"Every American should have access to the highest level of coverage they can afford."

[Atman]

This was Tom Price's response today when asked about his commitment to assuring quality health care to all Americans.

Read it again: "...the highest level of coverage they can afford."

IOW, if you can't even afford diapers for your baby, or prescriptions meds for your heart condition, no problem...you just have to call 911 and make a trip to the ER!

The downward death spiral has begun. This man must not be confirmed.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Less for you is more for them.

There are some limited resources in health care like organs, the less of us taking up space in lines, the more for them.

Some of us will have to be killed and many more will have to learn to live with various health issues.

[unblock]

2. that's almost a tautology.

of course everyone does and will have access to the highest level of coverage they can afford, under virtually any plan, republican or democratic.


is there some proposal out there that says even if you're able to afford certain coverage, you're denied access to it?

[etherealtruth]

3. This has always been the republican position

Sickeningly this jack-@$$ will be confirmed.

[Iggo]

4. Every American always has that.

[Atman]

9. Exactly. And they're counting on most Americans being stupid.

And the GOP is probably correct. It sounds great, if you're ignorant, or just watching headline news. It sounds like "Healthcare for everyone!" Yay Trump! He's going to save us! But it means exactly the opposite. It's healthcare for only those who can afford it.

[Iggo]

13. They're not just counting on it. They're working to ensure it. (n/t)

[Johonny]

18. Yip, all you can afford isn't a great comfort if you can't afford it at all...

Although, America as a whole can easily afford to have health care coverage for all citizens.

[Mika]

5. Indicates quite clearly that capitalism is a system of rationing. eom

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. ..."the highest level of coverage they can afford."

And wasn't the whole point of the ACA to try to make available adequate coverage people can afford? If the GOP's "plan" is to give people "the highest level of coverage they can afford," what if all they can afford is a policy that doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, has a lifetime cap and high deductibles and co-pays, just like the old days?

Awesome. Nice job, GOP.

[yellerpup]

7. Insurance never cured anyone.

We need health care, not insurance.

[dchill]

22. That's right, and NO ONE should ever need...

Health insurance. NO ONE.

[Bettie]

8. In other words:

die, peons, die.

[hamsterjill]

10. Same line he used with Bernie last week.

Bernie's response was perfect. Something along the lines of that he (Bernie) would have "access to a billion dollar home, too" but certainly couldn't afford it.

These people are absolute creeps that don't care if others die.

[procon]

11. Keyword: "access", which is far different than actually having healthcare insurance.

I have "access" to some of the most gorgeous hotels in the world, but I can't afford even a one night stay, so its Motel 6 for me.

I have "access" to the fastest cars ever made, but I sure couldn't qualify for the loan to buy one, so I'm lucky my ten year old car is in good condition.

Same with health insurance, I could have "access to the highest level of coverage", but if I can't afford any of it, I'm going to die.

[LAS14]

12. How can he say that out loud??????

[Iggo]

14. Because people are stupid.

[xor]

17. I've been doing little social experiments on forums with lots of conservatives

and it amazes me the stuff they will agree with. The "Go do your patriotic duty and die" idea is something that a good portion seem to have no problem with. I've even had some say even if everyone could receive coverage without increasing costs, they would still be against it. They have no interest in actually thinking about ways to solve problems. It's just defending their "team" as if it's just some sort of sports game. One of the reasons why I find it incredibly difficult to talk to any of them about politics these days. The only conservatives I know who are able to have reasoned discussions are the ones who don't want anything to do with Trump, but the Trump supporters are just too far gone in lala-land.

[Maru Kitteh]

21. Because they BELIEVE that the ones being sent to die will be brown

They do NOT believe Trump will send "good white folks" i.e., themselves, to die.

[workinclasszero]

15. Republican death panels via annual income

Here comes the republican terrorist party chomping at the bit to kill the non rich.

Dump sure is draining that swamp boy!

[Vinca]

16. This is the crux of the healthcare problem in America.

Someone might only be able to afford a bottle of aspirin, but suddenly they need chemotherapy. The GOP is illustrating what a death panel really is.

