wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

Kudos to McCaughey for keeping the debate alive on this important subject.

It's unfair to brand McCaughey with the "death panel" term. She's got an informed perspective on the discussion for end-of-life counseling.

Calls'em As I Sees'em from Langley, VA writes: "Brian you attack on Betsy was also beneath you -- why is it that strong and successful Republican women are attacked by the liberal media, while so many loser Dems are given a free pass? Exhibit "A" -- Michelle Obama -- portrayed by the liberal media as a “brilliant attorney” during the 2008 campaign, was actually and effectively disbarred after only practicing law for less then 4 years. This happened under very under suspicious circumstances."

You're as bad as McCaughey in the truthfulness department. Dude, if you lie about things in your posts it kinda undermines any credibility you have in terms of challenging someone else's viewpoints... go to https://www.iardc.org/lawyersearch.asp and search for Michelle Obama. You'll find out that she is "Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law - Last Registered Year: 1993."

I may be stupid, but that sounds like she decided to stop practicing law and is no longer an actively licensed attorney, not someone who was "actually and effectively disbarred."

Just a suggestion:

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These options should better be placed right under the last comment on current page, but not under "leave a comment" section, where reasonable person does not go unless s/he wants to leave a comment.

Thanks,
Max

Why do people wonder why she's on??

As ghastly as she is, she's incredibly influential and you damn well better know her arguments before you get blindsided by them yourself, and find yourself unable to respond properly to her page number nonsense, for one.

This drivel is what many people are paying attention to, and regurgitating. You'd better know what's going on.

In addition, a few of these comments on her themselves are very insightful and useful. It helps to talk.

Hide your head in the sand at your (and our) own risk.

Issues ignored:

1. As a litigator with mal-practice experience, I can tell you that suing any federal employee whether a doctor, nurse or administrator will be impossible under Obama Care. Doctors and institutions will sign on with government entities, pay no mal practice premiums and patients will have no redress in the event of medical disaster against doctor or hospital.

2. A public plan has inherent business benefits over a private one including but not limited to the ability to access endless capital without the need to seek operating cash from lending institutions at going rates. Private companies can not compete. Obama's claim that "if you like your plan you can keep it" is spurious if your carreir folds in the face of unfair competition with the government. I can't keep a plan that will no longer exist.

3. Mammograms are not classified as "primary' or "regular care' as Brian mentioned. They are conducted and/or read by radiologists and treatment is prescribed by oncologist, radiological oncologists and surgeons - all specialists. GPs are not integral in the process of getting mammograms save their urging patients to get the test done.

4. Government policy is to end high deductible low premium policies thoughtfully purchased by young, healthy and reasonably prosperous people. Such policies with $10,000 deductible make perfect financial sense to single, healthy working people who save substantial sums thereby. The government wants to eliminate these plans for the benefit of its own coffers.

Brian, In light of the lopsided outcry against the credibility of this guest, I would like to hear your justification for having her on. Not some phony statement about even-handedness, but an admission that you were putting on a freak show (in an effort to pump your ratings?). Yes, as one of the commenters mentioned, we have cable news to do that.

Don't agree with some of these comments. She's awful intelligent, plenty aggressive and was ready to rumble. But anyone who believes that Newt's sound bite contained a kernel of truth must be disingenuous. In then end, I had the impression she was another one of those types trying to divide the pubic: insured against uninsured or those about to become uninsured.

I listened to Betsy Mc Caughey spouting the Republican inspired "make change a fearful thing" opposition to health care and insurance reform. I also read her SCARY article in the Wall St. Journal. It contained mostly quotes from articles by Ezekiel Emanuel, not the proposed health insurance reform plans by the congress or the administration. Her efforts are aimed at making the voter doubt, be uncertain and afraid.

While I also heard Brian play a very strong devil's advocate role I think that such a prejudiced presentation lends heat, not light to the subject . I would rather you choose to give air time to gueats who present not "either side of the issue" but a logical ,unbiased analysis of what the current proposals will do to ameliorate the poor state of health insurance and care in our country. The sad state today is that large corporations reap great monetary benefits from the system while millions go without care (issues ignored by Ms. McCaughey),

Inflammatory fear-mongering rhetoric is not at all helpful. Logical,informed information can assist the public to in the long run help themselves as well as others. As George Stafford wrote: "If you don't know that things are very wrong, you must have been in a medically induced coma for the past 10 years".

where do you get the information that we make more by ordering more tests! we, the ordering md does not get paid for the test!

What a dingbat. She shines on The Daily Show. Lotta laughs.

I am so disappointed that you had Betsy McCaughey on. You talk about the health care "debate" and hearing all sides. The problem is that there is no health care debate. McCaughey is on your show and a host of others to propagandize against reforming health care in this country. Did you check any of her quotes from the legislation or her page numbers?

Harry Truman tried to get universal health care passed but failed. Twenty years later, LBJ got it and called Truman the real daddy of Medicare. Fifteen years ago, Bill Clinton tried to reform health care and warned us how important it was. He failed and McCaughey was one of those who torpedoed the effort for political reasons.

Now Obama is trying again to make changes in health care in this country as Johsnson did and his opponents have announced that they want this to be a political defeat for him and for the democrats just as it was for Clinton. Rush Limbaugh has said he wants Obama's policies to fail.

Like McCaughey, reform opponents say they want to protect Medicare and seniors at the same time they say Medicare is a bad program and should never have come about. She insists Obama's plan is written to take health care away from seniors even though there is nothing in the legislation to support that. There is no debate there. There is obstruction for political gain at the expense of the country as a whole.

By having a hack like McCaughey on, you only help them to undercut real debate and discussion on an important issue. Her goal and the Republican goal is obstruction, and failure of a President most of can't afford to have fail.

