Monday, May 5, 2008

Thank You


A super big thank you to all the You're the Cure advocates who made this year's Lobby Day a success. On behalf of all your many staff partners I would like to thank you for your participation. Personally it was such a joy to meet so many of you in person and hear about your experiences meeting fellow advocates, joining the survivor luncheon, and taking part in legislative meetings. Your stories are truly inspiring and make theYou're the Cure on the Hill experience one to remember. Keep that enthusiasm as you are home and keep the pressure on your elected officials to make heart disease and stroke issues a priority. Together - You are the Cure! - Clarissa Garcia, AHA Staff

6 comments:

Unknown said...

We need health care that won't penalize you for pre-existing conditions. That's why I don't think a credit for health care is the answer. The insurance companies will just refuse to cover you. We need health care, not a credit!

Anonymous said...

I wish it were as easy as both candidates make it seem. What will actually happen is whatever the special interest groups want to happen. As a voice in the greatmass of Great Unwashed I wish that we could sway the scoundrels in Washington by sending them on junkets to exotic places, remodel their homes to help them achieve their dream homes, furnish money on the DL and make them do what we want by ordering them to stay in the House or the Senate until the vote was called and vote the way I want. Healthcare? Let's bring honesty, morality and a true dedication of serving the people of our great nation back to elected officials. Then we can ttack our myriad of problems. Health care, Education, etc.

Dan Disgusted

Anonymous said...

As a senior citizen, of course I am concerned about healthcare. The medicare system is too complicated, especially with supplemental policies and drug policies. I would like the next administration to make the process easier to understand. I like the idea of being able to find the most cost effective policy for each person.

Anonymous said...

I work in the healthcare industry. I see everyday how our unfit healthcare plans affect my patients as well as their families. As for my own personal experience my father has survived three heart attacks in the last 8 years. He was layed off from work and 8 years later is still paying for all of his medical bills. Luckily he now has insurance, but my parents had to decide between their electric bill or my dads life saving medications. I'm not really sure how to resolve this problem for americans but will always support a change for the better.

Anonymous said...

I'm curious as to what each candidate will do to help alleviate the nursing shortage. Access to medical care is a noble thought, but difficult to carry out if you do not have adequate staff to care for the influx of patients. Not only is there a projected shortacge of nurses but also physicans. With the influx of more people accessing the health care system, the stress on employees will only increase.
What is each candidates position on mandatory overtime and staffing at safe levels.

Anonymous said...

We need fundamental changes in which everyone has to make sacrifices.
1. Every specialty needs standards of care for particular diagnosis. If you have done what is considered adequate care then there is threat of law suit.
2. Every state is divided into districts and each has a tribunal up made up of lawyers, doctors and community leaders who go through the merit of each complaint against a medical professional and decides if it merits an escalation to a law suit. It will cut down on frivilous lawsuits and decrease cost of care. Patients who are truly harmed will get their due share.
3. Dcotors are paid for an admission to the hospital based on diagnosis. Each specialist gets pain a certain amount. It prevents docotrs from keeping patients in the hospital longer as it does not affect them financially.
4. End of life care standards shouldbe adopted. If an ethics panel decides that more care is futile then no more intensive care or unnecessay antibiotics or surgery.
5. Insurances public and private should adopt the same strategies to file and collect claims. Right now everyone is different and cost of medical back office is so high that the patient sometimes pays more for claims payment then for actual care. Insurances need to cut their expenses to a small percentage of actual claims paid. That will lower their costs rather then raise premiums.
6. All hospitals are not Mayo Clinic. Many do procedures which they have no business of doing. This causes repeat procedures and raises cost of care. For example a community hospital with no cardiothoracic surgeon of herat program doing cardiac caths. The patient then has to go to the next tertiary care hospital to have it done all over again for the stsent or bypass. Why do we have to pay for the 1st cath anyway? Unnecessary procedures done by people who are not qualified has caused them to be repeaated and raises the cost of care.

These are a few of my thoughts...many more in my mind