http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2008/12/05/palin-health-plan/ At best, Palin’s proposals are small steps to a larger reform effort. At worst they’re a wholly inadequate set of ‘pilot programs’ designed to bolster Palin’s health care credentials without accomplishing much at all.
With efforts like these, who needs access to care?: Outdoor activity is not a “silver bullet” to increasing health outcomes, Palin confessed. Other “fiscally responsible” approaches must be considered: - Greater deregulation: Palin had previously led an effort to repeal Certificate of Need laws, (CON) — “a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers to obtain state approval before offering certain new or expanded service.” Despite evidence that repealing CON laws would drive-up health care costs, Palin claimed that loosening CON laws would “invite more competition in our larger market to provide health care.” - Purchasing insurance across state lines: In a throw-back to Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) health care plan, Palin promised to “support efforts on a national level for allowance of residents in one state to look for insurance in other states, again all in the name of competition, resulting, ideally, in more affordability, in addition to supporting other national initiatives that newly election administration coming into office can provide opportunity for.” - Web-MD Alaska: Called, ‘Live Well Alaska,’ this website “pulls together all the best advises for healthy eating and exercise and quitting smoking and it also incentivizes healthy life styles with Alaskan stories and health challenges..” “Alaskans are unfortunately becoming dangerously unhealthy due to poor diet or little or no exercise…each of us must take personal responsibility for our level of health, those things we can control, and not look to government to make us healthy…’Live Well Alaska’ will help.” - Alaska Health Care Commission: “The purpose of this is to provide recommendations for and foster developments of the state wide plan to address the quality, accessibility, and availability, of health care here in Alaska and this is the result of our Health Care Council’s recommendations to do so.” - Boost funding to Denali Kid Care (SCHIP): Palin proposed increasing eligibility from 175% to 200% of the Federal Poverty Level to cover an additional 1,300 kids. “It’s going to be good for more children to be on the rolls to have the opportunity for the coverage,” Palin announced. When questioned why she previously opposed such an expansion, Palin explained that she appointed “new commissioners” with a “new vision.” What’s missing from Palin’s plan is broad access to affordable coverage or cost-containment measures to make reform possible. Let’s hope her Health Care Commission, the members of which have yet to be appointed, offers a more comprehensive proposal. On Dec 9, 9:29 am, mike 532 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Bush cut the budget to both the FDA and USDA including the inspectors. > He and the Republican congress also eliminated the country of origin > labels required on food. He has done everything possible to protect > his corporate buddies. Of course it backfires like all his harebrained > schemes did. Topps out of business over the beef recalls and 25 > deaths. Dogs and cats dead from tainted food from China. Excessive > amounts of lead on imported toys because we wanted cheaper and cheaper > products. Top dollar medicines that are only minimally effective if > not deadly. Corporate bottom lines got fatter while Bush' constituents > died. Funny how the American's cried when Japan halted imports of > American beef. They obviously don't trust our food. I live here and I > don't trust it. That probably explains why conservatives pray before > every mealhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080217171845AACOE76 > On Dec 9, 9:02 am, mike 532 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > i like the idea of people exercising and eating healthy foods . and > > isn't it a tragedy that we can't trust the foods we buy over the > > counter because of the cuts in funding by the republicans and the lack > > of over sight by the bush FDA > > > On Dec 9, 4:52 am, mike 532 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Palin's Health Plan Focuses on 'Outdoor Activities' and Consumption > > > of > > > 'Wild Game'http://www.alternet.org/blogs/healthwellness/110446/ > > > A moose a day keeps the doctor away. > > > After inexplicably describing the September bailout of Wall Street as > > > a package that would "help those who are concerned about health care > > > reform," Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) yesterday unveiled a patchwork of > > > health care proposals to "improve Alaska's health and education." > > > Palin's initiatives include a greater emphasis on outdoor activity: > > > > With amazing outdoor activities in fresh clean air and consumption of > > > healthy clean protein in the form of wild game and Alaska's sea food. > > > We got berries, we've got Alaskan-grown produce and those things need > > > to be promoted. > > > > Listen here:- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
