Obama: Cut deficit... Voiceof... You Tube... Obama's Fiscal... Kingston Progressive... Health Care Issue...

["Obama: Cut deficit we inherited ($1.3T) by half 1st term, US Budget - Exercise in deception!"; as submitted to You Tube by VoiceofAmericans2008 on 2/23/09; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_egp-tHjk]

The following (what do you folks think?) was my slightly revised reaction (which is currently in the Internet "limbo" stage) to a great posting / thread ("Obama's Fiscal... Summit"; M. Madsen; "Kingston Progressive"; blog-link in sidebar>>>):

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My (NS) Reaction / Opinion:

"The health care system, as is, is not only overburdened and overpriced, but almost impossible, for many folks, to even wade through in order to get their needs met...

What happened in this society anyhow? Has anyone noticed that to even find a phone number - one has the option of searching through 3 - 4 - 5 phone books now (usually finding the number one is seeking in the last one, if at all????)

Crazy prices. A crazy replication of services and paperwork. A crazy replication of agencies to help one wade through this crazy replication of paperwork (which is being done by a crazy replication of employees) in order to get the best deals out of the crazy priced deals which usually suck in the end anyhow...

And - the worst apparent schemers, when all is said and done - usually end up being - NOT THE CONSUMER - but one or more of those folks putting forth the crazy paperwork and crazy replication of agencies, etc. etc. etc.

People in the "business" charging fees for people that have (oops, I forgot...) been deceased for a year...

People in the "business" charging for nurses and such that aren't even REALLY on staff...

People in the "business" not sending poor folks for the tests they need...

Whilst sending those with good insurance for the same tests in duplicate or triplicate...

Crazy, crazy, crazy...

But I haven't been following it all THAT much. Just LIVING it. And remembering what it was like to try to help my father find his way (prior to his death) through the maze...

At some points having to say, "Dad, I just can't figure it out either..."

Simple. Pragmatic. Affordable...

Anyone remember when your family doctor was your family doctor... and wasn't a long wait for a quick (too often inadequate...) "fix"...

which somehow ends up with one having to go to five other people (bloodwork here; x-rays there; specialists here there and everywhere...) for five other tests (or whatever) that cost five times (or more) than they should....

Etc?...

Does anyone identify?

Yes, I certainly hope they get a grip on all of this...

I mean, seriously, they can probably save bundles associated with the Medicare Program just by not sending out 2 million, 3 million, 4 million BOOKS (I really have no idea how many, but apparently a LOT!) a year - that a lot of people can't figure out...

Thus the trek from agency to agency that also receives book after book....

And pays employee after employee to try to explain them to you (or SELL them to you...)

Etc.

I could go on. But I'm supposed to be giving myself (lol) a much needed "break" here - because although I like to clown around - I'm also way too serious sometimes for my own good...

BTW, the "boomers" (as a cohort group) didn't "cause" this mess - a few folks in Washington did!

And generation XYZ [or whatever...(?)] won't (as a cohort group) solve this mess...

Only some serious investigations and some serious common sense solutions - to be imposed by a few (relatively speaking) folks in Washington will...

Good posting Mike. This issue is huge... and this is another (specific) area where the folks "at the top" (as soon and as efficiently as possible) should ask the public what their experiences with our current health care system (even a lot of doctors are fed up!) have been like...

Shucks! Just ask [] folks how many books - from how many different "providers" (Medicare, etc.) they have got in the mail!

I mean, for folks like me that have problems digging up the money for one container of printer ink...

I would think the printing, copying, binding and mailing costs associated with our current medical system might be enough (all by itself) to make one's head 'spin around!'"

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Mike... Thanks!

I almost missed this one (not the issue, but the update on the issue...) --- and it is a biggy --- regarding the deficit, health care and other issues, as well!

I guess it just goes to show ya' that there really isn't any time right now --- needed or no --- for "breaks." So we just gotta' hope that none of us "break" in the meantime...]

NS