Health Summit Update: Sounds like we WILL get single-payer!!!

[vaberella]

I'm hearing people after people that we all want single-payer. All these Dems are there are supportive of single-payer. How in the hell did it get around this site that single-payer are denied?! It's been proved otherwise and Progressives think what you will...

But Obama, got this shit and he was on top of it before you think you had a "say." This is not to say that progressive activists aren't worthwhile but Obama is coming through and he just proved with this panel that all those news articles that were coming out that he WASN't recognizing single payer is crap. All the Dems there are for single-payer for sooner rather than later. All of them and this cat who is to represent health care providers (ie Doctors, nurses, hospitals) named Dennis Rivera.

He's fantastic, he wants a single payer and the doctors want it. Because they can bring down costs by opening a government option making all in all cheaper and it might be more functional than the private ones. So far, excluding Hatch...it's been a bash and critique of all things private.

Thank you PRESIDENT OBAMA!!! For someone with no health care like myself. Who initially joined your camp for your health care plan...you've come through. I could cry. I have a pre-existing condition that has denied me health care, services, and otherwise I've found it too expensive. This is great.

I think a lot of small businesses would opt-out to follow single-payer because it would be cheaper for them. This economic cycle and everything that's being said is to basically watch the death of private insurers little by little.

There are more sessions to expect on this and I hope we get the secondary plan and Obama said he would give it to us and he's going to.

In actuality he's created a transparent platform so we can do some boycotting of these private insurers who were talking trash, if any. He's put so many people on a panel FOR single payer that with it's inception it would actually force the hand of private insurers to lower their prices that he had promised the American people. Talk about killing several birds with one stone.

I LOVE OBAMA!!!

Yippee!! :woohoo:

[leftstreet]

1. Good God! The insurance companies and pharma industry are PISSED

They've been all over the teevee and radio and billboards with angry Harry and Louise commercials

NOT

[thereismore]

2. This is Godawfully beautiful! Even doctors want it. Who else is there? Oh, the Frists et al.

[Hieronymus]

5. Indeed, doctors do want it. I got onto c-span in the middle of Hatch's

rambling ... he's a dinosaur.

[vaberella]

12. Totally...man needed a break and most people seeme to disregard him.

But yup...the docs want it.

[vaberella]

45. Others that were there...

This is in the forum, because Obama is having a talk currently with the congress/senate we're talking about Dems and Repubs and all his admin and all other officials.

But however, we are talking about the forum. We have insurance companies like Blue Cross/Blue shield, there was a rep for doctors called Dennis Rivera, major associations like Cancer Association was there, and various others---oh and Dems supporting single payer or government run program.

[Vinca]

3. Thanks for posting! I hope this is replayed later on CSPAN.

I'm thrilled the majority are speaking in favor of single payer!!!!!!! I sent an email to the President earlier in the week to throw my 2 cents in.

[vaberella]

8. No problem. Majority of the panel supported single-payer or asked for it.

Most were speaking about expanding medicare or even keeping medicare separate and reorganizing other health plans.

[eleny]

4. K&R - Get thee to the Greatest Page!

[avaistheone1]

7. Here's vote to take it to the greatest.

:fistbump:

[mvd]

6. Fantastic! We really are going to get it?

Is it some form of single payer choice, or single payer period? Either one would be a large step forward! :party:

[vaberella]

10. More advocates for single payer choice.

That's the way they can drive down the prices of others. This is the first step towards single payer. It looks like it's a viable legislation that will go through. There are way too many advocates and when you see the person representing health care providers talking about an introduction of single payer...that says a lot. The Private companies spoke, but it seemed more like they had to listen. There's a lot of talk of preemptive care and also having that sort of addressed in single payer like obesity and second hand smoking conditions. Cancer Association was there.

[mvd]

That pre-existing condition nonsense should be the first to go

Thanks for the report! :hi:

[Raster]

9. Healthcare insurance companies = parasites.

Healthcare insurance = ploy to make rich men richer at the expense of YOUR health.
Healthcare insurance lobbyists = scum of the Earth.

[vaberella]

31. If that's the case the economic collapse = parasite killer.

It's crazy. They were outnumbered at the summit.

[madfloridian]

11. Here is his speech. Could you tell me which part?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030501850.html

I hope to goodness you are right, and he does speak of a cry for change coming from the bottom up....but where does it say what kind of insurance.

I must be missing something.

People need to read the speech. I did not have the TV on so I am relying on the WP transcript.

[sandnsea]

16. She's talking about the people at the meeting

That there are many many more there supporting single payer than anybody suspected.

He invited them.

[madfloridian]

18. Good...

There's been a huge push to get some of them there.

Now if we can get congress to pay attention, they might get it done I hear by September?

[vaberella]

21. Yeah...I can see legislation being pushed by fall of this year.

That seems realistic. This won't be the last session but it's definitely the first and 90% was for single payer.

[madfloridian]

24. I guess I am saying Congress will do it. But glad all the advocates were there.

[vaberella]

54. There were nurses there from the Democratic party.

There apparently were quite a few. I don't think it was a scramble.

[vaberella]

17. Not his speech...I'm talking about the summit forum and Obama didn't speak there.

He only gave an introduction speech for the summit and clearly said that he wasn't against special interests. But he wasn't at the talk. The talk was Democratic representatives, like congressmen/women and senators. Alongside there were major associations like American Cancer Associations, some Pharmacuetical companies like Blue Cros/Blue Shield. Also there was Dennis Rivera who is a representative for health care providers like doctors, nurses and the such and he proposed that single payer choice was a great recommendation and should be implemented. But Obama himself, wasn't talking at the summit.

