Recently in Universal Health Care Category

“Of ALL the forms of inequity, injustice in healthcare is the MOST shocking and Inhumane.”

Those words were written and often spoken by a man who fought for and cared about ALL people.

His name is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

When I first heard that, I never understood the significance of the words, or maybe just didn’t give it much thought. When I was diagnosed with advanced cancer at age 33, I quickly came to understand them. Today, I understand them even more, and live it every day.

I am one of the 48 million Americans in this country who is uninsured. I am one of the many people who thought they had insurance, only to be canceled due to some obscure print that even an attorney could not understand. To have this happen was bad enough, but to have it happen 2 weeks into the treatment that would help me live, put me into another category — someone who suddenly had hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills and no place to get treatment. I couldn’t get “public help” as I made too much money. That’s when I really understood Dr. King’s words.

To have a productive member of society, who did everything right and as I was supposed to do, suddenly become a cast off, dead beat who didn’t (couldn’t) pay the enormous bills already accumulated, I also faced the prospect of dying because I couldn’t get treatment. I was reduced to pleading to doctors I knew, going to emergency rooms, anything I could do to find treatment to save my life. I now knew the true meaning of the word “inhumane.”

I would wonder, where are the people that are charged to enforce the laws that are supposed to stop these kind of actions? Where is my government, to whom I paid faithfully into a system that was supposed be my safety net? — “I am sorry, we can’t help you.”

I am one of the lucky ones, as I am survivor. I found a doctor in the Great State of Indiana who dealt with my kind of cancer. He didn’t care about money as he would say “We never turn down anyone in need.” I broke down and cried when I heard those words. He actually invented a cure for it. 25 years ago, my cancer had a mortality rate of almost 100%. Today, the cure rate is almost 100%. He helped me get the treatment that saved my life.

Even now though, I cannot get health insurance. In spite of all the rules, numbers, percentages, etc, etc, I am considered a high risk. Let me say that another way. I could get insurance, but it would cost me about the same as a monthly mortgage on a beachfront home in Miami. I am not kidding.

So, I became very interested in this election. I knew I had no chance under the present Administration, and truly believe that this is my last shot in my lifetime to obtain health insurance. The system has got to change. I still have to pay for tests, CT-scans and such, and we all know those cost thousands of dollars. I don’t even worry about gas prices, right now, I look at tumor marker futures, how much is it to see an Endocrinologist (still working on that one). I spend an enormous part of my day, finding help for people like me who don’t know where to turn just to get treatment. I guess I got very good at begging as now, I have a network of doctors that will help people. Still, I am a very busy man over the last few years. I do it gladly though, because nobody should go through what I did. Sadly… many many do. Everytime I open my mailbox, there are hundreds of e-mails, from people of all walks of life, who are now (still to me) going through the same experience.

Hillary Clinton believes that everyone should be covered under Universal Healthcare. She believes that every American should have the right to be in the same insurance group that the United States Congressmen have. Must be good as I don’t ever recall a congressman losing his home, or declaring bankruptcy because of medical bills. If anyone knows one, I would sure like to know who it is. This plan is NOT national Healthcare, it is Universal, and EVERYONE can join. As someone pointed out, everyone has to join to make it work. If you are happy with what you have, you can stay with it. But those who have no other means can get into this, with our Government leaders.

Mr. Obama, says that his plan also will cover everyone. Then he says, well, not everyone, all but maybe 8 or 9 million. I ask myself a question. Am I one of those people too? He also says that Americans could buy insurance of they wanted to. They just can’t afford it. I am probably one of those as I would much prefer to have insurance over the beach house, but I can’t afford either. My biggest dream in life now is to walk in and when they say “do you have your insurance card” I would be like a kid who just got his permit to drive. Really. The problem again is “afford it.” Well, he will just give us a tax credit. $1,500 or something like that. Well, I just fell into Obama’s 9 million uninsured because my insurance is going to cost more than that per month. My company pay for it? They are shifting it more and more to the Government anyway. Look at Walmart.

People who have insurance through their companies, often find out the hard way, that insurance is really not insurance, and if something bad happens, like me, they are instantly wiped out. Finished financially, and with that, their kids’ university and futures, retirements, etc. Gone in a flash.

To me, the same thing that the Congress has sounds the best. We all know they don’t do anything to screw themselves.

I went to a rally for both Candidates. Mr Obama, was kind enough to ask me “You want a picture?” “Well, thank you, but really, I want to talk about Healthcare.” He patted me on the shoulder and said “We are going to take care of you kid” and moved on. Kid? I am 3 years younger than him.

