Perceptions, Deceptions and Healthcare

To start the Friday Fun:

For more: Exclusive – Betsy McCaughey Extended Interview Pt. 1

Betsy McCaughey is credited with starting the notion of “death panels”. Any arguments she makes seem about perception, not reality. Read her inflammatory editorials here & here. Read inflammatory pieces about her here & here. I happen to agree that she’s not to be trusted. I don’t think that’s much of a surprise. Conservatives, this is who represents you and your views? Nice!

A reader sent me a link to this piece published on Foreign Policy:

“There is one yardstick by which U.S. health care distinguishes itself: cost. The United States spends more — in total dollars, percentage of GDP, and per capita — than every other country on Earth.”

“On virtually every other broad metric, the claim that U.S. health care stands for global excellence is demonstrably false. The United States doesn’t take a top spot in either the World Health Organization or nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund rankings. The American health-care system is not best in terms of coverage, access, patient safety, efficiency, or cost-effectiveness. It does not produce the best outcomes for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes; for the elderly, the middle-aged, or the young; or in terms of life expectancy, rates of chronic diseases, or obesity.”

“Which countries do come out on top? Often — France, Switzerland, Britain, Canada, and Japan. On the World Health Organization’s list, the United States comes out 37th.”

Via: reader Scott. Thanks, Scott!

Click to read the whole thing: The Most Outrageous U.S. Lies About Global Healthcare

Must Read of the Week

Last night, I re-tweeted @fraying (this tweet) and on his personal site he linked to a great essay from Johann Hari published by The Independent:

“You have to admire the audacity of the right. Here’s what’s actually happening. The US is the only major industrialised country that does not provide regular healthcare to all its citizens. Instead, they are required to provide for themselves – and 50 million people can’t afford the insurance. As a result, 18,000 US citizens die every year needlessly, because they can’t access the care they require. That’s equivalent to six 9/11s, every year, year on year. Yet the Republicans have accused the Democrats who are trying to stop all this death by extending healthcare of being ‘killers’ – and they have successfully managed to put them on the defensive.”

Johann Hari: Republicans, religion and the triumph of unreason

Via: Powazek

I had several responses to my retweet, one of which cited her offense at my retweet’s implication that Christians are missing the boat when it comes to healthcare reform. Another response quoted scripture that said Jesus commanded people to work for what they got. To which I replied, rightly, “bullshit.”

The longer the conservative extremists control the healthcare conversation, the more I’m feeling like the Democrats need to drop the notion of bipartisanship. Republicans are boxing themselves out of the conversation with the continued lies, distortions and insanity.

  • http://thismommysjourney.blogspot.com/ jessilee

    I’m in shock. I haven’t been as involved in hearing both sides as I should have been before now. I’ve heard about the ‘death panels’ and the guns and threats and hostility… But to see someone who is a Chair of ANYTHING say things that stupid and spin things in ways that I can’t even follow their logic.. How on earth can so many conservatives take that as gospel? If you can’t follow the logic or reasoning, you should get a red flag.

    I’m astounded by people who say they would rather pay their $6000 deductible, plus their monthly fees and then be denied claims, than work within a government option. To me, if that seems like the best way to do things, you’re a few apples short of a bushel. Thank you for your ongoing coverage through twitter, it helps me keep up with whats going on and you link to things I generally wouldn’t find on my own.

  • http://www.philosyphia.com Nathan Pralle

    It flabbergasts me that the Christian Right who should, by all rights, be the ones scrambling to implement universal health care, fund low-cost housing, food-help programs, and push for advances in human rights, equality, and policies of acceptance and love are diametrically opposed to these very things.

    Really? Your Jesus doesn’t talk ANYTHING about being nice to others, providing for the needy, and becoming a servant to humanity?

    It’s the guns, isn’t it. It has to be. Or the fun sex because we couldn’t have any of THAT going on. (whole sections of the population would suddenly find religion in the power of a good orgasm, I fear.)

    Don’t get me wrong — I’m all about the hard-work ethic, being smart with your money, making your own decisions, and so forth, but not everyone gets handed a fat check and a pat on the back. It wouldn’t hurt any of us to be kind to the ones that got a nickel dropped in the bottom of a cup and a kick in the teeth. Jesus might even approve.

