Health Care Fight, Dems Chasing Votes: Join the Live Chat
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Tonight on 360°, the health care endgame. Will Democrats have enough votes to get the bill passed? Plus, Dr. Sanjay Gupta breaks down what's in the legislation and how it could impact you. We also take you to Haiti to see what's being done to help clean up the camps washed out by rain. Actor and activist Sean Penn is in Port-au-Prince with the latest developments.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
Here are some of them:
1) Keep it short (we don't have time to read a "book")
2) Don't write in ALL CAPS (there's no need to yell)
3) Use your real name (first name only is fine)
4) No links
5) Watch your language (keep it G-rated; PG at worst - and that includes $#&*)
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We can just leave things as they are. Killing the bill is the most irresponsible thing that America can do. By the way bug Insurance is already raising their rates...
I am feeling like this is like the credit card bill that Obama signed last summer. He gave the banks notification to raise the interest rates on folks as high as possible over a 6 month period. Looks like the insurance companies will have 4 years to increase the premiums for those who have insurance.
@Susan NJ, Do you the ins exchanges as proposed will effectively increase competition for the insurance industry?
Take some time for some of these provisions to kick in.
It is so sad about the people in hati how long our they going to have to live like that
@ emily...i don't really know if that item is in the bill.
what i heard reported on cnn was that the president decided to incorporate 3 ideas from republicas, the selling of ins. across state lines, some kind of tort refom, and i don't remembe the third.
as far as i know these items were supposed to have been added to the bill.
I wantedthis bill so bad, i'm a factory worker wwho only makes about $28000-$35000 a year, And i have child support at about 100 per week, plus all the taxes we pay. I couldn't aford Insurace even if i wanted to so the only thing that would help me is a public option, and they killed that hope. So for all the bickering i did to my senator, and rep. was all for nothing. I NEED THE PUBLIC OPTION
Wild, this health care is getting more and more interesting!
When health insurance cost to employers go up due to all the new mandates like covering pre-existing conditions, JOBS will be lost.
Ed, John and Sanjay have good points there, I hope we can find how to pay our health-care or insurance companies.
Thanks Sanjay for the breakdown of some of these major points. I always enjoy seeing Sanjay on the show.
I’m 57 years old and I have worked hard all my life. In the last year I had to leave work because of a heart condition. I lost my insurance and had to wait 6 months before getting insurance because of my pre-existing conditions. I had to use my 401k for bills, doctor bills, and medicines. I got a small policy that I pay 277.00 a month for and this has when up twice in the last year. I get 6 doctors visits a year and they only pay 70.00 per visit and only 30,000 for hospital bills. I can't afford to have test done because of the cost. My doctor is saying I will probably need a heart transplant in the future. I'm disabled with heart failure and will have to wait 2 years for my Medicare. What I’m saying is that we all deserve affordable health care.
Thank you Sanjay. We can always count on you for great explanations.
Democratics: show unity and leadership!
At what income are you considered not "able to afford" health insurance premiums? Who is going to be paying for those subsidies? ALL taxpayers should be paying taxes to fund the subsidies rather than forcing a small group of Americans to foot the bill.
@Betty the country was broke when we past Social Security in 1935 and Medicare in 1965.... what is different now?
Premiums will HAVE to go up to cover pre-existing conditions.
The US Health Care system needs a major overhaul. It's getting too expensive, especially for young workers fresh out of university, and insurance companies have too much power to turn down claims. I would think, from seeing the big picture, that any proposal that addresses these issues is better than nothing.
Maybe my perspective comes from not hearing all the fine details. I don't get the issue ads here in India!
What I do remember is two things. First, the frustration of having a college degree, yet not being able to find either a job that would give health benefits and individual plans being too hard to find and too costly. Second, the thrill of getting married at age 30 including the benefit of finally having coverage through my husband's employer, so my parents were off my back about not having insurance. Sad. That needs to change. Please don't throw the baby out with the bath water!
seems like various "votes" for this healthcare bill have quite a variety of reasons.
it would be interesting to see how the vote would turn out if any votes with ulterior motives which do not actually benefit the people were removed from the actual tally – and all which were actually based on what is best for the people of america were counted.
@C.Walker,
I think that many Republicans are frustrated for they were not being listened to for the longest time, and the Democrats didn't care if they (listening/on board) or not.
John King is right on the money!
Instead of agreeing to help the american peoplewith this new bill they argue like children on different teams... everyone backs their own team.
