Yes We Can Reform Healthcare

During the past few months I’ve tried to research and write about healthcare reform in the U.S. in a way that would clearly explain the need for government intervention. Most U.S. citizens are living in denial when it comes to healthcare cost and just how horribly the U.S. ranks in the world compared to other developed, industrialized nations.

Given the fact that we had a baby in June, I haven’t done quite the job I had hoped I’d be able to do to make an ironclad case for reform. The issue of healthcare reform is top of the list for me and my family. It’s one of the reasons we voted Obama/Biden in 2008.

Yesterday, we took Marlo to the doctor to get her check up and be vaccinated. She’s doing great. We had an intense day on top of that with repairmen (long story for another day), FedEx (longer story for another day) and visits from extended family. Given all of this, I didn’t have a lot of time today to check Twitter and at 1:30 am this morning when Marlo awoke for her feeding (and I couldn’t sleep), I hit Twitter to catch up. I was blown away by what I saw.

Backstory: A couple of days ago The White House hit two million followers on Twitter and asked what people wanted to see from the White House feed on Twitter

I responded:

“@whitehouse it is time for the President to bust out some charts and graphs showing where US is in the world on healthcare.” (click here to see it on twitter)

I didn’t think the people behind the White House Twitter feed would listen. I was wrong:

“@blurb says “bust out some charts and graphs” Busted: Hidden costs http://bit.ly/yfBJB Coverage denied http://bit.ly/mFtJo” (click here to see it on twitter)

We are living in wonderful times! I’m still giddy about being responded to! What about those links? The first link in the above response goes to:

Hidden Costs of Healthcare: Why Americans are paying more and getting less

“Americans are spending more than ever on their monthly premiums while simultaneously being forced to pay higher out-of-pocket costs as a result of rising deductibles, copayments, and other cost sharing mechanisms.”

“In fact, a person with employer-based coverage paid an average of $1,522 on health care (not including premiums) in 2006, compared with $1,260 in 2001. When including the added burden of higher premiums, out-of-pocket costs rose even more sharply, with a 30 percent increase from an average of $2,827 in 2001 to $3,744 in 2006.”

(Ed. note: there are footnotes for sources and numbers on the linked page)

It’s a great start to explain just how crazy the inflation in healthcare costs are for the U.S.

The second link from the White House tweet goes to:

Coverage Denied: How the current health system leaves millions behind

Of note:

“Thirty-five states offer a high-risk pool for people who have been denied coverage in the individual insurance market or otherwise cannot obtain insurance. However, high-risk pools generally charge significantly higher rates than they charge for a healthy individual in the individual insurance market, meaning that only relatively high-income people can afford the coverage. One study estimated that only eight percent of the uninsurable population is able to enroll in high-risk pools, mainly because of high premiums.”

“Benefits through a high-risk pool are also not guaranteed. Some state high-risk pools have annual caps on enrollment, or limit eligibility only to people who had prior group health coverage in the preceding 63 days. And one state high-risk pool has been closed to new beneficiaries since 1991.”

“All high-risk pools also impose pre-existing condition exclusions for six months to one year, during which time care for the very condition that made someone uninsurable is not covered.”

Ed. note: there are footnotes for sources and numbers on the linked page)

Long-time readers will note that this “high risk” coverage provided by a state (not on a federal level) is the kind of insurance that I, Heather and Leta have. As individuals, not a family. Everything in the above quoted paragraphs is true for us. It’s expensive, but fortunately we live in a state that has such a “high risk” pool and thanks to your continued support, we can afford such insurance.

I want more charts and graphs, because they quickly tell a sobering story of healthcare in the U.S.

I am going to restate the obvious because I’m still in a state of giddy shock: The White House responded to a tweet of mine!

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  • http://emailtoid.net/i/f134e422/1e39ab20/ emailtoid.net/i/f134e422/…

    Some people are not even offered coverage in high risk pools. Washington has such a pool. When I took a contract job up here last year, I lost my company provided plan coverage and sought private insurance. After several months and denial of two applications for private insurance, I was told to apply to the Washington state pool I was also denied coverage there, I assume due to my recent (2 yrs) bypass surgery. That denial in large part drove my acceptance of a much lower paying permanent position with my company. Fortunately, my profession is covered by a collective bargaining contract which requires that I be insured. There’s no doubt that if it didn’t, I would again be denied coverage.

