Comments on: Out Of Work, Out Of Insurance, Out Of Luck

Unemployed Search, Some In Vain, For Affordable Medical Insurance After Losing A Job

[afmca]

This is the dream of all Republicans when it comes to the middle and lower class.

While CEOs get slush funds that pay their premiums, co-pays, and out of network costs, the American worker is at the mercy of for profit health care providers that would rather see you die than treat you. McCain''s plan will basically allow industry to opt out of coverage and leave workers with too little funds to get even a second rate policy. If you are a health hazard with a pre-existing condition you might as well roll over and die. Republicans are so pro-life!

As for Obama''s plan at least it would allow everyone to have a basic plan. With the basics some people might start their own business or leave the current employers since health care would be covered. A modern, caring society would find a way to provide adequate health care to all. The cost of not doing so is actually higher than not providing it. We can pay $700B to Wall Street for their crimes; billions more for Bush''s war; but not for citizen''s health.

[mugaluv]

I have worked for 40 years and now that my health has gone in the cr*****, I can''t get health coverage. I can''t get on disability because you have to be without work for a year and I can''t do that because I have to work enough to exist. Maybe I haven''t been the picture of a good steward of money, but I paid my share of taxes and premiums and co-pays, and now I deserve to be helped. I raised a child on my own without any help from the government (or his father) and I kept us both insured. I resent that McCainian attitude. Trickle down doesn''t work, never has, never will, and there are people everywhere just like me who need help. I couldn''t afford 50.00 a month premium, much less 700.00. Get real. Those of us who have given and given and worked 2-3 jobs deserve help and we just aren''t getting it. I''m not ashamed of being unable to work full time. I have chronic illnesses, most of them inherited, but I guess I was just too stupid to plan for that time when they would hit me -- I was too busy working and raising a child. And, I have seen my salary decrease due to stupid "technology" because employers want to give computers jobs, not people, and they cut your pay and lay you off because they now have computers/software that can do your job. You want to help people, then employ people, not computers.

[ddaryl1]

LMAO

As any republican would say. Too bad, obviously your just a liberal slouch who doesn''t work hard enough and it''s your own fault.

Now go out and get a Mcjob and be thankful you live in the (I''m laughing my *** off at this one) "Greatest Country on Earth"

If what Obama is offering is socialism... then I want socialism, but its not. It a redistribution of the wealth and putting the power back into the hands of the majority instead of the miniority.

Words cannot describe my full blown hatred for republicans. Its us or them as far as I am concerned, something worth dying for.

[bobnjersey]

[Even if you never fall ill, someone close to you will, and you will suffer for them. ]
[Posted by Sangye1 at 02:05 PM : Nov 03, 2008]

no he wont ... he''ll tell them to practice personal responsibility ... because that''s what the dogma says.

[ocasanas]

Well said "avoice": It''s better to have socialism that that McCainian invention of pay it yourself as you go. Oh, surprise $5000 won''t do much good to anybody. For those who don''t like socialism, I''d rather wait a month (or two in some countries) before I can be seen by the doctor than not be seen at all because of not being able to afford it. I''d rather go to the doctor and be told that probably what I have is just a pimple and not a tumor than not knowing what I have because I might loose all my money by going to a McCainian system. "Republicans" think that their ideas are the only ones that work, but they don''t realize that nobody in this world is perfect and that greed breaks the capitalism system taking away from the most unfortunate ones and "spreading the wealth" to the fortunate and rich ones. Neither type of government is good, but I think that "Democrats" are trying to "fix" the damage done until now, while "Republicans" are just saying to calm down, everything is fine.

[sepa2]

How''''''''s the taxes up there, eh?
In 2004 the avergae US citizen paid 16.5% income tax, the average Canadian 17.8%. That 1.3% extra for 100% health coverage. Are you even too selfish for that??

Posted by usclimey at 01:57 PM : Nov 03, 2008
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Goog question. In US everyone think their coverage is better than their neighbor, which make them happy. Doctors and medical bussiness make merry with this mind set extracting maximum profit giving "care". Doctors as true sales people ask few personal questions like how your child is doing in school which make us feel even more important.

[nokids4me]

This story doesn''t explain why Leah Smith doesn''t have a husband to take care of her health insurance needs. Thats how most women handle it.

[usclimey]

Even if you never fall ill, someone close to you will, and you will suffer for them. Unable to help them, you will know suffering. And you will grow old. And that, too, is suffering. I cannot be angry with you. I can only feel deep sadness for you. Lost in your own private hell of judging others.

Posted by Sangye1

Wonderful post. I sincerely wish you better luck in the future.

[sangye1-2009]

To bob5ford: I''m a physician who''s always been financially responsible. In sharp contrast to the numerous fiscally irresponsible Republicans around (How about that George Bush? Takes a surplus and turns it into a record deficit!!).

I did everything possible to secure myself financially and physically-- got the best education, lived within my means, bought a home I could easily afford at a fixed 30 year mortgage, took excellent care of my health, paid my taxes, had excellent health insurance, etc.... And then, the unexpected happened : I got a rare, life-threatening disease with an unknown cause that has kept me from working for over 2 years. So I lived off home equity for awhile, then sold the home and lived off that for awhile, and now what?

Bob, in a way, your inability to understand how this can happen to someone who did everything right is a blessing. It means you have not suffered catastrophe in your life, so you still believe you have control over everything. But it is also a curse, because you have not developed empathy for those who are suffering, and the only way you will learn it is to experience it yourself some day. Even if you never fall ill, someone close to you will, and you will suffer for them. Unable to help them, you will know suffering. And you will grow old. And that, too, is suffering. I cannot be angry with you. I can only feel deep sadness for you. Lost in your own private hell of judging others.

