Mar, Tulsa (8/13/2009 11:55:32 AM)

No location in Tulsa to have one?

Mar, Tulsa (8/13/2009 11:56:16 AM)

No location in Tulsa to have one?

Ignatz, Broken Bow (8/13/2009 11:58:11 AM)

Bizarre statements. I guess he means that health care should only be for the very wealthy and let docs, pharma and hospitals charge as much as they can get away with. Equally bizarre that the poor slobs he wishes to deny care to will just keep electing this elitist.

MuskogeePolitico, Muskogee (8/13/2009 11:58:48 AM)

I was there, and counted the crowd. I gave up at 550. 300 is purposefully underestimated; it was probably over 600.

rememberme?, (8/13/2009 12:01:25 PM)

they didn't count the other 300, those will be euthanized anyways.

Four Sixteen Rigby, (8/13/2009 12:05:11 PM)

Remember what Everett Dirksen (D-IL) said:

"When I feel the heat, I see the light."

You gotta make our Political Overlords feel the heat or they will ignore us.

We The People, Owasso (8/13/2009 12:10:47 PM)

"Ignatz"...Get most of the government regulations and influnce out of the medical business and the prices will drop like a rock. The medical industry loves regulations as it helps them justify the high cost. When the FDA takes over regulating the natural pharacutial business watch the price of your vitanim's skyrocket.

Anytime the government gets involved it becomes a lost cause. Just look at Medicare and Social Security.

Scooterman, (8/13/2009 12:16:25 PM)

Hey Four Sixteen Rigby-

Senator Everet Dirkson was indeed from Illinois but a republican and I am sure he is spinning in his grave!

Legal Citizen, . (8/13/2009 12:18:17 PM)

“The reason the cost is rising is because government is in it in the first place."

> BINGO! Anyone who works in healthcare - as Coburn does - can tell you that.

The simple fact - that simple-minded people like Ignatz choose to ignore - is that exiting government programs (medicare, medicaid) do not reimburse the provider for all of their cost. That deficit is made up by the private insurers.

The plan currently debated exacerbates that problem by reducing even further the benefits it pays in an attempt to "cut costs."

OBOY, Afton (8/13/2009 12:19:26 PM)

Do you all think a Dr. a senator is going to do any thing to limit how much he can charge or what the Insurance Co can charge or pay their CEO I don't think so, he could care less about any one but himself why else would he be against it or for any thing that would help the people that are not insured just a tipical Republican I got mine and I am not going to share just go die and leave me alone.

unbelievable11, (8/13/2009 12:33:03 PM)

Harry, doctors are forced to accept Medicare funding and Medicare pts. You have to accept the pittance they'll pay, which typically doesn't cover the cost of providing care. This cost gets passed on to pts with private insurance.

As Dennis Miller once said, "The government can't pave f***ing roads."

Anyone really think they can do THIS?

zzx375, BA (8/13/2009 12:39:49 PM)

No raucous behavior?

Bison3, Tulsa (8/13/2009 12:40:01 PM)

I just wonder if the Republicans shouted him down before he had a chance to speak. It seems that every time they interview a Republican politician on healthcare, the mantra is to keep government out of it and that, of course, Obama's going to spend us into the poor house!! They say that healthcare needs fixing yet they make no offers of an alternate plan and ridicule someone when they try.I guess they think that if it is broke, just use duct tape to fix it.

asweetdad54, Tulsa (8/13/2009 12:41:56 PM)

Hey did he walk on water at the meeting. he is part of the reason you are at the bottom of the list of everything, yell yer fat and uned. dummy what more do you want.

TU Homer, (8/13/2009 12:49:41 PM)

Insurance companies have control over healthcare. Their motives are purely profit driven. Some things in life, such as the military, education, roads, communications, and healthcare, are far bigger than profit. They are the infrastructure for our democracy. If these items are weakened, then our way of life (the American way of life) is threatened. There are advantages and disadvantages with insurance companies running health care. They can elect to deny coverage for their dues-paying customers if they want, and Coburn doesn't want an oversight of the insurance carriers? This doesn't make sense.

And the assumption that the government can't do anything efficiently is just plain wrong. The US Postal Service, the military, our educational system are all examples of programs under government control that is the best in the world. Certainly could make more efficient at times, but overall these programs are excellent.

WhereIsThought, Chandler (8/13/2009 12:49:58 PM)

Oh, Dennis Miller, the voice of authority.

Sure seems to come in handy when the government comes along in the form of red trucks to put out your meth lab fire.

I'm so sick of this stupid argument that the government can't do anything. The simple fact is that if you want universal coverage, the government is the only way that can happen.

Saying the government is inept and evil is just a smokescreen for selfishness. "I don't need Social Security or Medicare because I'm well enough off. Those other people? Scr3w 'em!". Am I leaving anything out?

reckless abandon, Tulsa (8/13/2009 12:51:26 PM)

Okay folks--before government involvement there was NO MEDICARE OR SOCIAL SECURITY. Remember the orphan trains, bread lines, tent cities, Hoovervilles? The good ole' days.

Independent Thinker, Tulsa (8/13/2009 12:51:40 PM)

I attended it too and saw my doctor there as well.
Later, I asked my doctor what he thought and he said, "... The Senator was right. I could treat twice as many patients as I do if I didn't have to spend so much time making out reports and forms for the Medicare and Medicaid programs."

reckless abandon, Tulsa (8/13/2009 12:55:31 PM)

TU Homer--THANK YOU< THANK YOU. THANK YOU

SS_Hippy, Tulsa (8/13/2009 12:58:39 PM)

i guess a lot of people wanted to learn about armadillo relocation.

reckless abandon, Tulsa (8/13/2009 1:01:03 PM)

Independent Thinker--your doctor is feeding you a line--Medicare often reimburses drs. at a HIGHER rate than many private insurance companies. And many insurance companies set you up AGAINST your doctor--the physician makes more money not treating you than treating you.

Ret AF, Jacksonville (8/13/2009 1:05:30 PM)

Let me tell you about my health care. I pay $38 a month for my family. We pay $12 co-pay to see the doc, $3 for a generic script and $9 for a name brand. We picked our docs and no one in government is butting into my health care business. Who do I get this from??? THE GOVERNMENT! It is called Tricare Prime and is a benefit for active duty and retired military (me). Don’t tell me government can’t do it because they do every day and it is simply the best in the world.

reckless abandon, Tulsa (8/13/2009 1:16:52 PM)

RET AF-there you go--thank you for letting people know that it is possible for the government to do it right. I pay 3 times that amount thru my employer, have a $30+ copay, $10-50 for meds and a select list of drs. to choose from.

RecklessProcess, Tulsa (8/13/2009 1:22:39 PM)

I love my senator! Coburn is great. One of the few conservatives in office. As a doctor he know that medicare doesn't pay enough to cover his costs and this new bill will reduce those payments even more. The reason, which leftys plug their ears in order not to hear, is that lawyers can sue doctors for the sky and doctors insurance has to cover that. There are limits on anyone else who might kill you or maim you. But there are no limits on doctors. So doctors have to pay enormous insurance bills and so do you. It makes health care unaffordable. But YoMama doesn't want to lower costs; he loves the lawyers who sue the healthcare systems. Those lawyers make it possible for him to try to take over the whole thing! Fix Medicare to prove the government can run health care. Then maybe we will see about handing over more of it.

Orphan, (8/13/2009 1:25:44 PM)

This is true, each time the Feds start taking over the costs go through the roof! Medicare and Medicaid payments are a joke, try to get a medicaid patient in to see an Orthopedic Physician!
Want to decrease the costs? How about Tort reform??