Health Buzz: Senate Approves SCHIP and Other Health News
Reader Comments
disappointed
The concept of this program is worthy but the implementation is very questionable. Tax on cigarettes, ok, but the number of smokers is declining. Estimates are that in order to fund this there would have to be an increase of over 22mil new smokers. Then there is $73mil in new bailout bill to fund anitismoking campaign. From the getgo this will be underfunded which will mean another tax somewhere else. Would have served the American people much better to take a good program like this and fund it properly.
SCHIP
You mean to tell me that You really beleive SMokers are more of a HEALTH Burden then ALCOHOLICS ? You are Really telling me That Smokers are causing People to DIE even if they Dont SMOKE ???????? And are you Telling me That BOOZE gets away with no EXTRA TAX ?
WHAT A CROCK OF SHIT..........You better Read what BOOZE DOES,WHo it Kills,Maims,Rapes,Causes in Bothe MEDICAL COSTS,Court Cost,Insurance Claims for DRUNK DRIVING.Now anyone who doubts that Smokers Cause more problems then Booze then you all need to go back to SCHOOL...................Stop Discrimnating Against the SMOKERS,They Yes they May only Harm Themselves,Where Booze,DRUNKS Kill and so on and so on and so on.....It Rots the Liver,Kidneys,Spleen,Brain,Pancreas,It Causes people to Beat their Spouses,and Kids,They are IGNORANT IDIOTIC SLOBS,They are a Greater danger to SOCIETYS All over this World and YOU ALL CONDONE the REAL KILLER...................
goverment waste
SCHIP is a good idea but poorly run. Billions of dollars of waste. Many children's parents are able to get healthcare thru their employers but it costs them money. Why not have the government pay the employers the parents cost, it will be much cheaper than having the government pay all the cost.
For the People
We need a healthcare system that is completely tax-payer funded with absolutely no profit motive. The profit motive of insurance companies is the reason we currently pay such high premiums and receive such poor service. Aside from food and shelter, what is more important than medicine?
Thomas Jefferson said something that has become exceedingly relevant to these times we live in: "I hope we shall crush in its birth the aristocracy of our monied corporations which dare already to challenge our government to a trial by strength, and bid defiance to the laws of our country."
I say this country belongs to the People, not the corporations and now is the time to put them in check.
child health care
yes all medical programs need to be more responsiable all of our health issues should be computerized to help in Crisses like Katrina and our children should certainly be entitled to health care all of them.. all hospitals should be none profit and as just like the bill now up for salaries of big CEO on Wall St .<<<<.no one should make more than the President >>>>..not hospital CEO DRug saleman or their CEO ..then they would have more money for research and actual care of the sick and terminal ill..Heck they might even find a cure for something then ... the last was Polio in the 50,s .. all Meds need to be made in the U S A not India then we might have some idea of what we are taking ...no members of the goverment should be allowed to invest in anything that has to do with Health care in any form ...no insurance CEO should make huge proffits off not approving needed operations if they refuse them they should be called to count for this... a DR would not say they were need if they were not needed our heath care is our of control and they need to answer for it just as the CEO on Wall st ...if you would just open you eyes and watch Sicko then you would understand why I AM SAYING THIS OF COURSE IF YOU LIVE IN AN city like mine they even refussed to show it on the movies or on DVD ....All other major countries offer free health care paid for with minimal taxes not like we pay for here for nothing ... we are taxed to dealth and for nothing to show for it but more taxes out ...kid need to be educated they need college degrees but they can not afford or they pay for it the rest of their lives just to become a nurse or Dr if we are going to pay all these TAXES should it not be for the right things not to just make the rich richer and use all beggers seem like we are in the DARK AGES to me yet is that not why we came to this county in the fist place
Hurting small businesses
The SCHIP bill passed by the Sneate may raise the cigarette tax but it also raises the tax on Roll Your Own (RYO)tobacco from $1.19 per pound to a staggering $26.00! This will only wipe out small manufacturers and retailers who depend on these legal products to survive. People who previously rolled their own cigarettes will now be paying more than they would have paid for an average pack of cigarettes. In other words, they will be forced to return to buying pre-packed cigarettes. Who is behind this part of the bill? None other than the company everyone loves to hate: Philip Morris. Instead of going back to the tobacco well, why doesn't the Senate revoke the Bush tax cuts which only benefitted 2% of the population? This part of the bill was a cynical effort by Philip Morris to tax competitors out of business. Philip Morris is against regulation and taxation for themselves but not their competitors.
women & children first
It's nice to see someone interested in helping women and children first. You know, when a ship is sinking the captain supposedly gives preference to women and children on the life rafts. Bush etal prefer to bail out their buddies on Wall St first. Not exactly gentlemen at all. I think down to earth folks in the USA are recognizing we need to do more genuine good things. Keep up the good work!
RECORD OPPORTUNITY
In the past it’s been difficult for the uninsured, especially children, to receive quality ongoing and follow-up healthcare because there was no previous record of their condition or treatments. Valuable time was wasted gathering basic information, and in some cases essential health histories have been lost. The lack of continuity in treating the uninsured is one of the big problems facing our health system. The SCHIP extension will potentially insure 4 million children, making portable electronic health records more important than ever.
More discussion: www.healthcaretownhall.com
Are 30 year old adults children?
It is my understanding that the expanded SCHIP program is will now cover young adults up to age 30. This hardly meets my view of a child!
SCHIP
A nation is judged by how we take care of our children and our people. Yes, we are our brothers' keepers.
