29. The debate over government’s role in the economy and in protecting people from economic forces and greed is over
30.
31. The question now is how is the government involved and what does it do?
32. the people who profit off the system are also the people running the system in both finance and health care:
33.
34. (At one public managed-care company), their medical loss ratio went from 78.5 to 79 - their stock dropped ten percent in one day. There's been a disconnect: “ I used to be a pluralist, free-market economy - but it is not working in health care the way it should. David Benfer, CEO and President of St Raphael’s Hospital
35. These companies were created originally as non-profits around the law of large numbers and true insurance principles. Now that has changed to the law of profit and dividend.” Business New Haven 10/1/07
36. The economy - nationally & internationally- will be a huge and lingering issue at the federal level
37. health care can and needs to be addressed at the state level
39. “ States are being aggressive experimenters, and those lessons learned are going to be invaluable to us in looking at national health reform.” Michelle Dimarob, Manager of legislative affairs for the National Federation of Independent Business in“Small Business Is Latest Focus in Health Fight,” July 10, 2008, New York Times
43. August 2008 Harvard journal article http://works.bepress.com/christopher_robertson/2/
44. Half of all foreclosures are caused in part by medical problems including illness or injuries (32%), unmanageable medical bills (23%), lost work due to a medical problem (27%), or caring for sick family members (14%)
45.
46.
47. The crisis is not just about how much health care costs it’s about what we are – or aren’t – getting for all that money
48. May 2008 poll of U.S. Adults: Currently, three out of four adults have difficulty getting timely access to their doctor Source: Commonwealth Fund Survey of Public Views of the U.S. Health Care System, 2008.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53. October 2008: 64% of small business owners say it is important to offer healthcare coverage to their employees…. http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/pc/2008/sbm08.asp
54. Increasingly – they just can’t do it % of small business owners offering health benefits http://home3.americanexpress.com/corp/pc/2008/sbm08.asp