Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 12/22/09
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Tonight on 360°, all the angles on the Senate health care reform frenzy. We're tracking the cash. What lobbyists have spent pushing for reform and what it could cost you and your family. Plus, some of Anderson's most awkward moments on-air in 2009.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
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Ha ha! Just what we needed – a little humor injected into the health care debate.
Thanks so much for that!
The figures presented on the cost of health care for families at different income levels was interesting. However, I was disturbed about the fact that families earning $70,000 would pay $14,000 in insurance premiums, which is 20% of their income, while those making $200,000 would only pay about $18,000. Why not make the premium proportional to income, for example, 10%. Then the former family would pay $7,000 while the latter would pay $20,000. That seems more reasonable to me.
If the public option is supposed to do so well, it should have no problem competing with private companies. Why does the government have to hamstring private companies in order to make its own public option viable?
Good evening Erica, Randi Kaye, Isabel, everyone. Quite a bit of information. What's the third reason Republicans are relenting on slowing the votes leading to passage of the legislation in the Senate? Those are truly eye popping numbers, "formulating policy" is wielding more influence than being a lobbyist isn't it? Many lobbyists on the dem side. That look at how premiums will be impacted is kind of revealing.
Time schedule seems compressed.
The health care plan sounds very similar to the way it had been described previously...taking from the rich, to give to the poor; a type of communism/socialism if you will. The one problem that I have with this is the following trend that exists-those with a lower income tend to be less educated, and those who are less educated tend to make poorer choices about their health (i.e. poor diets, lack of exercise, etc), and those are the people who will be more likely to be responsible for a higher percentage of health care costs
Our elected reps must cut their pay which we generate and they must be made to utilize the health care plan as well as US. They should not have full benefits and retirement because of they served one term
If you end up in a emergency room and spend a couple days in the hospital and have a few diagnostic test you'll recoop the cost of the annual premium in a hurry.
@A Smith, it's been the corrupt Democrats selling their votes, not Republicans.
An insurance based system will always drive those who have coverage to get as much as they can for thier premiums. So inflated cost is inevitable. First world democracies provide heath care to theor citizens, not allow an entire industry to exploit human suffering.
i don't think they really care about us it seems they care more about cost then people
Appalled about the "special" deals that some states are getting. That screams payolla and is unAmerican. We all pay taxes into this system, no special favors to buy votes! Speaking of votes, I'm ready to vote them all out of office. Pitiful that the USA cannot do better than the representation we have in Congress. Too many crooks and too little integrity.
What are the fines if I dont buy into the plan? I cant afford even the amounts mentioned. This plan is only helping the ins co's, not the people. I'd rather pay the fines!! I've been unemployed for 2 years.
@michael armstrong, I believe they'll begin tackling 'cap and trade' and climate legislation. You think Big Pharma and their Republican puppets obstructed, just wait for Big Oil and their Republican puppets to yell and scream over cap and trade legislation to put a cap on Big Oil and its toxic spewing power plants.
If this health care will be so great as soon as Obama signs, all congresspeople need to shift to the plan he signs. Lead by example.
This bill is awful. Time for rationing and two year waiting lists for hip replacements. While senators pay each other off to solicit votes. The US at it's worst.
who can say politicians lack senses of humor? haha
This healthcare reform is more like a casino with big bets as earmarks....this is the great American shame and I am ashamed to see perks for votes on an lifeline issue such as this....it is clear to that money for votes still prevails....this is a shame!!!
I still don't understand why someone who works so hard in school, incurs student loans to make himself a successful person has to foot the bill for others who did not work up to his or her potential. It's just not fair. Shouldn't the person who has worked hard be able to reap the benefits earned from long hours of hard work??
@starr, formerly known as vincent- Goldman already said they will be able to visit the kid freely (unlike what they did to him).
Did I miss something? Just caught the end of cost of heath care for various levels of income. Why is out of pocket being figured in? Not everyone is necessarily going to have those kind of out of pocket expenses.
P
How does the government justify charging a family that makes 70000 a year double that of a family making 35000 a year for the exact same insurance coverage! Seems to me this basically takes away any incentive to better ones self even though this is exactly what has made America the prosperous country it is!
