Rachel Maddow Investigates further: Health Care lobbyist ties to 'activists'

[wundermaus]

Run time: 09:30 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSZE4sr4hhQ   Posted on YouTube: August 12, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: August 12, 2009 By DU Member: wundermaus Views on DU: 1040

 

[cruzer4justice]

1. CTCA is actually a great hospital system!

I was disheartened to see that Mr. Stephenson's ties with Dick Armey have gone this far HOWEVER, I must say that Cancer Treatment Centers of America DO offer the best "whole person" treatment for cancer, bar none. I worked there for a while and I was always impressed with "the Mother standard" which is what prompted Mr. Stephenson to create the CTCA treatment model. His mother died from cancer and she and her family were disappointed that whenever she tried to approach her disease from a holistic viewpoint- such as healthy nutrition, mind-body medicine and CAM that she was ignored if not downright made fun of.
Mr. Stephenson vowed he would do something to change that kind of mindset and he put his money where his mouth is.
I have met Mr. Stephenson several times, and I know that he is a "formidable opponent" as Stephen Colbert would say. He can be an incredibly forceful defender of "the mother standard" in which he challenges each and every employee to do everyday as if doing for their own mother. His vision has already had dramatically GOOD effects on all Cancer treatment as other hospitals try to "catch up" to what CTCA has been doing for 20 years.
I know many of the physicians in CTCA and they are all top notch, very personally caring to their patients. The entire team from the maintenance staff, the chefs, the support staff to the rehabilitation team and physicians are all committed to each individual patient being the central player in their own healing- the patient defines what an "acceptable" outcome is.

The CTCA model could actually be one to look to for ideas about genuine health CARE reform! It incorporates many aspects of the "Medical Home Model".
Insurance is the PROBLEM not the answer to what is wrong in American health care. There are other ways to measure "profit" once we allow that Insurance is NOT what needs reforming.
Anyway, just wanted to say that Mr. Stephenson's politics have not interfered with the BEST Cancer Treatment Centers in the world. Thanks for your consideration of my thoughts on the matter. If I could change his politics a Little I would but, his "Mother Standard" is the best.

[GOTV]

2. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[wundermaus]

3. There's a lot of money to be made off of cancer victims

So it makes sense that Mr. Stephenson would have a major stake in health care reform. No doubt there are many under his employ that have the noblest of intentions and the greatest of compassion to do the right thing in his organization. Even in the throws of world war II in Europe there were saints saving souls in the rubble. But I must say, given my mother died of cancer at the age of 42, there is fire in my heart for those who obstruct or deflect single payer health care in America. Too many of our fellow citizens have needlessly suffered and died in a system built for profit. I do sincerely believe that if Mr. Stephenson were to go out of business, there would be a thousand others just like him that would do as much without the need for insatiable greed. Maybe it's time for his politics to get in sync with what his vocation needs most: empathy.

[izquierdista]

6. Wait for the accountants

At some point, Mr Stephenson will not be able to insist that "each and every employee to do everyday as if doing for their own mother". It will be a business with quarterly profit expectations, executives that feel they should be compensated like other executives, and lawyers advising them how to reduce their liability. At that point, it will become like any other profit driven business trying to increase income and decrease expenses, cutting corners, and giving as little value to their patients customers as possible so that they can retain the earnings for themselves.

Welcome to DU. :hi: There's a reason some of us believe that health care should not be run according to the capitalist business model.

[debbierlus]

4. Excellent. Where are the recommends?

[ljm2002]

5. Ain't Rachel grand!!!

She has just officially become one of my heroes. I hope that the tag line, "It should be reported as such!" enters common usage. It is so long past time we had a truth teller on the airwaves.

[Metta]

7. Props to Rachel. She should get a Peabody.

:toast: :loveya:

[GreenTea]

8. Rachel is on the job...doing what the rest of media refuses to investigate. Thank you Ms. Maddow!!