At the Hillary Rally, I was on a mission to talk to her about healthcare, cancer specifcally. She wasn’t in a Stadium, that looked like a Pink Floyd Concert, with 25,000 screaming fans, but was in a high school gym, which was full. She spoke to the audience not with a speech full of lofty words and promises, but spoke directly to people, about things that were real and on their minds. “I am going to do this, and this is how I am going to do it” was pretty much the theme. It amazed me how she would look people in the eye. It also amazed me how different she was came across in person. If you were there, or have seen her, you know what I mean. She is real.

After it was over, I literally was climbing chairs to get up front. I was so determined that even the Secret Service agent turned toward me. I made it though and when she got to me, and shook my hand and I said, “I have to talk to you,” she paused, and continued to the next person, and I said again,”I really need to talk to you about health care and cancer.” She stopped, came back to me, and we talked for about 15 minutes. I had her full attention, and she was listening. She was answering back. She asked questions. The whole time looking me in the eye. She even called her assistant over and had her immediately address the issue I was presenting to her. On the spot had her on the Blackberry to get the person I was referring to some help with the issue. Even Govenor Strickland walked over and joined the discussion. With all that was going on, schedules, reporters, I was able to have a private conversation with the person, I knew at that point, should be the President of the United States. After all these years of screaming HELP, for me and others, she stopped to talk to me, just 1 person. The Senator cared to hear what I had to say.

I don’t know about you, but to me, That is a President. It was very clear to me, and even the Republican I had with me, was just amazed at how she responded not only to me, but to others after me.

This Lady, as President is going to help you, me, and the rest of us in this country with things that affect our every day lives. We don’t have time for a “rockstar”. We have no time or place for another unchecked ego. We must have someone that is going to reverse the last 8 years and help us all get our lives back, starting from day 1.

To my friends in the State Of IN, WV , KY, OR , PR and everywhere else, do yourself a favor. Just go see her in person. You will see exactly what I am talking about. This country desperately needs someone who will listen, cares, and will act.

I was a skeptic until that day, but now I will do everything I can to help her, help us. Go see her, you will feel the same thing I did, and I hope you will help me, and others like me, get the right person as the next President. It’s not “no child left behind,” with Senator Clinton, it is no person left behind.

The Obama campaign used this same lie in February

Yet he repeats it again.

“What’s she not telling you about her health care plan? It forces everyone to buy insurance even if you can’t afford it.”

and leading health experts called him on it back then and we all should call him on it now. (excerpts below from 2.1.08 Huffington Post by Taylor Marsh)

Experts who are NOT supporting any candidate, but are health care experts, …, all of whom charged that Obama’s message could cause permanent damage to universal health care efforts. The following are words they use to describe Obama’s message about her health care plan.

“Demonize.”

“Grossly untrue.”

“Disgusting.”

“So far over the line.”

“Drive to the lowest common denominator.”

My thoughts:

He is just trying to distract from the fact that his plan doesn’t cover everyone and would cost more. And all the things in the last debate.

You attack someone on their strongest point — that is what Rove/Repubs, and swiftboaters do. That is what the Obama camp is doing. The ONE BIG difference between Obama and Hillary on the issues is Healthcare. And there she kicks his butt because she GETS IT. (She learned from her EXPERIENCE) You HAVE to have everyone in or else it costs those of us who are responsible — who opt in for insurance under Obama’s plan — a lot of money.

Here’s my previous piece on this: Obama’s poor judgement on healthcare.

Hillary’s plan:

• Would cover everyone because it contains more generous subsidies than the Obama plan. Thus, Under the Hillary plan, everyone will be able to afford coverage, noted health expert Ken Thorpe of Emory University concluded. It has been estimated that the Obama plan would leave 9-15 million people out (because they would opt out by not buying insurance), which drives up costs because everyone else ends up subsidizing their emergency care.

• The Clinton-type plan would cost $2,700 per newly insured person, an Obama-type plan would cost $4,400. (According to Jonathan Gruber of M.I.T., one of America’s leading health care economists) Which plan do you want?

• Clinton’s plan achieves more or less universal coverage; an Obama-like plan costs more than 80 percent more and covers only about half of those currently uninsured. (per Krugman article)

• Gets people to understand the need for mandates. Per Krugman, the “Obama campaign has demonized the idea of mandates. … If Mr. Obama gets to the White House and tries to achieve universal coverage, he’ll find that it can’t be done without mandates — but if he tries to institute mandates, the enemies of reform will use his own words against him. … If Mrs. Clinton gets the Democratic nomination, there is some chance … — that we’ll get universal health care in the next administration. If Mr. Obama gets the nomination, it just won’t happen.

• Starts the “bargaining” at a point of strength rather than already conceding differences.

