Bust a myth! Tag a friend with the truth about healthcare!
Posted August 20th, 2009 by Kristin Rowe-FinkbeinerWe’ve started a game of “Tag” with real life Healthcare Reform Myths & Facts—and by reading this right now you’re officially “Tagged.” Why the game? Well, things were getting so out-of-hand with ridiculous rumors flying, that we at MomsRising decided to add a little levity and, importantly, truth to the situation by starting a national game of Truth Tag with Healthcare Myths & Facts with you.
*Join us in a game of Truth Tag to help put a little more truth into the mix of the national dialogue on Healthcare Reform right now: http://www.momsrising.org/TruthSquadTag
Here’s how you play online: Take a moment to “Truth Tag” a friend or two, three, or four by clicking the easy link above, and voila, you’re in the game by instantly sending your friends an uplifting message with Healthcare Myths & Facts!
Your friends will thank you when you “Tag” them: Right now, too many people are having sleepless nights because of outlandish healthcare reform rumors–like that there will be “Death Panels.” You can turn your friends’ sleepless nights into pleasant slumbers by “Truth Tagging” them so they have easy access to Myths & Facts about Healthcare Reform. Plus, by passing the word around, you’ll be a part of changing the national dialogue on healthcare for the better.
Meanwhile… offline and on-the-ground, moms in capes are busting myths across the nation:
Faster than a toddler crawling toward an uncovered electrical outlet and more powerful than a teenager’s social networking skills, moms across the country have been fanning out to dispel the unfounded rumors, misconceptions, and lies about healthcare reform.
MomsRising SuperMoms, dressed in red capes, have been distributing powerful truth flyers across the nation to passersby to educate them about what healthcare reform will really do, and about how it will help to ensure the economic security of families across the country.
*We can give our caped myth-busting moms some “online backup” by Truth Tagging friends with healthcare reform myths & facts today–it’s a online distribution of the same facts that the MomsRising SuperMoms Truth Squad are handing out in-person: http://www.momsrising.org/TruthSquadTag
Why do these moms care? Over 46 million people in our nation don’t have any healthcare coverage at all, including millions of children. Not only are families struggling with getting children the healthcare coverage they need for a healthy start, but 7 out of 10 women are either uninsured, underinsured, or are in significant debt due to healthcare costs. In fact, a leading cause of bankruptcy is healthcare costs — and over 70% of those who do go bankrupt due to healthcare costs had insurance at the start of their illness. Clearly we need to fix our broken healthcare system!
Don’t forget to help put some more truth into the mix of the national dialogue on healthcare reform right now: http://www.momsrising.org/TruthSquadTag
Onward! – Kristin, Joan, Donna, Ashley, Julia, Dionna, Katie, Anita, Sarah, Mary, and the entire MomsRising Team
P.S. Want to get more involved with the MomsRising Supermom Truth Squad? Click here: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/t/9251/signUp.jsp?key=4284
P.P.S. When you go to the Truth Squad Tag page, you can also see a video of our MomsRising Truth Squad in action wearing capes! http://www.momsrising.org/TruthSquadTag
HEY, ONE MORE THING: We’ve been hearing so much positive feedback about our caped crusading moms that it might be time to lead a giant march of moms on the national Capitol Mall. Tell us what you think by commenting below!
150 Comments
August 21, 2009 at 11:31 am by ellenHas anyone read the 1,000 page healthcare bill? It’s vague and not well thought out. Just like the very unsuccessful “stimulus package” and “cash for clunkers” – the car dealers are still waiting for the government to reimburse them. Why the rush for all their programs?? They need to dot all their i’s and cross all their t’s before they try pass any programs. The majority of American’s have what is considered the best healthcare coverage in the world. We don’t need the government interferring in our healthcare!
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 11:26 am by Lanette Mariana Hendrenyes, march, show the congress how you feel!
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 11:22 am by nancy goldsteinI think the idea for a march on washington is a great idea-if we could gather millions of moms from across the nation to demonstrate for publically funded national care it would not be ignored by the Congress and it could be a great peaceful- non- belligerent response to the uninformed demonstrators at town meetings promulgated by the far right!
