Tony G, Tulsa (11/22/2008 4:14:09 AM)

I'm a small business owner, just myself and my wife. Insurance for us is just to expensive.
The last time we checked, insurance would cost $900 a month for our family. That was basic insurance, no vision care, no dental.
We pay CASH when we need to see a doctor. We made arrangements with our doctors
and they accept us.
If they take our drivers licenses--our business fails, we lose our house and become homeless.
Is this REALLY what they want. If so--I need to take my business and the taxes we pay
to another state!

wa72, wagoner (11/22/2008 7:12:18 AM)

No need to worry. The One will fix all these problems.

John M, Tulsa (11/22/2008 7:59:04 AM)

I would be for these penalties. However, the real problem with health insurance are companies that will not accept people with pre-existing health conditions. I was turned down for sleep apnea, a very common sleep disorder that is easily treated with a CPAP machine.

The Insure Oklahoma program accepts people with pre-existing conditions. However, there are gross income limits and you have to work for an employer with less than 50 employees. So very few people qualify for this program. This needs to be expanded. There is a federal waiver that would expand this but it has been sitting with the federal government for 2 years and no one can tell me when or if this will get approved.

Wayne Rohde, (11/22/2008 8:24:43 AM)

If our Insurance Commissioner would do her job and help regulate the discriminatory practice of "pre-existing conditions". That concept is not a standard but an ever changing standard of determination of elibility. That standard should be a standard, not some something that keeps changing in the favor of insurance companies each year.

It an arbitrary concept in the favor of insurance companies and continues to be unregulated. Set the standard and leave it alone, but our commissioner just keeps ignoring the real reasons for the uninsured and the underinsured in OK.

Help protect the policy holders of Oklahoma every once in awhile Commissioner.

Agenda seeker, Tulsa (11/22/2008 8:28:02 AM)

This is just another Oklahoma backwards thinking law. I am 58 yrs old and found myself unemployed, and am now back in school to change careers, while I am in school I have no income, taking away my license would mean I couldnt attend school, what are they thinking?

LEO, (11/22/2008 9:00:37 AM)

This is what the intelligence of some of our elected officals provide to us. If you do not have health insurance they want to take away driver license. If you owe money on your car or truck and cannot drive that car or truck because you have no driver lisense why pay for that car or truck to sit in your driveway. If you are a small business and your workers cannot get to work, wonder how long you stay in business? If the state of Oklahoma does not care about the tax base, take away the driver licence and stop more taxes to be paid SMART MOVE. If you cannot get to the store to buy food because your cannot drive maybe the persons who support this move will deliver and pay for our food for our children because we have no drivers license and no car or insurance. What a group of smart people leading this State.

Sarge776, Tulsa (11/22/2008 9:10:09 AM)

In most cases, I feel that state or federal government should not be allowed to regulate certain things. However, since I have gotten older, and see what happens when large companies are not regulated, i.e. insurance companies, public utility companies, etc. then they go all out to keep raising their prices until a middle income family or person can barely afford those luxuries that are really necessities. The insurance companies are another story in itself. However, with people suing people all the time, and the insurance companies having to pay out, and attorneys getting richer and richer because of all these lawsuits, a person has to wonder, where it will all end. It ends up, back in the consumers pockets, or at least out of our pockets. Doctors who fill you out a prescription charge you for the office visit. You go to get your prescription and you pay fully for the script or your insurance pays for a large percentage of it if you have insurance. The insurance company then charges you for that coverage to allow you to have a deductible for the prescription. Who loses money? The consumer. What happens if the person is on welfare and can't afford the Dr. and the prescription? It comes out of the pockets of those who pay taxes and pay for insurance. Who loses? Those who work. Should those on welfare be protected and have insurance provided for them? If they were able to work earlier in life yes. If they were deadbeats who lived off of the system all their lives with no excuse except being lazy, No. Who is going to end up paying for a national health care provision where everyone is protected? People who work for a living.

4738, (11/22/2008 9:19:18 AM)

We are not a socialist country. You must have to be on drugs or have a mental disability to be an elected official. What a ridiculous attempt to fix a tremendous proglem. It is time our politicians regulated the insurance companies, DHS, Nursing Homes, etc. Stop coming up with insane ideas and actually work to fix what is wrong with the system in the State of Oklahoma.