Grit your teeth and pull up your pants were getting it wheather we like it or not.
Pass the bill. We are a century late! Great job Erica.
talk about a double-edged sword for healthcare options.
the more you make, the more you pay. as long as the same services and procedures are available to all income brackets i can understand it. noone should be denied healthcare or procedures that are available to others simply because they dont have the money.
on the other hand...(or side of the sword) why should people be penalized for making more money.
what if I never get sick and never go to a doctor, can I get my money back? insurance is a farce for healthy people. I would rather put that money into a savings account and pay for disability insurance.
Good evening Erica, hello Team 360.
Good Evening A. Smith, Oregon, Brandon, Michael!
Anthonia-Bay Area
There no secret at all from our president..... They would have budget our money what they have spend a bill our healthcare.
Tom Foreman's numbers don't really look too bad at all considering the cost of health insurance right now. I pay the premiums for a small city's employees and those numbers look big, but they're annual figures. Right now health care costs more than that for some policies.
What unknown bill does the president have planed next after this finaly passes.
Nice breakdown for married folks and folks with children ... what about single people ?
Good evening everyone! Erica, glad to see you again tonight. I'm looking forward to the look back on the year with the funny things that happened on the set. I need a good laugh today.
Hi Erica, hello entire Team 360.
Hello fellow bloggers.
@Isabel-Brazil, i don't know if you saw my thanks to you for informing us on the Goldman issue from Brazil.
I am so happy that Sean will be able to be with his biological father. I hope, in time, that the "bad" feelings between the two families will ease and they wil be able to get together for holidays, etc. in the future.
Nobody really knows the impact of this bill. It's a patchwork of (poor) ideas.
I'm deeply disappointed that the Federal Govt. took a direct bribe of 80 Million dollars from Big Pharma instead of passing legislature to prohibit drug company's charging outrageous prices for their drugs, to charge Americans only the lowest prices they sell those same drugs for in Canada.
Balancing the budget
Good Evening Everyone! 🙂
I thought Obama said that he would not keep "secrets" within congress? Hmm...
Lobbying just about negates the US claims to be a democracy. This would be illegal in most first world democracies.
The more money you make, the more influence you have thru corrupt Republican lawmakers provided you pad their pockets with some of it!
I agree with the Senate side, except on the Public Option.
IF charity or other forms will make it that people who don't qualify for government medical and can't afford medical on their own, regardless of pre-existing conditions, can actually get insured, then I agree with the Senate side.
goodevening everyone. its been a while for me, hope all is well!
Greetings Erica, Anderson and the CNN Staff and fellow bloggers
Hello there.
hello everyone:-)
@Erica You are doing great!!
Brandon,
I agree with you..... They are so interesting news tonight.
This will be fun watching them TRY to marry these two bill together within a week...less really. Busy busy busy...
@Erica,
You are doing great job double duty tonight!!!!! Lot of busy tonight, Yay! 🙂
Hello everyone...really interesting stuff on the news here lately! This has been making for some really great conversations and extremely heated debate.
Costs? Voting? Obama and the US gov't are failing everyone. Most citizens come in last as politicians' interests are first linked to special interest groups and their lobbyists ($$ contributors). Then comes the Electoral College (that's right – our popular vote doesn't really count) – how outdated and uneven. Then comes the rich and their contributions. Then comes the angry citizens who voice their opinions. Then comes the silent majority who votes. Then comes the poor. And for those who don't vote – does it really matter? Being from Nebraska, maybe we should learn a lesson from Sen. Nelson and hold out our vote to the highest bidder!
This 9 year old boy has lived half his life in Brazil. 4 of the last 5 years with his mother and one year with family including his grandmother in Brazil. It is probably best, but hardly clear cut , that it is better for him to be in the US.
Helloooo Anderson, Erica, Ed Henry, David Gergen Martina Ilstad, Emily and my friends Twitter/Facebook Bloggers!!!!!
I am so exciting for David Goldman bring Sean home right away, Supreme Court is doing right thing to do for Sean!!!
@Isabel,
I was so surprised that I recieved news e-mail from CNN, Its says that Sean is belong to his father David Goldman bring them home in New Jersey! 🙂