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 11:15 am by JenniI’m sorry. But as most of you know politicians cannot be trusted. There are too many holes and gray areas in this plan and I for one always point out when a plan of this magnitude has this many loopholes and gray areas. We DO NOT EVER want to leave room for the government to conveniently add something somewhere down the road to fit their agenda and are able to do so because of small loophole or gray area. This happens all too often with the government. I’ve seen it happen time and time again. I have read portions of the bill as well as read many postings of things you will lose if this bill passes. Not only by right wing groups but also left groups we well. This isn’t just the right wing conservatives stomping their feet and passing rumors. This is people like me who know what the government can do once they take control of your health care. Yes, the system needs an overhaul and there are many people out there suggesting alternate plans and solutions. However, I don’t see the government listening to any of them thus far. They have their own agenda and it doesn’t include our opinion.
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 11:14 am by S.A. ScalesI am so sick and tired of the “socialized medicine” garbage I could scream. You righties have been claiming that since FDR started pushing for Social Security. I’m very glad and so are my aging parents that no one listened to you then. Just imagine if you can the kind of country this would be without Social Security … When JFK and LBJ pushed for Medicare, you righties started screeching about “socialized medicine” yet again. What kind of country would this be without Medicare? Think about it …
Your corporate shill screeching astroturf “teabaggers” on Medicare screeching, “I don’t want government in my health care!” would be funny were they not so sad …
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 10:41 am by AnnemarieYes, we need to know the truth. But be careful to read the fine print. These healthcare proposals are not what they seem and the politicians behind them want you to think they are on your side.
Our healthcare system needs to continue to belong to us the people or else we will have others who get to decide who gets healthcare and who would be too expensive or old or worthless to cover.
Things are not always black and white. Ever ask yourself why people from all over the world, try to come to this country for healthcare?
If we change it to model everyone else – where will we go?
[Reply]
S.A. Scales Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 11:24 am
@Annemarie,
To quote Barney Franks, “On what planet do you spend most of your time?” It can’t be Earth or you’d not have said this, “Our healthcare system needs to continue to belong to us the people or else we will have others who get to decide who gets healthcare and who would be too expensive or old or worthless to cover.”
Our health care system belongs to cupidic billionaire corporate CEOs, not the people. Their corporations currently “get to decide who gets healthcare and who would be too expensive or old or worthless to cover.”
Wake up Annemarie!!!
[Reply]
AT Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 12:44 pm
@Annemarie,
The health insurance companies have currently decided that my family is “too expensive or old or worthless to cover.” Since the health care system belongs to you, perhaps you can change their minds and allow us to buy health insurance. Swine flu is coming back soon. Who do your kids go to school with? Do they all have health cover?
[Reply]
There are ways to reform healthcare and Obama’s plan is not the way. I am a Canadian married to an American and I hope US healthcare never becames like Canada. Don’t be fooled. If they would open the insurance market to allow people to buy from different states that would make the system better without changing this country into socialism. It can’t change overnight. When something is controlled by the government, it will never be as good of quality. Visit the DMV sometime or any other government run facility and tell me if you like the experience. Then ask yourself, “would I want those people deciding if my child should have surgery or treatment?”. Again, don’t be fooled.
[Reply]
Rebecca Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 10:38 am
@Tauni, currently, we have some barely educated call-center workers with zero medical training deciding if our ins. companies will pay for our children’s surgery, or if instead our families will go bankrupt.
Again I ask those who don’t support the current plan to propose one of their own. Millions of people are waiting for your wonderful solutions, so hop to it, please.
[Reply]
Tauni Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
@Rebecca, I ask that you reread my comment. I don’t support the current plan and I offered a first step solution. Will my suggestion to open state borders and allow purchasing insurance from any company anywhere solve the problem tomorrow? No. But competition and choice will force insurance companies to be more competitive. Also, the government should enforce regulations rather than try to take over the entire system themselves. They first and foremost should abolish pre-existing conditions as a factor when trying to receive health coverage. If they have the power to take over the entire system then surely they have the power to force insurance companies to change some of their policies. Government controlled healthcare is not going to solve the problem. Despite what you might think, I understand and have lived with gov’t controlled healthcare my whole live. There is good and bad. But, I prefer to have options and choice. My husband and I pay a premium for very good healthcare with United. We made this sacrifice when we found out I was pregnant. It turned out to be the best money spent. Our son who is now 2 years old, just had a tumor removed from his hip after 18 months of an undiagnosed problem. Because we had decided to SACRIFICE for good healthcare (not as nice of a house, less spending money and older cars) our son was NEVER denied any treatment. In 18 months, he received 10 MRIs, 3 CT, full body scans, probably 30 x-rays, hospital stay after hospital stay, injections and 4 surgeries. We were NEVER mistreated by United and never denied. I can not stress to you enough of the negative outcome had my son been in Canada. He would NEVER have been granted 10 MRIs. Without those they never would have found the tumor (which less than 1% of people have in this location). The doctor told us that within a few years his leg would have been completely atrophied. I am grateful for choice.
