Arkansas Blog

Somebody please send Moore a pic of Huck's son Porkchop.

Please??

What a doofus. His whole statement was criticizing Michael Moore and not the film or it's content or it's truthfulness. Then again he never has developed the habit of being right on target whenever he opens his mouth.

First of all this is a piss ant commenting on a lion. Secondly, with a hundred million or so in the bank, I doubt Michael Moore's future health problems are going to burden anyone in the State of Arkansas or the USA.

I've read the Bible. It's bunk. These people who have lots of comments about something they've not read, heard or seen are too ignorant to pay any attention to. Huckabee, living off free money from stupid Republicans is the last person I want to listen to about health care problems in this country.

It must have been a slow news day for the Baxter Bulletin. I heard a dj on a local oldies station trashing what Moore said on CNN today. It was obvious he doesn't watch CNN....his ignorance was on full display.

Click on my name to watch what Moore said.......that CNN didn't do their job and that's why 3600 of our soldiers are dead today.

It's time to start throwing rocks at bad Americans, and Huck is a good place to start. No member of his family has sacrificed a damn thing in this war. All the rest of them are fat as little pigs.....what next.....will Huckabee's number show up on the DC madam's phone bill?

He's been hypocritical about everything else.....and ya know paid sex with anyone else has to be a night rolling around naked with Janet.

Huckabee....just another embarrassment for our state.

Moore: "There is a serious problem with health care in America."

Huckabee: "Yeah, but you're fat!"

/Amazing

"Hi, I'm Mike Huckabee. I haven't seen Sicko, and don't intend to, but I'm going to criticize it anyway. Michael Moore is a big fat guy, so nothing he says about health care can be relevant. Using the same logic, please don't pay attention to anything I say about education, because I'm a dumb guy, or anything I say about integrity, because I'm a crook.

"Also, certain of my family members are rather, um, robust. But that shouldn't count against my health care opinions--after all, I have no control over my family.

"Honestly, all our health care problems would disappear, if everyone would just do what I did--you know, losing all that weight. I mean, doesn't everybody have a UAMS endocrinologist to personally assist them, plus have a state-paid chef prepare all their food, which is also paid for by the state?

"Please note, those stomach-stapling rumors are just that--rumors."

First of all, Huckabee should probably see the movie before blinding throwing stones.

Second of all, the Huckster said that Michael Moore is one of the reasons why American health care needs reform (ie, being fat). Huckabee did not lose weight to help promote health care reform or the lowering of expenses. He lost 110 pounds because he got sick and got scared. Also, he had the luxury of having some extra cash lying around that he could use for the UAMS diet that costs near $1000 by the time you add in the $649 program cost with the $50 per vist charge. The Americans most in need of the health care reform of expenses aren't going to be the ones who can do a life changing diet of that high amount; Huck's demographic of outreach in this instance seems to be a bit off.

Huckabee also states that he thinks that insurance companies should put more money into preventative medical procedure such as nutrition counseling. I'm not saying that I don't agree with this, but I don't understand how he can expect every American to put down that $3 McDonalds BigMac and pick up a UAMS mixed meal replacement shake that cost them a pretty penny.

While I feel that it is great for Huck that he lost so much weight, but he needs to realize that every American does not have the desire to do so and that simply being overweight does not cause an early death. While many health related issues are aggravated and worsened because of the extra lbs, many other factors contribute as well. Does he consider that binge drinking can lead to disease much more quickly than by increasing your pant size a bit in many cases?

Case(s) in point:
1 - Don't hate until you see the film.
2 - Don't hate on someone's lifestyle choice or weight choice until you know their reasoning behind it (heck, for all we know, Moore has an thyroid problem. doubtful, but possible).
3 - Stop running a campaign for the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES on the fact that you lost some weight.

Remember Huck-A-Buck's first go round with losing weight a few years back (1996-97)? He kept the weight off for quite a while - until the FDA clamped down on Phen-Fen.

I wonder what Huck-A-Buck's policy is on drug use?

(Creepy voice over for new horror movie from Michael Moore) "There's just one thing wrong with the Huckabee baby - - - It's FAT!!"

