Wow…. I was seriously going out in Nov. to vote for this guy.

IF YOU ARE A REAL PUMA, THIS IS NOT WHAT HILLARY IS ABOUT AT ALL.
WE NEED TO UNITE AROUND OBAMA AND BIDEN THIS NOV.

I AM SURE HILLARY WILL RUN AGAIN

OBAMA/BIDEN 08′
HILLARY/BILL 12

As a nurse, I would personally like to talk directly with the McCain advisor who made such a ridiculous comment. However, certainly it would be a waste of my valuable time. Where do these so called advisors find their flawed facts? Maybe it is time for the Republican party to really look at who is inexperienced….

What planet is this guy on?

Every issue important to us average Americans and McCain and his advisors have no clue and are completely out of touch.

How absolutely ridiculous that people will vote for him simply because he has an "R" after his name.

Everyone must also have auto insurance too because after a wreck… one can obviously get their car fixed!!

Does this guy pay for health insurance? If so, why if he's already covered??!!??

Emergency Rooms should be for emergencies only. By the way does anyone remember the mentally challenged woman who, just a few weeks ago, died after waiting in vain for 24 hours in a NY hospital? Then just last week there was another similar case in another state.

So they're clarifying this by redefining "adviser"? If he advised you, he's an adviser. It doesn't matter if he's paid or "official."

This is too much. McCain will solve the uninsured by saying they aren't uninsured. Emergency rooms don't do preventative care that insurance gives you. Emergency rooms don't handle routine pregnancy screening and monitoring. Emergency rooms don't do baby wellness checkups or give out immunizations. Emergency rooms don't do preventiative screening such colonoscopy or health exams. Leave it to the Repubs to solve an issue by rewriting the definition to make it not an issue.

10 years sober and discusted.

There is no healthcare "crisis," any more than there is an auto-insurance crisis.

You, the individual, purchase auto insurance for the "catastrophic" events (ie accidents). What's not included in that insurance is maintenance… things like oil changes, tire rotations, tune ups, car washing, etc. Why should health insurance be any different?

In fact, if Americans only had insurance for "catastrophic" health problems and paid out-of-pocket for their own routine doctor visits, the cost would drop significantly, significantly. This is a simple rule, not only of economics, but of human nature… when there is a third-party "other" (medicaid, medicare, health insurance, your trust fund or your parents because you're still living in their basement) picking up the tab for something, the individual consumer doesn't actually SEE the cost, the expense, and doesn't actually have the opportunity to compare costs. That said, the costs become astronomical because the individual is missing from this equation, replaced by a bureaucracy making that purchasing decision. No responsibility equals higher costs.

You compare home owners' insurance. You compare auto insurance. (Both of which I did this year and saw my insurance costs cut in half! Thank you USAA!) You compare renters' insurance. And why? Because it's YOU, the consumer, who's picking up the tab for this cost. And because of which, insurance companies are FORCED to actually COMPETE for your consumer dollar… and further because of which, they offer low rates. Again I ask, why should your health insurance be any different?

Insurance is insurance is insurance… is lumber is automobiles is homes is computers is electronics… the product is irrelvant… Market forces DO work! And they work for you, the consumer, when governments and bureaucracies get the hell out of the way and allow the market to work. Governments create the problems, then have the "audacity" to come around claiming to have the solution… to the very problems THEY created. Audacity, indeed.

As a physician I have seen it all over the past 37 years. The uninsured are not just illegal aliens. They are White, Black, Asians and every ehnicity you can imagine. We as physicians have treated hundreds if not thousands of these uninsured in our offices and ERs. It is heart wrenching to see a sick child who is brought in and parents are at their wits end as to how to pay for the ER visit and how to buy medicene without any money. Most of the people are decent hard working folks. The cost of medicine has sky rocketed during the past 10 years. The same medicine that is manufactured in other countries costs 1/10 of what it costs in the USA. Amazingly it is manufactured by the same drug manufacturers!
The olny solution is 1. To have some kind of coverage for ALL AMERICANS. If an illegal alien comes to ER, we can treat the emerget condition and show him the way to get further help.2.Shut off all ER care for non emergent cases by a triage system
3.Make it very hard to sue the doctors and hospitals for frevelous suits. This is one of the reason the cost is so high. Instead of ordering one or two tests multiple tests are ordered to cover ones behind! If the patient looses the case he should be responsible to pay all the attorney fees and court costs.This should be collected before the case is filed from both parties to discourege such unneceesry suits brought to court in the first place. 4.Make people responsible for their own health. We see people who have diabets weighing over 300 pounds and smoking heavily despite the fact they have COPD. This wastes the physicians time and money from each one of us as he/she is not taking care of their own problems.5. Many old folks do not want any heroic measures. But the family members want to keep a 98 year old grand mother on a ventillator! Make it mandatory for everyone to have a living will regardless of the age.
It is not Obama or Mccain who alone can solve this problem. It is OUR problem. We have to demand these type of changes.

So typical — so emergency rooms are the answer to the insurance lack? Wow. Has McCain ever been near an emergency room and had to wait like ordinary people? Does he have any grip at all? Does he know how much this would cost — because one way or another, we will pay for it.

Crazy. I hope people are listening to this AND the Putin story, which apparently has better legs than the Bush admin wants to admit — naturally.

So I guess it could be argued that no one in the U.S. is homeless or hungry either since there is a McDonalds or hotel also near by. Even if you dont have the money to pay your doctor, by a burger or book a room.

When was the last time this elitist in the $500 shoes, went to a ER..You could be having a heart attack, and they wont admit you for another 3 hrs. I bet he has his personal physician living in one of his 7 homes

So does that mean that since there are banks all over the country, no one is really "living in poverty?" So what……if you run out of cash you can just walk into the nearest bank and demand money?
Does it mean that since there are empty houses all over the country that no one is really "homeless?" You can just walk into an empty house and use it, I guess.

Actually, this is just another "Nation of Whiners" comment, isn't it?

I swear, these people are living on a different planet than the rest of us.

Sue, I make no apologies. What can I say? I'm not a Socialist. It's really that simple.

The American Dream is not "what can the rich pay for me" but "if I put my mind to it, the sky's the limit." Thinking that dumbing down the American system into a Socialist one is the solution is absurd.

If thats McCain's healthcare plan, they need to ask the folks at Grady Hospital in Atlanta how well that will work. If things continue to run the same there (free "healthcare" for all the "uninsured" folks who show up at the emergency room) One of the best trauma hospitals in the south is on the verge of closing it's doors. Then where will we go John?

This guy has "access to health care" and "access to health coverage" mixed up. He thinks they mean they same thing.

I cannot get chemo for cancer at the ER.
I cannot get a dental checkup at the ER.
I cannot get waited on at the ER.

And who pays for those who can only seek medical care in emergency rooms but are unable to pay for it themselves? How much cheaper would it be if they could afford to seek preventative care? How much more do you and I have to pay because this is the Republican plan to make sure we all have coverage?????

YEP!!!!
solution to every problems from McCain is same.

What, next McCain and his group will be saying people should have no complaints about not having money for food, gas, housing, etc because—we ALL have access to the Federal Dispository!!! Good one McCain and please, no one is buying the excuse that this guy is not an "official" campaign advisior either!!!!!

Not an official adviser? Do they know he helped write McCain's health plan?

Don't worry all — this is a joke. No one in their right mind would honestly consider this a national health plan — oh, wait, a Republican said this — oh, man, maybe it wasn't a joke after all.

Are you for real McSame all I can is OMG!!!!!
Obama/Biden

The McCain cheer:

The I to the D to the I to the O to the T…what does it spell! IDIOT!

Go Team Obama!

WOW!

Obama/Biden 08

These republicans have no soul.

people who are commenting about foreclosures and how obama is exaggerating the economy are talking about a separate issue. If mccain sends people to the ER as his answer then YOU joe-tax payer will be paying for it, and paying MUCH more then if they actually addressed the problem instead of "re-categorizing"…..changing the name of the problem wont "make it go away"…….people cant be that ignorant, do all you republicans want to pay for the most expensive health care option out there???? i thought that went against the idea of people taking responsibility for themselves, ay!

This is the most ridiculous, idiotic statement I have ever heard in my entire life. Seriously?!

Are you kidding?? I work in healthcare and the Emergency Rooms are already terribly over crowded, is this idiot suggesting that when you have a cold to run to an ER and plug it up using it as a Dr visit??
What a typical out of touch response to a HUGE problem from some wealthy politician who has never had to go without. You and the bleating sheep that cluelessly follow you and allow you to spoon feed them what you want them to hear make me sick!!! I pray, everyday that the Bloated, Corrupt current administration is soon gone and we get Obama/Biden in to try and fix the mess you made of our country.

This is John McCain’s health care policy advisor? What an idiot! It’s treating people like dogs. What's next, euthanasia if you're really sick?
I’m speechless.

This is the clearest demonstration yet the Republicans and their leadership just don't get it. This is shocking and disgusting. They don't deserve our votes!

