Obama is asking for your personal stories in fight for Health Care Reform

[book_worm]

(from E-mail just received, and I imagine many of you just got)

Friend --

The chance to finally reform our nation's health care system is here. While Congress moves rapidly to produce a detailed plan, I have made it clear that real reform must uphold three core principles -- it must reduce costs, guarantee choice, and ensure quality care for every American.

As we know, challenging the status quo will not be easy. Its defenders will claim our goals are too big, that we should once again settle for half measures and empty talk. Left unanswered, these voices of doubt might yet again derail the comprehensive reform we so badly need. That's where you come in.

When our opponents spread fear and confusion about the changes we seek, your support for these core principles will show clarity and resolve. When the lobbyists for the status quo tell Congress to hold back, your personal story will give them the courage to press forward.

Join my call: Ask Congress to pass real health care reform in 2009.

After adding your name, please consider sharing your personal story about the importance of health care reform in your life and the lives of those you love.

I will be personally reviewing many of these signatures and stories. If you speak up now, your voice will make a difference.

http://my.barackobama.com/HealthCareOrganizing

American families are watching their premiums rise four times faster than their wages. Spiraling health care costs are shackling America's businesses, curtailing job growth and slowing the economy at the worst possible time. This has got to change.

I know personal stories can drive that change, because I know how my mother's experience continues to drive me. She passed away from ovarian cancer a little over a decade ago. And in the last weeks of her life, when she was coming to grips with her own mortality and showing extraordinary courage just to get through each day, she was spending too much time worrying about whether her health insurance would cover her bills. She deserved better. Every American deserves better. And that's why I will not rest until the dream of health care reform is finally achieved in the United States of America.

Please add your name to join my call. Then share your personal story about why you too will not rest until this job is done.

http://my.barackobama.com/HealthCareOrganizing

Last November, the American people sent Washington a clear mandate for change. But when the polls close, the true work of citizenship begins. That's what Organizing for America is all about. Now, in these crucial moments, your voice once again has extraordinary power. I'm counting on you to use it.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama

[rateyes]

1. K & R, and Mr. President, that "guaranteed choice" must include

a public option.

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. Is he fighting for single payer?

No?

Sorry. I do not believe I can be of assistance.

[DURHAM D]

3. Amen. n/t

[book_worm]

4. Yes, but then he never promised to support single payer

during the campaign. So I don't know why it's a surprise to some of you here. If you don't want to help, fine. But if we can get real reform and cut costs and insure all people I'm all for it.

[Coyote_Bandit]

5. I guess you missed this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpAyan1fXCE

[kjackson227]

9. ITA! Anything is better than what we have now.

[nichomachus]

30. I don't follow your logic

Just because he didn't promise it, I should support something else? Is that what you're saying?

[DireStrike]

58. Where's the real reform you talk about?

Making things more efficient in largely the same broken system isn't real reform. I'm not sure I'd even call it just plain reform.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. Single Payer may well be the end destination

It just might not be able to be the first stop along the road there. If we can at least get a "public option" going, I think that single payer will inevitably win in the long term as more and more people see how much better a deal it will be than the current private-run system. Some people are afraid of having a "public option" at all because they fear/know that private businesses won't be able to compete. That should tell you something right there about its inevitability. Once we get a alternative "public system" going and more and more people move into it from the private system, the private system will (most likely) go out of business and, voila! It's interesting how conservatives love the free market and "competition" when it comes to things like schools but won't even fathom it when it comes to, say, health care. Who exactly is against patient choice????

[Coyote_Bandit]

8. My niece and nephew

will benefit if we eventually secure single payer decades from now.

But I'll be dead by then. And more than likely I will be among those who live a diminished life and die an unnecessarily early death because I do not have meanignful access to health care.

But, hey, thanks for the good wishes.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. If a "public option" is made available, why wouldn't you be able to benefit from THAT?

Or am I misunderstanding what the "public option" actually is? Isn't the "public option" essentially a government-run "single payer" system for people who would theoretically choose to opt into it while those who want to (although for the life of me have no idea why) stay in the private system? If that's the case, then why should it matter that not everybody is in a public system? Maybe I'm just confused. :shrug:

But hey, I'm sorry about your health issues and hope you can get the help you deserve.

