Health Care Reform Puts Seniors on Edge

Poll Shows Majority of People 65 and Over Thinks Access to Care will Diminish and Costs Will Rise

(CBS)  At a rally Friday in Orlando, Florida, there were more fears that health care reform will lead to rationing. The event was arranged by cardiologists already facing cuts in payments from Medicare. The doctors say they'll have to ration and possibly deny care to elderly patientS. Talk like that is fueling health care reform opposition among seniors, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson

A CBS News poll shows 57 percent of the 65-and-over crowd thinks their access to care will diminish and their own costs will rise.

At the heart of many fears is President Obama's proposal to find $300 billion in savings from Medicare over ten years. He says he can do it without touching benefits.

Dems Weigh Options for Health Care Endgame
Steele Dares Dems to Pass Health Care Bill
CBSNews.com coverage of Health Care Reform

"We are going to make Medicare more efficient, guaranteeing today's seniors better benefits than they have right now," the president said.

On the benefits side, Democrats aim to reduce the so-called Medicare doughnut hole. That's where some patients pay the full cost of their prescription medicine until they've spent $3,600 out of pocket.

Democrats would also eliminate co-payments for screenings and preventative services. Among the worries is $160 billion in cuts to private companies that provide Medicare advantage insurance to millions of seniors. The President says cuts will come from company profits, but Republicans say the companies may raise premiums, cut benefits or even drop out of medicare, forcing seniors to change plans.

"We just don't believe that the government will run it, can run it," said one senior.

With so many seniors worked up over health care reform, some are taking things in n stride, believing things will remain just as they are.

"So the plug won't be pulled on me unless they go against my wishes,'' joked one person.

As the debate drags on over the summer, the fact that there is no final plan to examine leaves a certain vacuum that's filled by uncertainty and fear

[jodigirlwithtriplets]

HR 3200 is taking a system of great care to a few, and making it bad care to all. That should not be its purpose.

HR 3200 does not make preventive medicine better, it makes it worse. Its structure closes down many private practice groups that provide tests like nuclear stress tests to rule in/out coronary artery disease.

HR 3200 cuts funding to imaging 4.3 billion dollars (cardiologists, radiologists, oncologists, all in big trouble). Moreover, they are going to VERY modestly boost incentives to be a primary care, YET, the "public option" is little or no better at reimbursement than Medicare.

It provides 5% above Medicare for the first 3 years, after that it's up for "negotiations", except without antitrust reform doctors know they will have no power for negotiations. Patients do not understand, doctors face annual threats to their reimbursement rates. As it is, reimbursements from Medicare are so low that many doctors cannot afford, or are not willing to do the high risk procedures with very little reimbursement. Who can blame them, when the large financial risk hugely outweighs the reimbursement?

This bill does nothing to address the large pool of unnecessary testing. The amount of patients coming to our office armed with print-outs from the internet begging for a CT scan for their headache is just one. People who have an 80% blockage in a coronary artery who are told they can be treated medically or with angioplasty - nearly always choose angioplasty because they get scared and, despite being told otherwise, thinks it will better solve their problem. People want what they want. Without Tort reform, doctors, particularly in high risk specialties, have little comfort in denying a patient what they demand. They know a happy patient is less likely to sue.

[jodigirlwithtriplets]

HR 3200 is taking a system of great care to a few, and making it bad care to all. That should not be its purpose.

HR 3200 does not make preventive medicine better, it makes it worse. Its structure closes down many private practice groups that provide tests like nuclear stress tests to rule in/out coronary artery disease.

HR 3200 cuts funding to imaging 4.3 billion dollars (cardiologists, radiologists, oncologists, all in big trouble). Moreover, they are going to VERY modestly boost incentives to be a primary care, YET, the "public option" is little or no better at reimbursement than Medicare.

It provides 5% above Medicare for the first 3 years, after that it's up for "negotiations", except without antitrust reform doctors know they will have no power for negotiations. Patients do not understand, doctors face annual threats to their reimbursement rates. As it is, reimbursements from Medicare are so low that many doctors cannot afford, or are not willing to do the high risk procedures with very little reimbursement. Who can blame them, when the large financial risk hugely outweighs the reimbursement?

This bill does nothing to address the large pool of unnecessary testing. The amount of patients coming to our office armed with print-outs from the internet begging for a CT scan for their headache is just one. People who have an 80% blockage in a coronary artery who are told they can be treated medically or with angioplasty - nearly always choose angioplasty because they get scared and, despite being told otherwise, thinks it will better solve their problem. People want what they want. Without Tort reform, doctors, particularly in high risk specialties, have little comfort in denying a patient what they demand. They know a happy patient is less likely to sue.

