Letters To The Editor: Insurance Companies Will Suffer the Greatest
Insurance Companies Will Suffer the Most
Editor, Times-Dispatch: President Barack Obama and the Democrats aren't tired of spending money we don't have. While the United States has the best health care system in the world, they propose health care reform that by their own estimates will cost $1.2 trillion to $2 trillion. Not only is the cost astronomical; during a time when even Obama says we're broke, this proposal could make our health care system worse.
It is being put together too quickly without detail or enough evaluation and analysis. The president claims that we'd still be able to choose our doctors and our coverage, but this is not true. A government bureaucracy would decide what health care and procedures a person could receive -- if at all -- in the name of resource management and efficiency.
In countries with national or universal health care, patients may wait two or more years for a needed operation even when they are considered eligible. Health care decisions should be left to the individual and his doctor, not a bureaucrat in Washington.
A recent Lewin Group study shows that upward of 100 million Americans would lose their current health care plan and have to use the government's plan. When given the option of providing health care for employees or letting workers get their insurance through the government, most employers would choose the option that costs less -- having their employees participate in the government-run plan.
How can private industry compete with the federal government when the government can operate without having to make a profit? All it needs to do is raise funding. With the government health care plans undercutting private insurance, the private insurers will go under, leaving people with no choice but to turn to Uncle Sam for their health care needs. It is important to communicate with legislators about this very important issue.
Jane Logan.
Richmond.
All Three Branches Need Personnel Changes
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Our Constitution gave us three independent branches of government that were to provide checks and balances, thus preserving the rights that are reserved for the people. Too often now, rather than protecting our rights, the three branches have conspired to relieve us of them. That process will not stop until the electorate changes the population of those three institutions.
Secession is not the answer. We the people must become united and seek out and elect those of us who will stand in defense of our rights and preserve the principles contained in the Constitution. Put an end to the political class.
John Mittell.
Richmond.
Washington Must Fix Health Care System
Editor, Times-Dispatch: I am still hopeful that Congress and the president can come up with a single-payer health care system for this country. Our economy and our citizens need and deserve to be out of the current topheavy, inefficient health care system. Mindy Loiselle. Richmond.
Climate Legislation Is Based on Hot Air
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Cap-and-trade is based on questionable -- some even say junk -- science. It is an absolute fraud and will cripple the U.S. economy. A PowerPoint show by former Vice President Al Gore does not constitute proof and a consensus of scientists is a farce.
The consensus of most scientists was nearly unanimous in 1491 that the Earth was flat.
The consensus of most scientists in 1850 was that the atom was unsplittable.
The consensus of most surgeons in 1940 was that open heart surgery was impossible and to attempt it was unethical.
Fortunately, all those scientists were wrong. I, myself, had open heart surgery in 2001, proving that consensus in science in nonsense. True science demands proof -- not political spin.
Congress must not destroy our country based on this supposed consensus. By the way, has anyone noticed that the proponents do not say climatologists or oceanographers or paleontologists agree? There are social scientists, there are psychologists, opthamologists, oncologists, proctologists, metallurgists, dentists, etc. -- none of whose training qualifies them in climatology, atmospheric analysis, or oceanography. If a dentist offers his opinion on operating a nuclear power plant, is he considered an authentic expert -- even if his urologist agrees with him? I think not.
Let's ignore that "consensus of scientists" baloney. A vote for cap-and-trade is a vote for hoax.
Don Cahill.
Fork Union.
Is All the Media Crazed With Grief?
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Anyone in his right mind was saddened by the death of pop star Michael Jackson. However, the amount of news coverage devoted to his death is absurd and appalling. You allotted three pages of the front section of the newspaper, including the front page, to the death of the talented, yet freakish and past-his-prime, singer and dancer. Ridiculous.
The television networks were even worse. The NBC news at 6:30 devoted almost the entire show to his death, followed by CNN at 7:00 which did likewise. At first we tried muting the shows until news came on, but when it became apparent that this was the only news to be reported, we turned the TV off.
Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, energy, and health care have all become irrelevant, it seems. How long will the media continue this madness? I hope nothing Earth-shaking happens any time soon, because we certainly will not be told about it by the media.
Carol M. Smith.
Sharps.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
Two great debates,Global warming and health care.
On the first, only a fool would believe the debate on this is final.Or that consensus or bashing Rush, Beck , and Hannity makes it so.Consensus is NOT science. Forty years ago we were warned of the next ice age.Those alarmists were the same ones who now warn of global warming which has in fact slowed or stopped over the last ten years.Neither I nor anyone here has all the answrs but what good will it do for the USA to cripple our economy in an attempt to curtail the dreaded CO2 levels when China and Russia refuse to or are exempt from participating.Besides most CO2 in the atmosphere comes from sources other than man.Look it up.Sure lets be good stewards of our planet but keep things in perspective,After all we’re talking about a temperature increase of a little over one half degree in the last 100 yrs.CO2 levels,which comprise less than .5 % of our atmosphere have risen minimally (100 to 150 ppb)in that same time period. I’m not giving up my gas guzzling SUV until the Chi-Coms and Ruskies do.