I just find it so interesting that people think that no one is offering other ideas. There are other ideas out there. However, the media (and this website apparently) do not wish to offer them. Do some research and don’t just trust what your President tells you. I think he has some ulterior motives at work (he would love to control 20% of our countries economy).
[Reply]
I say go for it! Let’s march! Moms need to tell Washington that what we do is important, what we need is important, and they need to listen to us. Health care reform is so overdue in this country! Legislators need to hear that most of us don’t think that changing a broken system is unAmerican!
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 9:21 am by Rose FlemingYes, caped moms. March onto the National mall. Thank you for all that you do on my behalf. I wish I could join you.
Again, thank you.
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 9:13 am by MelanieHow do you know for sure that what you are told is going to happen? I think the worry really comes from putting our faith in the unknown. We already have systems in place that are supposed to help people who need it, and they don’t work. What would help is if the details about the program proposed would be posted by the government so we could review them and make more informed decisions.
[Reply]
Rebecca Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 10:32 am
@Melanie, there are currently a few health care bills up for review, all of them public. Look under http://www.opencongress.com. If you want to find the truth of the proposals, do your own homework, don’t copy from others. And don’t live your life crippled by fear, or you’ll never grow and learn and make new discoveries. Seriously, how bad could reform be? Nothing near as bad as it is now!
[Reply]
OH and did I mention that I am a MOTHER of FIVE small children. My family is a self employed, small business owner that pays $1,500 per month for our healthcare with a $5,000 deductible. I will GLADLY pay for my OWN healthcare cost ANY DAY than live in a SOCIALIST country!!! ANY DAY!!!!
[Reply]
August 21, 2009 at 1:36 pm by DebraTo those against government health care:
What was first proposed in 1992 was, indeed, a system of health care competition – cooperatives, actually. NOT government run health care.
Let me ask you:
Do you know how much an appendectomy costs? What can you buy it for on the open market? What is the price of a heart transplant on the open market? A tonsillectomy?
No one really knows because health care, like other aspects of a consumer market IS NOT DRIVEN BY MARKET FORCES. It is driven by providers of care, not by consumers of care – and while you can choose your doctor and hospital – you CANNOT CHOOSE the best price. It next to impossible. So SOMEONE has to play price setter – the “price is right.” Who is that today? Insurance companies. Hospitals. Costs are driven UP by uninsured who have NO BARGAINING POWER AND WHO RECEIVE COSTS AT MUCH HIGHER RATES THAN OTHERS WITH COVERAGE. You are being charged, today, with invisible costs, for those without coverage.
No government health care. So, I suppose everyone in opposition doesn’t need Medicare in their future? You want to opt out of the system? You want your parents not to receive it now?
Do you want to control the rising DISEASE we face? Obesity is on the rise. Our population is aging; unless we have a way to get everyone good, quality preventative care we are headed for a catastrophy.
So, instead of talking about socialism..Obama’s ears and who you voted for or didn’t vote for: GET OVER IT. Stop trying to scare people. Honestly face the problems we face, as the man with the big ears and your representatives are trying to do.
As someone once said – you get what you deserve. Everyone will need care in this country, everyone is at risk for losing coverage or for increasing costs. Our interest is not in fighting each other, but in figuring out how to work together.
[Reply]
Chrissy Reply:
August 21st, 2009 at 4:42 pm
@Debra, Yes!
The issue with having a free market with insurance is that it isn’t the same as other products, as Debra mentioned. Let’s say all beef went up in price by 200% across the board, every company. What would we do? Well, most of us would eat less beef and switch to other foods, like chicken or pork or vegetarian meals until prices came back down. What would happen if all the insurance companies went up in price by 200%? Those who can afford it would be forced to pay more, the rest of us would have to make a scary leap to join the ranks of the uninsured and it would probably be life or death for many. Not as simple as switching from beef to chicken. And as was mentioned earlier I believe, one you purchase insurance, it doesn’t end there. You could be dropped or they could decide not to cover your claims. When you buy a car, it’s a one-time deal. When you buy insurance, it’s an ongoing “relationship”. How is free market going to prevent insurance companies from denying claims or dropping people after the initial purchase?
[Reply]
Leave a Comment