[xor]

19. It amazes me how so many fail to see that.

People will talk about rationing of healthcare and how it means people have to wait. How they don't see that "get the healthcare you can afford" is a form of rationing in which many people completely lose, is beyond me. Then when it's spelled out, they seem to have no problem with saying "not my problem...get a job that offers health insurance. Who cares if you're dying? Figure it out. "

It's the most disgusting attitude ever. People can't bounce back from death. Once someone is dead, they can't use hard work and dedication to bring themselves back. I don't understand how anyone can so easily condemn other people just because they don't like the idea they possibly may have to wait a few days longer to see a doctor (if that's even the case) Do these people not have family and friends who could be affected by this? Are they incapable of seeing how the majority of Americans are just a one or two unfortunate events away from being ruined?

I just don't understand it at all.

[IronLionZion]

20. Rationing out health care

based on ability to pay. It's as American as apple pie and guns.

But of course that's preferable to....SOCIALISM!!!!!!

[Fla Dem]

23. Tom Price Death Squad Commander!

Didn't the Nazis get rid of all the infirmed? What a drag they are on Making America Great Again! Can't have those pesky sick people messing things up.

[Wounded Bear]

24. Capitalism, meet Libertarianism...

Life sucks and then you die.

If you can get rich, you can put that off for a while longer. And help alleviate some of the pain while you're at it.

If you can't get rich, tough shit.

[progree]

25. Oh, I'm sure they will be closing the "ER Loophole" soon

IOW, if you can't even afford diapers for your baby, or prescriptions meds for your heart condition, no problem...you just have to call 911 and make a trip to the ER!

[meow2u3]

26. Translation into English

If you can't afford coverage, you're SOL.

[lark]

27. He, Sessions, DeVos and Pruit are totally awful.

I hope all of them can be stopped. Of course, I don't expect him to do better if he picks replacements. His criteria is will they destroy what they are supposed to be in charge of, if so, he will consider hiring them. Oh yeah, second criteria, will they lie and suck up to him and tell any lies he tells them to.

[lindysalsagal]

28. Sorry you're too sick to be a state worker or white collar worker: Go and die.

It's your own damn fault.

Unbelievable.

You don't have a job that includes health care, because you're too sick, so, you get sicker, because you don't have health coverage.

Ebeneezer Scrooge would be proud.

[TomCADem]

29. Have to Somehow Fund Massive Tax Cuts...

...to the rich.

[DawgHouse]

30. I am so tired of the poor insurance companies making bank off of sick and dying Americans

We need medicare for ALL.

[brush]

31. This repug every man/woman for themseives crap is sickening

They're determined to foist this dog-eat-dog crap back unto our country instead of the government looking out for the welfare of its people.

Again, just sickening.

Thanks, Comey. I see you saved your job.

trump just asked you to stay on. You saved your job and got him the job.

Proud of yourself?

[Docreed2003]

32. Dispicable....utterly dispicable from the mouth of a self serving "physician"

This guy turns my stomach on so many levels and I find him to be utterly disgusting. What type of Randian bullshit is "best coverage they can afford"?? Fuck that! That's nothing new! We need HEALTHCARE and access to it...not access to insurance we can't afford! This guy would have no issue in turning away patients who have no insurance or such bad insurance they can't afford their needed surgeries or treatments. I'm sick of it as a physician. I'm sick of having to horsetrade and beg for insurance companies or hospitals to approve surgeries which in some cases are life threatening. I didn't become a physician to leech money off of those in need and I didn't become a surgeon to only perform concierge procedures for the rich!! We need to make healthcare a right. "Oh it's not in the constitution" will be the reaponse. Well there's a ton of crap that we support as functions of government that aren't written verbatim into that document written in the fucking eighteenth century when going to a doctor for something routine could result in them bleeding you to death (see George Washington). It may not be there but the welfare clause is and it's far past time for us to restore the greater "commons". We, each and every one of us, are countrymen and must rely on each other in order for government to function. Providing for each other's healthcare should be a no brainer. Until we shake off this "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" mentality and acknowledge that it's totally fiction, we will never progress as a nation. "From many, one". Isn't that our motto?