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It’s time to fix nation’s health care problems

Friday, July 3, 2009
(Updated 3:00 am)

The debate over health care insurance has been heating up. There is certainly ample evidence that the current health care environment is unhealthy: 46 million Americans are uninsured, health care costs are becoming unaffordable, and even the insured cannot see “their doctor” promptly.

Some people say they don’t want to pay for others’ medical expenses. Unfortunately, they already are. Millions without coverage go to the emergency room where routine care is most expensive and the bill eventually goes to the taxpayer.

Some people say they don’t want the government dictating which doctor they see. When is the last time you called your doctor and he saw you the same day you called?

One can make the case for “being my brother’s keeper.” One can also make the case for stopping contagious and worsening disease before it spreads and becomes more expensive. One can also make the case that necessary medical care will be delivered and paid for, one way or another.

Isn’t it time that we as a society plan for the illnesses that we all ultimately share and pay for? Isn’t it time we look at the big picture, and see that our lives depend on one another?

Kurt Lauenstein
Greensboro

Comments

This letter has been closed to new comments. Comments on letters to the editor are only accepted for 24 hours.

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zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 3:56 am EDT

Mr. Lauenstein, I wholeheartedly agree with your remarks. You have written an excellent letter to the editor!

ghost from white oak

July 3, 2009 - 4:20 am EDT

Sir, I could not disagree with you more. We as a nation need less guvmint control not more.
You ask when was the last time I saw my doctor the same day I called. Well, lets see, it was the last time I called and the time before that .

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 5:23 am EDT

White Oak, please tell me, if you don't mind: do you think government should have ANY control? If yes, then what should government control, in your opinion? Thanks in advance of your response.

J D R

July 3, 2009 - 7:23 am EDT

Ghost - would you please address the questions linked below (do it here so we can all see).
Maybe it's just me, but you seem full of dismissal, yst short on useful ideas.

ghost from white oakJuly 2, 2009 - 8:40 am EDT

"I hope you will gladly reap what the Supreme leader is now sowing."

J D R July 2, 2009 - 8:59 am EDT

" I hope we get around these problems ... What do you recommend"?

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/01/article/krugman_misstates_...

J D R

July 4, 2009 - 6:20 am EDT

"What do you recommend?"

Why does this question not get addressed?

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 5:14 am EDT

Kurt, yesterday New York City Mayor Michael Bloomburg endorsed a public option as part of health care reform! Voila! "Universal" is about to happen, I believe!

rbennet

July 3, 2009 - 5:40 am EDT

The mayor of New York endorses it? Wow, imagine that. A city in the red hoping the feds will take over some of their financial responsibilities while they continue to increase spending. Who would've thought it?

March '09:
"A large portion of the $5.2 billion in cuts will be felt by the state's health care system, which will see about $2.3 billion in cuts statewide. A significant percentage of the governor's proposed cuts to Medicaid were restored in the final budget using federal stimulus money."

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=784911&TextPage=1

Go New York. Hooray.

BTW, thanks for the cordial posts.

rbennet

July 3, 2009 - 5:38 am EDT

I'll say it again. We're being used, nothing more. There is no interest in "solving" anything. It's money and cronyism, nothing more. You've noticed how hard Obama pushes electronic medical records, right?

Do you know who Jeffrey Immelt is? How about Healthymagination? How about how Immelt is connected to MSNBC? Do you remember what Obama tried to appoint Daschle for? Do you know about Dascle's position with Healthymagination? Do you know who Linda Daschle works for and what she does? Did you have to search for any of those?

Funny how the news channels that loved doing all the segments on Haliburton and "crony capitalism" aren't reporting on any of these White House/corporate connections between their American Idol reruns and Michael Jackson tributes.

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 6:12 am EDT

rbennet, I'm sorry that you seem to be so upset over such mundane happenings. Maybe July 4, with a few firework displays, will be helpful to you. Peace.

rbennet

July 3, 2009 - 1:38 pm EDT

The 4th? Oh, you mean Independence Day. Anyway:

Dodge subject, personal jab, implication that I have some sort of mental problem. Oh well. Useless posts regardless of name and renewed opportunities, apparently.

