Nearly 59 million lack health insurance, CDC says

[b.c.]

Nearly 59 million lack health insurance - Health - Health care - msnbc.com

"The findings have implications for U.S. healthcare reform efforts."

"Republicans who just took control of the House of Representatives last week have vowed to derail the new law by cutting off the funds for it, and some want to repeal it."

"The analysis found that in the first quarter of 2010, an estimated 59.1 million people had no health insurance."

"More than 80 percent were adults aged 18 to 64. People over 65 are eligible for Medicare, the federal health insurance plan for the elderly."

[Note - and these are some of the same s.o.b's many of whom hobbled "lickity split" on down to their polling places to vote against "big government".]

"Now, the data also allow us to debunk two myths about health care coverage:"

"The first myth is that it's only the poor who are uninsured."

"And... many people argue that only the healthy risk going without health insurance....more than two out of five individuals who are uninsured at some point during the past year had one or more chronic diseases and this is based on just a partial list of chronic diseases..."

"People with such conditions often end up in emergency rooms and require treatment, paid for by hospitals or taxpayers, that is far more expensive than getting proper preventive care would have been."

 

[DexterMorgan]

All very true....doesn't say much for us....does it...?

 

[houtx48]

Makes me want to Become a Republican and repeal the new Health Insurance Law. Then I would have enough money to have a couple of new wars. Ah dreams.

 

[B_RedDude]

I really wonder if this country will ever forsake healthcare financing being done by insurance companies. Is the country just too big? Are we just too libertarian or something? Too selfish? Why can't we just accomplish this in as efficient and cost-effective a manner as possible, which means taking the insurance companies out of the healthcare business?

Interesting that last week's midterms resulted in Republican gains much the same as did the ones in 1994 after the "Hillarycare" whatever it was. Under the two most recent Democratic presidents, then, the Dems lost their majority in the House after a major healthcare debate. Is this a coincidence? I realize that it's a much more complex question to answer because this time around the economy is lousy, but the question remains. I don't know, was the country in a recession around the 1994 midterms?

 

[Mensch1351]

It's really amazing in our country that we seem to approach our "social" problems as a nation with an "individualistic" view. Simply put: I have -- you don't -- tough shit! This attitude prevents any real incentive from solving the problem. It's the epitome of class warfare. Where the medical "industry" in this country REALLY got into trouble IMHO is when corporations took it over. Obama warned the country that to "do nothing" would be a disaster. I'll be very interested to hear the conservatives start screaming bloody murder when their insurance premiums go through the roof! Just who (or what regulation) is to stop the mindset, "whatever the market will bear" once a corporate mindset invades? The Republican "death squads" are simply comprised of Insurance Execs deciding what procedures will be covered and what won't! And they will be under great pressure to write out the pre-existing conditions waiver. Who REALLY wins when America as a whole in the long run is weakened?

 

[B_RedDude]

Simply put: I have -- you don't -- tough shit! This attitude prevents any real incentive from solving the problem.

I think you've hit it on the head here Mensch.

One thing I really object to though about the healthcare legislation that passed is the requirement to buy health insurance from the private sector. This offends MY libertarian sensibilities, such as they are. The general requirement would have been okay, however, if a government option had been made widely available. This is one area where I believe that Obama and Pelosi really failed in all the healthcare effort. It was probably the Blue Dog-type Democrats who made it, perhaps, impossible.

You mentioned class warfare. I love when Republicans accuse people of inciting class warfare. Sorry to have to clue them in, but we've already got it. I think it started back 'bout January 20, 1981.

 

[B_VinylBoy]

Makes me want to Become a Republican and repeal the new Health Insurance Law. Then I would have enough money to have a couple of new wars. Ah dreams.

You're so naughty... :biggrin1:

 

[midlifebear]

As the US Health System continues to burn in flames the medical establishment in Argentina is creating/underwriting "health tourism." For those unable to afford that $200,000+ heart transplant, various health facilities (the German Hospital, the French Hospital, etc.), are willing to underwrite a tourist's round-trip air fare, one or two months of housing in a completely outfitted apartment, and do the heart transplant for about $75,000 US. There are plenty of Argentine organ donors, but not enough clients who can afford the procedure. One could do a lot worse (like having their chest cracked in Reno, Nevada) and face the real risk of a lower percentage of survival rates. Of course, you must continue with followup and anti rejection drugs in Argentina. Still, it's a fraction of the cost of having a cardiac overhaul in the USA. I predict this proactive pluckiness on the part of cardiac physicians will grow into a rather nice business -- for Argentina.


And if you have AIDS? Well, apply to start a business in Argentina and have $49,000 worth of start up money. HBSC (the bank) will gladly set up all of the required accounts and help you get Argentine residency. Then you just go to any public funded STD clinic for your health care and each month's prescription(s) of the same drugs that the health community and drugs companies insist you give your life and soul for in the USA. An added plus: one of the best ways to stave off dementia is to learn a new language. :biggrin1:

 

[dandelion]

There are plenty of Argentine organ donors,

Queing up, are they?