RE: [Winona] It's the Insurance Companies

terri hyle Thu, 23 Oct 2003 10:33:19 -0700

[Winona Online Democracy]

The article in the WDN also appeared in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Here's a link:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4163313.html

and another for a similar article:

http://www.startribune.com/stories/670/4164052.html

Both appeared in the Oct. 20 edition of the Star Trib, written by William Lester, AP. Terri Hyle

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Dwayne Voegeli)
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Winona] It's the Insurance Companies
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 07:37:29 -0600
[Winona Online Democracy]

Paul Double beat me to the punch.
Ever since Monday's edition of the Winona Daily News, I have been trying to
track down an online copy of a health care article that appeared on that
day (Monday, October 20, 2003) on page 10A entitled, "Poll: Most want
health-care reform." Despite 3 days of trying and two e-mails to the Daily
News' web page, I have not been able to track down a copy of the article.
I wanted to include a copy of the article for folks to read.
I thought the article should have been on the front page, not the last page
of the main section. The article revealed some interesting stats about how
Americans are getting fed up with the health care fiasco. The fiasco that
is dragging down State, county, city, and school board's budgets. The
fiasco that both Republicans and Democrats seem to have no clue how to
solve, with the one exception of Dennis Kucinch on this issue (that is not
an endorsement).
Sunday's Star Tribune had an article on the opinion page that addresses
Rich Pflughoeft's very valid concern about the unfair burden businesses,
especially small businesses, have placed on them because of our wacky
insurance system in America. We are the the only industrialized country
that places the burden of health insurance primarily on employeers. That
is unfair to all our businesses in general and is another advantage mega
businesses have over small businesses.
Yesterday's Daily News also had a front page story about the 15% increase
the City is facing. The County is facing a 16% increase. What is the
School Board facing.
When will the media and America wake up?
I agree with Paul Double to a certain extent, part of the problem is the
insurance monopolies...or trusts...or oligarchs...or whatever you call the
puppet masters who control most politicians and both of the two major
parties.
But that is only one part of the problem. The transnational drug
corporations are also a big part of the problem. Washington D.C. is where
big business and big government morphs into one.
Talk to almost any financial expert and ask them what are the best kinds of
stocks to invest in. One of the top three suggested kinds of stock will be
drug and insurance corporations. Our aging population is part of the
problem but the corporate media seems incapable or unwilling to tell the
rest of the story, mega corporate profits are also contributing to the
crazy health care insurance increases. Why? Because they can get away
with it.
An even bigger part of the problem is our broken democracy. If the
corrupting influence of money (legal bribes) could be removed from our
current sytsem, then democracy could work it's course.
Until and unless we pass real campaign finance reform, problems like this
will not be allowed to be solved by the rich and powerful.
In the early 90's a large grassroots effort was made and it actually looked
like some health care reform would take place. Then the largest and most
expensive PR (propaganda) campaign in history was unleashed. Since we
don't have a media that thinks for itself and instead smiles at the highest
bidder, we were overwhelmed with slanted information. Since we don't have
political parties that can/will stand up to mega insurance and drug
corporations, nothing happened.
The article on Monday stated that "by a 2-1 margin...62 percent to 32
percent, Americans said they preferred a universal system that would
provide coverage to everyone under a government program." Why don't we
ever hear about that in the media?!
There is the solution, a universal government single-payer system.
But rarely is the truth accepted by the powers that be. Casears, kings,
and artistrocrats throughout time have always tried to stifle moral and
economic truths because it affected their riches. We have the same problem
today.
If a fair and real debate would ever be allowed to happen, I feel the
choice would be obvious. A single-payers system provides better coverage
at a lower price. It is not magical, it does have it's drawbacks too but
the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. I would love to see a fair
forurm or debate that included this option and let people decide for
themselves. The problem is that the powers that be will not allow this to
happen.
America is only one of two modern industrialized countries that does not
provide some form of guaranteed health coverage to all of it's citizens,
the other country is South Africa.
Why do drugs cost less in Canada in the first place? I can't believe the
media doesn't press Mr. Gutknecht and Mr. Pawlenty on that question. It's
because of their single payer system with price controls.
Remember, the single payer system did not start at the federal level in
Canada, it started at the province (state) level. Don't look to Washington
D.C. for answers or innovations. Minnesota could begin a program like this
at the State level.
Again, the problem isn't just the mega insurance and drug corporations, the
problem is our broken democracy. Our broken democracy is up to us to fix.
I wonder if we will.
I hope so.

