Health Care for America NOW, a health care reform advocacy group which strongly supports the president’s “public option,” put up a billboard this week attacking Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s hold of the North Carolina health insurance market. The billboard is located on the interstate 440 beltline and pictures a cemetery with blue crosses; the heading reads “Health Coverage Denied.” Two other similar billboards were purchased in Delaware and Arkansas by the same group.
Two points to make here:
1. Arguing against the power of BCBS in the state misses the mark. BCBS owns a majority portion of the market share in NC in large part because of government regulation of the insurance market. One protestor’s story taken from the article cited above is that of a man who wants the government to reform the insurance market because his son’s insurance premium increased by 700 percent when he moved to North Carolina from New Jersey. This is no doubt outrageous – but what if the government allowed people to buy health insurance across state lines? He could have kept his previous health insurance and not been forced into a BCBS plan.
2. So much for the left protesting fear tactics – they’ve more so embraced it. Erecting a billboard that pictures a BSBC-themed cemetery? Doesn’t really fit into the sound and unbiased debate we were all looking forward to.
ATTENTION!! Congress Has The Votes Needed To Pass A Public Option – TODAY http://bit.ly/TCq7O
Why A Strong Public Option Is Essential – By jacksmith – Working Class
It’s not just because more than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 77% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (86% of democrats, 75% of independents, and 72% republicans). Basically everyone.
It’s not just because according to a new AARP POLL: 86 percent of seniors want universal healthcare security for All, including 93% of Democrats, 87% of Independents, and 78% of Republicans. With 79% of seniors supporting creating a new strong Government-run public option plan, available immediately. Including 89% of Democrats, 80% of Independents, and 61% of Republicans, STUNNING!!
It’s not just because it will lower cost. Because a strong public option will dramatically lower cost for everyone. And dramatically improved the quality of care everyone receives in America and around the World. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
It’s not just because it will save trillions of dollars and prevent the needless deaths of millions more of YOU, caused by a rush to profit by the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX!
It’s not just because every expert in every field, including economist, and Nobel laureates all agree that free market based healthcare systems don’t work. Never have and never will. The US has the only truly free market based healthcare system in the World. And as you all know now, IT IS A DISASTER!
It’s not just because providing or denying medically necessary care for profit motivations is wrong. Because it is WRONG! It’s professionally, ethically, and morally REPUGNANT!, Animalistic, VILE and EVIL.
THE REASON THE PUBLIC OPTION IS ESSENTIAL:
The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.
At the most vulnerable times of your lives (when you were sick and hurting), millions of you have had to fight and loose cruel, but heroic battles. Fighting against the big guns of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! in the forest of the wolves. All because you have no place else to go. You have no other CHOICE!
But the PUBLIC OPTION will give you someplace safe to go. And it will give us someplace safe to take you. The public option will be your refugium (your refuge). Where the wolves cannot get at you when your down, hurting, and vulnerable. Where everyone who needs it can find rest, security, comfort and the care they need. Protected by the BIG GUNS of We The People Of The United States. THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE AND COUNTRY ON EARTH.
This is why it is so critical that we do not lead another 50 million vulnerable, uninsured Americans into the forest of the wolves, without the protections of a Strong Government-run public option. We The People Of The United States MUST NOT LET THAT HAPPEN to any more of our fellow Americans. If healthcare reform does not contain a strong public option on day one. YOU MUST! KILL IT. Or you will do far more harm than good. And millions more will die needlessly. Rich, middle class, and poor a like.
To those who would continue to obstruct good and true healthcare reform for the American people, and who seek to trap millions more vulnerable Americans in the forest of the wolves. We will continue to fight you. We are prepared to wage all out war against you, and will eagerly DESTROY! you. Time…is…UP! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! No Co-op’s! No Triggers! NO INDIVIDUAL MANDATES! without a Strong public option on day one.
Healthcare reform can be the GREATEST! Accomplishment of our time and century. A time when future generations may say of us, that we were all, AMERICAS GREATEST GENERATIONS.
BUT WE MUST ACT!
I therefore call on all my fellow Americans and the peoples of the World. To join us in this fight so that we may finish becoming the better America that we aspire to be for everyone.
SPREAD THE WORD!
I have been privileged to be witness as many of you fought, and struggled to take your first breath, and your last breath on this earth. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Life is precious.
Whatever the cost. WE! MUST SUCCEED.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings
jacksmith – Working Class
I’m always glad to receive comments and promote debate on the health care reform initiative. However I also believe that in order to truly have a useful debate we can’t pick and choose the information that reflects our personal opinions. It is vital to remain as unbiased as possible and stick to the facts. Otherwise we actually do become pawns in a political game.
1. In response to your poll numbers:
Rasmussen poll cited today reads:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform
56% of Americans are opposed to the government’s reform plan
41% support it
59% of seniors are opposed to the plan
33% favor it
Only 16% of seniors over 65 favor it
72% of unaffiliated voters are opposed to the plan
So I’m curious, where did you find your numbers?
2. Some of the major theme in the links you provided was that the only way to increase choice and competition in the health insurance market is through a public option plan. Honestly that’s a bit of a stretch. One of the major reasons why choice and competition are limited in the current market is because of government regulation driving up the cost of insurance and driving out insurers from the market – leading to monopolies, limited choice, and more expensive health insurance plans. How would more government fix that problem?
3. Rankings in health care…
How many people actually think that Saudi Arabia has a better health care system than the United States?
Article and study that discuss the measures used in these rankings:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/08/why_the_us_ranks_low_on_whos_h.html
http://www.aei.org/docLib/9780844742403.pdf
4. It would strengthen your argument to provide some moderate voices supporting single payer.
Howard Dean, Paul Krugman, Bernie Sanders, Robert Reich – supporting a single payer system??!! I’m so shocked!
5. On fear tactics…
“The public option is ESSENTIAL because over 200 million of you are trapped in the forest of the wolves. Which is the forest of the DISGRACEFUL, GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX! With no way out except through needless inhumane suffering, and DEATH. While the wolves tear at your flesh, and rip you limb from lib. Then feast on your lifeless bodies like a dead carcase for transplant parts.”
No offense but … Dramatic much?