Letter to Obama from 4th Grade Teacher

[patandchickens]

If one does support the provision of healthcare/welfare/etc for the "truly" needy, and all that one has a bug up one's shorts about is whatever proportion goes to those that you deem "not truly" needy i.e freeloaders, would it not be better to concentrate on HONING the system to FILTER OUT freeloaders, better than it currently does?

Rather than railing against the whole enterprise?

Baby, bathwater


Pat

 

[reinbeau]

Where's the 'honing', Pat? Show me where there are cost controls. Show me where there are actual savings. Show me where they're making sure freeloaders don't take advantage of the system. There aren't any. We can't afford what's being proposed. The countries that offer it are going broke doing it. It's a lovely thought, but unsustainable. The way we're doing it now is unsustainable. There has to be a way, it remains to be discovered.

 

[patandchickens]

Where's the 'honing', Pat? Show me where there are cost controls. Show me where there are actual savings. Show me where they're making sure freeloaders don't take advantage of the system. There aren't any.

Now, don't get carried away just by trying to make a point. You know that is not true.

Of *course* there are some controls in the current system. I'm not sure what exactly you're talking about controls *for*, but for welfare I gather that you have to show up and fill out paperwork at least, rather than they just stand on a street corner tossing money in the air to anyone who lines up. I gather that documentation is required for, like, your financial status, that you're looking for a job if able, your legal residency, etc.

For healthcare, I don't even know exactly what's being proposed at the current moment in the US, much less what if anything will actually *happen*, but I can tell you that in Canada there are considerable mechanisms in place to minimize freeloaders. The provincial health card has been upgraded to be reasonably forgery-resistant. It has to be shown every time you use medical services and renewed every coupla years or if you move (and seeing as how the 'void unless you TELL us you're moving and provide new proof of address' thing has caught ME in its net, just cuz I did not know, obviously it does do some good at filtering out those who no longer live in the province and are thus not eligible). As far as I know the general 'word on the street' is that it is rather challenging for those without citizenship or PR status to get fraudulent health cards.

Could it be done better? Sure it could. So, figure out HOW it can be done better, support politicians wanting to change things to BETTER filter out freeloaders. Make it work.

At the same time, I do not see why it's unacceptible in this, particularly, to have a nonzero error rate. There will always be some error rate. As in everything in life. You get the system working as well as possible, is all.

We can't afford what's being proposed. The countries that offer it are going broke doing it. It's a lovely thought, but unsustainable. The way we're doing it now is unsustainable. There has to be a way, it remains to be discovered.

The only thing "unaffordable" would be to offer everyone the absolute state-of-the-art fullest and highest level of care.

Offering BASIC healthcare for everyone is quite doable. If a nation wants it.

And as far as I know Canada is not "going broke" with the existing healthcare system, nor are certain European countries who been doing it for even longer.

Is it not possible to discuss the subject from the perspective of a middle ground, proposals that actually can work, rather than setting up a straw man of an extreme case and saying "ooooh, how obviously ridiculous and impossible and therefore the whole enterprise is foolish to even attempt"?

Pat

 

[Big Daddy]

A lot of the fraud in the Medicare comes from providers not the poor people or the freeloaders. It comes from doctors double billing or billing for non existent people. There aren't enough people to audit the system to stop that. Insurance companies make a significant profit so are able to pay more people to audit for fraud. Insurance companies also have people to look for ways to deny claims.

As far as the number of uninsured. It is around 47million people. I know some people try to say that includes illegals. That is a falsehood. Illegals will not be covered under the new health care reform. They aren't counted amongst the uninsured either. At any rate how many people are under insured or have plans that don't cover pre existing conditions? I can have a bad heart and have insurance that doesn't cover my heart.Well what good is that insurance? In the long run the country will be better off if everyone has some kind of coverage.