Wow. Just wow. I think the McCain campaign just handed Obama the health care issue — they would have to be idiots to ever bring it up again after this display of backwards reasoning. Wow.

OMG – honestly? Is this going to be the health secretary?

MONEY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE IT mC CAIN IS OUT OF HERE OBAMA 08

What part of EMERGENCY does he not understand?

What? This has to be a joke right?

Did McCain get his melanoma treated in an emergency room?

McCain say that he is ready for the office as long if we do not get sick for the next four years.

Thank you Mccain for letting us in on your brilliant advisors…I cannot believe this man has almost half the country's vote…this needs to be all over the news.

"They take pride in being ignorant" we cannot be fooled again people!! So basicaly under McDrafts health plan he would do away with employer backed programs leave us with a $5,000 to get our own health insurance which is sky high and will leave people without…but have no fear people crowding into the ER with preventable issues is the answer…all we have to do is re-word it.

does anyone know when the funeral for McSames campaign is going to be?

This is so sad…………………………..

They may not be able to turn you away but they sure can watch you die. Look what happened to that Lady in the New York hospital. SHe died in the emergency room waiting for care. YEAH!! That is the universal healthcare we need.

The Obama campaign should stop being nice and attack Mccain on issues such as this. They should make on this which says:

Mccain's health care plan:

Wait till your health reaches a crisis and only then walk into an emergency room.

The mccain person forgot that whether you walk into an emergency room or not the patient will have to foot the bill if they have no insurance coverage.

Since McCain and his band of robbers only get the best physicians looking after them whenever they need anything, I guess they would have no clue about the rest of the people and their health care situations. – WORSE than out of touch and 45% of Americans are thinking of voting for these clowns???? What does that say???

as the campaign goes on voters will see how much what sen. obama doesn't say will cost you. when they debate and sen. obama as to explain his proposals in detail you will see how fragile they are and how they have little chance of being implemented.energy rebates are tied in to windfall profits no windfall no rebates even with windfall litigation and implementation cost would be prohibitive. money saved from ending the Iraq war are again based on their not being any other commitments in the world and the cost of the Afghanistan war not rising what are the chances of that happening. look at all the proposals and you'll find that the majority are based on if's which comes down to just words.

So McCain's top advisor on heath care wants to solve the health care problem in the U.S. by changing the way people are categorized so that no one will be categorized as not having health care, so in the real world he will change nothing but declair "Voila! Problem solved." This is unbelievable!

This is just as bad as McCain's "former" top economic advisor calling us a country of whiners about the economy. "Instead, the bureau should categorize people according to the likely source of payment should they need care. So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved."

WOW…

if everyone used the emergency room, that would make the wait 20 times longer. What idiot from the McCain camp said this? They are out of touch!!!

Hoping this will come out of moderation…

Your comment is awaiting moderation.
There are about five posts on here from like-minded idiots who think this is absolutely correct. You all are in need of mental health services…think you'll get them at your local emergency room?

And Kelly, you can try to disavow this moron, but the horse is out of the barn already. "John Goodman, president of the National Center for Policy Analysis, a right-leaning Dallas-based think tank. Mr. Goodman, who helped craft Sen. John McCain's health care policy"

I'm going to bet that we hear that Mr. Goodman doesn't speak for John McCain, just like John McCain doesn't speak for John McCain.

I pay $7,300.00 a year for medical insurance (I'm one of the LUCKY(?) ones to even have insurance?) and this $7,300.00 a year does not EVEN COVER a pap smear. Next time I'll just go to the E.R. for my preventive medicine.

It is beyond me how anyone could seriously entertain the idea of voting for John McCain.

Obama08

how is this not a lead story!!!!! this has to be one of the most ridiculous statements any democrat or republican has ever made. Many in the party must be going into damage contol right now to cover up for this……however with the way you bury this no one will hear about it. Sending everyone to the ER as the answer will cost atleast ten times as much as if you actually adress the problem. I cant believe he says that re-labeling these people will "make it go away"…….I hope you do your job and press mccain about his view on this statement…..Obama campaign MAKE AN AD OUT OF THIS!

I've had experience with ER care. My kid got sick on the weekend and I was forced to go to the ER. After a long wait, a doctor took a quick look, said it was an ear infection, wrote a script for antibiotics and told us to follow up with his pediatrician Monday. I'm glad we did follow up, because the pediatrician said the ER doc completely missed the diagnosis, which he would have gotten right if he had only done a thorough exam.

ER docs usually do a good job, but they are no substitute for certified specialist. McCain can go to hell.

If people weren't charged for emergency care this would be true.

Yeah, a hospital will see you. And then sue you into bankruptcy when you can't pay up and your health care coverage, if any, doesn't cover you.

And then you can get a job flipping burgers, which Bush and McCain consider to be the "manufacturing sector".

I'll bet McCain never waited for hours in the emergency room of a hospital. Maybe he needs to have that experience. PATHETIC !!!!!

what kind of warped logic is this? HOW does having emergency room access benefit someone with cancer. The fact that some people actually think a man with views like this is in a position to lead the country mystifies me.

is he kidding me? Or is he kidding all of America?

With people expiring in ER waiting rooms, imagine the cost savings to the Census Bureau.

Wow, these people are stupid! That's all there is to say….

Yeah, because *that's* a good use of resources. Unbelievable.

Obama-Biden for America

Great ad material Thanks McCan't

Your comment is awaiting moderation.
You've cut this 3 or 4 times already CNN

Just called my ins. company and cancelled my policies and demanded my payments back for the last 47 years. THIS IS WONDERFUL

CNN Censorship is against my rights as an AMERICAN

Stop cutting my posts -

Bozo have clowns working for him. I guess Bush is the best prez ever right. I gotta be kidding me. McStupid as Stupid does.

At least somebody in McCain's camp is willing to say what he really thinks. Finally, we can see the level of ineptitude and ignorance that goes into devising McCain's plans for this country. Maybe this can be the topic for the next week. John McCain, the guy who was born into government-sponsored health care from his admiral parents, has guaranteed health care for life, and just does not understand what life is like for the rest of America.

Does this commen, form the elitist republicans surprise anybody? You know what his response will be to this comment? " Well , when I was a POW for 5 years in Vietnam, I wish I could have gone to a ER"

Ever play blackjack?

McCan's advisers are showing us their hole cards.
They do not have winning hands.

Top Economic Adviser – Busted a few weeks ago.
Top Health Care Adviser – Just went bust today.

If they competence shown by these advisers in the areas of expertise is this bad, what about the other areas? The Bush administration has shown incompetence across the board in almost every government agency, IRS, FEMA, EPA, you name it. McCain is looking familiar.

Does this GENIUS realize that one of the main causes people go bankrupt and lose their homes [besides the sub-prime debaucle] is catastrophic illness or injury???

Spin that, Gramps!

What a bloody idiot!!

I suffer in pain daily in my leg due to being self employed but can't afford $1,500.00 a month premiums….

And we are set to elect more idiots just like this one.

Makes you wonder who the idiots are?

Sign me,

A voter not voting for another idiot…..

Don't be so rough on poor McBush. He didn't have ER service
for 5 years when he was a POW

Is there an emergency room for dentists? Chemotherapy? Pap smears? Mammograms? Colonoscopy? Any preventative care at all? This has got to be the most ridicules thing I have ever heard.

Oh my goodness! What a gift for the Democrats to pounce on. Please don't let this guy or McCain off the hook for this. Hammer away at this the way they went after you with the tire pressure gage. I can see the commercials now in my head. I won't keep you so get to work on those emails web ads and campaign ads in battle ground states tonight!!!

Obama's (and Clinton's) people should have a field day with this.

pathetic. Only someone who has never EVER lived without insurance would think this makes any sense. Every single person elected to office should have to live on minimum wage with no insurance before they are allowed to have any say on policy.

Also, aren't the republicans always complaining about the evil poor people using emergency rooms and tax dollars for routine things? Now they are encouraging it? srsly?

three words:

OUT OF TOUCH

Obviously John Goodman hasn't spent much time in an Emergency Room. One of the horrors caused by lack of health insurance is how emergency rooms struggle to treat emergency cases when overwhelmed by uninsured persons using emergency facilities for their primary care.

I know this. As a priest I spent a lot of time with parishioners in emergency rooms overwhelmed with non-emergency patients. They have no other choice, and everyone suffers. When I go into the emergency room with a parishioner who waits six hours to see a doctor, waiting until after 3:00 in the morning, everyone suffers.

John McSame's camp offers more of the same. No way. No how. No McSame!

what a freaking idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just because they have to try and keep you from dying, doesn't mean you have health care! My dad has MS….what kind of 'care' do you think he'd get if he went to the ER….NO A FREAKING THING!!!!!!!!!!

The really scary thing about this is the fact the McCain listens to these idiots…….and things they're right!

Wow, just wow. Have you been to an emergency room? In major centers, you cannot get care for several hours because of all the people there for problems that could have been avoided with regular care.

