With UnitedHealth Group CEO “Sir” Andrew Witty finally speaking out on the assassination of Brian Thompson, the business of healthcare in America is fully under the microscope.
I think we need to have a serious discussion about Universal healthcare or Medicare for all. These insurance companies will figure out other ways to rip people off. At least every one would have healthcare available to them
We’ve had plenty of “discussions” already. Whenever Medicare-for-all (MFA) is brought up, Congress shuts it down. And never mind that although the people complain about the existing system, they don’t want MFA because they accept the lie that it’s “socialism.“ Again, we get the government we deserve.
Yes we have during campaign seasons. We need to have a factual dollar and cents conversation. A real serious one not when it is in crisis . Because there would need to be a vast majority for showing how it would save money,be more fair , and simplicity of use. Everytime something has been done it be comes more complicated when it really shouldn’t.
Yeah, well, what does it “say” when teachers have to buy supplies and baseball players are paid hundred of millions of dollars? If I really sat down and thought about our society, I’d get up as a lunatic raving “Eat the Rich”!
I don't get it. A baseball player is worth $70m. a year (Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani) and we can't provide medical care for all? Our priorities are so messed up it is just incredible, a disaster. More alarmingly, most Americans seem to accept these grotesque inequities and injustices as acceptable parts of our vaunted capitalist economy.
Agree. We spent a month”living on the economy” in Italy during the election.Not only were all the huge grocery stores “farm to table”, the prices were less than half of what we pay in Maryland. Everything was local, cheap, delicious, fresh, and the beer/wine/liquor….like buying kool aid. Sort of…
Yeah, they pay taxes,as we do, but they live a life of knowing the food they eat is fabulous, their health care is taken care of as well other societal needs. Even their truck stops on the auto strata, Autogrill, serve fresh pastas, sliced fresh meats, cheeses ……and great wine and beer, hahaha! Perfect in every way.
Of course the espresso is, of course,perfect!
That is life: being able to eat well, have health care, fresh air and water and have the environment saved for generations.
We’re not an exceptional nation when we cannot provide adequate healthcare. We’ve been sinking for a long time. There are public school teachers who use their own money to buy supplies for their students. What does that say about us as a nation?
I can’t figure any of this out. I can send emails to my senators and representatives and I feel like I should just talk to my dog or cat, of which I have neither. So what should we “collectively” do, that’s a big question for a 75 year old.
Obama care cost me $345 a month with a tax credit. The deductible was $7,000. I just got rid of it and I now have no insurance. I am 63 and rolling the dice, hoping for the best.
As a Nurse Executive who has sat at the table with numerous CEOs, I can tell you the majority care less about quality patient care than they do their yearly bonuses handed out by their buddies on the board. I couldn’t stomach it. It was my dream job. I spent my entire career strategizing to have that position. It took me almost 20 years to climb that ladder and get there.
As a nurse and patient advocate who believes in what I do, I felt utterly devastated to find what it is “really all about”. $$.
After I left, it took me 2 years to heal myself & figure out what to do next and how/where I might be able to help others in some way. I believed in the industry. It nearly broke the core of who I am. A nurse who just wants to help others.
I must say this. Steve’s pieces are the only ones that make me feel not defeated, but hopeful and powerful. I subscribe to others and feel rejected:”so what the hell can we do”? With Steve
As long as our healthcare and health insurance systems are based on a for-profit business model, it will be that way. And most especially in the case of conglomerates that deal in healthcare, insurance, pharmacies, data analytics, etc. all rolled into one giant company. By definition, their job is to turn a profit. And if there are shareholders involved, shareholders come ahead of “customers” (aka patients). They have us over a barrel. We don’t have a lot of good options. For all the people who buy into the notion that we can’t have a single payer system because its socialism, there ya go.
Medicare is a single payer system and few people who use it have a problem with that. The only people who don’t like it are people who are extremely rich and would like to become even more so by eliminating it. Thus, freeing up money they can extract from our tax dollars . . . And people who cynically use socialized medicine as a campaign slogan to dupe voters.
Like immigration, healthcare will take a massive effort to reform. Too many of the people who supposedly represent us in government are too cynical to negotiate in good faith to fix it so that it works for average Americans.
Here's the crux of the problem: Making a profit on sick people. There are so many health care systems in the world that do not operate on that premise and manage to provide excellent, reliable, affordable care. Take the profit motive out of the equation and I guarantee that there won't be any more assassinations of health "insurance" CEOs.
You make your point with personal detail, but be careful that you do not appear to come down as aligned with the mentally ill murderer. Hopefully your audience does not include righteous radicals hell-bent on burning it all down.
I think we need to have a serious discussion about Universal healthcare or Medicare for all. These insurance companies will figure out other ways to rip people off. At least every one would have healthcare available to them
Absolutely and the people enabling this do not have to concern themselves with coverage.