Heard the program, think you had better get a more credible guest to discuss these issues. I am kind of wondering that you chose to give her air time, not refute her strongly enough... and I dont want to speculate as to your or WNYC's motives.. There are many credible people who can debate about healthcare policy. I am upset by your choices and responses.

had to run out just as the segment finished but was so disturbed that I had to write now.
VERY disappointing. a) this industry shill should not be given a forum to speak on healthcare when she has clear vested financial interests in that sector. B) are we all not acutely aware that her ilk and the mental midgets on Fox News (and even CNN lately) are clearly more interested in propagating scare tactics with the lies and misrepresentation of people like this?
When it seems we as a society are ready to take one step forward there's always these degenerative fear-mongers pulling us back, abetted by the mainstream media's (sub) standard of fishing for the sensational in lieu of real and honest discussion.
Public Radio has to do a better job steering clear of these morons. There's already a 24/7 venomous cable network uninterested in dialogue or real journalism.

While people like today’s guest debate and politicians have it out with one another, people like me have to go without health insurance because we can’t afford it. I have chronic back condition that has gone untreated for at least a couple of years. There is no way that as an unemployed person I can afford to pay for a doctor here. The only alternative that I can see is probably going to Argentina to be treated for free at a public hospital. Eugenia Renskoff

Max
interesting view point. palin was witch hunted based on her words more than anything. i do agree with u on this let them speak. the more we hear the better. i hope WE know right from wrong.

My credentials:
-Listened to the show
-Read all comments to the show
-Did not read the Bill /draft/
-Spent most of my life in communist country
-Psychologist
-Democrat

The comments are spectacular example of how the US has became a mirror image of its defeated(?) cold war enemy. Their leitmotiv is – “Take this woman off the air.” In the USSR this would be the case.
It is true, she was better prepared than Brian could possibly be (he is a talk show host; she spent her teeth on the issue). Brian did his best presenting her opposition, which I don’t think is an interviewer’s job, and which undermined his impartiality. He would better invite two opposites for a debate, and be a mediator.
I never heard of Betsy McCaughey before and it looks to me that she is being as much which-hunted as Sara Palin was. I was saddened watching soviet-style destruction of her (Palin) by media and scared by its success.
Overall resemblance between the modern days US and the past USSR makes me shiver.
“Viva Fidel!”??? - Good luck!

Raising the age for Medicare availability because at age 65 we should still be working? Are you kidding? One of the uglier stories emerging from the current economic slump and the healthcare debate is inter-generational conflict over jobs and healthcare. There is age discrimination in employment (against older workers -- if you manage to craft your resume so that you get an interview, the jaw of the 30-something interviewing you may well drop when they see you for the first time). There are not enough good jobs for young people. Young people without good jobs can't afford health insurance. If there are insufficient employment opportunities and healthcare rationing based on ability to pay in the US, maybe those death panels are the answer!

Burtnor
thanks for the great points!!

Other points from the McCaughey interview to follow-up with future guests:

-- that we can and should spend MORE on health care. Corporations, health agencies, and policy makers agree that is patently absurd. We already spend twice what other countries do for much worse outcomes. Only drug and insurance companies want us to spend more.

-- that there is a liberal and a conservative paradox. That is an inaccurate frame. Contrary to Brian's statement, liberals do NOT want to spend as much money as possible. To insure health care for all WHILE reducing cost, liberals and all responsible health system analysts want to focus on prevention, cut out the waste, and improve administrative efficiency (private insurers spend $280 billion a year on administrative costs; Medicare spends $8 billion).

The CENTRAL paradox is actually the whole idea of for-profit health care. The goal of corporations is to maximize profits and that of health facilities and doctors is to maximize income. These incentives push health facilities and drug companies to prescribe MORE expensive meds and procedures, regardless of their value to individual patients, and push insurers to deny care without regard to patient need.

By contrast, the public health goal is to maximize quality health outcomes at the lowest price. Until we stop paying our health providers by piecework, we cannot have effective reform. All countries with universal coverage and high quality care have eliminated or capped profits from health services – a moral and an economic imperative.

Brian, I listen to your show because it seems a fair and civil place to exchange ideas and hear all view points. PLEASE don't ever have this woman on again--she's horrible. She is entitled to her opinions, however odd, but her manner and lack of basic civility should put her on the "never again" list. Her over-developed offense puts me in mind of Ann Coulter, another one I never again need to hear in my life. There is nothing to be gained by giving a platform to those who's main goal in life is to be in the spotlight (think Sarah Palin). I learned long ago that the best path with some is to ignore them. 40 minutes I'll never have back!

calles,

"OBAMACARE WILL COVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS "
when those illegal immigrants (who are supporting this economy in many ways) get swine flu how will I stop them from coughing on me. I know u are safe in your giant SUV/hummer but I have to ride the socialist subway.

loved hearing betsy. the crazier you people sound the few votes u get. the 1950's are over.

Brian, what were you thinking?????? Giving this woman solo air time!!! She scored big on your strategic error. It's too late to have opposing views on another day. You needed someone to go toe to toe with her. Big mistake.

I found it so hard to listen to Betsy McCaughey after my experience with my elderly parents' healthcare. It is a long,sad story. It was difficult dealing with doctors(specialists) who were annoyed by questions and many times unavailable. It was frustrating dealing with health care facilities where mistakes were made. We watched many a drug salesman bring lunches to doctors' offices and wondered if that activity had anything to do with the many medications that were prescribed to my parents. One late night, we brought our Dad to the emergency room and the first question from the physican there was, "What insurance does your father have?" I wish I could give a piece of my mind to Betsey.

-- Web nanny --

I call for you to strike all the comments that say that Betsy should not be allowed to speak. This is undemocratic, but is typical of the liberal fascists that dominate this board.