 

[rebecca100]

Okay I have not read ALL this. And I do not know the details of the health care plan. I just want to tell a story. First of all my dh and I both work. I am a cna at a nursing home and he drives a propane truck. We live in a rural area. We had health insurance all the way until after the baby was born(still cost us about 3,000 that we are still paying on). We had to let the ins. go becuase we were completely broke every month after bills, groceries, and gas and it was an extra $300 and something a month that we could desperatly use. Now we do not live expensively. We are paying on one vehicle, our property, a loan for my dad's cremation and our utilities. Then last winter I got pneumonia. I thought it was just bronchitis and wouldn't go to the doctor because we literally didn't have the money for the office visit. Long story short I almost died of double pneumonia before it was all over. Fortunately I found a place here that charged on a sliding scale that I went to. I ended up paying $15 per visit everyday for over a week and they gave me all the meds there. They told me later that the meds-shots and pills were well over $500 worth. So even though we have that place to go I know that there are others like us who can just use a little boost-cheaper office visits etc. On a side note-it is really depressing when you and your dh are busting your rear end both working and your kids still qualify for free lunches because between your two incomes you still make half the maximum amount to qualify.

 

[lupinfarm]

I agree with Pat. My bestfriend and her mom are on welfare here, and there are many regulations and lots of paperwork.]

 

[davaroo]

But you know what? You guys may be on to something.
In fact, I'm gonna turn over a new leaf. I avow that, hereafter, I shall endorse the entire agenda of the current regime in their goal to enlighten us and lighten our burdens.
I will trust them that change is, indeed, always good when they orchestrate it.

I believe that's called "all or nothing" thinking.

Well, seems that is what my options are these days: I am either in favor or the devil incarnate for having some healthy skepticism.
You know, it has always been the duty of the citizen in a free republic to question the motives of his leaders in government. It is one of the hallmarks of the free man, in fact.

But, I am breaking new ground here. I will dispense with my usual sense of duty and join the popular wave for a while. I'm now a card carrying Obama Organizer.
I am certain he and his cronies.... er, excuse me, slip of the tongue there... he and his fellow leaders in government know precisely what is best for all of us.
It will be a great day when we can care for the needs of all our fellow men and women.

Down with the tight guys in $1000 suits, sticking it to us. Up with the government that cares. Count me in.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Illegals will not be covered under the new health care reform.

But there are no provisions for proving citizenship either, so its a lame duck in that regard. Same problems as are causing hospitals problems now, no way to distinguish those who are here on a green card or have recently become citizens (and who are MOST welcome!) and those who snuck over the river, or caught a freight train to get here.

I will say that we DO need reform, for one thing, getting rid of the pre-existing conditions would be a start, but as pat so aptly put it, baby, bathwater...

 

[The Vail Benton's]

After reading that letter from the 4th grade teacher, my family CONTINUES to be proud citizens of The United States of America and wishes to thank that fellow citizen for having the courage to stand up and so eloquently say what so many of us have been thinking. Well done, madame.

 

[davaroo]

Eric Hoffer once wrote that great national strategies are built on four fundamentals;

Perception
Perspective
Patience
Prosecution

Perception either skews or clarifies facts. Some claim that health care is for those who put in to the system. Others perceive our moral responsibility to care for the sick and least among us. Who is right, who is wrong... or are they both right? Perceptions are different on both sides.

Perspective is about context. 5000 men and women are dead in the Middle East, but we lost more than that in one day during WWII's Battle of the Bulge in WWII - and more during one hour at Cold Harbor in the Civil war. If it is in our long range interest to fight in the Arab lands, then we must keep the cost in perspective. Such is life as a super power.

Patience is at the root of all great accomplishments. President Obama hasn't cured all our economic ills in his first 100 days, leaving some bitter. He may or may not be able to ensure a healthy, stress free life for all, either. But, if he's destined to fail at his endeavors - then he will. In the meantime, perhaps we should give it some time?

Prosecution is really about tactics. Ideology must not be something we hide behind, nor allow ourselves to fall for. As many wrongs are perpetrated behind the mantle of ideology, as rights. Prosecution should be determined by efficiency.

George Washington said in his farewell address, "... Arguing... distracts attention from the important questions. It weakens the government and agitates the community with ill founded jealousies and false alarms."

What we need is less rhetoric and more analysis, these days. I suspect President Washington would probably endorse Professor Hoffers' four points.