Living in these United States, there comes a point at which you throw your hands up in exasperation and despair and ask a fundamental question or two: how much excess profit does corporate America really need? How much bigger do executive salaries and bonuses have to be, how many houses or jets or artworks can be crammed into a life? But since greed is not self-governing, hardly anyone raking in the dough ever stops to say, "That's it. Enough's enough! How do we prevent it from sweeping up everything in its path, including us?" Look at the health care industry saying to hell with consumers and then hiking premiums - by as much as 39% in the case of Anthem Blue Cross in California. According to congressional investigators, over a two-year period Anthem's parent company WellPoint spent more than $27 million dollars for executive retreats at luxury resorts. And in 2008, WellPoint paid 39 of its executives more than a million dollars each. Profit before patients." Tags: Economic Death Squad Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

An 11-year-old boy whose mother died after losing her health insurance has become an advocate for health care reform -- and opponents of reform are gunning for him. Marcelas Owens of Seattle lost his mother in 2006 after the 27-year-old woman was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a condition that can lead to heart failure if left untreated. Due to missed work, Tiffany Owens lost her job, and with it her health insurance. Not long after, she died of her disorder. Owens appeared at a Capitol Hill press conference flanked by the Democratic leadership on Thursday, the day after he turned 11 years old. "I don't want any other kids to go through the pain that our family has gone through," Owens said. "My grandma and I want Barack Obama and Congress and everybody to come together and to help get the health care bill passed." Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

President Barack Obama is out and abroad stumping like mad for his embattled health insurance “reform” plan, claiming now that his administration will “crack down” on $100 billion in annual “waste and fraud” in the Medicare and Medicaid systems. This new tough rhetoric is meant to win over some of the conservative opposition that sees all government programs as inherently wasteful, inefficient and corrupt. But the claim itself is bogus. The figure comes from a study done annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and that study makes it clear that it is not looking at fraud, but at errors. And there are two things that can be said about those errors, most of which appear to involve problems like illegible signatures on doctors’ orders, or lost paperwork needed to document that a treatment being billed for actually happened. Tags: Obama Illusion Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about what seemed to be a glaring (and quite typical) scam perpetrated by Congressional Democrats: all year long, they insisted that the White House and a majority of Democratic Senators vigorously supported a public option, but the only thing oh-so-unfortunately preventing its enactment was the filibuster: sadly, we have 50 but not 60 votes for it, they insisted. Democratic pundits used that claim to push for "filibuster reform," arguing that if only majority rule were required in the Senate, then the noble Democrats would be able to deliver all sorts of wonderful progressive reforms that they were truly eager to enact but which the evil filibuster now prevents. In response, advocates of the public option kept arguing that the public option could be accomplished by reconciliation -- where only 50 votes, not 60, would be required -- but Obama loyalists scorned that reconciliation proposal, insisting (at least before the Senate passed a bill with 60 votes) that using reconciliation was Unserious, naive, procedurally impossible, and politically disastrous. But all those claims were put to the test -- all those bluffs were called -- once the White House decided that it had to use reconciliation to pass a final health care reform bill. That meant that any changes to the Senate bill (which had passed with 60 votes) -- including the addition of the public option -- would only require 50 votes, which Democrats assured progressives all year long that they had. Great news for the public option, right? Wrong. As soon as it actually became possible to pass it, the 50 votes magically vanished. Senate Democrats (and the White House) were willing to pretend they supported a public option only as long as it was impossible to pass it. Once reconciliation gave them the opportunity they claimed all year long they needed -- a "majority rule" system -- they began concocting ways to ensure that it lacked 50 votes." Tags: Health care Business Roundtable Obama Illusion Posted by: ampedstatus

Congressman Alan Grayson, (D-Orlando), today introduced a bill (H.R. 4789) which would give the option to buy into Medicare to every citizen of the United States. The “Public Option Act,” also known as the “Medicare You Can Buy Into Act,” would open up the Medicare network to anyone who can pay for it. Congressman Grayson said, “Obviously, America wants and needs more competition in health coverage, and a public option offers that. But it’s just as important that we offer people not just another choice, but another kind of choice. A lot of people don’t want to be at the mercy of greedy insurance companies that will make money by denying them the care that they need to stay healthy, or to stay alive. We deserve to have a real alternative.” Tags: Grayson Congress Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