[pepperwood2]

What's wrong with Congress proposing for We The People the exact same Healthcare Plan that Our Elite President & Congress Have and The People are paying for? No strings or gimmicks attached, no reductions in health care for Seniors, no extra out of pocket expenses, freedom of choices, etc. In other words just be honest an tell it like it is. This Real Dream Plan is nothing more that An Another Elite Scheme Plan.

The People are now in debt Trillions of dollars, from bailing out all the Cheats & Fraud Corportations of this Country that our Elite of this Country were supposed to be overseeing. We've had enough, Sometimes the best plans are the ones we don't make. Fool us once, shame on you - fool us twice Shame on us. Its enough to make you sick.

[jab232]

I am a senior on Medicare and Social Security. My concern: As health insurance and medical costs double in the next ten years, what will keep Medicare from collapsing under the weight of rising costs. Only health care reform, including a public option, will help hold down costs and save Medicare.

It is time for the congress to put up or shut up. If congress people are in the pockets of the billion-dollar corporations rather than serving the ordinary people who are being exploited and abused, they need to vote and let everyone know it. That is especially true for the Blue Dog Democrats.

[trapbreaking]

Monday, August 24, 2009
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The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 28% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -12 (see trends).

Overall, 49% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. Fifty percent (50%) now disapprove.

[trapbreaking]

Obama poll numbers take no rest from falling

President begins week of a family vacation

[ArmandB]

AARP is a sales tool for insurance companies and towing companies. It has never....not once asked me my opinion on anything. It gets members offering discounts on goods and services and doesn't mention their point of view on any issue concerning seniors in their membership paperwork. They don't represent anyone but their insurance companies and other marketing partners.

[jsd330]

Do some shopping and you'll find that you can beat their insurance rates on any product that they offer. I checked their car insurance rates and my current insurer(Progressive) was cheaper for better coverage.

[ArmandB]

On edge?, they should be on edge, the President is putting in place a heath care system which will counsil the elderly on opting for death over expensive heath care. The President seems to think that the best way to save Social Security is not to have elderly. Of course the President and Congress will be exempt from this new program. They will keep their current retirement and heath care benifits.

[velma179]

CBSLIKESOBAMA...

Your series of irrational comments are examples of why the legislation President Obama wants will certainly be made law.

The rational thinking folks that elected Mr. Obama are here to help you, even though you don't seem able to comprehend that ... or what you will gain from our efforts.

Sleep well... dream peacefully.

The country is in good hands.

[HGOODGUY]

THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY

REMINDS ME OF AN OLD SAYING---I DON'T MIND GETTING SCREWED--BUT AT LEAST KISS ME!!!

[reform21]

watch "brave new films" to see how much United Health Care CEO make money of you.

[reform21]

Health Care Reform Puts Seniors on Edge is totally irresponsible title, unless you did not read or have access to WHITE HOUSE

"We have arrived at a generational crossroads where wasteful, inefficient medicine meets an aging population. We must make it through to the other side as a whole nation.

"It's estimated that 2.5 million unnecessary surgeries are performed each year, with hysterectomies, heart bypass grafts, lower back surgery, and angioplasty leading the list."

"If you pay your doctor a visit tomorrow, you have a 43 percent chance of being given an unnecessary test"

"If you have a cold or flu, there's a 73 percentchance that you will be prescribed an antibiotic, which is useless against viruses, including cold and flu viruses."

"Provide a public option so that private insurers don't have the profits game entirely to themselves. Not only will a public option be cheaper, but it starts to remove the cutthroat profit motive in healthcare insurance to a more sensible and ethical motive of improving people's health and wellbeing."

"the richest nation in the world is paying more for less when it comes to health care than United State of America. The U.S. ranks 37th in overall health system performance in the world by the WHO while paying far and away the biggest bill. What we need is not more unnecessary tests, which cost an estimated $700 billion dollars a year, but more intelligence and a public option is the best solution."

[rocketjl]

Anyone who believes the proposed health reform bill(s) will save money and improve medical services, really needs to submit a bid on the beach-front property I have for sale in Arizona.

[pepperwood2]

Canadian Health Officials: Our Universal Health Care Is 'Sick,' Private Insurance Should Be Welcomed ......

