GOP Says Coverage For The Uninsured Is No Longer The Priority

[spotbird]

Source: NPR



For decades, the primary goal of those who would fix the U.S. health system has been to help people without insurance get coverage. Now, it seems, all that may be changing. At least some top Republicans are trying to steer the health debate away from the problem of the uninsured.

.......
"Your goal should be reducing costs, and expanding individual liberty," said Dean Clancy,
[legislative counsel for Freedomworks]

"People need to have the freedom not to have insurance if the marketplace is to function properly, he says. "Because if they don't have freedom, if the government is requiring them to purchase health insurance either from a private company or the government, then the government gets to define what health insurance is, and that stifles a lot of innovation in the health insurance and health care delivery markets, and we're suffering under that sort of regulation right now," he says.

.....

"Every once in a while, the Republicans have rare moments of honesty. And so when they say that they don't want to expand coverage, this is one of those rare moments," says Ethan Rome, who runs Health Care for America Now, an advocacy group working to promote and defend the health care law.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/07/27/157439331/gop-says-coverage-for-the-uninsured-is-no-longer-the-priority?ps=cprs

---

But why do they want to prevent so many Americans from receiving health care?

[rurallib]

1. Mr. Clancy - to me liberty means

being able to see a doctor without worry.
And not losing my house because I saw that doctor.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

26. The GOP will let you die

and the system needs to change so people don't die or lose their homes.

[RKP5637]

29. Often I think the GOP wants to thin the herd and they would

prefer many Americans just died and went away, problem solved. And the most amazing thing, many republicans would be willing accomplishes in this being too ignorant to realize they are in fact part of the herd to be thinned by no health care, etc.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

36. if they lose their job and healthcare they become part of the thinned herd

the richer ones are already seeing the reality of being unemployed.

[RKP5637]

39. I've worked with so many that just don't get it, they seem to think

if they're making about $100k/yr that they are really part of the 1% and set for life. They just don't get it that the wealthy republicans are not their friends, in fact, neither are the poorer ones.

And, that they could easily be without employment or health care.

The most amazing ones are those in management that work to offshore jobs, seemingly not being able to comprehend that in the big picture as the jobs go away, so will theirs.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

41. We need to educate them

writing to them, speaking with them on the doorstep

[RKP5637]

43. Yes! n/t

[AngryOldDem]

2. Was it EVER their priority?

And as for your question, I've been asking it for years. I cannot understand why health care is such a controversy in this nation. It's embarrassing and ridiculous that it is.

[RKP5637]

30. It's absolutely embarrassing and makes this nation look/sound like a

bunch of damn ignorant fools. World leader, LOL.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. That doesn't even make sense. If you are 'free' to not have health insurance, then

you have absolutely nothing to do with the 'marketplace' nor its functioning.

[arcane1]

27. No need to make sense, they just say "Liberty" a few times

With "freedom" thrown in now and then for good measure

[RKP5637]

31. And maybe add in American Exceptionalism a few times. Yep, it's

exceptional alright.

[TheMastersNemesis]

4. They Do Not Have To Make Sense

The GOP does not have to make sense. The American sheeple will follow them anyway.

The real and brutal truth is that if all the GOP policies were to succeed with the end of Medicaid and Medicare as we know it, 200 million Americans will NOT have ANY access to health care services. The GOP only cares that the top 1% is guaranteed to have health care. And they are ok with only 20% of the country having access.

All you have to do is add up all the people who will lose health care coverage if they end Medicare and Medicaid. Vouchering Medicare will essentially end coverage for almost all seniors. Think about it. Getting a useless voucher to buy insurance when you can be denied for existing medical conditions, have your coverage dropped, or have your payments capped, will essentially mean that seniors will not be able to buy anything. And the copays will bankrupt everyone.

On top of that if they privatize Social Security and end pensions, even retirees will HAVE NO MONEY.

[RKP5637]

32. I often ponder why so many Americas are so damn ignorant as to

fall for the GOP propaganda. Damn, it's just not that hard to figure out what is going on, MSM propaganda or not. Just how ignorant is so much of this country.

