August 26, 2009, - 12:36 pm

You Won’t Get TedCare Under ObamaCare: Ted Kennedy’s Brain Cancer Dream Team (Private Planes, Copters, Police Escorts, Mozart of Brain Surgeons)

By Debbie Schlussel

In June, Vanity Fair ran excerpts from, “Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died,” a book by Edward M. Klein.  The excerpts describe some of the healthcare Senator Edward Kennedy got to treat his cancer: police escorts to the hospital, a team of the world’s top brain and oncology surgeons, including one who was tracked to the airport, where he was about to leave for a conference in Canada. Instead, he jumped on a plane to treat Mary Jo Kopechne’s killer.

tedcare2obamasmilingobamacare

Here’s more of what Ted Kennedy got that you won’t . . . certainly not under ObamaCare:

Paramedics lifted the overweight senator onto a gurney, hooked him up to oxygen, and slid him into the back of an ambulance. The ambulance and a police cruiser raced down South Street to Cape Cod Hospital. . . .

Before the ambulance pulled up, she had arranged for the Senator to be transported from the Cape to Massachusetts General Hospital, called his Senate staff to put in place a crisis management team. . . .

In the emergency room at Cape Cod Hospital, the doctors examined Kennedy for almost two hours and concluded that he had suffered two seizures, little electrical storms in the brain, rather than a stroke, which kills brain tissue and can lead to permanent paralysis. He was put back into the ambulance for the three-minute trip to Barnstable Municipal Airport. There a twin-engine medevac helicopter was standing by, ready to airlift him to Boston.

In less than half an hour, the chopper touched down on the roof of Massachusetts General, where Dr. Larry Ronan, the senator’s longtime primary-care physician, was an internist. . . .

“The meeting on May 30 was extraordinary in at least two ways,” wrote Lawrence K. Altman, M.D., the chief medical correspondent of The New York Times. “One was the ability of a powerful patient—in this case, a scion of a legendary political family and the chairman of the Senate’s health committee—to summon noted consultants to learn about the latest therapy and research findings. The second was his efficiency in quickly convening more than a dozen experts from at least six academic centers. Some flew to Boston. Others participated by telephone after receiving pertinent test results and other medical records.” . . .

And so the senator’s medical adviser put in a call to Dr. Allan H. Friedman, co-director of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, at Duke University. The 60-year-old doctor was considered by many of his colleagues to be the Mozart of brain surgeons. He was preparing to take off for a long-planned conference in Canada when the medical adviser reached him at the airport. He told him that Senator Kennedy had agreed to have his cancerous brain tumor removed surgically, and they wanted the best neurosurgeon in the country to perform the operation.

Three days later, on Monday, June 2, 2008, after Dr. Friedman clipped a small area of hair from the senator’s head, Kennedy was wheeled into the operating room where he was to undergo a procedure called “awake surgery.”

Think you’ll get this kind of treatment under ObamaCare?

Think again. The Mozart of brain surgeons, like Ted Kennedy got?

You won’t even get the garage band of brain surgeons’ drummer.




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51 Responses

This article proves what money can get. IF you have money in the present system you can get anything. If you do not have money in this present system you get a lot less. This is the way Obamacare will continue to work as if you have a plan now you can have that SAME plan under Obamacare. The people who have nothing now that the people paying private insurance subsidize will be paying less to subsidize those without insurance.

How hard is this for you to grasp???

Obamacare=Congreessional/US Government worker plan

ALSO….
Obamacare=plan for uninsured so their care costs less. Care done on an ad-hoc basis ALWAYS costs MORE which is why opposing Health Care Reform is playing into the insurance companies hands. THEY WANT NO REFORM as they see prices double over the past 10 years MEANWHILE they have BILLIONS in profit.

If you have a plan now you will be able to keep it.
If you have no plan the cost to provide you care will be less in that you WILL have a plan. This is the concept of insurance.

By PRINCIPLE if you disagree with Obamacare you should NOT HAVE ANY INSURANCE because when you do have insurance you are proving that a plan (Socialized loss over a big group) is a cheaper way to pay for insurance. Otherwise you would pay all costs out of pocket.

