“John McCain’s health records must be released”

Do you see the call for the release of all of Sen. McCain’s health history important to the election and to the country, or do you see it as a prejudice against cancer survivors? I honestly see it differently every time I read or see anything about this. I’m very aware of Robert Greenwald’s political leanings, so I worry that his call might look as if he’s picking on Sen. McCain when he really might have the country’s best interests at heart. Your thoughts?

Sources:
“John McCain’s Health Records Must Be Released!” - The Huffington Post, September 14, 2008
“John McCain’s health records must be released” - YouTube

Post from: EveryJoe

A Call for John McCain’s Health History: Vital or Prejudice?

Originally written September 8, 2008
No Group Coverage? Well You’re Just SOL!
In the last five years, I’ve had the following conversation more times than I can count on two hands…

Other Person: “How’s business going?”

Me: “Oh, pretty good. I’m really busy, and I really love my job.”

Other Person: “Good. I was hoping with _____ (fill in the blank with any of the following: the economy, the war in Iraq, 9/11, the housing slump, etc.) that you were staying busy.”

Me: “Yeah, I just keep plugging along. Actually, I figure the most likely thing to put me out of business is health insurance.”

Other Person: “Yeah, rates keep going up.”

Me: “Well, I can plan for rate increases. What I can’t plan for is if someone in my family gets a serious medical condition. We don’t qualify for group coverage, and with the individual coverage we have, our insurance company can effectively get rid of us if one of us gets a serious condition.”

Other Person: “They can’t do that, can they?”

Me: “Technically they can’t deny us coverage. However, they can make our rates so unaffordable that we would have to switch companies. And here’s the catch with individual policies…when we switch companies, the new insurance company can exclude the pre-existing condition that caused us to switch in the first place.”

Other Person: “Really? I had no idea?”

Obviously, I’ve paraphrased, but that is essentially the conversation I’ve had over and over with people that have group coverage. I think that is why many people are opposed to the idea of universal coverage. Many people with group coverage don’t realize that many of the country’s uninsured or under-insured, lack the ability to even qualify for decent coverage.

There will always be a certain number of people who can afford health insurance, choose not to pay for it, then get sick, and cost tax-payers a lot of money. And the opponents of universal coverage will trot those examples out at every opportunity.

But I’m here as proof that many hard-working, self-employed Americans are one illness (for them, their spouse, or their dependents) away from financial disaster.

I just read John McCain’s health care plan. He wants to use tax credits along with the free market and guaranteed access plans to “fix” health care. IT WILL NOT WORK! Would you let the free market run your fire department? Police department? I hope not. The free market exists to make a profit. I like profits. I think they’re swell. I’d like to make more. However, I strongly believe that it is wrong to profit from health insurance. The lure of profits in health insurance influences decisions from their middle management that are scandalous. Who hasn’t heard a horror story of someone they know being denied basic benefits?

As for guaranteed access plans (or GAP’s), we have those already in Iowa. GAP’s are a decent temporary solution to get more people insured. Take a look at Iowa’s plans, though. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want one, especially with what they cost.

I’m not completely sold on Obama’s plan either, but it is much closer to universal coverage, and I think it is a step in the right direction. He’s got my vote on this issue.

Post from: EveryJoe

An Everyday Perspective on Group Health Insurance Coverage

Woolley went on to state that the questions on the survey were composed based on feedback from readers of Parade Magazine, which she claimed reaches 75 million+ readers each week, who were asked what health and science related issues they would like to hear the candidates address. Survey results can be found on the Your Candidates. Your Health. Web site along with more information about the survey, the letter that was sent to the candidates, and the ability to compare and contrast various candidates’ responses.

Responses from both Senator Obama and Senator McCain’s campaigns are available. As for the congressional candidates, my guess is that the availability of responses will be hit or miss as a search for my address brought up 7 candidates of whom only 2 had responses listed, and 2 had responses pending. Check out some of the responses and let us know what you think!

Sources:
National Public Radio – Science Friday
Research!America
Your Candidates.Your Health

Post from: EveryJoe

Research!America Surveys Presidential Candidates

“My health care plan will make it easier for more Americans to find and keep good health care insurance. His plan will force small businesses to cut jobs, reduce wages, and force families into a government run health care system where a bureaucrat stands between you and your doctor.”

I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t hear more, but as I mentioned in a previous post, I realize that these conventions are not the place to lay out plans for all issues. But while there wasn’t a whole lot of health care substance at the DNC, either, I’ll go ahead and say that it was a more prominent topic at that convention, at least among the prime-time speakers. I heard an interesting piece on National Public Radio’s Science Friday today that offered more insight into both presidential candidates stances on and plans for health care and the sciences. I will post more about that soon. I’ll wrap up the Convention posts with both the video and text of Senator John McCain’s Republican National Convention speech below.

John McCain at the Republican National Convention

speech text

Source:
Republican National Convention Official Web site

Post from: EveryJoe

Health Care Finally Mentioned at RNC, But Only Briefly

Tuesday night speakers included Senator Joe Lieberman, and actor and former senator Fred Thompson. I actually had to veer from the RNC official web site to find the full text of Senator Lieberman’s speech, but I did find it and he made only one mention of health care by alluding to the fact that Americans are worried about the cost of health insurance. Fred Thompson only mentioned that we would be hearing more about Senator McCain’s health care plans as the convention went on.