[sandnsea]

22. Said he wasn't against special interests?

I clearly heard him say that he wasn't going to let special interests block reform, like they had done in years past.

He invited the corporate heads, so he could let them know they were going to have to listen to the people this time.

[inna]

13. is there a link to this?....

i missed all these new developments completely, any links/info will be much appreciated!

[madfloridian]

15. Here's a link to Obama's speech, transcript.

I did not see it on TV. I don't see anything definite in there.

[vaberella]

19. Inna by later tonight I'll personally email you the link.

It's going to be in the archive of cspan.org. That's where I watched it. It's not in their archive yet. It was on cspan 3 at cspan.org. But tonight it should be up so you can see the entire summit. Obama only gave an opening speech but was not at the Summit physically.

[sandnsea]

14. I loved how he started it, with a citizen

a firefighter, a young white male who isn't supposed to care about health care, let alone "socialized" health care.

I knew right then that everybody in that room had been "had".

I haven't been watching because I had to go take care of some things, glad to hear it's going better than expected.

[vaberella]

26. Hi-FIVE!!!! I loved that part as well.

Hits the people who automatically bashed Obama right in the face with this persons impassioned plea to the state of health care in the US.

I'll post a link to you when it shows up on cspan archives or at least at my favorite cspan choice collection site called cspanjunkie.com

[TheWraith]

20. Factual accuracy has never been a requirement for DU Poutrage. (TM)

And some DUers are ready and willing to believe anything that casts Obama in a bad light.

[vaberella]

25. I noticed.

I could believe the idea being that after Bush people are a bit weary. But this is on a regular basis and it's on everything. When Obama has already proved time and again that he's totally with us and he's trying to stand by his word. Especially in a case like this..why would he NOT invite single payer people or even worse...why would he "scramble" to call them the day before. That seems totally unprofessional and unrealistic.

[madfloridian]

27. There was a huge push to get those advocates there.

And some were not originally invited.

But it is good to see.

I think we need to be careful about saying people are not telling the truth.

[vaberella]

30. That's incorrect.

No, it's not the case. I read the articles and from what I could see the people were "speculating" on whether single payer advocates would be there. There was no proof that they were not previously invited. This is the problem I'm having. Conyers was there, but I didn't see him talk much because there were so many other Dems talking. I mean this was serious group of people and they were just rushed into there.

Do you really believe that Obama would be so unprofessional that he would scramble to call these people because of pressure?! You've got to be kidding me. He doesn't roll that way. This is a serious panel of people that were very diverse and they majority speaking about single payer. You don't tell me that he scrambled at the last minute...ie the day before when people were talking to call the Cancer Association to come down. That's not realistic and it's nonsense.

Everyone and everything that was done at todays summit showed that it was planned before hand and belies this nonsense of scrambled people. It's crap...they were all previously invited. He had a firefighter come in and really push some talks on single payer or share concerns about health care...why then would he not have had single payer people talking. It doesn't make sense.

[madfloridian]

38. Here:

I am not trying to be negative, but I am thinking we need to be realistic.

Yes, I think it may have happened that way. These are from nurses and doctors and others who really pushed. They are called activists. I really pushed. I am an activist.

Be careful saying that people are not telling the truth.

http://www.calnurses.org/

TELL THE PRESIDENT LET NURSES IN!

A White House healthcare "Summit" without "direct-care RNs involved" is unacceptable. Tell the president to listen to direct care RNs who support Single Payer.

The voice of single payer has been shut out of the Obama Health Care Summit. Nurses, Doctors, Patients and millions of other activists do not have a voice at the table. Obama promised an open process, instead the only "evidenced-based reform" for health care – single payer – is excluded! All other groups support keeping the insurance industry in place, even though single payer would generate 2.6 million additional jobs in America while covering every patient! It is not too late!

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/february/president_obama_must.php

"Feb. 26, 2009

"This morning, President Obama announced he will create a $634 billion reserve fund over the next decade to provide a down payment for expanding health coverage. The announcement comes a week before a White House health care summit that marks the beginning of the first serious effort to reform health care since the Clinton task force in 1993.

The president wants this process to be open and transparent, with the goal of achieving universal coverage. However, groups representing physicians, nurses, and consumers who advocate for a single-payer system of national health insurance have thus far been excluded from the summit."

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/3/3/111940/4558/728/704063

" On Thursday, March 5, 2009, the White House will host a summit on how to
reform the healthcare system.

The 120 invited guests include lobbyists for various interest groups
including the private-for-profit insurance industry (AHIP), some members
of Congress including Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus who has already
ruled single payer "off the table," and various others concerned with
healthcare.

No single payer advocates have been invited to attend.

Please urge President Obama to fulfill his promise for transparency and
openness in government

Call The White House [phone] or [phone].

Tell them to let single payer into the White House Summit on healthcare."

"UPDATE:

There were several comments asking whether John Conyers, the father of single payer and HR 676 would be at the White House Summit. I made some inquiries and have the following information.

I just received a phone call from a source who wishes not to be identified at this time. He advised that Chairman Conyers was not invited to the White House Healthcare Summit. I was also told that Dr. Quentin Young and Dr. Marcia Angell were proposed as participants, but are also not attending.

You are obviously free to draw your own conclusions."

Conyers was invited, but we don't know when. He needs to clarify.

[vaberella]

42. All wrong..

There was already a health care representative Dennis Rivera. Secondly, there were not about 120 people at the panel of the summit only about 40 something the most. Those your speaking about are there and Obama is talking now. So I don't see anything yet. Not only that I can't confirm, but there were far too many single payer supporters to have been a scramble.

