Medical security tops urgency list

Although imperfect, our healthcare system is the envy of the world, and that is why so many come to this country for their medical care. But, we could improve: by encouraging an increase in Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs). Successful HMO models, such as Kaiser Permanente in California, may lead the way. With a purpose of and incentive for maintaining or enhancing subscribers’ wellness and health, rather than waiting for illness and disability to strike, the HMO may relieve not only the problem of financial access, but also add to an overall improvement in the health of our citizens.

Sorry to burst your bubble CommissionerGordon, but our system is not the envy of the world, and HMOs, rather than being a success, just limit your choices of doctors and hospitals. I wouldn't expect you to know that, or the fact that a Single Payer system would give us almost complete freedom of choice. Did you know that when you pay for insurance, a good chunk of your money is spent on campaign contributions, lobbyists, and PR firms? The PR firms are employed to echo the pro-insurance and anti-government talking points you might find yourself mindlessly repeating if you're not careful. Campaign contributions and lobbyists are a direct corrupting influence on our political system. For example, Senator Max Baucus(D-MO) who just recently proposed mandatory coverage of every American, received over $500k from the insurance companies in the last election cycle. You know how this works. Max proposes or helps pass the law to put extra money in the insurance companies pocket and in return, or in advance, they throw some his way. Max isn't alone by any means, but you get the idea. I would think with fiscally conservative ideals, the right would want our health care dollars to be used for health care, not campaign contribution, or lobbyists or... I'm sure you don't think about these thing, as they are not part of the daily talking points from either party. However, I'm an independent, and free to move around the political spectrum as I please provoking thought here and there, at least where people are capable of such a thing. I think people should put a little more thought into, well everything. Have you consider the meaning of Single Payer Health Care? Or what our current system is that would justify a call for such a thing worded in such a way? Who are the multiple payers, and why are people with insurance filing bankruptcy over medical bills? Since I'm already here I may as well hit on one particular talking points of the right I find interesting, and dive right into the free market debate that Health Care Reform is sure to spur. Yes, we all understand the value of competition in the free market pushing advancements. However we should really focus on where the advancements occur in relation to where our money is being spent. Doctors, Hospitals and Universities are where you will see the medical advancement being made. But rather than all the money flowing through those areas where advancements are made, our current system is allowing the insurance industry, who contribute no advancement, to skim off the top. Try being independent people, that way you don't have to attack good ideas just because your party was too slow to recognize them. James Hovland, a product of freedom