Most big employers plan to shift a larger share of health-care costs to their workers next year, according to a survey. Many say they may charge more to cover spouses, tighten eligibility standards for their health plans and dispense financial rewards or penalties based on the results of certain lab tests. At some companies, employees who are overweight could be excluded from the most desirable plans. Meanwhile, employees at many companies can expect significantly higher premiums, deductibles and co-payments, according to the annual survey by the National Business Group on Health, a coalition of big employers, and Towers Watson, a consulting firm that advises companies on employee benefits. " Tags: Health care Economic Death Squad Posted by: ampedstatus

There is no compromise in sight for health care reform as pro-life Republican and Democrats refuse to support any bill that includes taxpayer dollars for abortions, much like the last time Democrats tried to push health care reform through Congress. The current language is a compromise, and one that pro-choice advocates decry. But Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said the language still doesn't go far enough. Stupak has become the unofficial spokesman for Democrats opposed to the measure for its language on federal funding for abortions. He said at least 12 fellow House Democrats feel the way he does." Tags: Health care Abortion Congress Posted by: ampedstatus

Americans and their lawmakers are dramatically out of sync on health care, with large majorities of people looking for bipartisan cooperation that's nowhere in sight. A new Associated Press-GfK Poll finds a widespread hunger for improvements to the health care system, which suggests President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies have a political opening to push their plan. Half of all Americans say health care should be changed a lot or "a great deal," and only 4 percent say it shouldn't be changed at all. But they don't like the way the debate is playing out in Washington, where GOP lawmakers unanimously oppose the Obama-backed legislation and Democrats are struggling to pass it by themselves with narrow House and Senate majorities." Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

On March 9, 2010, around noon, about 14 pro-Healthcare Reform activists were arrested at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in down town Washington, D.C. They attempted to cross a police line set up at an entrance to the hotel, where the Fat Cats of the Health Insurance Industry were holding a conference. Earlier, the protesters had convened at Dupont Circle for a rally. Then, they paraded down to the hotel, about ten blocks away. The crowd was estimated at about 5,500. The event was staged by Health Care for America Now (HCAN), along with more than 50 major Labor, grassroots and religious leaders. Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is saying that the Senate has a majority for a public option–in direct contradiction to claims by President Obama. From TPM: "Sanders said he thinks Democrats have 50 votes in the Senate to pass a bill “certainly to include a public option.” It was a bit of good news for progressives, who have turned their attention to using reconciliation in the Senate to bolster a reform bill with the addition of a public option." Last week, Obama met with House progressives, and blamed demise of the public option on the lack of votes in the Senate. Of course, I don’t know how Obama came to the conclusion the public option could not get fifty votes in the Senate through reconciliation, since every indication is that he never once whipped for it, or even politely asked a single senator to please support the idea. If the public option lacks 50 votes in the Senate, it probably does in no small part to the Obama administration’s constant signals that he did not really care about it and was more than prepared to give it up for fig leaves like triggers and co-ops." Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

Amid a sea of brightly colored T-shirts and wave after wave of protest signs, Regina Holliday's homemade banner still stuck out as she marched Tuesday in support of health-care reform. Clad in a painter's smock, Holliday, whose uninsured husband died of cancer in the summer of 2009, waved an image of him and her two sons. "We want a foot in the door. That's what this bill is," Holliday, 37, said about the current health-care reform legislation. Holliday was one of thousands of protesters who marched through downtown Washington on Tuesday to criticize the health insurance industry and attempt to draw support for the Democratic proposal to overhaul the system. " Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

Health insurer Humana Inc. paid CEO Michael B. McCallister 26 percent more last year than in 2008, largely because of a $1.8 million performance-related bonus. McCallister, 57, received compensation valued at $6.5 million for 2009, according to an Associated Press analysis of a proxy statement filed Tuesday. That included a salary of about $1 million, the bonus and stock and options valued at $3.4 million when they were granted. McCallister's compensation also included $164,380 for retirement savings, matching charitable contributions, insurance and other perquisites plus $132,848 worth of personal use of company aircraft. McCallister, who also serves as president, has been CEO since 2000. Humana is based in Louisville, Ky." Tags: Health care Economic Death Squad Bonuses Posted by: ampedstatus

Right-wing radio talker Rush Limbaugh must be confused. During a recent broadcast, he vowed to "go to Costa Rica" if President Obama is successful in passing his health reform legislation. Most assumed he meant the statement in the vein of his promise to leave New York City over its tax rates, which he did. Now Limbaugh is saying he will not leave the U.S., as in, move away. Instead, Limbaugh claims that he will simply "go to Costa Rica" for his medical care." Tags: Health care Limbaugh Posted by: ampedstatus

