Barack Obama gave what was supposed to be a seminal speech on health care reform before a joint session of congress. The speech that was supposed to put health care reform “back on the road” to success has instead thrown a rock through the windshield. Following up the speech aimed to please the already converted, the Democrats sucked out whatever bi-partisan air there might have been in the room. Their silly partisan antic of an official “house rebuke” of Joe Wilson turned a backbencher into a political hero. And the lack of distance Democrats have chosen for themselves from a failed ex-President who characterizes citizens disagreeing with the actions of their commander-in-chief as “based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African-American” has exhausted even the deepest well of patience.
Obama’s speech has driven opposition to Obamacare Reform to an all time high of 56%, up 5 points from the day of the Presidents speech on September 9th. See, the American people don’t like to be misled and they don’t appreciate misdirection. They can overlook it. One of the reasons I liked listening to Bill Clinton (on June 14, 1997, I travelled several hours to hear him give a speech on race at UC San Diego) was that you sort of liked the sly scoundrel, enjoyed watching him get away with things. You knew who Bill Clinton was. Savior he was not. Obama is the redeemer and he does not pass off double speak so well, nor is he forgiven for it.
In his New York Times Op Ed article on Health Care Reform and in his speech to the joint session of Congress, Obama mentions a man who has insurance and then has it cancelled because evidence of gall stones and an aneurysm showed up in an old CT scan his doctor never mentioned, and that because of this, this man died.
This is a lie.
You can read for yourself the transcript of the hearing in which the sister of the man recounts what happened.
The mans insurance was rescinded temporarily. But in fact, the insurance company re-instated his policy within the three to four week window for his surgery and the man was given the stem cell treatment that extended his life several more years. He is dead today, but he did not die because of insurance rescision. His sister testified before Congress about the event the President cites and she said that her brother received a prescribed stem-cell transplant within the desired three- to four-week “window of opportunity” from “one of the most renowned doctors in the whole world on the specific routine,” that the procedure “was extremely successful,” and that “it extended his life nearly three and a half years.”
President Obama then followed this fabrication up with a whopper about a woman from Texas who was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne. In fact, her dermatologist described her skin condition as pre-cancerous. She also had been treated for an irregular heartbeat which had not been disclosed. As well, she misrepresented her weight on her application. All of these things represent mis-statements on things that insurance companies rely on when determining rates. Like if you said you were driving a 1990 Geo instead of a 2004 BMW, details matter.
Now, I’m glad that both of these people received their health care treatments. But most states historically see these as material misrepresentations or concealments, which are grounds for contract annulment. You think they should change the law, maybe I think they should change the law. But that’s the law.
More importantly, these two cases were identified as being “among the most egregious” and made it to Congressional Hearings as a result. They were identified by Congressional Staffers Analysis of 116,000 pages of documents, and over 20,000 rescisions among millions of policies issued over a five year period. Less than 1/2 of one percent of policies were ever rescinded for cause.
Barack Obama did no service to those who truly lose their insurance because of corporate negligence. Certainly it happens. He also gives light to the urban myth that people lose their insurance when they get sick “out of the blue” as a matter of course.
It just ain’t so.
“Obama is the redeemer…”
That, like most of what you write, is just a silly, crazy construct created out of thin air, like most of what emerges from the loony 10% on the far right.
Where is the link to your side of the “Story”? I have not read nor heard of the president lying about health care issues. Aside from accusations by that dolt, Wilson.
Link, please!
The woman from Texas who was about to get a double mastectomy when her insurance company canceled her policy because she forgot to declare a case of acne. In fact, her dermatologist described her skin condition as pre-cancerous. She also had been treated for an irregular heartbeat which had not been disclosed. As well, she misrepresented her weight on her application. All of these things represent mis-statements on things that insurance companies rely on when determining rates.
I am sure she was advised that if she disclosed her condition she could not get covered. What would any most any person do to try to get some help?
If you have any precondition, the treatment for that condition is at a minimun denied, diabeties, people with high blood pressure, Sleep disorders, being beaten by your spouse are all reasons to be turned away.
Average rates are going up faster than ever, perhaps we should just do nothing for now and wait another 10 or 20 years and let things run the course. Then there will be only one option left, a government bail out and take over of the health care system.
Red, the links to Obamas Op Ed and his speech are there, as well as links directly to the testimony before the House Committee which heard them. They are embedded in the paragraphs. If you can’t see them, try Mozilla or just running your cursor over the statement “the transcript of the hearing” as a place to start.
Jim,
As a person with a sleep disorder, I can tell you that it is easily treated with a CPAP machine, and no insurance (and I have new insurance every time I change jobs, or about once every nine months) has ever denied it. in fact the overnight test where they hook your whole body up and monitor you while you sleep is one of the easiest tests to get. and then they give away the CPAP. if you say you can’t make the copay, they write it off. I have a new one, and a spare. the spare doesnt have a reservoir, which is why i have a new one.
I am tired of this nonsense and tearing down of a great medical system. You WILL NOT get socialized medicine in this country. Improve what there is.
Thanks for the tip, Terry. As far as that guy that was referenced: His sister was an attorney who was able to intervene and ONLY get the treatments after the state’s attorney general made the insurance company reverse its decision. and did u see- the insurance company wanted to rescind ALL of his previous, and very expensive treatments prior to the termination date – effectively leaving him and his family in mounds of medical debt for procedures he thought were covered.
Is the guy dead? I would say that the additional strain of thinking you’re going to bankrupt your family with your terminal illness would be enough to speed up the end. No one should go broke when they get sick in the US.
Yes as a member of a group, if your employer provides your insurance then you can get treatment for pre-exixting conditions.
As an individual or small business owner not part of a larger group, you cannot. I was turned down for everthing but a 2 million dollar cap, 5,000 deductable policy, no doctor visits or presciption coverage policy. Why ? I have mildly elevationed blood pressure.
Since my current employer provides coverage I have decent coverage at this time.
The current Senate proposal is not socialized medicine We agree that the entire system should not be tossed out. I do not think a public option for lower income and small business is a bad idea either.
A single payer system is socialist but that is not what is being proposed at this time. But without some major changes that is likely what we will end up with at some future point.
Red,
The whole process was reviewed and reversed within the three to four week window the guy had for his treatment. Get that kind of movement with government. He was treated and lived another three and a half years. He is dead now, but did not die because of the incident. In fact, insurance saved his life.
Thats how contract annulment works. Why would one write a contract without being able to protect oneself if the agreement is based on lies? The cases cited by Obama are examples of how the system WORKS, not how it doesn’t. They are proof insurance companies are protected, and so are the policy holder.
I saw Bill Clinton on the John Stewart show yesterday. I must admit he did a better job than Obama is pushing health care.
Prescient you were, Crowley! Obama killed healthcare reform but good. Here we are a month later and it’s hell of moribund.
NOT!