Dear Mr. Potter:
We are bombarded every day on TV with Republican talking heads, spouting about socialism and 'government take-over' of health care. We see carefully-crafted paid messages from our friends in the health insurance money machine, warning about impending doom for our country if that dangerous Socialist has his way with health. Most of this is paid for out of profits that insurance companies made from our outrageous payments for our health care.
On the other side of the issue, we often see Democrats quoted on the news, talking about the mechanics of getting passage for a bill about which we know almost nothing. We know they've been wrangling over something, but what exactly, nobody tells. Yes, of course we hear about no denials for pre-existng conditions, affordability, and quite a lot of blather about costs and how to pay them.
I think there should be some simple way to raise and sharpen problem awareness. To present some few bare facts about American health care, touted by many as the best in the world. Not just some emotional advert intoning "we really need health care, now!" Put the facts out for all to see, for example:
1. Health care expenditure, per capita in our country compared to some other developed nations, such as France, UK, Germany, Japan.
2. Approximate amount of that huge number that is burned up in administrative costs, compared, if possible to the countries enumeratred above. In our case, comparative percentages of Medicare vs. the profit-oriented insurers.
3. A ranking of life expectancy and infant mortality, in the same list of countries.
ARE WE GETTING WHAT WE PAY FOR?
Where, indeed, is the beef? Somebody, presumably one or more of our elected representatives, should be telling us what exactly it is they are trying to enact, even if it changes day to day. How about a running chronicle of amendments and deletions, including who was responsible? How about a clear statement from somebody about the Features, Advantages and Benefits of the proposed bill?
We need a managed communication strategy to confront that Billion-dollar Megaphone being powered by the opponents of change. Whatever happens on the progressive side of the argument is disjointed and uncoordinated. This is a job that could be managed by a person like yourself, with extensive experience in managed communications.
This is really urgent, and we run the very real risk of simply being out-shouted by the other side.
CW+++
I am former executive with a national group insurance company (same as Mr. Potter's last employer) who has held positions in Underwriting, Marketing and Product Management. I have firsthand knowledge of Commercial HMO, Medicare HMO, small group (50-200 employees) and large group (200+), including multi-site national accounts. Here’s what I believe is needed in any “reform” legislation.
1. Tax health insurance premiums paid by employers as any other compensation. The current exemption was a reaction to Federal Government wage and price controls and did not evolve in a free market. The current tax treatment masks the true cost health insurance leading to distorted behavior at the consumer level.
2. Mandate that every resident of the US be covered by a health insurance plan whether employer provided, through a union or individually purchased. The controversies over “pre-existing conditions” and individual underwriting are resolved if everyone, from birth, has coverage. There are no “free riders.” The political process can decide at what level of poverty premiums should be subsidized by taxpayers.
3. Establish a minimum benefits plan. The Devil will truly be in these details, but without a minimum plan the issue of the underinsured will remain. Except for the poorest among us the plan should call for cost sharing for all but preventive care and the treatment of chronic disease. The focus should be on protection against catastrophic expenses, the kind that bankrupt families, rather than day to day expenses. The degree of personal responsibility (that is, how much you must pay yourself) could be established as a function of family income much as today’s medical expense deduction is.
4. Establish premiums using a “community rating by class” methodology (CRC). This provides for some recognition that medical expenses, in fact, vary by age, sex and geographic local. In addition, at the individual insured level, allow for “good health” discounts from the CRC premiums for those who meet certain standards shown to be consistent with lowered medical costs such as not smoking, maintaining an appropriate weight and following preventive care regimens.
5. Provide for risk adjustment pools among participating insurers. This protects any single insurer from attracting more than the “normal” number of catastrophic cases. Participating insurance companies would pay into this “re-insurance” pool which would be required to be self supporting (no government subsidy).
6. Abolish all State mandated benefits. There must be a single, national plan available to all. With the other provisions listed this will ensure that insurance is portable, freeing American labor to move to better opportunities without fear of losing insurance.
7. There is no need for a “Public Option” if these rules are implemented, but if we must have one it must be self supporting (no government subsidy) and adhere to the same rules as private plans. Furthermore, any fee schedule “negotiated” by a Federal plan must be available to any participating insurance company as well.
I am a part of e cigarettes national that you listed in the article and want to set some facts in order if you do not mind. You state that it is fair and ok to do that on this site.
Diethylene glycol that you state only as an ingredient or chemical in anti-freeze is also in every single tobacco cigarette sold to the public. It is used as a humectant in tobacco cigarettes to keep the tobacco moist.
The tobacco-specific nitrosamines you speak of are also in tobacco cigarettes, they are also in cosmetics and are not mentioned because they are considered by the FDA as "impurities" and not a public threat.