"It's Fat" starring David Huckabee, Mike Huckabee, and Janet "Jethrine" Huckabee.

Special guest appearances by Shamu, Hey Kool-Aid, and Fat Albert.

Click the name to see movie poster.

URL didn't come through. Click this link for movie poster:

http://tinyurl.com/2y4d7v

FYI slydog:

Your links will ONLY be active (blue) if you do NOT use the preview feature.

And, yeah, the Huckster's got a lot of nerve, but not much credibility. Nothing new there.

Thanks, Hugh.

By the way, have you ever seen the movie Serial Mom (John Waters)? At a church service ("Capital Punishment and You" on the church marquee), the pastor says, "If ever there was a time for Jesus to speak out against capital punishment, it was when he was nailed to the cross." A classic (and funny line). A few years later, on the local news, I hear Huck give the EXACT same line as a defense for capital punishment. Does anyone else remember this?

Oh come now, DBI. Do you really think the Huckster would PAY that madam person for sex??????

Not on your life. I dont think we'll find his name in her phone list unless somebody bought him a gift certificate.

As soon I saw this post I knew the bulk of the comments would be ripping on the Huckabee kids. The usual playground taunts.

Is there anyone who seriously thinks that being fat is healthy? Or that obese folks aren't a burden on the health care system, what with the heart disease, diabetes, etc. etc.?

tina, you floored me...well almost.
I just can't see Huckleberry paying for anything, not that I'm a big spender, but I do buy my own clothes and cars and food.

But once in Dallas I was sitting at a hotel bar after a long boring management training day, dreading the shit I had to memorize that night when this lovely, young slightly plump cheerful Mexican ladly sits next to me. She carried an airline bag so I assumed she worked nearby. She charmed me, I charmed her and after our second drink we were off to my room and after the bra came off (hers) the price was whispered in my ear. What! So anyways I got the next best thing for a lots less.
That was as close as I paid for sex that is, by presidential standards, not sex.

Huckabee, I think, would have threatened to have her arrested unless he got a free one.

As soon I saw this post I knew the bulk of the comments would be ripping on the Huckabee kids.
Prouster

Oh Prouster, you are so righteous. When Huck's funding is goin down faster than Rev Haggard on a dick, he needs help like yours.
But the moral of the story is that charity begins at home and so does criticism. When Huck publicly admonishes his fat-assed wife, his two obese boys, then we can listen to him and you can send him another five bucks to help out.
.

Forget Huckabee, he's a basket case. Who cares what he has to say? About anything.

But for purposes of the larger discussion, let me note that in the Moving Picture Institute's film, "Uninsured in America," Stuart Browning deconstructs the common "45 million uninsured" sound bite and finds that 9 million of these people earn over $75,000 annually and could buy coverage but don't.

Some 18 million are healthy, 18 to 34-year-old "young invincibles" whose priorities (like a new truck or XM radio) exclude insurance. Another 14 million fail to enroll in Medicaid and other low-income health programs for which they are eligible.

Even if these numbers somewhat overlap, Browning estimates that just 8 million Americans chronically lack health insurance coverage. As a long-time advocate of universal health insurance, I'd say that's 8 million too many.

I cannot speak for insurance companies and doctors, but as for Brantley's assertion that hospital "wallets are too fat," let me suggest that, like me, he purchase and study a copy of the 2007 edition of Hospital Statistics, published by the American Hospital Association using statistics supplied by the U.S. government (Medicare).

It reports that in 2005 (the latest year for which full-year data are available) the hospitals of Arkansas had an aggregate profit margin of 0.71%. They incurred bad debt expenses of $566,000,000 that year and provided charity care costing $294,000,000.

Hospital finances are so dire in much of Arkansas that at least a dozen communities have enacted local sales taxes in recent years to keep their local hospital from folding.

From rawstory

Hustler publisher Larry Flynt said Wednesday that investigators working for the magazine are involved in more than 20 investigations relating to his recent call for information on Washington sex scandals.