With President Obama dramatically raising the stakes and investing a major chunk of political capital in the battle, the health care debate continued its resurgence in the news, topping the media agenda for the second straight week. From March 1-7, health care accounted for 18% of the newshole, according to the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. Although that is down from 24% the previous week, it marks a strong overall comeback for a subject that dropped from the media glare earlier this year when the prospects for passing, or even voting on legislation seemed to have dimmed. Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

The Obama administration, in its push to get the House to vote for the Senate’s health care reform bill unchanged, is pointing to the serious issue of lack of competition in the health insurance market as a powerful reason for reform. Obama’s health care proposal, however, no longer does much to actually solve the problem. The few elements of this health care reform push that could have helped deal with the issue of “insurers’ monopoly” have been removed, and Obama is making no effort to add them back. In fact, his administration is actively trying to suppress attempts by others to reintegrate such measures into the legislation. Repealing the anti-trust exemption was in the House bill–but it is not in the Senate bill or Obama’s health care proposal. Also in the House bill, but missing from Obama’s proposal, is a national exchange and a national public health insurance option. All three proposals could have helped with the issue of the monopoly power of insurers. Tags: Health care Obama Illusion Posted by: ampedstatus

Passing the healthcare proposals before Congress will "hang out to dry" every Democratic incumbent running for reelection this fall, Howard Dean said. Dean, a physician by training who's a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said that Democrats in Congress -- and President Barack Obama -- would do themselves more harm than good by passing the current healthcare bill. "The plan, as it comes from the Senate, hangs out every Democrat who's running for office to dry -- including the president, in 2012, because it makes him defend a plan that isn't in effect essentially yet," Dean said during an appearance on the liberal Bill Press Radio Show. Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus

The market concentration for health insurance is so monopolized in some areas that insurance companies are willing to raise prices and lose customers in an effort to improve their bottom line, a leading insurance broker told Wall Street analysts. In a conference call organized by Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research, Steve Lewis, a highly regarded broker at the world's third largest insurance broker, Willis, painted a picture of the health insurance market in which employers seem likely to be priced out of coverage. Noting that "price competition" between insurers was "down from a year ago," Lewis relayed that "incumbent carriers seem more willing than ever to walk away from existing business." The phenomenon of insurers pricing their policies beyond where consumers can afford it seems to be already taking place. Last month Anthem Blue Cross told customers it would hike their health insurance premiums by as much as 39 percent (with the expectation that some would drop coverage altogether). In December, the Huffington Post reported that Aetna was planning on losing more than 600,000 customers by raising prices on their consumers in 2010. Tags: Goldman Sachs Health care Economic Death Squad Posted by: ampedstatus

House Democratic leaders are pushing to finish far-reaching health legislation and hold a climactic vote in the next three weeks, aiming to overcome reluctance from the rank-and-file lawmakers while answering President Barack Obama's challenge for swift action. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Thursday that Democrats would like to get a final vote by Congress' Easter break, which begins March 29. But Hoyer also said "the world doesn't fall apart" if that timeline isn't met - a nod to the many blown deadlines that have characterized the health overhaul effort so far. Tags: Health care Congress Posted by: ampedstatus

In that populist vein of if-politicians-won’t-do-it-we’ll-do-it-ourselves comes Citizens’ Posse, which aims to organize a mass citizens’ arrest of health insurance companies on March 9. During the peak of the health care debate last summer, some friends and I were halfway-jokingly discussing creating a Health Insurance Resistors’ League, in the face of a bill that would mandate that we all buy the same crappy insurance from the same crappy insurance companies that have built the current health insurance landscape that (directly or indirectly) kills 45,000 people a year and leaves so many Americans financially (and physically and emotionally) bankrupt. Citizens’ Posse appears to be linked to HCAN, or Health Care for America NOW!, the incredibly well-funded operation that has been fighting for the public option since last year. HCAN has headed many massive protests, and sent out many a petition, but perhaps they see a need for direct action to have some real effect on the tenor of the health care debate. Tags: Health care Economic Justice Posted by: ampedstatus

Sen. Ted Kaufman will vote for a public insurance option as part of a health care reconciliation package, the Delaware Democrat told HuffPost Tuesday evening. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which has been lobbying senators to back the public option through reconciliation, said Tuesday morning that they would begin to run ads in his home state encouraging him to get on board the effort. "I'm for a public option, if there's some way that it can get done," he said. "If it qualified under reconciliation, then I would," he said, when asked if he'd vote for it on the floor. " Tags: Health care Posted by: ampedstatus