Just got off the phone with Nathan Deal’s Tele-Townhall. Not sure why he can’t do it in person, but at least he is talking.
Point of fact, last year Nathan made a big deal about deriding other candidates that use this format. Guess he thinks things are different now.
Here’s what I heard:
Deal said: “Healthcare is your responsibility. We can incentivise healthcare, but people must take personal responsibility.”
Most of my republican friends (yes Icky I have friends and some are republican) believe that people do not have healthcare because they do not want healthcare. Whether this is true or not, incentivising physicals and other health maintenance procedures is a good idea, and the reason why I am not completely sold on the current bill in the House.
Debt: We have seen the deficit skyrocket. He claims that it started at the end of the Bush administration and did not take any responsibility for the debt. He claims to have a fiscally conservative voting record, but did little to stop the Bush gravy train. Now that we are actually spending money to help the real Joe the Plumber, Deal is voting against the people.
Medicare: He claims that Medicare Advantage program will be done away with under Obama plan. This may be true. Feel free to comment below.
Insurance Competition: Republicans propose that we allow people to buy healthcare across statelines. He claims that TENNCARE has devasted Tennessee. Though the University of Tennessee says most people are sastisfied with TennCare.
Deal claims that congressman can opt-out of ObamaCare. The truth is that congressman can opt-out because they are already covered. If you already have health insurance and like it, you can opt out too.
Deal claims that home health is not adequately covered in this healthcare bill. I need more details. Comment away.
Deal claims that we need transparency in order to be better aware of healthcare costs. Medicare sets the rates and that becomes the standard fee, but we need to be able to see itemized costs. I am not opposed to the transparency, but not sure it would be the cureall that Mr. Deal is proposing.
Deal claims that medicare is not adequately reimbursing doctors. I know a few doctors that claim this as well. The only problem is I still see them driving their convertible mercedes around town.
Deal claims that he has voted to allow military to control borders. He also claims that the Posse Comitatus act will not allow military to enforce civilian law; however if he had of read PL – 109-364, he would know that the Congress and President Bush repealed this act in 2006.
My biggest pet peeve was that he allowed a caller to say that illegal immigration is the reason for high cost in healthcare and the reason that our education system is in trouble. Both statements are completely asinine.
August 24, 2009 at 10:37 pm
First, you have friends? Really?
O.K., assuming that’s true, on to at least a few of your comments, with my usual caveat: This isn’t my wheelhouse, and despite it being the most pressing issue of the day, I’ve spent the last 90 days mostly out of town, living in hotels, and working a good 70 hour or more average week.
I MAKE NO CLAIM THAT I’VE READ THE HOUSE (OR SENATE) BILLS.
I still start with a position that was articulated by Gov Perdue in today’s AJC Political Insider:
“there is bipartisan agreement among governors on the need for reforms that cover pre-existing conditions, arbitrary policy cancellations and exorbitant, skyrocketing premiums for new health conditions.”
I think Obama could actually claim a victory if he would start over with a plan centered around the above goals.
As for the doctors you see driving around in nice cars, ask them when they plan to retire. I know quite a few who retired in their early 50′s, because they weren’t practicing medicine anymore, they were paperwork administrators. Then Medicare started capping what they could charge, while their paperwork kept increasing. Their own malpractice premiums were going through the roof, and it just wasn’t cost effective for them to keep working, based on their own labor/leisure curve.
We already have a critical shortage of OB/GYNs statewide, and doctors in general in our more rural parts of the state. Yet despite a growing population, the number of doctors IS declining.
I also know from family member experience that the number of doctors willing to take on new medicare patients is shrinking. That is how “rationing” happens when the word “rationing” isn’t in any of these bills.
When the government sets reimbursement rates below “market”, then the market supplies less of something.
Under the current series of proposals, my fear is that this is what healthcare in general will be like down the road.
August 25, 2009 at 7:00 am
I have two family members currently on Medicare. They have no issue of seeing a doctor or receiving treatment.
Since my wife used to work in OB/GYN, she can tell you firsthand that the problem isn’t torts, but malpractice insurance policies. By the way, just how much is your wife’s life worth. Not sure we really should set a limit on that.
As for your other suggestions, I agree wholeheartedly, and Obama is making a mistake by not including those items.