Repairing the Healthcare System

Gosh

Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE

The Republicans committing suicide ?              

Mitch McConnell is a politician. He goes where the wind blows.

He does not like President Trump. He has never liked President Trump. During the 2016 primary he said he would do everything in his power to prevent Donald Trump from becoming the Republican candidate for President.

He likes President Trump even less now because President Trump criticized him for not being able to pass the simplified repeal of Obamacare.

Mitch McConnell, as Senate majority leader, did promise the people of Kentucky for the past seven years that he would repeal and replace Obamacare

At present Mitch McConnell’s approval rating in Kentucky has plummeted to 18%.

There is a movement afoot to fire him as senate majority leader if he cannot get President Trump’s agenda passed. The house has passed 518 bills; 396 are stuck in the Senate.

Why? The answer is becoming obvious.

“Of the 518 bills or joint resolutions passed by the House since January 2015, only 122 have passed the Senate, according to Congress's Legislative Information System, which tracks the status of legislation.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/281536-nearly-400-house-bills-stuck-in-senate-limbo

t looks like Mitch McConnell is trying to destroy President Trump’s agenda. It also looks like he is helping Chuck Schumer and the Democratic establishment destroy Don Trump’s presidency.

“Mitch McConnell acknowledges that path forward on healthcare is 'murky'.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/347373-mcconnell-path-on-healthcare-murky

Before leaving Washington for recess in August, McConnell indicated that the Senate would leave behind its campaign to replace Obamacare and turn to tax reform.

Nevertheless, one version of legislation to change Obamacare ended up just one vote shy of passage, and McConnell could bring another bill up at any time.”

A GOP push to pass a "skinny repeal" of ObamaCare failed in a dramatic 49-51 vote before the August recess. A broader repeal proposal and measure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act simultaneously also failed to get enough votes to pass in the Senate.

Unfortunately John McCain’s vote defeated the bill. John McCain is another establishment Republican who does not like Donald Trump partly because President Trump challenged his heroism.

McConnell has previously acknowledged that the next steps on healthcare are unclear after Republicans campaigned for years on repealing and replacing the Obama-era law. 

"Obviously we had a setback on the effort to make dramatic changes on ObamaCare. The way forward now is somewhat murky," the Senate GOP leader said at a Chamber of Commerce event in Kentucky.”

McConnell added that lawmakers were "going to see" what the negotiations between Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

"We have ... collapsing individual insurance markets around the country. Requests to continue to subsidize the insurance companies. It's a pretty controversial subject to subsidize insurance companies without any reforms."

"So when we get back after Labor Day we'll have to sit down and talk to them and see ... what the way forward might be."  

Mitch McConnell did not seem to try very hard to get even the skinny repeal passed after promising the republicans in Kentucky he would see to it that Obamacare is repealed and replaced.

Since the phone call from President Trump almost two weeks ago Mitch McConnell has gone out of his way to disagree with President Trump. They have not spoken to each other since.

Mitch McConnell said "My view is that most news is not fake, but I do try to look at a variety of sources," McConnell said at a Chamber of Commerce event in Louisville, Kentucky, according to Time Magazine.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mitch-mcconnell-says-most-news-is-not-fake/

This statement is untrue. It also directly contradicts President Trump’s position.

“President Trump has tweeted about "fake news" over 100 times since January, according to the Trump Twitter Archive. In fact, he mentioned the "fake news" in two tweets on Monday, in one replying to a user who tweeted, "Every single day the #FakeNews media try to take you down.”

“You never falter, you always stand strong!" Mr. Trump agreed, tweeting in response that "the very dishonest Fake News Media is out of control!"

Another example of opposing President Trump was the president’s suggestion about the debt ceiling.

“President Trump targeted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) over the debt ceiling.

"I requested that Mitch M & Paul R tie the Debt Ceiling legislation into the popular V.A. Bill (which just passed) for easy approval," Trump tweeted.

"They didn't do it so now we have a big deal with Dems holding them up (as usual) on Debt Ceiling approval. Could have been so easy-now a mess!"

The most critical news story appeared in the New York Times on August 22,2017. This does not seem to be fake news. Mitch McConnell had not denied it yet.

“McConnell, in Private, Doubts if Trump Can Save Presidency”

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/22/us/politics/mitch-mcconnell-trump.html

 

This is ridiculous. Mitch McConnell is a grown man who is supposed to be a master politician. He is playing right into the Democrats’ hand. The Democrats’ goal is to destroy President Donald Trump’s presidency.

For the first time in 37 years we have a President who seems to want to help all the people. Why are politicians in his own party trying to undermine him?

His methodology might be a little weird but he seems to be making progress. Most people believe there is corruption in government.

Are they trying to undermine him because they are part of the swamp?

Most Americans believe the corruption leads to inefficiency and subsequently a failed country.

President Trump has said several important things.

  “All Americans bleed the same color blood and we all should love our country.”

We should all remember Donald Trump won the election. He is trying to do things his way not the way of the lobbyists and the traditional media. If he is wrong neither he nor his party will be reelected.

Let us as Americans try love and not hate. It applies to Democrats, Republicans and the traditional media also.