  • http://isidorenabi.livejournal.com/ isidorenabi.livejournal.com/

    One of my in-laws works for Obama, and he’s specifically responsible for improving the technology that allows people to correspond with the administration – filtering the hordes of e-mails, tweets and messages left on the WH website, looking for trends and making sure people get responses. I’m always glad to hear that it’s working!

  • http://www.flickr.com/photos/minxlj minxlj

    That’s fantastic! I’m loving how Twitter is giving a personable face to government agencies etc – here in my city in North-East England, Newcastle City Council are doing a great job on Twitter. Friends and I have had responses on things that would take an age to find out before, it’s great!

    I’m not sure who would be in charge of the White House Twitter stream (press office or such?) but I hope they take real notice. I’m currently reading Obama’s ‘Audacity of Hope’ and I could not be more excited for the USA right now. I’ve always wanted to live there, for at least a period of time, but healthcare costs mean I can’t even consider it. It looks like you guys will get real healthcare reform, and given the problems you and Heather have had getting cover for what I would say are pretty standard things, I really hope it makes a difference to the whole country.

    (btw I spared you the link of the US ‘publication’ who stated that the British NHS was nothing to consider, because “if Stephen Hawking were British he’d be dead’ – ummm….wtf?) LOL

  • http://emailtoid.net/i/bc4dcf8e/ff1d3a34/ emailtoid.net/i/bc4dcf8e/…

    I follow you both on Twitter, and I was giddy when I saw that they replied to you, so I can only imagine how excited you must have been! It made me happy. :-)

  • http://www.playamind.blogspot.com vegas710

    That’s really cool. I had a FB friend suggest the President get up there with a power point presentation. Honestly, I think it’s a brilliant idea.

  • natetharp

    In your quest for visual data points, this video compares the percent of each dollar spent on insurance that actually goes towards healthcare costs for insurance companies (80-90%) as compared to Medicare (97-98%). I don’t think it had a source, but it sounds reasonable, and alarming.
    http://www.roughstockstudios.com/2009/08/why-we-need-socialized-health-care.html

  • HDC

    I’m happy for you Jon, but at the same time I don’t want to look at those numbers as I know they will make me even more despondent over the state of health care reform. I’ve seen enough. The problem is not enough of the rest of the country is truly seeing enough to change their minds.

    Twitter is great, but in real life, seriously how many people are seeing those links the WH put out for you? Not many in the grand scheme of things. The people who need convincing are all the seniors out there terrified that they’ll loose their medicare. But all the while, these supposedly loving grandparents are blind to the fact that their grandchildren will likely directly be put into poverty because of their shortsighted grandparents. This isn’t one of those vague “making the future generation pay for it all” battle cries the teabaggers like to banter about, no this is very real ” your family will be bankrupted” battle cry the administration needs to illuminate the entire nation with. I don’t see it happening yet.

    Where are those conversations? That man we elected needs to get on the damned TV once a week at 8pm in front of all that “reality” garbage TV (sorry Heather, it’s garbage, it really is) and pull out these charts to enliven the debate with substance, for once. Every ad spot currently filled with Wilford Brimley or Sam Waterston needs to be replaced with facts from the administration on the coming maelstrom if we don’t do something now. And then they need to go a step further and buy up every damned ad second on Glenn Beck’s show and do more of the same. That should fill the gaps in America’s understanding quite nicely.

  • MeredithB

    Thank you for continually posting about health care and the need for reform. I posted my own personal rant yesterday on my blog and I feel so helpless to do anything about the debacle that is the American system. I am so irritated by the Dems seeming inability to effectively fight the conservative onslaught of lies and propaganda. Thank you for continuing to fight the fight!

  • Danielleinpei

    Very cool!