The health care debate a little more tricky.Some have done a decent yet repetitive job identifying a problem. I think theres ‘consensus’ on that.But what to do.Even those who have proven theres a problem have not proven to me or many others that government controlled healthcare is the answer.OR that it will lower costs.OR how to pay for it in this economy.The thought that the money is already there and just needs to be reallocated is laughable. I don’t trust the government OR the healthcare companies.I can change healthcare companies.I can’t change my government.
I think its very telling that Greta,who has lived in Europe under ‘socialized healthcare’ does not advocate same for this country.Agree or disagree hers are some of the most well spoken and least offensive post on any of these threads.Woe be to those namecallers who would call her ‘hypocrite.‘Those who live in glass houses….
I would think some sort of regulation of the healthcare industry we already have would be preferrable to gov’t control.
But control is what some of these people are about.They want to tell you what to eat,how much to weigh,what to drive,where to set yout thermostat and so many weak minded people follow along because that is the easy thing to do.
Thus, the liberal position is the easy one.All you have to do is admit you can’t do it on your own and you need the gov’t to do it for you,to keep you safe, to provide your health care,dietary advice, how many kids you can have,housing, etc. No thought or effort involved A conservative takes it upon his or herself to make decisions for themselves,not for other people.The conservative mindset is I CAN do it on my own and so can you, just get out of my way and out of my pocket.
I believe our country was founded on that principle..independence.Its interesting to ponder where this great country would be today if our Founders had the defeatist ‘can’t do’ attitude of some of these posters.And frightening to think this country is currently being run by one of their likeminded crybabies.
On Independence Day maybe some of you fine people can think about or Google what ‘Independence Day’ means.I’m sure to all you educated people,its an obsolete,outdated and offensive term. And by the way, if I sound any where near as condescending as some you self described geniuses, forgive me.I’m just a dumb ol’ self decribed redneck who is extremely concerned about the direction of this country.
Has anyone ever tried to get disability payments from Met Life or other long-term disability insurers who also sell health insurance? You know. Private insurers who take premium payments for LTD from you or your employer; then, when you become disabled, they fight you with legal teams for months or years, even after Social Security has declared you FULLY disabled, meaning unable to perform any kind of work. If ever they do settle, it’s normally out-of-court at pennies on the dollars due you, after they’ve worn you out with your legal bills and mental anxiety.
That will open your eyes to the way insurers view your health care. O.K. Not all eyes will be opened, as some are forever Gorilla-glued.
Just trust um. Yeah. Just like Mel’s Used Cars advertises “Have I got a deal for you!“ (be sure to bring your own Vaseline)
Insurers: Lying bunch of thieves. No better than Bernie Madoff. As a group, insurers steal more billions from us annually than did Madoff in 20 years.
Has anyone ever tried to get disability payments from Social Security?
That will open your eyes to the way government views health care..
Others may have found this essay, some of the phrasing sounds familiar. But I will use quotes so there will be no confusion.
From an Essay by Rob and Cyndy Shearer-
“In 1942, every educate man knew that the world was roun. So id every ocean-going sailor. The “bigoted church leaders of Spain” did not oppose Columbus. Columbus had in fact been housed, supported, advised, and greatly aided by Spainish monks who encouraged him to present his proposal to the King and Queen.“
They essay goes on to say that “There was a University Commission which conluded that plans for his voyage was impractical. But the Commission agreed with Columbus that the world was round and gave no indication that they believed the Bible taught that the world was flat.“
How all these misconceptions came to be repeated in numeous social studies texts is instructive. The idea of bigoted, superstitious, Bible-thumping churchmen opposed to Columbus is just too attractive to the modern mind.
It goes on to advise that among the ancient Greeks, Aristotle, Strabo, Eratosthenes, and Ptolemy all wrote that the earth was round.
It is a very interesting and informative essay and there for all to read.
I was educated in Europe and we were fed the same mythological information. Except that we were easier on the clergy.
I do not know who changed Cristobal Colon to Christopher Columbus.
Perhaps he did that himself, like a lot of other immigrants?
TO Jane Logan….
How brainwashed you are. Are you a lobbyist for these insurance companies? Maybe this is a fake letter written by someone who works for one of the insurance companies. I don’t see how any American can write such ignorance.
