Any proposal that addresses one-fifth of our economy, and deals with an issue as important to Americans as their health care, deserves our careful reading and intense scrutiny. With that firmly in mind, and with our decades of experience analyzing incremental health reforms at the state and federal levels, Consumers Union supports H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. We believe this bill contains workable solutions to the critical problem that so many Americans face right now – namely, the inability to afford dependable, quality health care.
To read about our reasons why, click here.

comments (17)

Comments

1 Posted by Linda LaFianza at 11/07/09 11:22 PM

I've subscribed off and on to Consumer Reports since 1953. No more. You've shown your judgment to be partial and partisan.

2 Posted by Mike McBride at 11/08/09 10:39 PM

I just read your "excuses" for support of H.R. 3962 (Socialized Medicine), and I have one simple question.

Who the hell do you think is going to pay for all of this?

3 Posted by Ralph Sondgrass at 11/09/09 09:24 AM

Your politics is showing. No more Consumer Reports for me.

4 Posted by Ann Quinn at 11/09/09 06:46 PM

I believe there are some commentators very out of touch with the numbers and poverty levels of Americans without health care coverage presently. I'm glad to see Consumers
Union and Reports supporting needed health care reform and insurance coverage for so many citizens of this country. Long overdue and badly needed.

5 Posted by D. Isaacs at 11/11/09 07:20 PM

I'm not sure comments 1, 2, and 3 reflect an understanding of what's going on here. Ms. La Fianza most likely receives Medicare benefits (clearly socialist), Mr. McBride doesn't seem to appreciate the skyrocketing costs associated with doing nothing, and Mr. Sondgrass (sp?) calls "politics" when in fact it seems that the parties most vocally opposed to health care reform are behaving with political intentions, rather than a real regard for the benefit of others.

6 Posted by Karen at 11/12/09 09:32 PM

I do not have insurance and even though that scares me some times, I do not want to be forced to carry this government plan! or go to jail!! Where are my rights anymore! I have to tell you it's difficult not having insurance, but I do ok, I rarely go to the doctor, only when I can't get past the illness on my on. But when it becomes "free"(yeah right!) everyone will be going for any and every reason, this will not only be a problem with getting an appointment, if you can still find doctors, but the cost will go through the roof! then, well they will have to raise taxes again and cut costs/procedures, etc. This is not a good plan. And are you fimilar with Medicare? Unless you have had personal dealings with it and worked in insurance at a doctors office, you don't know the problems and red tape, it is unreal, unbelievable. I worked for a doctor who handled neck and back injuries, most all patients were in severe pain, with the older patients, it frequently was from a fall or accident -- One example, Medicare is billed an office visit for $50, Medicare denies it usually 3 or 4 times for various reasons, usually, not medically neccessary! Alot of times, they don't change thier mind, no matter how much evidence you give them, that it is medically neccessary, a lot of the elderly are forced to deal with the pain and discontinue treatment. If they finally approve it, they will only approve $24 to $30 at 80%, the patient pays 20%, the doctor must write of the balance. The biggest problem is the doctor has had to pay a full time person just to handle all the paperwork and phone calls required by medicare, and it is a lot!! A lot of doctors have already stopped taking medicare for this reason and a whole lot more will retire if this plan goes through, wish will cause a shortage of doctors and more patients going to the doctor, even when they don't really need to!
I feel if they can't do a better job running Medicare for a small percentage of people, how on earth can they successfully run health care for all! I am against it totally!!!!! Besides, only a few have even read the bill!!!! That's an outrage to me.

7 Posted by Jean Love at 11/14/09 11:08 PM

You neglected to mention that the healthcare bill will slash Medicare by half a trillion dollars even as the number of seniors increase. (Currently, many doctors and some of the Mayo clinics refuse to take Medicare patients. Many more will refuse patients as Washington cuts the reimbursement rate.) Medicare will no longer be fee-for-service but will become managed care with Washington deciding which treatments are acceptable --- and at what age. All healthcare will become more expensive as more than 100 new federal bureaucracies are added to the system. The new taxes on pacemakers, artificial limbs, and wheelchairs will be passed on to consumers. Many of the currently uninsured will simply be dumped onto Medicaid, and the costs will be shifted to the states, some of which are already deeply in the red. (Think our state taxes won't be increased?) And while new taxes, fees, and cuts in service will happen almost immediately, the new "benefits" will not be available for three to five years. Even with that trickery (ten years of taxes and fees and fewer than seven years of service), the bill will add nearly a trillion to the national debt.

An honest bill would have opened the healthcare market to competitiion. Yet, none of the proven ways to reduce health care costs are in the bill to protect special interests, and, in fact, some of the current cost savers are eliminated. Trial lawyers will make a killing. The drug companies will make billions on this reform. AARP will gain as Medicare Advantage is all but eliminated. And federal employee unions will get richer on the new unionized bureaucracies.

This may be the sickest, sorriest, most contemptuous bill to ever make it out of a Congressional committee. Shame on you, Consumers' Union for supporting such a travesty.