    As a Canadian, I’d just like to say that we’ve heard a lot of Canada-bashing in the past couple of months and I’d like to set the record straight:

    Our health care system is not perfect. Of course it isn’t. But it IS great. I’m not the only one who thinks so. The last I heard, our health care system had an 87% approval rating among Canadians. That’s huge. A few years ago, our public broadcaster (CBC) held a huge “competition” on TV, allowing people to nominate and vote for the “Greatest Canadian Ever”.

    People voted and you know who won?

    Tommy Douglas, the father of our health system. He beat out Wayne Gretzky and Alexander Graham Bell. We cast aside the greatest hockey player of all time and a telephone inventor/pioneer who changed the world and voted for a politician most of us couldn’t pick out in a lineup and was out of the public eye before we were even born.

    Does anyone honestly believe that “socialized” health care is truly as scary as Fox News makes it sound? Health care is a serious, serious business. And one that, in my humble “socialist” opinion, is a basic human right. Good for you for standing up for it.

  • http://www.bellavenere.blogspot.com Salena of The Daily Rant

    Thanks for all your posts on Health Care Reform…as always, you’re right on target.

    Also – congrats on your response from the White House. Kinda makes you feel like they’re listening now! :)

    I wanted to share with you a post my friends over at Highway Hags wrote regarding health care. They are equally concerned but took a more humorous approach:

    http://www.highwayhags.com/2009/08/20/ashton-kutchers-health-care-plan/

  • dmknight

    I feel that there should be health care reform too, but I think the Obama administration is not looking at all the costs. Recently, I looked up medical malpractice rates in Germany, well below $1M is the average award and people just don’t file malpractice lawsuits there (at least not at the rate filed in the US). Also, the cost of getting a medical degree in Europe is far cheaper than here (most MD’s in the US come out with $100k in student loans). Someone has to pay for the doctor’s insurance and school. That is part of the reason medical care is so expensive here. And don’t even get me started on regulations like HIPPA. Yes there are even more reasons for the increase in health care, but these are two that are rarely mentioned.

    I am scared about nationalized health in any form. Look at how well the government has managed Social Security and Medicare. Politicians have one goal for themselves, keeping their jobs, and how do they do this by voting for things this government cannot afford. I read today that the OBM for our government estimates the budget deficit to grow to $9 trillion over the next 10 years. That is unacceptable; I hope the politicians in Washington DC can help with health care reform without putting my children’s future at stake.

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      They are looking at the costs. And the Obama administration isn’t looking to “nationalize” healthcare.

      See my response below about your budget deficit concerns. Where was your voice when we borrowed money from China to pay for the Iraq war? We’ve spent enough in Iraq to make healthcare reform possible in this country. That we haven’t already fixed this problem in the U.S. is an atrocity.

  • sherryh

    I doubt very many people would argue with you that we are in need of health care reform. The problem is that the options currently on the table have not been shown to reduce the overall cost of health care. What is the point of health care reform if we are simply putting the burden on the backs of our children and grandchildren with crushing deficits?

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      Because the cost of not reforming the system will be even higher. And those burdens on “our children and grandchildren”? If you are bankrupt due to healthcare costs, what then? What will happen if your employer decides to stop subsidizing health insurance? There is no safety net.

      I love how people are freaking out about national debt. Where were these voices when George W. Bush and the Republican lead Congress passed a tax cut and when the same folks raised the debt from Clinton’s budget surplus? This argument rings hollow for me. It’s time to reform. Clearly, Republicans are not interested in fixing a broken system.

      • okaykettle

        Americans from all sides of debate did “freak out” about the national debt. But regardless of whether they did or not, the point remains. Pushing health care reform irrespective of the damage it would do to the economy is every bit as damaging to future generations. There has to be some compromise here.

        http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203609204574314622075560890.html

        On another note, it’s the job of the President and Congress to make this reform digestable to the public. If they can’t overcome all those evil republicans and protestors “bearing false witness” – by your argument, can you imagine if GWB had said that…geez – about the misunderstandings of the bill, then it wasn’t very good to begin with.

        I want health care reform – I want to see every American with the ability to choose, purchase, change, and in every way be in control of their health care. The plans proposed are not the answer and it isn’t my fault or any other hesitant American’s fault that Congress and the President have a muddled, fiscally irresponsible and unworkable plan.