If you took the time to actually get your ears away from Fox news and Rush, you might hear that Obama is not advocating a Canadian-style program. And even if he was, you don’t have to participate. What is wrong with that? Furthermore, the only change to pay for this is the top 2% of Americans who make over 250K lose some of the BS tax shelters they are given. All the other money is currently in the system and just needs to be reallocated.
And if you want to keep your current plan and doctor…you can!
If you are not a lobbyist, an angry Republican who wishes Palin was in office, or work for one of these Ponzi scheme Insurers, then you are just an ignorant selfish woman who cares nothing for your countrymen.
One day maybe you will lose your job, be uninsured, or maybe you will get a new job with less competitive benefits. Or, maybe your mom and dad will get old and won’t be able to get care. Or maybe your kids will develop a rare disease which drains your savings because it is not covered.
We live in a society that is supposed to protect Americans. And Americans should adopt a manner if thinking that Government is supposed to advocate policies that help even the least fortunate Americans. Access to healthcare for all is the humane thing to do.
And if you want to keep your current plan and doctor…you can!
And who really cares if Insurance Companies suffer? Their current policies of denying care for all but the healthiest people shows that their agenda is profit at all costs. If they have to downsize, so be it. They need competition or else their prices will just continue to rise. Just imaging if your company went to the government option, you might even get a raise instead of your company complaining that healthcare is part of your “package” and your rising cost of insurance paid for by the company is your raise.
There are so many ridiculous statements in your letter to the editor that I just wonder if you cut and pasted it from Rush’s website. Get your head out of the sand.
And if you want to keep your current plan and doctor…you can!
DUH!
“The consensus of most scientists was nearly unanimous in 1491 that the Earth was flat.“
I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the history we teach our kids in school is largely mythological. Sometimes we forget. Christopher Columbus discovered that the world was round in 1492? You mean Gallileo, Aristotle and their contemporary greeks, romans, azteks and mayans DIDN’T have maps of the solar system a thousand years before Columbus was even born? I assure you, they did. Constelations have been mapped for about 3,000 years. You cant develop that level of understanding in astro-physics and not know what shape your own planet is. You did have to keep it quiet though, otherwise the christians would have killed you for thinking out.
When you look at the moon and sun, you can clearly see that they are round. When you stand on the beach, you can clearly see that the horizon arks. When you look at the shadow of the earth on the moon, you can clearly see that it is round. By the 1400s, everyone knew that the earth was round, after all, nobody had ever seen the end of the earth!
Even if the earth WAS flat, Columbus would never have known it. He was trying to get to ASIA and he landed in the present day US. He was only off by half a world. Finally, there was never a person named Christopher Columbus, his name was CRISTOBAL COLON. We changed his name to make him anglo, denied a thousands of years of history and science in order to credit the white man as the discoverer of earth’s shape.
I’m so tired of living in the information age and having to tolerate mythology as history. I guess when the ledgend becomes fact you just print the legend.
Sorry to digress. Get back to your healthcare talks folks, let’s hear more brilliant opinions on national healthcare policy from people who have never read a book on the subject.
I got a chuckle out of this one.
“How do you make a snooker cue?
“Put it at the end of the line and tell it to wait its turn.
Nobody seems to be able to agree on whether the homophones (which by definition are words that are pronounced the same but have different meanings) so on queue I am going to concede. Have fun next time you use it in that context.
On the other topic. We are not submitting information that is to be “peer reviewed.“ This is a local newspaper for God’s sake. People write in stating their opinions. Sometimes they are right sometimes they are wrong sometimes they are miles off base.
This is not the forum for experts. And I have also seen people in a scientific academic setting being called “imbecile” and worse to their faces.Sometimes it was because they were. But it was always unprofessional and petulent and unecessary.
12step-You know I thought so at the time too. We are an exclusive little club aren’t we?
M&P - We do have term limits. Congressmen are elected every two years. We elect a president every four years, and senators every six years. They can all be voted out.
To those who beleive in “climate change” - Stop trying to convince those who don’t that it is a real problem. Until Sean, Rush, and Glenn Beck acknowledge the consensus among all peer-reviewed scientists is legit, they will not beleive it.
To the critics of gov’t involvement in anything - You trust your gov’t-run military to protect you and you trust your gov’t run schools to provide your kids with education. But any involvement in healthcare is going to bankrupt our country?
Look at the VITA/NG fiasco in the state. It may have been Warner’s baby but it had full republican support - outsourcing gov’t to the private sector. Guess what, the private sector screwed it up and now people are clamoring for the gov’t to take it back.
Greta: the fact that you would criticize someone as a “condescending know-it-all” sends the hypocrisy meter off the charts.
Lex: big fan of Hammurabi?
Post a Comment(Requires free registration)
- Please avoid offensive, vulgar, or hateful language.
- Respect others.
- Use the "Flag Comment" link when necessary.
- See the Terms and Conditions for details.
Advertisement