Prove Obamacare is wrong…pay ALL of your medical costs out of pocket. If not you are a hypocrite.

http://joewo.com/WordPress/?p=1539

http://joewo.com/WordPress/?p=1535

JoeWo on August 26, 2009 at 12:54 pm

    Sorry, you might try giving out links that are not self-published. Also, I have worked for the federal government, and it offers nothing even approaching what Senator Kennedy got. Senator Kennedy was happy to let others get trapped in a nationalized healthcare scheme, but in the end was unwilling to jump into it himself. He got the best care money could buy. Senator Kennedy was not rationed.

    sorrow01 on August 26, 2009 at 6:35 pm

I don’t like where we are going in terms of health care under “ObamaCare”. However, I believe your criticism here is mis-directed.

No one know who is not rich and/or powerful can get “TedCare” now either. That has nothing to do with socialized medicine. However it does have a lot to do with elitism and political power.

I_AM_ME on August 26, 2009 at 1:02 pm

    The point is that Senator Kennedy, since he was elected in 1962, had pushed for a nationalized healthcare scheme for all Americans. What brings Debbie to a boil is the simple fact that Teddy would never be willing to trust his own precious self to such a system. Senator Kennedy was a “Liberal Lion” as long as it did not impinge on what he wanted to do. We can see that in areas as diverse and Women’s Rights and the Environment.

    sorrow01 on August 26, 2009 at 6:43 pm

You Won’t Get TedCare Under ObamaCare: Ted Kennedy’s Brain Cancer Dream Team (Private Planes, Copters, Police Escorts, Mozart of Brain Surgeons)

And, he’s still dead. LOL The rich think they can BUY anything.

Everyone in this country can walk into any hospital and be treated. You can’t say that in England.

goldenmike4393 on August 26, 2009 at 1:04 pm

    “Everyone in this country can walk into any hospital and be treated. You can’t say that in England.”

    Yes, we can. We can’t get the level of attention Ted did – but then no regular person can no matter where they are.

    Alison on August 26, 2009 at 1:29 pm

      The bottomline is: it didn’t save him! This is a GREAT day knowing he’s finally gone 🙂 Hooray! It’s a comfort to know that the Kopechnes got to see it, too. God bless them. May God richly bless all the victims of all the Kennedys (too numerous to list).

      I’d call Teddy a Perfect Ten. Why? Because he didn’t only BREAK EVERY ONE of the Ten Commandments. He did so for 77 years. He’s a PERFECT TEN.

      goldenmike4393 on August 26, 2009 at 1:52 pm

        Some of these comments were mean. Sorry, even if you really never like the man, this is our country and we should not be speaking meanly now, he is gone…and we really do not know what he did for this country and how he handled his private life. IT is not our place to now spend good days berating him now. That could have been said righteously long ago, but not now.

        Patricia Hudak on August 26, 2009 at 4:36 pm

          Actually, most of us are all to aware of what Ted Kennedy did to this country and all too much about his personal life, which was actually quite squalid. We could talk about his evading manslaughter charges, sexual harassment, horrid treatment of his first wife, etc. Senator Kennedy was not a good man. I would not wish brain cancer on anyone, but in turn I would not praise someone entirely unworthy of praise.

          sorrow01 on August 26, 2009 at 6:49 pm

          I’m sorry Ms Hudak but dying doesn’t negate the truth.
          By painting him something he wasn’t just to not speak
          ill of the dead is hypocrisy at its peak. I can understand
          not wanting to embarrass the family, something old Ted was very good at, but the Kennedy’s certainly know what they are dealing with. I want to remember the real Ted Kennedy so he may
          not ever be duplicated.

          Rollie Robinson on August 27, 2009 at 2:14 am

          Dear Patricia…Most of this Kennedy eulogizing is nothing more than “damage control” to smokescreen all the sorrow, suffering and mayhem this troll has left in his wake. Old “Joe” Kennedy, in spite of his best efforts to the contrary, is and will always be remembered as a bootlegger despite his opulent wealth. This monster, had his own oldest daughter lobotomized many years ago, without the knowledge of her own mother, in a desperate attempt to protect the family reputation from disgrace. Imagine then what he would have done to his youngest son “Teddy” boy, had he foreseen the disgrace this undisciplined fool who didn’t miss a free drink in 50 years would bring on the family.

          joesixpack31 on August 27, 2009 at 3:26 pm

We are going to hear weeks and weeks of this crap regarding TeddyCare, I just wonder how many RINOs are going to use this also, anybody catch McC Sunday, or his TH Meeting yesterday…ought to tell you all you need to know, they want a bill …I fear they will get one.

