Deseret News | Reader comments: Hatch frustrated with Democratic proposals on health-care reform

Reader comments
Hatch frustrated with Democratic proposals on health-care reform

CITIZEN | 4:56 p.m. June 19, 2009

Hey Bennett,hatch,why don't you two clowns take a walk into the sunset and let someone takeover that knows what the heck is going on!!

Realistic Citizen | 5:17 p.m. June 19, 2009

How can any of us look at what BHO is doing and think it could possibly be good for the country and our freedom's? The gov't now or will soon control Auto's, Insurance, Banks, Health Care (medications), and the Unions. Has anyone ever looked at how Hitler took over Germany by promising jobs, health care, etc. and soon controlled the banking, health care, and auto industry and plunged Germany into it's darkest time....hmmm, people, pull your heads out before it's too late!

desperate | 5:23 p.m. June 19, 2009

I have health insurance and always had. I have medical bills that I can't afford to pay. This is proof that the system is messed up. This is a situation that anyone can find themselves in. If a governmnet run health care system puts private insurers out of business, I say good riddance.

Comments continue below

Ultra Bob | 5:55 p.m. June 19, 2009

It is taken as a very good sign when the republicans complain about what Obama is doing.

There are many of us hoping and probably some of us praying that Obama will not let the evil forces eliminate the government health care. The need is so great.

Bill Watson | 7:22 p.m. June 19, 2009

Health care reform must be paid for.

The cheapest way to collect the money is through a national sales tax not by forcing people and companies to purchase questionable insurance to pay for services in a system that has failed so many.

The cheapest, most efficient, best outcome producing, delivery system would be through government owned and operated hospitals and clinics, operated as a civilian VA style system, that would deliver all government funded health care and medications free to everyone choosing to use government care, no restrictions period.

Businesses that choose public care for their employees will have no financial obligations or any other responsibilities concerning health care.

People happy with private care could purchase and keep whatever they choose, unrestricted by government.

Ask OMB; how much this dual choice, public or private system, would save annually, and what stimulus effect would it have upon the US economy, now and forever?

Tab L. Uno | 10:47 p.m. June 19, 2009

It's too bad the Deseret News isn't reporting on the alternative health care ideas that Sen. Hatch is working on in an attempt to obtain a bi-partisan bill through the Senate. While I prefer the Democratic approach, other news outlets are reporting Sen. Hatch isn't sitting still and just being a "just say no" to reform obstructionist. Sen. Hatch's support of a non-profit, co-op alternative health care provider may be worth looking at.

Stenar | 12:59 a.m. June 20, 2009

Sen. Hatch is a nutcake.

Change | 1:44 a.m. June 20, 2009

Change now is needed from Fear Coverage to Care Coverage in Health Industry.

Rememember how the Banks complained when Credit Unions were introduced? Many people benefited from service and loans from credit unions when they were refused them from banks.

The Healthcare system should be changed to Focus on Care instead of Profit.

The government recieves more money from taxes and the Healthcare industry by quantity of Doctor visits instead of Quality of Care.

Keeping people sick is the way of profit in the current system.

To change it the Government needs to take control of it and make it quality focused.

American private industry output (capitalists) will do better when they have more healthy employees able to work than sick employees. Profits can then soar.

Government will have a larger focus on where the money flow does go when it is paying for the system. It will be to their interest to eliminate causes of people getting sick. It will expect quality care for the money.

Greed has stopped this change from happening by payouts to our elected officials from the greedy in the medical industry.

Change Healthcare Now from a profit industry to caring non-profit industry.

Deborah Calvert | 1:56 a.m. June 20, 2009

Demand the return of tens of millions of dollars from large corporations claiming to run nursing homes such as Sun Healthcare Group Inc, from overbilling the Medicare Part D prescription drug program in 2006, according to the gov't's Office of Inspector General.
My mother was killed when known broken equipment they refused to repair harmed her, while under a California state injunction, and she suffered a horrific nine month long death. Then they cheated me out of compensation. I was forced to sue my attorney for malpractice for neglecting to file for wrongful death, elder abuse and pain & suffering, -he died 2 weeks afterward, I won.
SUN also cheated California taxpayers out of millions of dollars in fines violating the injunction would have cost them.

Interest | 4:43 a.m. June 20, 2009

The main interest Hatch has to this bill is that he recieved contributions from the Health and insurance industry for years.

