Rolling Stone has a shockingly truthful article, Sick and Wrong, about our current health care debate by author, Matt Taibbi.
America’s disastrous health care system is responsible for incalculable amounts of illness, death, lost productivity and federal deficit — not to mention anxiety, anger and disgrace. And it’s not going to get fixed, writes Matt Taibbi in the new issue of Rolling Stone, because it’s encased in another failed system: the U.S. government. Rather than attempt to remedy the problem this summer, our government sat down and demonstrated its dizzying ineptitude. “We might look back on this summer someday and think of it as the moment when our government lost us for good,” writes Taibbi. “It was that bad.” Read entire article at this LINK
Taibbi breaks down the five steps Congress took to be sure no bill would pass — aiming low, gutting the public option, packing it with loopholes, providing no leadership and blowing the math — in his story, which is available on stands now. In a series of video interviews for RollingStone.com, Taibbi explores one of our system’s most severe flaws, explains how the government wedged itself into an awkwardly damning position, and looks at how the proposed bill would change the ordinary American’s life. Perhaps the biggest flaw in the American health care system is that 31 percent of costs are associated with administration and paperwork. Here Taibbi examines the easiest way to eliminate the red tape: Video interviews with Matt Taibbi after the article was written LINK
Oj Readers, Terry Crowley and I don’t agree on much, but we DO agree that this article is EXCELLENT. I think Terry and I can also agree that when politicians gets involved things can really go bad, really quick and really royally. We might need to revolt. This whole thing is starting to stink the place up! Leave it to Rolling Stone to serve up an article that has something for everyone.
“The bad news is our failed health care system won’t get fixed, because it exists entirely within the confines of yet another failed system: the political entity known as the United States of America.”
Okay, this is a leap–but brand expert John Tantillo writes on Fox Forum, looking at politics from a branding perspective, which i think provides an original and insightful view point. If we accept that entity of the U.S. is a ‘failure’ (author’s assertion), then that is to suggest that proposed health care reform is incompatible with the U.S. “brand” (although that ‘brand’ reality may be to some people’s distaste).
Tantillo published a post on his marketing blog (separate from Fox Forum) about how the idea of public health insurance doesn’t mesh with the American brand, and is therefore bound to fail. http://blog.marketingdoctor.tv/2009/08/11/john-tantillos-brand-winner-and-loser-pg-and-the-selling-of-health-care.aspx
I don’t agree..but I do think that to Market the idea of health care reform to the American people, it would also be necessary to Market an idea of the U.S. brand that is consistent with the idea of reform. (ex. rather than criticizing the U.S. gvt as this author does, pointing out the best in American history, pulling out examples of American solidarity, to sell the notion that universal health care is, in fact, All-American.
Another tactic would be to put front and center the Costs Savings of having a public option. Or to put front and center the idea that With a public option, tax payers would end up contributing Less tax money to uninsured people’s health care, because preventive health care and work done in clinics, out-patient care, etc., rather than done at the ER, would mean Less overall spending. (If you don’t have insurance, you do get care anyway….it’s just more expensive, last-minute, and ends up bankrupting you and/or leaving you with bad credit..and the taxpayers still end up footing the bill.)
I know that these ideas are being mentioned, but I rarely seem them put First in an appeal to those who (understandably) are concerned with more gvt spending and a loss of personal responsibility and independence in our society. Instead, more typically, the appeal is from a human rights angle. This approach sidesteps the issues of concern to those who are wary of a single-payer or any other gvt program at all, puts them on the defensive by grossly characterizing their position as a monstrous one, and belittles (while perhaps going a ways toward validating) their real concerns and fears.
The first step to convincing the unconvinced is to understand and respect where they’re coming from.
Damn, yesterday I bought the Rolling Stone magazine specifically to read this … had I only waited a day! (But, as an aside, there was an article on why the Beatles broke up which was pretty interesting, too!)
Anyway, Taibbi is brilliant and this expose lays it all out. I’m so glad you linked it, Red, it is an incredibly informative (albeit somewhat depressing) read.
My only hope is that Taibbi proves to be a little too pessimistic. I steadfastly cling to the hope that a strong public option arises out of this debacle. I’m keeping all of my appendages crossed.
If you think this one’s interesting, read his previous Goldman Sach’s articles.
Count me in for a Colorado chapter of REVOLT!
Kevin, welcome to OJ. Longboobs, I am glad you enjoyed the article. The interview videos were good too – some of the commenters are likening Taibbi as a young Gore Vidal(hmm!). Duplojohn, do you have a link to them?
Terry, that would be a serious taking-back of our country over selfish overlords of political and corporate stripe if we should ever join a revolt together 😉
Here is an excerpt from Obama’s interview on 60 minutes last night for Longboobs – may she have a more optimisitic day:
I’ve been in this town a long time. I think this is the year we’re gonna get health care done. But I guarantee you this will be pronounced dead at least four or five times before we finally get a bill passed.”
— President Obama, on 60 Minutes, recounting advice given to him by one of his advisers.
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/09/13/extra_bonu…
Here’s the full 60 Minutes segment:
VIDEO
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/09/13/extra_bonu…
Oh, and for anyone who is trying to decide whether to read further, here is the beginning of the article, which pretty much sums up why the discussions are confusing and upsetting:
Let’s start with the obvious: America has not only the worst but the dumbest health care system in the developed world. It’s become a black leprosy eating away at the American experiment — a bureaucracy so insipid and mean and illogical that even our darkest criminal minds wouldn’t be equal to dreaming it up on purpose.
