How would YOUR Candidate's Healthcare Plan have helped Nataline?

[K Gardner]

There are several threads up about this on GD and I just posted one about Mark Geragos taking legal action against CIGNA.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2511427#2511591

My question is this: If all the leading candidate's plans leave these bloodsucking insurance companies smack dab in the picture, how do any of them stop further tragedies like Nataline's? She's certainly not the only victim, just the latest and the most well-publicized right now. I'd also like to ask ALL the "frontrunners" how they view this senseless death of a 17-year-old girl. Have any of them commented?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Yes, it would

Dennis Kucinich's plan would take for-profit insurance companies out of the picture entirely.

[K Gardner]

2. Bingo. Now, can the other candidates say "single payer" ?

[LSK]

3. if Medicare would have covered it

Then Edwards plan would have covered it.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

9. Im Sorry but I dont like that system

Perhaps its a bit selfish as I work for a non-profit Insurance company that puts 90% of its income into paying out claims (the rest to paying employees). I don't like the idea of *banning* either directly or just by choking off Insurance companies. Regulate them more strongly, cap profits whatever but there are insurance companies out there doing it right.

Expand federal programs at helping the un-insured..

As to the bean counters aspect, only someone who has never worked for a government believes they are bereft of them

[K Gardner]

11. Glad to hear there are good ones out there... thanks for responding :-)

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

13. Well it aint perfect

Ive been left high and dry with non-formuluary scripts once or twice (in both cases a DR said I needed it then the insurance company covered it but the delay stunk.

Still I have had more problems with the DMV in my life than my insurance company, now I have never had to go through what this Girl did and the folks running that agency need to be strung up..

[maximusveritas]

4. Would the government be any better?

Here's the argument Edwards made:
"Do you think the American people want the same people who responded to Hurricane Katrina to run their health-care system?"

[K Gardner]

6. Get your facts straight. Single payer doesn't RUN the health care system.

The hospitals continue to run the same way they always run. They just get PAID by a single source. I'm not going to respond to any further false-logic arguments about "socialized medicine". There are dozens of threads up already about that myth. Please watch SICKO or do some research and then get back to us.

[maximusveritas]

12. Yes, and when you're paying, you're basically running the system

Just because you have a single payer doesn't mean that everyone is going to get the care they need. They may not be concerned about profits, but they'll be concerned about saving the taxpayer's money.

Anyway, there's no need to blow a gasket. I have watched Sicko and I didn't even say Edwards is right. It's just an argument that's out there and it's one that must be dealt with.

[DadOf2LittleAngels]

10. Spot on!

Im still leaning Obama but Edwards is pretty cool too!

[LSK]

14. no, I want the people who ran FEMA in 90s to run Healthcare

There is your counter argument.

[zalinda]

5. Edwards plan says that the doctors

have the final say on what the course of treatment is, and will cover it.

zalinda

[K Gardner]

7. OK.. now that's a coherent argument. Thanks Zalinda :-)

Very good point about Edward's plan !

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. As does Kucinich

And both are right. Insurance companies have no business making medical decisions.