Hjs -- part of the problem is that there are several bills being proposed. Our elected officials haven't read them. The liberal media is too lazy and shiftless to read them and the liberal dolts in the general population are being spoon feed lies abut what they are going to get. This dissembling admin makes conflicting statements everyday and yet no on calls them on this. More thought went into picking the White House dog then into plans to destroy America’s health care system. You will be screwed by this admin, much more then you can presently imagine. Luckily, Americans will change Congress in 2010 and this radical nonsense will be quickly turned around.

Calls'em
which BILL. there is no BILL yet!
how can we read something that is not yet here? is there a website for fake bills/birth certificates that i could get copies of future BILLS?

CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE: OBAMACARE WILL COVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

In the analysis provided by the Congressional Research Office on HR3200, the House version of ObamaCare coming to the floor. While Barack Hussein Obama insists that the idea that ObamaCare will cover illegal immigrants is a “myth,” the CRS points out that the bill does nothing to prevent it. Since HR3200 doesn’t require people to establish citizenship or legal residency before applying to exchanges for health insurance, including the public option, taxpayer money will certainly flow to illegal immigrants. End of story -- read the bill and discover the lies.

@127 Rayna

Betsy McCaughey was talking over Brian not the other way around.

BL
thanks for another great segment. i always enjoy hearing challenges to these pro-corporate massagers. make them earn their 6 figures

Brian, You so often conduct excellent interviews by asking probing questions, but here you fell down. You should have asked WHICH BILL Betsy McCaughey was reading, and WHAT is the basis for her interpretations? WHAT are her affiliations with advocating (either for or against) organizations such as 528s or others, WHO pays her expenses for traveling around?

Finally, she did not deserve nearly HALF AN HOUR of valuable time. So many other worthy guests receive so much less time, but on your show today, this Republican fomenter of anxiety who targets seniors for phantom problems, was entitled to a disproportionate amount without challenges on her basic premises. Discussing details before establishing her fundamental outlook is misleading; we don't know WHY she interprets the way she does, other than to simply oppose for political purposes. She was Gov. Pataki's Lieu. Gov., a staunch Republican - is she still affiliated with him, his causes, the GOP's leadership?

The press has focused so much attention on those who oppose the single-payer option that the general public has begun to waver on the subject of access to health care for everyone. This interview was part of the problem, not the solution. Betsy McCaughey hammered her points without context - which bill and who pays her. Your discussion about her having resigned from that board was a diversion, preventing further investigation into the groups where she is still a member.

Brian- you are no better than other air jockeys if you insist on overtalking your guest. Whether she is right or wrong, an accomplished journalist and saavy air host can make his points without interupting his guest.
i had to shut it off it was so annoying and "bill o'reilly-like".

Brian, READ THE BILL YOURSELF. You have either become incredibly naive or you have drunk too much Apollo Alliance/Tides Foundation (the real writers of the health care destruction bill) dissembling Obama socialist cool-aid and merely become a shill for the radicals trying to destabilize this country by illegally grabbing another sector of the economy.

Under socialize medicine health care will get better for a small percentage of the legal population and a large percentage of the illegal population. It will get far worse for the vast majority of the population that currently has insurance and/or some government supplemental coverage. There is no reason for it. There needs to be additional programs that fix what is broken, not a Stalinist plan to break what works for the vast majority of people.

Brian you attack on Betsy was also beneath you -- why is it that strong and successful Republican women are attacked by the liberal media, while so many loser Dems are given a free pass? Exhibit "A" -- Michelle Obama -- portrayed by the liberal media as a “brilliant attorney” during the 2008 campaign, was actually and effectively disbarred after only practicing law for less then 4 years. This happened under very under suspicious circumstances. Exhibit "B" -- as Betsy noted -- the Clinton "Health Plan" was to be run by private companies. Bill Clinton's biggest contributors in 1992 were Aetna and Travelers. They were tools of “capitalists” not the great liberal heros you NPRers think they were. LOFL.

For god’s sake Brian - please start telling the truth like you used to do and have more people on the air who will give voice to all sides of important issues including objective scholars, again like you used to do. Stop being a shill for the radicals. They are taking advance of your good nature and good intentions.

matthew
that's a show i want to hear. in the mean time u can catch that on MSNBC on the rachel maddow show 5 night a week

Brian, you called this Big Pharma/Med/Insurance industry rep on her BS at the conclusion of the segment. Well done, I think many commenters are being overly harsh on your way of dealing with her. You are doing the right thing and trying to maintain objectivity throughout her torrents of bullcrap. The extremist Right Wing media people use the opposite approach of attack and bully to guests displaying different views from the Murdoch View but you are trying to do real journalistic coverage here.

Well it certainly was a terrible interview, but in her running off at the mouth, diversionary tactics, talking over Brian, and repeating 'let me finish', she certainly did not score any points for her 'side'.

I actually wanted to hear your questions, Brian, but Betsy McCaughey never let you finish. I was disappointed that she was able to control the interview.

McCaughey was OBNOXIOUS with a capital O. Whenever a person doesn't have the facts on his/her side they constantly interrupt or try to talk over their interviewer.

McCaughey is an absolute disgrace and should never again appear on the Brian Lehrer show. She told enough lies on today's program to last a lifetime.

It is a small detail, but I think it is an accurate indication of the unreliability of McCaughey's argument style: Germany lowered the retirement age to 65 in 1916 (Bismarck died 18 years earlier). She is a sophomoric ranter who consistently misrepresents the facts. It is lamentable that BL wasn't better prepared for her shenanigans.

Did I hear this correctly? 1. People with superior genetics survive to and past the age of 70 in good health; and 2. We should increase the age of Medicare by adding a month a year until we reach age 70. Does this sound like eugenics to you?

