Musings of a Mad Woman: Health Care, Republicans, Media

I am a cut to the chase person. Forget the BS and get to the bottom line. As I grow older, the ability to listen to pontificators, people who enjoy listening to their own voice, is gone. I cannot tolerate hypocrites either. I also absolutely have no use for those who use other people to embellish or push their own ambitions. This listing is a disclaimer to those who choose to read this blog for what's to come.

Media and Health care reform: Obviously, to me at least, the media must be struggling for readers/viewers because they have pumped up the pontifications, the polls, the exclusives, and more to demonstrate only this anchor, this station, this whatever, knows anything and everything about health care, politics, the president, and anything else that hits the news.

Example: Larry King and Michael Jackson. Larry's show has been declining in viewers even though Larry was a pretty respected interviewer, though on the soft side. Michael Jackson dies; Larry King's show is alive and well and up in ratings. Why? because he has someone or something about MJ almost every night since MJ died. What does this have to do with healthcare?

Simple: this is the prime example of leeching media who grasp at anything to get their names in the news and in ratings. And it translates to the mainstream news. Remember Rush Bimbo? and how he stated and was widely reported in every media outlet that he hoped Obama failed? Got attention didn't it? Worse, it reflects our political arena well.

I believe that is why the Republicans are stalling on the Supreme Court nomination and now health care reform. Plus it gets their names on the news. And the media are already grasping at the fact that they believe this could be the downfall of the Obama Presidency. Really? Excuse me but Obama has worked harder in his 6 months than any of the prior presidents did. Remember please, these so called elected officials and media types make money, have jobs, and even more have healthcare coverage paid for by their companies and by us for our Congressional reps that most of us would love to have. Maybe we should strip Congress, especially Republicans, of their health coverage and see then how quickly they would vote on health care.

I don't know about you but I don't want my views analyzed by people who, in my opinion, have no clue about the realities of life. You want reality, let me tell you about reality:

Medicare: It's not free. Med A and B is needed by most people because A is for hospital coverage, B is for doctor coverage: the cost of each is over $98 and it covers 80%. You are then responsible for the 20%. No prescription coverage unless you buy Part D: average cost $57/month and it only covers to $2500 then you go into the hole, that deep hole that requires you pay full price for meds until you reach another $2500 then it picks up again but in the new year, this all starts over again. In order to get coverage for the 20% not covered by Medicare, you need a supplement or a med advantage plan: cost is anywhere from$ 150-200 per month. Do the math. If you are on a fixed income, this takes up almost $500 per month. Nice huh. Does not affect our Congressional reps whose health coverage you and I pay for. And, in my mind, its age discrimination. But that is a story for another time and place. The problem with Medicare, in my opinion, is that it is staffed by people who have never practiced health care or been in real life situations; get rid of them

Medical Assistance is coverage for people who have little or no income. You and I pay for it. And whether they admit it or not, most doctors and hospitals treat these people like scum.

Some 50 million people have no coverage. But it still costs us when they go to hospitals and they go because they aren't able to go to doctors so they get sick and sicker. We pay for those costs also.

Excuse me but wouldn't it be better to roll all of this into one health plan that would share risk over some 100 million people? Got money? Buy what you want in health insurance. no money? you are still a human being who brings value to this earth. You deserve to get health care.

Obama took this on because good health care coverage means LESS cost. Do the math. It's simple. Even the American Med Assoc. and American Nurse Assoc get it.

I have a great idea. Take all the Republicans who are stalling to get health care reform done, and take away their health care coverage. Let them pay out of pocket. Betcha they would pass health care reform then.

I haven't even dealt with COBRA that affects 10% of the population now without jobs or benefits.

I urge you to contact your media outlets and your Congressional reps and push healthcare coverage NOW. Stop the BS! Let's get it done.