In other words - Our Universal Health Care Plan is on Life Support. As Bashing Barney Franks said We're going to be the next disaster, If we allow that to happen in This Country. So Sad!

[radicalc-2009]

LIBERTIES ERODED- FIRST 150 PAGES OF THE BILL - MUCH MUCH MORE INCLUDED IN THE REST OF THE BILL- FROM RICK JOYNER

HR 3200 currently under consideration in the House of Representatives

Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit the books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get

Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!

Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. You have no choice!

Pg 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise

Pg 58HC Bill ? Gov?t will have real-time access to individual?s finances & a National ID Health care card will be issued!

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access to your banks accts for electronic funds transfer.

Pg 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN).

Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange to bring priv HC plans under Govt control.

Pg 84 Sec 203 HC bill - Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private Health Care plans in the Exchange

Pg 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

Pg 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill - Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services.

Example - Translation for illegal aliens.

Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan

Pg 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs of Ben Levels 4 Plans. #AARP members - Your Health Care WILL be rationed

Pg 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill - Medicaid Eligible Individual will be automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.

Pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue Govt on price fixing. No ?judicial review? against Govt Monopoly.

Pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill - Doctors/ #AMA - The Govt will tell YOU what you can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public opt plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer w/ payroll 400k & above who does not prov. pub opt. pays 8% tax on all payroll

Pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesnt provide public opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesnt have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Read the bill! It's a nightmare

http://docs.house.gov/edlabor/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf

[HGOODGUY]

YOUR FACTS ARE TOTALLY MANIPULATED AND SLANTED TO YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

I TOO HAVE READ THE INFORMATION AND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS AN OUT AN OUT ATTEMPT AT DISTORTION!!

THIS IS NOT A "LIITLE WHITE LIE"!!
IS TECHNICOLOR ********!!

[reform21]

"We have arrived at a generational crossroads where wasteful, inefficient medicine meets an aging population. We must make it through to the other side as a whole nation.

"It's estimated that 2.5 million unnecessary surgeries are performed each year, with hysterectomies, heart bypass grafts, lower back surgery, and angioplasty leading the list."

"If you pay your doctor a visit tomorrow, you have a 43 percent chance of being given an unnecessary test"

"If you have a cold or flu, there's a 73 percentchance that you will be prescribed an antibiotic, which is useless against viruses, including cold and flu viruses."

"Provide a public option so that private insurers don't have the profits game entirely to themselves. Not only will a public option be cheaper, but it starts to remove the cutthroat profit motive in healthcare insurance to a more sensible and ethical motive of improving people's health and wellbeing."

"the richest nation in the world is paying more for less when it comes to health care than United State of America. The U.S. ranks 37th in overall health system performance in the world by the WHO while paying far and away the biggest bill. What we need is not more unnecessary tests, which cost an estimated $700 billion dollars a year, but more intelligence and a public option is the best solution."


Doctors are paid by the procedure, so it is only natural they (or most or some or the unscrupulous, fill in the blank) tend toward more is better. No one is surprised that an auto mechanic recommends an expensive part with high margins, or that a plumber will just as happily replace the toilet as soon as he would the little 2 dollar rubber gasket that's causing your leak.

And the 'More is Better' mantra is also clearly at work in the rtate at which doctors prescribe drugs. My mother is pushing 80 and had serious problems with diabetes and her heart. So granted, she needs some prescriptions to help deal with her conditions. But she is currently taking 14 different drugs, at last count. I'm no doctor, and had to drop Human Physiology in college (knew after the first mid-term I was in over my head and dropped it quick!), but 14 prescriptions certainly seems extreme. How can anybody know what effect that many drugs combined will have? She's always compaining of being light-headed, dizzy, weak, lethargic, etc. I can't help thinking that her drugs are at least partly to blame for her general feeling of ill-health.

I myself went for standard check-up a few years ago. I'm generally healthy and active with no real complaints, yet I was given not one but two prescriptions (for slightly elevated blood pressure- slightly elevated, I was nowhere near any danger zone in that regard). Neither drug did a thing for me, and one even made me feel loopy when I took it. I never re-filled either prescription (the loopy one I never even finished) and although I'm nearing 50 I've never felt better. I can't help wondering how much of a kick back that doctor received by prescribing those two drugs I clearly did not need?

The health care fight has turned ugly and fast, watch ?Brave New Films? to find out how much United Health Care CEO make money of you.

[radicalc-2009]

"the richest nation in the world is paying more for less when it comes to health care than United State of America"

More for the best health care in the world - BAR NONE... Talk about survival rates, not costs. After all, what's really important here?