I am an MD – this guy has NO IDEA what is going on with the health care system. If this guy is McCain's advisor and McCain gets elected, forget about health care in this country.

Please Please Please Obama Jump on this like a pitbull on a raw steak. I havent read anything so stupid in my life. This is a major blunder and the Dems HAVE to capitalize on it. Hey Maybe we should all pee in our gas tanks to help stretch that gas milage… We could use pennies to pay for stuff because they weigh more and should be able to stretch that food bill becuase they weigh more than a dollar this Mcain guy is a genius!!!!!

How many examples do you require, people???

when someone shows you WHO they are… BELIEVE THEM.

Does this commen, form the elitist republicans surprise anybody? You know what his response will be to this comment? " Well , when I was a POW for 5 years in Vietnam, I wish I could have gone to a ER"

John Goodman is the Director of a think tank?????

Give me a break! Definitely not much thinking goes on there.

Director positions must be a dime a dozen. Wish I could find one.

Mc Cain campaign so far doing a good job
This news try to distract Americans from democratic party convention

Why did he think that he had to come up with some ideas about health care anyway…all he has done is to sink McCain deeper with his so-called plan…GOD, may he thinks everybody has the same health care coverage than he does!

All in all, he obsviously doesn't know what he's talking about…

NO not denied just abuse by they system what type of person even would think that its ok …….A RICH ONe

Seven-House McSame DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE!!!

America, do you want to trade one Bubble Boy for his older, angrier twin?

So much of medical care is continuing care. Just because someone has a situation and goes to an ER does not mean they can get the continuing care, therapy, or medication they might need. Come on.

Are you kidding me!? I hope Obama makes an ad out of this.

Out of touch McCain-McSame!

OBAMA-BIDEN 2008

Yes, we will!

I'm stunned speechless.

Shame on you McCain!

No More, Never Again!

Obama – Biden 08!

Wow.

And he said this to a news reporter? Is he trying to get fired? Does he secretly work for the Democrats? There must be some explanation for saying something so ignorant and uninformed. Oh yeah, he's Republican. That explains it!

I hope the Obama camp jumps on this one. Nah. Nevermind. It's too easy.

How long before McCain says he doesn't agree with this advisor (even if he really does) and fires him? I'm guessing about a day. Anyone else have a bet?

What planet does this senile old man live on?

Everyone has some form of health coverage????

I'll bet there at least 47 million people who don't know that!

WHAT A FOOL!

Got Brains ?

This must be joke, right? No one is that idiotic, I hope.

This man is clueless and out of touch with the American people, just like John McKeatingFive is. Our economy is in the dire condition it is in today because of the Republican party and people like John Goodman.

Yet another BRILLIANT move by McCain and his paid staff. NOT!

How can the Mc Cain camp state that they have a candidate ready to lead when they have simpletons advising the campaign.

I am absolutely dumbfounded how anyone could ever vote for this man.

Moronic.
And this guy is running for the most powerful office in the USA.
Any respect I had for McCain just left.

Can you say another Obama Commercial

This is an outrage. But it points out how incredibly out of touch McCain and his advisors are.

ER care. The most expensive health care in the US. That's your "plan" my friend?

Pathetic.

In other words….more of the same.

No thank you.

I really hope the Dems jump on this. Just another example of how out of touch McCain & his campaign is with the average American.

Is this a joke ? I understand what's meant by out of touch..only genius can think of that.

Talk about out of touch!!! What an arrogant and absolutely wrong thing to say!!!

We need to make a lot of noise about this nonsense. This is a big deal!

My Health coverage pays 50% of my dental health costs. Which Emergency Rooms do I need to go to for dentistry? Does the McCain guy have a list of those locations, just in case I lose my job before I get dentures?

Goodman should see a doctor at once—he's nuts.

Lorna, NY August 28th, 2008 2:51 pm ET

And people are voting for this man? Are Americans this stupid?
—————

Yes.

Wow, now that's an novel healthcare solution. Send the uninsured to the ER, the priciest place you can possibly receive primary care.

I bet the ERs could easily handle this influx of patients… Excuse me maam, I know you're bleeding from the eyes but Ms. Sullivan has a nasty case of Strep throat and she WAS here first…

Has this guy ever sat in the ER wating room?

And the people in Ohio are not unemployed….they're on vacation.

What a crock! I am an RN and the scope of health care is vastly more broad than emergency room care. Millions of clinic appointments are for prevention and restoring and maintaining optimal functioning. We need a health insurance benefit available to all people. Many go to emergency care with the common cold and non-emergent conditions because they don't have insurance and cannot afford to pay out of pocket for medical care.

Both Hillary and Obama got it right when they were talking about health care and the way we end up paying for uninsured users of health care.

But McCain was a POW.

i dont

As one of the most hardcore Hillary supporters, I was pretty sure I was voting for McCain in November to avenge the wrongdoings the Democratic Party had done to her.

Now, however, I am finding very difficult to vote for McCain, especially with his absurd health care plan. That has been the work of Hillary's life, and I feel I would be betraying her and her ideals if I cast a vote for this man. Sorry PUMAs, I just can't do this.

TRUST AND BELIEVE. . .THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE RELEASED!

IT'S CALLED "A SLIP OF THE FINGER"

OBAMA/BIDEN '08-'12

Out of touch much?

What planet is this schmuck(yiddish for idiot) on? I have never heard of anything more rediculious and totally insensitive and out right ignorant in my life! The cost of most health insurance in this country is based on group size. The bigger the group enrolled in a plan the more affordable it would be. If I big company that cares about its employees wants to spend the money on a good plan then most employees depending on their income could afford to have good insurance.The thing is there are big companies that are cheap who want to pay next to nothing and the employees end up paying so much in premiums and deductibles and rxs that they cant afford to see the dr or go to the hospital. This person has a very narrow view of how things are in this country. Private hospitals are funded differently than public ones.

Ok- let's just go with this for a minute. Let's say that…ehh…20% of America is categorized as "uninsured." So, out of the roughly 300million people, 60 million of them don't have health insurance.

He is correct- emergency rooms are legally not allowed to turn people away for financial reasons. So, going with his example, 60 million people are now going to get "free" care at hospitals. Great. So according to his thinking, that means that everyone is fine because everyone has care, correct?

No. If all care is created equal (those 60 million people are getting the exact same care as everyone else), the money for the supplies, doctors, labor, transportation, malpractice insurance, and other things has to come from somewhere. You really think the government is going to fully subsidize the ER care for 60million people? No. It's going to come, somehow, someway, from the other 240million people. It's not going to cause healthcare "competition"; it's going to cause wanton healthcare inflation. You can't have 60million people getting care for free and expect everything to work out! BASIC economics doesn't work that way.

Does no one draw the same conclusions I do? If they don't, why the heck are people who don't forsee stuff like that attempting to run the country?!

For johny2in Kalamazoo. Maybe in Kalamazoo but not ANYWHERE that I know of. And I have countless examples of people being TURNED DOWN from emergency room because of lack of coverage. Educate yourself !

Gee, I'm so glad Mr. Goodman has a firm grasp on this healthcare issue. Maybe he should run for president of the United States.

Oh and by the way Mr. Goodman, paying your emergency care bills out of pocket is not considered medical insurance…so when you explain your ridiculous position again, please make mention of this fact.

Dear Mr. McCain—if you have any desire to win this election, fire Mr. Goodman immediately–and you will increase your odds ten fold.

So health care costs to much, but it's good to use emergency rooms for primary health care?

Sounds fine, as long as the patient has nothing to lose; any patient who's not poor when he uses an ER in this way, however, will instantly bankrupt himself.

John McCain, supporter of the world's worst option in health care.

Bullocks!!! Approx. 20,000 people, a year, die in this nation because they cannot afford to see a doctor and afford health insurance. The Republican Party don't really care about the right to life, if they did they would support nationalized health care and be in compliance with Article I, Section Eight, Clause 1 of the United States Constitution.

We are force to pay for our elected officials health insurance with our tax dollars and these ingrates refuse to reciprocate.

People like you Greg need to get a clue.

There are a LOT of people who have jobs who do not have health insurance because their employers do not offer medical insurance (because the premiums are so expensive) and they cannot afford to purchase health insurance on their own (because the premiums are so expensive).

Not everyone who has a job works for large corporations with medical insurance coverage.

Not all small business owners can afford to provide health insurance coverage to their employees or even themselves.

The problem won't be solved by "get a job with health insurance".

The problem is that the insurance companies and the system has priced medical care out of reach for many. The premiums are ridiculously high and go up every year. And so those businesses that CAN afford to provide their employees with medical insurance often have to cut the coverage they can provide because the premiums continue to go up. And yes, some companies have to cut the medical insurance altogether because they can no longer afford it and neither can the employees.

WOW.
That is the biggest insult ever to the intelligence of the American public.

With emergency rooms and hospitals closing daily in rural communities and urban communities, one has to wonder just how some Republicans get so out of touch.

