aka John Ballard
Health care reform has divided America worse than civil rights or the Vietnam conflict ever did. Those issues represented real ideological disagreements among groups of people with sincere, good faith arguments.
This conflict is not the same because investigative reporting once rooted in local and regional newspapers has largely vanished and the remaining media dares not risk losing advertising dollars from the two elephants in the room: pharmaceutical and insurance companies.
As long as money from insurance and pharmaceuticals controls the media (and our elected representatives) this discussion will never be resolved. The last several weeks have witnessed a campaign of misinformation and fear-mongering that makes the Swift-boating of John Kerry look like a pastoral infidelity scandal. The level of rage and fear now evident in C-SPAN and You Tube coverage of town hall meetings is shameful disgrace and an insult to intelligence.
I must give credit to the insurance and pharmacy people for knowing how to spend their money wisely. They have handled the national media in the same smooth manner with which they have successfully divided Congress, not distracted for a moment either by dreams or ideals. Their attention has been focused with sniper-shot accuracy on one goal: future profitability.
Campaign contributions shrewdly spread among the right elected representatives, both Democrat and Republican, have yielded a political impasse that would have seemed impossible any other time. And to ensure no whiff of scandal escaped, they have spread advertising dollars shrewdly among media outlets, making certain that everyone got sugar in their tea, but that selected loud and popular spokespersons who never wavered from the message received their full advertising support.
I'm just one old guy blogging but I say this is a sorry state of affairs. As an informed citizen I am ashamed on behalf of our most influential media outlets that none of them has the courage to risk losing the support of insurance and pharmaceutical money by calling them out in their game. This is a bleeding disgrace to journalism and no one in a position to do anything about it is making a move. I heard a little promo on public radio a while ago about some radio journalist on this trail. And the solid, scholarly, disciplined writing of people like Maggie Mahar and Atul Gawande have described and documented the scene in scholarly detail. But the big megaphones, those belonging to the airwaves -- radio, television, satellite and cable -- have been walking on eggs, rarely mentioning the importance of insurance and pharmaceutical money to the shape of the so-called debate. On rare occasions when those two are mentioned, it is with hushed and polite tones, lest they rub their royal fur the wrong way.
?I understand, Congressmen and Senators, why you are compliant. Insurance and/or drug interests either have you by the balls or someone else does whom they control.
?I understand, alphabet networks, why you are cautious. You don't want to risk that prime-time ad revenue that sells new drugs or makes the insurance companies look good.
?I understand, Mr. President, why you aren't saying much. You made too many oblique representations (with appropriate "deniability" of course) during the campaign.
?I understand and appreciate the fear that Medicare beneficiaries have that the quality of their health care will be compromised by any change. It can't get any better, so who wants change? Anything will make it worse!
?I understand why insured people don't want to rock the boat. For some reason they think like Medicare beneficiaries. I'm in the lucky majority, so who wants to mess with the system?
This comment left at the doctor's post linked earlier expresses my frustration better than anything I can add.
To all the [health care] industry whoring politicians who are lying, treacherous and, of course, in cahoots with the industry titans:
When my private (and expensive) health care "insurance" company dropped me, citing my illness as not only pre-existing but excluded from coverage anyway, I had to go onto Medi-Cal (California's Medi-Caid program) and Medi-Care. Both are government-run programs. Both are excellent. I couldn't be happier.
It just amazes me that a full and startling half of all Americans are not only completely uninformed but so, well, so unbelievably stupid. Each one of these idiots shoot themselves in the foot every time they cast a vote and none of them even realize for what or for whom they're fighting. Is it that they really want to keep the health care industry CEO's, CFO's, et al raking in billions of dollars for themselves, while they, these morons, keep paying more and more for (increasingly) ABSOLUTELY NOTHING?!?
If I was mean-spirited I would wish for them, that is, for each one of these idiotic Republicans, to have a serious and/or chronic illness which would not be covered by their wonderful (preposterous) health care "insurance."
By the way, if people have not figured it out yet, I'm happy to spell it out here: [Profit-driven] Health Care "insurance" is one of the biggest and most profitable SCAMS in history...
The (mostly) Republican politicians are greedy, thieving, self-centered and quite hypocritical while the Republican citizens are incredibly stupid and self-defeating.
Cheers,
Christina Marlowe
Amen! Christina. Don't hold back. Tell 'em how you really feel. I feel the same way.
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(Postscript: I forgot to mention magazines. Like newspapers and books, magazine publishers have done journalism in a workmanlike manner and do not deserve to be condemned as a class. I'm sure their advertising stream from drug and insurance companies is considerable, but printed media generally is not the same as broadcast media. The emotional impact of multi-media messages is like a spash of water in the face. Even after it dries you'r not apt to forget what happened as quickly as you might forget what you read in the waiting room or the breakfast table. And when is the last time anyone had a lively conversation about what they had read, as opposed to gossip, or what they saw or heard? No, it's the sound and fury people who have dropped the ball, spawning urban myths faster than bubbles at a wedding reception.)