Dwayne Voegeli

===================

>There is no question that one of the biggest frustrations I face (as an >employer) is dealing with health insurance benefits for my employees. > >What value do I add to the health care system? Why am I stuck in the middle >of this? > >I wonder how much does it cost in business productivity to be stuck in the >middle of the health care insurance system. Think of how many THOUSANDS of >people are employed in Minnesota alone AS OVERHEAD simply to deal with and >manage the companies health benefits. It is ridiculous. How much time and >energy go into contract negotiations because of health insurance benefits? > >Please understand, I believe everyone should have health insurance. I also >believe that as an employer I should pay a fair wage (which I realize is a >probable thread all unto itself). I just think it is about the most stupid >system in the world to try to provide health insurance by expecting it to be >provided by your employer. > > >[Rich PFlughoeft] > > -----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of >Paul Double >Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2003 7:59 PM >To: Online Democracy >Subject: [Winona] It's the Insurance Companies > > > When will employer's wake up and quit taking the heat from employees for >the ridicules rate increases by the health insurance industry. Both need >to put the blame squarely on the group causing it - The Insurance Monopoly! >The next time an insurance agent tells your business the rates went up - get >rid of the agent! The next time any elected board or council presents you >with rates that exceed the published MCHA rates (the guaranteed rate used >for individuals who have been declined by an insurance company for health >reason) vote them out of office. The next time an employee complains about >their healthcare insurance cost give them the money and both they and you >will get more value for less money and be much happier. The providers aren >'t getting the windfall. Employers and employees are getting the shaft. >Check the top salaries of the "non-profit" insurance companies, the new >metro clinics and administrative centers they are able to build, their vast >advertising budgets and we love you touch and feel ads. If the wellness >programs save money then give us lower rates. > > > > And maybe if all of us get mad enough we might even find that empowerment >of the work force will not only provide better healthcare, at a lower cost >and with a whole lot less aggravation. Providers would much rather work for >us than the insurance companies. > > > > And if the drug companies want to fight the governor then let's ask our >Native American brothers and sisters to use their Sovereign Nation status >and put drug stores next to every casino with wholesale drugs purchased >through the Canadian tribes or even manufactured by the tribes in the >"Sovereign Nations". Do the Sovereign Nations need Patent permission? > > > > > > Outside the box again --- but wouldn't that create some competition in the >market place! > > > > > > Paul Double > ><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> ><HTML><HEAD> ><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> > > ><META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> ><STYLE>@page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; } >P.MsoNormal { > FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" >} >LI.MsoNormal { > FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" >} >DIV.MsoNormal { > FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" >} >A:link { > COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline >} >SPAN.MsoHyperlink { > COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline >} >A:visited { > COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline >} >SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { > COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline >} >SPAN.EmailStyle17 { > COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial >} >DIV.Section1 { > page: Section1 >} ></STYLE> ></HEAD> ><BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue> ><DIV>class=684161701-23102003>There >is no question that one of the biggest frustrations I face (as an employer) is >dealing with health insurance benefits for my employees. </DIV> ><DIV>class=684161701-23102003> </DIV> ><DIV>What >value do I add to the health care system? color=#0000ff size=2>Why am I stuck in the >middle >of this?</DIV> ><DIV>class=684161701-23102003> </DIV> ><DIV>I >wonder how much does it cost in business productivity to be stuck in the >middle of the health care insurance system. Think of how many THOUSANDS of >people are employed in Minnesota alone AS OVERHEAD simply to deal with and >manage the companies health benefits. It is ridiculous. How much time and >energy >go into contract negotiations because of health insurance >benefits?</DIV> ><DIV>class=684161701-23102003> </DIV> ><DIV>class=684161701-23102003>Please >understand, I believe everyone should have health insurance. I also >believe that >as an employer I should pay a fair wage (which I realize is a probable thread >all unto itself). I just think it is about the most stupid system in the world >to try to provide health insurance by expecting it to be provided by your >employer.</DIV> ><DIV>class=684161701-23102003> </DIV>color=#0000ff> ><DIV>color=#0000ff >size=2> color=#0000ff>[Rich PFlughoeft] </DIV> ><DIV> </DIV> ><DIV> -----Original >Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Paul >Double Sent: >Wednesday, October 22, 2003 7:59 PM To: Online >Democracy Subject: [Winona] It's the Insurance >Companies </DIV> ><BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> > <DIV class=Section1> > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When will employer�s >wake up and > quit taking the heat from employees for the ridicules rate increases by the > health insurance industry.   Both need to put the blame >squarely on > the group causing it � The Insurance Monopoly! The next time an >insurance > agent tells your business the rates went up � get rid of the >agent!  The > next time any elected board or council presents you with rates that >exceed the > published MCHA rates (the guaranteed rate used for individuals who have been > declined by an insurance company for health reason) vote them out of > office.  The next time an employee complains about their healthcare > insurance cost give them the money and both they and you will get more value > for less money and be much happier.   The providers >aren�t getting > the windfall.  Employers and employees are getting the shaft. > Check > the top salaries of the �non-profit� insurance companies, >the new metro > clinics and administrative centers they are able to build, their vast > advertising budgets and we love you touch and feel ads.  If the >wellness > programs save money then give us lower rates.  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">And maybe if all of us get mad > enough we might even find that empowerment of the work force will not only > provide better healthcare, at a lower cost and with a whole lot less > aggravation.  Providers would much rather work for us than the >insurance > companies. > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">And if the drug companies >want to > fight the governor then let�s ask our Native American brothers and >sisters to > use their Sovereign Nation status and put drug stores next to every casino > with wholesale drugs purchased through the Canadian tribes or even > manufactured by the tribes in the �Sovereign Nations�.  >Do the Sovereign > Nations need Patent permission? > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Outside the box again --- but > wouldn�t that create some competition in the market >place! > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  > style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Paul Double >   </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

------------

Dwayne Voegeli

Winona County Commissioner, District #2

(507) 453-9012

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
359 Pleasant Hill Dr.
Winona, MN 55987
------------

_______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org

_________________________________________________________________ Surf and talk on the phone at the same time with broadband Internet access. Get high-speed for as low as $29.95/month (depending on the local service providers in your area). https://broadband.msn.com

_______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org

RE: [Winona] It's the Insurance Companies

Reply via email to