So, if you raise the age eligiblity to 70, what are people like my father going to do? He's 62. Was layed off from his job over a year ago. He cannot find anything in his field (probably due to age discrimination) and has health problems (polymaygia and thyroid issues) that require health insurance. In all likelihood, he will not find a job of comparable pay at this point in his life. So, after losing half of his retirement with the market inplosion, he's having to use that to pay for his medical costs. This lady is a joke. All she's trying to do is scare old people with her lies just like Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and all the otehr right wing apologists. She should be ashamed of her self for claiming she "represents patients." Please.

Ms. McCaughey sounds like a politician - rude, twisting truths and cutting you off without hearing your entire questions. It was frustrating to listen to her side step any categorization or statement of fact in order to push her points. With all of her "experience" her duck-and-jab style diminished her credibility for me; there seemed to be points she was trying way too hard not to discuss.

i have no problem working until 70 or 75 but only if the boomers start paying their fair share NOW! the free ride is over end bush's tax cuts and we can pay for a modern america

Betsey M has a transparent interest in shilling for the big-money players in healthcare.

Brian, you showed your true colors in that segment. You usually do a better job of disguising your beliefs.

WNYC is NOT-FOR-PROFIT! That is the difference. WNYC is beholden to its listeners whilst commercial radio is beholden to its advertisers/shareholders. Similarly, the for-profit insurance industry is beholden to shareholders, whilst the US government is beholden to voters. Distortion Distortion Distortion from Ms. McCaughey. Her last comment sums up everything that is wrong with this debate and the inability of so many right-leaning Americans to understand that business can actually be conducted effectively without an emphasis on a constantly increasing profit margin.

Your guest is completely out of sync with the rest of the industrialized world. According to several world monitoring organizations, the US has the sickest citizens who have the shortest lifespan. This is due to obesity (although the US is also #1 in the industrialized world in infant mortality). This is also the only country in the free world that does not provide health care for all of its citizens and invited foreign guests. And contrary to what your guest would want the public to believe, US citizens die at the same rate from cancer as do most others in the industrialized nations.

What the States needs more than anything is government-mandated wellness care for all its citizens and resident guests. Warning labels on non-essential foods (junk food) would be a good start.

The facts can be found in the National Audit Orgainsation's International Health Comparison document, and through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. and on a nifty little website called nationmaster.com.

Ms. McCaughey seems to confuse 'average' with 'median.' Median is the middle point of a list of values. Average is all values added up and divided by the total number.

So, if you raise the age eligiblity to 70, what are people like my father going to do? He's 62. Was layed off from his job over a year ago. He cannot find anything in his field (probably due to age discrimination) and has health problems (polymaygia and thyroid issues) that require health insurance. In all likelihood, he will not find a job of comparable pay at this point in his life. So, after losing half of his retirement with the market inplosion, he's having to use that to pay for his medical costs. This lady is a joke. All she's trying to do is scare old people with her lies just like Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and all the other right wing apologists. She should be ashamed of her self for claiming she "represents patients." Please.

"New York's Sarah Palin."

Best. Comment. Ever.

After listening to Ms Betsy, I realize that she is suffering from a terminal and incurable disease - diarrhea of the jawbone! Talking endlessly without allowing for interruption is her way of keeping truth at bay. Fox talk show hosts know how to handle such people - they cut them off!! I think Ms Betsy is a female Glenn Beck and may be his future replacement.

What a dishonest SNAKE !!! She deserves no forum.

Brian --

Stop interviewing people you can't handle. Go back to nice soft core chats with sympathetic guests. This is just an infomercial for a professional liar and you are just a megaphone.

So, if you raise the age eligiblity to 70, what are people like my father going to do? He's 62. Was layed off from his job over a year ago. He cannot find anything in his field (probably due to age discrimination) and has health problems (polymaygia and thyroid issues) that require health insurance. In all likelihood, he will not find a job of comparable pay at this point in his life. So, after losing half of his retirement with the market inplosion, he's having to use that to pay for his medical costs. This lady is a joke. All she's trying to do is scare old people with her lies just like Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and all the otehr right wing apologists. She should be ashamed of her self for claiming she "represents patients." Please.

on second thought:

how about a 40 minute show (that's how long you spent with her) dedicated *entirely* to challenging right wing fear mongering point by point.

Whew! Glad that segment is over.

Brian, I'm really disappointed you had Betsy McCaughey on the air. She's proven time and again that she's misreading HR 3200 to further her own agenda. The only question is whether she's doing so out of ignorance or out of more nefarious motivation. The biggest problem is that legitimate organizations keep giving her a platform from which to spout her nonsense, and I'm sad that you're now among them.

on second thought:

how about a 40 minute show (that's how long you spent with her) dedicated *entirely* to challenging right wing fear mongering point by point.

good interviews are a conversation. this was not a conversation. it was not a good interview.
She was talking over you, basically interrupting you at every point she could(but in the politest way possible).

Brian usually does much better. But she was loaded full of BS, and ready to let it all fly.

Great Segment, Brian and Staff.
This is the kind of radio I support.
Spirited Yes. But also covering many of the arguments.
Thanks, Brian. Thanks BLS staff.

GREAT Start to the last week of August - first week of Sept.

This McCaughey is consistently and intentionally misleading the public. She was misleading on Jon Stewart, she's misleading today. When asked by Brian to confirm that Republican lies are, in fact, lies – she talks about "inflamatory language on both sides."

Thank God we had the likes of Brian to deal with her this morning -- but it's scary to think what lesser radio hosts she's using to spread her venom.

This woman's factoids are maddening. She is following the stock Republican pattern of turning certain groups in our society against others. Among other things, everybody will eventually be covered by something approximating what we have in Medicare now, so the idea of moving back Medicare eligibility to 70 is a non-issue. We must reduce the growth in cost of medical care, not necessarily the present cost. One of the best ways to do that is to forbid "fee for services," another is to forbid doctors having a financial interest in the provision of specialized services.

