Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Rush Limbaugh Inadvertently Endorses Socialized Medicine

Rush Limbaugh, I'm sure, meant to have his declaration that the U.S. health care system was "just dandy," convey that health care reform was unnecessary. What he didn't realize, though, is that the health care system in Hawaii is among the most "liberal" in the country and goes beyond what the Senate version of health care reform does.

1. Hawaii is a shining example of progressive health care reform. In fact, Hawaii is so forward-thinking that the Senate bill excludes Hawaii from some of its provisions, because Hawaii's requirements on employers go farther than the federal legislation.

* Since 1974, Hawaii has required all employers to provide quality health care benefits to any employee who works 20 hours a week or more. Because of Hawaii's increased coverage, reports the New York Times, "hospital and insurance executives in Hawaii say they have been able to innovate efficiencies. For instance, the state's top three medical providers are adopting electronic medical records -- years ahead of most mainland counterparts."
* One reporter noted "the medical system in Hawaii is as close to socialized medicine as there is in the United States, and, much of the Democrats reform bill is based in the Hawaii system."

2. Limbaugh stayed at Queen's Medical Center, where nursing staff are represented by the Hawaii Nurses' Association (read: a labor union). The nurses at Queen's are protected by their contract, which adheres to the ANA's safe-staffing principles guaranteeing appropriate staffing levels for any patient care unit.

In fact, Hawaii has one of the greatest percentages of organized workers of any state and also had the highest percentage of organized RNs. All private-sector acute care hospital RNs are organized, with just two known exceptions. We're guessing this might have something to do with why Limbaugh found the Hawaii hospital staff's work so "confidence-inspiring."

When Limbaugh was released from Queen's Medical Center, he cheerily noted, "The treatment I received here was the best that the world has to offer."

12 comments:

DJ said...

A man of Rush's obesity really shouldn't be lecturing anyone on personal responsibility. With his unhealthy lifestyle, he's not long for this world.

$400 million can buy you the best health care in the world, but eventually the luck is going to run out if he keeps eating the triple cheeseburgers.

Bruce Fealk said...

Not only obesity, but prescription pain killers, Viagara, oxycontin, etc.

I'm sure that's what caused his chest pain.

vomamike said...

Never let the facts get in the way of Right Wing opinion - that's Rush's motto!!

Anonymous said...

So is Mass.

Unknown said...

Is that all you people can do is make fun of his wait and his drug issue that he is trying to deal with.

Now that said Rush should have done his research. I am not a fan of his but people lets not make fun of wait or a drug issue. I know he does and I disagree with him on that. That does not mean you have to.



Thanks

John www.duluthpolitics.blogspot.com

Bruce Fealk said...

Come on, John. We're not making fun of his weight, but he is a hypocrite of a very high order.

He relentlessly attacks Obama and anyone that wants health care reform and for him to say the health care system is "just dandy" in a state that has a system much more liberal than most states is pretty funny, you have to admit.

I wonder how they'd treat him in Texas.

Anonymous said...

djtyg said...
"A man of Rush's obesity really shouldn't be lecturing anyone on personal responsibility." Look who is talking.

DJ said...

Chris if I ever get as fat as Rush, feel free to shoot me in the head.

Besides, I'm not the one preaching about doing everything on your own. I already know that making America great is a team effort.

Unknown said...

Enough said by you all.

Anonymous said...

Your argument is a straw man.

Conservatives do not criticize the quality of health care. Indeed we maintain that no country does it better than us.

This issue is cost. How do we pay for it? You should also have mentioned that the Hawaii hospital gave Rush a 30% discount because he paid cash.

Consider these articles.
Hawaii Health Care

Honolulu Star - Budget Woes

DJ said...

Hey Silverfiddle. If you looked at the laws that have been passed in Hawaii, you'd see that they have a heavily regulated insurance system that the new health care bill has been based on.

And yet Limbaugh still got high-quality health care.

Anonymous said...

Once again with the strawman. The criticism is not over quality, it's how to pay for it,and Hawaii is struggling with that aspect of it. Again, note the 30% cash discount. What does that say?