More healthcare misinformation

My friend Richard sent me this video of Michigan Congressman Mike Rogers expressing his outrage over the public option in healthcare reform (an idea that is basically dead in the water, but that doesn't stop idealogues from pounding the table over it).

Of the many ridiculous things that Mr Rogers says, the most offensive is his assertion that the current system "works" for 85% of the country. If it wasn't so infuriating, it would be completely laughable. Frankly, I seriously doubt that Mr Rogers believes that, but if he does, he's grievously misinformed for a federal legislator.

Take for example this poll, reporting that more Americans are dissatisfied with their healthcare than citizens of other countries:

One-third of Americans told pollsters that the U.S. health care system should be completely rebuilt, far more than residents of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the U.K. Just 16 percent of Americans said that the U.S. health care system needs only minor changes, the lowest number expressing approval among the countries surveyed.

Or the now frequently reported technique used by insurance companies to save money - rescission - dropping the coverage of people who actually file claims:

The Department of Health and Human Services put a spotlight on that practice Tuesday in its continuing campaign to build support for an overhaul of health insurance.

“When a person is diagnosed with an expensive condition such as cancer, some insurance companies review his/her initial health status questionnaire,” the HHS said in a posting at HealthReform.Gov. In most states, insurance companies can retroactively cancel individuals' policies if any condition was not disclosed when the policy was obtained, "even if the medical condition is unrelated, and even if the person was not aware of the condition at the time.”

“Coverage can also be revoked for all members of a family, even if only one family member failed to disclose a medical condition,” HHS said. The department cited recent research by the staff of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which found that three large insurers rescinded almost 20,000 policies over five years, saving $300 million in medical claims.

Wake up and smell the coffee, America - if we don't change the way we're doing things, healthcare expenses will consume our economy!