But there is also a talk now. Teddy is talking.

[madfloridian]

60. So all my links were wrong?? Ok. If that is what you think.

You must be right. I only presented what doctors and nurses were saying.

:eyes:

[vaberella]

61. I didn't say your links were wrong...

I'm saying that I disagree that they were not represented or regarded. The entire summit had a whole mess of doctors. One of them from New York. But that's irrelevant to an extent because that doesn't pertain to what I was talking about.

There was a forum as part of the summit. The forum had the 120 you were speaking of and had doctors who are independent people and there were nurses who were Democratic representatives.

What I was speaking of was the discussion group and there was ONE representative for practitioners and those were the people who were mobilizing in talks for change. So we're actually talking about two very different things in regards to the Health Summit.

[biopowertoday]

65. YOU are wrong. Look, even Conyers was asking Obama for inclusion

of advocates for single payer. You tried to argue the same thing on this tread.

Forum Name General Discussion: Presidential
Topic subject Conyers blog on feb 25 about a wk ago asking to include single payer:
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8245202#8246022
8246022, Conyers blog on feb 25 about a wk ago asking to include single payer:
Posted by biopowertoday on Thu Mar-05-09 08:04 PM


Conyers wrote this about a week ago:

http://www.johnconyers.com/blog


President Obama's Health Care Commitment
Submitted by JC on February 25, 2009 - 7:30am.

As I watched President Obama walk into the House chamber last night, I was once again filled with the hope and excitement I felt so often during the 2008 campaign -- recognizing that our country is on the brink of a new era in which we will rise to meet great challenges and ensure that the American dream is a reality shared by all.

I was especially heartened to hear the President say that health care reform can not wait for a later day and that providing affordable health care to all Americans is critical to ending the current economic crisis. But as President Obama gathers business leaders and doctors, and Democrats and Republicans, to begin working on a comprehensive solution to the health care crisis, I urge him to include the millions of voices asking for a single-payer plan.

My bill for single-payer health care reform, H.R. 676, had the most cosponsors of any health care bill during the 110th Congress, a number we're sure to exceed in the 111th. It has the support of labor unions, thousands of doctors and nurses, civil rights groups and religious organizations. Most importantly, it has the support of millions of Americans like you who are fed-up with the failures of for-profit health insurance. The single-payer movement needs a seat at every health care dicussion the President hosts.

[vaberella]

71. You're wrong and read the post you posted CLEARLY!!!

And in reference to the link you posted..where does it say that single people were not origianlly invited. NO where in the statement does it say that obama did not pre-invite them....read it and read it and read it again. It just says that Conyers advocated for single payer supporters to have a seat. He's been advocating for that before Obama was President.

To you, you think Feingold and Conyers were the only one..this event proved otherwise and they said out loud on the table.

Conyers and Feingold were not even in the sit down meeting that I was talking about in my original discussion, and it says to me that you didn't watch the event on C-span 3. They were the loud people but majority of the people at the sit down talk in the first video taped event at the W.H. in Cspan aired didn't even have Obama in that room...were people in majority who supported single payer.
You can watch it for yourself.

[madfloridian]

76. Read this. Verifies what we are saying.

Physicians For National Health Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2009
3:10 PM

Single-Payer Advocates Win Seats at White House Health Summit
Dr. Oliver Fein releases prepared remarks

WASHINGTON - March 5 - Two leading advocates of single-payer health reform, sometimes characterized as an improved Medicare for All, received last-minute invitations to attend the White House health care summit being held today. The invitations were greeted as a victory by single-payer supporters.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), chief sponsor of the single-payer U.S. National Health Care Act, H.R. 676, was invited to attend the meeting late in the day on Tuesday, and Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Program, was invited on Wednesday afternoon.

The White House invitations were extended to the two leaders after intense grassroots lobbying efforts by single-payer supporters, who were concerned that no single-payer voices would be present at the meeting. The efforts included an outpouring phone calls and e-mail messages to the White House, along with a threatened demonstration outside the White House gates by doctors and other health professionals wearing their white coats. The demonstration was called off when word arrived that Rep. Conyers and Dr. Fein had been invited.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8246990&mesg_id=8246990

[Dr.Phool]

91. You ever talk to a wall?

Don't confuse these Obamaphiles with facts.

From past experience, I'll believe it when I see it. We've been sold out too many times before.

[biopowertoday]

66. A week ago Conyers himself was asking Obama to include single

payer advocates. Here is his blog.

Conyers wrote this about a week ago:

http://www.johnconyers.com/blog


President Obama's Health Care Commitment
Submitted by JC on February 25, 2009 - 7:30am.

As I watched President Obama walk into the House chamber last night, I was once again filled with the hope and excitement I felt so often during the 2008 campaign -- recognizing that our country is on the brink of a new era in which we will rise to meet great challenges and ensure that the American dream is a reality shared by all.

I was especially heartened to hear the President say that health care reform can not wait for a later day and that providing affordable health care to all Americans is critical to ending the current economic crisis. But as President Obama gathers business leaders and doctors, and Democrats and Republicans, to begin working on a comprehensive solution to the health care crisis, I urge him to include the millions of voices asking for a single-payer plan.

My bill for single-payer health care reform, H.R. 676, had the most cosponsors of any health care bill during the 110th Congress, a number we're sure to exceed in the 111th. It has the support of labor unions, thousands of doctors and nurses, civil rights groups and religious organizations. Most importantly, it has the support of millions of Americans like you who are fed-up with the failures of for-profit health insurance. The single-payer movement needs a seat at every health care dicussion the President hosts.

