[Winona Online Democracy] Hello Paul and Winona Online Democracy,
Paul and I agree on this one! (For the record, it gives me hope to see that the ghost of Teddy Roosevelt may still be alive within the Republican Party. First John McCain and now Paul Double...long live the Bull Moose Party...it's funny how it's almost 100 years later... Maybe you can wrest control back from the monopolies/trusts and fundamentalists.) ;-> What is currently being talked about as health care reform is really just rearranging the deck chairs. It is far from reform. It's time for talk about big change, not putzing around at the edges of the edges of a fundamentally broken system. Of course that is easier said than done when the huge multinational drug and insurance corporations control the "debate" (and own BOTH political parties). Paul and I may have different ideas as to what direction we should be heading in but we both agree that something bigger needs to be done. A hand full of us have met a couple times and talked about about big picture health care reform ideas. More specifically, how do we get a wide range of people involved in the discussion(s). With the recent admissions that Medicare will run out in about 14 years and Social Security will run out when I'm just ready to receive it (gotta love that "unified budget" trick that has been going on for over 35 years), maybe more people are realizing it's time for action. Paul, how do the numbers work out again? Assuming the average person spends about $ _________ (is it $6,800?) a year on health care costs times ________ (50,000 - 100,000) people in the region and you come up with _______________ dollars per year to pool and work with. Let's not wait for St. Paul or Washinton D.C. to lead, they are followers, not leaders. Let's see if we can come up with something we can implement at the regional level. Is anyone else interested in talking about what we could do at a local or regional level? Dwayne Voegeli ======= >From: "Paul Double" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: "On Line Democracy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2004 13:20:48 -0600 >Status: > >[Winona Online Democracy] > > >The St. Paul Pioneer Press had, in my opinion, an excellent article by Jean >E. Schauer which is linked below. I quote several points from her >article. > > > >"We've insulate people form the cost of care --- and employers have become >our scapegoats." > > > >"Isn't it odd that my veterinarian can tell me exactly how much tests cost >for my dogs, yet my doctor has no idea how much my Pap test costs?" > > > >"The Health Care Financing Administration predicts health care costs in our >nation will double --- to $2.8 trillion - by 2011. What then?" > > > >http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/8287743.htm > > > >Her article is right on the mark when she says "I'm still waiting to see >practical suggestions for real people." I would add so are the rest of us! > > > >Are their others out there who are willing to start the fire to put >healthcare costs/real solutions back on the table for November elections? >We need to get people, providers and employers at the same table. > > > >I believe the tools "a web site, host server and SQL data base software" are >available in Winona free" what is needed are volunteers to set it up, get >it going and keep it maintained. Corporate, University and Citizen >Programmers, server and data base managers are the critical first group to >get it going. Jean's revolution can start in Winona if we have willing >citizens who are willing to roll up their sleeves, share their talent and >create a data base to build the first area wide price list for healthcare >services to enable consumer knowledge as the foundation to inform buyers and >reduce costs > > > >As Jean says "The fact is, until we "inform" consumers through their >pocketbooks about the true cost of health care, we will make no headway." > > > >Paul Double > > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ><html> > ><head> ><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> > > ><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> > ><style> ><!-- > /* Style Definitions */ > p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal > {margin:0in; > margin-bottom:.0001pt; > font-size:12.0pt; > font-family:"Times New Roman";} >a:link, span.MsoHyperlink > {color:blue; > text-decoration:underline;} >a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed > {color:purple; > text-decoration:underline;} >span.EmailStyle17 > {font-family:Arial; > color:windowtext;} >@page Section1 > {size:8.5in 11.0in; > margin:.3in 1.0in .5in 1.0in;} >div.Section1 > {page:Section1;} >--> ></style> > ></head> > ><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> > ><div class=Section1> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>The St. Paul Pioneer Press had, in my opinion, an >excellent article >by Jean E. Schauer which is linked below. I quote several >points from her article.</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>“We’ve insulate people form the cost of care --- >and employers have become our scapegoats.”</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>“Isn’t it odd that my veterinarian can tell me >exactly how much tests cost for my dogs, yet my doctor has no idea how much my >Pap test costs?”</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>“The Health Care Financing Administration predicts >health care costs in our nation will double --- to $2.8 trillion – >by 2011. >What then?”</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'><a >href="http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/8287743.htm";> >http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/opinion/8287743.htm</a></sp >an></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>Her article is right on the mark when she says >“I’m >still waiting to see practical suggestions for real people.” I >would add so are the rest of us!</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>Are their others out there who are willing to start the fire >to put healthcare costs/real solutions back on the table for November >elections? We need to get people, providers and employers at the ></span></font><font > face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>sam</span></font><font >face=Arial><span >style='font-family:Arial'>e table.</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>I believe the tools “a web site, host server and SQL >data base software” are available in Winona free” what is >needed are volunteers to set it up, get it going and keep it maintained. >Corporate, University and Citizen Programmers, server and data base managers >are the critical first group to get it going. Jean’s revolution can >start in </span></font><font face=Arial><span >style='font-family:Arial'>Winona</span></font><font >face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'> if we have willing citizens who are >willing to roll up their sleeves, share their talent and create a data base to >build the first area wide price list for healthcare services to enable consumer >knowledge as the foundation to inform buyers and reduce costs</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>As Jean says “The fact is, until we >“inform” >consumers through their pocketbooks about the true cost of health care, we will >make no headway.”</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>Paul Double</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'>[EMAIL PROTECTED]</span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ><p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt; >font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> > ></div> > ></body> > ></html> > >_______________________________________________ >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 > ------------ 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