No Bill is a Good Bill…if one passes, we are screwed, they have their toe in the door to add onto forever, and they will, after-all it’s their agenda, agenda, agenda.

Diamond Girl on August 26, 2009 at 1:06 pm

    They will pass some watered-down something. The lesson here is beward whenever you hear a politician utter this word: REFORM.

    I get up every morning and visit Rasmussen (most accurate poll). I see O. HUSSEIN B’S numbers sink and know my prediction of ONE TERM PRESIDENT will come to pass. Ha! I am a prophet but a blind man in Jersey could see it coming 🙂

    goldenmike4393 on August 26, 2009 at 1:56 pm

I’m sure if any of us gets in the same situation as Teddy, we will get the same medical care (sarcasm if you couldn’t figure it out). Even in our current health care system, none of us would get similar treatment. Just imagine it under Obama-Care.

I was trying to find out how they could detect his brain tumor – I didn’t think they would be able to detect any brain cells in that brain housing group of his.

Jarhead on August 26, 2009 at 1:20 pm

So Debbie is complainng about the treatment some rich guy was able to pay for? What does that have to do with health care reform?

N: Exactly the opposite. That’s what Ted Kennedy has been complaining about. I support the marketplace and free market healthcare. But Ted Kennedy didn’t (for the rest of us–he is a hypocrite) and ObamaCare does not. It makes it so that we cannot pay to have the best doctors and instead will all have horrid medical care. And the brightest won’t be going into medicine. DS

Nakruh on August 26, 2009 at 1:50 pm

Ah indeed, all is vanity. Teddy boy will do no better than a camel trying to get through the eye of a needle. Death can’t be bribed.

jiminy cricket on August 26, 2009 at 1:58 pm

There will be one standard of care for the elite and another standard of care for the rest of us. The fitting legacy Uncle Ted intends to bequeath upon us. Let’s stop it!

NormanF on August 26, 2009 at 2:08 pm

Debbie,

Good use of irony. I say we pass laws that require congressmen and Presidents to make use of public services they regulate like schools, healthcare, and the tax system.

Joe on August 26, 2009 at 2:12 pm

    Joe, twice already the Republicans have tried to push an amendment through that would REQUIRE Congress to get the same exact plan they vote for the rest of the country. And TWICE the Democrats have struck it down. Harry Reid has said it will never happen (meaning: they won’t get the lousy health care the rest of us get).

    I am rejoicing that Ted Kennedy is finally seeing some justice for the wrongs he committed in this world. Now he will have to answer for what he did. And he can’t hide or lie.

    Leah on August 26, 2009 at 3:17 pm

Teddy boy will do no better than a camel trying to get through the eye of a needle.

jiminy cricket on August 26, 2009 at 1:58 pm

Gotta getta bigger needle!!!

Shy Guy on August 26, 2009 at 2:29 pm

Debbie’s right. It would be one thing if Ted lived by the same rules as every one else. He took full advantage of our health care system while seeking to deny it to others. We may not all be able to pay for the doctors he could afford but we will get treated by good doctors without being put on a waiting list. Under Obamacare we will get to do plenty of waiting minus the care.

NormanF on August 26, 2009 at 2:31 pm

Why Healthcare costs are high:

1. Frivolous lawsuits and outragious judgements.
2. Third party payees.
3. People who get healthcare services without paying a dime.

Address these and we’ll see affordable healthcare.

ALL THE REST IS AGENDA DRIVEN BY PROGRESSIVES AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS.

It also doesn’t help much that too many peeps have the notion that healthcare should be provided without cost.

Sam Adams on August 26, 2009 at 3:01 pm

    Sam Adams:

    Specifically, if this truly was reform, it would address “frivolous lawsuits” and cap judgments. Attorneys are destroying society. When I saw this important issue ignored, I knew it was another pork barrel project.

    goldenmike4393 on August 26, 2009 at 3:29 pm

In a life that is littered with ironies, here’s the biggest one of all: His three older brothers – Joe, Jack and Bobby – are eternally frozen in our imagination as the personifications of youth and vigor (or “vigah”). How poignant that our final image of the baby of that family will be as an old man, frail and mortally ill.

