Keep health reform moving
Submitted by seachange on Sun, 2008-07-06 23:34.
Boston Globe Editorial, June 19, 2008 In July 2006, US Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt praised the Massachusetts health insurance plan as a national model. He was in Boston then to announce the extension of the special Medicaid funding that enabled Massachusetts to expand coverage to nearly everyone. Leavitt needs to quickly extend this money, which is available through a waiver of Medicare rules, so that the state's landmark initiative can continue. Governor Patrick is meeting with Leavitt tomorrow to discuss renewal of the waiver, which expires June 30. ... Keep
Great Disservice
The Boston Globe does great disservice to its readers and to the world when it publishes such blatant propaganda as is contained in this editorial.
This "report" was actually based on an automated telephone survey (land-lines only) of only 2,938 pre-selected respondents. Reminiscent of the first bogus "study" that was the justification for the mess in the first place, this is even more stilted.
The media also fail to tell the truth about the fact that 71% of those commercially insured through Commonwealth Care are fully subsidized and 17% are very highly supported by tax payer's money. If these facts were to be clearly reported, would people still believe that the Massachusetts "reform" is a success? How could the feds justify this new entitlement?
Also unreported are the tens of thousands who simply can not afford mandated insurance and so are faced with equally unaffordable tax penalties. Inability to pay equates to tax evasion and allows for all available enforcement mechanisms, such as interest accrual, property seizure and maybe even imprisonment.
Mr. Leavitt's comment, "Mistakes are going to be made" is no comfort to those who must pay the price now. - Beth Vance
More Than Disturbing
I find it more than disturbing that the Globe would print an endorsement of the Massachusetts Mandate on June 19th, the very day, they knew - were actually notified - of the National Day of Protest in eighteen different cities!! A public plea to Leavitt in DC to give up more money to keep this "type of reform" going. The same editorial staff who criticized Bush for digging his heels in on the war are insisting that we let the Massachusetts legislature do the same with health care reform. Affordability never even gets mentioned anymore ... just how much more needs subsidized. Quoting a flawed survey, but not letting any readers know, that they have been told to do the survey over ... not a big enough sample population, to qualify any results. San Francisco turned out 3,000 protesters at the AHIP conference. When Bill sends me the photos, I will pass them along to the Globe for their national news page. - Janet Hand, Arlington