1.) The government isn’t forcing the pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices. The Companies themselves are saying they can lower the prices. Also, think about all the money wasted on named brand medication. Generic is just as effective any form and a lot cheaper too. These pharmaceutical companies willing to work with the government, to supply more people with cheaper medication, and in turn probably make more money; it’s not like we are sticking a gun in their face.
2.) Premiums. Why the hell are they being raised so god *edited* much? Part of it has to do with the above statement. Some insurance companies will only allow people to get named brand medication, because it’s more expensive. Also it just seems like a vicious cycle. Premiums go up = More people who can’t afford health insurance goes up = more people who need charity cases = more wasted money = rise in premiums. Premiums have gone up over 3 fold compared to raises in minimum wage. When someone has to decide whether to put food on the table or buy medicine for their child, it’s time for *edited*ing reform. People in AMERICA should have the assurance that they will be able to work hard, and provide for their family; without getting screwed over by insurance companies.
3.) Types of plans. For one thing, there is ALOT which can be reformed in this section alone. HMO’s are horrible. And people are dropped all the time because they get sick more than the insurance companies want them too. How can you sit there and defend insurance companies, when hundreds of thousands die every year because they were uninsured, OR RATHER kicked off their insurance plan because the insurance companies found them not profitable. You wanna talk about rationing and prioritizing?
4.) Insurance profits. Okay, yes, they are allowed to make a profit. But how much? And at what expense? At the expense of millions who get sick and die every year without health insurance? *edited* that. Have you seen some of the compensations these insurance giants have been making? Lets take a look at their CEO’s
UnitedHealth CEO
Stephen J. Hemsley
2007 Compensation
$13.2 million
2008 Compensation (Forbes)
$3,241,042
Former Managing Partner and CFO of Arthur Andersen (BusinessWeek)
Total Value of Unexercised Stock Options (Forbes)
$744,232,068
2009 Options Exercise
$127,001,281
Value of Wayzata, Minnesota Home (Hennepin County Assessor)
$6,640,000
And that’s just ONE GUY. ONE PERSON. hmm… we are trying to figure out how to help more people get health insurance, and we have these morons raking in millions with a *edited*ing ‘s’. Now, unless your father is a CEO, why in the flipping world would you believe someone like this? Someone who is just trying to make more money, not provide fair and affordable health insurance.