        Proponents of this reform might also step back from the Us Vs. Them approach to getting their way – the polls show that more than just a few democrats and independents are wary of the current plan. I see no value in the way you’ve structured the arguments as Democrats Vs. Republicans, Light Vs. Dark. Consider how well browbeating worked for GWB – we had a Democrat controlled congress in seconds flat.

        http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052970204884404574362971349563340.html

        Congrats on the tweet from the White House – that’s pretty cool.

        • http://blurbomat.com blurb

          I agree, but the other side is outright lying. Including Republican senators supposedly being bipartisan.

          It’s time for change. Now is the time to fix it.

  • sherryh

    I would love to have a thoughtful discussion about anything in the year 2009 that does not have the word “Bush” in it. Seriously, get over it. You weaken yourself when you constantly play the “well, if we didn’t have the problems of the previous administration, we would be fine” card. Sounds like playground nonsense to me.

    To quote my favorite Wayne’s World character, “live in the now!”

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      It’s not playground nonsense. Did you vote for the Republican majority in 2000? 2004? 2008? If you did then the budget mess we are in right now is due to budgets passed under a different president. Obama’s first budget is for 2010.

      Let’s live in the now: U.S. HEALTHCARE REFORM. NOW!

  • http://wynk.pip.verisignlabs.com/ wynk

    That is really cool that they responded to you. I’ve started following them now (although I have to admit that at least part of that has to do with the fact that they asked followers if they were interested in more cowbell).

    After reading that second link that they provided, I followed one of their references in the footnotes:
    http://action.nwlc.org/site/DocServer/NowhereToTurn.pdf

    And am horrified by two things in this document that I’d sort of heard offhand but not read actual confirmation for until today:

    1) There are 9 states (+ DC) that allow insurers to deny coverage to survivors of domestic violence using that as a pre-existing condition.
    2) Most states allow insurers to deny coverage to pregnant women citing their pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. (When I mentioned this on Twitter, a friend of mine said that this actually happened to her sister. This seems to be the common theme in these healthcare debates–every time I hear something horrifying and talk about it, one of my friends has had it happen to them or knows someone close to them to whom it’s happened)

  • A_Peach

    I figured out why Sherryh wants us to “live in the now!” Because if we do, we might forget that in 1995, the Republicans were trying to cut Medicare spending *the exact same way* Democrats are now and are suddenyl very much against it. A fact I pointed out to Michael Steele in my most recent blog post.

    http://minimize.blogspot.com

  • Christina

    I’m another Canadian who would be more than happy to talk to you — any time — about our health care system. I’ve lived in both Quebec and Ontario, and I have never been less than completely satisfied with the health care provided to our family…and we’ve had ongoing, serious requirements for health care.

    As Danielleinpei said above, the Canadian system is not perfect. But I can tell you that when you need it, it’s there: hospital, clinical, and specialist care, provincial drug and assistive devices plans…you name it. I know because we’ve benefitted from them all.

    • Leanne

      I am an Australian and our health care system works seems to work fairly well too (as with Canada, it is not perfect). I don’t know all the ins and outs but my experience is that taxpayers pay a levy (called Medicare) that funds public hospital, surgery, emergency, doctor and specialist care for all Australians. If you want to go to a private hospital, have more choice of doctor and extra therapies, you can purchase additional, reasonably affordable private insurance on which the Government gives you a bit of a rebate. So there is both a safety net for everybody AND choice.

      I am astonished when I read about US health care issues – that insurance is so expensive, necessary and often part of the employment package and therefore depends on you keeping your job. Other aspects of your welfare system surprise me too. I like a lot about the US and its people, but for a country that is the self-proclaimed greatest in the world, you sure do have some problems looking after your own.

      Good luck with it all.

  • chacha

    I was in the high-risk pool in California (because I went to 6 weeks of physical therapy while training for my first marathon – can’t even try to be healthy, they still reject you. they’ll reject you for a hangnail, at this point), and not only was it fairly pricey with a high deductible, but in order to fully qualify without any exclusions you had to exhaust COBRA coverage before applying.