[madfloridian]

69. Thank you for that.

I guess you saw my post on it.

We need to keep our eyes opened on this subject. Thanks for the link.

[biopowertoday]

96. No, I did not see your post but I have been

following this the best I can. I am glad you had posted it also.

[vaberella]

72. I'll make this simple, Conyers and Feingold were asking for single

payer people to be seated at the table before Obama was even President..your misleading posts says nothing about him actually advocating a week before this event. It just says that he "urged him to include the millions of voices asking for a single payer plan." You and several others have continously pushed this idea that it was "progressives" who did this. I believe you are not because the event and I watched it for the several hours it aired...proved otherwise. The sit-down discussion which I saw with my own eyes had advocate after advocate for single payer who were not Conyers and Feingold...not even Obama was there and those people most likely were not "rushed" on the invitation list as you stated.

[eridani]

88. Single payer seats at the summit were won by bazillions of emails and phone calls

Single-payer advocates win seats
at White House health summit

Dr. Oliver Fein releases prepared remarks

Two leading advocates of single-payer health reform, sometimes characterized as an improved Medicare for All, received last-minute invitations to attend the White House health care summit being held today. The invitations were greeted as a victory by single-payer supporters.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), chief sponsor of the single-payer U.S. National Health Care Act, H.R. 676, was invited to attend the meeting late in the day on Tuesday, and Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Program, was invited on Wednesday afternoon.

The White House invitations were extended to the two leaders after intense grassroots lobbying efforts by single-payer supporters, who were concerned that no single-payer voices would be present at the meeting. The efforts included an outpouring of phone calls and e-mail messages to the White House, along with a threatened demonstration outside the White House gates by doctors and other health professionals wearing their white coats. The demonstration was called off when word arrived that Rep. Conyers and Dr. Fein had been invited.

In his prepared remarks, the full text of which follows, Dr. Fein says, "We are pleased to be here today and appreciate the implicit recognition of the majority support for single payer in our country. We hope this is the beginning of a serious dialogue on how to enact single-payer health reform and we look forward to working with and the Congress toward this end."

Dr. Fein's prepared remarks for the summit follow.

Prepared remarks by Dr. Oliver Fein
Mr. President, Physicians for a National Health Program agrees with your statement during your presidential campaign: health care should be a basic human right.

Physicians recommend an improved and expanded Medicare-for-All - that is, a single-payer national health insurance program, providing care that is publicly financed but largely privately delivered. This fundamental health reform - which enjoys solid majority support among physicians and the public - has become even more urgently needed in view of our severe economic recession.

Millions of people are losing their employer-sponsored health insurance, joining the 46 million who already lack coverage. Millions more, including those with insurance, are finding it harder to pay their co-pays and deductibles and are scrimping on their medications and doctor visits. Many go without care, risking their health and often their very lives.

Physicians find that private, for-profit health insurance companies add cost but no value to the health care system. The administrative waste associated with the private-insurance-based industry - enormous paperwork, marketing costs, and other costs that have nothing to do with delivering care - consumes 31 cents of every health care dollar.

As long as we rely on private health insurers, universal coverage will be unaffordable.

Mandates to buy private insurance are not the answer. Experience with mandate plans in Washington state (1993), Oregon (1992) and Massachusetts (1988 and today), shows they simply don't work, achieving neither universal health care nor cost containment.

Some of these plans offer a Medicare-like, public option that people could buy into, but experience with Medicare shows that the private plans refuse to compete on a level playing field. They cherry-pick healthier patients and insist on more than their share of payment.

In contrast, single payer guarantees everyone access to comprehensive, quality health care and choice of their own doctor and hospital.

Single-payer health reform, an improved Medicare for All, is the only reform model that offers $400 billion in annual savings in administrative costs. It is the only approach that contains effective cost-containment provisions such as bulk purchasing and global budgeting.

Such economies would allow for expanding health coverage to everyone - with no co-pays or deductibles - with no overall increase in health care spending. In other words, it's the only health reform proposal that pays for itself.

The single-payer model is the only fiscally prudent proposal available, an especially important consideration at a time of economic distress. And we know from our experience with Medicare and other single-payer systems that it will work.

With a single-payer national health insurance program we can assure lifelong, high quality, comprehensive and affordable coverage for everyone. Such a program will lift the heavy burden of crushing medical expenses off the shoulders of our population, expenses that often lead to personal bankruptcy. And we can save lives: the Institute of Medicine estimated in 2002 that more than 18,000 Americans die each year from lack of health insurance. That number is certainly higher today.

From the standpoint of what benefits our patients, single payer is the health policy model that best reflects their needs and values.

Support for single payer is extensive. In a peer-reviewed statistical study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, 59 percent of U.S. physicians said they would support government action to establish national health insurance. In a recent Associated Press poll, 65 percent of the respondents said, "The United State should adopt a universal health insurance program in which everyone is covered under a program like Medicare that is run by the government and financed by taxes."

Single-payer health reform is embodied in the U.S. National Health Care Act, H.R. 676, sponsored by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). It had 93 co-sponsors in the 110th Congress, the most of any health reform legislation.

We are pleased to be here today and appreciate the implicit recognition of the majority support for single payer in our country. We hope this is the beginning of a serious dialogue on how to enact single-payer health reform and we look forward to working with you and the Congress toward this end.

****
A short biography of Dr. Fein is available here: http://www.pnhp.org/stateactions/new_york/

Physicians for a National Health Program (www.pnhp.org), a membership organization of over 15,000 physicians, supports a single-payer national health insurance program. To contact a physician-spokesperson in your area, visit www.pnhp.org/stateactions or call [phone].