[usclimey]

Did the founding fathers have health insurance?

Posted by davinci08

Are you advocating going back to leeches, bleeding and no anasthetics?

[sangye1-2009]

To bob5ford: I''m a physician who''s always been financially responsible. In sharp contrast to the numerous fiscally irresponsible Republicans around (How about that George Bush? Takes a surplus and turns it into a record deficit!!).

I did everything possible to secure myself financially and physically-- got the best education, lived within my means, bought a home I could easily afford at a fixed 30 year mortgage, took excellent care of my health, paid my taxes, had excellent health insurance, etc.... And then, the unexpected happened : I got a rare, life-threatening disease with an unknown cause that has kept me from working for over 2 years. So I lived off home equity for awhile, then sold the home and lived off that for awhile, and now what?

Bob, in a way, your inability to understand how this can happen to someone who did everything right is a blessing. It means you have not suffered catastrophe in your life, so you still believe you have control over everything. But it is also a curse, because you have not developed empathy for those who are suffering, and the only way you will learn it is to experience it yourself some day. Even if you never fall ill, someone close to you will, and you will suffer for them. Unable to help them, you will know suffering. And you will grow old. And that, too, is suffering. I cannot be angry with you. I can only feel deep sadness for you. Lost in your own private hell of judging others.

[missingamerica]

Waiting a YEAR for health insurance coverage is ridiculous. Borders Inc. offers part-time (and full-time of course) employees insurance starting the first of the month after employment begins!

Posted by Puzzler125 at 01:57 PM : Nov 03, 2008

http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/06/layoffs_at_borders_group_inc_i.html

June 03, 2008 17:01PM:

[bq]
When Borders Group Inc. announced cuts of nearly 275 corporate jobs Tuesday - including 156 in Ann Arbor - the news wasn''t a big surprise since the beleaguered bookseller detailed a plan last week to slice $120 million in annual costs.
Still, it marked an emotional milestone for workers at the bookseller''s Ann Arbor headquarters.

Borders has never laid off so many people at once at its Ann Arbor headquarters, which now has just over 1,000 employees.
[eq]

Lovely economy, these Republicans have created...

[puzzler125]

Waiting a YEAR for health insurance coverage is ridiculous. Borders Inc. offers part-time (and full-time of course) employees insurance starting the first of the month after employment begins!

[nokids4me]

Well, Obama is about to fix all this with Socialism.

[usclimey]

How''''s the taxes up there, eh?

Posted by easeup

In 2004 the avergae US citizen paid 16.5% income tax, the average Canadian 17.8%. That 1.3% extra for 100% health coverage. Are you even too selfish for that??

[usclimey]

Better medical care in Mexico??? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

How''''s the taxes up there, eh?

Posted by easeup

Typical me first GOPig answer. If it all went into healthcare insurance, I''d be more than happy to pay a couple of thousnd in extra taxes to ensure nationwide health insurance.

[missingamerica]

"Leah Smith shells out more than $730 a month for health insurance but you won''t hear her complaining."

Let me see...at the minimum wage of $6.55 an hour, $730.00 represents - before taxes - 111 hours of work, or almost 3 out of 4 weeks of the month.

Yup - that is definitely a sign of the Republican stewardship of our economy, and the success of "free trade" and "trickle down" economics.

You can either:

Eat and live inside while paying the auto insurance and buying the gas to get to and from work while dying from lack of medical care

Or, you can:

Get the medical care required to keep you alive enough to work to get the fuel and insurance necessary to keep working while living outside and dying of starvation.

But not all of the essentials of survival at once.

The Republicans and neoliberals masquerading as Democrats have gifted our children with a lovely future, have they not?

[usclimey]

Maybe it''''s your "right" to work and earn so you can pay for your medical care???

Posted by bob5ford at 11:45 AM

That was uncalled for. Al I can think of about your wonderful situation in FL is that you never go to the Dr or have any prescriptions. I DO work for a living, my wife stays at home since she has MS and we have a child. I''m very lucky with my firm''s insurreance. I pay under $1000 in premiums on a $12,000 policy That includes a $4000 deductible - ie I pay the first $4,000 out of pocket. Since April our total costs have been in excess of $25,000. With McCain''s health plan, my wife would be no longer insurable AND I''d be paying $11,000 more in premiums for a $5000 tax break. If you think I''m voting for that... - well ya gotta be kiddin''. You should be thankful for your good health, but don''t begrudge those of us who are not so lucky.

[davinci08-2009]

re: Constitution Preamble states "promote general welfare".
Declaration of Independence states "...certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
I defy anyone to argue that a state of happiness can be held or maintained without general wellbeing and access to health care. If you are sick, you are not happy.

Posted by godseyesore
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Did the founding fathers have health insurance?
It sounds like you believe that our government should provide equal coverage to all. It sounds ideal. What country does that? Those whose systems are socialized are the closest. Which Country''s systems provide the most round breaking research and development that is eagerly sought by other countries who pay their students tuition to go and study not to mention where they bring their leaders to have these procedures done? Not Canada... Not Mexico

[hennighg]

This is part of the trickle down economic policy anyway. Either be one of us (white, rich, conservative, at least a pretend christian, and a lover of the South American model of economics and government) or you may die, and the sooner the better. No one wants a bunch of smelly poor people around anyway. Tain''t republican.