The investigations include "high ranking Republican and Democrat members of the Senate and the House
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I caught a bit of Larry on MSNBC this evening and he said 40 Senators, Reps and other high ranking officials so far.

durango, I appreciate the information, but would you agree that $24,000 for a 17 hour hospital visit is excessive?
And two years ago I visited the ER at Rabemen in NLR. I was there for less than an hour and was billed $1,650.
Hospitals make money. Big money.

Huck is preaching to his choir (something preachers always do, when everyone else is already bored), which by now is down to a couple of ancient altos who don't even know the melody, but can't sing better than a sick chicken anyway.

Presidential material? No way. The best he can do now is slither away to that country church where the altos live and preach to them and make do with their love-offerings for as long as they last. They'll even feed him and his brood, as long as they like jello salads and mystery casseroles.

After that, somebody, somehow, should put us out of his misery.

You bet, BlueRidge, the hospital bills you cite appear to be excessive, at least on the face of the matter. But, of course, I am unaware of the human and technological resources you consumed, all of which you can be sure were very costly to the hospital in making those services available.

That the hospital charged $24K and $1.6K is one thing. What it actually collected from the insurance company and you in the form of a co-pay was probably an entirely different matter.

My dear sweet sainted wife, for example, had an outpatient laparoscopic surgical procedure performed at a Little Rock hospital year before last. I took her in at 7 a.m. and brought her home four hours later. The hospital bill (exclusive of the surgeon's fee, of course) was $3,700.

After "disallowances" of one kind and another, Blue Cross paid (and the hospital accepted) $900. Because the sainted one had met her deductible, the amount out of our pocket was negligible. In our case, at least, the hospital charged big money, but it did not make big money.

widji
I think Huck is trashing his immune system. Who's paying his med bills now? Do governors of Ark get permanent health care provided as part of "retirement" plan??

durango,
50% of all insured children in America are insured by the government.
95% of all seniors, including me, are insured by the government.

If Huck had wanted to make a postive statement-image-opportunity he should have extended a helping hand to Michael Moore, like giving him an autographed copy of his "Grave...knife, Fork" book and offering him up as an example of what could be accomplished, suggesting Moore use his physicians to shape up.

Hey I have an idea, how about we blame Huckabee for your kids being fat too. His "kid" is a grown man who eats his own meals. Yeah, he needs to lose weight (bet he can see that) and he has a great example to follow in his dad. I am sure that he gets encouragement form him as well. But you people are so eager to jump on Huckabee about anything that you miss what the heck he is saying.
Moore is one of the reasons that the country's has health care crisis. He is out of shape and at risk for a heart attack or chronic disease, diabetes or whatever. Beacuse he is in this state, health insurance companies have higher cost across the board because they know that they are going to have to spend money on him at some point, and probably more that what he has paid in. But this is the case for lots of people and so it adds up.
Secondly, you criticize him because he had access to a program that he could have guidance on how and what to do to lose the weight. If your narrow hate filled minds would pay attention, you might see that is part of his health care plan, to make preventive care availble to everyone. And he doesn't have to see the movie to know that it promotes univerisal health care, and that is what he is arguing against. He jsut uses the film maker as a prime example of what he is calling for, and he uses him self as well. So I say , WAKE UP and PAY ATTENTION.

At the doctor's office yesterday, I read a great article in the Journal of the American Medical Society. I can boil it down to this:

Our health care system is the most inefficient and ineffective system in the developed world.

Cuba -- Cuba! -- has a lower rate of infant mortality than the US. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Anyone, like Huckabee, who opposes universal health care is an idiot -- an idiot engaged in defending a system that not only kills people but that involuntarily redistributes our wealth.

Harsh words, but when people substitute political philosophy for fact-based decision making, taking money out of my pocket and shortening the lives of people I love, I think those words understate the situation.

tina i do love your comment. i also agree that he would need it as a gift, but osborne would probably be a willing provider.

I don't have nearly the problem with doctors making money as I do insurance companies. Lots of money changes hands over a hospital stay. I can't help but believe that the little guy is getting the short end of the stick. After all, without sick folks, hospitals couldn't make money.

Someone is reaping some obscene change in our healthcare system.