Why are they closing? — because the only refuge left to the uninsured is to go to the emergency room and afterwards, apply for government help to pay for it. What this moron fails to discuss is the enormous total cost that hits the person AFTER the visit — with hospitals charging $50 an aspirin and $500 a visit just to walk into the room. Or the enormous BURDEN on those hospitals.

Sheesh… how do these guys get so out of touch?

I'll tell you: you get so rich OFF the system (big insurance lobbies, big oil, big whatever can be raped and plundered on the backs of ordinary Americans) and YOU CAN AFFORD HEALTHCARE on a preventative basis.

What hypocrites!

The interview highlights one of the biggest flaws for the implementable universal health care: you'll be insuring illegal immigrants how don't pay taxes. No thanks, not on my dime.

even in my sociology book talked about how hospitals do turn people away if they are not insured or cannot pay. it explained how a pregnant woman gave birth to a still born baby but did not have health insurance or have money to pay for the care of herself or her still born, so you know what the hospital did??they moved her to the local hospital with less care…hmmm i think alot of americans can relate and that is the "BANDAID" frm pres. Bill Clinton was talking about with the regugs and helathcare. want mccain youll get more or the same

Wow. McSame is even more out of touch than I thought.

The choice is clear people. This is not of fight between the Dems and the Reps. The fight is between the "haves" and the "have nots".

Can you say "out of touch"? You people better put that republican brand down and get with the rest of us. Saying that you are a republican doesn't make you and better or richer. These guys are playing a game with you and you fall for it every time. McSame and Bush are not one of you and they don't want to see you become one of them. Wake up people.

Unbelievable ! Where has this man been living in the last 100 years ! Maybe he should watch "Sicko" by M. Moore and learn the hard truth.

Between McCain advisers like Phil Gramm who says that Americans are a "nation of whiners" and are in a "mental recession" and John Goodman who says that "technically All Americans and illegal immigrants have healthcare" because we all can go to the emergency room, Obama and Biden should have a field day between now and the general election painting McCain to Bush and the unpopular Republican brand.

For a minute I thought it was april fools day. This shows the republicans are either out of touch with reality or don't know didly about how health care works for average american.

I also wonder what surprise ad McCain plans to come out with tonight. Maybe he's going to ask Obama for a dance.

Elitist Jerk

Is this guy on crack or is McCain on crack because one or both of them are crack pots. ER costs for the uninsured has been and is still costing billions and any idiot should know wellness check ups if you have insurance is the only way to keep down ER costs.

What this guy said is exactly correct. Everyone has access to a level of health care, so no one is totaly without. Those with insurance obviously have a higher level of care. I'm a Republican and the only issue I side with Obama on is that everyone should have health insurance. As a nation we can afford to provide it for those who can not. But I would only support that it be provided for people who can not afford to buy their own, a program that provides them the funds to purchase a private plan of their choice. If someone can afford it and doesn't want to buy it, they made the choice to go without. McCain's ideas to work to make insurance more affordable are good, but don't go far enough for me.
Just to make it clear though, this is the only issue if differ on with McCain. I will be voting for McCain on the balance of the issues and hope that the Democrats will be able to work with President McCain to go the rest on the way on this issue.

Wow.

GAME OVER—-MCCAIN –YOU LOSE

Thats just brilliant plan…everybody has health insurance now…they just know it. Go to the emergency room if you have the flu, a hangnail, or Pruritus Ani. McCain's chief economic advisor said we're in a "mental recession" and we are a nation of "whiners". This bunch of McCain election advisors must be from Bush re-election committee! No how, No Way, No McCain!

Un. Believable. How anybody in their right mind could vote Republican is beyond me. Seriously, that is insane. How can you defend the McSame campaign when their advisors say stuff like this?.

I beg to differ with this one. Please spare me this horror.

Clearly this is more Republican bull crap that is meant to cover the truth and not truly inform the American people about the condition of our health system. It is true that a ER can not refuse to treat anyone because of inability to pay, but that does not apply to the doctors. A doctor has the right to refuse to see a patient that can not pay unless that person's life is at risk or they have the potential to lose a limb. I just took a course this past semester about the American Healthcare system and it is truly appalling how much McCain is trying to distort the truth. In the end, the only 2 groups of people actually GUARANTEED healthcare are members of the military and prisoners. Oh the irony……….

Yea what you get with this is overcrowded emergency rooms, more expensive health care for people who actually pay and when real emergencies happens the people have to wait because of the guy who bumped his head has no health care and wants to know why it hurts

what a joke

universal healthcare will drastically reduce the cost of healthcare

CNN this should be your top story for days to come! This is huge, and this actually deals with the issues, I'm telling you the country is going to wanna hear this! This is meat on the bone's, this is an actual ADVISOR to Mccain…this is someone Mccain trusts as an advisor…

This idiot shouldb't be making comments like this.

Here are some REAL facts. CNN print this.

There are 46 million uninsured people in this country, not ther 47 million that Hillary said.

37% (or 17,390,000) of those people make over $50,000 per year and can afford insurance if they have their priorities straight and that leaves 28,610,000 people without insurance.

Now take away the estimated 12 – 15 million illegal aliens in this country and that leaves 16 – 13 million unisured people in this country. A far cry form the 47 million that the democrats say need insurance.

It would be far easier for us in this country to get a handle on the 13 – 16 million Ameicans that truely need insurance and can't afford it than on 46 million that the democrats claim need it.

Both the Democrats and Republicans are lying on this issue.

So we are all to go to the ER for well-child checkups, immunizations, prenatal care, Pap smears and mammograms, chemo and radiation therapy for cancer, physical therapy and dialysis? What are people with real emergencies supposed to do when they can't get treated because the ER is clogged with the uninsured trying to get ordinary care?

OMG….can you say GAFF!!! What an idiot.

WHAT A PILE OF YOU KNOW WHAT!!!!

The best part is when this clown say, "VIOLA".

Let them eat cake.

johnny2 in kalamazo-someone who gets it? Obviously not you.
Try walking into an ER for a physical to make sure there is nothing wrong, try getting ongoing care for a chronic condition at the ER.
What do you suppose the cost difference is for a physician visit versus a hospital emergency room. You are a fool supporting a fool. Maybe we should just redefine unemployed, and get rid of that problem too.
Get a clue

And people are voting for this man? Are Americans this stupid?

THEIR CLUELESS AND SO OUT OF TOUCH..i CAN GIVE HE THE NAMES OF A LOT OF PEOPLE. i KNOW A WOMAN THAT WENT IN THE HOSPITAL FOR ASHMA –THEY KEPT HER FOR 5 DAYS AND HER BILL WAS 30 GRAND–SHE HAS NO HEALTH COVERAGE

I hope this is a joke. People can't seriously be considering voting for this guy if this is really what his health care advisor believes.

Then – "Ketchup is a vegetable"

Now – "The emergency room is universal health care"

Curiouser and curiouser

OMG! McCain really needs to fire this guy. My husband went to the emergency room for a breathing problem. (It was late afternoon so an office visit was out of the question.) We spent 3 hrs in the waiting room. We spent 30 minutes receiving care. Thank God we had heath insurance even though it was a $100 ded. Our insurance paid the rest of the bill of over $2,000 for 30 minutes!!! If you can't afford to pay your house note, what make you think that you will be able to pay this bill. Seriously, if McCain thinks this way, he really needs to spend some time with nonmillionaires.

PEOPLE
THINK
THINK
BEFORE YOU VOTE
IT'S YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE
YOUR HOME
YOUR CHILDRENS FUTURE
YOUR EARTH

Hey…everyone has access to gas, too! Anyone can just pull up to the pump and fill up and leave if they want!

DOES THIS MAN REALIZE THAT YOU GOTTA PAY FOR THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I HAD TO PAY $700 JUST TO SIT THERE. ONCE AGAIN MCLAME AND HIS CREW HAS NO CONCRETE PLAN ON ISSUES FACING AMERICA. WHAT LOSERS!

If this does not scare Americans then I don't know what will.

Brilliant (end sarcasm). Emergency rooms are one of the most expensive ways to treat patients. The costs for covering the unisured are offset onto others, who are fortunate enough to afford insurance, causing their premiums to go up over time. It is a backward system and hardly cost ettective for most Americans.

The McCain camp is out of touch for even suggesting this counterproductive approach.

No way, no how, no McCain

Obama / Biden

People already die waiting to get seen in Emergency Rooms!
My best friend did. It happens every day. 4 to six hours just to get into an examining room and then 2 or more hours to get seen. Usually only 1 or 2 doctors on duty. The tab is in the tens of thousands and is paid eventually by your tax dollars! Then you get a separate bill from the doctor! What planet are these people living on?
Beam me up Scotty

Yes, anyone can walk into an emergency room and get free health care. But guess what? Having access to a hospital emergency room is not the same as having health insurance. You still must pay for their services. And that can be VERY costly.

This seals the deal, I was on the fence, but I have to vote for Obama now. Thank you CNN for reporting the insite to Mccain's advisors, thank god I know. I was a faithful republican but for my children's sake I have to vote against this. This is unbelievable.