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The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” is, mine and mine alone.

All Rights Reserved © 2006 – 2017 “Repairing The Healthcare System” Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE

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What Was John McCain Thinking?

Stanley Feld M.D., FACP, MACE

I remember when President Obama held a meeting in 2009 with congressional Republicans in the House and Senate to discuss Obamacare before its passage.

This was to get input from Republicans before the Democrats excluded Republican input and were ready to vote in their Democratic Party dominated house and senate.

John McCain offered a constructive comment to improve Obamacare. President Obama’s response was “John I won the election.”

 

Now that Obamacare is an unmitigated failure John McCain voted against a simple repeal of Obamacare.

John McCain ran for reelection in his Senate primary and again in the general election on the platform that he would repeal and replace Obamacare.

 Many forget that he almost lost his primary election to a Republican tea party challenger. He and the Republican Party outspent the tea party challenger.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/john-mccain-arizona-primary-ward-22751

During his Senate race, he was also anti-Obamacare.

 http://www.politico.com/story/2016/06/john-mccain-obamacare-arizona-224622

“In fight of his political life, McCain hammers Obamacare”

“I think it’s a very strong issue,” McCain told POLITICO about his focus on Obamacare. “Eight of the counties in my state will now only have one [health insurer]. They’re looking at 65 percent increases in their premiums. They’re very upset.”

Why did he vote against the simple repeal? Is he a political hypocrite?

Does he hate President Trump so much that he will do anything to undermine his agenda?

Paul Ryan’s original bill allowed for an easy transition from Obamacare to a replacement bill.

Congressional leaders, especially John McCain, must listen to this lecture.

The traditional media critiques should listen to Paul Ryan’s lecture carefully and report on it fairly.

https://youtu.be/fQ2YIzqEnEY

 

His plan would eliminate many of the Obamacare punitive regulations and permit Health Savings Accounts to grow. It would stabilize the health insurance markets. Some Republicans in the House are still opposed to his bill. They wanted immediate repeal and replace. They could not comprehend Paul Ryan’s subtle strategy.

Speaker Ryan finally got a watered down version of his proposal passed and ready for a joint conference. The Democrats fought it all the way.

In the senate, the Democrats said no to any proposal President Trump supported.

Both Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi said it is the Democrats job to say no to everything in President Trump’s agenda. The job in their view is to destroy the Trump presidency.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/pelosi-struggles-to-call-trump-president-whats-his-name/article/2624485

Their plan is to destroy the Trump presidency with the help of the traditional media and the deep state. The deep state consists of Obama administration holdovers and anti-Trumpers in administrative positions. Some are career administrators. It is becoming obvious that they are also the leakers.

Chuck Schumer has done everything in his power to slow down confirming President Trump’s nominees. He has openly admitted this.

The members of the deep state have been leaking classified information to the press about President Trump’s administration. These are federal crimes. Secretary Sessions is starting to do something about catching these leakers.

President Trump has pledged to clean up the swamp. The swamp consists of the deep state plus many Democrats and some Republicans are both houses.

President Trump has the ability to confirm his nominees when both houses in congress are in recess.

By a strange sounding rule, both houses of congress can be considered in session when all the congresspersons are in recess.

Lisa Murkowski (R Alaska) set it up so that while the senate is in recess it is still in session. This is denying President Trump the opportunity to make recess appointments.

Senator McConnell did not do anything to stop her. It looks like the Republican establishment is also trying to destroy President Trump’s presidency.

Why would I think that?

President Trump has not had any cooperation from the Republican establishment to date.

President Trump pledged to clean up the swamp. All of the parties mentioned are the swamp that has hampered the growth of our economy.

I guess John McCain did his job for both the Democratic and Republican political establishment by voting against the simple repeal of Obamacare.

“The Senate GOP’s healthcare bill failure is a political debacle that will compound for years, and the first predictable fallout is already here:

“Republicans in Congress are under pressure to bail out the Obama Care exchanges, even as Donald Trump threatens to let them collapse.

The GOP needs to get at least some reform in return if it’s going to save Democrats and insurers from their own failed policies.”

 “Mr. Schumer may figure he can bludgeon the GOP into surrender because his press-corps buddies will blame the GOP for rising premiums.”

Let’s see what happens as a result of the swamp’s victory. 

The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” is, mine and mine alone.

All Rights Reserved © 2006 – 2017 “Repairing The Healthcare System” Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE

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A Single Party Payer System Will Not Work

Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP, MACE

Why am I opposed to a single party payer healthcare system?

I am concerned about America’s $20 trillion dollar deficit and $180 trillion in unfunded liabilities.

I am also concerned about China being a reliable buyer of American debt.

The deficit should be viewed as a house of cards that might crumble at any time.

Our country has suffered a massive increase in the deficit the last eight years under Barack Obama and Obamacare. The public knows the debt has increased at lease 1 trillion dollars a year.

No one has seen a good accounting the deficit increase. Everyone knows we have had massive inflation even though we have been told that inflation is only one percent.

The public knows Obamacare is imploding.

