John M, Tulsa (10/29/2008 8:49:12 AM)

A very fine letter from Dr. Wolfe who treated my wife in the emergency room just a few days ago. However, he makes no mention of the Insure Oklahoma program which appears to be a good first step in helping the working poor get health insurance. This program needs to be expanded. There is a federal waiver that would do this but it has been sitting in the federal CMS office for over a year.

As for Mr. Politico's comments above calling this socialism, I would just ask him to consider the fact that currently insurance companies are turning people down when they apply for health insurance for minor pre-existing health conditions. Even if we can afford it, we are not being allowed to get it.

Owl, Riverside (10/29/2008 9:06:54 AM)

IMO, I think I seen an ad by the AMA called voicefortheuninsured dog org. You may want to google it and see if there is a way to get help throught that program.

Owl, Riverside (10/29/2008 9:07:37 AM)

errr, DOT org. not dog org. sorry!!

my view, America (10/29/2008 11:24:07 AM)

When they are speaking about 42 or 44 million without health insurance, that number also includes illegal's. The number of American with out health insurance is closer to 34 million, which is to many. I don't think univeral health care is the answer, look at medicare it's under funded and joke. I know because I'm on it.

You have Canadian's that can afford it coming to the US for health care because they can't receive it at home in a timely manner. They are sitting on waiting list, do we want that here. Taxs credits allowing you to shop for your own health insurance is the answer. Other than regulation it's best to keep the government out of it.

Michael A Clem, Tulsa (10/29/2008 12:54:02 PM)

It's always, 'the government needs to do something about health care." In fact, the government has done a LOT about health care, which helps explain why it is so unaffordable for the average American. From the FDA and HMO's to local hospitals and ambulance service, the government has already done far too much about health care.

John M, Tulsa (10/29/2008 2:07:11 PM)

What good does a tax credit do if you can't buy insurance because of pre-existing conditions?

Getting a job just so you can get health insurance? How backwards have we become in this society where we revolve our entire lives around health care insurance?

Concerning the comment about a waiting list, if I had to choose between a waiting list and not getting any health care (except the emergency room), then I would gladly choose the waiting list!

Hijinx, (10/29/2008 5:11:52 PM)

Dr. Wolfe

Thanks for your post!

Realist RN, (11/2/2008 1:26:25 AM)

" The government through Medicare/Medicaid allready shares a great deal of the blame for Emergency Room abuse of services, admitting everyone regardlesss of need, illegals clogging the system with non-paying patients. I think they have done enough. Many choose not to have insurance, even those employed to pay for other things. Not food and shelter, but cell phones, cable TV, big cars, and ciggarettes. Bad choices should not go unrewarded!

mlcraver, (11/6/2008 5:43:39 PM)

Too many people are not able to get or keep health insurance. This is due to jobs ending, health problems and companies not offering it to their workers. Unfortunately, we are not finding ways to decrease the disease process. As a healthcare worker myself, and seeing how the economy can go with this election,more of us may be without healthcare soon. There is a company who will insure us with existing or acquired health problems. The website is not available on here.You can contact me at 336-768-7337 if you'd like to see what is available to you. I want us all to have what we need if we can get it. I hope this will help some of you who want the insurance to pay medical and drug bills but are not able to get it from other companies. Best of luck.

TulsaInIsrael, Tel Aviv, Israel (11/9/2008 4:31:06 AM)

I am a Tulsan, born and raised. I lived in several places in the US and now I live in Israel since 4 years. Tulsa is the finest city on earth where to be born and reared. I always got the finest medical care avaiible, beginning with my birth in St. John's Hospital. Because my father was a long time employee at Froug's (Remember Frug's Department stores, you over 40 crowd:-)), we have great health insurance.

Because of a health concern (all straightened out now) I had to go on medical leave about 4.5 years ago. I was afraid of eventually having to leave this job and have to pay approximately $500 a month health insurance.

I came here to Israel for many reasons, and tops on the list was because of the top notch Government Health care system. I chose my family doctor. I don't have to wait usually as he keeps appointments 90% of the time. The deductible is nothing--the equivalent of $2. Prescription medicines have tiny deductibles. The hospitals I have seen from the inside look like Hillcrest and St. Johns inside--with all of the finest things available.

Everyone pays 6% of his/salary for this national health care insurance, so the high wage earners subsidize the low income people. When one is unemployed, one is charged a little over $100 a month to continue in this marvellous plan!!! The per diem premiums for travel heath insurance quite reasonable. For a 55 year old like me, it is only about $7 a day.

I am happy with my job and my life here, but quite frankly I would like to come home someday. However, I am mortally afraid of being without a job and the private health insurance wiping out everything I have. I still can't understand how the the greatest country on earth does not have what should be a fundamental right.

I daresay that there are tens of thousands of Americans exiled in foreign countries with good health care systems for the same reasons which I mention.

I am Mark Schwartz, at markhschwartz (at) yahoo dot com. Former classmates of Rogers '72, feel free free to contact me, and also people from Congregation B'nai Emunah, please feel free as well, or anyone else who reads this. I would be pleased to hear from you.

TulsaInIsrael, Tel Aviv, Israel (11/9/2008 4:34:00 AM)

Corrections to prior posting: "we HAD good health insurance with Frougs"

The cost to have health insurance in Israel when one is unemployed is $100 per QUARTER, not per month. Important!!

Tulsaboyw, tulsa (11/14/2008 12:02:47 PM)

In theory, nationalized health care seems cool...but the reality is that it would mean a guarantee of 'rationing' of healthcare... and what may seem like a growth in health care jobs, will turn into a serious lack of jobs per many leaving the field..
Also, at least in USA, healthcare expenses are 58% directly related to gov. costs.

Ie; if the government would get out of micromanaging healthcare the costs would be cut in half....

In this country, the actual best way to do national healthcare is to give a 100% tax credit or similar for healthcare costs (premiums, etc).

That would in reality be much cheaper than a lowering of qualify of healthcare by having a socialsecurity like medical care...which is at times not that good anyway (as proven by my moms healthcare).
Yea there is also Germany which has a decent healthcare deal too.

What we need to stay away from is Canadian or French versions..
Both will result in seriously bad care or increased costs in the end.
Also bad, Great Brittian..
In the above immediate 3, you will more likely die before you get the care u need.

Tulsaboyw, tulsa (11/19/2008 8:57:53 AM)

I too would like to see some sort of 'exclusion' or other for 'pre-existing condition'.

While I didnt lose out on getting coverage. it did either raise my costs too high or didnt cover that part of the medical benefits.

In either case, the best way.
1. Handle pre-existing issues.
2. Tax deduct or credit to somehow offset it.
1st time this is done, would be a hardship, but from then on, it wouldnt.
you could use the credit/refund per this as a pre-bate for next year.
I actually use my 'real' refunds as a buffer, for the nxt year and rarely
spend it initially.

Btw, I am poor too, in that unless i get contract work, I dont work.
I avg 20 hrs a week max nowadays...