Well actually he is right and if you talk to Canadians that have universal health care they will tell you they are coming here to get surgeries because good Doc's are a shortage because they get one flat fee. Government controlled health care will be the worse for this country IMO. If the Dems. want to do a good deed make it mandatory that peoples employers pay for their workers health care instead of some of the money coming out of their paycheck weekly. This way all working people will be covered and we still get to have good Doc's taking care of us.

These guys are nuts. They also say US Economy is Sound. I can show many people who skip visiting hospital or buying medicine because that is too costly even if they have insurance from work.

It was someone from McCain's campaign that said that, not John McCain. I guess we should consider everything said by someone working for Obama as being said by Obama (Reverend Wright).

Neither candidate has demonstrated how they are going to fix the Health Care problem. Obama gives pretty speeches about change and doesn't address how he will change it. McCain just ignores it.

Health care is just one of the many issues that neither candidate gives a plan on how they are going to fix. Pretty speech here…..attack ad here….pretty speech here…..attack ad here.

Give it up already. Obama – stop campaigning to be leader of the World and tell us how you plan to fix America in detail. No more mantra of "change" – what is the change? McCain – stop airing attack ads and not presenting your own plan on these issues. We know Obama is inexperience. Everyone who has campaigned against him has said it. Move on – how are you going to fix the economy and health care?

Are you kidding…this was said by one of his top advisors?

Hospitals do not cover pre-natal, childcare, preventative or basic care.
They cover EMERGENCY medical care or you are admitted because your illness has progressed so far…you need IN-CARE.
Preventative is less money in the long run. Stopping illness and disease before they develope.

Are they nuts?
Emergency room care cost tax payers millions…..

How can anyone vote for this man is beyond me.
Every developed country in the world…and some undeveloped countries have universal health care.
WHY DON'T WE?

Finland, Iceland, and Norway are also 70% or more renewable energy
WHY AREN'T WE?
Brazil runs 100% of all their cars on sugar cane, grown in Brazil, and cars made by General Motors.
WHY CAN'T WE?

Because we vote STUPIDLY.

This has a ring of "let them eat cake." Talk about vacuous.

My god this is just scary, half of the country is voting for this guy and these idea's, and these advisors….he might actually win….I am seriously considering moving if he wins, this is plane scary.

i cannot believe he said that!! Is that not simply a rich man's blind arrogance? Wow, McCain just lost every healthcare worker in America's vote. I cannot believe he said that! McCain's advisors must be trying to tank this election!!!

This kind of outdated thinking is exactly why I am no longer a Republican and voting for Obama/Biden this fall. The Repulican Party I grew up in, and voted for most of my life, no longer exists.

WHAT?!!?!?! I am not a smart man, but……an Emergency Room is not Health Care coverage! I guess then the GOP doesn't have to work towards universal health care for the "uninsured". Tell that to a single mother who has cancer and her children are ill with a cold or need a tooth fixed. GAWD!

What an idiot!!! That is why hospital emergency rooms are overcrowded (national average wait time of over an hour and in my experience much longer unless you arrive by ambulance). Also, who does this brilliant mind think pays for the uninsured that must be treated at these emergency rooms. I hope for John McCain's sake that he has no more geniuses like this advising him.

As i read this..im also doing my medical billing for a cardiology practice..and at this moment im sending a 35 year old a bill for $750.00 because SHE WENT TO THE ER AND HAD NO INSURANCE!!!

The more I think of this, the madder I get. No, you can't be turned away from an emergency room but it is for EMERGENCIES! You cannot just show up at the emergency room for chemo. This is not being covered by health insurance to care for chronic illnesses. Emergency Rooms today are packed with long waits. This is a health care plan? No this is putting you head in the sand and pretending there is no health care crisis.

When McSenile gets back to the Senate after President Obama wins, he should draft a bill to save the taxpayers money and take away the Congress and Senates insurance coverage and send them to EMERGENCY ROOM. OBAMA/BIDEN 08
Connie from Indiana

These people are nuts!!!

Is this guy for real??? I get it the most advanced country in the world provides health care to 45m of its citizens only when their situation has deteriorated enough to be taken to the emergency rooms. Congratulations Mr. McCain, you are really looking after the hard working blue collar workers. I guess shipping away their jobs was not enough.

he lie

I'm ashamed to have the same name as the idiot that said :

I am sorry but if you think that Obama's idea of throwing more tax payers money at things to solve all of the problems you must not be a tax payer. Universal medicine does nothing but bankrupt countries. I think we need to do a welfare to work program get people out there working for there medical insurance rather than it being handed to them by people who are out there working. I think we need to help employers to meet the cost of medical insurance therefore keeping the cost to the employee down. More tax payer money is not the answer to all of the angst in this country.

Vickie, what about those that are so ill they can't work! My mother is disabled and can't work, what would you have her do?

Just called my ins. company and cancelled my policies and demanded my payments back for the last 47 years. THIS IS WONDERFUL

CNN Censorship is against my rights as an AMERICAN

Stop cutting my posts -

As a Canadian, now living in America, I am absolutely disgusted with the ignorance that McCain and the Republican party are arguing as policy. I'm not a Democrat and quite franky disagree with some of their policy, but this is unreal. Living in Canada, when I had something as simple as a cough, or nagging sore throat, would I go to the E.R.?? No, I'd simply stop into the drop-in clinic, be seen by a doctor 30min later, and then go pick up my prescription.
This proposed solution will only make the problem bigger. I seem to recall hospitals dropping helpless old women off on the street curb because they couldn't pay…wow, that's patriotism?

Please, please, Barack, please, use this latest bit of stupidity in one of your Ads! McCain WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DENY THAT SOMEONE ON HIS CAMPAIGN UTTERED THIS RIDICULOUS STATEMENT!

FOLKS THE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO STEAL BARACK'S THUNDER, WHAT THEY FAIL TO REALIZE IS THIS….

…………PAYBACK IS SOOOOOOOOOOOO SWEET…………………

What a true disgrace McCain and his campaign are. This is NO JOKING MATTER. The American people are being hit hard right now when it comes to medical insurance and McCain and his campaigns answer is the 'Emergency Room'.

We can spend $10 Billion a month on a war, but our nations health– is no big deal. At least that what McCain thinks.

No Way. No How. No McCain. (Thanks Hillary!)
Bush = McCain
McCain is more of the same.

Lately I've been noticing the state of our emeergency rooms. many are closing. Some patients wait ridiculous hours waiting to be seen. Some have died right in the emergency rooms waiting to be seen. is this guy a crock or what. I've never seen anyone so out of touch with the country's medical care condition. I recently read where we have even fallen to 18th in the world on quality of care. How on earth can this guy be in charge of McCain's health Policy! Duh?

Wow. This goes to show you how out-of-touch the McCain campaign really is.

I'm an undecided voter. Stories like this, though, sure do sway me away from the Republican Party!

vote obiden

Good… lord… what an idiot! Hopefully McCain picks up on this so Obama can thrash him.

I feel like trying to go to the ER for some preventative care like a physical and bring a printout of this article along.

THIS is an example of why the GOP should not be in power!!!!!

WELL THERE YOU HAVE IT . MCCAIN DOES NOT CARE ABOUT. WHAT HEALTH CARE PLAN BY MCCAIN.

VOTE OBAMA………..08

THAT'S OUR HEALTH PLAN, AND WE STAND BY IT!

Signed, McCain/Lieberman08

LOL! THis is the greatest truth espoused by the Republicans!
UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE = EMERGENCY ROOM ACCESS. ergo there is NO health care crisis in AMerica. So, basically, what are you people whining about?! This is McCain/Gramm attitude towards the economy, health-care etc!!! I hope the Dems pounce on this!!!

What a scandal. How insulting it is for a politician to say this. Very out of touch.

Ummmmmmmmm Vickie, as a Canadian I can only say WHAT!!!??? We spend far less per capita on health care and are almost always above the US in ratings on health care. So no universal health care is not bankrupting us. Our economy is doing better than yours thanks, our national debt is waaaaaaaaaaay less, and heck we're running a surplus.

Really? That is the best they can do?

I'm not saying Obama is perfect, but if the McCain campaign is actually saying ridiculous nonsense like that, this election is going to be easier than I thought.

Between this and the idea that somebody who makes 4.9 million dollars a year isn't rich, McCain is showing that he is the one who is the out-of-touch elitist, not Obama.

RIGHT!!! I Don't know where you get your information, but my husband and I haven't had any insurance in the last seven since I lost my job. I thank GOD daily that neither of us have been no more sicker than a cold. We doing all we can to stay well until we are 65 or older for S.S. to kick in. MaCain dosen't know anythng about the average American and their problems.

That's our health plan and we stand by it!

Signed, Mccain/Lieberman 08

Hold on…..did he actually say that. Seriously. That's pretty much his health care plan, huh. You've got to be joking me.

At first I thought Goodman was joking. But he's serious. That is the McCain answer to the health care crisis adversely impacting millions of Americans…just go to the Emergency Room and consider yourself covered. What?! It's not yet an emergency…?1.

