POV

People weigh in on health care reform via YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cojl68t3CB4

by Simon
June 30, 2009, 9:14 AM

The Real Horror of this Story

The horror of this story is that this outcome (a needless death) is repeated 22,000 times each year in the US only because people lack health insurance. This causes great emotional pain and financial strain for 22,000 families. In addition many more suffer financial ruin, needless suffering and permanent harm or disability. This does not happen in Canada or any other OECD country, only the US.

http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ocga/testimony/Americas_Uninsured_Crisis.asp

by Edward Silha
July 28, 2009, 9:20 PM

Sickening

It is sickening that in our country, we are allowing this to happen. We are in the process of freaking out and giving flu shots to millions in the USA due to Swine Flu but we refuse to give the health care system a shot to cure it, (HR676) when so many people are dying and suffering due to lack of insurance. Sad.

by Stephanie
August 7, 2009, 3:26 PM

Critical Condition on Bill Moyers

I just finished watching this documentary, and am very very upset. WE MUST HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM. Everyone must be covered somehow. If this could be shown on all the news channels, and if all congress watches this, maybe we can pass a decent health reform bill.

by Gail Flackett
August 21, 2009, 10:02 PM

Health Care in America

Selling health care inevitably destroys the altruistic mission of the provider as it destroys the lives of those who cannot pay its price. Bill Moyers stand above the hysterical shouts of the ill informed and the privileged few.

by Marvn Raps
August 21, 2009, 10:24 PM

All Americans Must Watch this Program

For those who doubt the need for health care reform, they need to watch this program. Ignoring it will NOT make it go away. This should not be made apolitical nor patisan issue because ALL Americans will benefit from it.

by George
August 21, 2009, 10:58 PM

A heartbreaking must see

I just watched this on Bill Moyers's Journal this evening. I'm beside myself with grief for these families and for the millions more out there in similar straights. Joe being approved for Medicaid 2 days before he passed just broke my heart.

We have to reform health care in this country NOW! We have to let go of profit and embrace compassion.

If there is any way to know how to get a small donation to these families, I would greatly appreciate hearing how.

by Jen
August 22, 2009, 1:15 AM

This is Why we Need Healthcare Reform Now...and with an option...the insurance companies are a profit organization, they truly are out for profit and thats it...This cannot go on....There must be reform and it must be this year. Back your President..you elected him to do a job...now help him get it done.

by Carol Stanton
August 22, 2009, 1:43 AM

Help Us Spread The Word

Please provide the video and a way to embed it on our websites and blogs.

Help us make this as easy as possible for people to watch.

I saw this documentary last year when it first came out. I was horrified and I think of it often.

People NEED to see this, help us spread the word!!

by greenInOC
August 22, 2009, 2:30 PM

Who's Paying?

It would be fantastic to help everyone who didn't have the means to pay for this whether they had minimal insurance or none. The BIG question is WHO is going to pay for this?
I have had insurance all my life (hmo) and Jan 09 my co pay was doubled as well as prescriptions increasing on formulary medicines. Who do you think had to find a way to pay for that? ME. I was going to the doctor previously averaging about 4 times a month. Now I cannot go as often as I need to because of the expense. In addition to other problems I wonder if I'm going to make it through the end of the day or not (due to chronic asthma) most times thinking I don't care if I don't make it.
These health organizations (hmo's) should be ripped up and restructured imposing maximum increase limits (such as rent increases) and only after the government has made provisions to cover the increases.

If nobody has money to pay for insurance then who should pay?
If you don't have a job should welfare cover you and your family indefinely?
What about all the illegals coming here daily? Should they be included?
Who based on their inability to pay should be excluded from receiving medical help?
How much treatment should they be allowed...unlimited?

by R Arroyo
August 23, 2009, 2:55 PM

Critical Condition

2 days ago I sent an email to my representative against a government option in health care reform citing that people will feel an "entitled" to the benefits instead of working for them. After watching this documentary, I sent an email to that same representative informing him I had changed my mind. The look on that man's face when he said "I'm finished" will never leave my mind. People will take advantage of the system as they always do, but NO ONE should ever have to say "I'm finished" and give up like that without the tools to fight. I feel ignorant for my previous beliefs.

by Sam
August 24, 2009, 12:24 PM

There But For Fortune

It's easy to criticize the homeless when you have a roof over your head, or the unemployed while you have a job and the sick when your have healthcare. Just remember: the only difference between "them" and "us" is in, many cases, one pay check, one mortgage default or one serious illness away.

