Limbaugh Lauds (Socialist) Medical Care in Hawaii "but I think the most likely reason of all was the Grinch had a heart two sizes too small" ("How the Grinch Stole Christmas," Dr. Seuss). According to Rush Limbaugh, the health care reform that may be passed by Congress is socialism. Yet, it bears a striking resemblance to the universal healthcare system that just treated him in Hawaii that prompted his remark: "there is nothing wrong with the American health care system. I received no special treatment." Yes, Rush. That's the point! American medicine is superb--for those who can get it. And, in Hawaii, no one gets special treatment, because everyone can get it. [Er, by the way, just to help you out, Rush, a fair percentage of your listeners do not know Hawaii is part of the United States, so clarify that for them...otherwise, they will wonder about you] By accepting socialist medical treatment in Hawaii, therefore, Rush Limbaugh has shown that, when one is ill, what matters is the availability of quality health care, even if it is socialist. Rush follows a long litany of conservatives, such as all Members of Congress that have a medical office paid for by taxpayers available in the Capitol, by Dick Cheney who had socialist pacemakers implanted paid for by the government, and George W who had a government-paid socialist colonoscopy while in office. Members of Congress over 65 get single-payer socialist medical care from Medicare. Hawaii has had nearly-universal employer-mandated health insurance since 1974. Although its Pacific Island location makes the costs of everything--from gasoline to milk to ice cream to housing--the highest in the nation, health care premiums in Hawaii, for comprehensive care with small co-pays and deductibles, are nearly the lowest and their costs per medicare beneficiary are the lowest in the nation. Why? There are a variety of reasons, most traceable to universality. With everyone covered by primary care, emergency room visits tend to be for real emergencies, not the non-emergent care mainland ERs dispense for people without coverage. That reduces the costs of ERs and the costs of non-emergent medicine since patients can be handled less expensively and more effectively by their primary docs. Hospitals have not overbuilt, acquiring expensive machines to compete with their neighbors for patients. Insurance companies have instituted screening and other measures to improve wellness among their covered populations. We can all be pleased that Rush appears to have survived his encounter with socialist medical care. He seems to be very happy himself, commenting on the results of a socialist angiogram that showed no disease in the arteries that feed his heart muscle. Now, of course, Rush does not live in Hawaii and so his costs are not covered by the Hawaiian insurance system, but having that "socialist" system for more than 3 decades has not reduced the quality of the care he received. Who would have thunk it! If Hawaii-style medical care is good enough for Rush Limbaugh, it is good enough for me. Thanks Rush, and with it my hopes that your medical insurance covers all your costs and that the greatest country in the world can make that same care available to everyone. Happy New Year! Paul Abrams Physician, entrepreneur, biotechnology, law, economics, politics, professional iconoclast Posted: January 2, 2010 01:59 PM
So are you actually suggesting that the taxpayers of the State of Hawaii actually paid for a medical procedure for a guy who makes over $30 million a year? Some guy, who flips hamburgers at McDonald's, has payroll taxes taken from his paycheck to pay for Rush Limbaugh's medical procedure. Classic. Maybe we can start using the middle classes taxes to bail-out rich Wall Street bankers. Thats socialism at work folks. Next thing you are going to tell me is the oil-rich socialist paradise that is Venezuela does not have enough electricity for its citizens.
From the article... "Now, of course, Rush does not live in Hawaii and so his costs are not covered by the Hawaiian insurance system..." More evidence of your ineptness... The point that is beyond you is that Limbaugh got the same level of health care as the taxpayers of the state of Hawaii... ...a level which is socialistic in its nature, and which Limbaugh lauded as great health care.
Most hospitals are faith based non-profit operations. They will treat you when you show up at the emergency room, period. That could be called socialist. It is also the golden rule.
I made the mistake of going to a Catholic emergency room a few years back. They gave me unnecessary medical procedures. I previously had the same condition diagnosed and treated when I belonged to an HMO, so I knew that I was being rooked by the "good" Catholics. They then charged me an unbelievable amount of money for it, even tried to have me sued in court. So you can take your "non-profit" horseshit and stick it where the sun don't shine.
Solution: Donât become stupid when you receive health care. Tell the Doctor any history you know, ask what they are doing to you. It is tricky and expensive to solve medical conditions from scratch. You have the right to ask what things costs. You have the right to negotiate prices. Non-profits are set up to work with 3rd party Insurance companies. They have billing procedures in place that provide compromises on cost. The failure of health care reform is to provide procedures for self-insured or cash paying patients. Yes, we all pay more to subsidize the non-paying public. It may be cheaper for a hospital to determine the excess we pay then to send monies through a government department.
I DID ALL THAT, you fucking reichtard idiot. I had a medical emergency, I gave them my history and they said if I didn't allow them to perform all those extraneous tests that they'd street me. So much for fucking Christian compassion and mercy. I needed the treatment (the same one I'd gotten before, by the way) so I let them play their pad-the-bill game. The results are as I reported them.
lol I have a feeling if you poke just a couple more jabs at kupkake he is ready to go off the deepend, like he always does and start swearing profusely. These test procedures done on him must have made him schizophrenic.