Surely this is a joke…he's only kidding, right?….

So changing the Census is the cure for being poor and uninsured.
Why didn't I think of that? Are you kidding me!!! Instead of spending $ on Obama gas gages, please employ someone with a clue.
On second thought don't these bozo ideas are good for a laugh.
Can't wait to see what your gang of Aces call foreclosures, or the low value dollar we now enjoy. This goes beyond out of touch, its crazy.

So who's picking up the tab after the emergency room visit?

this idiot HELPED SCULPT MCCAINS HEALTH PLAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU VOTE

i don't care HOW inexperienced you think obama may be – its about IDEAS AND POLICIES. Please compare where EACH candidate stands on the issues, and what plans they will impliment before you vote. PLEASE

Goodman isn't an advisor to McCain. TNR is reporting Goodman isn't an advisor to McCain. Please post a correction.

McCain is a fool. Nuff said!!

This is a joke, right?

SORRY I MEANT "ER" NOT "OR"

All the Democrats care about is what's "fair"…well, how is it fair to require me to pay for tax credits, bailouts, etc. for people who a) don't have a job or b) made poor decisions or c) don't care enough to find a job?

If you made a mistake and bought too much house and had to foreclose…it's not my problem!

If you don't have a job and, as a result, don't have healthcare…it's not my problem!

If you're too ignorant to realize that oil companies are entitled to their meager 8-10% profit margin because THEY WORKED FOR IT…it's not my problem.

If you're simply too lazy to find a job and want to find "prosperity" from government handouts and "tax" credits (if you don't pay into the system, you shouldn't get anything out of the system)…again, NOT MY PROBLEM!

Forget the mental recession – Goodman suffers from a mental vacuum! Let them eat cake, indeed.

EVERYONE HAS SOME HEALTH INSURANCE!?
WHAT AJOKE. ASA RN I KNOW.
PEOPLE PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OUT OF THEIR POCKET TO GET EMERGENCY SERVICES.
VOTE OBAMA

CNN

If you have any respect for the AMERICAN PEOPLE, you will ensure that NONE OF YOUR TALKING HEADS……..NONE………..WILL ATTEMPT TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH McCain's DESPERATE ATTEMPT ONCE AGAIN, TO GRAB BARACK'S LIMELIGHT!

If you have any respect for the AMERICAN PEOPLE, you will tell your reporters NOT TO MAKE ANY ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT McCAIN'S VP PICK AT ANY POINT TODAY/NIGHT DURING THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, YOU HAVE ALREADY CROSSED THE LINE WHEN YOUR REPORTERS INTERVIEWED A REPUBLICAN ON THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION FLOOR DURING THE FIRST DAY OF THE CONVENTION!

CNN Censorship is against my rights as an AMERICAN

Stop cutting my posts -

I am sure the fine nurses, doctors and emergency room staff will be so happy to hear this plan from the John McSenile campaign. I was in the emergency room lately, they were so swamped, they told me there was hardly time to go to the restroom.Another one of McSeniles out of touch advisers, add his name to Phil Gramm. PUMAs this is your man,LOL. OBAMA/BIDEN 08
Connie from Indiana

Are you kidding me!! Well I can't be surprised those are the ignorants republicans!!!!!!!!!!!!

This statement on healthcare shows just how out of touch McCain and his advisors our with most Americans. I work in the healthcare industry and there are millions of people of all races, especially our elderly population, without any healthcare. Receiving care in the Emergency Room is what has our healthcare system going bankrupt.
How ridiculous of a statement; these people can not be allowed to run our country. They can not identify with the issues in this country!

McCain promises nothing but 4 more years of the same and THAT is why he's going to lose.

How many stories do we see a month about the person in the emergency room who was ignored? Want to make a bet that the ignored individuals don't have insurance and was covered by EMTALA?

The really, really stupid part of this comment is that the use of emergency rooms for non-emergency care is one of the reasons that health care is so NOT affordable for many people. And preventative care that everyone was able to use would prevent some of the minor stuff from turning into a crisis – i.e. more expensive.

McCain has had everything scanned, poked, prodded, tested. The insurance our Congress critters receive even covers photos and physician commentary of his buttocks. (Yup heard it on CNN.)

How much did WE pay for that?

As a Republican Physician I am becoming more and more ashamed by the health care philosophy of my party. An ER visit for a cold vs a primary care physician visit for a cold would have drastically different costs on the government. This was the whole idea behind the CHIP program that Bush blindsightedly vetoed. THE ER SHOULD NOT BE ANYONE'S PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. This wastes millions (probably billions) of dollars and makes the ER system so inefficient. This man is the biggest idiot and needs to research the situation. Preventative medicine and better access to care could save the government so much money. I'm seriously reconsidering how I plan to vote this fall.

What about regular doctor visits. How are we supposed to pay for those? Dumb @!:&^$

Linda
Las Vegas, NV

Is Goodman a stupid. If everybody goes to the emergency for medical care no one will need insurance. Then they are not emergencies just clinics.

LOL

I guess he’s never heard of wellness care, annual physicals, mammograms, physical therapy, dentistry, vision care, chronic medication requirements, diabetes pumps, prosthetics, etc. ,etc.

Nor that you generally can't check into an emergency room without providing your health insurance information unless you are in a life-threatened state. Nor that emergency rooms provide triage and typically refer you off to your regular doctor for follow-up – for which you need insurance!

How cluefree and/or insenstive can you be? The Democrats should pounce all over this tonight.

if that is the republican health plan,then that is pathetic.

This is a Bush-ism at its finest: Don't solve the problem, simply change the statistics.

John McCain, More of the Same

I work in the medical field..and yes if you go to the emergency room they cant deny treatment..that does not mean you are"insured".You may be ableto get charity care,but that will only pay for the hospital fees.The doctors WILL bill you.I see it every day.

MCCAIN IS SOOOO OUT OF TOUCH..It makes me sick!!

Also a visit to the or is NOT HEALTH CARE

Wow!? What the heck is this guy smoking? Is he serious….I mean is he really serious??!! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! That's their solution to the healthcare issue? If this country doesn't elect Obama/Biden let's all just go sit in the nearest emergency room then. I'll definitely need to 'cause I'll go stark raving mad if they elect McShame.

..and ketchup is a vegetable

THIS is the guy who helped McSame on his "healthcare" proposal?!?One of the reasons that the cost healthcare is spiraling out of control (and out of the reach of millions of our citizens) is an over-reliance on ER visits. Preventive care is cheap care, and emergent care is expensive. Look at the European or Canadian models. Do they need to be slavishly copied? NO. Are they a good direction to take? Yes! Can we do better than EUR or CAN? YES!!!

WOW…..This shows a complete lack of understanding of the problem. If you don't have insurance, any significant emergency room care will cost an individual huge amounts of money. McCain is completely out of tough with the majority of the populace of his own country! People cannot afford medical treatment, even for life threatening situations.

johnny2 in kalamazo, Vickie and Michael, Do you guys even have a conscience?

What an idiot! Sound like the old military mentality "there's no problem because I order-it that there's no problem!" Yes, ignoramuses like this do, unfortunately, exist.

But emergency room care is expensive. If patients who can't afford insurance had access to check-ups and preventive medicine, think of how much money would be saved.

My younger brother, at age 18, spent one night in the emergency room and it cost him $20,000. All because our Mom was in between jobs and we had no insurance. Now, he'll spend his 20s paying off this tab instead of saving for a down payment on a house.

This is just one of the many reasons why we're in an economic crisis–we have Republicans saying emergency room = health care.

Why does everyone buy Toyota and Volkswagen? For one thing, their unions don't have to fight tooth and nail for health coverage from their employers.

Universal Health care will make Americans more entrepreneurial (no more chaining yourself to a job you hate just for the benefits) and more competitive worldwide.

Oh, and then there's the issue of a new generation of Americans not graduating with staggering student loan debt (and in the case of my brother, medical bills) who can then step up and buy homes, start businesses, and pick up where retirees leave off.

I would love to write a com ment on this but, I, I can't stop laughing over th this re diculous idea.

It's true, no matter how much the Obamatons howl herein. You can show up, get treated and the taxpayers pay the bill.

This is magnificent.

The Demos should make sure that this Goodman creature is a household name by Election Day.

Wow… now that is leadership I cannot believe in. It simply amazes me that every child in the country gets access to a general education, but we do nothing to ensure their health?

This is the very reason why the democrats must take back our government. Though I would like to see Pelosi removed as House Speaker….

Isn't this Republican! Just change the number, or change the word, and the viola', the problem is gone. That is how they plan on running the country wirh McSlime! It does not matter what the facts are, just change them to suit your needs! God, how revolting!