    I just don’t understand why Americans trust health insurance companies (that are clearly only interested in profits) over the government.

  • stephen

    Jon, If you want to experience a rational healthcare debate. An exchange of ideas without the rigid partisanship that I’ve seen here, go to loraleeslooneytunes.com. I sent you guys an email about her having a meeting with Valerie Jarrett, Senior advisor to the White House, at Blogher. As a result of that meeting and Ms. Jarrett following Loralee’s blog about healthcare, she and her husband (STAUNCH CONSERVATIVE) have been invited to the White House to share their thoughts. Loralee is pretty much in agreement with your thought train, Jonathon abhors the idea. But, the amazing thing is that after the White House linked to her site, it lit up. Hundreds and hundreds of comments and still going. What is amazing though is the total lack of anger and rancor in the comments. Serious people, both sides, real dialogue, it’s an amazing phenomenon Loralee has kinda turned into a Cache Valley celebrity up in Logan. I’ve commented on both her and Jonathon’s posts. Everybody wants change in regards to healthcare. Go and read what a real “I’m actually listening instead of mentally rehearsing my talking points while you talk” debate can be. It has caused a complete reset of my “beliefs” in regards to healthcare and I’m not afraid to to proclaim myself a staunch Libertarian. By the way, I absolutely love your family. Faithful fan. steve

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      Thanks for the comment and link. It’s sad that we see, hear and read stories where people lose everything to pay for healthcare and we can’t seem to see that health insurance for everybody is a good thing.

  • sherryh

    I did vote Republican in 00, 04, and 08, and my disgust with the deficit lies with both parties. The democrats have the best opportunity yet to ram their version of health care reform down America’s throats, yet they are still sputtering. I’m having so much fun watching this.

    Stop whining about past actions – tell your government to stop spending like drunken sailors!

  • Sherpa Tat

    My husband lost his job this summer. We have had company-sponsored health insurance with the same company for the past 7ish years. We applied for individual coverage thru the same health insurer, but I was denied. I have twice requested a review and been denied twice more. The reason I was denied is because I hurt my hip a few months back. I saw my primary physician, then went to a physical therapist twice, bought a new office chair and am fine. But I was denied because of my “back and spine injury.” I work out avidly, have never smoked, and take really good care of myself. When I had a physical earlier this year (with the same company) I rated almost 9 years younger in “physical age.” But now I have a pre-existing condition and an insurance broker told me that it would be very difficult to get any insurance coverage with this pre-existing condition. this FAKE pre-existing condition. We have COBRA now, but it runs out in March.
    I really want and need healthcare reform now!
    And that is amazing that they responded to you!

  • http://empressofdirt.blogspot.com empressofdirt

    Very cool that you got tweeted back. //I’m also in Canada and like others who commented here, I too am frustrated by the misrepresentation we’re hearing about our ‘socialized’ health care system. Health care is an essential service. We are grateful for what we have.

    The misinformation coming from the powers that profit from the existing system in the U.S. is ridiculous and unfortunately seems to be taken at face value by a lot of pawns (the same faces I saw lining up to hear Sarah Palin speak during the election campaign)..

    Keep writing. Facts are urgently needed. I wish I had a dollar for every American friend I’ve had who couldn’t get the care they needed and/or had to let their children go untreated. That doesn’t happen here in Canada. // Amazing how war expenses are regarded as essential but caring for the health of one’s own people is a luxury.

    PS: Have you seen what Roger Ebert wrote?
    http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/im_safe_on_board_you_can_pull.html

    • http://blurbomat.com blurb

      I have read that! Excellent.

  • http://www.daffodilcampbell.blogspot.com Daffodil Campbell

    I read all of the discussion about health care reform with a mix of frustration and profound relief, because I live in Hawaii, which has mandated health coverage for employees working more then 20 hours a week. Clearly, I can never move (unless I leave the country) because I have a host of pre-existing issues that would absolutely and completely disqualify me from coverage pretty much everywhere else in the U.S.

