The reason that I want to post this one ... is because of the strong conservative base in Texas ... that I supported myself for many year's ... and their strong influence on Texan's in this health care debate.
First of all ... according to the "New York Times" yesterday ... Texas has the largest percentage nationally of uninsured working adult's at 27%. And in the Dallas news yesterday ... it was said that 31% of all "working" Texan's are uninsured. And according to Michael Moore ... Texas was in these rank's even a few year's back.
I am one of those who am insured through my wife's company which is large and nationwide (Minnesota based)... so they get of course a good group rate ... I am self employed myself, personally ... I cant even recall off hand when was the last time I wasnt insured. BUT this is a big issue here. Partly because we are saturated with small companies as well who cant even afford to get a decent rate on an insurance plan ... simply because they dont have enough employee's ... and it may cost up to $9000 a year to insure their employee's out of their pocket per employee. Practically all these job's are non-union ... at least I never seen or heard of any that did have union employee's. And another big issue here is the amount of immigrant's from places like Mexico and neighboring countries. And these figure's in that case are close ... but couldnt be accurate ... I dont think anyone can tell how many illegal's there are here ... my guess ... would be a couple million at least. Many dont even answer to the census anyway's.
Big city county hospital's feel the pinch here heavy ... especially Houston's Harris County, Dallas' Dallas County ... and San Antonio's Bexar County ... these 3 cities ... are in the nation's 10 largest US cities. Of course ... the old school approach to this from the conservative view here ... is to have non- profit group's of some sort handle this ... which basically is also the same as "faith- based" group's. This is NOT good enough ... all they want to do is set up a bunch of clinic's in communities ... to where THEY decide what kind of treatment you should get ... without any other 2nd or 3rd opinion's unless it is from an affiliate of their's. This is nothing but BS. Or to give "tax-incentive's/ rebate's" annually ... this is also crap as I pointed out the money angle to this a couple post's back.
These folk's were only concerned with getting lower income worker's insured ... only when they found out the government was going to make it mandatory soon to buy insurance ... so that they can set up shop's of agent's/ underwriter's ... to grab those close to 50 million ... to sell them the lowest rated policies they can sell them, because these people will not be able to afford the better rate option's and package's ... these policies they will peddle off to you ... will be almost worthless ... and basically good for nothing more than an annual check-up, which will be used to put you on some prescription ... or to satisfy govermnment requirement and law that you purchase insurance. As far as the tax incentive ... if your a low wage earner ... do you have goddamn time for all that paper work and waiting a goddamn year to a year and 3 month's to get any damn money you can get back? Will your landlord wait for the goddamn rent? Will the grocery store loan you food till you get your check? Will your fly- by- night/ tote- the- note car lender wait for their payment? You get the picture? How many in Washington or even Austin(Texas Capitol) even remotely understand the daily live's and struggle's of the American worker?
The last goddamn thing you need now ... as a working Texan or American, especially in some other southern half of the country state ... who are mostly in the same boat with us ... is to get sold a health policy that is like the worthless auto insurance you are forced to buy now by law in Texas! A couple year's back ... Texas made it law ... that if now ... you are caught with no insurance they will impound your car. Which everyone need's insurance ... but look at all the low cost liability place's that came out of the woodwork since that law went into place ... offering you a rate to minimally protect you with coverage by law ... but try to make a claim when you get in a wreck and see what kind of BS your fed ... you know the game ... ya'll been played before too many time's. Do you want your health care to go into the same game? Because rest assured ... what the conservative approach is ... is a losing policy any way you slice it ... I would bet my paycheck on it! This government option is the best thing you can get, and the price will be fair ... and it will have actual government oversight ... not having someone who depend's on screwing you to get their bonus decide what you get ... the only option that is ... is getting screwed ... period. They call it "freedom" ... the kind of freedom that is ... is no different than freeing a pidgeon with a goddamn brick tied to it's leg! Nor will you have to say 3 "Our Father's" and 1 "Hail Mary" to get treated! (faith- based)
If you dont have a computer ... go to the library and use one ... contact your local representative's ... or write a hand written letter if you have to ... get your friend's and family to do the same ... even if your friend/ familia member are in jail/ prison ... get them to write too!