YAYTulsa, Catoosa, OK (11/22/2008 9:55:24 AM)

What we really need to do is outlaw insurance all together. If people actually had to pay real money for their medical care the medical industry would not be charging $500 for a $.05 piece of plastic (IUD.) Take away licensing laws for doctors and let people decide for themselves if they need to see an educated friend or an 8-years-of-school MD. (DO, I don't discriminate) Get government out of medicine. Get insurance out of medicine. The system will fix itself if you leave it alone. Same with your body most of the time!

Norman Bates, Bates Motel (11/22/2008 10:39:50 AM)

What about those that can't afford insurance? What about those have been turned down by insurance companies? What about those that have applied for insure Oklahoma but have been turned down? I think you're going to find out that nearly everyone without insurance is not due to choice.

Paula, Midtown (11/22/2008 10:46:42 AM)

If you think health insurance is expensive now, just wait until it's free.

Ray, (11/22/2008 11:41:51 AM)

How about Commissioner Holland going without insurance for 6 months? Let her find an insurance company she can afford that will accept her. I was laid off at 55 and finally found a company that charged me $1200 a month, very basic with no dental, etc. It wouldn't even pay partly for a flu shot. Dropped the d... thing. What's the point?

So, spend your money (if you have any) on health insurance or your house payment. This is crap.

EufaulaLakers, Eufaula/Longtown (11/22/2008 11:49:13 AM)

[If you think health insurance is expensive now, just wait until it's free. ]
It can't get any worse. France, Canada and other countries have great universal health care systems, why can't we?

I lived in Canada for two years. Yes, people complain about health care there, but it beats the heck out of our system. A friend got elective surgery for a snoring problem (a girlfriend). It took six months to get her surgery scheduled because it was elective, but she got it done by good doctors in a well-run hospital and it was successful. Oh, and it was free.

I go to the VA hospital in Muskogee, OK. I've never seen a better-run operation. If this is government-run health care, let's have a whole lot more of it.

Rocketman, Tulsa (11/22/2008 12:09:25 PM)

EufaulaLakers,

If you think the government can provide better healthcare to all Americans through universal health care how are they going to fund it? Half of all the people in this country do not pay taxes, so tax those that do pay taxes more so everyone can have health care?

America is sliding into socialism and the carrot on the end of the stick right now is universal healthcare. Where do we draw the line on government intervention in our choices?

Everyone wants something for nothing. Universal health care is just the hot entitlement for now. Where will it stop?

Your treatment at the Muskogee Vet Hospital was not free - you may not have had to pay for it, but the taxpayers did.

Eric, Tulsa (11/22/2008 12:15:08 PM)

I would suggest that we re-think Ms. Hollands' proposal and frame it in a different way.

For starters, please read this opening sentence from a November 19th Associated Press report by Kevin Freking (some last name, huh?):

"WASHINGTON – The health insurance industry said Wednesday it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions — but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage."

Now - consider how the auto insurance industry has mandated that ALL drivers must have insurance (although we know a lot do not).

Can you see where this is going?

OkieGrump, Okmulgee (11/22/2008 12:51:29 PM)

This has got to be the worst idea since the patriot act. I hope a few of Oklahoma's Democrat legislators figure out that Holland is harming the party with this idiocy and step on her firmly.

rocker, Afton (11/22/2008 1:27:44 PM)

I have payed plenty to get the VA health care, sounds like a dodger, you can not keep health insurance when you get 777.16 a month retirement pay and the co you worked for 32 yrs charges 655.00 a month for it, and 2500.00 per person. in addition to that 195.00 a month for drug s from medicare, 240.00 more for supplement insurance for medicare, guess you work till you die. and my wife cannot get any insurance because of existing conditions. my 19 year old had to have 6 stitches in her right hand and it cost 1396.00$ to have that done, I think there is some overcharging going on, only when you are free and white. our elected people have no idea of what is going on, they need to get their heads out of their a---s. the VA IN MUSKOGEE AND OKC IS THE BEST THERE IS. VERY GOOD DR. TOO! ! !