Physicians for a National Health Program
29 E Madison Suite 602, Chicago, IL 60602
Phone [phone] | Fax: [phone]
www.pnhp.org | [e-mail]

[biopowertoday]

98. Why would single payer advocates spend TIME and MONEY if they

were already seated?? I asked you that before and you ignored me.
They were NOT invited until the WH got flooded with phone calls and emails such as was done on National Call in Day for single payer system recently.

[avaistheone1]

106. True. My own advocacy for single-payer gave me the crazy good fortune of speaking with a couple

of people working with/on the committee. I learned from the horse's mouth so to speak that the single-payer folks did not get an invite until the very last minute. By 3:30pm PST Wednesday the invites had still not been extended to the single-payer folks.

It was only virtue of the grassroots efforts of people calling their Congress people, Senators and the White House that the invitations were extended. That is a fact.

[uponit7771]

23. When CORBA cost on avg 600 dollars a month the timing for this couldn't be more perfect

[avaistheone1]

29. If the government is not subsidizing your COBRA costs it is even more expensive.

[vaberella]

33. My sister dropped Cobra through Cigna because of the fees.

She's going on medicaid until other things get better. I'm on it myself because of this drama.

[FloridaJudy]

28. w00t!

Can I go back and give Obama an "A" on that poll? I only gave him a "B" because I wasn't happy about his excluding single-payer advocates.

I should've known he's still a lot smarter than I am.

[vaberella]

32. Don't believe everything until you get all the facts.

The summit showed that he was definitely supportive of single payer because all the people excluding the health insurance like Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Hatch....was extremely supportive and pushing single payer choice.

[avaistheone1]

47. I was so worried Obama was excluding single-payer advocates,

I spent much of yesterday calling Congress requesting they insist on an invite.

I am glad Obama included them. I am very, very happy about that.

[democrattotheend]

34. There's no way in hell we're getting single payer

But I am glad advocates for single payer at least have a seat at the table. Hopefully they will be able to convince the president to include a public option in his healthcare plan. But there is no chance in hell that he will get or even push for a system that eliminates insurance companies. He seems inclined to mostly want to address the 45 million people who lack health insurance, while leaving alone those who already get it through their employer. There are pros and cons to that approach, but those of you who are jumping up and down thinking we're going to completely overhaul the employer-based system and do away with all insurance companies are dreaming a pipe dream.

[vaberella]

35. Did I say it was eliminating insurance companies?!

He's advocating for single payer choice in the market alongside other private insurance. I thought I said that in my post. So it's a choice which will drive down the market price of insurance and it could lead, considering the economic collapse, the eventual phasing out of private insurance. I mean that's what Obama has always said. He realized and always said that he doesn't think he could push single payer as national. He realizes that many people like private but he also said that he wanted single payer choice in the market. And majority of the representatives at the summit support that push for single payer choice.

Secondly how does he not address those with private health care. If you put single payer choice on the market and we have 45 million people who then flood it, not to count those on medicaid who will flood it. Then you have the prices of private insurance companies lowerign and lowering because companies who give insurance will find it cheaper and more beneficial for themselves to put their workers on the state funded single payer choice. That would then slowly phase out private insurance to oblivion and basically collapse. This is basic economic crowding-outs that happen.

[lumberjack_jeff]

37. "Single payer" means something other than what you think it means.

It means that the government is the only insurance for certain medical procedures.

You're confusing commercially-available public insurance with single payer.

[vaberella]

39. In this case he's modified it...

But it has the basic shape..I just edited my post to make it more clear.

[lumberjack_jeff]

40. You can't "choose" single payer medical insurance.

Nothing operates alongside it... it is the single payment source for medical care.

[sandnsea]

41. Canada - Private Insurance - 13% of spending

Actually, some people don't fully understand how health care operates in other countries in the world.

http://secure.cihi.ca/cihiweb/dispPage.jsp?cw_page=media_26jun2006_e

[lumberjack_jeff]

43. Private insurance picks up deductibles, copays and RX drugs.

It's essentially gap insurance which insures against the stuff that the normal, universal, default "single payer" coverage doesn't.

You can't choose something other than single payer or it wouldn't be single payer. You can choose to supplement that insurance with private policies, however.

[sandnsea]

48. And 13% is A LOT

So people need to stop and think about that when they insist we destroy all the insurance companies. Maybe a system with a Medicare for all along side insurance is the best way to go.

[mvd]

63. Yes, we need government-funded insurance (single payer)...

to pay for all necessary procedures (in medical, dental, vision - all categories) and most prescriptions. Maybe keep some private insurance to cover more elective/exploratory procedures & medications.

[Thothmes]

64. It is not government-funded insurance

it is tax-payer funded insurance. Most of us will be taxed for the program. There is nothing wrong with this. Most of us pay for our health care in some way or another. I am in favor of a progressive tax structure to fund the program. The poorest will pay nothing. The rest of us will pay based on our ability to pay.

[mvd]

68. True, but it's given through the government

[Thothmes]

94. Nothing wrong with that as long as the system

can be funded independently of the rest of the Governments responsibilities, and the fund not raided when ever there is more money in the fund than obligations.

[eridani]

89. WA State's single payer plan would require a $100/month tax from me. Now ask me--

--would I avoid a horrible gubmint TAX for the privilege of continuing to pay my $400/month COBRA premium? Gee, dat's a hard one! Don't like being taxed for health care? Just call it a premium, then. All I hope is that we can get it before the private insurance parasites force me to give up my doctor when the COBRA runs out.

[Dr.Phool]

92. $400? Lucky you. My wife was paying over $700 just to put me on her employers plan.

