“John McCain’s health records must be released”

Do you see the call for the release of all of Sen. McCain’s health history important to the election and to the country, or do you see it as a prejudice against cancer survivors? I honestly see it differently every time I read or see anything about this. I’m very aware of Robert Greenwald’s political leanings, so I worry that his call might look as if he’s picking on Sen. McCain when he really might have the country’s best interests at heart. Your thoughts?

Sources:
“John McCain’s Health Records Must Be Released!” - The Huffington Post, September 14, 2008
“John McCain’s health records must be released” - YouTube

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She feels that she was treated better in New York City, but her bills were astronomical in comparison to her bills for her London treatment. Her point can probably be summed up with her asking, “Would the elderly woman in my ward in London who repeatedly pleaded “Can someone help me please?” after being left on her dirty bedpan for almost an hour, recommend a version of the National Health Service to Americans?

Cost vs. quality….the major dilemma. Your thoughts on her accounts?

Source:
“A tale of 2 sickbeds: Health care in U.K. vs. U.S.” - MSNBC, September 22, 2008

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You can check out the episode online on the Boston Legal area of the ABC.com Web site.

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Originally written September 8, 2008
No Group Coverage? Well You’re Just SOL!
In the last five years, I’ve had the following conversation more times than I can count on two hands…

Other Person: “How’s business going?”

Me: “Oh, pretty good. I’m really busy, and I really love my job.”

Other Person: “Good. I was hoping with _____ (fill in the blank with any of the following: the economy, the war in Iraq, 9/11, the housing slump, etc.) that you were staying busy.”

Me: “Yeah, I just keep plugging along. Actually, I figure the most likely thing to put me out of business is health insurance.”

Other Person: “Yeah, rates keep going up.”

Me: “Well, I can plan for rate increases. What I can’t plan for is if someone in my family gets a serious medical condition. We don’t qualify for group coverage, and with the individual coverage we have, our insurance company can effectively get rid of us if one of us gets a serious condition.”

Other Person: “They can’t do that, can they?”

Me: “Technically they can’t deny us coverage. However, they can make our rates so unaffordable that we would have to switch companies. And here’s the catch with individual policies…when we switch companies, the new insurance company can exclude the pre-existing condition that caused us to switch in the first place.”

Other Person: “Really? I had no idea?”

Obviously, I’ve paraphrased, but that is essentially the conversation I’ve had over and over with people that have group coverage. I think that is why many people are opposed to the idea of universal coverage. Many people with group coverage don’t realize that many of the country’s uninsured or under-insured, lack the ability to even qualify for decent coverage.

There will always be a certain number of people who can afford health insurance, choose not to pay for it, then get sick, and cost tax-payers a lot of money. And the opponents of universal coverage will trot those examples out at every opportunity.

But I’m here as proof that many hard-working, self-employed Americans are one illness (for them, their spouse, or their dependents) away from financial disaster.

I just read John McCain’s health care plan. He wants to use tax credits along with the free market and guaranteed access plans to “fix” health care. IT WILL NOT WORK! Would you let the free market run your fire department? Police department? I hope not. The free market exists to make a profit. I like profits. I think they’re swell. I’d like to make more. However, I strongly believe that it is wrong to profit from health insurance. The lure of profits in health insurance influences decisions from their middle management that are scandalous. Who hasn’t heard a horror story of someone they know being denied basic benefits?

As for guaranteed access plans (or GAP’s), we have those already in Iowa. GAP’s are a decent temporary solution to get more people insured. Take a look at Iowa’s plans, though. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want one, especially with what they cost.

I’m not completely sold on Obama’s plan either, but it is much closer to universal coverage, and I think it is a step in the right direction. He’s got my vote on this issue.

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Dr. Chen’s debut column, “Healing the Doctor-Patient Divide” admits that there is a divide and calls for an open dialogue via the internet. She states that, “It is difficult for any one of us to change today’s health care system, but there is one thing every one of us can do. We can begin the conversation.”

Sources:
“Doctors and Patients Start Talking” - The New York Times, September 11, 2008
“Healing the Doctor-Patient Divide” - The New York Times, September 11, 2008

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According to Lorna Thorpe, deputy commissioner for the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, “…many, many people who were directly affected by 9/11 — meaning survivors, first responders, lower Manhattan residents — had traumatic symptoms.” Most articles today report that many, many people are still suffering the effects which tend to become more intense every year around September 11.

More information about the registry can be found here.

Sources:
“9/11’s Psychological Scars Slowly Healing” - U.S. News & World Report, September 11, 2008
“World Trade Center Rescue Workers, Others Still Facing Health Problems” - Newsinferno.com, September 11, 2008
WTC Health Registry

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Want to stay healthy?

Trigon has the most doctors to choose from. So you can get one you like.

Need a good doctor? **Be aware that this video contains the anatomically correct name for a male reproductive organ.**

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Woolley went on to state that the questions on the survey were composed based on feedback from readers of Parade Magazine, which she claimed reaches 75 million+ readers each week, who were asked what health and science related issues they would like to hear the candidates address. Survey results can be found on the Your Candidates. Your Health. Web site along with more information about the survey, the letter that was sent to the candidates, and the ability to compare and contrast various candidates’ responses.

Responses from both Senator Obama and Senator McCain’s campaigns are available. As for the congressional candidates, my guess is that the availability of responses will be hit or miss as a search for my address brought up 7 candidates of whom only 2 had responses listed, and 2 had responses pending. Check out some of the responses and let us know what you think!

Sources:
National Public Radio - Science Friday
Research!America
Your Candidates.Your Health

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“My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.”

I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t hear more, but as I mentioned in a previous post, I realize that these conventions are not the place to lay out plans for all issues. But while there wasn’t a whole lot of health care substance at the DNC, either, I’ll go ahead and say that it was a more prominent topic at that convention, at least among the prime-time speakers. I heard an interesting piece on National Public Radio’s Science Friday today that offered more insight into both presidential candidates stances on and plans for health care and the sciences. I will post more about that soon. I’ll wrap up the Convention posts with both the video and text of Senator John McCain’s Republican National Convention speech below.

John McCain at the Republican National Convention

speech text

Source:
Republican National Convention Official Web site

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Tuesday night speakers included Senator Joe Lieberman, and actor and former senator Fred Thompson. I actually had to veer from the RNC official web site to find the full text of Senator Lieberman’s speech, but I did find it and he made only one mention of health care by alluding to the fact that Americans are worried about the cost of health insurance. Fred Thompson only mentioned that we would be hearing more about Senator McCain’s health care plans as the convention went on.

Wednesday night’s heavy hitters included the former mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney, former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I won’t mince words here, folks, I couldn’t find mention of health care in any of the speech text for any of these convention speakers. Let me be clear, I wasn’t able to watch these speeches live, and I was only able to catch bits and pieces on the radio and via the internet, but according to the transcripts, there was no mention of health care. If I’m wrong on this, please post and let me know!

So, due to the lack of health care discussions, I will not be posting the videos or text for these speeches. However, if you’re interested in reading or watching, you can visit the official RNC site here.

Let’s hope we hear more about U.S. health care from Senator McCain tonight.

Source:
Republican National Convention Official Web site

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