I am speechless! How can any idiot make such a ridiculous claim? Sure the uninsured can go to emergency rooms and get treated (or die while they are waiting their turn). This is why emergency rooms and trauma centers are so desperately overcrowded and why some hospitals are doing away with them completely. But there is still a big fat bill that comes to those persons who usually are unable to pay so it ends up a collection item on their credit report. Recently I was helping my son find an apartment and the rental agent actually said they don’t look at medical bill collections because “everybody has those.” Truly if there is a hell this man deserves to burn in it and if John McCain listens to people like him he belongs there too.

Wow, "market competition." Right, McCain. We've had eight years of "market competition"-driven health care and look where we are now. You are an idiot, and your advisers are complete tools.

Brian
Idaho

…Awesome, so if I don't have health coverage, all I have to do is wait in an ER for 5 hours with other people, and get charged a $500 bill for a worthless exam, while the entire system continues to get overtaxed, when if I had some sort of real coverage, I could go see a doctor at a practice and leave the ER for what it's for.

Wait for it…

Hold on…

EMERGENCIES!

Dear God in heaven, and to release this on the DAY that Obama is to give his speech. He wants to wrap up the former Hillary supporters, I mean…McCain and his campaign is just handing this election to Obama.

This is why he will win…because Obama just has a better campaign, and will have a much better ground game in the fall.

It's not free healthcare johnny2.

The hospital emergency room cannot legally turn you away because you cannot pay.

There are still medical bills to be paid from the visit and the person who goes to the emergency room is still stuck with the medical bills if they have no insurance – whether they have the money to pay or not.

What kind of crap is that! Yes we can all go the ER but what good does it do if they only put a band aid on the problem to come back later with a bigger problem. Health Insurance is supposed be a help and offset the cost, but because the price of health care has risen so much many families can't afford it, so in the meantime families go in debt just to make a visit to the ER.

Thank you, John Goodman, for killing John McSame's presidential bid for us. I've got a couple of questions for you, are the emergency rooms going to pay for prescription drugs? Are they going to just forget the cost of treating people who arrive in the emergency rooms. McSame is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo out of touch with America, it makes me sick to think anyone would ever consider voting for him.

This is the Republican strategy — redefine the issue. So, instantly, no one is uninsured any more. The problem is gone. Sounds a lot like Nixon defining catsup as a vegetable, doesn't it?

this is crazyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

So in republican terms there's no such thing as a problem, there are only emergencies?

This is the first time I've ever known a politician to actually openly suggest solving a problem by changing the dictionary rather than just cynically doing it without people noticing. That said, "uninsured" literally means not having insurance so no matter how you cut it these people are uninsured. They simply have access to basic emergency care, even though they can't afford it.

This should be a front page story afor every news organization. Does everyone realize how disgusting this comment is? Am I overreacting?

Poor people should just go to the ER for routine healthcare? And keep going back and never paying? Is that the idea?

Is this the John Goodman that was in The Big Lebowski and Roseanne?

McBush's strategy is to have everyone run to the E.R. for every little issue? That sounds like a great way to keep healthcare costs low.

MCCAIN'S HEALTHCARE PLAN=EMERGENCY ROOM

OBAMA/BIDEN '08-'12

P.S.
Y E S—–O B A M A——-PRESIDENT

AMAZING! THEY JUST — DO NOT –GET IT.

I KNOW THIS GUY AND MCCAIN CANNOT BE SERIOUS.
RICH REPUBLICANS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
LORD HELP US

Sounds like another Phil Gramm to me — mental recession, and now the ER!! Lord, have mercy!!!!

this guys are idiots, they are going to make money for themselves. they are not going to do anything for this country.

The level of sheer arrogance of this guy is staggering.

The ER doesn't count as a doctor visit or checkup. What a pomous A$$!

Mccain camp: Americans are a bunch of cry babies that need to all be drafted into the Army

Heheheheh. That's funny, how now the GOP is just writing the dems' attack ads for them.

"GOP 2008: We don't care about the American people, and we're done pretending."

Um, yeah.

Emergency care is not the problem. It's routine care – even poor people need to go to the dentist sometimes. And despite what Republican bigwigs would have you believe, most poor people are not poor by choice.

Remember who McCain's advisers are. When his advisers are so far out of touch with the needs of Americans, how can we trust him to be President?

Oh… wow.

Solve the health insurance problem, by no longer calling people uninsured… BRILLIANT!

Are you kidding me!?!
Obama/Biden '08

What a freakin' jerk! THIS is who McCain turns to for advice? I think America has had it with these Republican idiots who could care less that this great nation is crumbling.

uncle jack please get on this one!

This is a McCain adviser? Another F student. I was hoping at least the advisers are not so dumb.

That has got to be the most idiotic thing I have every heard. Healthcare plan? Give me a break. This is exactly the reason why hospitals are suffering shortfalls and states are going broke. MCStupid is so out of touch.

Are they as stupid as they sound? Because…

Uh-Oh!!! Is someone talking about taxes?? Taxes?? What the heck is that? LOL!!

DOES THIS SUPRISE ANYONE? WAS IT NOT GRAHAM (MCCAIN'S ADVISER), WHOM SAID "AMERICAN'S ARE WHINNERS.

MY FELLOW AMERICAN'S. . .HOW MUCH MORE DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MCCAIN?

MCCAIN IS NOT EVEN SMART ENOUGH, TO HAVE A STAFF. . .THAT WILL NOT CONTINUE TO INSULT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

OBAMA/BIDEN '08-'12

What an idiot!!! Emergency rooms are for EMERGENCYS, not long term care or care for chronic illness. This guy and obviously the McCain camp are absolute idiots. If it was as easy as he is stating then my mom wouldn't be suffering with everything that she is. Any time she goes there they tell take care of the "emergency" of the moment by finding out what is wrong, giving her meds then telling her she will have to see a specialist or her primary doctor for her condition. The ER is but a band-aid for chronic illnesses.

"McSame" "McBush" The vast number of commentators on these threads is pro-Obama. My question — if McCain is such an obviously poor choice, and he's hopelessly intertwined with the disastrous Bush legacy, then why is this even a close race? Why has McCain recently led in polls? Is Obama blowing it? Is it 2000 all over again where all Gore had to do was beat a bumbling idiot from Texas? If the Obama camp had even a shred of competency, this would be a runaway.

Are you serious????

Only someone who has never had to goto an emergency room with no insurance would have the audicity to say something as asinine as that.

I went to the emergency room in college because my back hurt so bad I could barely walk and was scared something serious was wrong. They did an x-ray and gave me muscle relaxers….

I GOT A BILL FOR EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!!!!!

Insured Person's copay: $20

Could McCain and his campaign people possibly be any more out of touch with the average American?

I wouder if McCain has never had to vist an Emergency Room for medical services or deal with the bills and collection agencies that follow. McCain is rich, his wife is rich and he came from a family (his dad was a naval officer) that always had health insurence. He has no idea what it's like.

This certainly is a joke, Jack. Just because you recategorize at the Census Bureau level does not make the problem go away. Goodmarn's argument takes out the equation the fact that you can pay the full amount for an ER visit, or a partial amount *if* you're covered — and this is where Barack wants to put more people; the 47M Americans without this level of coverage.

Of course, there is one other scenario and that's if you have no money to pay, whether at the time or later when billed. That's where Joe Q Taxpayer picks up the tab, and that's where a majorly refined healthcare system, like what Hillary and Barack are advocating, would do the most good — both for preventative care for its own sake, and for the financial savings it would bring us.

I hope this gets widely picked up by Huff Post, Air America, Keith Olbermann, et al, because this rubbish couldn't be a clearer contrast from actually addressing the problem.

Something is wrong with this idea. The emergency room bill cost 4 times as much as a doctor visit. And just because the emergency doesn't turn you down for care doesn't mean you aren't still responsible for the charges. REALLY YOU THINK!!!!!!!!!

Get out of here! Somebody need to help the republicans because they are for real out of touch.

Finally a prespective on reality.

Obama is exaggerating the state of the economy to create fear and gain votes. Just today the report on the second quater economic growth is up from the first quarter and exceeded expectations.

In spite of all the damage a bunch of idots did, who bought homes they could not afford and the idiots who sold homes to high risk buyers who could not afford them, the economy continued to manage to grow. The only recession was a Democrats fantasy. I think they actually wanted one to help them get votes. Same with Iraq, they wanted Iraq to errupt into genocide so the Democrats could get more votes.

I'm still waiting for Obama to explain how he is goint to get my boss to give me bigger raises and more benifits just becasue he is President. I was not aware my boss consulted the President on these matters.

nevermind those people gonig bankrupt trying to pay their hospital bills…I personally know two of them, one hit by a teenage girl with minimal insurance (CA has a law that parents can only be held responsible for up to $5k), and one had ovarian cancer.

So if I have a terminal illness, and can't get insured because I have a terminal illness, I have to be at death's door because of it to get some medical attention?

Yes. We're keeping the wolf away from the door. We're going to call it a dog.

As a type 1 diabetic, how am I supposed to pay for my testing supplies, and insulin without coverage? By going to the emergency room? Get real! I guess that I can go there to get treatment when I go into a coma because of my blood sugar.