[eridani]

93. It would have been that for both me and hubby

As I say, he's lucky enough to have our single payer for seniors plan.

[Thothmes]

95. Did I say I didnt like being taxed for health care.

Taxes are necessary to provide the service. In my opinion a progressive tax based on ones ability to pay the tax is the most desirable way to support the program. But there appears to be those participants in the forum that think universal single payer health care can be achieved by merely taxing the wealthy for it with the vast majority not have to be taxed for it. This will not happen. Most of us will have to pay some taxes to support the system.
Thats ok by me.

[eridani]

104. Yes. But it may go over better if you call it a premium, which it actually is in this case n/t

[Thothmes]

105. The federal government does not collect premiums, they

collect taxes.

[eridani]

108. If the taxes were sequestered into a separate fund like Social Secuirity

--they'd be easier to defend. In Canada, health care has to slug it out with education, transportation, etc. HR 676 proposes a separate fund, which I think is a good idea.

[Thothmes]

111. Whole heartedly agree

except it must be untouchable by congress. No borrowing the money and leaving IOUs like we see in Social Security.

[avaistheone1]

59. I need a private insurance policy to cover the gap of my pricey private insurance policy

You see I am a healthy, self-employed 58 year old woman. I pay over $660 per month for private health insurance and last year I paid over another $4,000 for deductibles, copays and RX drugs.

So even pricey, private insurance does not cover all the costs, and one could use some of kind of private gap insurance to cover the deductibles, copays and drugs etc.

[vaberella]

44. I understand what you're saying..

However, they're creating a modified platform. I will say that single payer (as a proper definition) doesn't work in this case, however it is what was being "used" as a government run program that allows room for the government to provide a free program. From what I could see this looks like an expanded medicaid and/or really medicare. But that's what was talked about. You could watch for yourself and see the language when it's put in the archives.

[lumberjack_jeff]

46. Being able to opt-in to a public insurance

either for free, for a fee or on a sliding scale is a prerequisite to meaningful reform.

At some point, it would outcompete private insurers and we'd have single payer.

[vaberella]

50. that's exactly what they were looking at...

Obama has always said that he wants to put in a reform that would lead to single payer but putting out public choice...ie public insurance. Most people on the forum used it synonomously in consideration with single payer---and I'm thinking because they see it as government run public health insurance.

[eridani]

90. That would be true only if the public plan is adequately funded.

Continued theft of health care dollars by for profit insurers will make that a lot harder to do.

[pnwmom]

51. When I had treatment in Britain they had both private and public health

insurance. Anyone -- including me -- could have access to public health care. But you could also pay more and get private.

Universal health care doesn't preclude private options.

[vaberella]

52. Oh that's true...

but the private were much smaller. But yes, there are public and private care.

[Aloha Spirit]

53. And it promotes competitive prices.

[avaistheone1]

107. Having a black president was a pipe dream too.

Yes, we can! Single-payer universal coverage.

BTW Americans, both Republican and Democrats prefer single-payer health care and that trend is only gettng stronger. Even employers prefer the single-payer option. It would be nice if we had a White House that is receptive to the will the people.

[cooolandrew]

113. EXACTLY, if the same determination is broght to the issue as was to the GE. It's done deal, so all >

the question is how much folks want it. If folks want it bad enough it's inevitable. By all accounts it should be the sole focus of everyone in the nation, it can get done I feel especially with more awarness programs of what it is.

[lumberjack_jeff]

36. Obama probably won't veto a single payer bill placed in front of him.

Beyond that, don't look to the administration for single payer leadership.

[Freddie Stubbs]

49. He wouldn't have to

Congress won't send him such a bill.

[Thrill]

55. No way it passes the Senate

[harun]

62. Repukes in the Senate are why we don't ever get any reform on anything.

[Better Believe It]

67. We don't have 51 Democratic Senators who would vote for single-payer?

We need 51 votes to pass anything provided we dare the Republicans to engage in real, not fake phantom filibusters, until cloture is voted or unless the Senate simply changes the Senate rule requiring only 51 votes for pass legislation.

[harun]

97. I would LOVE the House to pass H.R. 676 and throw it in the Senates lap.

Would be tough right now though, more work to do.

[biopowertoday]

99. Oh that would be so SWEET.

[Freddie Stubbs]

100. It won't get out of the House. There are too many moderate Democrats who will not support it

[Cha]

56. Obama's trying to rebuild

a solid foundation through Health Care and the Recovery Plan for America and the republicans have been trying to tear it down.

What a community organizer!

[Aloha Spirit]

57. Rangel adores Obama. nt

[vaberella]

58. You saw that too...that was wonderful. n/t

[salguine]

70. I'll believe it when it happens. Not that I'm trying to

be a dick about it, but I've been around too long and seen too much. I'll believe it when it happens.

[vaberella]

73. Yeah..understood...

from what I could see single payer is the eventuality of a long process. So the frame work that was discussed in the Cspan event I saw had majority of the people advocating for single payer or at least a public financed health plan.

[madfloridian]

74. The single payer folks DID receive last minute invites.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8246990&mesg_id=8246990

Thanks to "better believe it" for the link.

"WASHINGTON - March 5 - Two leading advocates of single-payer health reform, sometimes characterized as an improved Medicare for All, received last-minute invitations to attend the White House health care summit being held today. The invitations were greeted as a victory by single-payer supporters.

Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), chief sponsor of the single-payer U.S. National Health Care Act, H.R. 676, was invited to attend the meeting late in the day on Tuesday, and Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Program, was invited on Wednesday afternoon.