@Dulcie, didn't you hear Ed say that this bill is essentially the same one written by the Democrats with very little of the Republican ideas incorporated?
Health Savings Accounts would give you your money back – but that's a Republican plan.
5Billion for high risk pools??? where is the govt getting the money?
Hello to everyone, my question is "what is really going on in haiti after the all the money and aid that was giving to the country?
As Sanja is explaining it, it sounds pretty good to me!
as anderson pointed out tonight,the President has given the republicans many concessions,they obviously want this to be Obamas "waterloo".Thankyou anderson for showing the republicans hypocrisy.
AC,
We want health care reform, but I must commend all Dems and Reps who are LISTENING to the American people. What we really want is something we can pay for, and currently, we cannot afford the bill as written. OUR COUNTRY IS BROKE! There are many ways to make a bill affordable, especially by not buying votes and both sides of the aislen are guilty. America CAN do better than this!!!
Betty Lou
Premiums will skyrocket once caps are removed, and pre-existing conditions are removed.
roy-canada
why do you people do not want better health care? every thing in your country that is good for the people turns in to a political war. why do democrats not support their president, they need to check and see who got most of them elected president Obama!!! you ahve the best president since prsident kennedy and people refuse to support him. i do not understand their reasoning. thanks. buy the way i do not pay anything every month for health care.
Kim – I am also part of the "public" and I am not for the bill.
@ isabele – i agree. however, i am concerned that many people see how the aid sent has not been distriuted very well and the gov tried to tax the items donated, and will no longer trust that their donations will be used properly.
i intend to keep donating, i hope many othes will too.
@Starr,
I had not heard that as of late, however, there has been so many changes and "sweet heart" deals... and I know that both the House & Senate bills were very different.
Is that still in there?
Miranda,
Thumb up! 🙂
Will Congress and the President be covered under this same healthcre plan that they are trying to foist on the American people? I don't think so. This healthcare plan scares me to death.
as far as the whole health care debate goes...we simply cant do NOTHING anymore..... hopefully they will pass this bill...and modify it later. for gods sake, things can not stay the same. how is it that some ppl just dont get that???
Anderson,
Can you please ask Dr. Gupta if he has any idea concerning the "cuts" in Medicare........what would medical services would be cut??????
or in other words what services would remain?????
Thank you
Mark Johnson Port Cahrlotte, Florida
I'm an Independent who knows many without health care. Leaders step up and get things done. I'm watching to see who steps up.
Time to get the labor unions and trial lawyers out of the pockets of politicians - especially those who are voting yes.
Anderson, I just listened to Ed Henry speak wth you on the Republican "status" of health care. Republicans are using any words they can, and jumping from one excuse to another. For example, when have Republicans began to care what Democrats support or not support? To listen to Mitch McConnell (republicans) say that democrates can not get "onboard" with their own party, is a spurious argument. Truth is, Mitch's party does not care if Democrats were together, his party still would not vote for it. It sophistry!
Republicans are playing mind games...people are suffering while it happens EVERYDAY.
Thank you, CNN for showing how obstructionist the GOP has been throughout the entire health care reform process. No, the Democrats haven't been perfect, but the GOP has simply refused to play at all.
Pass healthcare now. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are dying for it. Literally.
Pass reform now and stop all this political posturing. People are dying NOW but Republicans don't seem to care, they only worry about keeping their power and jobs.
Great point, Joe.
I just received an email from my employer asking us to contact congress to stop this bill. I am for this bill more than ever now. My employer has never done anything for their employees
Can someone please answer one simple question? If the Republicans are so "in touch" with the American people and agree that health care reform is needed, why, in all the years they were in control, did they NEVER propose any legislation for health care reform?
Good evening. The showdown in Washington this weekend concerning health care reform makes me uneasy, but I doubt the bill will actually pass.
Good evening everyone! TGIF!
Hi Anderson and team 360!
@Jane- I am part of the "public" and I fully support the health care reform bill.
@Starr...I agree.
The commercials are annoying...just as annoying as the commercials during an election.
I am 100% behind the Pres, I have a Pre existing and run into Major Problem getting Meds covered, It seems They Never let up.
Fake Memo Yes, Repubs would love this Plan if Obama were a
Repub.
Need to pass this bill to get the drug companies out of the pockets of the politians . Especially the ones that are against it. What is right is right.
Starr,
Yup! You are absolutely right! It is fake memo!!!! I agree with you, I know we are confusing our health-care.