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A Conservative Plan for Health Care?

by: Bill Moyers Journal, t r u t h o u t | Programming Note

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Conservative political consultant and insider David Frum. (Photo: National Speakers Bureau)

    Airtime: Friday, August 14, 2009, at 9:00 PM (EDT) on PBS (check local listings here).

    Conservative journalist David Frum worries that Republicans would only win a failing status quo in their fight to kill health care reform. Bill Moyers sits down with the former special assistant to George W. Bush, who is calling on Republicans to come up with a plan for health care reform and suggests changes that conservatives can favor. David Frum is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the editor of NewMajority.com. Also on the program, the "Journal" sorts fact from spin in the health care debate. Media analyst Kathleen Hall Jamieson and Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman discuss the messages in health care ads today and how well they reflect the real issues of health care reform.

  

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Comments

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A great improvement would be

 Fri, 08/14/2009 - 12:19 — Midwest Tom (not verified)
A great improvement would be to define five separate health insurance plans; eliminate all of the phony super cheap plans, and insist that companies offer one or all of the plans. Make Citizen who applies eligible for the plan that he or she can afford. These plans would only be available to U.S. Citizens. Offer a sixth plan to illegals which must be 110% paid for by the illegals, all of whom are assumed to be working, or they would not be here.

By all means, let's see

 Fri, 08/14/2009 - 12:54 — Anonymous (not verified)
By all means, let's see their plan. I have a small business, and want to 'buy American' whenever possible, but the high cost of my private health insurance is a major factor in preventing me from supporting other American entrepreneurs as much as I would like to. Also, I have no guarantee that I won't be cut off if I become seriously ill. Come on folks, I'm so sick of seeing Americans BEGGING- coin jars by our cash registers, church bake sales- it's humiliating and ineffective.

The fact that the Democrats

 Fri, 08/14/2009 - 13:06 — Anonymous (not verified)
The fact that the Democrats are pushing to enact their bill without allowing ample time to read, understand, and modify it places a great deal of suspicion on their motives. The current bill from the House is focused on CONTROLLING health care, not reforming it. If the Pelosi-ites are sincere about wanting reform, they would slow down and allow the bill to be thoroughly reviewed and understood. Also, the President would be more convincing to those who haven't yet had Obotomies if he were to read the bill before disputing what is in it. The entire situation is based on deceit, control, and spin-doctoring - typical tools of the liberals when they pursue an agenda contrary to the desires of the majority.

We live in Italy primarily

 Fri, 08/14/2009 - 13:44 — Evanne Brandon Diner (not verified)
We live in Italy primarily because we could not afford the health care in the US and moved to Central Italy in 2002. We don't understand the slamming of the single payer system; we don't understand what everyone is so angry about regarding socialized medicine. Here in Italy our health care is every bit as good as it was in the US, in some ways even superior. We can choose from hundreds of doctors as our primary care physician, and can change our primary care doctor if we are not happy. Prescriptions are free, or cost 1 euro. A colonoscopy costs nothing every five years, and in between a colonoscopy costs no more than $60. Email us for questions about living here vs. US: evanne@lavventuraitalia.com Evanne Brandon Diner

Let's start at the heart of

 Fri, 08/14/2009 - 14:56 — dora Martinez-Armstrong (not verified)
Let's start at the heart of this issue. Is health a right or a priviledge? Once that piece is in place, the rest of the pieces will find their place too.

If individuals designate

 Fri, 08/14/2009 - 16:25 — Jade Queen (not verified)
If individuals designate gatekeepers, it would crack open conventional western medicine to share the market with practices that have longer recorded histories. Huge amounts are spent now by people who hear the iatrogenic numbers and do not trust conventional care. They remain largely outside the conventional illness-maintenance system, unless they are brought in with catastrophic issues. In that case, they will be put on Medicaid if under the age for Medicare. If they become disabled by inappropriate medication, they can remain that way for decades, with family members unable to have substantive input without very sophisticated legal measures. This is an expensive nightmare that could be remedied by respecting the agency and dignity of individuals, a practice not being practiced much right now. I haven't heard the phrase self-determination for a long time. If one's intake form designates an emergency contact and values concerning forced feeding, it would be on the record until or unless gatekeeper changed. This would be an integrated way to do things. You designate your Life Team, in my terms.

To the (above)

 Sat, 08/15/2009 - 01:33 — unionguy (not verified)
To the (above) question---health care is a PRIVILEGE! In the USA, if you are wealthy, or lucky enough to continue to have a job with health care, you can live. However, if, like me, you had your pension/health care stolen by wealthy corporate thieves, if you are poor, if you have "pre-existing conditions," etc., etc, etc, then you will die early! Health care will become a right ONLY when enough Americans decide that they need to actually become at least slightly educated on the issue, and then are willing to actually fight for it! Until then, we will have to live with nitwits shouting down reformers and the rest the folks sitting home believing lies, (that is, until the crisis hits them personally)!!

can you please keep Frum in

 Sat, 08/15/2009 - 04:30 — Anonymous (not verified)
can you please keep Frum in the states... he is persona non grata in canada... even though he is Canadian.