[Coyote_Bandit]

21. Ummmm......

One of the arguments for single payer is the administrative cost savings which are realized through volume. As long as you've got private insurance being made available - often as a nontaxable employee benefit - then those administrative cost savings are not going to be realized. Those cost savings are dependent upon volume and standardization.

That public option will essentially be a national insurance pool of last resort. The only people who are going to buy that undoubtedly standardized crap offering minimum coverage at maximum rates (it will after all be a high risk pool) will be the ones who cannot secure other coverage.

And then there are still the folks who will not have any coverage - private or public - because they cannot afford it. Oh, yeah, I'm sure it will be mandated and there will be penalties for not buying health insurance. So eventually some poor schmuck is going to land in jail for contempt simply because they could not afford to buy somthing they were dcommanded to purchase.

I don't see that a public option is an improvement. It is a con and a sell-out.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

22. O.k. I understand better where you're coming from now.

Thanks

[nichomachus]

36. What we need is a "private option"

This is what other countries have. Everyone gets the public single-payer system. This spreads the costs across the entire pool and keep the cost lower.

Those who can afford more can buy extra benefits in a private option plan, for which the insurance companies would have to compete.

[yy4me]

37. Ditto. Already had to cancel MD appointment for fear of the bill.

I have Medicare only and no longer have a job. Unemployment due to run out. I have to live on Social Security. Cannot afford Prescription drug coverage or a supplement to part B to cover the whopping amount that Medicare does not cover.

I have to take what I have and be content with it. Hope I don't get sick or injured. It is the same with all of us. We are playing Russian Roulette and have no choice in the matter.

[Coyote_Bandit]

48. I'm a throwaway

I'm some combination of long-term unemployed and self-employed (yeah right).

I do have health insurance. My policy costs me about $3000 annually and comes with a $10,000 deductible. I'm not sure why I bother. I haven't seen a doctor in well over a decade. My nearly 50 years of medical history is documented on 5 pages of paper. I have been very fortunate. It is inevitable as I age that my good fortune will eventually run out.

I live in a society where people are not committed to providing the most basic care for others. I live in a society where the most fundamental documents of government guarantee me the right to life - and yet my political leaders lack the moral fibre and political will to make that a practical reality. From where I sit, being an American isn't suck a great thing - at least not in practical matters where the rubber meets the road.

Hange in there. You are not alone. I share your circumstances and your hope.

[yy4me]

53. I can fully understand the situation you are in as a self-employed

individual. My husband and I ran our own business for 25 years. You know how it goes, 7 days a week, up nights doing all the stuff you have to do to keep your doors open. We closed our business in the mid 1990's. Big rent increase, huge jump in health care monthly premium. We looked into the big deductible policies and found out they were not much more than illusion that you are getting some kind of insurance. At least that was the case with the ones we were able to find. From the time we closed the doors, I have worked for others where I paid a good part of health insurance premium for my husband and I. His job did not offer insurance so a rather large chunk of my pay went to Blue Cross. Still deductibles, still co-pays but better than nothing.

Maybe if we could have held onto some reasonable insurance, we could have kept our doors open. Who knows. When you work for yourself, you give up so much in the way of benefits. I miss our days together in the shop but there was no way to keep doling out money, working such long hours just to give it to the landlord and the insurance company.

[nichomachus]

33. Beware the first step (it's usually a lie)

Don't ask don't tell was pushed as the important "first step" to getting the ban overturned. Here we are 16 years later. Things are worse. And, it looks like we're stuck.

Medicare Part D was pushed as the important "first step" to getting true help for the elderly with drug prices. It's a mess and now it looks like we're stuck with it.

Please don't fall for the lie on this either.

[Petrushka]

13. Last week , I sent the following reply when asked to stand by & support his plan . . .

. . . and I'm not about to change my mind this week! ---



Considering that Obama made no mention of a single-payer universal system . . . and there's no real "choice" without the inclusion of a PUBLIC insurance program (in contradistinction to private for-profit insurers who make their money by denying "health care" to the insured) . . . I cannot stand with the President on this one. Sorry!

On second thought: I might reconsider if Congress would vote to give up its publically subsidized health care benefits.

[closeupready]

16. **** gold-plated taxpayer-financed health care is part of what being in Congress is all about. toots

They ain't never gonna give that up.