His was the most impressive evolution in American political history. Let’s be honest; in 1962 the guy was a lightweight. He ran for the Democratic nomination against another young man, Edward McCormick, whose uncle was the speaker of the House of Representatives. During a debate McCormick told him that were it not for his name, his candidacy would be viewed as a joke. It was a point well made. It is obvious when looking at film of that campaign that our boy Ted is in way over his head.

Who would have dared dream all those years ago that this punk kid would one day evolve into the greatest senator ever to walk those halls?

An incredible realization just came to me: Teddy represented the state of Massachusetts for forty-six years, eight months and nineteen days. That is nearly three months longer than all the years his older brother Jack lived on earth. Forgive the cliche that is so overused it has become trite through repetition, but this really is the end of an era.

http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

Tom Degan on August 26, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    Please take Joe out of the sentence with those Kennedy’s!

    Joe was shot down in WWII flying a very dangerous mission.

    There is ONLY ONE KENNEDY HERO and it’s Joe Jr.

    goldenmike4393 on August 26, 2009 at 5:38 pm

      Actually, goldenmike4393, Joe jr. wasn’t shot down. He was on a highly dangerous mission – one for which he’d volunteered. It is thought that he was doing it out of a sense of competition with John, who’d received accolades for his own activities during WWII. I blame his father for this sense of always having to be the best among the family. His payload of 21,170lbs of Torpex detonated for still unknown reasons and destroyed the plane along with Kennedy and Lt. Wilford Willey. No trace of either man’s remains was ever found.

      I concur with you that Joe Jr. shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as his brothers, but he wasn’t shot down. And he WAS a true hero.

      Alison on August 26, 2009 at 7:02 pm

        Thanks for the corrections.

        Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
        TRUE HERO
        RIP

        No greater love than to lay down your life for another.

        goldenmike4393 on August 27, 2009 at 12:20 pm

I just posted and it was not published!

Patricia Hudak on August 26, 2009 at 4:37 pm

Patricia, would you mind telling us where your comment was deleted? I have to agree with Tom… Kennedy could never be elected for life any where else in this country. There was something in the Massachusetts water that led people there to mindlessly re-elect him over and over and over again. He was appointed to the Senate the year I was born. He’s been in the Senate as long as I have been alive on the earth. With his passing, its truly the end of an era.

NormanF on August 26, 2009 at 5:13 pm

Ted Kennedy came from a life of privilage and means. He still grew up to fight for the common man. Congress tends to work for the man who needs to shower before work, but he worked for the man who needs to shower after.

Kennedy has spoken regarding how Congressmen are privilaged receiving health care on the tax payer dollar and how hypacritical it is of them to not want to extend it to others. That inspired a bill to get passed in his state to cover children with public insurance.

If you really need to know what the public OPTION (Kennedy’s and Obama’s) passion is all about, go right to the source http://www.whitehouse.gov.

And most Americans who have lived in foreign countries that have public insurance (with private options) for the most part really like it. The lines and cues that are talked about in the (mainly right-wing) news, refers to elective surgery only. Anyone needing emergency or immediate surgery or doctor’s help will get it.

Lee in IL on August 26, 2009 at 6:40 pm

    “And most Americans who have lived in foreign countries that have public insurance (with private options) for the most part really like it. The lines and cues that are talked about in the (mainly right-wing) news, refers to elective surgery only. Anyone needing emergency or immediate surgery or doctor’s help will get it.” And how would you know about most Americans? Also, might you site something other than the White House website when referring to the Public Option. Sycophancy is not persuasive to anyone other than the ones you attempt to flatter.

    sorrow01 on August 26, 2009 at 9:20 pm

“And most Americans who have lived in foreign countries that have public insurance (with private options) for the most part really like it. The lines and cues that are talked about in the (mainly right-wing) news, refers to elective surgery only. Anyone needing emergency or immediate surgery or doctor’s help will get it.”

THANK YOU, Lee! I wasn’t criticising the US health system, simply trying to defend my own from so much misinformation and mud-slinging. I’m extremely disheartened at the mud that’s been flung at it from these pages. I’ve lived it and continue to do so.

Alison on August 26, 2009 at 6:53 pm

    Alison

    I am glad you like your health care, but you can keep your type of system where ever you may live. The vast majority of the U.S. population does not want our system screwed up by the political elite.