    I listened with great interest to the interview on NPR’s Fresh Air yesterday with T.R. Reid, author of “The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care”
    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112172939

  • Genya17

    I’m glad that Americans are having this overdue conversation in all these different formats. I’m a Canadian currently living in California. When ever I’m out, I find that people on the streets are talking about healthcare and what should happen next. I end up talking with them and we compare notes, I have not heard one person as of yet say that something doesn’t need to be done.

    I do hear a lot of people saying strange things about the Canadian system. I’ve heard that the Canadian government chooses who gets certain surgeries, that we all pay 35% income tax, and that our hospitals have wait times that are days, and many other weird statements. Not true.

    I pay income taxes that I think are acceptable levels. And because I pay these income taxes I get things like free k-12 schooling, effective emergency services, and healthcare. Yes where I live if you make over a certain amount you have to pay a 600$ premium, but I can live with that – I don’t understand how you could live with 1000′s of monthly dollars going to healthcare. That stress alone would make me sick!

    The Canadian system isn’t perfect, but it does meet the needs of millions of people. What I don’t understand is how in a nation that has millions upon millions more people than Canada does, that you have an underfunded healthcare system? Where is the money going exactly? It’s absurd that you pay taxes and don’t get certain services in return. The government should keep you health, even if only to get more revenue out of you!

    I currently have an out of country policy for a crazy amount of money, and that could all be used up in an ICU stay. That fact boggles my mind. At home, I could just go to a hopsital, show my government card and be admitted. What I would love to see, is that no American could ever be turned away because of what policy they have, and get the treatment that they need. If you are sick, you are sick – your wallet shouldn’t dictate how much sick you can be. Being a citizen should come with certain benefits.

    Please keep it up Jon, you’ve got to keep talking about it until something gives. I’m glad the White House is listening to you. Canada changed to socialized healthcare decades ago, and at home, we are all very thankful.

  • phylly3

    Something has to be done. A family who is currently facing unemployment, even if receiving unemployment benefits, cannot afford COBRA coverage. And working families, who are not covered by group policies cannot afford coverage either. My daughter and her husband are self employed and recently looked around for a health care provider that would offer them better rates. They are paying around $1,200.00 monthly for bare bones coverage. The best offer they received would cover my son-in-law and the 2 boys, ages 4 & 5, but not my daughter and 18 month old granddaughter. My daughter was treated for low back pain with physical therapy while pregnant for the 3rd time and the baby had RSV during her first 3 months. They said that the baby would be excluded for a period of 3 years, assuming she was not seen for any condition involving her lungs. So, I guess that means no upper respiratory infection for a child until 5 years of age. Otherwise this is an extremely healthy family who eats right, and has good health habits.

  • zoekentucky

    So someone who voted for Bush twice and McCain once opposes health care reform– how shocking. I suppose they think they’ll never find themselves or any members of their family without health insurance. For their sakes, I hope that is true. But the fact is that most of us are 1 firing/lay-off from being uninsured, even with COBRA (which was mandated by the government) that is a short-term expensive option that many people who just lost a job often can’t afford.

    My partner and I have been together for 10 years. I am 33, self-employed and am able to afford a decent personal policy because I don’t have any “pre-existing conditions” and have no need for pregnancy/birth coverage. (Difference in monthly premium? $160 v. $440. It’s total discrimination against women, it’s crazy, and I only have it as an option because I don’t have a risk of becoming pregnant.) However, my partner is a totally different story. She has Meniere’s Disease, an inner ear “dizzy” disorder, and cannot get health insurance on the free market ever again, the only way she’ll be able to get any coverage at all is GOVERNMENT HEALTH INSURANCE, like Medicaid. Why? Because insurance companies have the right to discriminate– based on illnesses and even things like pregnancy. It’s crazy that so many Americans are so used to such a broken system that they don’t even realize how totally screwed up it is.

    The truth is that if Medicare didn’t exist senior citizens would not be able to get or afford health insurance. Right now that is how the rest of us are dealing with bad or no options– or are closer to being in that position than we’d like to acknowledge. Crossing your fingers and hoping that you don’t need health care isn’t a national health care policy.

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