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Press On, Mr. President, for Universal Coverage and Quality
We're not nearly No. 1 when it comes to health-care quality. An important new analysis, "How Does the Quality of U.S. Health Care Compare Internationally?" was published this week by The Urban Institute, concluding that, compared to the rest of the developed world, U.S. health care, "is not pre-eminent in quality....If reform accomplishes no more than extending insurance coverage to the more than 45 million Americans without insurance, it will be an important step forward."
One of the report's striking findings is that access is a precursor to health quality and outcomes. The U.S. is one of three countries with substantial proportions of citizens without health insurance; the other two nations are Mexico and Turkey.
Bloomberg reports that there was a dramatic uptick in unemployment applications in August as employers to continue to cut costs, even as they might be emerging into a potential economic recovery. Unemployment quickly morphs into uninsurance, as observed by the Kaiser Family Foundation. For every 1 percent point increase in unemployment in the U.S., there's (at least) a 1.1 million person increase in the number of the uninsured.
By covering the growing ranks of the uninsured, we can at least begin to address the quality challenges in American health care. Patient safety, adverse events, obesity (a key risk factor in diabetes and other costly chronic conditions), and other components of a quality health system can be directly addressed when health citizens have access to health care.
By
Jane Sarasohn-Kahn
|
August 24, 2009; 11:23 AM ET
| Category:
Health Care Reform
,
Insurance
,
Presidential leadership
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Posted by: billisnice | August 27, 2009 5:23 PM
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You need to understand the facts. Martin Luther King, jr. dies for equality. This bill divide folks into two camps. The ones who pays a health care tax or not.
This bill is so unfair, some pay extra tax others not.
Let me tell you how this bill work. THE TRUTH
Each month you will see a new entry on the deductible column of your SS, retirement and work check. It is called "Health Care Tax." It is just a tax. If you want health insurance you will have to pay a premium or be fined. The medicare mess will not change except rising cost, and if you keep you current insurance you will just pay the extra tax--150-200.
Congress, illegals and unions are exempt from "Health Care Tax" So if you work with an illegal they will get extra take home pay because of no health care tax.
Ask you congressmen why the exemptions if they feel the bill is great...Then you will see the truth all else lies.
Union Exemptions at
http://www.sfexaminer.com/politics/Union-workers-would-be-exempt-from-Dem-health-care-tax_06_23-48810402.html
Congress and governement employees exempt. http://www.patientpowernow.org/2009/06/22/congress-federal-employees-exempt-insurance-mandates/
Posted by: billisnice | August 27, 2009 5:21 PM
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Yes we aren't number 1 except in money spent. We are # 1 there but in outcomes we are # 37. I would like to reverse those numbers.
Posted by: agapn9 | August 27, 2009 10:47 AM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
This bill is so unfair, some pay extra tax others not. Martin Luther King, jr. died for equality, this is a bill with folks having to pay a health care tax or not.
Let me tell you how this bill work. THE TRUTH
Each month you will see a new entry on the deductible column of your SS, retirement and work check. It is called "Health Care Tax." It is just a tax. If you want health insurance you will have to pay a premium or be fined. The medicare mess will not change except rising cost, and if you keep you current insurance you will just pay the extra tax--150-200.
Congress, illegals and unions are exempt from "Health Care Tax" So if you work with an illegal they will get extra take home pay because of no health care tax.
Ask you congressmen why the exemptions if they feel the bill is great...Then you will see the truth all else lies.
Union Exemptions at
http://www.sfexaminer.com/politics/Union-workers-would-be-exempt-from-Dem-health-care-tax_06_23-48810402.html
Congress and governement employees exempt. http://www.patientpowernow.org/2009/06/22/congress-federal-employees-exempt-insurance-mandates/