He probably has a lot of investments in this industry which is corrupt and doesnt want to see his investments go out the window.

It is sad when he should be interested for all americans getting quality care, not just the few with money.

Keep government out | 5:05 a.m. June 20, 2009

Anyone who thinks a national health care insurance program is any kind of reform is nuts. Health care costs are the problem, not having insurance. Even with insurance it leaves the door open for the health care monopoly system to charge for services and care for the benefit of investors. Wall street is running health care costs and profiteering off of the sick and dieing who need care, and its not the insurance companies. Insurance only guarantees rising health care costs, and more taxation to pay for it.

Congress should be attacking and regulating the medical industry and get off this useless and costly plan of insurance. Insurance is the least costly part of health care costs as the health care services monopoly continues to financially destroy lives and take peoples lives with their arrogance. The real villain in health care is the providers and drug manufacturers.

Dear Senator Hatch | 7:57 a.m. June 20, 2009

All I hear is "blah blah NO blah NO NO blah blah socialist blah blah.

Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota is the one who's drafted the co-op legislation. I like it!

AIG = health insurance company.
Health co-op = credit union.

Hatch, are you trying to co-opt the co-op?

Ideal World | 8:56 a.m. June 20, 2009

It would be great if everyone had "free" access to top of the line health care. Unfortunately, health care isn't free. Every government run system I'm familiar with is less efficient than a privatized system. The red tape beauracracy hampers efficient decisions & operations and makes things much less competitive. Things cost money and therefore someone needs to pay for the service being provided. Why should the government force me to give my hard earned money to pay for someone elses health care? I think I should be the one that determines how my money is spent. It seems that the problem with our health care system isn't that some choose not to work hard enough to afford it. The problem is the frivilous lawsuits, inefficient government requirements, and inefficient database system that cause high pricing. Get rid of malpractice suits, get rid of stringent procedures that don't actually improve the medical procedure, and standardize the database records for instant access by health providers. Require that care givers publish prices so the public can make informed care decisions that are right for their needs and in a reasonable price tag ball park.

Physcians response | 12:19 p.m. June 20, 2009

The healthcare problem is complex. It includes at least these parts, pharmaceutical costs, insurance costs, ineffectual government regulations and forced cost structures, unlimited lawsuit awards, as well as other aspects attributable to each side (insurance, pharma, government, Public, providers, med education system). Everyone takes only one aspect of these to be the problem when all are involved. For reference, Doctors are paid based on medicare/medicaid reimbursement rates. Meaning the government has said they get the best rates and that insurance companies can only come within a certain percentage on how much they pay. For example(theorectical numbers), you need a strep throat test. It costs the doctor $20 to do, Medicare will only pay $5 and insurance will pay 110% of that so $5.50. The pharm company charges more then the doctor is reimbursed and the government and insurance pays less than cost. Apply that to the whole med system and you can begin to see why costs are so high. Also, remember the pharmaceutical companies and device companies charge US physcians and hospitals the highest rates to suppliment the drugs and devices for the rest of the world (africa gets $1 a day HIV meds.)

desperate | 3:30 p.m. June 20, 2009

Ideal world, you don't have a clue! I am self employed and no matter how much money I make I cannot get the benefits only offered to people with group plans. The government already decides in alot of ways how to spend your hard earned money. Many health insurance companies have maximum payout benifits. Ideal World, I hope you never get cancer like I did then you will see the medical professionals taking all your hard earned money

Re: Change 1:44 | 3:56 p.m. June 20, 2009

Your desire apparently is to have others care for you as you would demand at any time of your choosing. Since only the king has such power, what is it that leads you to believe that changing to a socialist system of health care would extend such care to anyone other than the king?

You are sadly mistaken when considering that any government that uses up 90% of the taxes it receives to pay for operating costs will have anything left to pay for services back to the taxpayers. Just because you and others would like to be taken care of doesn't mean there is enough money in your neighbor's pockets to pay for the government leaches and for your services as well.

Wishful thinking is what keeps the gamblers going back for the prizes and loosing their shirts along with the shirts of their family too. Answers to most personal challenges is self reliance rather than wishing the neighbors would come over and take them away and then sending you the bill which is to be collected by force.

At least with private business, you can choose. With government, you are stuck forever with choices.

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