Yes, e cigarettes have over 3,900 less chemicals than regular tobacco cigarettes. Any basic course in basic science will tell you that it is a much smarter choice. Anyone who does not agree might need to talk to any 5th grade science teacher to get the proper answer.
The e cigarette is not marketed as a cessation device, so why was a cessation device used as the "control"? The control should have been a marlboro, marlboro light and ultralight since they are marketed as an "alternative" to smoking.
You see, when the smoke clears, the vapor wins hands down. I am not asking you to believe me, but rather the public, because they are smart and see right through the propaganda. The reason I say this? They are not buying the FDA's story, but they are buying e cigarettes by the tens of thousands
TO mister Potter, i was just reading an article in Commondreams.org about yourself: from being a very powerful individual, in the clearly "profiteering upon human suffering and need" insurance industry, to one that is doing what he can to reclaim his own conscience and humanity. In all history , we know that the poor, defenseless, powerless always have to eke out a living and while losing to the powerful and wealthy..and one loses hope almost that it can ALSO be from among those that had been in your own position that SOME sense of justice and humanity can come from within such a cruel system towards so many others in this world, rather than always having to come from the longing and suffering majority of people anywhere..
Your "new" work towards economic and humane justice regarding health care reminds one of the saying that applies NOBLY to yourself in this capacity: "to those to whom much is given, much is expected" - and you STEPPED UP to this sense of humanity, imo, in no less moving a way , and hopefully as effectively as you would now dream of, as the great humanitarians of history , such as Mahatma Gandhi and others.
Thank you for your sense of humanity. All good health and long, truly fruitful and meaningful life to you and your family and all you love.
You are who we must call - a citizen of the world.
President Obama has proposed to Congress a universal health care plan. However, we need to fix the health care system as well.
As a patient and a former employee (I used to work at a famous hospital on
Long Island) of the health care system - I have first-hand knowledge on how
the care system works in America. Close to 100,000 people die each year in hospitals due to medical errors.
The hospital I worked at had too much administrative waste. There was endless paperwork in processing patient information. Many of the positions, especially in the
Non-medical areas were filled through nepotism. Many of the supervisors and mid-level manager at this hospital were mostly concerned about how they impressed top administrators – CYA was (and probably still is) the major activity.
A question I would like to ask the general public, particularly doctors - How come doctors never challenge other doctors?
Right after I graduated college I was “confused,” doing drugs, and getting into trouble; so my parents sent me to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist said I was “mentally ill” and he sent me to neurologist for tests. (Our family doctor stated at first I did not need any tests, and then he changed his mind.) The neurologist examined my brain and said I was fine. I just needed to “grow up.”
I am a part of e cigarettes national that you listed in the article and want to set some facts in order if you do not mind. You state that it is fair and ok to do that on this site.
Diethylene glycol that you state only as an ingredient or chemical in anti-freeze is also in every single tobacco cigarette sold to the public. It is used as a humectant in tobacco cigarettes to keep the tobacco moist.
The tobacco-specific nitrosamines you speak of are also in tobacco cigarettes, they are also in cosmetics and are not mentioned because they are considered by the FDA as "impurities" and not a public threat.
Yes, e cigarettes have over 3,900 less chemicals than regular tobacco cigarettes. Any basic course in basic science will tell you that it is a much smarter choice. Anyone who does not agree might need to talk to any 5th grade science teacher to get the proper answer.
The e cigarette is not marketed as a cessation device, so why was a cessation device used as the "control"? The control should have been a marlboro, marlboro light and ultralight since they are marketed as an "alternative" to smoking.
You see, when the smoke clears, the vapor wins hands down. I am not asking you to believe me, but rather the public, because they are smart and see right through the propaganda. The reason I say this? They are not buying the FDA's story, but they are buying e cigarettes by the tens of thousands
President Obama has proposed to Congress a universal health care plan. However, we need to fix the health care system as well.
As a patient and a former employee (I used to work at a famous hospital on
Long Island) of the health care system - I have first-hand knowledge on how
the care system works in America. Close to 100,000 people die each year in hospitals due to medical errors.
The hospital I worked at had too much administrative waste. There was endless paperwork in processing patient information. Many of the positions, especially in the
Non-medical areas were filled through nepotism. Many of the supervisors and mid-level manager at this hospital were mostly concerned about how they impressed top administrators – CYA was (and probably still is) the major activity.
A question I would like to ask the general public, particularly doctors - How come doctors never challenge other doctors?
Right after I graduated college I was “confused,” doing drugs, and getting into trouble; so my parents sent me to a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist said I was “mentally ill” and he sent me to neurologist for tests. (Our family doctor stated at first I did not need any tests, and then he changed his mind.) The neurologist examined my brain and said I was fine. I just needed to “grow up.”
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