Bliss, Okc (11/22/2008 1:35:48 PM)

Would this apply to felony illegal aliens? How 'bout indigents whose few possessions include a driver's license which is used for ID? This woman is insane and needs to be locked up. The majority of dis-abled cannot even afford the dam gov. insurance. I think they are just trying to kill the poor here in okla. We should all go picket her office and see if we can get her fired or recalled. That's the problem with these officials who think their defecation don't stink, they don't have a CLUE what it's like to be poor. What's worse is they DON'T CARE! Satan's work, looks like to me.

rocker, Afton (11/22/2008 1:41:47 PM)

HOLLAND NEED'S TO FIND A DIFFERENT JOB OR SHUT UP, DOESN'T SOUND TO SMART THE WAY TIME'S ARE NOW MOST PEOPLE ARE JUST GETTING BY.MOST PEOPLE CAN'T BUY FOOTBALL TICKETS OR HAVE ANY TAX DEDUCTIONS ANYWAY,I GUESS IF YOU LOSE YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE THEY WILL COME AND BURY YOU THEN SOME ONE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT TO.

CarolsMan, TULSA (11/22/2008 7:27:45 PM)

The people of the U.S. should rise up against the government and let them know that everyone in the U.S. cannot afford health care...I am disabled from being hurt on the job too many and finally i cannot work anymore...i cannot even afford to keep the lights on in my house because i do not receive enough money from disability to pay the electric bill...the poor and disabled of this country will have to make the decision whether to eat or pay the utility bills.....i heard that Obama is going to make medicaid available to everyone...i had medicade until was approved for disability then they took it away from me because i made 22 dollars too much under their guidelines and i cannot qualify for medicare for two years...until then i am without any kind of coverage or a way to afford the drugs i need for the pain in my legs and back....out of the little i get every month i have to pay insurance on my car so that they will not take my license.....then in have to use almost half my check for the drugs i need...so what do i have left for FOOD...nothing....there are people that think if a person is old or disable they need to be done away with just like old dogs......our elderly and infirm are being killed off by the government so that the young can have lower taxes....THINK ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN SAID AND HOPE THAT "YOU" ARE NOT EVER DISABLED..YOU YOURSELF MIGHT BE THE ONE THAT THEY KILL SO THAT YOU DON'T TAX THE SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSE TO PROTECT YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jay123, Lancaster (11/22/2008 7:59:31 PM)

Two quick thoughts. We complain about the officials who suggest such notions as mandated health insurance, yet we keep re-electing such conservative, republican idiots. Secondly, such mandated health insurance is a great gift to the large insurance companies From their purchased friends in government.

eyeonthefuture, (11/22/2008 7:59:31 PM)

This is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard. I can't believe we are letting the government require that citizens purchase a product (insurance) from a private company. What about providing affordable health care? What about the native americans that access to health care from the tribe and aren't in need of insurance, do they lose their licenses? Where do I sign up to get the government require all of you buy apples from my orchard. Apples are good for you so now you have to buy them from me....

rocker, Afton (Bernice GRAND LAKE) (11/22/2008 11:21:31 PM)

Look what it has done to the US, just keep voteing the right wing GOP and see what happens, thank GOD we have a very good Democrat leading our state we need the same in the house and senate we still have dead heads there.

ppiklapp, Tulsa (11/23/2008 1:08:18 AM)

What are they going to do about those of us who work and don't have a license? I ride the bus to work and bicycle home the 5.5 miles, and have several thousands dollars of health care bills I am trying to pay. I have insurance now, but if it is tying up the processes and refusing to pay for the hospital bills I have. What have I been paying all this time for? We need to make it manditory for insurance to pay what it supposed to pay for. I have been talking with representatives on both sides of the bills for months and paying a little here and there. Getting four stitches in my hand should not be a major medical cost, but it is billed at over two thousand dollars in total. The insurance will not pay for it, and won't tell me why it was not covered. If the government taking over the medical field is what it will take to get the cost of simple medicine down to a reasonable rate, I have to go with that.

onemiracle, (11/23/2008 6:51:12 AM)

Kim Holland needs to get a real job, not one she doesnt even deserve. She is liveing in a dream world, I hope she goes straight to the bowls of the earth and spends eternity with her friends. She needs removed from office period. People like her are killing the working people. Hope she gets what is coming to her...