  • http://collantes.us/ David Collantes

    I am still lost. Sincerely. What are the reforms we are aiming for? Are they somewhere, spelled in Layman’s terms?

  • tdawgyo

    Wow. Just… I’m flabbergasted as well. I’m not even from the U.S. and this bothers me. Lying outright bothers me though, no matter who does it.
    Republicans from the U.S. are like Gretchen Weiners from ‘Mean Girls’ – delusional and just plain stupid. I read the scripture-quoting twitterers response to you, after you said “Bullshit.”
    He responds to that with “nice wording, if you don’t like the truth don’t post garbage.” Then posts another tweet saying “we are called to give to the less fortunate out of love for them, not allow the government to take from us.”

    To which I went *facepalm* repeatedly.

  • http://www.maisieandmore.com/ maisieandmore.com/

    You know what, as one of the many Australians who are watching the US fighting over this issue, I gotta say I’m feeling an increasing sickened by it (luckily we’ve got Medicare…)

    Who ARE these crazy people who think a modern country shouldn’t look after its poor, its sick, its down and out? And then to use JESUS to justify it is, quite simply, madness.

    I don’t believe in a Christian God (or any other), but I know that if Jesus was around today he would not want what he stood for used as an excuse to keep others down.

    I can vouch for a country that has Medicare and DOESN’T have crazy taxes. You want the best health cover and to skip the queues? Then you buy private health cover and use private hospitals. If, however, you’re poor or you’re mentally ill or you just lost your job or you just prefer to – you use the national system.

    Keep fighting the good fight Jon. You and your counterparts over there need to stay loud to be heard over these lunatics.

  • MonicaC

    My absolute favorite part is that it takes Jon Stewart and his ‘fake’ news team to call out some of the sh!& that the rest of the ‘real’ media is reporting.

  • http://openid-provider.appspot.com/diandramezta diandramezta

    It’s funny that you should post about these two specific articles because they’re the two I’ve been sending around to less-informed family and friends. Most of my family are lucky in that we’re insured through school, work, or even the VA, but there are so many others that aren’t so lucky.

    What gets me about the whole argument is that all of these freaks on the right, waving their hands around trying to get attention, are saying that health care will be rationed out. Guess what? HMOs and Medicare are doing it already! Nearly every argument they have against universal health care is nothing more than scare tactics with no actual facts to back it up, it’s like junk politics.

    It’s insane that we spend so much on health care in this country, and look where we rank compared to countries with universal health care. We’re what, #37 on the WHOs list? Anyone can go onto the administration’s website they’ve set up for people to talk about health care and some of the horror stories (a woman with metastatic cancer being told by BlueCross that her treatment isn’t medically necessary), submitted by everyday Americans, and if you don’t believe we need universal health care after reading some of their stories, there is something wrong with you.

  • http://emailtoid.net/i/c5c49903/cac3ab24/ emailtoid.net/i/c5c49903/…

    Hey blurbo!

    I loved your post. I’m pissed too. My favorite article about the whole things is actually this:

    http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_ten_dumbest_arguments_against_health_care_reform

    It’s perfect!

  • MonicaC

    Also I hate it when some one can’t listen and admit that they might, just maybe might, be wrong or even that the other side is making a good point. She obviously can’t read or understand English. Clearly the words Jon read meant something totally different in her vocabulary. I was screaming at the TV when I watched this. If I was Jon Stewart I don’t think I could have stopped my impulse to put my hand over her mouth. At least to let someone else talk. Aaahhhrrrgghhh.

  • http://jens-space.typepad.com jenferh

    I recently wrote about my frustration with this subject. It’s very hard for me to listen to the lies that are being spewed.

    http://jens-space.typepad.com/jens_space/2009/08/where-do-i-fit-in-the-healthcare-debate.html

  • http://notcleverlynamed.blogspot.com linda noble

    I have been avoiding the cable news networks on this issue, having some clue that facts are being distorted and non-issues blown out of proportion. Then I saw this linked on Twitter (via Dr. Drew.)