If you think you are somehow better or more deserving than these victims of our broken health system, think again. Act now. Write your congressman or woman. Demonstrate. Organize. Mobilize. Let's get this done.

by Art
August 31, 2009, 10:41 PM

We do not have the answer only questions but believe as a country if we will just sit down and communicate we can resolve this issue which MUST be addressed now. WE have watched our rates go up and coverage go down. We are very lucky to have a Dr. who works with us or we could be like some of the people in the film. Wake up America the Health care system is broke and we must fix it now.

by Jim & Dorothy Berry from Rock Hill, sc
September 23, 2009, 8:33 PM

Critical Condition

This was a tremendously intense film! I cried throughout the entire documentary. This was a great illustration of how broken our health care system is. It is not something that I think about everyday, but since seeing this film, I will. I am a registered nurse and this definitely sends out a strong message of how health care is rationed in this country. It is a heartbreaking situation and I am heartbroken for the people that have illnesses that cannot access the health care they deserve.
Thank you for making this film. It should be watched by all Americans to give everyone a realistic view of what really is going on in this country right now. It is hard to believe that the government is allowing this to happen. Shame on them.

by Tracey Driggers from charleston, sc
September 24, 2009, 9:42 PM

amazing...

Have people forgotten how insurance works? People voluntarily pay a company small amounts so that in the unlikely event of an accident, they won't have to sell their house. Is it sad when people with pre existing conditions are turned down? Yes.

But how are insurance companies supposed to stay afloat when people come to them with potentially millions of dollars worth of medical needs and expect them to foot the bill for $40/month? When you force insurance companies to cover anyone that comes to their door, it destroys the whole purpose of insurance.

That would be like waiting until you got into a car accident before deciding to buy insurance. No company can afford that.

Everyone seems to be confusing businesses with charities. The family with the daughter with all the problems ... yes that is incredibly sad. But they need charity and everyone is calling these insurance companies evil because they don't want to be incredibly charitable. THATS MADNESS!

Medical care is NOT a right either. People spend thousands of dollars and decades of work to become doctors. You cannot point guns at them or steal from other people on the claim that health care is deserved. It is a LUXURY.

by ben from chicago, IL
September 30, 2009, 12:04 PM

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/64677772.html

by Jessica Lee from New York, NY
October 19, 2009, 5:30 PM

About the post by Ben from Chicago: People pay small amounts to insurance companies... Are you kidding me? Do you even know how much premiums are, do you even know that 47 million American people can't afford health insurance because it is so freaking expensive or because insurance companies will not cover them because of some kind of condition. Insurance companies and health care are incompatible.

This comment has been edited by the moderator for content.

by Irina
October 24, 2009, 1:14 PM

Insurance costs more and more each year, for less and less coverage, at a rate far exceeding inflation. That is the only real problem. How long can that go on?

We are leading ourselves into the socialized medical "solution" by our collective actions--the idea that health care should be "free."

Look at what "R Arroyo " said in comments upthread. He complains that his copay doubled and that he cannot go the the doctor 4 times per month any more. He is upset because he has to pay for a service. He neglects to realize that he is already paying upwards of $10,000 to the insurance company each year, except that his employer "pays" for it for him. If he expects to get "free" coverage then he cannot expect the premiums to be low. But because he doesn't pay the premiums, he keys in on his copay. That's all he cares about, because the coverage is "pennies from heaven." There is the crux of the problem. We have hugely bloated insurance policies for most working people. That money pays for all the stupid inflationary tendencies.

If insurance where truly insurance, rather than "I want free health care" then maybe the rates would be reasonable! Maybe not. Maybe the whole business model of hospitals is out of whack.

I must say, I pay $10,000 per year for insurance which does not pay a nickel out until I have spend another $10,000. To get the kind of insurance that makes going to the doctor "free" would cost me $24,000 per year. If more people bothered to look at the details, we might be better off.

by Bill from Madison, CT
November 12, 2009, 11:48 AM

Insurance costs more and more each year, for less and less coverage, at a rate far exceeding inflation. That is the only real problem. How long can that go on?

We are leading ourselves into the socialized medical "solution" by our collective actions--the idea that health care should be "free."

Look at what "R Arroyo " said in comments upthread. He complains that his copay doubled and that he cannot go the the doctor 4 times per month any more. He is upset because he has to pay for a service. He neglects to realize that he is already paying upwards of $10,000 to the insurance company each year, except that his employer "pays" for it for him. If he expects to get "free" coverage then he cannot expect the premiums to be low. But because he doesn't pay the premiums, he keys in on his copay. That's all he cares about, because the coverage is "pennies from heaven." There is the crux of the problem. We have hugely bloated insurance policies for most working people. That money pays for all the stupid inflationary tendencies.

If insurance where truly insurance, rather than "I want free health care" then maybe the rates would be reasonable! Maybe not. Maybe the whole business model of hospitals is out of whack.

I must say, I pay $10,000 per year for insurance which does not pay a nickel out until I have spend another $10,000. To get the kind of insurance that makes going to the doctor "free" would cost me $24,000 per year. If more people bothered to look at the details, we might be better off.

by Bill from Madison, CT
November 12, 2009, 11:48 AM