Are you glad the House passed the Senate's health care bill?

I’m sorry to upset all those who are doing their “happy dance” over the bill passing, but no, I am not happy the bill passed and I will be happy to tell you why. First, I would like you to know that I am currently un-insured, unemployed, injured, and have been denied disability, Medicaid, and can not afford standard medical insurance, so when I tell you that I’m not happy about the bill you will not think that it is because I am one of the “wealthy” or “privileged” if anyone needs health care it’s me. I do believe that our country needs health care reform, but I don’t think it needed this.

There were better, easier, cheaper ways to improve our health care system. I know that the bill may look sound good on the surface, I’d like to point out a few reasons why it’s not, and I will try to be quick about it. First, I would like to point out that they are already implementing a very similar system in Massachusetts and that it is projected to bankrupt the state in the next 5-10 years.

The problem with the plan there has not been remedied and now they want to implement the plan across the whole country? The new healthcare plan provides government subsidies or Medicaid coverage to anyone making 400% of the poverty level or below. Which in translation (just to give you an idea of how many people we’re talking about) means that if you are single and making less that $43,320 a year the government is going to pay for your health care.

Where is that money going to come from? Our country is already over a TRILLION dollars in debt. This Bill prohibits insurance companies from dropping policies, or denying high risk applicants.

This increase their costs and they in turn pass those costs onto the insurance holders making insurance even more unaffordable. This bill also fines companies, with more than 50 employees, who don’t provide healthcare. A small business who cannot afford to provide healthcare (now even more expensive) for their employees is not going to want to face fines so they will downsize to under 50 employees, leaving more people unemployed and jumping on the Medicaid wagon.

I could go on and on with reasons this bill is no good for any of us, but I will leave you with just two last thoughts. The countries in the world who have socialized medicine, like Canada and France, healthcare is rationed because the government can’t afford it otherwise. People wait years on waiting lists to get fairly simple labs and tests like CAT scans and MRIs.

People from these countries who can afford it, come HERE to get care because they think WE have the best healthcare. Lastly, think about the services in this country that you use on a regular basis that the government already controls, i.e. The postal service, and the department of motor vehicles… do you want the same kind of service you get at the DMV in the emergency room?

I don’t!

I'm extremely happy about this. I know everyone's scared about the government taking over more control... But seriously? For one, you never had control over your health insurance, the insurance company does.

You have absolutely NO control on what happens. So you're really not losing any freedom. This bill... It's helping low income families.

People who have pre-existing conditions WILL NOT be denied. If you get fired from your job, you'll still be covered by your employer until you find a new job. This is going to help seniors out, no more caps.

The insurance company can't screw you over... I'll never forget watching sicko, there was a woman that was diagnosed with cancer... Her insurance company found a way to drop her. Want to know why? Because of a yeast infection.

A common problem for women. Not only that, but a yeast infection that occurred over 10 years before she got cancer. Did you know your insurance companies reps get paid more when they deny you?

Hell, I want socialize medication like the U. K and Canada and so many other countries have. I don't want to have to worry if my fingers get chopped off, which damn finger I'll be able to afford to get sewed back on.

This isn't bringing us Free health care, but it is bringing a huge change. And I am SO proud of my President. I am SO proud that he fought so hard to finally give us what we deserve.

And, from what I read the WEALTHY will have taxes raised over this... Not us low income families who can't afford it. And I must say, it's about damn time. I could go on forever about this, but you said you wanted it short.So I tried to keep it as short as I could LOL.

Ahhh I gotta go do my "Yes We Can! " Dance now. *dances.

I am actually quite ambivalent on this topic. Frankly, I believe the Democrats wasted months trying to build bi-partisan support that just was never going to come. If the Democrats had to pass this thing entirely in their own caucus, what is the point of passing a half-baked measure that was designed to try and draw bi-partisan support?

I wish the Democrats would have had the foresight to see this and just passed a far more substantive reform (read: Public Option) months ago, while the President still had momentum on his side, and before tragic deaths, and various scandals led to the Democrats losing seats in the House and Senate.

I'm happy about some of it, and unhappy about some of it, but as someone with a pre-existing, serious illness, I will be happy to have anything at this point. I think that it's too easy for people who aren't faced with a life or death illness to nitpick this plan and tear it apart, finding all the bad parts. When you have a doctor tell you that without proper health care, you may die in ten years, and you have no means of getting that health care, you get excited about this.