The White House invitations were extended to the two leaders after intense grassroots lobbying efforts by single-payer supporters, who were concerned that no single-payer voices would be present at the meeting. The efforts included an outpouring phone calls and e-mail messages to the White House, along with a threatened demonstration outside the White House gates by doctors and other health professionals wearing their white coats. The demonstration was called off when word arrived that Rep. Conyers and Dr. Fein had been invited."

[vaberella]

77. Watch the video...

Anyway to respond to your statement that you've said about 4 times on this thread...once again Conyers and Feingold may have gotten last minute invites but they are not the only ones who support single payer. This then goes straight to my topic statement..watch the videos and you'll see 90% of the people on the "roundtable" talk about single payer or public financed health care. So don't think that Conyers and Feingold have a monopoly. The bigger issue for people was that "single payer" wasn't represented NOT Conyers and Feingold...I didn't realize that Conyers and Feingold = single payer. As such there were many others talking and pushing it and from what I saw of topics most were asking about representation of single payer. Well Obama covered that front and people needed to calm down.

Further more it's a moot point...since if all you cared about was Feingold and Conyers and not just single payer in general...then you got it. It's better that more and more people are talking about it than it getting relegated to JUST Feingold and Conyers thing. Obama did that and I was glad of it.

[madfloridian]

79. I just proved myself right, and you are denying it.

That is really not fair at all.

You are twisting my point, and I do not appreciate it. I am right, I proved it. You should not keep saying I am wrong.

[vaberella]

81. Actually I'm not twisting your point.

You said Conyers and Feingold were denied right? I gave you that and said they were but then they were invited. But you CAN NOT say in good conscience that single-payer supporters were denied and that was the jist of a lot of peoples concerned and then it moved into Conyers and Feingold. That was my point. If you check out the video that was talking about in my post and that can be found in the political videos section, a thread you even posted on you'll see that single payer plans were advocated which said there are supporters out there and even more so at least a public insurance plan. So there you can't say that the single-payer plan wasn't advocated or the people who support it weren't invited. Apparently quite a bit of them were.

[firedupdem]

83. Ignore the negativity. It will always be something..

negative, negative, negative. Nothing is ever right. There is always some conspiracy.

[vaberella]

87. I guess so.

It's very frustrating to deal with. I have a lot of concerns and I'm just happy that little things are being done. Women are now going to get equal pay as men and women could sue for back pay and I'm happy. We didn't get that under Bush. We are getting our troops out in a reasonable time line, concessions made but we're getting out. Even if he comes through in 1/3 of what he's done. He's done a lot already considering all the shit that's been going on in the white house for so many years.

I also understand the man is dealing with an economic meltdown. I will most definitely just ignore the negativity because it's for everything. I remember everyone was calling him a homophobe a few months ago and then he supported that international law and then people were taking a step back. He's doing what he can...but that's not enough.

Anyway...yeah they revel in the negativity. At least we're getting something done even with a few concessions. I don't mind. Now all I care about is seeing some legislation.

Do you know of any legislation Sen. Durbin/Durban has been working on that is similar to single payer as a public health care finance? One of the people I thin it was Rep/Sen Jan Schakowsky or Allyson Schwartz talked about a legislation he's talking about. Or maybe it was the Republican lady who seemed to support a public health care plan. Anyway he's working on something as well. I'll have to look that up.

[madfloridian]

84. I actually said more.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/3694

But you are not going to admit it, so I will just back off and declare you the winner.

I don't know what else to do when people are just in denial.

[vaberella]

85. Denial over what?! I don't know what the hell you want.

I don't have health insurance. I'm one of the people who's been denied because of "pre-existing" conditions. I then found it too expensive. And I have a genetic illness. I'm not crying over the representation when it's been shown to be there. These people weren't just scrambled off the street. I don't know if you're talking about supporters for single payer or for Feingold and Conyers. You seem to be whinging more for Conyers and Feingold.

I don't see this about winners and losers but wish that all you want. I wanted single payer people there too and I got and these people are not people who went on the stump day in and day out advocating the way Conyers/Feingold were but they were clearly supportive and made that clear. That's what I wanted. Obama delivered that.

I just see that you spend a great deal of time TRYING to find fault or you spend time scrambling criticizing documents. I remember this during the summer and during the GE. Obama is doing the best he can and I'm happy with it what he can do. He knows that we're suffering and said as much in his speech which you even read, and he said he's not here for the special interests groups and knows we're suffering. So he's going to offer a plan.

Single payer is not on the table as the full plan suggests but a concession for public financing of health care is on the table. I'm just grateful for that much that something is finally being done.


You can spend time picking fault, complaining, and pushing a moot point. I don't care enough any more. At this point, I've come to terms that there are a lot of reactionists here and that's the end. I like think people are hyper sensitive because of the Bush era. But Obama IS NOT Bush and he's been trying to prove that over and over. If this bothers you so much then so be it. At least the talk of something that is the stepping stone to single payer is out there by MANY advocates and I don't care who.

[madfloridian]

86. Then support anything they offer you. And smile.

Good bye.

[vaberella]

101. Adios. n/t

[firedupdem]

75. Very Good News! President Obama is moving fast in getting

everything he promised to the table. Very good news today. I'm not worrying about the naysayers and doom and gloom posters either! At the end of the day, all interests were represented and it was a good summit!

Go President Obama!

[vaberella]

78. Check out the videos..it's been uploaded and tell me what you think you heard.

I swear majority of the peopl there excluding stupid Sen. Hatch/Enzi and Blue Cross/Blue Shield were all advocates for single payer or public financed insurance.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x280634

[firedupdem]

80. I checked them out earlier and I agree! It was a very good

discussion definitely heading in the single payer direction. It was a great day for those of us concerned with getting coverage for all that need it.