The system doesn’t work for anyone. It cheats patients and leaves them to die, denies insurance to 47 million Americans, forces hospitals to spend billions haggling over claims, and systematically bleeds and harasses doctors with the specter of catastrophic litigation. Even as a mechanism for delivering bonuses to insurance-company fat cats, it’s a miserable failure: Greedy insurance bosses who spent a generation denying preventive care to patients now see their profits sapped by millions of customers who enter the system only when they’re sick with incurably expensive illnesses.
The cost of all of this to society, in illness and death and lost productivity and a soaring federal deficit and plain old anxiety and anger, is incalculable — and that’s the good news. The bad news is our failed health care system won’t get fixed, because it exists entirely within the confines of yet another failed system: the political entity known as the United States of America.
Just as we have a medical system that is not really designed to care for the sick, we have a government that is not equipped to fix actual crises. What our government is good at is something else entirely: effecting the appearance of action, while leaving the actual reform behind in a diabolical labyrinth of ingenious legislative maneuvers.
Let’s start with the obvious: America has not only the worst but the dumbest health care system in the developed world. It’s become a black leprosy eating away at the American experiment — a bureaucracy so insipid and mean and illogical that even our darkest criminal minds wouldn’t be equal to dreaming it up on purpose.
If it is the worst, then why do the rich of the world come here to get care!.
What is dumb is free health paid for by people who work to give to people that will not work!.
I think we need to invest more into the elderly, but we should not being paying for women who stay at home to have kids, then pay for their kids. It is ridiculous. This country Red has too many immigrants that are poor and uneducated. The more entiltlements, the more the poor will continue to be poor. The Government can not run the Dmv,post office,vet health..ect… you do not want them running your hospitals!.
If you understand anything about Healthcare, you know that state and federal government have so many stipulation right now on Insurance companies that it makes the insurance companies end up making hugh profits. Does not make sense right??
Well then why does Calfornia State, stop insurance companies from crossing state line’s. Because of foundations like California Endownment, California health foundation. All one company red, just one. Welpoint, blue cross, blue sheild. $4 billion of their profits to these foundations, who do you think the cost is transfered to, “US”.
Like the school system allow competition!. And get the government out of healthcare business, just as getting the union out of schools will work!.
And by the way 2million to SF Acorn just last year from California Endownment. Great now SF can tell more kids how to be hookers!.
“If it is the worst, then why do the rich of the world come here to get care!”
Michelle, I do not think we have the worst health care system in the world. But the fact that rich people all the world are coming here for treatment has nothing to do with whether we have the worst or best system. It has everything do with us having the best doctors and medical equipment. If I were filthy rich and money is no object, I would want to be treated here too.
The discussion is on our health care system, not the quality of treatment that the super rich all the over world would get. Which of course here in the US would be top notch.
I agree, it is the best and it is very expensive, but the reason why it is expensive is because of Government envolvement. I don’t know if you have read my post’s on The foundation’s here in california ie. California Endownment. I have looked into why it is so expensive and it is very eye opening.
Why do states stop insurance companies from crossing state line. Have you ever asked yourself that??. You should it has alot to do with why you are paying such high premiums.
What is this about not crossing State lines, I had the same Company here and In Ohio. The rates were higher here because the cost of medical care here is more.
You can buy many policies that are available in all states, the rates differ because the cost of care and the overall cost of living is different.
If their is a National health care exchange, then every policy will be available in that exchange for purchase. What is the difference other than you can go one place to shop or you have to call all over the place one at a time?
I asked my insurance agent, he said I can already buy any policy in any state I want. But if the providers where I live do not accept it or are not a part of the HMO,PPO or provider network that the insurance company contracts with, I might not be covered if I move to a different area.
The US is rated 37 in the world for Health Care. The number one and two spots are France and Italy, fyi. Here is a fun video link with the rankings of other nations. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVgOl3cETb4
There was a VERY good discussion on the Young Turks link about how Alabama would not necessarily benefit by any national health care reform without the public option. It seems that Alabama has one particular insurance carrier that covers 90% of their population. Not because it is so terrifically competative that other insurance companies cannot compete, but it is the one of the very few that has been allowed in Alabama by somehow qualifying. So basically unless other insurance companies made their way into that particular state and satisfied all the inroads/channels to be able to do business there, then the status quo would remain. I can find the link if anyone is interested in more information on this.
Oh and btw, some of our own health care insurers are sending people to India and other third world countries to get procedures done more cheaply. Hmmmm to the quality of THAT!
“The US is rated 37 in the world for Health Care.”
Red, I just don’t buy it. Rated 37th by whom and what were the criteria? I don’t know everything on this subject, so I guess I’m being stubborn. Logic tells me that the 37th ranking has to be false.
By the way, since we are talking about health care, don’t you have pictures of nurses you want to post to make a point? I’m here to learn.
Although it seems at first glance like this article is against government involvement in healthcare, Taibbi makes it clear pretty early on that he supports a single-payer system, or the strongest possible public option which could lead to a single-payer system. Just like me and Red do.
His style is Gothic-Pessimistic, and he details all the ways the public option is getting watered down and neutered, but those of us who’ve studied the history of Social Security and Medicare know that you just have to get the “camel’s nose in the tent” and then over the years build and strengthen.
We all love Matt “Giant Vampire Squid” Taibbi but you can’t let him make you feel defeatist. Just angry as hell. Red reprinted his opening paragraphs, let me just repeat his closing challenge:
Then again, some of the blame has to go to all of us. It’s more than a little conspicuous that the same electorate that poured its heart out last year for the Hallmark-card story line of the Obama campaign has not been seen much in this health care debate. The handful of legislators — the Weiners, Kuciniches, Wydens and Sanderses — who are fighting for something real should be doing so with armies at their back. Instead, all the noise is being made on the other side. Not so stupid after all — they, at least, understand that politics is a fight that does not end with the wearing of a T-shirt in November.