    There has never been any type of endeavor that the government has controlled that has not turned into a failure, or at the very least contributed to and not solved the problem it was intended to fix. One of the reasons that the U.S. health care system works as well as it does is because it is market based. This means that companies want to make a profit, which any company in a capitalist society wants to do. Making a profit is not the motive of any government bureaucracy. Their only motive is to soak the American tax payer through excessive taxes and the redistribution of wealth to people who do not deserve it. If a company does not make a profit, it goes out of business. Wouldn’t it be great if the same thing would happen to the current people who are in government; they do not turn a profit or even break even, so let these politicians “go out of business” and let’s replace them with people who are truly dedicated to the people they serve. We should enact a term limit system so that these politicians are not constantly thinking about the next election but thinking about the people they serve.

    Jarhead on August 27, 2009 at 3:58 pm

All that medical intervention and for what? A bloated hustling murderer who managed to expunge that crime from his record. And when will all this mawkish TV coverage end?

lexi on August 26, 2009 at 8:33 pm

lexi, if you couldn’t stand the Michael Jackson coverage, you ain’t see nothin’ yet!

NormanF on August 26, 2009 at 8:41 pm

So, a rich person get’s top quality care and poor people get nothing vs a rich person getting top quality care and the poor getting ‘Obamacare’. I have trouble seeing how the former is preferred, unless the health of the people getting ‘Obamacare’ is worth less then the cost. It’s not like people are giving up ‘TedCare’ for ‘Obamacare’, they are giving up being sick and in pain at home. Until they are forced to go to a hospital and then likely into bankruptcy. (Medical bills are the cause of ~50% of bankruptcies in the US)

Joe in MD on August 26, 2009 at 9:18 pm

I don’t know what point you’re trying to make, that rich and famous people have better things, including healthcare? So apparently having no healthcare at all is better than having healthcare that isn’t up to par with Ted Kennedy’s?

Rob on August 26, 2009 at 10:00 pm

Rob, Kennedy’s wealth and influence couldn’t save him. Death is the greatest leveler of the human condition. In the next world, your status here on earth counts for nothing. You can’t take it with you when you’re gone.

NormanF on August 26, 2009 at 11:04 pm

In NormanF’s world nobody needs medical care even if they want to pay for it themselves. Nobody needs private insurance either I guess. What’s the point, you can’t take it with you.

Joe in MD on August 26, 2009 at 11:38 pm

Unfortunately for Joe in MD, he couldn’t bother reading NormanF’s earlier posts above, where Norman does not advocate any such thing that Joe suggests.

Shy Guy on August 27, 2009 at 12:39 am

So sad that the CAREER POLITICIANS have access to the BEST health insurance (physcians, dentists, medications, therapys, etc.) and their co-pays are non-existent. Furthermore their children are eligible as is their staff (many of which make OVER $150,000 per year!
They have full time security teams, limos, drivers, access to private planes/jets/helicopter, instant plane boarding priviledges and anything/everything they “touch” is a “business expense” (i.e. food, drinks, meals, etc.) If they need a new blackberry they got it. If they need the new Dell 22 inch laptop they got it. THey want steak and lobster at 430 in the afternoon it will appear. They can employ their “family members”, to cushy jobs, and they get paid tens or hundreds of throughs of dollars and excellent benefits.They have full staff teams to do everything for them 24/7.
This is NOT what the Founding Fathers designed, put into the Constitution, and/or would allow…ever.
We have CAREER serial Politicians many of which are NOT US Citizens (as in the case of Illinois US Citizenship is NOT required)!
They take an OATH to uphold the Constitution and to protect ALL American Citizens yet they don’t uphold their oath and no one hold them accountable.
In the areas of ILLEGAL ALIENS they are “added” to the US Census and since Congress Reps are determined by the US Census numbers States that have ILLEGAL ALIENS actually get additional Congressmen/Senators causing the States with real increases of AMERICAN CITIZENS to be denied their Constitutional rights of representation. It is a circle of corruption and it is sickening and appalling.
I pray for this Country and may God bless America and may we begin to get the type of Goverment that PROTECTS/DEFENDS the Constitution 24/7 and puts American Citizens FIRST, second, and always!