[Petrushka]

19. So-o . . . THAT means I ain't never gonna hafta feel guilty 'bout continuin' to say, "N-O, no!" --

Right?

:hi:

[closeupready]

20. You and me both! LOL

:rofl: :)

[closeupready]

14. Exactly. If I want to play games, I'm much better at poker.

:sarcasm:

[northernlights]

24. so did you write that to him?

or only express it here?

[Coyote_Bandit]

41. I've made my opinion on health care reform

known to all my congresscritters (Coburn, Inhoff and Sullivan - blechhhhhh) - and to Obama.

I find the Obama and Coburn plans equally unimpressive and undesirable.

[Joe Bacon]

54. Well, since Mr. President has given up on the Public Option...

Then, Mr. President, here are my proposals to rein in the pimps running the health insurance racket that you want to keep in business:

1) Federalizing all insurance regulators. No more state insurance commissioners that can be bought off one by one, and one set of rules will apply to everyone. No bought off states where the pimps can rip off victims with watered down enforcement!
2) We declare that insurance is a public utility and has to be tightly regulated.
3) Requiring ALL insurance companies to be mutualized--they must be owned by the policyholders. NO STOCKHOLDERS MAY HAVE ANY STAKE IN ANY INSURANCE COMPANY!
4) Policyowners will vote for the board of directors of these companies.
5) All companies must accept anyone for health insurance irregardless of their conditions and their premiums will be reasonably fixed by Federal regulators. NO MORE RATING!
6) Claims must be paid within 30 days
7) Failure to pay claims timely will result in the company paying an additional 12% penalty to the policyholder.
8) No employee of any health insurance company shall be paid more than 75% of the salary of the President of the United States. No stock options. No profit sharing. No deferred compensation. No other "salary incentive or enhancement".
9) Doctors determine the course of treatment WITHOUT interference from unelected beancounters accountable only to keeping a CEO's salary as high as possible.

Since he has given up on a public option, we should demand that the pimps running this racket get their balls continually busted 24/7.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. I submitted my story, and I declared that I would not work for his plan

unless it included (ideally) a single-payer option or (as second-best) a public option.

Then it went (surprise, surprise) to the contribution page.

However, I am not contributing to an unknown plan. Unless I can see a single-payer or public option, my wallet stays shut.

[AlphaCentauri]

11. It would be nice if could have a referendum about health care

[Raster]

32. Preach on, Sister Woman! The ONLY entities that do not benefit from a single-payer option

are the bloated, parasitical insurance companies. They bring NOTHING good to the table. They exist to purposefully come between a doctor and her patient to skim as much money as possible for as long as possible. The goal of "for-profit healthcare" is TO MAKE A FUCKING PROFIT. The goal is NOT to treat patients, BECAUSE THAT INCREASES THE PROFITS.

No single-payer option?:banghead:No donation!

[Joe Bacon]

56. Well at least you got to the contribution page!

I mentioned my support of SIngle Payer and the page froze!

[Robbien]

10. He wants our signature for HIS plan, and then oh yeah you get to rant

about single payer in the footnotes which will go nowhere.

But don't forget to sign up for HIS don't leave any insurance lobbyist behind plan.

[ramapo]

15. He's going to get an earful from me

Look for my post here in GD

[tnlefty]

17. I tried, but couldn't submit the form without a donation,

credit card expected. I don't think that I should be required to make a donation to submit comments.

[Saphire]

27. Yeah, I got that too. Guess they don't want to hear from just anybody.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

39. Really?!!! If that is true what a farce! Can others verify? I'm going to try myself in a little bit

[ColbertWatcher]

18. Everyone's story should include how our elected officials prevented single-payer ...

... into the conversation.

If they want to hear our stories, they need to hear how we're suffering without the one solution we've been asking for.

[slay]

28. Mine did

I said I would only support it if there was the inclusion of a single payer option - pointing out how the Heritage Foundation (wtf) was allowed "at the table" but NO single-payer advocates? Yeah I made sure to caps lock SINGLE PAYER so even they just look them over, it will stand out.

[ColbertWatcher]

55. They all do, they all should. n/t

[rucky]

23. I'm sorry, but if we're not beyond this stage of the debate...

we're in trouble.

It's already well-established how unjust the current system is. We don't need more stories - just spend an hour on Google, or ask a friend or relative - and you have more than enough.

