Notable Quotables
From Newsweek:
"As a 31-year Army Guard and Reserve veteran, I know the importance of TRICARE," he said in a press release. "The number of individuals who choose to enroll in TRICARE continues to rise because TRICARE is a low cost, comprehensive health plan that is portable and available in some form world-wide." He went on to call TRICARE "world class health care," concluding on a personal note. "I am grateful to have four sons now serving in the military, and I know that their families appreciate the availability of TRICARE," he said.
The "he" in question is Rep. Joe Wilson, extolling the benefits of the Army's socialized insurance system.
By
Ezra Klein
|
September 11, 2009; 2:04 PM ET
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Posted by: srw3 | September 11, 2009 2:14 PM | Report abuse
My father is a career veteran, now 86 years old, and he has nothing but good things to say about TriCare. It has made it possible for my parents to receive excellent care, including weekly home visits by a nurse for my mother.
Posted by: bdballard | September 11, 2009 2:16 PM | Report abuse
Ezra, this is a silly argument. Of course people like other people's money. Does this surprise anyone? Why do you think Medicare is so popular?
You answer so few questions posted here but I’ll try again. If the average American spends $5,000 per year on healthcare, how much does the average American pay for healthcare?
Somebody has to pay and at some point you run out of other people’s money.
Posted by: kingstu01 | September 11, 2009 2:22 PM | Report abuse
kingstu01,
You say: Ezra, this is a silly argument.
What is the argument that you think he's making?
Posted by: SteveCA1 | September 11, 2009 3:07 PM | Report abuse
He also hates universal single payer health insurance, like in Canada, but he loves Medicare.
And he hates ice cream, but he loves Baskin Robbins.
Posted by: RichardHSerlin | September 11, 2009 4:37 PM | Report abuse
This is very common among conservatives. Government health care is OK for people who have "earned it." It's not socialism or a handout - it's a reward for service. They don't think other Americans deserve health care, whether it's subsidized or wholly provided by the government, because they "haven't earned it."
We're supposed to forget that those undeserving Americans are paying for that health care.
Posted by: mcgutierrez31 | September 11, 2009 4:48 PM | Report abuse
Right, that's exactly the argument that Bill Kristol made in his interview with John Stewart: that other Americans do not deserve the quality of medical care that vets receive.
(But then he still got hung up on the inconsistency of arguing that vets get, and deserve, the best care, while simultaneously arguing that the government cannot provide good health care because government can't do anything well.)
Posted by: Janine1 | September 11, 2009 4:55 PM | Report abuse
Tricare is not for vets. It's for all military families. Anyone who retires from the military in good standing gets Tricare for Life for their whole family. It is a Medicare supplement with essentially no co-pays. On the other hand, there are thousands of people working for military contractors who have no insurance at all. We have to really ask ourselves if Tricare for Life hasn't outlived its affordability.
Posted by: bmull | September 11, 2009 10:24 PM | Report abuse
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