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Assessing the Facts, Devising a Treatment Plan
by L. Toni Lewis, MD | Thursday, October 30, 2008
As we enter the last days of this election, how to assess the facts on where the candidates stand is a skill we need to share with our coworkers, family, friends and neighbors.
Especially when it comes to healthcare. Things can get complicated however, when there's false information flying about on the campaign trail.
This is what Senator McCain has been saying in his stump speech:
"[I] won't fine small businesses and families with children, as Sen. Obama proposes, to force them into a new huge government-run health-care program, while I keep the cost of the fine a secret until I hit you with it."
That's simply not true. Here's what is true about Senator Obama's healthcare plan:
Fact #1: It doesn't force anyone into any plan. If you have health insurance through your employer and you're happy with it, you keep it under the Obama healthcare plan.
Fact #2: It doesn’t fine small businesses. The fact is that small businesses will be offered a Small Business Health Tax Credit for up to 50% of premiums to help them provide quality health care to their employees. (http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/SmallBusinessFINAL.pdf) And only large employers would be required to either provide health insurance to their employeesor – if they choose not to offer any health benefits – contribute toward the cost of insuring those without coverage. That's a cost that we currently all bear in the rising costs of healthcare premiums – so Obama's plan just makes sure that large employers can’t get away with contributing zero toward health care. For more on the Associated Press Fact Check, visit: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5huxFz9UzzIQM5OrgZXnhWONwMp6wD94322H80
These are the facts for your assessment. More importantly, these are the facts to share over coffee with a friend, around the lunch table, or while raking the yard next to your neighbor. Sometimes talking about "politics" can make us uncomfortable. But this isn't politics; it's just sharing the facts.
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8 Comments
Come on now, do you actually know any LARGE companies that do not offer insurance to their employees????????
Sharron, read this article.....http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9405E3DD1739F933A1575BC0A962958260
You’re missing the point, though. Obama’s plan isn’t about penalizing companies..... big OR small. It offers assistance for small businesses to provide health insurance to workers and gives incentives to big companies that lower premiums on key procedures like catastrophic treatment
I have to say, this web site has got me reading both candidate’s health care plans in the past few weeks. Neither one is perfect but Obama’s plan has a lot of good points in it and this is one of them.
I didn’t miss the point, I think you should reread the article from the New York Times, who by the way supports Obama. If you force companies big or small to buy health insurance for part time employees, they will raise the prices to pay for it. The middle class will get stuck with the bill and still not be able to afford what the company is selling, be it a service, merchandise, or groceries.
Sharron, I think you and I actually agree for the most part - and your point is a good one about raising prices. That’s why I sent that article, to show that, under the current system companies are raising prices to offer health care.
That’s my whole point about Obama’s plan though. He would offer incentives to companies of all sizes that will actually make offering health care to employees GOOD for the bottom line instead of penalizing them for it. That way the middle class isn’t stuck with the bill AND they can afford to have health care. It’s already being done in some states (not mine) and it’s working pretty well.
The middle class is already getting stuck with the bill when people can’t afford insurance and rely on government programs (tax dollars) to get treatment. Obama’s plan encourages people to get private health care plans. It’s sort of a middle of the road approach that balances lower costs and expanded coverage.
Betty, I’m glad we agree for the most part. I believe that McCain’s plan gives people a choice to purchase insurance from which ever insurance company they want. I believe this would make insurance companies compete for your business, and lower the cost for insurance. Under McCain’s plan EVERY individual would have the oportunity to purchase insurance, especially if insurance companies were forced to lower prices to compete for business. Obama’s plan may not be so bad, but when it comes down to it, I could not vote for someone who supports late term abortions. Or, someone who disregaurds life of an infant from a botched abortion. What about that infant’s right to receive health care???
I am an RN;BSN,a mother of 6 children (lacking any healthcare for years, I may add), and a dairy farmer along with my husband. We happen to feel blessed by life, despite problems we all experience. We fiercely value our independence and freedoms and believe that this nation is great because of faith in God and because of the sweat and hard work of the average CITIZEN.
Today I received your Healthcare United political ad flyer in my mail. I assume you got my address because I am nurse.
I am insulted. You need to know out there that NOT all nurses support Obama for President. But more importantly, not all nurses support MORE government control over their lives. Give me a break. One has only to look at virtually EVERY aspect of government control/involvement now and see how horribly they have screwed it up. Why in God’s name would we think government could fix health care??
I favor less government, not more. Many of us want government out of our homes, our jobs, our churchs, our finnces, our benefits...you get the picture.
Please..do NOT send me any more of your propaganda. Because some of us out here see it for what it is. If it were not, it would be fair and BALANCED. And it is not.
thank you
handsoff, way to go!!!!!!!!!!!! I only posted on this site because it is so biased. I’ve been receiving emails from this site for over a year. The site would talk about important things like nurse/patient ratio and safety of the patient. It was only just recently when they called nurses to vote that I realized just what the true agenda was really about. I thank God for everything I have and the strength that he gives me to earn what I have. I truly believe that there are more nurses out there who feel the way we do, but were so disgusted with this site to even reply to it. I do not agree with Betty at all but was patronizing her when I said we agree for the most part. I wanted my coment to be read to the end. Needless to say, this site can take my email address off their list. God Bless You and America!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks for your post Sharron. as nurses, I believe we all welcome dialogue on issues specific to nursing. but you were correct in seeing their agenda and the deceit in using this particular forum. I am so encouraged by your courage and honesty in this reply. Thank you again!
Dawn
Dawn