Wednesday night’s heavy hitters included the former mayor of New York City, Rudolph Giuliani, former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney, former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee, and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I won’t mince words here, folks, I couldn’t find mention of health care in any of the speech text for any of these convention speakers. Let me be clear, I wasn’t able to watch these speeches live, and I was only able to catch bits and pieces on the radio and via the internet, but according to the transcripts, there was no mention of health care. If I’m wrong on this, please post and let me know!

So, due to the lack of health care discussions, I will not be posting the videos or text for these speeches. However, if you’re interested in reading or watching, you can visit the official RNC site here.

Let’s hope we hear more about U.S. health care from Senator McCain tonight.

Source:
Republican National Convention Official Web site

Post from: EveryJoe

Health Care Discussions at the RNC

“Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don’t, you’ll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.”

And finally, Senator Obama pointed out where has believes he has already gotten it right by referencing the work he has done in Illinois, my home state, to expand health care coverage to more children and families than were covered prior to his senate career.

So, as we wrap up our look at the discussions of health care in some of the speeches given at the DNC, I leave you with a video of presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama’s acceptance speech below. I’m interested to know what you thought about these discussions? Are they hopeful, status quo and expected, or empty political promises? I’ll ask the same question following the Republic National Convention, and as that convention approaches, what do you expect to hear in terms of health care from that side of the aisle?

Senator Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention

speech text

Sources:
The Conventions – MSNBC
Democratic National Convention Official Web site

Post from: EveryJoe

Wrapping Up Health Care at the DNC

As an expert in cancer care and how that care is delivered to patients, I can categorically say that access to an emergency room is not the same as “access to health care.” If you’re a cancer patient, what you need is access to expensive pharmaceuticals, experienced physicians, and expert oncology nurses who will actually hook up your chemotherapy IV and treat you for the disease. I’ve never seen someone get their cycle of AC+T chemotherapy at the emergency room (which isn’t to say it’s never happened, but I’m having trouble thinking it might).

An emergency department can’t turn you away if you’re in need of “immediate” care, but what if you’re just fatigued and feeling bad, or experiencing fevers that come and go… these are symptoms of cancer, but I think you’d have trouble getting care from the emergency room unless something else went terribly wrong to send you there in the first place. And if you have to have a mastectomy for breast cancer, is the emergency room going to help you get reconstructive surgery afterwards? I doubt it.

The problem of the uninsured is real, and it’s not going away. Instead of ignoring the problem, we need to find ways to tackle it in this country.

(and if you’re interested in reading about the economics of health savings accounts, which I’ll post about another day, try this first — one of the best articles I’ve ever read on health or medical savings accounts and how they work.)

Post from: EveryJoe

In the “You Can’t Be Serious” category… Does McCain’s Health Care Advisor “not believe in the uninsured?”

President Clinton pointed out ways in which he believed the Bush administration went wrong with health care, and that Senator John McCain’s plans are, “more band-aids for health care that will enrich insurance companies, impoverish families and increase the number of uninsured.” He went on to claim that Senator Obama’s plans are “far superior.” Senator and Vice Presidential hopeful Joe Biden, in his speech, highlighted some of the ways that Senator Obama has already succeeded in health care reform including fighting for health care access for more than 150,000 more children and adults in Illinois. He also stated that, if elected, Senator Obama, “will bring down health care costs by $2,500 for the typical family, and, at long last, deliver affordable, accessible health care for all Americans.” Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) also mentioned this in his speech.

Again, I have posted both videos and links to speech text below for President Clinton and Senator Biden’s speeches. I have also added a link to the speech given by Major Tammy Duckworth, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Major Duckworth lost both of her legs when the Blackhawk helicopter that she was co-piloting while serving in Iraq was hit by a grenade. She has a commitment to health care reform, particularly as related to veterans, and she offers the unique perspective of a disabled veteran.

President Clinton at the Democratic National Convention

speech text

Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention

speech text

Major Tammy Duckworth at the Democratic National Convention
speech text

Sources:
The Conventions – MSNBC
Democratic National Convention Official Web site

Post from: EveryJoe

More Health Care Discussions at the DNC

She mentioned health care 7 times in her speech at the Democratic National Convention — the same number of times she mentioned Iraq and one of the most frequent themes running throughout her appearance.

Do you think Hillary as a health care reform leader would be able to surmount the shadow hanging over the “Hillarycare” of the past, or would she be able to reinvent herself as a health care reformer for the 21st century?

Post from: EveryJoe

Would Obama make Hillary a Health Care Czar?

I’ll post both videos of both of the speeches below (available on MSNBC), as well as links to the transcripts if you’re interested. Health care highlights include Michelle Obama stating that Senator Barack Obama has fought and will fight to ensure that veterans receive mental health care in addition to medical care. If you read one of my first posts about PTSD among vets, you’ll know how glad I was to hear that! Senator Clinton reiterated her commitment to quality, affordable, universal health care and stressed that it’s Senator Obama’s commitment to the same things that in part garners her endorsement.

As I mentioned, there were many other speeches given that no doubt discussed health care, but these are two of the headliner speeches given. Feel free to watch or read their speeches and post your thoughts!

Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention

speech text

Michelle Obama at the Democratic National Convention

speech text

Sources:
The Conventions – MSNBC
Democratic National Convention Official Web site

Post from: EveryJoe

Health Care Discussions at the DNC