Poll: Public Still Doesn't Like Health Care Bill -- And Still Like Public Option, Medicare Buy-In

I have a hard time with some of these polls -- what do people think are in the Senate plan that they oppose? Given the distortions, misrepresentations, and downright lies spread about the plan, it's hard to support it. I admire the Dems for simply plowing through this and doing it.

We all knew that the public option and Medicare buy-in were generally popular, but we needed Lieberman and he opted to support Hartford and Aetna instead. Maybe the Repubs and Indies who wanted those options should direct their anger at Snow and Collins for finding reasons not to support the bill.

And, as usual, the public is ignored.

I think it is telling that this story was buried way down on the page for TPM and not up near the top as a 'noteworthy' news story.

Here is just one little story about what I learned about drug pricing when I was going through my cancer treatments. I had to take a drug named Neulasta (great drug) to improve my white count. I needed two shots of Neulasta during my treatment. A friend of mine at a different hospital, same insurance company that I had, also needed Neulasta, but she needed a LOT MORE than I did. Now, at my hospital, the hospital was charging 7,000.00 per shot, billed to the Insurance company. At my friend's hospital, the same drug was being billed at 10,000.00 per shot. (Forgot to mention the pretty periwinkle blue designer syringe it comes in). Our insurance company called her and told her that if she wanted to give herSELF the shot, it would save a bunch of money. They said that since it only needs to go in muscle, she could do that if she wanted to. She agreed to try it. After that, her neulasta cost 2,000.00 per injection vs. the previous 10,000.00 per injection. So, that extra 8,000.00 saved ... you can surely understand why it was 8,000.00 less, can't you? I mean, think of the footsteps the nurse saved since she did not have to walk to the drug closet and get that shot, walk back, roll up her patient's sleeve, swab her arm with alcohol, and stick it in her arm. Also, the hospital saved on the price of medical waste since no syringe needed to go in their trash. Obviously worth 8,000.00 more to have the injection given by a nurse, don't you think? Sheesh. This is just one tiny story in the labyrinth of greed. Oh, I forgot to mention. Those people with $$ who come here from Mexico paid 15,000.00 for their injection. And this is a democratic country that cares for it's citizens. Greed is evil.