jeff schrembs on August 27, 2009 at 3:18 am

    Jeff…you are on-target 1000 percent. Our elected officials have evolved from public servants into “slave masters”. We have been enslaved by our own employees. Why do you suppose they have been desparately trying to outlaw/confiscate private firearms for the past 70-80 years?? With our land flooded with illegal alien voters and ACORN, financed by taxpayer dollars to “rig” elections, our vote has very little meaning anymore. The islam-marxists have things pretty much “locked down” EXCEPT American patriots and their firearms. I think we can expect an all out “go for broke” effort to disarm the citizens very soon. Is it time for every patriotic gun to descend on DC???

    joesixpack31 on August 27, 2009 at 3:54 pm

The point is that under an Obama single payer system, according to Dr. Emanel – one of his key health care advisors – Ted probably wouldn’t get any of the end of life care he received. Dr. Emanuel clearly lays this case out in his published work and his comments. He calls for us to greatly reduce spending on end of life care for the elderly, asking physicians to take societal considerations into account when treating patients, not just what’s best for patients. This is not speculation on my behalf, it’s fact. The “public option” is a step towards that goal – another fact, Obama publicly stated this as well and Barney Frank has recently said the same.

Glenn on August 27, 2009 at 9:22 pm

The fact that there are enough people in Mass to keep re-electing this guy term after term has always given me a very low opinion of that state. It would figure that the only other politician that I hold in as much contempt, Bawney Fwank, is from the same state. I know its a cheap shot to make fun of his speech like that, but if you’d sucked as many dicks as BF has you’d talk funny too. Electing Ted Kennedy once was a bad enough mistake, but re-electing him multiple times is just plain contemptible. Giving him a second, third, or fourth term is reckless enough, but a FIFTH term? Anyone can tell you its never a good idea to give Ted Kennedy a “fifth” of anything!

CornCoLeo on August 28, 2009 at 12:05 pm

As someone who’s been the victim of many gunshot wounds that couldn’t get treated at the hospital for strictly legal reasons, I don’t get all of this hoohah about “medical care.”

Whenever I get into a scrape, I just pour whiskey on the problem and dig out the remnants with a claw hammer in the morning.

Universal health care? More like Pooniversal Schmelthcare, President Flim-Flamma!

Jim Tom on August 28, 2009 at 4:39 pm

Well this is a no brainer. JoWo – you’re talkin’ out your arse.

You make many dumb, erroneous claims but this one stands out. In fact, private medical insurance company “profits” are remarkably LOW. In the list of profit margins of US enterprises, they rank around 77th with 3%.

And disagreeing with a jerk like you doesn’t make people hypocrites, it just show an ability you lack: joined up thinking.

Also, the point is not the patently obvious one that the rich and powerful will always get the best of everything. WOW!!! Never guessed THAT!!!

It’s that a rich and powerful moron like Kennedy was all for a system in which most people WILL NOT get a healthcare system nearly as good as they get now.

Obama has clearly gotten many of his ideas of a nationalized single payer (that is MULTIPLE TXPAYERS) healthcare system from the UK; and his relatives who immigrated there from Kenya.

Of course, compared to Mud Hut Kenyan bush life, the NHS looks like paradise.

Unfortunately for those British natives who pay massive taxes to support the lumbering monstrosity, it’s no such thing.

Here are the absolute facts about life under such a system; and sorry, Obama cultists but they are irrefutable.

An overweight, 76 year old former alcoholic, suffers odd brain symptoms in the UK. Would he be given an immediate MRI, or scan, to diagnose the symptoms which may be a Class 4 brain tumor?

Don’t forget that in the UK, said person could have been paying mandatory State Insurance tax (payroll tax) and Income tax, and Value Added Tax for as much as 61 years (15 being the school leaving age at that time).

All these taxation methods used to fund the compulsory NHS. So you’ve paid all that money for “cover” all your adult life and suddenly you need it.

Tough luck on you then. Even if you managed to get on the wait list for an MRI, you’d probably be dead by the time your appointment came around, at least six months later.

You see the state has a formula based on your utility of your life to society. Aged 76 doesn’t cut it, though it gets you a trombone

And if you don’t believe me, how about Obama’s top medical advisor Dr Easikill Emanuel. That’s his brilliant idea too.

Jack Bauer on August 30, 2009 at 7:18 am

Some of you don’t don’t seem to get what the Obama plan does. It just gives you a different option than the private companies. If it’s passed theprivate companies might have too even lower their fees to compete. You have to take the gov. healthcare. You can keep your private insurer if you want to. Duh.

