We Want Health Care Like UK Has???

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 5:03 am

Mid Staffordshire NHS hospital 'routinely neglected' patients | Mail Online

buttercup · Post by **buttercup** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:16 am

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/nyreg ... pital.html

What's your point?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:19 am

i think Lon was selling his thread.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:02 am

buttercup;1293047 wrote: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/nyreg ... pital.html

What's your point?

No point------------just stirring the pot.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:03 am

Lon;1293053 wrote: No point------------just stirring the pot.:)Smoking it or cooking with it is much less hazardous. And it gets people laughing too.

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:22 am

The Mail strikes me as something along the lines of the National Enquirer here in the States.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:37 am

Lon;1293037 wrote: Mid Staffordshire NHS hospital 'routinely neglected' patients | Mail Online

That's something you need to decide. No one would claim our NHS is perfect. You will notice no country with universal healthcare is contemplating doing away with it in favour of a private system like yours but no doubt opponents of universal care in the states will seize on this and blow it out of all proportion.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:41 am

The obvious solution to all countries health care problems is simple.

BAN SICKNESS

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 9:46 am

I like the republican solution. The following link has a video to it (in case you haven't heard this before)

Is Alan Grayson the Democrats' Joe Wilson? - Yahoo! News

I laugh at this no matter how often I watch it. I love that Grayson refers to the right side of the isle as "the far side of the isle." We need more democrats like Alan Grayson.

Snowfire · Post by **Snowfire** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:56 am

LarsMac;1293056 wrote: The Mail strikes me as something along the lines of the National Enquirer here in the States.

About as much respect. It panders to the blue rinse, middle England, curtain peeping, Mr and Mrs Angry from Tonbridge

buttercup · Post by **buttercup** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 10:58 am

Lon;1293053 wrote: No point------------just stirring the pot.

You can do so much better than that Lon

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:38 am

FYI:

Looking at fortune 500 companies, one has to go down to #21 before you find a medical insurance provider (UnitedHealth Group).

Their profits are DOWN 37% from 2007 and 54% from 2008. WEIRD huh?

So where are those profit losses going? (maybe Lon with his accounting background can tell us)

It's a given that with job losses they insure less people but I propose it is that medical cost are up and that is the biggest loss in profits...

The next medical insurance provider is all the way down at 32 (Well Point) and they too are down 25% from 2007, 52% from 2008..........

I know it easy to call them greedy SOBS but they run on a small profit margin. (3.3%)

Profit Margin: Health Insurance Industry Ranks #86

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:55 am

According to a study by a pro-health reform group published Thursday, the nation's largest five health insurance companies posted a 56 percent gain in 2009 profits over 2008. The insurers including Wellpoint, UnitedHealth, Cigna, Aetna and Humana, which cover the majority of Americans with insurance

Top five health insurers posted 56 percent profit gains in 2009 | Raw Story

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:56 am

Lon;1293037 wrote: Mid Staffordshire NHS hospital 'routinely neglected' patients | Mail Online

In actual Fact Lon, You are right to high-light this case. It Is an absolute National disgrace and I for one am ashamed that this happens In my Country.

Fortunately, this Is not the Norm In our Hospitals but It is not an Isolated case. I for one can not praise the NHS enough or our Hospitals however, I know that my experience Is more down to luck of having a world renowned Hospital on my Doorstep, Frenchay In Bristol. I will go as far to say that my husband Is only alive today due to them.

The problems we have, Is the meddling of Whitehall and Government In our Hospitals. Bad Management also goes un-checked for far too long.

The British NHS Is a marvellous machine however, I do believe It needs a radical over-haul where wards are run by the old style Matron and not some faceless beaurocrat In a Grey Suit sitting In an office In Westminster.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 11:58 am

Reporting from Washington — As the nation struggled last year with rising healthcare costs and a recession, the five largest health insurance companies racked up combined profits of $12.2 billion -- up 56% over 2008, according to a new report by liberal healthcare activists.