[vaberella]

82. Exactly. Glad you did.

I was so happy to hear that. I realized that there were a lot of people supporting the plan and definitely pushing it forward as the end goal but others were willing to get what they could done now. If this sort of forum is being pushed and actually comes up with a plan that lays the ground work for single payer that Obama has been advocating for along side Conyears and Feingold...I'd love to take it. In the end it would happen that all people would end up flooding this new system anyway and it would eventually just collapse the insurance companies.

What's even more interesting when I thought about it more, insurance companies even with collapse would not really collapse because all those medical and non medical officials could just join the public program since we'll be in sore need of reinforcement and people with the experience. They won't get paid as much but shit...they'll have a pretty sweet job.

[Orwellian_Ghost]

102. PARSING 101

"Every voice has to be heard. Every idea must be considered ... The status quo is the one option that is not on the table," Obama said during the White House forum on what he calls the greatest threat to the U.S. economy — rising health care costs. Mindful of the demise of the Clinton plan, Obama warned, "Those who seek to block any reform at all, any reform at any cost, will not prevail this time around."

The U.S. system is the world's costliest; the country spends some $2.4 trillion a year on health care. It leaves an estimated 48 million people uninsured, and many others lack adequate insurance.

<snip>

Although Obama wants coverage for all, the president suggested a willingness to compromise. That, too, was a break from Clinton's posture in the 1990s when he promised to veto any health care measure that didn't give him what he sought.

This time, Obama said, "Each of us must accept that none of us will get everything we want, and no proposal for reform will be perfect."

<snip>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090305/ap_on_go_pr_wh/health_care_overhaul

[vaberella]

110. He's supporting a public financed program that will drive down costs.

He said so many times and he's trying to find a way to set the step for single payer. He can't implement single payer because the drama behind that would be ridiculous. But he will create a program and if we're looking at this day and age and economy we will see it is what will happen is a crowding-out of the pharmaceutical company and eventual collapse because the costs will be nil that people will choose the public insurance by the government over private insurance. That's what he wants to do. Eventually that will lead to a single payer program...although some private insurance might still work. England I believe Canada still have private insurance companies even if the government provides it. I know England does for sure.

[biopowertoday]

103. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Signals Single-Payer Is Off The Table

The work has only just begun folks--for those who advocate single payer.


White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Signals Single-Payer Is Off The Table





Teddy Shines At Health Summit; Single-Payer Off The Table
New York Daily News
March 5, 2009

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) shrugged off his bout with brain cancer and received a standing ovation when he made an appearance Thursday afternoon at the White House health care summit. “Since he got such a weak reception when he walked in, I think that it’s only fitting that we give Ted Kennedy the first question,” Obama joked.

Meanwhile, even though Obama invited Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the chief sponsor of single-payer health insurance legislation, the White House signaled that adopting the single-payer system is off the table — and that is a blow to Obama’s left-leaning supporters.

“The President doesn’t believe that’s the best way to achieve the goal of cutting costs and increasing access,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

Single-payer health care pays medical costs from a single fund, usually run by the government. Australia and Canada have single-payer universal health care systems.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2009/03/teddy-shines-at-health-summit.html

Angry x( x( x( x(

[vaberella]

109. What are you talking about?!

Single-payer would not be an option and even Obama said so. Obama said in many interviews and talks to the American people.."If it was a perfect world and I could write the health care program from scratch I'd have single-payer because I support it."
http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2008/01/05/fact_check_obama_consistent_in.php

However, he realizes that he's not starting from scratch and he's looking for REFORM. So he's going to try implement a program that is a stepping stone for single payer. Give the man a break. You and others on this board keeping posting the same spamming divisive tactics on this board. He has ALWAYS remained consistent. He's trying to do the best he can without causing a massive upheavel. So he actually has said and doesn't mind the idea of a publicly financed healthcare as competition to the insurance companies there.

He even talked about the possible crowding-out of such an implementation. But you and others choose to get angry when he's trying to open the door. This is America, implementation of many programs and such like this when private health care was up our asses for so many decades...he's trying to make the progression less painful. He's doing the same thing by breaking down AIG.

You can keep on running around with your misleading and reactionists ideology but much like Republican stupidity it will fail. So rather than jumping all over the place, please sit and recognize what he is trying to do, even if you don't respect or agree with it.

Plus once again, I pull you attention to the vid where majority of Dems and even some Repubs and definitely a representative of health care officials like doctors, nurses, hospital----Dennis Rivera even said everyone was in support of a government run program.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x280634

I believe Max Baucus is a republican who will support some change that could lead to a national government agency.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x280623

[Exilednight]

112. Calm down a second and read the article he posted from Gibbs ..........

All he is saying is that President Obama has signaled that single-payer is off the table, and after reading the article I would have to agree. I am all for single-payer universal coverage, but it's only universal if everyone is covered and everyone - upper, middle, and the lower class that can afford it - pays into it and receives the exact same kind of health care.

The current proposal is a stepping stone, but in no way does it actually produce a single-payer system.

Here's what has always bothered me about a universal single-payer system - large corporations want a single-payer system so they can reduce costs. The only Republican lobbying group that gets in the way is the health insurance lobbies.

[cooolandrew]

114. Even if the president doesn't pass single payer this time don't give up the fight>

The main battle is making so many Americans aware what it is through advertising and so forth that the senators have to relent to public opinion. That is the main way it's gonna get done make it unstoppalbe. It has to be the loudest drum beat in history.

Howard Zinn " Change in America ALWAYS came from the people."