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/20/health-care-explained-on_n_264529.html

    I find that the “insurance reform” debate is pretty much exactly what I thought it was about. Anyone that is yelling loudly about stuff is basically worried about losing money. And most of those people are already the ones making orders of magnitude more than those who would benefit from strong reforms being made.

    It never ceases to annoy me.

    Thanks for even more clear and intelligent information on the topic, Jon!

  • http://www.thedawgrun.blospot.com mattlinden

    I am a proud, right-wing-conservative-christian – and I love you and your wife’s blogs! One year ago, my daughter was born with a severe case of spina bifida – rendering her paralyzed from the waist down.

    She has had one spinal surgery, three brain surgeries and two feet surgeries in her first 12 months (picture that for a moment). I am happy to say that she is doing well, all things considered. I am also happy to say that most of her medical expenses have been paid by the state of California.

    As conservatives (in general), we obviously don’t want people to be ill so that medical profits could be larger. And I abhor people on the right who fear-monger as much as I abhor people on the left who do the same (I would say we are even on that score).

    EVERY SINGLE PERSON in America should be able to avail themselves of basic medical coverage. Your average conservative just wants us to do so in a way that preserves the most liberty, freedom, and best medical care for each individual.

    When both sides focus on the idiots within our ranks we get all sorts of heat but not much light. Last I checked, Betsy McCaughey has not won any elections in San Diego county. She does not represent me or my views.

    That does not mean that my views do not deserve consideration.

    Keep up the good work – love to your family.

    -Matt

  • http://lunchbreakshopping.com JudiM

    I read this editorial over breakfast this morning and spit coffee when I saw “Rastus in the saddle”. I think Mr Lancaster here hit the nail on the conservative’s argument’s head and I hope he gets a raise:

    http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=ea23a585-c5c3-4c1c-aa56-8d2a18685136

    I started out trying to promote reasonable discussion about the issues, but was reminded that the Republicans have only 1 agenda – see this administration FAIL. They have always used the low information voter’s to do their nasty screaming for them and this time they have his Highness “Pig Head on a Stick” to worship or as an intermediary in Heaven; no wait, that’s Mr Beck. I’ve given up trying to provide real information – I’m switching to the Drama role and pointing fingers.

  • HDC

    So. Much. Nonsense.

    This whole argument has become cancerous in it’s own right. Just ugh.

    Take a look at this other response.
    http://jamesfallows.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/08/mccaughey_on_the_daily_show.php

    Then take the time to sit down and read this other cover story he references.
    http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200909/health-care
    It’s a meaty piece but many, many thoughts worth the effort to absorb.

    I am convinced that even if the Administration manages to sign anything resembling a single payer program, we will still have a long, long, long, LONG way to go before we truly stop the hemorrhaging that the health care system is having on our nation’s productivity and capacity for growth.

    Now if we can’t get the shortsighted republican (yes lowercase r, you guys don’t deserve a big R anymore. And the dems are getting mighty close to that too btw), to come to the table on this, then their partisan bullshit is well on the way to pushing us into that Depression we just narrowly avoided this year.

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      Thanks for sharing the links.

  • Lesley

    REALLY enjoyed Stewart improvising Yakety Sax while she fumbled trying to find the page that doesn’t exist.

    The whole time she was yapping I kept thinking of the Gabor-blonde crazy lady dentist, realtor, and lawyer.

  • Lesley

    Btw, you know she resigned her directorship in disgrace, right?
    http://tinyurl.com/ncevcn

    Originator of the death panel fiction resigns her position as “director of Cantel Medical Corp., which bills itself as a leading provider of infection prevention and control products in the healthcare market.”

  • cmvbbay

    Roger Ebert has posted a few items on this subject in his journal.

    Link to latest:

    http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/im_safe_on_board_you_can_pull.html

    Good to see Jim Fallows is referenced (grew up in same town, went to school with).

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      Awesome post!

  • http://www.blessourhearts.blogspot.com Ms. Moon

    Just ask a nurse what she or he thinks. I talked to a hospice nurse tonight. She said, “What’s wrong with socialism?”
    Single payer. Let’s get this shit RIGHT.

  • makfan

    Thanks Jon and fellow commenters. I’ve learned a lot from the articles you have linked.