[bayareaboy]

5. what is the absolute primary goal ...

of the Re-pugl-icon party.

In my estimation, all without exception they think that they work too much bringing things to a halt. So they slow things in America so they can understand the silly changes they are making. In short they think most things must be slow for them, and screw every body else.

Then of course there is the whole thing of being little twits who seem to think that all government belongs to them, to be parceled out by them, so what they consider to be pressing problems like heath coverage, especially when group health is on the other side making then a little richer.

Oh, and have you looked, Our president is not Anglo-Saxon!

So to me what these fools are looking for is:

1.) shorter hours

2.) more money

3.) an ability to place place those poorer, of different hues, colors, etc. somewhere else.

[greymattermom]

6. then the question to ask is

whether hospitals, i.e. businesses, have the right to refuse to provide service to those who can't pay, just as any other business would.

[TheMastersNemesis]

7. When You View Health Care As A Privilege You Have A Right To Deny Even If A Person Will Die.

[RKP5637]

33. Well here they tried to pass a law that if in the medical field you could

refuse to treat someone in a medical setting if you thought that would somehow be against your religion. That is just how F'ed up some in this country are ...

[BumRushDaShow]

8. "innovation in the health insurance and health care delivery markets"

GOP's "healthcare innovation" = more funeral homes

[RKP5637]

34. And Peasant Insurance. n/t

[warrior1]

9. why don't they

say that to the recent victims of the shooting in Aurora!

assholes.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

11. But they're free now from the worry of pesky insurance premiums.

[musical_soul]

17. Uh, the victims of Aurora got help.

Hospital cannot deny help to somebody.

A better argument would be that people are not able to get help before they need to go to the ER. It would nice to be able to go to the doctor for something for anti-biotics before having to take it to the ER. And for those who say you can go to the ER for anything, consider this. If they don't get paid, that's bad for the economy. Why do we want to keep a setup where the hospital doesn't get paid? People need coverage.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

10. "freedom not to have insurance" ??

This quote reminds me of one of the leaders in the anti abortion crusade from the late 90s where they said that they were trying to "free" women from the choice of abortion.

This line of reasoning was a failure then and it is a failure now.


Keep up the good work GOP.

[lostnote12]

12. Another Pig In The Parade!!!!( a soft embrace of genocide )...The Rep. Party of this era is TOAST!!!

[grilled onions]

13. Freedom,Liberty and Insurance

Funny how they never quibbled over the fact that in many states auto insurance is mandatory. They never expect any insurance company to pay if their home is destroyed by fire or weather. Yet they complain on the one hand about those getting a free ride of healthcare yet refuse to take responsibility for covering themselves and their families. Do they think it fair that hospitals should pay for their use of service simply because they like to toss around that word "freedom" around. Freedom is NOT free. It's sad to see such a great country such as ours to want to drop coverage for those who can least afford it yet guarantee it for the wealthiest citizens and allow those somewhere in the middle to just not pay for it by claiming it infringes on their liberties.

[ieoeja]

14. Sort of like the economy where we cater to the middle class.

Once upon a time we debated over caring for the poor. We have moved this country so far to the Right that we are now trying to defend the middle class from further erosion. It is now a taken that aiding the poor is a luxury we can not afford. Of course, no body wants to talk about why "we" can no longer afford it: tax cuts, tax cuts, tax cuts.

The other day I blurted out, "we have to stop cutting taxes," in a room full of Democrats who looked at me like I had just called myself a Martian. Because, as we all know, "the government keeps raising taxes." What I said made absolutely no sense.

It happens to be true. I have probably experienced a couple dozen federal income tax decreases in my career. But nobody ever notices. Let the current tax holiday expire, and everybody will notice. But how many of us really felt a difference when it was initially introduced?


They are winning. And we mostly help them.


So just like the economy, instead of taking care of those who do without, they want to shift the discussion to taking care of the problems for those who have health care, but who find it burdensome. "We can not afford to take care of the uninsured" will become the accepted truth.

