What's the Rush? Almost 5 Million Lose Insurance in 9 Months

[one...two...tree 2,762]

...nearly 5 million adult Americans lost they're health insurance since September. Sam Stein reports on the survey.

[sixteen] percent of Americans over the age of 18 are currently without health insurance. That number reflects what the survey's authors describe as a "small but measurable uptick in the percentage of uninsured adults."

Indeed, the average number of uninsured adults recorded by Gallup in 2008 was 14.8 percent. In September 2008, the monthly total recorded was at a yearly low of 13.9 percent.

While the difference in percentage may seem small, the aggregate number of additional uninsured is vast.

According to 2007 U.S. Census data, the population of those 18 years or older stood at 228,196,823. By using that figure, in September of 2008, the number of uninsured adults would have totaled approximately 31.7 million. Today, the figure stands at 36.5 million -- meaning that 4.8 million adults have, in less than a year, lost their insurance coverage.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/121820/One-Six-...-Insurance.aspx

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

South 19.7%

...

East 10.5%

That's it, I no longer support health reform.

[GaryC 7]

I asked this before, why rush it? Why push through something by August without thinking it through? How can congress come up with something so quickly? It seems that if they want to get it right they need to slow down and really draw on all points of view and do it right. Doing something quickly does not mean it is done right. This is thinking with your heart rather than your head if we rush through it to "help" people without insurance. You will not be helping them, rather you (those that want to rush) will be hurting everyone and spoiling the one chance you had to get what you wanted in the first place.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Just terrible.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I asked this before, why rush it? Why push through something by August without thinking it through? How can congress come up with something so quickly? It seems that if they want to get it right they need to slow down and really draw on all points of view and do it right. Doing something quickly does not mean it is done right. This is thinking with your heart rather than your head if we rush through it to "help" people without insurance. You will not be helping them, rather you (those that want to rush) will be hurting everyone and spoiling the one chance you had to get what you wanted in the first place.

Thinking it through

People have been thinking about this problem for decades, dude.

[GaryC 7]

I asked this before, why rush it? Why push through something by August without thinking it through? How can congress come up with something so quickly? It seems that if they want to get it right they need to slow down and really draw on all points of view and do it right. Doing something quickly does not mean it is done right. This is thinking with your heart rather than your head if we rush through it to "help" people without insurance. You will not be helping them, rather you (those that want to rush) will be hurting everyone and spoiling the one chance you had to get what you wanted in the first place.

Thinking it through

People have been thinking about this problem for decades, dude.

The bill is over 1000 pages long. How many congress members do you think have read it?

[KarenCee 3]

You mean they actually have to READ? Oh lord, talk about mind blowing....

[GaryC 7]

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

[Peikko 1,575]

Do you honestly believe that is what would happen Gary? I sadly agree with BD when he said that the way government works, if it's not done now, it will not get done this presidential cycle - something a lot of Republicans would like, so we get all this bullshit grandstanding. I agree with you incidentally, but I also don't think that waiting would equal doing it right, it would equal doing more nothing.

[cdneh 3,112]

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

And of course none of the congressmen have to opt out of their own private health care. They are exempt. If they don't want to be in the boat with the rest of us...you hafta wonder why.

[GaryC 7]

Do you honestly believe that is what would happen Gary? I sadly agree with BD when he said that the way government works, if it's not done now, it will not get done this presidential cycle - something a lot of Republicans would like, so we get all this bullshit grandstanding. I agree with you incidentally, but I also don't think that waiting would equal doing it right, it would equal doing more nothing.

All I have to go by is the performance of other bills that were rushed through. Are you really happy with the stimulus bill? What you are saying is that you would rather have a bad bill than what we have now. It is safe to say that I strongly disagree. This is to important and to far reaching to rush it through just to say you did it.

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

And of course none of the congressmen have to opt out of their own private health care. They are exempt. If they don't want to be in the boat with the rest of us...you hafta wonder why.

Which by the way isn't a government run system. It is private insurance paid for by the taxpayers.

