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Saturday, June 23, 2012

Why does no one in the Democratic Party admit that Alan Grayson was right all along?
Posted by Jill | 6:33 AM
Remember this?



The amount of pearl-clutching and fanning and fainting couches that were utilized by the talking heads of the media after Alan Grayson told the truth on the floor of the House of Representatives in 2009 is legendary, and may very well have contributed to Grayson being defeated by a possible wife-beater in 2010. Grayson is running for Congress again in a new district, created as a result of the census. All of Grayson's Republican opponents, even Osceola County Commissioner John Quiñones, who is regarded as a moderate but favors repeal of the Affordable Care Act and also favors returning Medicare to the states so that governors like Chris Christie and yes, Rick Scott, can say to the elderly, in essence, "Don't get sick -- and if you get sick, die quickly", are Tea Party suckups. Like Scott Brown in Massachusetts, FL-9 Republicans are trying to make Rachel Maddow Grayson's running mate. (Like that would be a BAD thing? A smart, personable woman who's also accessible and friendly and polite to even those who disagree with her? Oh. Right. No wonder they're terrified of her).

But getting back to Grayson's Congressional faux pas: What exactly did he say that was inaccurate? The Republicans are, to a man (or woman) united in their insistance that the ACA be repealed. Here is what America's health care system looks like when over 40 million people do not have coverage (pdf) (Keep in mind that the major provisions of the ACA kick in around 2014 if it is not overturned by the Roberts court):

• „Across the nation, 26,100 people between the ages of 25 and 64 died prematurely due to a lack of health coverage in 2010. That works out to:

„  • 2,175 people who died prematurely every month;
„  • 502 people who died prematurely every week;
  •„ 72 people who died prematurely every day; or
„  • Three every hour.
„
• Between 2005 and 2010, the number of people who died prematurely each year due
to a lack of health coverage rose from 20,350 to 26,100.

„• Between 2005 and 2010, the total number of people who died prematurely due to a
lack of health coverage was 134,120.

„• Each and every state sees residents die prematurely due to a lack of health insurance.

• In 2010, the number of premature deaths due to a lack of health coverage ranged
from 28 in Vermont to 3,164 in California.

„• The five states with the most premature deaths due to uninsurance in 2010 were
California (3,164 deaths), Texas (2,955 deaths)

[Among the many reasons people die for lack of health coverage:]

• Uninsured adults are more than six times as likely as privately insured adults to go without needed care due to cost (26 percent versus 4 percent).

•„ Cancer patients without health insurance are more than five times more likely to delay or forgo cancer-related care because of medical costs than insured patients (27 percent versus 5 percent).


When people do not have coverage, they do not get adequate medical care. When they do not have adequate medical care, they are more likely to die from preventable or curable diseases. The mandate for the uninsured is "Don't get sick, and if you get sick, die quickly."

So where, exactly, was Alan Grayson wrong?

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3 Comments:
Blogger Charlie said...
Remember the tone.
6/23/12, 9:33 PM  
Anonymous e.a.f. said...
Yes, and die quickly. Most elected federal officials do not care. Its that simple. They don't care that uninsured people die because they don't know them. They don't see them. They don't hear them.

If those who loose their health care, if the courts repeal the law, I'd suggest you consider contacting your representative & ask them what they expect you to do. It may not sound like much but being hounded by 40 million people can make an impact. Americans need to take action to press their own needs, not those of others.

If Americans want to keep their medical insurance program they are best to get out & vote. it is that simply. You ask a candidate how they stand on medical insurance. if it is not an answer you want or benefits you, vote against them.

The U.S.A. is the only major country which does not have medical insurance for their citizens. The other countries are managing to survive quite well. We who sit north of the U.S.A. may complain we have wait lists but once you are at the top, you get the care you require without having to think about costs. If you require cancer treatment, you get it. You are usually getting treatment in 2 to 6 wks. free of charge.

For a country which spends so much money defending other countries, spending money on other countries' infrastructure, you think it might spend some of the money on its own citizens. In the end the other countries won't like you much anyhow. a healthy country will be more able to compete in the world economy.
6/24/12, 1:11 AM  
Blogger Murr Brewster said...
Possibly the Republicans would object and say their real message is one of personal responsibility: don't get sick if you can't afford it.
6/24/12, 3:16 AM  
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