I'll find out soon enough how to pay for my supplies since it was just announced last week that my employer is shipping my job and a few thousand more to Ireland. More of that republican policy at work. Thanks John McCain!

Obama/Biden 08

Are you serious?! Is this really the person we want to lead America? How could anyone even think to vote for this guy and his cronies????

Obama/Biden '08

Is this guy for real, holly cow. Dang John, the people who support you are weird my man. I love how he says it "technically uninsured" . Where is that block when you check in at the hospital.
Yes, they will treat you….and then charge you for the whole bill. We need coverage for everyone.

This is truly shocking. This is a person who is relatively important and presumably educated.

Do the McCain people have any inkling as to how they come across?

If people go to the ER for routine treatments because they can't afford to go anywhere else, they have no funds to draw from. This almost sounds like a Dubya or McCain "joke" that serves only to show how truly out of touch they are.

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!!! ER will take you in, but you will get a bill!!! Who let this guy out of the pen??

OBAMA / BIDEN '08

Wow, this guy is so friggin smart..Now why didn't anyone think of that? So I guess like mccain's economic adviser, people with no health care is just all in our heads?

I am sorry but if you think that Obama's idea of throwing more tax payers money at things to solve all of the problems you must not be a tax payer. Universal medicine does nothing but bankrupt countries. I think we need to do a welfare to work program get people out there working for there medical insurance rather than it being handed to them by people who are out there working. I think we need to help employers to meet the cost of medical insurance therefore keeping the cost to the employee down. More tax payer money is not the answer to all of the angst in this country.

Go to the emergency room!!!! what a plan. Dems need to jump on this big time!!!!!

So as a student I would no longer be uninsured but instead an additional $6000 in debt due to PAP smear tests and the yearly checkup. GIVE ME AN BREAK!!!!!! The Dems need to jump on this ASAP. Again we are a nation of whiners this time about our health care.

wow rich people can justify screwing poor people out of coverage so easily, voila.

idiots.

Obama in '08 or i'm off to Canada

Is this John Goodman the comic actor? Quite apart from the fact that emergency rooms are closing all over the U.S., going to one is an experience in agony all by itself (no fault to the dedicated people working in them, there just aren't enough of them). Also, emergency room treatment is the most expensive kind there is to whomever is paying the bills.

And this clown Goodman advises McCain on health care? Holy catfish!

I guess all those with cancer can just go to the emergency room everytime the need to have chemo…."It's like they take pride in being ignorant"

Obviously this idiot has never had to wait 20 hours in an emergency room to get health care like the uninsured have to do.

What an incredible moron. I wonder….does he speak for John McCain? We've already been told by the McCain campaign that John McCain doesn't speak for John McCain.

going to an emergency room is not "free health care." It simply means that the emergency room has to stabilize you. EMTALA does not provide for anything more.

If you have cancer, you don't get chemo in an emergency room. You don't get radiation. If you have any other chronic health condition, you don't get treatment. The person from Kalamazoo should do some basic reading into the law before commenting on it.

" So, there you have it. Voila! Problem solved."
_______________________________________________________

Hopefully folks will vote OBIDEN and we can say this line in reference to the last 8 years!!!!!!

Can you go to the emergency room and get a mammogram, or annual pap smear, or prenatal care or well baby check up? Come on really now. This is a very calloused view, typical republican.

Wow! Just Wow! I'm speechless over this ridiculous thought. Talk about someone being out of touch.

So what he's saying is that when people say they are not insured, it's all mental right? They have emergency room!

These people are PATHETIC!!!!

It's all in the mind!

Next!

Phil

This is an advisor to Mccain, Mccain actually listens to this guy.

Gee…this guy helped him with his non health care plan….he sounds as bad a Gramam when he said he were a nation of whiners and that we are just in a mental recession.

Even if I were still a Republican I would be voting for someone else!!

I have not health insurance and have been on the same job 11 years. Well I has insurance 10 of those years. Time to toss out the crooked republicans.

LOL! There is that great in-touch style of McHouses.

Can any PUMA remember HILLARYCARE. Don't vote for this phony i too was a former Hillary supporter but i've moved on and now firmly for Obama!!!

IS this guy kidding, or does he really believe what he says? I have had experience using an emergency room at an uninsured stage of my life. The collection agencies will hound you into the ground and ruin your credit until the bill is paid.

MccAIN'S HEALTHCARE PLAN…

SEE "GAFFE"…..

And you guys say mccain has 'experience'??? I think I will take Obama's judgement over mccains 'experience' ANY DAY. This is insulting to americans. The repuglicans don't care about average citizens people, wake up. They have become a party for the rich only. Don't be fooled.

Uhhhhh….. OK right. Solve the problem by simply saying there are no uninsured? I see that being worked into a certain speech this evening.

I'd actually be very interested in what Hillary Clinton has to say about McBushs' new spin on this.

Obama/Biden '08

So, let me get this straight…since we are PRIVELEGED to wait for 4-8 hours in an emergency room, we have HEALTH COVERAGE???? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

NOW WHO IS OUT OF TOUCH?

what in the world is he talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????????

What about in cases that are not an emergence? Preventative care? You want cancer patients to go to the emergency room and crowd them?

This statement about health care, along with Russia's Prime Minister comment about a planed Georgia attack for McCain's advantage, is going to seal the deal for Obama.

Wow. Just. Wow.

Open mouth. Insert Foot.
Rinse, and repeat.

How can anybody support this guy?
Even Bush wasn't this stupid!!!

is he talking about cook county, hospital?? LOL!!! you've seen that hospital, is packed!!! LOL!!!!

Oh for cripes sakes!

"The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American – even illegal aliens – as uninsured."

Wow, what an advisor McCain has chosen. I read it as: "Hey, let's simply redefine things so we don't have to come up with a plan, and by OUR definition, we can lie and say everyone is insured, regardless if people are dying in emergency rooms. If we are incapable, which we, the McCain family are….we simply change definitions to fit our needs".

McCain, you suck in all area's that concern us today. You are an old man with no ability to lead.

Is he kidding?

So somebody with cancer in need of chemotherapy can get it performed in the ER?

Is he absolutely kidding? Does he even know what health care is?

so now when i (we) get sick, instead of calling our family physician, we can all just go to the ER. a fantactic idea from the McCain camp. doctor offices, hospitals, and the insurance companies aren't going to embrace the idea thou.

Yeah. It;s called the Emergency Room.

This is another major gaffe. Everyone does not have health coverage. I guess they figure everyone out there has a job.

You may be able to get "emergency" care in a hospital, but trust me, it's not that great. They are just required to stablize you. If you have a serious illness & can't afford to go to a decent doctor chances are you're screwed. Doctors at free clinics have limited funding and some don't care about the patients they are there to help.

Even with insurance, there are issues with care. I was very ill last year and my insurance would not cover my very expensive medication. My father-in-law died of cancer a few years ago. They had insurance and my mother-in-law is still thousands of dollars in debt.

Our healthcare system needs some major attention. Too often insurance companies are making profits at the expense of the people.

he is so low on the elotoral map 189 that even with romney on the mccain will not win in november

TYPICAL REPUBLICAN STYLE – JUST RENAME THE THING!!!!!!!!! "That'll fool 'em" – Its not timetables, it "time horizons". Its not uninsured, its "publicly funded" – oopps! can't say that!

Is that suppose to be funny? Is he serious? Is that his health care plan?

There is a HUGE difference between uninsured and uncovered. Yes, you cannot be denied coverage. But that doesn't change the reality for hundreds of thousands of Americans who cant AFFORD the coverage they have. And for the McCain camp to sit there and argue this silly point truly shows how out of touch they are.

I work in Health Care. Go to the emergency room. What a concept? Boy you sure nailed it with your healthcare plan McCain. Where do you think that money comes from sparky!!! But then again, when you are married to money, what do you care?

Oh great. Is that why people are going bankrupt when unforeseen illnesses arise? First a nation of whiners now this? Can these people be m ore out of touch????

because everyone has access to hospital emergency rooms.

AHHHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA……

(dep breath…)

HA, haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..

oh man… nice healthcare plan.

Wow. Someone who gets it. Everyone and anyone can walk into an emergency room and get free health care. It is federal law they can not turn you away based on your ability to pay or not. Another scare tactic courtesy of the democrats revealed.

what a joke!!

emergency room access that will leave you paying off your injury for years does not constitute universal health care.

MCAIN IS OUT OF TOUCH

OBAMA / BIDEN 2008

That plan would use a combination of tax incentives and market competition to make health care more affordable. It is not a universal health care plan – it does not guarantee insurance coverage for every American.

so… HOW HAS THAT STRATEGY WORKED ON OIL… THE TELEPHONE INDUSTRY…. MANUFACTURING…. THE DRUG COMPANIES….

man… same old crap in a new wrapper…

This is a distortion of EMTALA, the legislation that does not allow hospital emergency rooms to turn patients away. It has nothing to do with chronic illness or preventive healthcare. The notion that the indigent should rely on emergency room care is made without any understanding of either health care or hospital economics.