Take this woman off the air. Anyone who saw her on the Daily Show knows she's a hack. She deserves no forum.

much of the GOP wants to end medicare!

Brian and Producers:

This is such an important topic and you all have invited a bullying liar on the air. While I think that Brian has done a good job trying to argue with this woman.

But, the fact is that Brian, despite his amazing knowledge and preparation, has host responsibilities and lacks the information at hand to dispute this woman.

In the future, if you are going to invite some like this shrill, bullying obnoxious woman on the air, you will invite someone who can challenge this woman.

Could you email me after she's off? I'm turning your station off right now. My ears are bleeding from her lies.

Brian is not as well prepared as Jon Stewart was. We are still working because we cannot get private medical coverage. We do not want to have to keep our current jobs until we are 70. There is nothing she said which is accurate. As one of my doctor friends said when asked to do a consult on an old comatose person "I only do consults on the living"

No one mentions that the insurance companies are on life support per Krugman. The reason they wanted to make the deal w/Pres. Obama is the subsidies on drugs, co-pays, office co-pays, etc.

With a patient advocate like her, run for the hills. I used to work in a hospital & even the hospital had to fight to get approvals for patient needs!

The solution to this interview is simple... Take this woman's health insurance away and then see how she feels. And then see if she's doesn't see all her "facts" a bit differently.

"Keep spending... because we can..." Is that like, "This is has it's always been done so we're gonna keep doing it..."? Huh? Has this woman been to an inner city school lately?

This woman's sense of priorities and sense of reality is best described as out of touch.

Brian, why can't you do a better job at exposing the untruth here?

Your guest still doesn't get the notion that in certain instances paying for one procedure automatically requires that you ratio other procedures. She insists on personallizing data by promoting the possibility on the individual rather than the group as a whole. Yes, it's true that a certain percentage of subjects will survive on your hypothetical chemotherapeutic drug, but you are still giving it to every patient, regardless of whether it helps.

I guarantee this ladies "Committee to end infection" is funded by the medical industry. Someone expose this hack.

it is unbelievable, brian, that you would come to an interview with a moron, with no credibility, with so little preparation. u didn't read the bill (OK, it's 1,000 pages). did u read dr. emanuel's refutation of her idiotic assertions? she completely distorts his pov. who is this woman? what are her credentials? nada. she "works with patients." give me a break. u should be ashamed of yourself. if u don't have the intellectual capability to deal with a peanut brain, then have someone WHO KNOWS THE FACTS debate (or interview) her.

Ah, the power of just talking louder than other people, and over them, and repeating yourself ad nauseam without having to justify yourself because no one gets a word in sideways.

I don't know why you bother with Betsy McCaughey. She is not interested in anyone's point of view aside from her own - which seems to shift anytime she is challenged.

she should run against rudy, let HER fix albany!

Brian,

You've been much too polite! This wasn't even a debate. There has been no real discussion in this segment and she has been allowed to rant without any deep examination of what she is putting out there. Please have someone else on without this appeal to emotionalism.

You promised to wrap her up. GET HER OFF THE AIR! More scare tactics. Our seniors will be the ones to suffer....not going to happen.

Turning off the radio until this irresponsible, unqualified liar finishes.

THEN WE NEED TO RAISE OUR TAXES!!!!

This lady makes me RAGE. She contradicts herself two times for every statement she makes. She doesn't want to cut medicare but she just said to cut 5 YEARS off medicare! Why does this evildoer hate Americans so much? I can't listen to anymore of this B.S.

Nor is it really 1017 pages. It's in 14-point type and double-spaced, and lots of it is procedural -- i.e., the recipe rather than the menu.

Everything that she says about the bill's effect on Medicare is a crock.

TOTAL WASTE OF TIME!!!!

I don't understand what she's talking about. My insurance company decides what medical care I get.

I have a history of breast cancer and my insurance company denied me having a breast MRI that my doctor, the head of breast surgery at a major NYC hospital, recommended. She even called the Oxford doctor directly and they wouldn't relent.

So who's treating me?????

This woman is such a rude guest. She keeps cutting him off so their debate can just be her soap box. She can't handle being challenged. "Just let me finish Brian" is her way of saying "stop challenging my craziness. Just let me blab and turn around meaning to suit my agenda" BTW, she keeps saying "don't represent me with so and so..." OY!

No phone calls? Come on, let us have at this lunatic.

What an obnoxious woman. I don't think Brian has finished one sentence without being interrupted during the entire interview.

It's the younger generation that will help PAY FOR SENIOR's CARE... we need our youth to be healthy!!!

Also, the whole UNION SYSTEM needs to be REDONE. They served their purpose when they were created and NOW THEY ARE STIFLING any kind INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIR. Is it necessary for someone to make $55/hour to paint a wall? Same thing for nurse's unions, etc...

I'VE READ 3200. She's lying, Brian.

Section 20 of the General Definitions section of the Bill (p. 13 on the copy I e-mailed to you) define Qualified Health Benefits Plan as a "health benefits plan that meets the requirements for such a plan under title I and includes the public health insurance option." The QHBP is NOT the public option, but rather the set of QHBPs INCLUDE a public option, and the public option must meet QHBP requirements, e.g., no pre-existing conditions, portability. The standards will be enforced by a government agency, similar to the FDA and SEC, that will ensure compliance.

This woman is a liar. I wish I were there with my copy of the bill so that I could hit her on the head with it.

In stating that a Dr. should only be concerned with the individual patient and let others worry about any repercussions to the health of the greater public or society at large, she gives doctors the moral equivalency of run-of-the-mill defense lawyers.

What would Typhoid Mary's General Practitioner Do?

Regarding the coming Baby Boomer influx crushing the Medicare budget: Why doesn't anyone mention the premiums all these boomers will be paying into the system? Or are these dollars already included in these calculations?