8 Posted by Mel from KC at 11/16/09 04:56 PM

I used to have great respect for CU, but this leaves me confused. My education and career were spent in economics and I don't see ANY place where you've addressed the ecomonics of this matter.
The myth that the government can 'create' affordable housing has been proven false by the current financial disaster. It is every bit as false to think it can create affordable health care.
You propose that we can add tens of millions to the demand for medical care; do NOTHING to reign in the costs related to ridiculous lawsuits, etc.; and yet have the system become magically more available and cheaper? Have you found a way to magically come up with tens of thousands more doctors and nurses who plan to work for free?
I expected more from you.
Oh, just for curiosity, I understand that all 350 million of us will be required to have health care insurance. One wonders (but is almost frightened to contemplate the possible answer) how the government plans to keep track of all of us.

9 Posted by Ken at 11/19/09 01:48 AM

It is great that we live in a Country where we have a right to express openly our opinion but as a person who sells Health Insurance I can tell you that this is one time that the Americans win if this bill is passed.
If you think that the Health Insurance Industry is treating you fairly well guess again.
10 years with a Insurer and no claims and suddenly a major illness and you are gone..this is a real case and this man and his wife nearing retirement had to take most of their money out of their 401k to afford high risk healthcare and help pay off the bills that the Insurer felt were not reasonable and customary.
51 year old male non smoker,not overweight,not diabetic and works everyday but because of a single bypass 12 years ago he was turned down flat by all 5 insurers I called.
24 year old female who has had a policy since she was 18 and developed a illness so severe that she was placed on Medicaid and medicaid approved her life sustaining treatment but United healthcare said that they would not cover their part as it was not in their opinion medically necessary even though Duke Medical center,Cleveland Clinic and others said different.
Well folks the bill may not be the best but it is better than what these people and those that are getting laid off have now.
I think most who are against this bill have never faced these issues and I really hope they are never refused care like another individual I know whose son 13 years old with a brian tumor was refused treatment because his dad lost his job and had no healthcare.
Oh it so what what if the guy who owned his own body repair shop had to close it up because he had a wife who was ill and his insurance was being cancelled so he took a job with a large company who provided healthcare.
As far as how to pay for it just one question?
How much do we send to third world countries?
How much do we waste yearly on luxurious office furniture for politicians and government officials ?
A few cost saving measures will pay for this program and help all Americans at home with a real necessity and not a luxury.
It is about time that we took care of things at home and the people who pay taxes.
Do each of you take care of your family before donating to others??
Thanks Consumers Union for a job well done and the polls clearly show the will of the people recognize a need for reform and a need to start somewhere.
In addition if these people who are so afraid of a public option because it does have government control involved they why do they not contact their elected officials and lets do away with Medicaid,Medicare,care for prisoners etc...?after all if you are really afraid of Government Controls then lets stop it all of it including utility,Gasoline and credit card rate controls after all there is no need for control because we can trust big business and they would never take advantage of us ....would they??

10 Posted by Jeff at 11/19/09 09:34 AM

Those that are for this bill tend to have good reasons behind their desire for change. But they have have bought into the notion of all or nothing. There are many things congress can do to improve the current health care system without completly taking over. Republicans have proposed several ways of improving health care in the US, but are not included in the debate. Why? Because this is not about making health care more affordable and accesable, it is about government taking more and more control of our lives. I saw what FREE healthcare was like during my 10 years in the USMC. Long lines to see the doctor, longer lines to get prescriptions filled, and when a mistake was made that nearly killed my wife, no way to bring a lawsuit, get an apology, or any admission that they had done anything wrong. Who do you appeal to when the government is in cahrge? No one.I have not had insurance for 15 years. This spring I had my appendix removed. It took most my savings, but it was still cheaper than 2 years of premiums. Give me a tax free medical savings account, let me deduct the cost of health insurance, allow me to buy any policy I want, not just the ones my state thinks I should have, and get started on tort reform. Do you really want more of what Karen described in #6?

11 Posted by Phil at 11/19/09 01:18 PM

The current federal bills do absolutely nothing to help reduce the cost of medical care. Until and unless the consumer has reason and method to know how much it will cost to follow his doctor's recommendations, there will be no incentive for suppliers to reduce cost. In fact, the thrust of these bills will be to further remove the consumer from paying for or even knowing how much various procedures and drugs are costing. The result will be increases in costs for all medical goods and services. The only way that the bills propose to reduce the cost of Medicare is to initiate even more rationing than Medicare now contains. Consumers Reports, please get your heads out of the dark place and try to truly understand what these bills will and will not do. And then please get out of the government advocacy business and concentrate on testing of goods and services.

