Follow us at: twitter.com/verumserum. The Democrats have been promoting a public healthcare plan “option” as being all about consumer “choice” and market “competition”. But is this really the case?
Duration : 0:2:58
The 2010 healthcare summit already has a winner. And they’re so psyched.
The Partisans
From Andy Cobb And The Second City
©2010 Second City Inc./Andy Cobb. All Rights Reserved.
For more video by Andy Cobb: http://www.youtube.com/user/AndyCobbonutube
While I like to imagine that CSPAN is run by a bunch of trash talking adrenaline junkies who talk smack about CSPAN2 when they don’t land a key gig, it’s probably not literally true. So we made their promo for them.
Duration : 0:1:14
In Glenside, PA, President Obama explains why health insurance reform is a necessity and calls on Congress to put aside politics and hold a final up or down vote on reform. March 8, 2010.
Duration : 0:37:13
President Obama calls for the House and Senate to vote on health care reform and says he will do everything in his power to make the case for reform. March 3, 2010.
Duration : 0:19:52
This video is just a glimpse into the corrupt and greedy world of health insurance. It is deplorable that in the 21st century Americans have to suffer at the hands of these companies and the likes of Stephen Hemsley. Health care is a basic human right. This is why health care reform is so important.
Duration : 0:5:57
http://www.selfgrowth.com
David Riklan explains the key basic strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Visit http://www.selfgrowth.com for hundreds of free resources on healthy living, such as website links, articles, videos, and discussion boards.
Dr. Curtis Graham is The Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to “Health Education.” Please visit his website – Healthcare Toolbox – by clicking here:
http://www.healthcare-toolbox.com/
http://www.selfgrowth.com
Duration : 0:5:56
I wanted to update everyone on the situation with Isabella’s fight against United Healthcare Insurance to get much needed treatment at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Several days ago, we received a phone call from a doctor at United Healthcare. We were told they were re-evaluating our appeal and trying to “make it fit” into our policy. They have decided that it would qualify under the Inpatient Rehabilitation coverage and they would pay for it! Thank you again so much for getting the word out there – we couldn’t have done this without all of your help in spreading awareness.
Duration : 0:4:1
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Portsmouth! Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Everybody have a seat. Oh, thank you so –
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you!
THE PRESIDENT: I love you back. Thank you. (Laughter.) It is great to be back in Portsmouth. (Applause.) It’s great to be back in New Hampshire. I have to say, though, that most of my memories of this state are cold. (Laughter.) So it’s good to be here in August.
There are a couple of people that I want to acknowledge who are here today, some special guests. First of all, I want to thank principal Jeffrey Collins, and the Portsmouth students and faculty and staff. (Applause.) Thank you — our host for today. Your own outstanding governor, John Lynch is here. (Applause.) And his wonderful wife, Dr. Susan Lynch is here, the First Lady of New Hampshire. (Applause.) Your United States senator, doing a great job, Jeanne Shaheen is here. (Applause.) The governor of the great state of Maine, and we are glad he’s here in New Hampshire today, John Baldacci is here. (Applause.)
Two of my favorite people, they are just taking Congress by storm, outstanding work — Paul Hodes, Carol Shea-Porter — give them a big round of applause. (Applause.) And we’ve got your own mayor, Tom Ferrini is here. Where’s Tom? There he is. (Applause.)
Now, I want to thank more than anybody, Lori, for that introduction, and for sharing her story with the rest of us. (Applause.) Thank you, Lori. Lori’s story is the same kind of story that I’ve read in letters, that I’ve heard in town hall meetings just like this one for the past five years. In fact, some of you were in that town hall — those town hall meetings, as I was traveling all throughout New Hampshire. It’s the story of hardworking Americans who are held hostage by health insurance companies that deny them coverage, or drop their coverage, or charge fees that they can’t afford for care that they desperately need.
