busyAlways ask, "Who benefits?" ... and if health industry bigwigs are donating to something, it will probably benefit them at your expense. This is how voter influence over our country is dwindling: corporations give the politicians more money, so they get more attention and perks.
Health Industry Donates Heavily to Blue Dog Democrats' Campaigns
Halimah Abdullah, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer: "As the Obama administration and Democrats wrangled over health care overhaul efforts during the first half of the year, the Democratic Party's Blue Dog political-action committee was receiving more than half of its $1.1 million in campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical, health care and health insurance industries, according to watchdog organizations."
America's current health care plan can be summed up as "Don't get sick!" Here is an article that looks at that issue.
Gail Pellett | Don't Get Sick!
Gail Pellett, Truthout: "Don't get sick! Those were the last words my grandfather said to me as I left Vancouver for the United States. It was 1964. Canada was in the process of implementing a universal health care system. I hadn't noticed, because I was young, healthy and restless. Now, these many years later, as I witness the health care reform 'debate,' my grandfather's words have returned to haunt me."
Here is discussion of the contentious town meetings over health care reform, regarding whether or not this is legitimate political behavior.
Henry A. Giroux | Town Hall Democracy or Mob Hysteria? Rethinking the Importance of the Public Sphere
Henry A. Giroux, Truthout: "The bitter debate that is unfolding over Obama's health care plan has garnered a great deal of media attention. The images are both familiar and disturbing - members of Congress are shouted down, taunted, hanged in effigy and, in some instances, received death threats. In some cases, mob scenes have produced violence and resulted in a number of arrests. Increasingly, people are showing up with guns at these meetings, revealing an intimate connection between an embrace of violence, politics and an unbridled hatred of both the public sphere and the conditions for real exchange, debate and dialogue over important social issues."
August 28 2009, 18:10:55 UTC 11 years ago
Picture this. You sign up with a health insurance entity, and pay, say $200 per month. Then after 12 months, you have to go to the hospital and end up with a bill for over $20,000, and your insurace covers it.
Question: If you only paid $2,400 into your policy, then where did the other $17,600 come from?
Answer: Other policyholders. In other words, someone else's money was helping you pay off your hospital bill.
Wouldn't that be the same as the public option?
August 28 2009, 18:19:34 UTC 11 years ago
Answer: Other policyholders. In other words, someone else's money was helping you pay off your hospital bill.
Mostly, but not entirely -- some of it is also coming from investments the insurance company made.
Wouldn't that be the same as the public option?
As I understand it: Essentially, yes, except that the premiums would be going into a government fund, rather than into an insurance company.