One big, fat problem is that we allowed Big Pharma to write legislation.

Is the source of this problem our legislative system? Surely those guys and gals are doing what we elected them to do, right?

Our representatives are supposed to be representaive of us, no? It seems We The People have been lost somewhere along the way and a lot of other us the peoples are getting rich and powerful off our wholesale misery. That just ain't right.

America no longer looks like its design.

Whoever thinks we're being overly rough on Huckabee via his family doesn't know the meaning of hypocrisy.

BTW slydog, I haven't seen Serial Mom but am a fan of John Waters. I'll check it out. Sounds funny.

Mr. Boulder, I am wide awake and that's why I can see clearly that Huckabee is a tiny speck of fluff who has successfully made himself wealthy at the pubic tit.

Huckie the Dinosaur embarrasses us by saying on the national stage that he doesn't believe in evolution. His public example of trashing something he refuses to see or read about is a piss poor example for our kids. What kind of 10th century thinking does it take to comment on something you haven't seen?

That kind of crazy thinking has previously been responsible for witch burnings, slavery and decades of daughter-porking backwoods behavior. I'm sorry I had a Governor so ignorant and I sure as hell don't want a Bush-clone in the White House ever again.

I repeat....Michale Moore is a multi-millionaire....it's stupid to say he'll be a burden to taxpayers in the future. How sad Americans can be so stupid......I wouldn't be looking down my nose at any Mexican....it appears the least of them are smarter than the average Huckabee supporter. More honest too....bye bye Huckie the Dinosaur.....he's about to fall off the edge of his flat earth.

Mr. Boulder,

You seem so adamant to DEFEND Huckabee at every turn, that you fail to see the hypocrisy in Huckabee's criticism of Moore, who is admittedly overweight. Michael Moore's health is NO BURDEN on this country's economy. He is a rich man who could afford to pay for any procedure outright, not to mention a deductible and whatever other out-of-pocket expenses were charged.

That right there is my biggest criticism of Saint Mike (in this instance, anyway. There are plenty of other instances. Huckabee is a hypocrite, for crying out loud.)

Moore's documentary, which I have yet to see, addresses a rampant problem with our entire helathcare system -- it's a MACRO view (as opposed to the macro-facts that Michael Moore and David Huckabee are both overweight. David could probably afford to pay for any procedure outright, too, for that matter.

You get so uptight over the mere mention of things like, "Cuba has a lower infant mortality rate than the U.S." that you can't see the forest for the trees.

YOU wake up and pay attention to something other than Fox News.

I do respect that you check in here, from time to time.

If weight were an issue in denying someone healthcare we all know there would probably be 50 million insurable not 50 million who go without..

I know, I know... Clinton was over weight too...

Aside from being wealthy, Moore probably has excellent coverage through SAG or some such fantastic Hollywood plan.. which only makes his advocacy for those who go without or are declined coverage they pay for all the more admirable, with less need for bias, imo.

Huck better spend his dwindling campaign funds on a little box like Bush has...where someone with a brain or enough of a brain to stay on script can speak into an earpiece so Huck can just repeat talking points, since thinking is obviously out of the question.

In tomorrow's NYT, Nicholas Kristof does the math.

We can't afford universal health care at home - but we can afford more than $10 billion a month so that American troops can be maimed in a country where they aren't wanted? If we take the total eventual cost of the Iraq war, that sum could be used to finance health care for all uninsured Americans for perhaps 30 years.

Ah, Durango, I see you have the mighty BCBS on your side. In my case they settled my hospital bill for 20% of the original bill. On the other hand, another insurance company, a few years earlier, paid 100% of my husband's hospital bill and Medicare and a supplement ponied up for most of the bill when my husband was hospitalized last year. And of course, if we had not had insurance, we would have been responsible for the entire original amount of the bill.