Never mind "the" plan--how can McCaughey talk about "the" bill, w/page no's. yet, when *there isn't even a bill yet*? There are different *preliminary* versions, w/different provisions, from different committees...& now I hear her talking about "these bills" herself, so what was this about a provision she opposes in "the" bill? This is exactly the time when these things are being worked out & the public can have input on the process. That's the point.

Rather than hearing all about what she doesn't like, how about having her tell us what's in Her health care plan?

Wow, Brian, in many years of listening to your show, I have never heard you go after, or attack, a guest until now. Clearly, this woman's argument has gotten under your skin. I was a kid in 1994 and don't know anything about the Clinton plan & her role in it, but she is making some pretty good points. I have worked in healthcare and with seniors, and they are almost unanimously opposed to the Obama plan.

I know your are a liberal and obviously pro-democratic party policies, but generally you are able to still be more civil. Please restore that. The reason I like your program is because you don't bicker and shout over your guests (until today.)

Thanks for taking this into consideration.

I'm sorry, Brian, but I just can't listen to this woman anymore. I could barely stomach her on the Daily Show--her irrational, irresponsible arguments make steam come out of my ears. Gonna tune out and tune back in when you have a guest worthy of your intelligent, thoughtful conversation.

Betsey McCaughey is wrong on the experimental cancer treatment - her use of statistics is totally misleading. She has always been someone who forges ahead, regardless of the facts, it's time to not have her spout her misleading statements. Brian is great, but challenging her NEVER changes her "message".

Betsy McCaughey may say she is a proponent of good health care reform but she misreads and misstates nearly everything. She is as bad for health care reform as Phyllis Schlafly was for the ERA amendent. People keep trying to correct her, and she keeps ignoring them and spewing the same false "facts."

I'm stuck in an HMO for which I pay $900/month, and I'm having trouble getting my knee replacement surgery. I want a public option!

In stating that a Dr. should only be concerned with the individual patient and let others worry about any repercussions to the health of the greater public or society at large, she gives doctors the moral equivalency of run-of-the-mill defense lawyers. what would Typhoid Mary's General Practitioner Do?

Brian,
Why do you give air time to Betsy McC who is inflammatory and innaccurate? Who does she even represent? She isn't part of any legitimate organization. You might as well have one of your listeners as a guest giving their own opinion. They're probably better informed and less hysterical.

Brian, she's steamrolling you with her BS!
Focus this interview!

This ghastly creature has already failed miserably in this area. She helped the insurance industry destroy the Clinton plan, killing off untold numbers of citizens.

When was the last time she, oh-so-concerned, critiqued the insurance cos? She their present-day version of "Harry and Louise."

And we should listen to her now???

These people who have -- for years! -- paved the way for the present failed system need to just get the hell out of the way --they've obviously failed. Let someone who knows what they're doing work it out!

Hopefully, with a single-payer like France, Canada, UK and even (modified) Japan.

I cannot listen to Ms Ross. She diverts attention from one main issue to another. She quotes pages as if her citation is enough to create credibility. From Jon Stewart we know that this tactic does not work on informed hosts and reporters.

Thanks Brian for being skeptical.

Want to keep your Blue Cross plan? Understand that The Blue Cross Blue Shield associations have been largely taken over by for profit Corporations such as Wellpoint.Just check out Empire Blue of NY. They aint what they used to be folks. The Big Corps want a bill that will force the uninsured to buy a govt subsidized plan from Big Insurance Cos.

Since there is NO single piece of legislation, she's talking about something that doesn't exist.

She obviously hasn't read the 2000 WHO survey of health around the world. Overall, we rank #37 - behind Cuba.

It's time for Medicare For All with best practices and primary care. How about all the insurance companies that REQUIRE referral from a PCP????

The bills ???? -

She has proven herself as wacko as usual.

Listeners to this "liar, liar, pants on fire" Ms. McCaughey all need to go to Jon Stewart's website where hopefully there will be a clip of his interview with this dangerous lying woman. Mr. Stewart clearly and visually exposes her misinterpretations of the health care bill - but has she really been receiving updates to the bill as it is being written and re-written by members of Congress?

This woman is insane. She apparently thinks that we should spend even more than the nearly double what any other first world country spends on health.

She's just wants her constituents to be able to make as much money as possible(medical suppliers).

Wow, Brian, in many years of listening to your show, I have never heard you go after, or attack, a guest until now. Clearly, this woman's argument has gotten under your skin. I was a kid in 1994 and don't know anything about the Clinton plan & her role in it, but she is making some pretty good points. I have worked in healthcare and with seniors, and they are almost unanimously opposed to the Obama plan.

I know your are a liberal and obviously pro-democratic party policies, but generally you are able to still be more civil. Please restore that. The reason I like your program is because you don't bicker and shout over your guests (until today.)

Thanks for taking this into consideration.

Please ask Ms. McCaughey why she is not in favor of Single-payer if she believes we should spend MORE on Health Care rather than less.

While it may not be Brian's place to question Ms. McCaughey's motives, it is a very relevant point to bring up her sources of income. This woman has a shameless paid shill for the finely tuned insurance/pharmaceutical industrial complex propaganda machine for years. Brian, please ask her who pays her and how it influences her "views."

does this woman wonder why the GOP can't get votes in the north east??

I have a friend who's COBRA ends this month and he has to pick up Individual Health insurance at $1,000 / month. Put a .05 per transaction on EVERY FAST FOOD TRANSACTION over $3.00!!! THAT WOULD PAY FOR our HEALTHCARE!

We have RATIONING - WAKE UP!

My current situation: My doctor won't take my ADAP coverage b/c his administrator said he would rather have CASH PAYING patients and patients with better paying insurance policies!!!