[jsd330]

Doctors run these tests that you call uneccessary to cover their behind so they don't get sued. It's called defensive medicine, not greed. Nobody wants to talk about the cost that malpractice has on health care,not just the lawsuits, but as I stated the defensive medicine and that goes for the drugs to.

[sjc_1]

"survival rates"

What do you mean by this? They survived the raping that they got by the health care system and the greedy insurance companies? This nation is 37th of a world wide list of over all quality of life due to health care. We pay $2.4 TRILLION per year, which is twice as much as any other country per person. What the heck is "survival rates" suppose to mean....if anything at all.

[earlysaid]

The elderly do not need to fear President Obama's plan to improve health care. If you are listening to republicans you will be frightened. Fearmongering has been one of their favorite evil policies. Republicans are saying these scary things for their own benefit. The result on older people is criminal. President Obama cares a lot more about Americans than any republican that has been in the Whitehouse or government ever. He is going to do his best to IMPROVE health care to make it less expensive and readily available for more Americans. He is going to make sure insurance companies are honest and not taking advantage of people. Two really good changes will be (1) there will be no maximum amount were benefits are cut off and (2) there will be no pre-existing exclusion for people with health issues.

[govmess]

FINALLY...THE $64,000 QUESTION WAS ASKED...

YESTERDAY ON "ABC-TV" DURING THE "NETWORK SPECIAL ON HEALTH CARE".... OBAMA WAS ASKED:

"MR. PRESIDENT WILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY GIVE UP YOUR CURRENT HEALTH CARE PROGRAM AND JOIN THE NEW 'UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM' THAT THE REST OF US WILL BE ON ????".....

THERE WAS STONEY SILENCE AS OBAMA IGNORED THE QUESTION AND CHOSE NOT TO ANSWER IT !!!...

IN ADDITION, A NUMBER OF SENATORS WERE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS..."WE WILL THINK ABOUT IT."

AND THEY DID. IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY ON THE NEWS THAT THE "KENNEDY HEALTH CARE BILL" WAS WRITTEN INTO THE NEW HEALTH CARE REFORM INITIATIVE ENSURING THAT CONGRESS WILL BE 100% EXEMPT !

SO, THIS GREAT NEW HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND ME... IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR OBAMA, HIS FAMILY OR CONGRESS. WE NEED TO STOP THIS PROPOSED DEBACLE ASAP !!!!... THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG !!!!!

I CAN ONLY ACCEPT A UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL THAT EXTENDS TO EVERYONE... NOT JUST US LOWLY CITIZENS... IT MUST STATE THAT THE WASHINGTON "ELITE" WILL GIVE UP THEIR GOLD-PLATED HEALTH CARE COVERAGES.

[HGOODGUY]

WHEN YOU ASK A "TRAP QUESTION" EITHER WAY YOU GET THE ANSWER YOU WANT!!!

THIS IS NOT ABOUT COVERAGE FOR CONGRESS--IT IS ABOUT THE REST OF US!!

I GUESS ONE CAN RATIONALIZE ANYTHING!!

[trapbreaking]

Your Tax Dollars to Sell Obama's Health Care Plan

White House confirms it used taxpayer dollars to hire private company to distribute e-mails, including unsolicited spamming to push health plan

[sjc_1]

Bush spent more than $100 million of our tax payer dollars per year promoting his programs and policies, this is nothing new.

[HGOODGUY]

THE ONLY THING THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE FOR HEALTHCARE IS THE SO CALLED PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN WHICH IS SUCH AN ILLEGIBLE, SCREWED UP MESS THAT NO ONE UNDERSTANDS IT.

BUSH AND THE REPUBLICANS RAVED AND CONGRATULATED THEMSELVES AND BELLOWED "HOORAY FOR US"!!!

IT IS A MISLEADING, DISTORTED MAZE OF SMOKE AND MIRRORS THAT WINDS UP WITH A GIANT "DROP OFF" OF COVERAGE!!

I AM 70 YEARS OLD AND WOULDN'T TOUCH THIS WITH A FORK BECAUSE WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE IT IS A GIANT "SHUCK AND JIVE" MASKED IN LANGUAGE THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON TO INTERPRET.

A MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION PLAN SHOULD BE SIMPLE AND UNDERSTANDABLE AND THIS IS ANYTHING BUT THAT. IF ANY SENIOR CITIZEN CAN SEE ANY BENEFIT TO THIS PLAN, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW!!!