Tell me there's not something wrong with the state of health care when one company can tell a hospital we'll give you 20% and the hospital agrees, then squawks about much higher Medicare reimbursements.
Tell me there's not something wrong with the system when we had to pay two deductibles in one year because the company my husband worked for changed insurance, but within the BC system.
Tell me there's not something wrong when the same insurance that I have under COBRA regs will charge me, if I buy it privately, a $100 more a month and put in such broad language about pre-existing conditions (specifically excluding a condition that I do not suffer from and adding other questionable language) that I suspect I will be paying a hefty premium for no real coverage.
It's my guess that not a few of those 9 million people who earn over $75,000 annually and could buy coverage but don't have been offered a policy like the one I just described and choose to self-insure and pray.
And that's just my little ice crystal on the health care iceberg.
Sure, it's going to take heaps of money to ensure that everyone has a chance of getting decent health care. But much of that money is already in the system. So let's capture the money the 18 to 34s and all the other demographics are neglecting to put into the health care pot. Let's come up with a workable system of universal health care.
And if at some point in the future I have to wait a few months for a hip or knee replacement, so what?
Have we forgotten that only a few years ago, these types of procedures weren't available at all? Our parents survived for many years with these conditions, often in far greater pain than that which we are likely to experience. Surely we can give up tennis or golf for a few months.

Watch Michael Moore's "Sicko" in its entireity here.

/click my blue name

Eureka, that 10 billion per month figure is outdated.

Since the surge, it's around 12 billion per month.

"If your narrow hate filled minds would pay attention, you might see that is part of his health care plan, to make preventive care availble to everyone."
James

There comes that favorite Wingnut word, their all-time fav to hurl at the royal opposition or reality-based segment of America: H-A-T-E.

Yes it's akin to REPUBlICAN Wingnut
Vittter who's been preaching exclusivity, FAMILY VALUES and humping whores.

So compassionate James hurls the hate word then goes on do the deed him self.

Right in step there James.
You friggin dumbass.

Rev. Ryson,

Where has "This Much Left" been all my life?

I haven't watched "Sicko" yet but I have a new favorite website. Thanks for sharing it.

Yep, Doigotta, the sainted one and I have Blue Cross on our side, and for a monthly premium of almost $1,200 I should add. We are grateful that we can afford it and know that we are more blessed than millions. I'm sure you feel the same way.

I cannot tell you that there is nothing wrong with our healthcare and health insurance system, because it is fraught with ills. Sick to the core, I guess we could say. I live for the day when we will have universal health insurance, even though I know it will come with many problems of its own.

In the meantime, it was disappointing to read a few days ago that very few consumers and small businesses in Arkansas have thus far taken advantage of a new opportunity to purchase a basic health insurance plan the premium for which, in some cases, is as little as $15 a month.

As I recall, there is no catastrophic coverage, but the plan does cover five or six visits to a physician's office and six or seven days in a hospital each year, along with some other desirable benefits. It is far from perfect, but it beats going bare, and is one of the best opportunities the Arkansas General Assembly has ever provided.

It really is like banging your head against a wall in here. there is no reason to try and have rational discussion with irrational people. Basically, you missed serveral key points. Huckabee did not bash the movie, he merely stated that Moore is one of the reasons the healthcare system is expensive. (and yes we know he could pay for it all out right, but the truth is he probably has health insurance and therefore pays his premium and co-pays, and deductibles, but if he were to get sick which is likely being he is obese then it would cost the insurance company more than he has paid in, it is not that hard to figure out.
And most of you argue as would I that the government is not that effective in dealing with things, well I sure don't want them overseeing my healthcare. And yes I say the word hate, because so many on this blog HATE Huckabee so bad, for no reason other than he was a republican, that it doesn't matter what he does or says, he is attacked as is his family who did nothing to any of you personally.

ARK. BLOG: We love the sinner, hate the sin. Here, it's name-calling by way of a response to a film he hasn't seen and as a widly simplistic solution to a problem in which the U.S. does the very unChristian thing of punishing the least among us by refusing to provide universal health care as most Western countries do.. The government, James, does a pretty good job at health care, by the way. Medicare operates far more efficiently than the private insurance system and I don't think you'll find very many beneficiaries who'd like to junk it for a private pay system open only tot hose able to pay.

