I read it, but it didn't say anything different than I already heard. It's when he says things like "require" that throws up the bells and whistles for me.
Ok, yeah, making sure school lunches are healthy, people need to have fresh choices at the groceries stores, etc...
I see Obama's plan as a way of transitioning health care to a socialist system. It won't be overnight.
I am a doubter he can carry out everything that he mentions in his plan. What will get left out? And how much will it cost? Who will pay for it?
It fails to address a few of the biggest problems with our healthcare today.
1. Illegals and emergency room visits. Who will pay for it?
2. Drug company advertising.
3. Pharmaceutical sales reps practices.
Other questions I have:
1. Who will decide the usual and customary fees for procedures? Will doctors set their own fees or will it be controlled by the government?
2. Who will regulate the standard of care? ex. Right now the Drug companies tell us when our cholesterol is over 180, then our cholesterol is high. (It used to be 200). When is fact, people who have low cholesterol (below 150) die younger than people who have cholesterol between 180-250. If a person goes to a Dr and their cholesterol is 200, they're going to get a prescription because the drug companies say that's the standard of care.
3. Will there still be the high number of pharmaceutical sales reps? Will they lavish doctor's offices with gifts for rewards for prescribing medications? If this isn't controlled, how can it be fixed? We're over prescribed because people are paid by the pharmaceutical companies to push their drugs. Obama will only keep them from charging as much as they currently are. That means they need to sell more drugs. Their tools: Advertise, pharmaceutical reps, invent new conditions/diseases, change the standard of care.
from kaisernetwork.org
Although the pharmaceutical and biotech industries "typically [have] aligned politically with the GOP," this year "drug company employees have given substantially more to Obama than McCain,"
Ok, in all fairness what I like about his plan is the inclusion of preventative health care the stresses the need for americans to be responsible for their own health.
Underinvestment in prevention and public health. Too many Americans go without high-value preventive
services...Yet despite
all of this less than 4 cents of every health care dollar is spent on prevention and public health.8 Our health care
system has become a disease care system, and the time for change is well overdue.
What I like about McCain's, while still not perfect, has many similarities to Obama's good points. The fundamental difference is McCain gives the tax credit so Americans can purchase their own under existing companies. Obama's seems to be if you don't have coverage through your employer, you can buy into the government system. That means 45 million Americans already uninsured plus those who currently have lousy insurance won't get a choice.
