Obama launhes Marxist style attack on insurance companies.

[sofia]

This is really unprecedented. An American president bashing an entire industry.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/33355629

[sevin]

"Every time we get close to passing reform, the insurance companies produce these phony studies as a prescription and say, 'Take one of these, and call us in a decade.' Well, not this time," Obama said.

Phony study? I thought all they said was that if people aren't forced to pay higher penalties for not getting healthcare, they'll just pay the small penalty and wait until they get sick to get healthcare, thereby driving up the cost of health insurance. That's not a phony study, it's just common sense.

[YumYum]

This is really unprecedented. An American president bashing an entire industry.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/33355629

How do you feel about mandatory car insurance?

[JeNNiF00F00]

How do you feel about mandatory car insurance?

Waste of money. Have been in 1 wreck since in over 15 years and the insurance company was never called to take care of it.

[sofia]

How do you feel about mandatory car insurance?

i'm ok with it.

only because I should be made whole if someone else causes the accident....This is different than mandatory health insurance because with cars, my lack of insurance can hurt other drivers...

i think it should be state - by -state issue

[YumYum]

Waste of money. Have been in 1 wreck since in over 15 years and the insurance company was never called to take care of it.

I agree. Insurance companies charge too much. That is why Obama attacked them.

[Vessol]

What's funny is that the insurance companies are backing Obama's plan.

[sofia]

I agree. Insurance companies charge too much. That is why Obama attacked them.

insurance companies actually have very low profit margins...

high cost of insurance is due to government regs and ambulance chasers

[ClayTrainor]

I agree. Insurance companies charge too much. That is why Obama attacked them.

So, you support Obama in this action?

[YumYum]

So, you support Obama in this action?


No, but I don't like insurance companies, and I especially don't like mandatory insurance.

[hugolp]

Obama is playing the FDR game.

Behing the curtains he is in bed with the big companies, but in his public declarations he just acuse them of being greedy. He is trying to appear like he supports people when he is betraying them, just like FDR.

[catdd]

Someone needs to launch a free market attack on the insurance companies. Seriously.
The liberals are saying that we oppose Obama's health care because we're in bed with the insurance companies.
We need to launch a massive free market campaign against them.

[james1906]

i'm ok with it.

only because I should be made whole if someone else causes the accident....This is different than mandatory health insurance because with cars, my lack of insurance can hurt other drivers...

i think it should be state - by -state issue

Of course those of us who live where illegals are a dime a dozen have to pay twice because of the uninsured motorist premium we need to get. Luckily I had so I got paid after an illegal rear ended me. The police never bothered to show up, but at least Progressive paid me.

[Dunedain]

It's a ruse. If he didn't attack insurance companies then his plan to nationalize the entire health care industry would have no basis. And the republicans might ask questions like "Why are only specifically LEGAL residents mandated to buy health insurance?" under the majority of the plans being proposed?

The insurance companies will most likely end up benefiting. Here's why: most of the medicare claims that are processed and down by the insurance companies and they charge a fee for doing so. If they try to same thing with a public option then insurance companies would make money on the claims but not be responsible for reimbursing the members. Plus they have a captive pubic that MUST buy insurance. 50 million welfare recipients would become paying customers (through uncle sam) to the big insurers at no cost to them.

[akforme]

This is like JP morgan complaining about the creation of the fed 95 years ago. The whole purpose of the bill is to force people to get insurance, it's written by the insurance companies. If you have 45 million un-insured it's easier to force them to use you than to do it in a free market. Obama is just playing the brainfuck game so his flock think he's fighting for them.

[Imperial]

It isn't unprecedented to attack a whole industry. And it isn't necessarily Marxist.

TR attacked the meat-packing industry after the release of The Jungle, Wilson attacked the banking industry, and I am sure there are more.

[Sarge]

Who is being deceptive and dishonest here. The person who said we would have transparency and be able to read a bill before it is voted on. The kettle person who reneged on that promise is now calling the pot black.

Bet the final draft never gets shown before it is voted on. Heck they will not even read it themselves so they can say don't blame me for that.

Me thinks he needs to get some credibility before he attacks others.

People buy his propaganda?

Wait until the see the list of things they are going to be taxed on. Almost every piece of medical equipment for your body or otherwise. That in addition to the higher premiums you will all pay.

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/10/07/a-new-mommy-tax-in-obamacare-shows-pitfalls/

[ClayTrainor]

No, but I don't like insurance companies, and I especially don't like mandatory insurance.

Yup... they are just an extended arm of the government at this point...

[Sarge]

A couple of reads. It looks like some don't get taxed the same as others,

http://radioviceonline.com/the-baucus-bill-pork/

Trying to help Harry Reid win. Stick the other states to help Harry. Nevada needs to call this one out in the papers.

http://radioviceonline.com/baucus-health-bill-riots-in-the-streets/

[FSP-Rebel]

How do you feel about mandatory car insurance?
We have no mandatory car insurance here in NH and our prices are much lower than where I used to live. And, we don't have a crisis of people getting in accidents and not paying to make people whole.

[FindLiberty]

Freedom is the TOTAL solution to all of this BS about health-care and health (or car) insurance. (Liberty can cure a whole bunch of other problems too.)

Compare this to, and think of, the successful Computer Hardware / Computer Software industry; It doesn't take long before the quality goes up and the prices come down due to market demand and from healthy, free-market competition. It's all done without regulation, licensing laws, insurance and empty promises to, "provide PCs and technical software support for those that can't afford to pay on their own".

+++

For starters, I want to be able to look for (or even to become) the street "doctor" with the biggest bone in their nose, if that's what I choose to pursue.

Maybe I'll only charge you a couple chicken eggs or quart of milk in exchange for* my little dance with funny feathered head dress invoked to cure your appendicitis. You'll only pay if cured. (see below)*

It won't take long before the best options at the lowest cost become the popular choice. Those with the bone in the nose would be left to dispense anti-biotics to people that can't afford to buy 'em at the grocery store where it's priced like a bottle of asprin. What ever happened to the town's local blacksmith that could always be counted on to set bones and pull teeth? (The AMA drove 'em out of town with a verbal, Marxist style attack?)

*Or, if you want, I'll use my trusty pocket knife (morphine optional at a slight additional charge) and some dental floss to really get the job done 'cause maybe you don't want (or can't afford to pay for) THIS...
YouTube - 3D MEDICAL ANIMATION- Laparoscopic Appendectomy Surgery (App (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAppEy9Umcg) .

[Dunedain]

Obama is wanting to role back all the consumer driven health initiatives the big insurance companies have going. If anything could drive down the cost of health care, free market competition via consumer driven health would.

[BlackTerrel]

There are certain people that are easy to attack - "insurance companies", "the media", spoiled celebrities and athletes". Smart politics, but doesn't always mean it's the right thing to do.

[angelatc]

http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2009/10/obama-administration-continuing-to-use.html

Obama administration continuing to use false numbers about how concentrated the insurance industry is

Here's a good commentary on it, complete with graphs.