I'm sorry, Brian, but I just can't listen to this woman anymore. I could barely stomach her on the Daily Show--her irrational, irresponsible arguments make steam come out of my ears. Gonna tune out and tune back in when you have a guest worthy of your intelligent, thoughtful conversation.

We already have rationing!!

It should be SOOO easy to disqualify her. It's so obvious her intentions are sour.

She spends NO effort working with legislators to ensure her irrational concerns are protected against, but ALL of her time trying to scare the American population about passing health care reform.

Keeping what we currently have would be a terrible tragedy FAR worse than passing this bill, even if this crazy persons irrational fears were actually real.

She's fudging the facts left and right. This is not a legit voice of the opposition the health care reform.

I am a physically disabled woman who receives SSD. I am looking for work as an adjunct college instructor, but am risking my Medicare (which keeps me alive) by doing so.
W/o health care reform, I really must not work so that I have health care.

I believe your guest thinks she is helping people, but she is really quite a destructive force. I hope she one day understand that it is her misrepresentations that may sink the chances of reform. That she is hurting people like me. That she is hurting this country.

Does your guest think that doctors that currently pander to the pharmaceutical companies and over prescribe druggo-toxin for whatever ails us, does she think that's a responsibility to patients?

New York's Sarah Palin.

Brian, she is spinning you silly. Wake up!

Because there is currently no bill to actually speak specifics about, she can say that anything and claim it is what the bill (that doesn't exist yet) means.

per the first commenter and several others: Why. Even. Bother. To have Republicans voicing their talking-point LIES on the air? Fox News and others give them plenty of airtime already. This is a waste of time and really frustrating.

I'm sorry, but that woman is just so obnoxious I cannot bear to listen to her. She may call herself an expert, but her lack of reasonable and logical understanding is phenomenal and she should not be given air time to spout her stupidity.

Does Ms. McCaughey have any substantive suggestions on how to better or help our health care system?

How does she feel about the public option? Assuming (safely) that she's against it, can you get her to square this opposition with the fact that she's defending seniors through the threat of decreased Medicare funding? In other words, how can she oppose broad, 'socialized' health insurance while she defends narrower (ie, only seniors), 'socialized' health insurance?

McCaughey was on Daily Show recently. You can see the extended interview here http://www.thedailyshow.com/

She strikes me completely bringing her own baggage to policy interpretation, whether it's factual or not.

Political hack on the payroll. Not worth a comment or a thought. Bad press for the cause of advancement of intelligent women-she ain't one.

not to go all ad hominem, but when women of a certain age have bright blonde hair, bright pink fingernails and go on teevee in black lace, there's a denial issue that must be raised. I'm fifty, and saw her on TDS and thought she may have gotten a little wiggy over qualifying for medicare.

no one wants to pay taxes but they all want theirs from the government!!

There is NO BILL PASSED YET. What is Ms. McCaughey quoting from. The Bill is a long way from being passed and the pages she is quoting from can't be real.

Hey Brian your contempt for Obama is coming to fruition!!

at least most of us know Betsey is lying. Brian, do what you can. Cuts to Medicare - no such thing is being proposed.
She is trying to pit seniors against younger people, with 'government run health care' being okay for seniors, but not everyone else.

It is maybe because health care will change from sick care to preventive health care.

She is just speculating not stating facts.

Brian: Lighten up! I'm a registred Democrat, and am about to lose my COBRA health insurance. Ms. McHaughey sounds like she'smaking a lot of sense. And the Democrats haven't answered ANY of the points taht she is making here. Your scepticism seems highly misplaced.

Like the way public defenders put private attorneys out of business?

That's just what people are saying - they say they will expand coverage, but they will really funnel everyone into the public plan, or government controlled ones.

Why would we want to keep these high deductible plans anyway? Most of them are useless. Just another way for insurance companies to collect $$$.

Brian is Hack for the insurance companies, and giving credence to the right wing agenda!!

This is unbelievable...

Brian, what's the point of letting her give her interpretations of this bill when we all know already that she is a liar?

She is shill for the 1000 companies that profit from our current dysfunctional system.

My Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan is not good, because very few doctors are in network -- the insurance company doesn't pay well -- and my son would not receive therapy for his learning disability on a high-deductible plan.

I've read the Bill. You have it too -- I sent it to you.

This woman should be ashamed of herself. She's a shill for the corporate health industry. Her comments should just be taken as patently false and biased.

This woman is nothing more than an accomplished liar. Jon Stewart destroyed what was left of her credibility. She pushes that 'death panel' nonsense. And think about it - if we'd gotten health care reform back in the 90s (that she helped kill), how many lives would have been saved? So why are you giving her a platform? Cancel my membership - I'm not sending you another dime.

This woman makes me literally sick. Please don't let her cut you off, when you're asking your question Brian!

All I hear coming out of her mouth is---spin spin spin spin spin spin spin spin spin.

First she was dumped by Gov. Pataki (a Republican), then she lost her current, corporate job because of her recent comments. Thou shalt be known by the company you CAN'T keep!

Glad to see one of the truly ideologically disinclined opponents to health care reform to get intel so as to pick their argument apart.

Know thine enemies.

Ok, so: a government plan is evil, unless it's Medicare, which is sacred. Medicare is about to go bankrupt, but we shouldn't pay any more taxes for it. A government option would be so much worse than the private sector, and yet it will drive the private sector out of business.

I don't get it.

It's really discouraging that people like McCaughey have attracted so much attention in the healthcare reform debate. Our current profit-motivated system clearly leaves out a lot of people. As a nation, we can do better. Please challenge McCaughey vigorously, Brian.

i love seeing doctors and nurses wearing their dirty or still clean scrubs on the subway

Brian --

I hope you saw Jon Stewart -- about the only real journalist on the air these days, despite his clowning around -- show how McCaughey is just making up totally nuts versions of the bills. She consistently misrepresents the words in the bills. I hope you are not going to just do one of your passive let her say whatever she wants to without any critical response shows. You've done it before and just let wackos from both sides of the political spectrum use your show as a megaphone for distortions. If you can't do as good a job as a "joke news show" like the Daily Show, pull the plug. Otherwise, your show will be as just plainly dishonest as McCaughey.