Based on company financial reports for 2009 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the report said, insurers WellPoint Inc., UnitedHealth Group, Cigna Corp., Aetna Inc. and Humana Inc. covered 2.7 million fewer people than they did the year before.

Health insurers take heat for rise in profits - Los Angeles Times

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:22 pm

YZGI;1293102 wrote: According to a study by a pro-health reform group published Thursday, the nation's largest five health insurance companies posted a 56 percent gain in 2009 profits over 2008. The insurers including Wellpoint, UnitedHealth, Cigna, Aetna and Humana, which cover the majority of Americans with insurance

Top five health insurers posted 56 percent profit gains in 2009 | Raw Story

Weird that the fortune site 500 shows that most if not ALL health insurance providers were DOWN from the last 2 years.

Fortune 500 2009: Industry: Health Care: Insurance and Managed Care

If you would have read the FULL story you would have seen this:

(emphasis MINE)

The insurers' hefty profit gains came even as 2.7 million more Americans lost their insurance coverage due to the declining economy. (HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU BELIEVE THEY MADE A PROFIT WHILE LOSING 2.7 MILLION CLIENTS)

A lobbyist for American's Health Insurance Plans, the trade group that represents insurers in Washington, D.C., attributed the gain in 2009 profits to a poor performance in 2008. In 2008, insurers were forced to write down their stock holdings because of the US market's declines. Insurance companies keep a great deal of money in the markets, earning interest from the time between premiums are paid and the time when health providers are paid.

The insurer profit study was prepared by the liberal-leaning group Healthcare for America Now, an organization bankrolled by labor unions, which typically take strong positions in favor of Democratic policies, while historically being highly critical of Republicans.

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:31 pm

BTS;1293099 wrote:

Profit Margin: Health Insurance Industry Ranks #86

Things that get bumped in the afternoon

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:03 pm

When you think about it, its even amazing health insurance companies have made it to the fortune 500. they made it to those positions for what, being a middle man and dictating your health needs? I thought that was supposed to be between the patient and the doctor. Kinda crazy, don't ya think? Goes to show how much money that could be going into a proper health care system is going into the pockets of insurance executives.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 2:01 pm

Heres the actual numbers, which is better to judge. Heres Wellpoint's anual financial statements from 2006 thru 2009.

Financial Statements for WellPoint, Inc. - Google Finance. As you can see, increases every year across the board.

And here is their stock page from google finance along with the rest of the health insurance companies. Just click any one of them and then click "financials" to look at their quarterly or annual statements.

http://www.google.com/finance?q=wellpoint

As you can see, they are doing quite well, especially considering all they do is act as a middle man between the patient and the health provider.

BTS · Post by **BTS** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:07 pm

Rep. Anthony Weiner.......Talk about a hypocrite.

VIDEO: Weiner launches into tirade against GOP on House floor

He goes in to a rant

on the house floor about how repugs are in bed with the insurance companies when in fact one of his top campaign contributors was a insurance company in 1999-2000....

Red flags raised by Rep. Anthony Weiner's 'earmarks'

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/03 ... z0gbaQt6RC

FOREIGN MODELS ILLEGALLY CONTRIBUTED TO CAMPAIGN FUND OF ANTHONY ...

After he proposed to expand the visas available to foreign models so they can work in New York, Rep. Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign took contributions ...

Weiner Returned $60,000 in Campaign Contributions - City Room Blog ...

On a side note

2008 Pres. campaign:

The top recipients of healthcare money include:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY): $1,510,862

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT): $781, 267

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): $588,788

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): $492,885

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA): $413, 335

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Thu Feb 25, 2010 8:14 pm

BTS;1293178 wrote:

2008 Pres. campaign:

The top recipients of healthcare money include:

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY): $1,510,862

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT): $781, 267

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): $588,788

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): $492,885

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA): $413, 335

Notice anything interesting there?

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:36 am

Ahso!;1293180 wrote: Notice anything interesting there?

:eek:Would be hinting, insinuating or otherwise implying that your politicians are accepting bribes.