The public knows about the waste incurred during the Obamacare website roll out and the scandalous contracts to venders. The public knows about the massive increasing in insurance premiums and the massive subsides that were not anticipated.

The Democrats that the people have elected to congress do not seem to care about the deficits created. Now, we have finally realized that the Establishment Republicans do not seem to care about Obamacare failures either.

These officials do not care how much money the government wastes on bad deals at all levels of the economy. Obamacare has made terrible deals with the insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry and hospital systems.

It has not made a good deal for the middle class or their primary providers namely physicians.

I do not think American healthcare policy makers or congress can afford to make another mistake.

Winston Churchill’s famous quote about Americans stands out here.

“You can always count on Americans to do the right thing after they’ve tried everything else.”

America cannot try something that is destined to fail. Socialism, especially in healthcare, does not work. Our government officials refuse to believe this even though it is demonstrated by our own failed entitlements such as the VA Healthcare System, Medicare and Medicaid.

Government officials refuse to believe that the socialistic universal healthcare systems in the rest of the world are unsustainable.

Britain is the perfect example of this as the system is crumbling.

Socialism does work in the long term.

Winston Churchill said it again.

"Socialism does not work because it is not consistent with fundamental principles of human behavior. The failure of socialism in countries around the world can be traced to one critical defect: it is a system that ignores incentives."

The key to the solution of the healthcare system problem is to provide incentives to all the stakeholders, especially the consumers.I believe “My Ideal Medical Saving Account” will work to provide universal coverage at an affordable cost.

http://stanleyfeldmdmace.typepad.com/repairing_the_healthcare_/2012/05/my-ideal-medical-savings-account-is-democratic.html

America does not need a healthcare system that makes consumers dependent on government. It needs a system that makes them independent of government.

Butch Mazzuca is a local Vail Valley Resident who wrote this article about socialism and the healthcare system that appeared in the Vail

Valley News on July 9, 2017.

Mr. Mazzuca has given me permission to republish his article.

“When it comes to socialism, will they ever learn?

http://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/vail-daily-column-when-it-comes-to-socialism-will-they-ever-learn/ 

Editor's note: Find a cited version of this column at http://www.vaildaily.com.

“Several weeks ago on ABC's Sunday morning talk show "This Week," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told host George Stephanopoulos, "The democrats need a strong, bold, sharp-edged and common-sense economic agenda. … That's what's been missing."

So I find it a bit ironic that seven months after losing the 2016 presidential election, Schumer feels the Democratic Party is still struggling to articulate a coherent message. Meanwhile, the Bernie Sanders-Elizabeth Warren wing of the party delivers a very clear message. Unfortunately for their constituency, it's about a failed ideology — socialism.

Sanders and Warren are advocates of redistributing wealth; lax immigration rules, governmental intervention into health care, energy and business; and the acceptance that Washington should be the final arbiter of all problems.

SOCIALISM HAS INHERENT DEFECTS

While socialism is antithetical to the ideals of the Founding Fathers, it tends to gain its strongest support among the young and those who are uninformed. On the surface, socialism sounds great; it has always sounded great and will continue to sound great within certain precincts. The only problem with socialism is that history exposes it as a bankrupt ideology.

But rather than describing socialism's failures tenet by tenet, the following apocryphal story illustrates socialism's inherent defects in an easy-to-understand way.

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before but had once failed an entire class. The class insisted that wealth redistribution, aka socialism, worked because then no one would be poor and no one would be rich — a great equalizer.

The professor then said, "OK, let's try an experiment." Henceforth, all grades would be averaged; everyone would receive the same grade, and no one would fail.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone received a B. The students who studied hard were upset but the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who had studied little now studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride, too, so they too decided to study little. The second test average was a D.

Now no one was happy. When the third test rolled around, the class average was an F; and from that point forward, the scores never increased, as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings with the result that no one would study for the benefit of anyone else and the students all failed the class.

The professor then told them socialism as a form of government always fails because of human nature, i.e., when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes the rewards away, no one will try to succeed.

HUMAN NATURE IS PART OF IDEOLOGICAL EQUATIONS

Similar to the aforementioned students, the far left consistently overlooks the fact that human nature is part of any ideological equation. They fail to understand that socialism has never and will never work because it's based on a premise that's inconsistent with human behavior.

When people work, they expect to be compensated commensurate with their effort and skill level. And capitalism does that more effectively than any economic system yet devised by man. Capitalism provides an incentive for people to achieve because they know their efforts will be rewarded.

Conversely, socialism is a disincentive to achievement because people also know their work is valued only collectively, rather than being valued individually.

Quote of the day: "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent vice of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries." — Winston Churchill.”

Butch Mazzuca, of Edwards, writes regularly for the Vail Daily. He can be reached at [email protected].

Our politicians should stop fooling around with America’s healthcare system, our fiscal viability, and the welfare of our citizen.

It is time to try something that will work, and not another thing that is doomed to failure.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, you are both dead wrong.

The opinions expressed in the blog “Repairing The Healthcare System” is, mine and mine alone.

All Rights Reserved © 2006 – 2017 “Repairing The Healthcare System” Stanley Feld M.D.,FACP,MACE

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