I may have to wait years to get it, but at least I know that if I live that long, in the future I will be able to get help. What makes me sad is that it doesn't go into effect sooner, and that's because of politics, pure and simple. I know there are people, and I may be one of them, who won't live long enough to take advantage of it.

I'm just happy for the people who will. IF the GOP doesn't get into power and overturn it, like they have promised they will. I don't understand this at all.

Are they really that selfish, and uncaring, or are they just in the pockets of the health care industry that deep? Whatever the reason, I would hate to see people's hope for health care shattered because of some stupid political game of "You just wait, we'll get you in the end. " And you can attack me and call me names all you want.

I just want a chance to live to see my sons get married, and to have grandchildren, wouldn't you?

I have mixed feelings on this issue. The concept of healthcare as a right rather than privilege is one I completely agree with. The additions to the Medicare system, particularly the future elimination of the medication "donut hole" is long overdue.

The down side is a reduction in coverages under this system. The expansion of the Medicaid system to include the poor and indigent will reduce emergency room visits and uncollected medical debt. Mandatory insurance coverage has a weakness in that a few limitations have been placed on insurance providers, no provisions are in place to control increases in premiums or services covered.

Another weakness is that though payments to medical providers will increase somewhat under Medicare, the increase is not enough to prevent to exodus of doctors from accepting Medicare and Medicaid. My expectations are to see the healthcare industry shift to a multi-tiered system ranging from long waits to see a nurse-practitioner to “boutique� Clinics based on your level of insurance coverage or Medicare/Medicaid coverage.

I also expect to see this, if it passes muster, in front of the supreme court on the basis that it is unconstitutional to require by law a private citizen to purchase a product or service from a private company. Lastly, the concept that the program will be paid for, and reduce the national debt through the collection of fines is a bit disturbing.

Freeser1 thank you for laying this out so other people can understand the truth behind the health care bill. I think rachnh is really misguided to think that doctors prescribe drugs (i.e. Chantix) to put money in their pockets, the money goes to the drug companies.

I am a PA in a cardiologist office and have been so for the last 8 years. Chantix happens to be the best drug I have used for smoking cessation. I agree people should be able to quit on their own without medications but fact is many don’t and success rate are much higher with the medication.

Yes people work in health care to make a living and make money. It takes years of costly education and training to be a provider. But for you to suggest all medical decisions financially based is sick.

What really makes me sick is when self pay patients say they can’t afford insurance yet comes to the clinic in a new vehicle and smoke 2 packs of cigarettes per day.

No he wont, because he has private doctors from now till life. Its hippocritical, and politics has killed our american freedom.Im in school now to be a doctor and he has fuk'd (sorry for my grammar) our country up. I live in the ghetto, and these people on welfare ask me for .25 cents for the train while they are talking on their damn iphones that cost 80 bucks a fkn month.

WHy don't you put that 80 bucks towards some health insurance.Im sorry, I see it every day, if you want health insurance YOU CAN AFFORD IT. JUST STOP WASTING YOUR MONEY ON BULL*@&# ITEMS LIKE CIGS, CELL PHONES, and ALCOHOL. Now I have to work extra hard to pay for that.

Please, You will find me practicing in another country. Thanks obama, id rather be Russian. Im actually not to upset about it though, because im going into dentistry where this bill won't touch, untill 15 years down the line, but still, open your damn eyes america and lets the govt run our damn lives and make decisions for us.

Shame on US.

Of course! How can anyone even ask this question! It's a very odd society indeed which would allow its citizens to suffer illness and death just because insurance companies want to maximise their profits!

We all know that the dollar is the most-worshipped god in the U.S. But adopting the attitude that the under-priviliged sick should should stay sick - and therefore under-priviliged - just because they ARE underpriviliged is just obscene. Not to have passed this bill would have demonstrated that America is a nation of money-grubbing hypocrites who care not a jot for their fellow man. Most of us know that this is not the case, but now and then, someone needs to shake the tree.

Well done the US!

This was victory for the Communist Part of America. Obama and Pelosi showed to America their true intent is take away freedom and wealth to create a state in which NO ONE PERSON can have more than another to ensure a democracy. Just like IRAN. But you get to vote.

articlesbase.com/health-articles/advance....

That 's the most looking forwarded thing these years we are cared.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.