Want to boost consumer confidence? . . .Want to stimulate spending?

[annabanana]

FIX THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

If I knew for sure that I wouldn't go broke trying to keep my loved ones alive. . . If I knew that my life savings couldn't be wiped out with one chronic disease or life threatening accident. .I sure would not be so timid with my so-called "disposable income"...

The uncertainty makes me keep the bucks I have collected locked up tight.

[drm604]

1. Well said. K&R n/t

[Enthusiast]

21. K&R nt

[bluethruandthru]

2. Happy to send this to the Greatest!

Why is this so easy for us to understand but our politicians haven't a clue?

[hedgehog]

3. I've been saying this ever since the first commentator opined that

Obama would be forced to cut back on his plans due to the economic situation. Fortunately Obama has stated that the way out of this depression is to speed up the implementation of his campaign proposals, not cut them!

[annabanana]

10. Unfortunately

his currrent plan is like the Mass. plan, which allows for the continued, problematic bean counting by profit generating insurance companies.

[dkofos]

4. How much money is tied up in Health Savings Accounts??

[ColbertWatcher]

12. Those are scams. n/t

[zeos3]

19. Agreed

I think a small percentage of the population would find these plans beneficial.

Let me go off about one aspect of these types of plans. On the surface, "choice" is good but health care is NOT a commodity for which to go bargain hunting. It takes a lot of time and effort to make these choices and that leaves us with less time to pay attention to how they are stealing/wasting our tax dollars.

[Enthusiast]

23. Working people simply do not have time to

shop for health care options. We need single payer, streamlined, effective and efficient.

We don't need no stinkin' insurance industry directing our healthcare options. :mad:

[defendandprotect]

35. 'We don't need no stinkin' insurance industry directing our healthcare options.'

:)

[Enthusiast]

22. +1, scams all the way. Written by and for the insurance industry.

Imagine, health savings accounts were Bush's single answer to our healthcare issues.

[awoke_in_2003]

28. You know they wouldn't be quite so bad...

if you didn't have to "Use or lose it" at the end of the year. Of course, a good IRA would earn you some interest.

[cascadiance]

33. It tells you you have to "plan" ahead for expenses, when health care is the *least* planable expense

For some, you might be able to benefit if you know you have routine perscriptions, etc., but a better solution would be to lower the threshold for itemized deductions for health care expenses (if we still don't have a single payer health care system) and ultimately perhaps get rid of all of this if you have single payer...

The logic I heard from our HR person when I talked about perhaps the Flex spending plan stuff being something heavily reformed or thrown out this year, she said she thought that the IRS couldn't do a better job of trying to look through receipts, etc. for figuring out itemized health care expenses. You know, she's right. The better solution would be to have NEITHER flex spending accounts OR the IRS trying to check your receipts. We should have single payer health care and avoid this paperwork altogether! Of course there would be internal administration of a single payer health plan to monitor what kind of expenses doctors charge and make sure that they are appropriate, etc. But those people would be more dedicated professionals for that. And those are the jobs insurance people should move to IF they are ethical and can convert from looking at health care from a profit enterprise to a health care first solution, and prevent fraud second.

[rucky]

5. It can't be said enough!

[uppityperson]

6. Yes, and include basic dental care, preventive dental, and mental health care also

as those can severely impact someone's finances and ability to work.

[annabanana]

8. When the cost for this is stacked up against the recent bailout

of the banking industry... the numbers start to look do-able.

[defendandprotect]

32. We spend more on health care than Switzerland does for its luxurious system . .. !!!

And, excellent point re the bail-out $$$ --

Bailing out corrupt capitalism . . . AGAIN!!

[defendandprotect]

34. Actually .. we bailed our capitalism -- again-!!

[bertman]

7. Recommend.

[lazyriver]

9. Right on!

[eridani]

11. Call your congresscritters on January 15 and demand HR 676

Medicare for All.

[annabanana]

13. Ooo thanks! (typing it in on my MS Outlook now)

This is EXACTLY what I want.

I'll even go to the Mall to celebrate if it gets traction..

[liberalla]

14. BINGO!

You made a great point!

[harmonicon]

15. couldn't be more true

I'm done considering the US to be a first world country. First world countries have single-payer universal health care.

[santamargarita]

16. That would do it on all levels!

~

[salguine]

17. Maybe a better directive would be "CREATE a healthcare system." Because the system

we have now is not a healthcare system; that is, it is not designed to deliver healthcare—it is designed to make, and shift, money.

[Enthusiast]

24. +1, designed to generate profit. nt

[xchrom]

18. recommend

[Enthusiast]

20. This is an excellent point and often overlooked.

Many of us baby boomers have the deficiencies of our health care system in the back of our mind, whether we acknowledge it or not. We go through life HOPING we can remain healthy. But to achieve anything, any improvement in healthcare, the all powerful insurance and pharmaceutical lobbies must lose. And they will fight with all the monetary resources they have at their disposal. What we need is increased public awareness to combat the propaganda effort by the corporations. This is why Sanjay Gupta is such a horrible choice for SG.

[Neshanic]

25. The WINNER! This is the absolute truth.

[lib2DaBone]

26. Right on... Universal healthcare... it's long overdue....

..and while they are at it.... cancel NAFTA and the tax breaks that send our jobs to CHINA.

"NAFTA gave us the SHAFTA"

[L0oniX]

27. End the wars ...pull out all of our military bases ...that works for me.

[surrealAmerican]

29. I couldn't agree more.

Also, if insurance would no longer be employer-based, that would be a major advantage.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

30. Completely agree

Layed off people cannot afford COBRA.

K&R

[Raksha]

31. K & R - absolutely true!!!

I think the majority in this country have realized this for a while now. It's the insurance companies and the pharmaceutical companies on one side of the equation, and the American people on the other. There is NO middle ground, no room for compromise. Private health insurance is going to be the loser and they are just going to have to accept that. They have priced themselves out of the market and held the rest of our economy hostage. It's a situation that can't be allowed to continue.

[Cronopio]

36. Absolutely. Companies and workers would be much richer.

The paper pushers would have no problem finding other work. A plan with no negatives.

[JDPriestly]

37. So true. No one minds paying for health care, but when you never

know how much you might have to pay down the road some day, you can't plan.