I've always lived my life believing that, if you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem. Christina Marlowe is part of the problem. Calling fellow Americans stupid is at best, not helpful, but more accurately, ignorant and divisive. If she would have ended her rant with a solution, I would feel a little differently. Unfortunately, she chose to spew anger and hate and leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteNow, as much as any time in history, we need to cast aside the ignorant partisan politics and make some real progress on an issue that affects each and every one of us.
Hoots - I have a lot of respect for you and I have learned a lot from you over the last year or so. However, I think you know that rants like Christina's are not what we need right now. We need to demand real progress and keep politics from polluting such a crucial issue.
Something that needs to be said again and again and again is that the change to Medicare is simply to pare back the unconscionable amounts of money the insurance industry is now getting out of it, since Bush & Co. brought them into it. The basic program was fine; the only change some thought was needed was to send more profit to the insurance companies. The proposed reform would eliminate some of that undeserved profit.
ReplyDeleteDeron, I agree. But clearly she has no solution to submit, only frustration and resentment. As for me, I have been watching helplessly as constructive ideas for improvement get shredded by popular, dramatic, emotional lies intentionally propagated for corporate profits. Like her, I'm at my wits' end. I doubt that our little rants matter much in an already-polluted cesspool.
ReplyDeleteInsurance sells risk management. But which risk? That of the client or the company?
Prescriptions are for good health. But who's good health? That of the customer or the vendor?
It's way past time to call this conflict for what it is: another kabuki play orchestrated by two players, pharmaceutical and insurance companies. If Congress approves universal coverage the market will have millions of new customers for these two already powerful interests. They are trembling with excitement about the new business, most of which will be paid for by taxes, either in the form of new penalties levied on companies and individuals who do not otherwise "choose" to buy their own insurance, or by subsidies to make premiums "affordable" for those too who fail the means test. Either way there will be an avalanche of new customers.
That is why there is so much opposition to a not-for-profit public insurance plan.
Cheryl, an excellent point. But there are two flies in the ointment. The first is an understanding that Medicare may not negotiate better drug prices in the same way that the VA and Medicaid do. The second is that Medicare reimbursement rates are not determined by MedPac, an independent group of technocrats, card-carying experts who really know about these matters (and put in place, by the way, during the Bush years). Instead Medicare rates are a pork item. Rates vary from district to district and reward certain places in accordance with Congressional "needs" very much like military and other government spending is divided. In other words, Medicare spending has more to do with politics than health.
The core of the controversy lies with legislation which will disturb the political balance, now tilted with two thumbs on the scale. I repeat what I have said often: This argument is not about health. It is about money.
Another comment:
ReplyDeleteDear Peter,
They know who they are--I don't lump them all together; I know that they are not ALL that way. I am merely speaking to those (and, again, they know who they are) that are indeed the whores. If they, or anyone else, takes offense, then perhaps they are guilty of something? Personally, I have a crystal-clear conscience; I am only baiting those that will argue with me...I really and truly don't care what anyone thinks; I am only engaged in fighting the titans of industries that are ruining the world--and there are many. I am also fighting for those that cannot get health care. My words may be sharp and/or shocking, but I do feel compelled to lay it on the line--everything I say, I truly believe.
By the way, I am in no way against wealth--I consider myself to be rather wealthy. I share it. It's all about behavior--actions that we willingly decide to take in this life of ours. These people about whom I speak, just never seem to have enough--they are greedy and selfish to the point of utter blindness, and they will die the same way; they want everything for themselves and are unwilling to help others. They remind me of two-year-olds that haven't been taught to share their dump trucks...
You see, I ALWAYS take the high road. I am lucky enough to be rich enough---and I don't need more--and I have indeed chosen to be thoroughly happy and content; I have no hang ups whatsoever. I am here on this earth only fleetingly and my sole desire is to spread joy and humor, and to help others that do not ask to be helped, but need it nonetheless. No leaches, but good, kind, honest people. It's called "walking the walk" no matter what your beliefs. If there is indeed a place called heaven, I already know that that's where I will go...but I still think it's all pure balderdash.
Cheers,
Christina Marlowe
On Aug 28, 2009, at 9:06 AM, Peter wrote:
Dearest Christina. As your friend and former teacher, I feel compelled to urge some modification of your descriptions related to the health care industry. You use the modifier "whoring" far too often, and some who are engaged in that profession might come to be offended. Indeed, many consider theirs to be an honest profession in which a deal is made and money is exchanged for a specific service. There are no hidden deals or deposits in distant bank accounts. Just a simple fee for service. You seem to imply that the health care industry may not rise to that level of integrity so perhaps another term needs to be employed.
And maybe its not fair to lump all into one "health care industry." I know doctors who are anything but wealthy. Nurses certainly don't make much money, and your local pharmacist probably drives a clunker! To my way of thinking, insurance companies and pharmasuticals are more likely to deserve your ire, but again, many in those industries probably have no idea how to modify what they do so as to make it both profitable and of some general benefit.
Peter