You'll be ignored as a troll again and scrolled past from now on except during election season, and then only because your posts will be quite useful in confirming the poorer choices in candidates. Thanks in advance. Please, enjoy the last word while the rest of us enjoy the subtleties of sentence structure.

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 3:20 pm EDT

rbennet, thank you for your kind remarks. And I hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July 2009! Seriously.

left-wing conspiracy theorist

July 3, 2009 - 7:21 am EDT

Trust me, if GE and its Healthyimagination program are anything like Halliburton & KBR, I will be one of the first to march on Washington with a pitchfork in one hand and a torch in the other. Somehow, I don't see it happening, I don't see GE 'losing' billions of our taxpayer dollars. Besides, do you really want to bring up the world's leading merchant of death (Halliburton and its subsidiaries) in the same conversation with GE's Healthyimagination.

Daschle is NOT the Vice President, nor is he even in the Administration. I find it very interesting you like to make these non-sequitor comparisons.

rbennet

July 3, 2009 - 1:40 pm EDT

(sigh)

I know it has a Pavlovian kick to it, but read my post again if you need- Haliburton was mentioned in terms of the media, not in a direct side-by-side comparison to GE. It has nothing to do with a specific position. The point is corporations still being too snuggly with our Executive branch (and we haven't even mentioned Google and the smart grid).

Pitchfork-wise, I doubt it. It's nice to think about, but look what you've let him do already.

I had written more, but it's no use. You guys are filibuster proof. Go for it. I mean, what can possibly go wrong?

danagain

July 3, 2009 - 8:50 am EDT

spot on Roger, & notice zeus chose diversion immediately.

Doug Johnson

July 3, 2009 - 5:42 am EDT

When was the last time I saw my Dr. Walked in yesterday to get a appointment.
The lady said, how about now.

If you serious about cutting health care cost, round up the 25 million illegals and send them home.
Put a cap on legal settlements.
Want better health care invent more doctors.
Not to worry Obama care is on the way.
By the way Kurt your number of 46 million, is BS. No one knows as it changes day to day.
However to be fair, this is the number the far left internet sites, tells you to use when writing your LTE.
You can bet that 95% of the illegals driving on NC driving permits, have no car insurance.
Great idea, you liberals will love this, lets give illegals free car insurance.

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 6:15 am EDT

doug, your witty comments continue to "make my days!" Seriously. And thanks.

J D R

July 3, 2009 - 7:16 am EDT

"Want better health care invent more doctors."

I wish I understood this oft repeated comment. I did a very small amount of research and found in 1997 Canada had 1.715 Dr's per 1000 people while the USA had 1.629 Dr's per 1000 people. I'm assuming those numbers haven't changes all that much. for half the cost, Canada has health care at least as good as the USA.

Help me understand "Want better health care invent more doctors."

danagain

July 3, 2009 - 8:53 am EDT

"...Canada has health care at least as good as the USA."

As long as you are willing to wait months or even years for treatment.

J D R

July 3, 2009 - 9:33 am EDT

opposite what, Dan - spending twice as much?

Mrs. Dan: "Dan, I really what a new washer and dryer set. We need one, and I know you agree."

Dan: "Fine honey, but let's wait a couple weeks until they go on sale."

Mrs. Dan: "Well this set will hold out until the, no problem, but I REALLY what that new washer and dryer set NOW.

Dan: "Fine honey, but let's wait a couple weeks until they go on sale."

Mrs. Dan: "My goodness, you sound like the Canadian Socialists - 'add a little wait time and cut the costs' - yada yada".

danagain

July 3, 2009 - 10:02 am EDT

Nice anecdote JDR, but it's actually the opposite, I'm the one who tends not to wait when I want to buy something. Mrs. Dan is always looking for the sales. Just upgraded to a gas engine pressure washer a few weeks ago, versus the old electric one. Impulse buy you might say but I'm trying to stimulate the economy. BTW, that new one kicks ass, I've washed the house, the fencing, sidewalks, you name it. Mrs. Dan made me stop short of using it on the dogs.

