NPR Health Care Story this morning

[Proud Liberal Dem]

:mad:

NPR had a report on a poll that they did about Obama's plans to make health records electronic and they were also talking about how he wanted to bring together experts to discuss effective treatments for various ailments and they reported that in their poll that Americans are generally supportive of such actions but are apparently worried about any GOVERNMENT involvement that would interfere with their own doctor's recommendations/treatments.

I wonder why nobody seems to notice or mention, amazingly, that doctor recommendations/treatments are ALREADY being interfered with ALL THE TIME by the PRIVATE INSURANCE INDUSTRY???? Why is it that most people seem to be o.k. with the private insurance agencies "playing doctor" and making life and death decisions about private medical care- even when they override your doctor's recommendations- but screech and howl about how if we go to a single payer or other form of universal health care system, medical decisions will inevitably be dictated to us by "government bureaucrats".

As much as I enjoy some programming on NPR, their news stories seem to have become a lot more like "hack journalism".

Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103322780

[recoveringrepublican]

1. I bring this up to my repuke friends all the time. I ask them

if they would rather have a CEO who only cares about money, or an elected official who has at least some semblance of having to care what we think to get re-elected in charge of what is covered. They usually reply the inane "if one doesn't like their health coverage, they can always switch companies". BS, and they know it, but they are too stubborn to change their viewpoint, or too lazy to come up with an argument against that makes a little bit of sense.

[annabanana]

2. Boy Howdy ain't THAT the truth!.. . I have to say..

at least if it was the government involved instead of the damned insurance companies.. you could work to THROW THE BUMS OUT


That option isn't available with the management of the HBOs...

[NC_Nurse]

3. NPR sucks lately. Must still have a lot of Repub folks at the helm.

[Glorfindel]

6. I have thought the same thing

I still listen for the classical music. The news programs have become increasingly disappointing.

[dbultman]

4. I heard it and thought the same

Write to them and let them know how transparent they are!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. I used to donate to them but stopped after last year

Aside from the Diane Rehm Show and Fresh Air, I've pretty much tuned out NPR for the most part. Their comical coverage of last year's campaign was pretty much the last straw for me- talking up the "Bradly Effect", Bill Ayers, how Obama wouldn't be able to win certain key demographics, etc.
CPB's recent tragically lopsided special report on health care reform seemed extraordinarily lopsided in favor of essentially doing nothing to make it easier for us to get good and affordable health coverage in this country.