I'll shut the Hell up now ....
the last phrase of this post shows how frustrated you are
ReplyDeleteWell..yes Mr.Prash...you can say I am "frustrated" ...I am somewhat I reckon. But only because I expect to get kissed when I'm getting screwed...in this case...the one's screwing us arent even using any lubricant.And a large portion of American's are bending over like masochist's in heat to this rubbish and buying it.
ReplyDeleteI have been fortunate Mr.Prash, beside's ...I'm a hustler...a survivor ... so I am one who does what I need to do, I am not so quick to lie down and give up in other word's.But despite how fortunate I am...I see all around me the reality of other's...and how they got in the situation's they are in and how they deal with it... I realize if too many folk's DO give in...the effect's of this cesspool will trickle down.
Thanx for your visit Mr.Prash, hope you've been having some fun! :)
to grab those close to 50 million...to sell them the lowest rate policies they can sell them, because these people will not be able to afford the better rate option's and package's...these policies they will peddle off to you...will be almost worthless ... and basically good for nothing more than an annual check-up,
ReplyDeleteSomebody once said that everything about Texas is big, including the quantity of bull. What you are talking about here is another problem that will likely arise if there's a mandate but no public option and no adequate regulation -- con men getting into the game. A government option might turn out to be inefficient but at least it won't be actually setting out to scam people.
Of course, one could argue that even some of the "real" insurers are edging into scammer territory, what with the practice of cutting off people's insurance if they get a really expensive medical problem ("recission").
Ranch Chimp:
ReplyDeleteCaveat emptor! You make some very valid points about the health insurance industry.
I wrote a post a few days back about the statistics on states with the most uninsured citizens (Texas, Mississippi and New Mexico) and those with the least available resources to ensure the “well-being” of its citizens (Mississippi and West Virginia).
What struck me was that these low-ranking states are the same states where the outcry against healthcare reform is the loudest.
Propaganda really works, doesn’t it? The people who would best benefit from healthcare reform are the very ones who have been duped into believing it’s a curse.
Go figure!
Have a good day, and let’s see what our president has to say to Congress and America tonight.
BJ (DemWit)
Yes Sir ...that is exactly what I'm talking about, and I know sometime's that I may sound like a paranoid nutcase in my own way. But living in Texas so long having received more than my fair share of excessive "Bull" and being hustled myself over the year's...one way or another,it has made me skeptical of the intention's and action's of some folk's.Not only in Texas ... but this crapolla also goes on elsewhere's...it's just so easy to "play" in this state...because of the lack of regulation,oversight,and enforcement of even law's,side-swiping,etc. I learned the hard way to watch my ass many year's ago...because I almost lost it a quite a few time's.I'm sure as Hell no saint...one of the reason's I stayed here so long is because of some of the shit you can get away with that you couldnt no longer get away with in place's like LA or NYC... this is a hustler's paradise!(another reason I know their game's fairly well)
ReplyDeleteIndeed one could argue that some of the "real" insurer's could get into scam territory.... and they already do in a sense.How? Because it is them that nourish these agent's/underwriter's and such to do the dirty work,for their cut ...while the big folk's just sit back count the profit's and pay the attorney's to write code's and law proposal's to feed to the unknowing in some cases...pocket puppet's in Washington they wine and dine to propose new legislation. The gvmt will argue though this time,that they will tighten up watching these practices and require stronger ethic's ... which is a positive for us...but it still wont stop those who scam from finding new way's and loophole's ... it's their nature ... hell ... it's business. These folk's arent in business to be heroes, or get the Nobel Peace Prize ... or to get reckonized for all the good they do...their in business to make money.
Thanx for your input Mr.Infidel!
Greeting's Ms.BJ!
ReplyDeleteWhy aint I suprised about especially West Virginia or even Mississippi? I've been all over both state's .... I know how they work.
As far as seeing what the President say's tonight ...I almost dread thinking about it,yet I'm anticipating like a dope fiend to hear it ... I must be bi-polar! :) My hope's is that he will be "direct" and "solid" and stick to the "public option" proposal....and not try to sell house dem's and hardline liberal's this new nonsense that just popped up from Olympia Snowe and her sidekick Bob Dole on this bloody so called "Trigger Plan" which I will post about next hopefully... cause that is the newest crock of BS! But we all kind of seen it coming ...we just didnt know what package it would arrive in.
Thanx for your input and visit Ms.BJ ....