Back to your anecdote, there is a difference between a washer dryer and one's body. I saw the pain my dad was in when he needed a hip replacement. The surgery was scheduled and performed within two weeks. Here is but one snapshot of hip replacements in beautiful Nova Scotia, only 9% of the hip replacements were performed within two months. Not even one half (45%) were performed within 6 months. It took a full year for three quarters of the replacements to be performed.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/health/waittimes/data/treatment/joints/hipReplaceme...

Don't mean to knock Nova Scotia, it is a beautiful place to visit.

J D R

July 3, 2009 - 12:35 pm EDT

"Results: We identified 38 studies comparing populations of patients in Canada and the United States. Studies addressed diverse problems, including cancer, coronary artery disease, chronic medical illnesses and surgical procedures. Of 10 studies that included extensive statistical adjustment and enrolled broad populations, 5 favoured Canada, 2 favoured the United States, and 3 showed equivalent or mixed results. Of 28 studies that failed one of these criteria, 9 favoured Canada, 3 favoured the United States, and 16 showed equivalent or mixed results.

"Interpretation: Available studies suggest that health outcomes may be superior in patients cared for in Canada versus the United States, but differences are not consistent."

http://www.openmedicine.ca/article/view/8/1

J D R

July 3, 2009 - 12:33 pm EDT

I think ultimately the Canadians know their system isn't perfect .. they are working on improvements .. but there's not a heck-of-a-lot-a difference, except in the price tag which is a nice fraction of the costs here.

Let me ask the same question(s) I ask others. Dan:

Is American's current system sustainable? If not, what do you suggest?

J D R

July 4, 2009 - 6:22 am EDT

"Is America's current system sustainable? If not, what do you suggest?"

Why is question never addressed?

Panacea

July 3, 2009 - 9:45 am EDT

My Canadian friends have always told me they were happy with their health system. They never have to wait for necessary care, only elective care.

Here, people die waiting for transplant surgery because the insurance companies drag their feet. For example, 17 year old Nataline Sarkysian, whose appeal for a liver transplant was denied by Cigna on the grounds it was "experimental and unproven", a ludicrous and bogus claim immediately blasted by 4 prominent surgeons at UCLA. Only after protests and marches against Cigna, did they relent and agree to pay for the procedure (2 livers were declined while the family waited for approval). Nataline died hours later.

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 3:50 pm EDT

JDR, doug makes a good point: "invent more doctors" It's not a far-fetched idea at all! And "inventing" (i.e., training) more doctors would alleviate danagain's constant concern re "waiting" for treatments! So govenrnent should train more doctors! Government already trains masses of "fighting-men," so training masses of "saving-men" shouldn't be an overwhelmng problem! Think about it: "The U.S. Public Option Medical Corps!" Yes, yes I know naysayers, It'll "raise our taxes!" So, forget it -- and just continue "to wait months or even years," for treatments, he says. Tough! (But I bet Obama has a secret plan that he hasn't revealed yet!) Maybe? Believers, keep the faith!

Left Wing Troll

July 3, 2009 - 3:30 pm EDT

It would be great to have a meaningful debate on healthcare, or any issue for that matter that is pertinent to our society today. But alas every bitter Republican present is more than happy to sidestep any Obama led initiative and cast an old tired Strawman on the fire for all their equally bitter cronies to stomp on.

zeus80

July 3, 2009 - 3:58 pm EDT

Oh my goodness, troll, what a beautiful statement you just made! You receive a blue ribbon for the "statement of the day!" Of "the month!" You are, indeed, a very perceptive person!

neocon

July 3, 2009 - 6:50 am EDT

And some can make the case that some doctors want the security offered by becoming a government employee...

J D R

July 3, 2009 - 7:25 am EDT

.. like those working at the VA hospital, lead by "irrelevants" ... who btw happen to be Career Military .. the kind of Military folks Neo is usually "Thank you for your service, sir"-ing .. except when it doesn't suit his argument du jour and they become irrelevants.

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/06/29/article/don_t_buy_all_the_...

neocon

July 3, 2009 - 8:19 am EDT

You're a pretty fair spin master. 'Irrelevant' as pertaining to that particular conversation and their impact on government run health care...but don't that fact stand in your way.

You're not going to bring up my kids and their being covered by private health insurance?

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