I believe it is wrong. It is bankrupting families and businesses, and that’s why we are going to pass health insurance …
Duration : 1:7:52
Congressman Paul Ryan (WI-01) offers amendment to strike the government-run plan
House Ways and Means Committee markup of H.R. 3200
July 16, 2009
Let me begin by saying how I agree with something that Mr. Stark said at the beginning of this hearing. He said that this debate is a profound one, and that this vote may possibly be the most important vote ever taken in our service here in Congress. I agree. Its a big issue. Its a big debate.
I have a number of regrets let me list a few. The bill we got less than 48 years ago. The Chairmans mark we got at three minutes to midnight last night. I regret the fact that not a single person that is about to vote on this bill today has read this bill. I also regret the fact that the Congressional Budget Office has just told us that they don’t know what it costs. So were about to vote a bill that we havent read and we dont know what it costs.
Whats also been quite amazing in this debate as this year has proceeded is that the rhetoric has been so sweet. The words work really well. The things that have been said about this bill sound so good.
I dont think Ive ever seen an issue where the rhetoric so clearly contradicts the substance of this legislation. No one that makes under $250,000 will be taxed at all. Ha! Theres a bunch of taxes in here for everybody. If you like the insurance you have, you can keep it. Well thats what this amendment is all about.
This amendment is very simple. It strikes the public plan. It says no government-run plan.
Let me explain why its a stacked deck. Let me explain why the public plan is really a case where they are the player and the referee in the same game. Let me explain why it is virtually impossible for a public plan to compete fairly on a level playing field with the private insurance market.
Four big advantages the public plan has:
1.The public plan doesnt pay taxes and the private competitors do.
2.The public plan doesnt have to have large capital reserves, the private competitors do.
3.The public plan doesnt have to account for its payroll and benefit costs of its employees, the private sector does.
4.The public plan gets to dictate the prices it will pay for services, and clearly the private plans do not.
A reputable actuarial firm tells us that in three years 122 million people will get pushed off of their private health insurance. Two out of every three Americans will lose what they have and get pushed onto the public plan because of all of these factors because of the cost-shifting occurs. If were underpaying hospitals by 30% with Medicare and underpaying doctors by 20% with Medicare – where are they going to make up that difference? Studies show that a combined family of four will have higher premiums of $3620 right now because of Medicare and Medicaid underpayment. And so were going to exacerbate that underpayment.
Let me read a quick line from an editorial today from Investors Business Daily: The public option won’t be an option for many, but rather a mandate for buying government care. A free people should be outraged at this advance of soft tyranny.
Pretty harsh words. These are words I think that are appropriate for this moment.
Why dont we say: Lets make private health insurance work? Why dont we work together to make it affordable for everybody? Why dont we pass legislation to address the problems we have? Those that dont have health insurance; those with preexisting conditions that cant get insurance; and the fact that health care costs are rising so much.
We could do that together if our agenda was not to have a government take over of health care. With the public plan, no matter what actuarial model you look at, it goes in that direction. In this debate, direction is destiny. The destination of this bill is to have the public plan crowd out the private sector.
I am looking forward to a vibrant debate on this point. But I urge my colleagues to think twice about this moment. Think twice about the moment when you are going to vote for this bill. Think about what your constituents are going to say to you in three or four years when they have lost the health insurance that they have.
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- Ryans amendment to let Americans keep the insurance they like by striking the government-run plan was defeated, 25-15.
- Vote tally http://republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov/tallysheet/amendment1.htm
- Amendment text: http://republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Amdt_Ryan__no_govt_plan_.pdf
- Investors Business Daily Editorial, It’s Not An Option, July 16, 2009, http://ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=332548165656854
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- Paul Ryans Health Care Reform: A Plan Forward: http://www.house.gov/ryan/healthcare/
- Become a Fan of Paul Ryan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/reppaulryan
- Follow Paul Ryan on Twitter: http://twitter.com/reppaulryan
- Watch Paul Ryan on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/reppaulryan
Duration : 0:5:16
[We are experiencing audio sync issues on YouTube; this speech can be viewed properly at http://www.vimeo.com/6563790]
The President takes his case for reform from the heart of Washington out on the road to Minneapolis, MN, where an enthusiastic crowd shows a snapshot of the hunger all over the country. September 12, 2009
(public domain)
Duration : 0:39:52