Do you believe McCain's advisor about healthcare?

Question

He said there basically are NO uninsured Americans. All you need to do is go to an emergency room. do you agree?

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/08/28/politics/horserace/entry4391954.shtml

Answer 1

mclaine got bush's advisors since they needed a job

Answer 2

Yes it is true tyhe ones who truly need the health care are already covered ojn other gouverment progams now look at who's uninshured people who make alot of money nut don't buy the insurance and illgeals.....

Answer 3

Now that's republican politics for you. Rather than help people get health coverage, lets just change the definition.

Perhaps once elected McCain will change his definition of rich from those making $5 million to everyone with clothes on, voila', poverty solved, everyone is now rich!

Answer 4

McCain sucks. He should just give up.

Answer 5

For the record, McCain's health care plan does focus on tax code reform to try to expand consumer choices beyond typical employer-based insurance coverage and government-sponsored insurance like Medicaid, rather than simply re-label people.

A huge disclaimer at the end with regards to the comparison to McCain's plan.  As far as the emergency room goes, the law requires them to get treatment, so technically the "former" advisor was not wrong.

Answer 6

That was one of the dumbest things I have ever read in my life. Health insurance=coverage for you when you get sick so you don't get stuck with a huge bill. Does this jackass Goodman have any idea how much it costs somebody to go to the emergency room if they don't have insurance. Just because the emergency room is available does not mean that everybody has insurance. It just means that everybody can get health care. At what cost though? Insurance companies would pay less for the same service then somebody paying out of pocket (because hospitals and medical providers accept allowed amounts as payments, or they accept assignment). Sometimes the cost to the person who pays out of pocket can be more than double the cost that the insurance would pay. The problem is not that they can't be seen the problem is that they then get footed with bills that they can't afford to pay which creates a giant cycle of debt. The current system also prevents them from getting preventative care because of the enormous cost of doctors visits (especially if you don't have insurance).  

Answer 7

Scary.

Answer 8

If this were true someone better tell all the people who have went bankrupt from medical bills. If a person goes to a hospital they were probably be looked out but that doesn't mean the Dr's are not going to sent them bills. This is the party of the clueless. I can't figure out how much is ignorance & how much is just mean.

Answer 9

I agree that he is correct, but it is a f*cked up system that needs to be fixed.

McCain's solution isn't a solution at all, since people with pre-existing conditions like cancer (see McCain) would still not be able to afford health care coverage at a reasonable rate.

McCain is lucky he is a Senator, he'll have coverage for the rest of his life, but ordinary joes will be S**t out of luck.

Answer 10

As far as I know that statement is inaccurate.  The government requires all emergency departments to provide treatment for medical emergencies, but the hospitals aren't compensated by the government, and if a patient is sick but doesn't have a medical emergency he or she isn't guaranteed treatment.  If the patient has a medical emergency he'll get treated, and if he's uninsured he'll get a large bill in the mail.

I don't know if this is a widespread trend, but there have been some cases of hospitals in poorer areas shutting down their emergency departments altogether because they simply can't afford to treat people who can't pay.

I'm surprised that someone who writes regularly on healthcare issues would make such a basic mistake.

Answer 11

The propaganda surrounding the healthcare issue is overwhelming.I am starting to doubt the integrity of John McCain. In 2000 he came across as a maverick. Now he seems to want the presidency so bad that he just repeats this, and every other party line.John Goodman should be ashamed of himself for equating a trip to the emergency room with preventative medicine.

Interesting that Texas has almost a 25% rate of uninsured, and most of our worst elected officials have ties to Texas.

Answer 12

its shameful we have this old man running around tell us to go to the emergency room. would he send his kids if they didn't have the best insurance in the country.

Answer 13

idkk

Answer 14

It might be hard, because the illegals have taken up the resources at the emergency rooms. In order to make sure you get treated, you may have to say that your name is "Pepe'" and maybe wear a sombrero with a moustache disguise.

Answer 15

I agree that this is scarey.  While factually speaking, anyone who presents to an ER cannot be refused treatment, what about preventative care?  In so many cases, preventative care would eliminate the need for ER trips!  Although I do not support the national health care program supported by Obama, I do agree that the health care in this country is in serious jeapordy and needs to be revamped.

Answer 16

Agreed.  So how to you suppose we pay for all of those uninsured people?

Answer 17

the key is preventative care... an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure, I thin is the old saying...

Emergency room visits are really expensive.. and usually, if you can't afford insurance, you can't afford the ER.... so the cost is absorbed by the hospital and the prices of everything else goes up...

it's just another example of why our system is broken and why the prices are so ridiculously high...

but if preventative care was more accessible in more clinics... you would see fewer trips to the ER saving the system... and you and me... billions...

Answer 18

No, because all McCain and his advisers are liars, and neocons, controlled by the pharmaceuticals and insurance agencies. His candidacy is areal threat to uninsured and under insured persons.These benefits could easily be paid for by taxing the rich more and cut or eliminate war time spending

Answer 19

no, i don't believe him.  

emergency rooms are for emergencies.. not the sniffles or a sore muscle or what ever else you go to a general practitioner for.  

when you can't pay..  the cost for everyone else is driven UP and the attending er doctors are all balled up with non-emergencies when something serious actually does come in.

John Goodman is president of the National Center for Policy Analysis.

The NCPA is a conservative (or right wing) think tank. ... "to develop and promote private alternatives ... relying on the strength of the competitive, entrepreneurial private sector."

basically helping the rich get richer... yet again.

other tidbits on this policy group...

"generally skeptical of the anthroprogenic global warming theory"

"undertaken to debunk claims of Peak Oil."