  • brie

    Bless you Jon Stewart and Jon Armstrong!

    I’m Canadian, but I’m living in Europe temporarily. And every morning I read several different news sites and every morning I am baffled by the news coming out of the US about healthcare reform—specifically the right wing nuttiness that, as far as I can tell, is pretty baseless. It scares me. I’ve been thinking of applying for work in the States and what scares me most is not being able to find a doctor or health insurance. People should not be scared of that!

    Healthcare is a human right. Plain and simple. As citizens of a country you should not have to worry about whether or not you will be turned away from a hospital because you don’t have the “right” coverage. You shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not having a pre-existing condition will mean that you can’t afford (or can’t get) coverage. Futhermore, determining someone’s access to adequate healthcare because of their income is inhumane.

    I’ve been fortunate to have a steady income over the past ten years. I’ve also been fortunate enough to obtain two university degrees. During that time I wasn’t able to work as much as I had in the past. Fortunately, what I pay towards my provincial healthcare coverage fluctuated based on what I was earning so I was able to consistently contribute. It also meant that when I had to make a trip to the emergency room I did not have to worry that I would be turned away or denied treatment.

    Sure, paying $xx amount of dollars a month can sometimes seem like a pain in the ass when I’m not regularly visiting the doctor. On the other hand, I can’t imagine not having that security and knowing if I need to go that I can. I don’t have to worry or not go and live with an infection or ailment. I also don’t mind paying slightly higher taxes knowing that the people around me also have access to this type of care. In the end, being healthy and not being AFRAID (or financially unable) to access healthcare services makes our society healthier on the whole and in the long-run that also means that we’re able to contribute more and keep the country running.

    I know I don’t have to tell you any of this. You know. Most of the people who read your blog know. But I thought a first-hand perspective might be useful. It’s my testimonial. Public healthcare works.

    Here’s a link to a post by a friend of mine that I found to be quite indicative of the benefits of public healthcare and, specifically, the Canadian system: http://www.jefferysimpson.net/a_month_of_testing/2009/08/that-demon-canadian-health-care.html

    In the meantime, I really hope that the left/Democrats buck up and start speaking out loudly and clearly to drown out all the illogical banter coming from people like Betsy McCaughey.

  • nbrett

    I need help understanding the public option. What is it going to cost the user? Is it going to be free? I can’t seem to track down the information I’m looking for from a reliable source.

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      Based on what the President said at his town hall meetings, the public option is for those who can’t afford or find a plan that suits their needs. That might include lower income people (who would be charged based on income, but the legislation hasn’t been finalized) and it also might include other income levels.

      The point of the reform is to make it so anybody and everybody can get insurance. Based on the President’s comments, he says that what is being proposed is exactly what Congress gets; a menu of choices and one of those choices is a government option.

      Nothing is free. It’s going to have to be rich people who help pay for it.

      • nbrett

        “Nothing is free”: Understood.

        I was just trying to find what kind of premiums a person would have to pay if they chose the public option. You’ve confirmed what I suspected when I couldn’t find the answer which is: TBD based on income.

        Thanks for the great links and discussions over the past few weeks.

        • http://blurbomat.com blurb

          You’re welcome! You might want to listen to the president’s weekly address, which I’ve posted. You can watch it by clicking here.

        • http://www.philosyphia.com Nathan Pralle

          Yeah, my perception is that it’ll be income-based and, more importantly, it won’t be free. A lot of the chaff coming from the right seems to be like, “OH GOD! All the rich will be giving the poor a free ticket!”

          Not so. While it’s true that there will be SOME that fall under the poverty line, much as they do now, and be subject to such programs as Medicaid (Title XIX) to cover their costs, everyone else will be paying something according to their ability. The one group that I’m really looking forward to being able to cover is the “working poor” — those that make a high enough income to live above the poverty line, and so do not qualify for help, but do not make enough to say, “Oh, $500/month premiums? No problem!” Their choices come down to housing, food, heat, and taking care of the kids, and that’s about it. Those are the ones we’re really leaving in the dust right now.

  • sassafras

    Interesting interview on Fresh Air yesterday:
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112172939

    According to Reid, we already have British, German, Canadian health care… not to mention the third world version as well.