses costs $300 to $400?
I have been unemployed and faced with spending over $1,000 per month on health insurance. It is not fun. At the time there was no one to speak for me. And that still exists today. Who speaks for the families that cannot afford healthcare? They have no lobby group, putting money into the coffers of lawmakers.
The issue today is not just about reform of insurance companies. It is about having complete healthcare for all that is affordable for all.
The current system is not working for all and is extremely expensive. Even for families that currently have coverage; we are all one major health catastrophe from bankruptcy. I hear no potential solutions from the private sector. I only hear that the private sector can solve the problems, if given time.
Well, they have had all the time in the world – at least 15 years since the last time this issue was raised-and nothing has changed! So now it is time for the government to step in and attempt to do what the private organizations have chosen not to do.
So I say No, Hell No to the status quo!