See SCHIP article for swiftboating by Obama supporters aka Kennedy.

Health care policy has been debated and discussed in great detail. In an economic context, Clinton's American Health Choices Plan provides a mandatory path to universal health care for all, ensures coverage is not denied because of preexisting conditions, and gives small businesses a tax credit for health care coverage. By widening the pool of coverage, it is more likely to be implemented by health insurance companies, create additional competition amongst them, and thereby possibly reduce rates.
Obama says his plan would provide universal health care, though not mandatorily, and reduce family premiums by $2,500 per year (though it's hard to see how he can commit to that number, an average 30% premium reduction). His plan would be available to the self employed, small businesses, and all children, and would also not turn anyone away for preexisting conditions. In place of a New Deal type of government-mandated inclusion, it utilizes a government watchdog, establishing a National Health Insurance Exchange to oversee plan fairness and standards, and increase competition amongst insurers.

As a physician and patient advocate, I know the problems with healthcare. Universal healthcare in which everyone is covered and we get rid of the middle-man (the insurance companies) is the solution. But the 2nd best solution is at least "everyone is in the system." The 3rd best solution is "everyone has the option to be in the system." The least optimal is what we have now. Barack chose the 3rd best solution. Edwards and Hillary chose the 2nd best.

The key question is whether to let people opt out. Scholars in the field and physicians who study the problem know that in order to do good, you cannot let people opt out. Otherwise, it increases the cost to the taxpayer via people going to the ER and we having to bail them out of bankruptcy when that happens, and those with insurance sucking up the cost of their ER visits. 

Every time an American without health insurance walks into an emergency room, we pay even more. Our family's premiums are $922 higher because of the cost of care for the uninsured. We pay $15 billion more in taxes because of the cost of care for the uninsured. And it's trapped us in a vicious cycle. As the uninsured cause premiums to rise, more employers drop coverage. As more employers drop coverage, more people become uninsured, and premiums rise even further.

It is not in our character to sit idly by as victims of fate or circumstance, for we are a people of action and innovation, forever pushing the boundaries of what's possible. ... The time has come for universal health care in America.

Obama says that people don't have insurance because it is too expensive. Not true.

One study estimates that about 25% of the country's uninsured, or roughly 11 million people, are eligible for government health care programs but unenrolled.

Research also suggests that subsidies alone are unlikely to solve the uninsured problem in the U.S. (source: Subsidies and the Demand for Individual Health Insurance in California).

In 2007, Obama said about healthcare, "We must act. And we must act boldly. ... Washington no longer has an excuse for caution. Leaders no longer have a reason to be timid." Yet his is the wimpiest plan of the 3 top candidates and does not achieve universal healthcare/coverage. (Some estimate 9-15 million people would not be covered under his plan because they would not opt in.)

This is flip floppy... (wait until the Republicans get ahold of this!)

Here is a great article by economist Paul Krugman on the subject.

The difference between the plans could well be the difference between achieving universal health coverage -- a key progressive goal -- and falling far short.

... A plan without mandates, broadly resembling the Obama plan, would cover 23 million of those currently uninsured, at a taxpayer cost of $102 billion per year. An otherwise identical plan with mandates would cover 45 million of the uninsured -- essentially everyone -- at a taxpayer cost of $124 billion. Over all, the Obama-type plan would cost $4,400 per newly insured person, the Clinton-type plan only $2,700.

That doesn't look like a trivial difference to me. One plan achieves more or less universal coverage; the other, although it costs more than 80 percent as much, covers only about half of those currently uninsured.

According to the Urban institute, "it is not possible to achieve universal coverage without an individual mandate." (Source: Do Individual Mandates Matter? ).

In a recent Healthcast from the Kaiser Network, Len Nichols, Ph.D., the Director of the Health Policy Program of the New America Foundation said:

If you go pure voluntary even if you have fairly generous subsidies you are not going cover more than half of the uninsured. So basically the reason to do a mandate is not because we like it, I mean I would think the mandates are kind of like booster shots, they are vaccinations that sometimes hurt a little bit, but they protect you from the rest of us and they protect the rest of us from far worse illnesses down the road. They actually make markets work better to make sure everyone pays their fair share.

For such a brilliant man, I am shocked that Senator Obama missed such a fundamental part of the solution to the problem of healthcare or isn't willing to take the bold changes that he advocates for. I worry that this may be indicative of his judgement regarding other issues.

P.S. I never dreamed of becoming an MD until my mother introduced me to her female MD friend and I realized that women could be MDs. It would be truly inspiring to young women in the US and women everywhere to see a woman lead the most powerful nation in the world.