I don't agree with Mr. Huckabee's opposition to a system of universal health care available to those least able to afford it, but I do think there is a difference between him commenting on Michael Moore (who has purposefully injected himself into the controversy over health care) and others commenting on his son, who is an adult and is not a public figure.

That said, I agree with the many here who have pointed out flaws in his criticism of Mr. Moore, and in his uninformed criticism of the film.

Mr. Huckabee's opinions on the issues sufficiently invite critical analysis even without bringing his son into it.

There is a legitimate point about bringing the issue of fat and Huckabee's family in to the issue since it is the same tactic employed by the Huckster when talking about Michael Moore and the Sicko film. It is rather hypocritical to condemn one and ignore the other.

Boulder's point about not wanting the government overseeing health care is blind to the fact that that is exactly what it is doing now, mostly under pressure from the pharmaceutical industry, the insurance industry, the A.M.A., etc. In a sense, it is the fox not only guarding the hen house but wanting big bucks for doing it and a contract with Colonel Sanders to boot.

I submit that some serious research money be set aside to discover why Republicans have trouble with their neurons firing. It has reached epidemic proportions.

TAP, normally 99.9% of the time I agree with your posts because they are right on target but this time I have to take issue with your comment about Huck's son not being a "public figure."

Whenever you try to board a flight with a loaded hangun in your carry-on and get arrested for doing so and get your picture in the paper in the company of the police you become a "public figure." That pretty much does it for me. It's really too bad the boys won't/can't follow their Dad's weight loss/healthy living example.

About the cost of health care: My son was one of those millions of uninsured in the US for several years. We were responsible for all his bills, but couldn't afford expensive diagnostic tests.

For several years he was undiagnosed and uninsured. Part of that time, he was a program director in one of the largest hospitals in the US. The insurance companies would not allow undisclosed "preexisting" conditions.

Fed up with being uninsured, he took a position abroad, received free diagnostic testing and received excellent treatment -- sometimes free, sometimes with a $25 co-pay.

He has lived and worked at a management level in three different countries, all of which have universal health coverage.

If you wonder why employers are eager to outsource their work to other countries, ask this question:
How much could a US corporation save on employee health care if they merely sent all employees to a country with universal health care?

Answer: The more jobs they send abroad, the higher the corporate profits.

Durangokid, thanks for mentioning the new bare-bones health insurance program that, so far, is getting so few takers.

Here's why: Let's say an eligible small business has 10 employees. Four employees are insured, such as through a spouse's plan. Six have no insurance. The program's rules require that ALL six of the uninsured be enrolled in ARHealthnet. In other words, one holdout of the six uninsured employees (or one holdout among the 25 uninsureds at another, larger company seeking to participate) dooms the plan for the other five.

And, Quapaw, if an article I've seen in the Pine Bluff Commercial is correct, the bare bones insurance premiums can run as high as $500, far above the touted $15 or $25 I've seen noted in other articles. Presumably age and maybe pre-existing conditions get kicked into the mix. Aside from checking with approved insurance agents, there doesn't appear to be any easy way to get all the pertinent details.
You won't see many business owners spending $500 a month for a minimal amount of insurance if they have other personal options, including access to a spouse's employee insurance benefits.
And many, if not most, employees figure they can't afford it -- and are probably right.

Thanks, Quapaw and Doigotta, for the info about why the state's new bare-bones health insurance program is enrolling uninsured people in less than desired numbers, The "all or none" wrinkle is a nonsensical one that needs to be ironed out, and the ironing should be done yesterday.

Since my earlier post, I've done some checking and found that this program is called ARHealthNet. It went into operation January 1. Among its benefits are six visits to a physician's office per year, two major outpatient services per year (such as an emergency room visit), and seven hospital inpatient days a year. Two prescriptions per month are another benefit.

Average premiums thus far have been about $25 a month, which is paid by the employer or the employee, or is shared. Premiums can range from $13 for a subsidized employee to about $500 for an unsubsidized worker. At companies participating in ARHealthNet, government subsidies help pay premiums for employees whose household incomes don't exceed twice the federal poverty guidelines. For a family of four, that's $40,000 a year.

