On the Road Again
by Sudhama Ranganathan
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 at 7:35 AM
uconnharassment@gmail.com
Ah fall, that time of year when trees turn to familiar Autumn colors we've come to know well. It's the time of year for handing out treats and giving thanks. It's a time when brisk air reminds us to bundle up because winter is coming. And this year it's time for another round of health care industry funded and driven Tea Party protests. Their goal previously was to take over our news channels and yell so loud elected representatives couldn't speak to tell us what was in the health care proposals. Also so we can't discuss our views with those officials.
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Since Roosevelt's Square Deal various American presidents have attempted to reform America's health care system and provide a better quality of care for more citizens. The belief was health care should be a right not a luxury. Yet today many go without health care due to a lack of access or ability to afford health care.
In a CBS interview Dr. Steffie Woolhandler discussed an extensive study she was a part of intended to compare people with insurance and those without. The study revealed, "after factoring in education and income, smoking, drinking and obesity, researchers found that the uninsured had about a 40 percent higher risk of death, linking 45,000 American deaths a year to lack of insurance." (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/17/eveningnews/main5318652.shtml)
An article from the Stanford School of Medicine Magazine states, "the United States’ health-care system is unique among industrialized countries.’ Despite spending the highest percentage of its GDP, 15 percent, on health expenditures, the United States is the only developed nation without taxpayer-supported universal health coverage. Its residents are instead covered through employer-sponsored plans, private insurance or government programs. Or, as is the case for millions of Americans, they are not covered at all." (http://stanmed.stanford.edu/2005winter/healthcare-main.html)
Information for and against reform in some way is coming to light given all the attention. Even the public option gained support the more information pro and con have come out about it. The only time this was not true was during the month of August when a concerted and admitted effort on the part of Tea Party event holders was made to stop any discussion at all from happening.
The goal was to drown out discussion among middle and low income citizens on both sides of the debate and allow time to spread absurd interpretations and in some cases outright lies about what reforming health care would mean. Given a deficit in real facts and figures and just absurd accusations popularity wained. We all know President Obama is not a Nazi, communist or intent on killing Sarah Palin's child.
Once cooler heads prevailed, and we came back to a civil discourse including true statistics and numbers, the figures in favor of reform went back up pretty quickly. In the end when people considered both sides they chose. Now a desperate health care industry is fretting. People are remembering when company regulations and policy aren't adhered to in business practices government, in some cases, needs to step in to protect consumers.
On the "Tea Party Patriots" health care page on their web site the bottom of the page has a list of "Coalition Partners." (http://teapartypatriots.ning.com/page/health-care) I looked at some of these to see who they were and what their goals and agendas may be. Starting from the top the first was an organization called Let Freedom Ring. As stated by their president, Colin Hanna, among the principles of the group are issues like family values and an interest in avoiding negative political attacks.
However, in a video out out by the group from a series entitled notsosure.org they say "if Washington has it's way you may not get to spend that much time with grandma." Regarding someone being warned to visit their grandmother soon before health care reform quickens her death. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIV4TwYMyDQ&feature=player_embedded)
Ah yes the death panels. Nothing more positive and family oriented than the spread of lies. Like everyone who makes such claims they never say exactly where in the legislation it is. They never identify a specific piece of any proposal saying doctors will kill people who they deem too old to live. That's because because it does not exist.
Next on the list is Freedom Works chaired by Dick Armey first elected as a politician in 1984 and serving until 2003 before going to work as a lobbyist. (http://www.freedomworks.org/) Among other coalition members Armey was involved in helping to organize and orchestrate the Tea Party protests. The out of control violation of elected officials and citizen's rights he promoted grew into a repulsive spectacle. This prompted a lobby firm he belonged to, DLA Piper, to ask him to step down. (http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/armey_leaves_lobby_firm_citing_negative_attention.php)
Third is Conservatives For Patients' Rights, founded by Rick Scott in 2009 with the express purpose of derailing health care reform. Salon.com reports Scott was been seen "appearing in a series of ads put together by Creative Response Concepts, the P.R. firm involved in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign to discredit Sen. John Kerry's presidential bid." (http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/09/30/rick_scott_one/index3.html) CRC worked hard for money to brand a Vietnam Vet a traitor.
The Huffington Post reported "Scott was ousted by his own board of directors in 1997 in the midst of the biggest health care fraud scandal in U.S. history, a scandal that ultimately led to a payment of $1.7 billion to settle charges including the overbilling of state and federal health programs." The article goes on to quote an interview from CNN when he was asked about this.
The interviewer remarked "you are... telling us we can't allow the government to do this because it won't work and they might take over or do some things that are wrong... Not only has your company screwed up and you just admitted it ... You are saying, look at all the other companies, they did the same thing... I guess the point I am making, though, is... some people are going to look at your record and some of the things that you and I just talked about and say... Is he the one that we should be listening to? ... when it comes to what's right for taxpayers and patients."(http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0908/07/cnr.07.html)
Tea Party Protests no doubt have people passionate about the cause. But the question I think the majority of us should ask, and many already are, is who stands to benefit most from no or limited reform? The reform if passed will make health care more accessible, more affordable, increase the quality of care and improve the quality of coverage. The only ones to be hurt by this are those benefitting the most. Even if there is a public option this is but an option. If you're satisfied with your current plan you can keep it in the vast majority of cases.
When we speak of those currently benefitting the most in the current deal no doubt it's big corporate health industry firms (most anyway) especially health insurance. The way they have been doing so, as insiders like former Cigna senior executive Wendell Potter have testified to, is by denying treatments, dropping policy holders and jacking rates. The change is for the majority of us who in these times more than ever realize the importance of safety. This time around let's take a real close look at what the Tea Partyers are saying and see what specific parts of legislation they refer to. Last time around they never did, but we caught on.
To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.
www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com