Brant Biddle on August 30, 2009 at 7:13 pm

“Biddle: You have to take the gov. healthcare. You can keep your private insurer if you want to. Duh.”

That is a mendacious and deliberatley misleading statement designed from focus groups.

The fact is that once you leave the private insurance company of your choice, you will never be able to go to another, but will have to go government.

On — and thanks for the Freudian slip in admitting “YOU HaVE TO TAKE THE GOV. HEALTHCARE”

Oh boy, a moment of honesty. If you are going to lie for Obama, you have to do better that THAT.

Jack Bauer on August 31, 2009 at 7:03 am

I find it interesting to see the claims that Ted Kennedy didn’t depend in the government funded medical care that the fought for. Have you checked out which of his doctors and medical centers got government funded research grants? Did you consider the fact that Ted Kennedy headed the Health subcommitee that drafted the bill funding the War on Cancer that Nixon declared. The government funded cancer research that Ted Kennedy fought to keep going by increasing the cancer research funding and trying to keep from being cut.

Oh. I get it, Ted Kennedy got the NIH funded to fund cancer research, and that research was not provided to any other American, but was restricted to only the use of Ted Kennedy when he got cancer 35 years later? Nah, don’t think so, the US treatments for cancer have been improved because of government funding for health care research, and also Medicare. Medicare gives much better care to those over the age of 65 than most of those under 65 get even with the best in employer health benefits, and this has created a market where cancer treatment is paid for with little hassle. I know because my dad got great cancer treatment at Ted’s age, paid for by the government run Medicare that Ted would have given to everyone under age 65 if he could have gotten the votes in Congress.

But hey, nothing in any bill that Ted supported or that Obama will sign will prevent Debbie Schlussel from using her multimillion dollar trust fund to buy the same care that Ted bought. But if by chance, she don’t have that trust fund, then if she is 65, she will get the next best thing, great cancer treatment, developed with government research grants hat Ted pushed for, under Medicare. Otherwise, Debbie is likely to be better off with health care reform because she will have insurance and isn’t forced to beg for a doctor to treat her as the other 47 million in her situation must.

mulp on August 31, 2009 at 10:53 pm

I was surprised upon reading an in depth interview Vanity Fair with Senator Kennedy/ learning about the great animosity in the family, all shuffling to take Ted’s place.

I wasn’t aware that Vickie (divorcee) was just two yrs older than Caroline. It appears that Joe (Robert’s oldest son) leads the pack/ and has no great love for Viki. They see her as an interloper. Joe etc, are all jealous of Caroline who is the richest of them all (money from grandpa – her mother – father – brother). Funny huh here’s a family and a Utopian enviroment we can only dream of.

I’ve been to Hyannis Port/ saw the ‘compound’ and Ted’s schooner. What a dream life. I feel that they really milked the assassinations of their brothers, i.e. NEVER being held accountable (we’d be in jail) for numerous drunk driving charges/ Ted, long after Mary Jo involved in partying with his son Patrick,nephew William – and the ensuring rape. Since then William (he did become a doctor) has been involved in several more sexual assaults with medical staff and even a female physician.

They all appear to have grave sexual problems treating women like dogs. Old man Joe made no secret of his affair with Gloria Swanson/ and even brought girlfriends home to the Compound.

Ted’s great success (he wrote zero legislation) according to my Uncle a US Congressman (D) is his staff that puts the White House staff to shame in its years of Washington knowledge/ Ted hired top school graduates – experts in various fields (Phd), and NEVER wrote a speech – they crafted everything. The payroll for them exceeds 1 1/2 million per year. TRUE – the comment on the great perks, and opulent lifestyle these Foggy Bottom Frat/Sorority folks live.

No matter what you think – these town meetings were the FIRST time that people (both parties) could vent over TARP – foreclosures – NAFTA (Obama lied saying he’d review it) – outsourcing – schools in decay/ ridiculous mandates (teach to test) etc. Ted saw to the 22 BILLION for the Big Dig (Pig) in Boston/ a tunnel (with a park in his mom’s memory atop it)fraught with corruption, poor materials (a woman died) thus NO money for OUR roads. TED worked with Bush on No Child Left Behind/ a colossal mess – costing communities millions for UNFUNDED mandates. Ted’s kids went to the top private schools.