[cdneh 3,112]

Do you honestly believe that is what would happen Gary? I sadly agree with BD when he said that the way government works, if it's not done now, it will not get done this presidential cycle - something a lot of Republicans would like, so we get all this bullshit grandstanding. I agree with you incidentally, but I also don't think that waiting would equal doing it right, it would equal doing more nothing.

All I have to go by is the performance of other bills that were rushed through. Are you really happy with the stimulus bill? What you are saying is that you would rather have a bad bill than what we have now. It is safe to say that I strongly disagree. This is to important and to far reaching to rush it through just to say you did it.

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

And of course none of the congressmen have to opt out of their own private health care. They are exempt. If they don't want to be in the boat with the rest of us...you hafta wonder why.

Which by the way isn't a government run system. It is private insurance paid for by the taxpayers.

Exactly. YOU are going to be allowed to have private health care though.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

And of course none of the congressmen have to opt out of their own private health care. They are exempt. If they don't want to be in the boat with the rest of us...you hafta wonder why.

Not only will Congress and other exempt federal officials maintain choice and their gold-standard health care, so will the lowest federal employee. Only those in the private sector or those self-employed could be forced under government control.

[rebeccajo 14]

Which by the way isn't a government run system. It is private insurance paid for by the taxpayers.

Paid for by the tax dollars.

Which is exactly what a single payer system would be...........

http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/dynamic/offs...opm.gov/insure/

Generally, as a Federal employee, you share the cost of your health benefits premium with the Government. Please check our Premiums page for more information . You can also find premiums in your health plan brochure and the Guide to Federal Benefits. In addition to the health plan's premium, you may have to pay deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance.

The FEHB Handbook has additional information on how the Government's share is calculated. For most employees, the Government contribution equals the lesser of:

a) 72 percent of the overall weighted average; or

B) 75 percent of the total premium for the plan you select.

The amount you pay is the balance. That is, the difference between the total premium and the government contribution for your health plan. If you are enrolled in a health plan that has premiums above the average, the premium balance for you to pay will be higher.

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

And of course none of the congressmen have to opt out of their own private health care. They are exempt. If they don't want to be in the boat with the rest of us...you hafta wonder why.

Not only will Congress and other exempt federal officials maintain choice and their gold-standard health care, so will the lowest federal employee. Only those in the private sector or those self-employed could be forced under government control.

How is having the ability to go to the Doctor being under government control? If the government wanted to control you, they already have the ability. They have your Social Security number which these days means they can track just about all of your personal business. They know your income because you file a tax return. They know where you live because you file a tax return. To imply that the government will 'control' me if they decide to implement some form of universal coverage is just mindless bunk.

Edited July 23, 2009 by rebeccajo

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Which by the way isn't a government run system. It is private insurance paid for by the taxpayers.

Paid for by the tax dollars.

Which is exactly what a single payer system would be...........

http://usgovinfo.about.com/gi/dynamic/offs...opm.gov/insure/

Generally, as a Federal employee, you share the cost of your health benefits premium with the Government. Please check our Premiums page for more information . You can also find premiums in your health plan brochure and the Guide to Federal Benefits. In addition to the health plan's premium, you may have to pay deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance.

The FEHB Handbook has additional information on how the Government's share is calculated. For most employees, the Government contribution equals the lesser of:

a) 72 percent of the overall weighted average; or

B) 75 percent of the total premium for the plan you select.

The amount you pay is the balance. That is, the difference between the total premium and the government contribution for your health plan. If you are enrolled in a health plan that has premiums above the average, the premium balance for you to pay will be higher.

Which is better, doing it fast or doing it right? This is something that all of us will have to live with for the rest of our lives. I for one would like to see them take their time and do it right.

And of course none of the congressmen have to opt out of their own private health care. They are exempt. If they don't want to be in the boat with the rest of us...you hafta wonder why.

Not only will Congress and other exempt federal officials maintain choice and their gold-standard health care, so will the lowest federal employee. Only those in the private sector or those self-employed could be forced under government control.

How is having the ability to go to the Doctor being under government control?

I don't have medical insurance, and I go to the doctor when needed. Why is the government needed for that? If not having heath insurance was so fatal, there would be dead illegals all over the streets.

There aren't.