Over the holidays right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh suffered sharp chest pains and was admitted to Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu. Rush despite his record for clean living (sarcasm intended) did not suffer any real medical emergency and was released a couple of days later. Upon his release from the hospital, Rush never one to waste an opportunity to look ignorant stated to the press:
"Based on what happened to me here, I don't think there is one thing wrong with the American health care system. It is working just fine, just dandy."
If fact Limbaugh claimed:
"The treatment I received here was the best that the world has to offer."
Someone should have informed Rush that the State of Hawaii mandates health coverage from employers and has done so since 1974. Further the nurses at the hospital were union nurses represented by the Hawaii Nurses' Association. Yes, that is right despite Rush's daily fear-mongering on the evils of "socialized" medicine and unions Rush did not have any negative remarks about the care given to him. No, death panels and no, uncaring union workers being intimidated by union thugs. Nothing, but some of the best care the world has to offer as stated by Rush himself.
The fact that Hawaii has a progressive form of healthcare made me wonder how they fare against the rest of the nation. According to Business Week (hardly a liberal publication) Hawaiians enjoy longer life spans than those from the rest of the nation.
Rank State Life Expectancy
1 Hawaii 80
2 Minnesota 78.8
3 Utah 78.7
4 Connecticut 78.7
5 Massachusetts 78.4
6 New Hampshire 78.3
7 Iowa 78.3
8 North Dakota 78.3
9 Rhode Island 78.3
10 California 78.2
It is also no coincidence that these are states tend to be more "progressive" leaning. In fact all of these are BLUE states. The states with the shortest life spans are all RED states that generally do not support health care reform.
Rank State Life Expectancy
41 Georgia 75.3
42 Kentucky 75.2
43 Arkansas 75.2
44 Oklahoma 75.2
45 Tennessee 75.1
46 West Virginia 75.1
47 South Carolina 74.8
48 Alabama 74.4
49 Louisiana 74.2
50 Mississippi 73.6
It seems to me that if we are going to get health care advice, I would suggest emulating those states that have been more successful at health care. Despite Texas Governor Rick Perry's claim that the Texas model of health care should the model of reform, the state is ranked 30th in life expectancy. The right would have you believe that the states at the bottom of the list all have large numbers of illegal immigrants but that argument does not explain why California with the largest illegal population is ranked 10th in the nation.
My suggestion would be to tell the Jim Demints and Rick Perrys of the nation to stuff it and look to the states that are best in class to get health care reform ideas. I hope that our people in congress that are merging the House and Senate bills will reveiws statistics like the ones presented here and make some sound decisions.
The so-called "Freedom Fighters" like Limbaugh and Hannity often support socialist programs. They don't have a problem with Socialism. What they have a problem with is the absence of nationalism in their socialism.
Healthy eating in Hawaii, huh "truth"?
Notwithstanding that Spam is consumed in Hawaii per capita (12-16 cans per person per year) more than anywhere in the world? That their most popular food there is a FRIED Spam sandwich?
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Spam.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(food)
Typical right wing teabagger. "We don' need no stinkin' facts!"
Why is it that you are assuming that diet in Hawaii is any better than on the mainland? Because they live on an island and eat pineapple? Please. Fast food and junk food are just as prevalent. Hawaii has a 20+ percent obesity rate. Clearly diet effects these measures, but Hawaii's health is much more correlated to their health care system than simply diet.
Your logic is a strech at best. The factors that go into this have more to do with the way they live then the medical system in place.
If your eating fried chicken and french fries on a daily basis vs someone in Hawaii who has a better diet it only stands to reason that they would be in better health, and thus live longer.
Voice - to most people that would be a punishment but Rush would be a king there.
Personally, I think we ought to mandate that little Rushie go live in Mississippi, at the very least.
Rush..."World's Biggest Loser"....I think he has 7 or eight titles in different categories.
Great stuff Turtles. But you know the rallying cry of the teabagging Repubs, "we don't need no stinkin' facts".
On a side note, if this is what Rush looks like AFTER losing 90 lbs, jeez.
He should go on the reality show "The Biggest Loser". He would win hands down...on multiple qualifications.
Arte wrote: May lightning strike me dead, but it appears Rush is right.
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Well, somebody had to say it. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."
So....Rush received "socialized" medical care under the care of "unionized" healthcare professionals in essentially an "Obamacare" system??????????? Ain't that a hoot!
Reminds me of the time Archie Bunker got a blood transfusion from a black guy. (One of the funniest moments on TV ever)
May lightning strike me dead, but it appears Rush is right. He owes an enormous debt of gratitude to the voters and elected official in the State of Hawaii for implementing an early version of "Obamacare", carried out by unionized employees providing socialized medicine.
In Massachusetts, folks there owe their success in health care to REPUBLICAN Mitt Romney, who would of course deny any responsibility for their program of mandatory universal coverage, despite his signature on the bill.
Nice job putting this together, Turtles. I would like to think that on an issue like this our Congressmen will look at the statistics. Think they will ? Nah !
Nice!