They weren’t subjected to teaching to the test – negating REAL teaching. Check out the curriculum of a Sidwell – St. Albans – Exeter Acacdemy, Taft etc – The children of the privileged are getting languages, art, music, world history, science (their own science buildings), libraries that would put your town library to shame – Computer labs taking a whole floor, trips abroad, photography / on site doctors/ health – one on one counselors and a FREE ticket into Ivy League colleges. Ted was responsible for the Disabilities Act –wonderful for access to buildings etc. BUT – once again, children who have Cerebal Palsy – brain injuries, autism, Tourette’s syndrome, mental health issues, severely retarded, etc are put in the same classrooms as the non-handicapped. The argument put forth is/ that even IF those with grave physical problems causing mayhem, needing toileted, screaming etc, disrupt the learning of the other children – too bad, the positive social realizations takes precedence.

I adamently disagree. Again – you’ll not see this, in ANY of the exclusive private schools that the Kennedy’s – Obama/Biden/ CEOs/ etc children attend. I had a brother with autism/ there is NO way that he could function in a regular classroom. Loud noises caused him to become violent. I worked for YEARS in an institution –a grave disservice is being visited on both sets of children/ the handicapped and non- challenged.

There are special techniques that take creativity, genius, and much patience to have a challenged child reach their potential. This WILL NEVER happen in a regular school – never. My friends ran a school for the physically – mentally challenged. It was wonderful/ everything was geared to meet the children needs/ music – art – special ed teachers – nurses – therapists etc.

They socialized with other children at various school events. They were HAPPY – and that’s what counted. Happy to get to school/ not having to put up with the mayhem and mockery of public school students! Ted’s kids didn’t experience this / they went on (fully paid) to the best of colleges/ and jobs in the family or politics! Ted voted for the prescription bill that has seniors unable to afford needed medicines.

I understand that some of the experimental drugs he took cost upwards of $50,000. Ted voted for the REPEAL of the Glass Stegall Act (FDR’s 1933 bank protection) which the REPUBLICANS had spent millions (lobbying) to repeal. Thus we see the implosion of our finances. Ted voted for the Patriot Act and the re authorization of it.

He voted for the (’96) the Telecommunications Act which gave away our airwaves (free) to corporate hogs (thus NO responsible news today or decent radio – newspapers). Ted has voted for all immigration increases. Thus many hospitals (not his) have gone bankrupt with the great influx of those from foreign lands unable to pay.

There was a company in my town, employing 300 Americans –it moved to a nearby state, where now ALL Somalians work for 1/3 the pay (they live 20 to a house) and no benefits. Ted has voted for hundreds of thousands of H-1B visa workers – displacing American workers (especially computer field). Ted has approx 6000 legal and illegal Brazilian workers who keep Martha’s Vineyard staffed/ its windows washed – golf courses maintained – maids, laborers etc.

I thought about the wonderful care Ted got in comparison to (Aug) the death of a Brazilian (26 yrs) of H1NI virus. He had gone twice to the Vineyards NEW state of the art hospital – told he was fine. They are no longer accepting the insurance (Massachuttes) of the indigent. By the time he got to Mass General he was too far gone. They put him in a coma – too late he died.

Was Ted’s life worth more than his —or 91 yr old Booker Harris who died in a lawn chair outside ( 100 degree heat) outside the New Orleans Convention Center/ it took USA super power five days to deal with the Bookers (numerous seniors died). Obama Care and Kennedy’s Bill are one and the same basically. It is Medicade on steroids / yes greatly rationed (it has to be).

Indeed Dr. Emanuel, brother to Rahm, chief of staff, is quite indifferent to the needs of seniors (over 65) or the chronically ill / They are not cost effective and that’s what these (Kennedy – Obama) plans are about….culling of the herds. Regular decent people can’t entertain the thought that the elite see them as a drag on the system — having outlived their usefulness (no longer paying needed taxes).

NO – under the Kennedy/Obama plan you would never get the care that Kennedy – Clinton – Specter – Dodd – Barbara Bush – Ginsberg recently received. They have a protected plan – we pick up 72% of their costs. All animals are NOT equal/ time to wake up and realize this.

Jude on September 2, 2009 at 9:00 pm

People get helicopter rides to hospitals al lthe time, police escorts, etcc. But I do agree that the specialists were a little over the top.

But when I was injured I saw the top OSU specialists, so does tht make me have TEDCARE

MICHAEL SPENCER on September 2, 2009 at 10:48 pm

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