After Lawsuit, Obama Administration Releases Logs of Private Meetings With Health Care Industry Executives

"Did Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ever find out who was on board Air Force One during the flyby photo op which frightened and angered New Yorkers?"

Not sure but CREW did just file an ethics complaint against Eric Cantor for using taxpayers funds for party activities.

My 82 year old father in-law recently had a colonoscopy. He had no complaints or underlying illness. He dosen't have diabetes or high colesterol. He is beginning to show signs of aging, innability to walk and dementia. Basically he's in good health except his age is against him. During his last check-up the doctor sugggested he have a colonoscopy because "medicare will pay for it". Now, I'm all for preventitive medicine, but this was unnecessary.There is no cure for old age. Long story short, after the procedure he got dehydrated, dissoriented and confused. Got out of bed and fell,in the hospital, and broke his hip. Not only was the colonoscopy more than he could handle, now he has a broken hip and even after a hip replacement, will unlikely recover. So after 2 months in the hospital, paid for by medicare, we face the decision on what to do with him. The hospital and doctors will push for home health, but many people, including us, are not prepared to give someone 24 hour care.

If nothing is going to change for the
majority of Americans regarding health
care...what are we doing????????

Did Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington ever find out who was on board Air Force One during the flyby photo op which frightened and angered New Yorkers?

Where were the tough questions tonight? More importantly, where were the questions where when a journalist is NOT getting an answer they interject and say “excuse, but can I just get an answer to my questions please”?! I mean come one-Where were the questions about whether or not ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS will be covered under this health care that LEGAL CITIZEN Have to pay for? Where were the questions about whether or not paying for ABORTIONS is forced up on tax payers? Where were the questions about whether or not senior citizens are going to be forced to take “How to Die” Seminars and where EUTHANSIA will not only be advocated for with tax payers money, but will be paid for with tax payers money?!

impeach all of the obama and hillary adminstration and put all of them where they belong in prison for life not in the white house

It took a lawsuit to reveal the names.

It took a lawsuit to finally show transparancy.

Obama must have known he was wrong or he wouldn't have buckled to the pressure of a lawsuit.

I know we tire. But so did the Founding Fathers. But they kept up the fight. Keep on the pressure. And keep speaking what is right at all costs. Because freedom and liberty is WORTH IT!
Posted by: clint

right....... yeah...lets have a tea party and talk about the birth certificate and more guns...

"The documented cases of hospitals performing tens of millions of dollars of unnecessary procedures under Medicare suggests your argument is not based in reality."

Anyone can say that. Then again, what's the point? You deny things that are irrefutable and proven in a few keystrokes.

jhw, just as an aside, your answer to Clint's question about government-RUN programs that work is a little like Alanis M's "Ironic" song-- nothing in her examples in that song is actually ironic. It's tragic or upsetting, but not ironic. "A black fly in your chardonnay"-- gross, but not ironic.

Your list of things does not include anything that is RUN by the federal government. Built by it, yes-- Hoover Dam. Partially developed by people working for it, yes--- the Internet (not a completely government project, as you probably know, but that's a contentious subject, as I understand it). Funded by it, yes-- the interstate highway system, one of the jewels in our crown and an excellent program. Thank you, Mr. Eisenhower. Okay, it is still run by the government, but as you say, it is not a profit-making entity and it is not 'run' by the government so much as 'maintained.' The university system-- HUH? The government does funnel a lot of money to universities, to students, etc. But it does not 'run' universities. Neither did it create the system. I am totally confused about how 'universities' made your list, as it fits the question even less than anything else on the list.

The presidebt was worse than usual this evening.

I am glad to see the White House, when pressured, did indeed release the list of names. That's a good thing.

Just glad they did the right thing, even if it took a lawsuit to get them to do it.

I thought the transparency question during the press conference was excellent. Notice it got the shortest answer of the evening.

Anyway, I wanted to give credit where credit is due. The president did the right thing.

Contents of the transcript(s)?

"Play ball, and I'll make sure some bonuses get ignored..."

"unnecessary procedures under Medicare suggests"

What's "unnecessary"? Mightn't that be left to MEDICAL personnel to decide, for each particular -- indeed "unique" -- patient? Especially where older people are concerned?

With Oblabla's minions making medical decisions, instead of an array of doctors with different opinions and different approaches making medical decisions, how's medicine going to advance? (Heck, how's medicine going to CONTINUE?)

drjohn:"When you lose money treating Medicare patients, there is little incentive to overtreat."

The documented cases of hospitals performing tens of millions of dollars of unnecessary procedures under Medicare suggests your argument is not based in reality.

clint:"Name me one government-run program that has EVER worked, or has EVER made a profit. It can't be done."

Hoover dam. The Internet. Interstates (not a direct profit, but their economic development payback is accepted by all parties). A world-leading national University system that has given rise to the minds behind everything from Amgen to Intel.

Those are just a few.

Again, do you have any actual facts to support your argument?

How will the government controlled healthcare bill work for you? How has government-controlled auto, banks, housing worked for you? How has a bankrupt Social Security system that costs us daily worked for you? Name me one government-run program that has EVER worked, or has EVER made a profit. It can't be done. And the American people know it!

You need to be vigilant and informed now, because the government has put the head of Fannie Mae in charge of the TARP program. What's next. I know we tire. But so did the Founding Fathers. But they kept up the fight. Keep on the pressure. And keep speaking what is right at all costs. Because freedom and liberty is WORTH IT!

Concerned in OH:"I can't believe Obama just said doctors do unnecessary operations for sheer profit."

This is a known, documented problem that has resulted in a number of legal actions over the years. Medicare (under Republican and Democrat control) has been rather effective in documenting and prosecuting unnecessary treatment. For example, Tenet Healthcare was found guilty of frequently performing heart surgeries, including very invasive procedures like a triple bypass that are not done on a preventative basis, that review of medical records and imaging clearly shown were not required.

It is a documented fact that some doctors and hospitals have been found guilty of unnecessary procedures undertaken simply for profit (and Republicans deserve credit too for their efforts to root out such dangerous fraud).

drjohn asks: "So you have to ask yourself why a Soros group would threaten to sue Obama's white House."

This is just a smoke screen. They made a big deal about this so he could trumpet their being transparent. The people listed in the logs are the same people he met in public with, so no big deal for the admin to release this.

"I can't believe Obama just said doctors do unnecessary operations for sheer profit."

Well, look at Michael Jackson.

And Pamela Anderson.

But that's all with discretionary income and makes zero impact on the government.

When you lose money treating Medicare patients, there is little incentive to overtreat.