Who needs these stories? Who still needs to be convinced?

[ColbertWatcher]

26. Good point. n/t

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

44. Plus how many stories was he told and did he tell on the campaign trail?

You're right that we should be far beyond all the "OMG! How sad that happened to you" stories. They could go pull up bankruptcy filings if they want some sad stories.

Now, if possible, I'm MORE disgusted. This seems like a cynical ploy to get people to sign a worthless pledge so that later they can say, x millions of American's supported Obama's plan, even when they had no idea what it was.

[here_is_to_hope]

25. Here is mine...

Dear Mr. President
I have not seen a Doctor for any reason in over 25 years because I can't afford it.
But I have learned to sew my own stitches, set my own finger bones in a cast and I know
I can suffer through Hep B without medication.
Right now, I have a really bad back, chronic pain that lays me out a few hours a day.
I would see a Doctor about it but since I have never had any kind of insurance or a feasible
way to pay for a medical exam, I will just deal with it.
How American is that? Enough for you to consider Single Payer?
Signed, a citizen who should move to Canada

PS: I could use eye glasses too but the exam alone is 300.00, never mind the glasses themselves.

[Bluebear]

29. I'll start. My story is how Democratic politicians fight against single payer systems. The End.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

31. The site is underwhelming and vague

On one side of the screen are the following "principles"

Reduce Costs — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals and families and they must be brought under control
Guarantee Choice — Americans must have the freedom to keep whatever doctor and health care plan they have, or to select a new doctor or health care plan if they choose
Ensure Quality Care for All — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care

On the other side of the page you "Stand With the President" with the following words

I support President Obama's three principles for real health care reform, and I call on Congress to enact a plan upholding them in 2009
First name: *
Last name: *
Email: *
Zip: *

then a link/bar that says DECLARE YOUR SUPPORT.

I really can't sign on to something so vague as to be worthless.

(Edited previously hopeful response after I took a look at the site myself.)

[mikelgb]

34. He should watch SiCKO

[noamnety]

35. Appeasing the masses

He lets us go through the motions of influencing his plan.

It keeps us occupied, makes us feel like real life activists, keeps us from acting out in worse ways. It allows us to have buy-in while he gets to do what he was planning to do all along. I've had bosses who did that before, big elaborate surveys given to employees before they went ahead and did the same thing they were gonna do without the surveys.

[ProgressIn2008]

43. Agreed. It's a sham intended to distract - to feed the lie that there's a political process

At the end of the day, we'll be fucked anyway.

[Dragonfli]

38. I used the un-subscribe option

to explain how I could not support a health care plan crafted by the insurance companies in closed door meetings with no records and with no citizens or doctors allowed to influence the policy.

I expressed my belief that the insurance company was responsible for my wife's death and mentioned that we needed a proven single payer system in place to protect the lives of the future sick in this nation.

I doubt they will even read it.

[Coyote_Bandit]

45. .

:hug:

[Dragonfli]

47. TY Don't get many of those these days

:hug:

My dogs try but they mostly just lay on me.:hug:

[Coyote_Bandit]

49. Have another

:hug:

and please send a warm thought for my old dog who is starting to have his own health problems.....

[Dragonfli]

51. Warm thoughts and feelings.

I can only hope the health problems are tolerable and passing.
I had a real worry last year when jester my eldest became ill, he is 11 now and I worry more and more.
In that case he recovered and is now leaping around like the Jack Russel that he is (one that still thinks he is a puppy even tho he is the smartest dog I have ever lived with)

:grouphug: from me and the pair of Jacks.

[Bluebear]

50. For you AND the dogs

:hug:

[Dragonfli]

52. Thank you

A group hug from all of us.
They don't know why they are getting all these hugs but being accomplished attention whores they approve wholeheartedly.
:grouphug:

[randr]

40. My personal health story?

Ever since I voted for Obama I have grown increasingly sick and disgusted.

[leftofthedial]

42. ...and wants your money.

he says no single payer; I say thanks but no thanks.

[Johonny]

46. When I start seeing him fight against war crimes

I'll believe he'll fight for health care. Until then I'll pass on wasting my time and my stories.

[QC]

57. Please help me put the lipstick on this big stinky pig!

This is all about giving the appearance of allowing public input without the risk of, you know, actually having public input.