I've been haunted by the people I saw on Michael Moore's "Sicko".
Those that had health care coverage and still were denied treatment or ran out of money.
How can this happen in America? Who Are We? I had to find out what was happening.
In 2006 health care premiums were up 7.
7%, more than twice the rate of inflation.
The annual health care premiums for a family of four was $11,500 in 2006, according to the National Coalition on Health Care.
This did not even include deductibles of up to $2500 a year.
The National Coalition website has some scary statistics.
Total health care cost in 2004 was $1.
4 trillion...
expected in 2015...
$4.
0 trillion! Instead of a reasoned debate on a national health care, we get attacks and half truths.
John Stossel of ABC, wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal, titled "Sick Sob Stories".
I was appalled at the title of the article and its tone.
He implied Ms.
Pierce did not know what she was talking about and neglected to mention several other treatments had also been denied.
John Stossel did not even interview Ms.
Pierce for the article.
The response she posted is excellent.
(both pieces under sources).
I also would like to take issue with John Stossel regarding the lack of medical care and long wait times in Canada and Great Britain.
The people in the movie "Sicko" had nothing but praise for their treatment from the health care they received.
I have extended family and friends in both countries.
My aunt in Montreal has had her pacemaker upgraded six times in the last 15 years.
My uncle was immediately put in hospital when it was discovered that he had cancer.
He felt his treatment over several months was top notch.
A longtime college friend who now lives in Great Britain receives ongoing care for a variety of conditions.
She tells me that she has no wait time and receives excellent care.
So I gather the conditions Mr.
Stossel reported cannot be too wide spread.
Mr.
Stossel's comment "Mr.
Moore thinks that profit is the enemy and government is the answer.
The opposite is true.
Profit is what has created the amazing scientific innovations that the U.
S.
offers the world".
I must refer to the projected cost of $4 trillion projected for health care costs in 2015 previously mentioned.
I can barely afford the premiums I pay now! I now dread a disease that will get me a letter with "denied" in it.
Mr.
Stossel if your assertions are true, why is the U.
S.
number 37th in world in health care? We are just ahead of Slovenia and Cuba! Something is not right with this picture.
Does Bill McGuire, CEO of United Health Group really deserve $1.
6 billion in stock options? The quarterly profits the last few years reported by health care companies is enough to make your head spin.
I think someone is being over charged and maybe others are being "denied".
I agree Mr.
Stossel that total government control may not be the answer.
They can muck things up a bit.
We have all the horror stories about the $465 toilet seat etc.
But, I think a thorough and reasoned debate about national health care is needed.
After all, we sent a man to the moon in 1969.
Surely we can find a solution.
We just handed the health care industry $800 billion for Medicare, surely this can't be the answer.
I think it's time people became informed and joined the debate.
We need to get involved in advocacy groups and make our opinions heard.
Maybe even march like the French citizens in the movie "Sicko" did when they felt the government was trampling their rights.
Pueblo sin Fronteras (People Without Borders) gained front page status for demonstrating outside Congress.
This group is an advocate for "illegal aliens rights" in the U.
S.
Front page news! Over 1 million immigrants marched last April(2006) for the National Capitol Immigration Coalition.
They were demanding their rights? Something is definitely wrong with this picture.
It's time we all got involved in the health care debate and fixed this "Sicko" situation.
Maybe then we Americans can answer the question posed in the movie...
Who Are We? Source: Mr.
Stossel's Wall Street Journal article- Wall Street Journal Article Ms.
Pierce's response to Mr.
Stossel follows article
Those that had health care coverage and still were denied treatment or ran out of money.
How can this happen in America? Who Are We? I had to find out what was happening.
In 2006 health care premiums were up 7.
7%, more than twice the rate of inflation.
The annual health care premiums for a family of four was $11,500 in 2006, according to the National Coalition on Health Care.
This did not even include deductibles of up to $2500 a year.
The National Coalition website has some scary statistics.
Total health care cost in 2004 was $1.
4 trillion...
expected in 2015...
$4.
0 trillion! Instead of a reasoned debate on a national health care, we get attacks and half truths.
John Stossel of ABC, wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal, titled "Sick Sob Stories".
I was appalled at the title of the article and its tone.
He implied Ms.
Pierce did not know what she was talking about and neglected to mention several other treatments had also been denied.
John Stossel did not even interview Ms.
Pierce for the article.
The response she posted is excellent.
(both pieces under sources).
I also would like to take issue with John Stossel regarding the lack of medical care and long wait times in Canada and Great Britain.
The people in the movie "Sicko" had nothing but praise for their treatment from the health care they received.
I have extended family and friends in both countries.
My aunt in Montreal has had her pacemaker upgraded six times in the last 15 years.
My uncle was immediately put in hospital when it was discovered that he had cancer.
He felt his treatment over several months was top notch.
A longtime college friend who now lives in Great Britain receives ongoing care for a variety of conditions.
She tells me that she has no wait time and receives excellent care.
So I gather the conditions Mr.
Stossel reported cannot be too wide spread.
Mr.
Stossel's comment "Mr.
Moore thinks that profit is the enemy and government is the answer.
The opposite is true.
Profit is what has created the amazing scientific innovations that the U.
S.
offers the world".
I must refer to the projected cost of $4 trillion projected for health care costs in 2015 previously mentioned.
I can barely afford the premiums I pay now! I now dread a disease that will get me a letter with "denied" in it.
Mr.
Stossel if your assertions are true, why is the U.
S.
number 37th in world in health care? We are just ahead of Slovenia and Cuba! Something is not right with this picture.
Does Bill McGuire, CEO of United Health Group really deserve $1.
6 billion in stock options? The quarterly profits the last few years reported by health care companies is enough to make your head spin.
I think someone is being over charged and maybe others are being "denied".
I agree Mr.
Stossel that total government control may not be the answer.
They can muck things up a bit.
We have all the horror stories about the $465 toilet seat etc.
But, I think a thorough and reasoned debate about national health care is needed.
After all, we sent a man to the moon in 1969.
Surely we can find a solution.
We just handed the health care industry $800 billion for Medicare, surely this can't be the answer.
I think it's time people became informed and joined the debate.
We need to get involved in advocacy groups and make our opinions heard.
Maybe even march like the French citizens in the movie "Sicko" did when they felt the government was trampling their rights.
Pueblo sin Fronteras (People Without Borders) gained front page status for demonstrating outside Congress.
This group is an advocate for "illegal aliens rights" in the U.
S.
Front page news! Over 1 million immigrants marched last April(2006) for the National Capitol Immigration Coalition.
They were demanding their rights? Something is definitely wrong with this picture.
It's time we all got involved in the health care debate and fixed this "Sicko" situation.
Maybe then we Americans can answer the question posed in the movie...
Who Are We? Source: Mr.
Stossel's Wall Street Journal article- Wall Street Journal Article Ms.
Pierce's response to Mr.
Stossel follows article
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