About 700 people and 175 small businesses have joined the program so far, and the state hopes that at least 80,000 will have coverage after it begins promoting the program more aggressively. With 375,000 Arkansans age 19-64 currently uninsured, ARHealthNet won't solve all the problems, but it's a big step in the right direction.

Thanks, Durango and Doigotta. I looked at Oklahoma and New Mexico, two states with similar programs. I can't find a minimum participation rate for the Oklahoma program, and New Mexico requires a 50 percent enrollment rate among a particular business's non-insured.

Also, businesses eligible for programs in those states have 2 to 50 employees. In Arkansas, the range is 2 to 499, nearly the size of Congress.

The ALL OR NONE has got to change. Lawmakers and bureaucrats had the best of intentions in establishing ArHealthnet. It's a good bare-bones plan that doesn't DQ you for pre-existing conditions or require a medical questionnaire,
but ALL OR NONE is really short-sighted.

First, I'm no fan of Huckabee and though Moore is a propagandist, he has a much brighter intellect than Huck.

Someone mentioned "Uninsured in America," by Stuart Browning. I think one needs to really see this to understand the counterpoint to Moore's biased premise. There are unfortunately a group of working poor. However, the uninsured numbers include a large number who are Medicaid and/or Medicare-eligible and not enrolled. Many if not most of what's left are middle or upper class persons with the money to afford insurance who opt not to. You'd

I lived in the UK for a year and can tell you Moore's view of the NHS is not shared by most Britons. 20-30% of medical care takes place in a private setting outside of NHS, effectively a two-tiered medical system where the upper class and upper middle class are treated differently than everyone else and receive vastly superior medical care. That's illegal in Canada, so the upper and much of the middle class flock to border regions like Detroit, Seattle, and Buffalo and the Mayo Clinic is full of Cannucks willing to pay as well as travel for superior care.

Universal health care is not the answer but I do think we need to cover the working poor with some sort of national insurance program that will the gap. You can't make it mandatory and most uninsured won't opt for it. However, economy of scale could let the government offer a program that would least cover most medical costs for an affordable price.

Michael Moore won't tell you any of this, though.

Somebody mentioned that hospitals make vast amounts of money. Ark Business publishes a list of what hospitals make in annual profits and you'd be surprised to see that most hospitals are losing money or making negligible profits, not enough to pay for future remodeling/expansion, etc. Rural hospitals charge considerably more than major ones and they generally barely slide by because of higher costs.

I lived in the UK for a year and can tell you Moore's view of the NHS is not shared by most Britons. 20-30% of medical care takes place in a private setting outside of NHS, effectively a two-tiered medical system where the upper class and upper middle class are treated differently than everyone else and receive vastly superior medical care."
Aporkalypse

Do you think it any different here?
Ask a Medicaid recipient how many doctors refuse to accept them? Ask them about hospital treatment?
Ask them if they can find a specialist for respiratory, heart, kindney problems. They cannot so they rely upon general practioners who may or may not understand their needs and level of needed care nor do GPs understand new meds.

Springdale has a charitable clinic that will see a patient perhaps ONCE per month regardless of need. We support it but the mission is so sharply limited due to money.

Hey Hugh Mann,

Glad you enjoyed the link.

Boy, I like this one, I've been on a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" tv show marathon there.

Damn that is a funny show.

/click name for "tv links"

We've been watching "Curb" via Blockbuster in the mailbox, but this will do just fine. Another excellent link. Gracias.

Charles and Jake, you guys may be right about Mr. Huckabee the younger. I just figured the father's words and actions presented (in Rumsfeld-speak) such a "target-rich environment" that David could skate. But I can't argue with your points.

Knock knock:

"Do you think it any different here?
Ask a Medicaid recipient how many doctors refuse to accept them? Ask them about hospital treatment?
Ask them if they can find a specialist for respiratory, heart, kindney problems. They cannot so they rely upon general practioners who may or may not understand their needs and level of needed care nor do GPs understand new meds. "

20% of physicians don't take Medicaid and most of those are primary care. That's a fact. Most specialists are eager to see everyone, PCPs face unique challenges.