True but the big road block is the big businesses of health insurance and the fear mongering that will go. There has to be away to neutralize that
We’ve had plenty of “discussions” already. Whenever Medicare-for-all (MFA) is brought up, Congress shuts it down. And never mind that although the people complain about the existing system, they don’t want MFA because they accept the lie that it’s “socialism.“ Again, we get the government we deserve.
Yes we have during campaign seasons. We need to have a factual dollar and cents conversation. A real serious one not when it is in crisis . Because there would need to be a vast majority for showing how it would save money,be more fair , and simplicity of use. Everytime something has been done it be comes more complicated when it really shouldn’t.
Yeah, well, what does it “say” when teachers have to buy supplies and baseball players are paid hundred of millions of dollars? If I really sat down and thought about our society, I’d get up as a lunatic raving “Eat the Rich”!
I don't get it. A baseball player is worth $70m. a year (Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani) and we can't provide medical care for all? Our priorities are so messed up it is just incredible, a disaster. More alarmingly, most Americans seem to accept these grotesque inequities and injustices as acceptable parts of our vaunted capitalist economy.
Agree. We spent a month”living on the economy” in Italy during the election.Not only were all the huge grocery stores “farm to table”, the prices were less than half of what we pay in Maryland. Everything was local, cheap, delicious, fresh, and the beer/wine/liquor….like buying kool aid. Sort of…
Yeah, they pay taxes,as we do, but they live a life of knowing the food they eat is fabulous, their health care is taken care of as well other societal needs. Even their truck stops on the auto strata, Autogrill, serve fresh pastas, sliced fresh meats, cheeses ……and great wine and beer, hahaha! Perfect in every way.
Of course the espresso is, of course,perfect!
That is life: being able to eat well, have health care, fresh air and water and have the environment saved for generations.
We can learn a lot.
We’re not an exceptional nation when we cannot provide adequate healthcare. We’ve been sinking for a long time. There are public school teachers who use their own money to buy supplies for their students. What does that say about us as a nation?
I bought a lot of materials for my classrooms using my own $ in rural MT -Was so unfair :-(
WE SUCK!
When I find something positive to post, I will.
I can’t figure any of this out. I can send emails to my senators and representatives and I feel like I should just talk to my dog or cat, of which I have neither. So what should we “collectively” do, that’s a big question for a 75 year old.
Like always --- I am 76 and willing to march again, but this time with my walker !
Obama care cost me $345 a month with a tax credit. The deductible was $7,000. I just got rid of it and I now have no insurance. I am 63 and rolling the dice, hoping for the best.
Peter, I just liked your comment, but not what you’re faced with. Makes me want to scream.
Pure Powerful Excellence, Steve! Thank You.
As a Nurse Executive who has sat at the table with numerous CEOs, I can tell you the majority care less about quality patient care than they do their yearly bonuses handed out by their buddies on the board. I couldn’t stomach it. It was my dream job. I spent my entire career strategizing to have that position. It took me almost 20 years to climb that ladder and get there.
As a nurse and patient advocate who believes in what I do, I felt utterly devastated to find what it is “really all about”. $$.
After I left, it took me 2 years to heal myself & figure out what to do next and how/where I might be able to help others in some way. I believed in the industry. It nearly broke the core of who I am. A nurse who just wants to help others.
I must say this. Steve’s pieces are the only ones that make me feel not defeated, but hopeful and powerful. I subscribe to others and feel rejected:”so what the hell can we do”? With Steve
I am ready for “war”.
Thank you dear man!
Thank you Steve. You truly do present so eloquently and purposefully the frustration, anger, and hopelessness felt by the commoners.
As long as our healthcare and health insurance systems are based on a for-profit business model, it will be that way. And most especially in the case of conglomerates that deal in healthcare, insurance, pharmacies, data analytics, etc. all rolled into one giant company. By definition, their job is to turn a profit. And if there are shareholders involved, shareholders come ahead of “customers” (aka patients). They have us over a barrel. We don’t have a lot of good options. For all the people who buy into the notion that we can’t have a single payer system because its socialism, there ya go.
Medicare is a single payer system and few people who use it have a problem with that. The only people who don’t like it are people who are extremely rich and would like to become even more so by eliminating it. Thus, freeing up money they can extract from our tax dollars . . . And people who cynically use socialized medicine as a campaign slogan to dupe voters.
Like immigration, healthcare will take a massive effort to reform. Too many of the people who supposedly represent us in government are too cynical to negotiate in good faith to fix it so that it works for average Americans.
Holy crap, Steve, you sound like a PROGRESSIVE. And a good one. I resubscribe.
Here's the crux of the problem: Making a profit on sick people. There are so many health care systems in the world that do not operate on that premise and manage to provide excellent, reliable, affordable care. Take the profit motive out of the equation and I guarantee that there won't be any more assassinations of health "insurance" CEOs.
Whoa, Steve! I detect some animosity toward UnitedHealthcare! 😄
You make your point with personal detail, but be careful that you do not appear to come down as aligned with the mentally ill murderer. Hopefully your audience does not include righteous radicals hell-bent on burning it all down.