12 Posted by Ken at 11/19/09 01:19 PM

Jeff,
First you should have in my opinion as a Veteran health benefits for you and your immediate family at little or no cost after all are you not aware that members of Congress and the Senate after serving 1 or 2 terms have lifetime benefits and even some of their unpaid aides have healthcare but no some only look after themselves.
The public option is a must have or Insurance rates and cherry picking will get even worse and it is a option that you can leave or take.
You should not have to go without Healthcare and do not take this the wrong way because it is certainly not meant this way but if you or your family have a catastrophic illness now and are unable to pay then the Government (Taxpayers) will subsidize it anyway.
All Veterans and their familes should have VA benefits and thanks for your Service

13 Posted by Bernie at 11/22/09 04:55 PM

There are numerous reasons to fear the consequences of the bills in congress.
1. The members of congress are not required to enroll in the Government plan.

2. The recent declarations of the "independent" United States Preventive Services Task Force is an harbinger of government health care restrictions to come. The rationing of care and the resulting suffering and loss of life is inevitable.

3. There is no privately operated health insurance plan that could compete with a govt plan. The govt sets the rules and has power to control terms that are out of the control of private companies. The government plan will drive the competition out of business.

4. The average family with earnings in the $100,000 range and employer payed health insurance will pay as much as $7500 in penalties for the privelege of having that employer benefit.

14 Posted by Dooley at 11/22/09 05:00 PM

Just like the AARP, Consumer Reports has lost all credibility on this issue.

If you like how Amtrak, Social Security, and other government are administered, you'll love government run healthcare.

15 Posted by James Edwards at 12/30/09 12:59 AM

I agree with any present subscriber who said "Consumer Reports "No more"" Any idiot who would support giving away our freedom and giving the operation of our health care system to the government is not something I can support. You lie to your readers in presenting a false impression that this legislation will do anything that it says. The idea that everyone is enrolled in some sort of health care has been tried in MA. and it's a failure. Again, our governments (State and Federal) are trying to be "Mr. Nice guy" without any acountability. Sure, give everyone something "for nothing". That in itself is a boldface lie because somebody has to pay for all this and guess who gets it in the rear again - the taxpayers. I'd like to know what perk CU is getting from Congress in return for supporting this legislation. Haven't you heard the real Americans at the so-called town meetings - WE DON"T WANT THIS!!! There have been many proposals in the past to make repairs to our system but Congress and organizations like CU didn't support them because they are run by idiots - only looking for power. How do you like it now that your support means support for all those perks added to the bill in order to "buy votes" for passage. Are you going to get a new building out of this too?? As an American who enjoys the freedoms this country offers I consider CU like a traitor and you cannot be trusted anymore to be speaking up for the consumer.

16 Posted by Neil at 01/22/10 03:36 PM

Universal Health Plan:

Im no genius, but I do have some common sense. The current HEALTH legislation bill has already earmarked costs of billions in vote buying (lets face it - BRIBING) without 1 dollar in medical benefit. We need to start over. I will (and I think most americans will) support any health care legislation that does not discrimminate and requires ALL to get the same/pay the same benefit. " All men are created equal". In short - The President,government employees, congressional members, senators, military, all public and private employees (unionized or not). No extras, no "special" deals or exemptions. Such legislation would not need thousands of pages of legalese that no one understands (not even the ones that write it).

Level/type of care:

Currently, a doctor recommends or performs treatment for his/her patient with the HOPE that insurance will cover. I am horrified at the prospect that a layperson or non-doctor actually can disallow a specific treatment based on probability, age, financial, social or political status. Why not, at the first refusal, have the doctor, a second opinion doctor (chosen as are arbitrators),and the insurance representative meet to decide, with 2 of the three having final say? Second opinion fees would be standard and shared equally, which would ensure no frivolity.

Malpractice:

While I am opposed to frivolous litigations, I don't know of any better way to ensure due diligence in the medical industry. Perhaps a max cap on "judgement" errors, and mandatory jail time added for incompetence or blatant neglect that leads to permanent harm?

Phamaceuticles:

Of course we need to compensate for research (successful in full, and some incentive for trying), plus a reasonable profit, but how to quantify?
Good financial records with third party auditing is a start. A public, non-politic, pre-defined priority list from the CDC/AMA with specified, proportional awards might help direct research in the most productive directions?

17 Posted by Mark at 01/22/10 09:04 PM

Like many of the above comments I too have seen that CU is no longer impartial, but an extension of the far left liberal idiology that is tearing this nation apart. I pay for my healthcare and 30+ employeess. We all use the plan and it works, not without issues, but it works. I have no itention of backing a plan that allows my tax dollars to be taken away from medicare and continue to be given to people here illegaly, or subsidizes unions. Why??? Why should a plan benifit the "BIG UNIONs" and why would CU back such an unfair use of tax dollars. Get your heads out of the sand! This plan deals with each state on a differant plain. CU thinks this is good? We are all created equall let them set up a plan that gives us opportunity to buy insurance in groups, across state lines and has tort reform in it. I wonder what portion of the healthcare bills we pay goes to the attorneys, what portion goes to managing all the paperwork caused by government intrusion. I believe if there is to be reform there really needs to be a bipartisn effort, not politicians shoving their agendas on the people. "We the people " it says not "We the politicians". Like others CU will never again get subscription money from me!