Cartoon of the day. (Swine flu panic edition.)

The sad state of medical care in this country.

And, conservatives don’t think we need to change anything. This should not be the case in a country like the USA.

Twenty percent of Americans say they have delayed or postponed medical care, mostly doctor visits, and many said cost was the main reason, according to a survey by Thomson Reuters released on Monday.

The Old Fart’s Friday Recommendation.

• Paul Waldman, at The American Prospect, on the Obama Administration and separation of church and state.
• A video interview by Sojourners with musician Moby.
• Paul Krugman on  the economic crisis and the coming health care catastrophe.
• The congressional Republican unanimity on the economic stimulus and its impact is explored by Eugene Robinson.

McCain’s Not Raising Taxes To Pay For His Health Care Plan, He’s Cutting Medicare.

McCain advisers have admitted that he is going to cut Medicare. The “Old Fart” isn’t quite ready for Medicare but will be in the not too distant future so, to say that cutting health care benefits for one group to provide benefits for another is the answer to our health care mess is pure crap. The only candidate who will address this issue where we have any chance of seeing improvement is Obama.

From the Wall Street Journal.

John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan “budget neutral,” as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn’t given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn’t dispute the analysts’ estimate.

In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases.

But Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain’s senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid. Those government health-care programs serve seniors, poor families and the disabled. Medicare spending for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 is estimated at $457.5 billion.

Wow. Health Care To Believe In. Not.

Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation.

John McCain

McCain–Out Of Touch.

No Senator, many American’s can’t afford to go see their doctor regularly.  On this too, you are out of touch.

McCain’s Do Nothing Health Care "Plan."

Joe Klein, of Time, has decided to ignore the petty, bull shit, non-issue spewing from the McCain campaign and focus on the issues.  Good!  Here is his take on McCain’s health insurance “plan.”

But make no mistake: this plan will do little or nothing for those who do not have insurance now–unless they are young and healthy–and it may well hurt a fair number of workers, especially unionized workers, who get gold-plated benefits from their employers.

It will certainly do nothing for families with members who have pre-existing conditions or children with special needs–because it makes no provision to regulate the insurers, forcing them to cover all comers at “community” rates that don’t discriminate against the people who need health insurance most.

Obama needs to hammer harder on this and other economic issues. And, soon!

McCain’s Health Care Solution.

And, it’s a good one, from McCain’s health care advisor.

Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain’s health care policy, said anyone with access to an emergency room effectively has insurance, albeit the government acts as the payer of last resort….“So I have a solution. And it will cost not one thin dime,” Mr. Goodman said. “The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American — even illegal aliens — as uninsured. Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care. “So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved.”

$217 Million Per Hour.

This is astonishing but not altogether surprising and is why we need to elect Obama and increase Democrat majorities in the Congress.

$217 million per hour.

That’s how much Americans spend on health care according to testimony in front of Congress’ Joint Economic Committee by experts from the American Human Development Project.

24 hours a day. 365 days a year. For a total of almost $2 trillion spent every year, 16% of our GDP – more than any other nation on earth. And for what?

Not to mention that we rank 37th in the world relative to the best health care systems, behind countries like Columbia, Saudi Arabia, and Chile.

Insurance Company Rules.

This would be so funny if it wasn’t so true.  Having just spend 7 days in the hospital and been dealing with doctors, etc., I must say. it’s time for us to seriously address the healthcare system in this country.  (Although my experience was better than expected.)

Hat Tip: AmericaBlog