[gopiscrap]

15. FUCK THIS IF WE TRULY WANT TO BECOME THE GREATEST NATION ON EARTH

as many of the repuke asshats like to claim that we are-then we MUST have SINGLE PAYER UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE we shouldn't even be talking about this...a single payer health care system should have been in our cultural/political/national dna for years!!!! Right after World War II we had the chance to follow western Europes lead, but fucking Ronald Reagan the piece of shit that he is, campaigned hard against "socialized" medicine and thanks to him and the red scare of republican Joe McCarthy, we couldn't possibly entertain the notion of having "socialized" medicine.

[RKP5637]

35. I used to think this could be the greatest nation on earth, but anymore

so many Americans are their own worst enemy I've pretty much given up that hope. To me, health care for all is a basic right for a civilized country. I think of republicans anymore as domestic terrorists.

[musical_soul]

16. Liberty.

How can one be free when they're sick a lot and can't receive the help that they need? That's not freedom.

Obama's healthcare plan is not my favorite plan, but I'll take it to the GOP's. They haven't came up with a viable alternative that they're willing to actually put into action. I want everybody covered.

No more being denied medicaid because you don't have kids and aren't disabled (in my state, it's like that). No more being denied Medicaid because you got denied disability. No more being denied help from charity aid because you're still trying to get medicaid/disability. No more of that catch 22. No more paying to get put on an implant list. People talk about rationing? They have been rationing the entire time using who has more money.

[Turbineguy]

18. But maybe they can provide

discounts for funerals?

[vinny9698]

19. Just like FDR said about the GOP,

They promise to provide the same programs for free, but can not explain how they are going to do that. But just vote for them and they will provide all for free.

[mike_c]

20. that is the most convoluted self-serving bullshit argument I've heard today....

Sheesh.

[raouldukelives]

21. So they want us to start importing H1-B Doctors & Dentists

who will treat us for pennies on the dollar? As well as opening the borders to any kind of pharmaceuticals that may be needed by free market loving Americans?

[arely staircase]

22. expanding individual liberty

to include the freedom to die of a completely treatable disease.

[lovuian]

23. they want poor people to die so they can't collect

welfare that really is the agenda

[grantcart]

24. Why do the Republicans insist on engaging in class warfare?

[julian09]

25. They just wan't to insure healthy

[WCGreen]

28. If one of the Aynies wants to roll the dice and not pay for insurance...

Or participate in a government program, then the Hospitals can refuse them care....

[HughBeaumont]

37. It would no longer be an emploYER'S market.

It would be an emploYEEs market.

People wouldn't stay in shite jobs for the benefits because that would no longer be part of the equation.

Companies couldn't cry "Lower Wages" since their biggest "burden" would no longer be part of the equation.

Those enterprising individuals would be able to start businesses because their biggest concern in hiring . . .. would no longer be part of the equation.

Companies could no longer legally practice ageism because the reason for doing so . . . would no longer be part of the equation.

A dependent worker is an obedient and submissive worker.

"This isn't about Food! This is about keeping those ants in LINE!"

[frylock]

38. innovation in health insurance?

what the fuck does that even mean?! innovating new ways to skullfuck us all?

[Brigid]

40. This country is disintegrating before our eyes.

Wages, even a minimum wage, is too "burdensome" for the "job creators." Workers who try to organize for better pay, benefits, and working conditions are "radicals." A health care system that provides even a modicum of care for all is "socialist."

The 1% just want as many of the rest of us as possible to die off. It's that simple. They're not even trying to hide it anymore.

[JDPriestly]

42. If you are simply exercising your freedom by not having health care insurance,

then you won't mind paying the penalty on your taxes to cover dire emergencies. The "mandate" is not nearly as mandatory as you would think from the outcry against. The mandate is essential for lowering the costs of insurance for those who buy it willingly.

Come on now. Do people really think they can live without health insurance? I did it because I had to, but while I was without it, conditions that could have been easily dealt with had I found them earlier got worse.

Don't even think about going without health care insurance if you can possibly get it.