Brian,
I hope you have James Fallows on this week to refute the comments of Betsy McCaughey. McCaughey is synonymous with intellectual dishonesty.

I agree with Robert from Manhattan and Hugh from Brooklyn. This woman has nothing to offer to the discussion about healthcare reform. She has been attempting to engender fear in vulnerable people for the sake of maintaining healthcare in the greedy for-profit realm of insurance and pharmaceutical companies and their stock holders. Our misfortunate illnesses -- some of which are caused by for-profit environmental degradation -- should not be part of a giant profit mill. When I walk through the streets of Manhattan and I see homeless people who are obviously suffering from mental and physical illnesses, I feel shame for heartless, inhumane people like Betsy McCaughey.

Brian, I hope you watched Ms McCaughey's performance on The Daily Show and took note of her effect on the usually unflappable Jon Stewart. At least there, the visual alone was enough to show viewers what a looney toons she is; but on radio, the effect is lessened, even though anyone with a brain can tell from her chatter that
she is mouthing the anti-health care reform message of the insurance industry that is paying her.

Please don't let her get away with it on your show. This is too important! We need Medicare for everyone with no game playing by politicians who are in the pockets of these people.

Obviously, we need campaign finance reform big time!

Good morning Brian,
I am a nurse of 35 years, 10 of which were in a NYC Intensive Care Unit. My point for Ms. McCauhy is this. If we reeeeeeeally want to help seniors, would we be pumping them up drugs and over marketing to them incessantly about the need for these drugs? They constitute the largest viewing population of TV viewership. The republican right is conveniently overlooking its alliances with corporate moguls who have reaped the benefits of many a sick senior. The republican right has actually failed for the last 8 years in its endeavor to provide a solution.

On a related note, as a nurse I was asked to "force feed*" a baby post operatively because the insurance would no longer cover IV's at 5 days post op. The baby was unable to tolerate the food and I flat out refused.

As a nurse, I have to say that the Obama administration's aspiration and recommendations are the most noble I've seen throughout my tenure as a nurse. For once, I believe that government is aligning with the truth. More than ever I feel the greed of the republican right trying to undermine the wellbeing of our government and our national demographic.

*Force feed is a term used amongst nurses for encouraging to the point of near insistance - oral intake.

thank you.

I pretty much agree with the first comment. Why are you having her on? There are lots of insane people who have all sorts of wild and baseless criticisms of public policy. Are you going to have them on too? The only possible justification I can think of to give this woman a forum is to shine the harshest light possible on the delusions/lies (who knows what actually goes on inside her head?) she spews.

But Jon Stewart tried that. She'll just flip pages in her book and act like she's in the Monty Python argument sketch ("There are no death panels. Yes there are. No there aren't. Yes there are...")

Perhaps she'll stand up throughout the entire interview.

Before we get to senior care, the problem with the healthcare bill is that it would be the largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade: it would knock down the state's waiting periods, parental notification laws, etc. It could be called the Planned Parenthood bailout bill.

In response to a query about a friend, have been told by our comapny's HR administrator that, after 90 days sick leave, an empllyee is placed on long-term disability and has no further health benefits unless she or can afford COBRA, i.e., "The company's responsibility ends when an employee goes on long-term disability."

I spent the weekend doing some googling, and discovered that, unless an employer wishes to continue health benefits, and is permitted to do so under its disability and health insurance policies, those benefits end when an employee is placed on long-term disability -- i.e., after 90 days sick leave. Usually, there is no extended benefit provided -- after 90 days, no government bureaucrat can come between you and your physician because, if you can't pay COBRA, you won't have one.

Do people realise, Brian, that the limits of their employer-provided health insurance are actually not merely the policy coverage limits-- a couple of million dollars -- but also the number of consecutive days that they are out of work for, e.g., advanced cancer, a car accident, a brain injury? That if they are placed on disability, they will, unless their company is very unusual, lose their health benefits? And that the period is only 90 days?

Betsy McCaughy can't tell you how people will pay for chemotherapy, after her salary has been cut by 1/3 and, in 90 days, she loses her health insurance? Can she?

presently, even if someone who is incapable of speaking for themselves has a Living Will, the Board of Directors at [some] hospitals may override the patients decision even if the family decides to let their relative have their last wishes carried out. These types of decisions have been made usually to lower the deaths rate at these institutions, and at cost to the family/responsible parties, even if this also means paying for transportation costs to another willing medical facility.
I can't understand why, except to hypocrisy and vanity, the Republicans can't wrap their heads around the idea that my family values are good enough for us to carry out our personal sense of responsibility towards our loved ones, and that means if we choose to have an optional conversation with a federal health plan representative, that means we're okay with making our own decisions, and we don't want the interference of Wall Street traders and non-medical personnel making those decisions for us.
Oh, wait, they com-plete-ly get it, and that's exactly why they're fighting this so hard. It's always about the money. Sheesh!!

I will give $100 to charity if you can get her to criticize the greedy for-profit HMOs and praise the public health care plans.

What's wrong with single payer? It's cost effective, provides excellent coverage and exists in Medicare with a low overhead and popular approval.

Why is this woman on the air? Lies are not an alternative point of view. They are lies. Your promo says she "thinks" health reform is deadly for seniors. She may not actually think so at all. Liars do not, by definition, believe what they say!!! They know it to be false. And lies are what Betsy McCaughey has been spreading for years. Brian, I hope that you challenge her vigorously and mercilessly!!!! Otherwise you have disgraced yourself and WNYC by giving her a forum.