1199's "Remember Me" Ad
The health care unions opposing Eliot Spitzer's health care spending cuts have come up with four new Let It Be On Your Head ads featuring frail health care patients talking right to the camera and dropping the governor's name.
A frail, grandmotherly woman named Anna Rose says in one ad, "Governor Spitzer, I want you to look at me. And when you cut health care, I want my face to be in front of you. Remember me."
UPDATE: A senior Spitzer source familiar with the governor's health care campaign had this to say about the new 1199 ad: "It's as if Tim Burton and Jimmy Siegel collaborated on a spot."
-- Azi Paybarah
Reading between the lines:
"We don't care that we get more money than in other states. Give us more or we will start killing people."
"Last time we threatened the babies, but now we realize that if people care about kids it would be bad for us, because we get more as part of a deal in which NYC gets screwed on school aid."
"But remember this, Spitzer, we've wised up. Now we're threatening the seniors, and unlike NYC schoolkids, most of them are White!"
Maybe Anna Rose should ask the hospital executives to "remember her" by reducing their seven-figure compensation packages by 5% or 10% in order to direct more money to the people that really need it. Or if that doesn't work, she can ask the health care lobby which is spending upwards of ten-figures to fight what is a small reduction in health care spending.
Please.
Tired Taxpayer...there you go living up to your name---TIRED!!! With all of the cuts in the hospital exec. salaries--it's not enough to restore healthcare. The salaries are a distraction --As the Gov for a real plan--Cuts are not a plan.
1.5 billion cut from the state budget can not be made from transforming 50-100 healthcare executives' salaries to gratis. Secondly the for every dollar the state spends on medicaid the federal government gives $2, and the county also contributes (I do not know the ratio for county contributions) and both follows the state budget. Governor Spitzer cutting 1.5 billion is quite like the state losing 4.5 billion in healthcare costs deferred to federal government and county government.
As a state, New York pays a huge sum of federal taxes while receiving a paltry amount in return. Spitzer's budget exasperates this problem.
(I do not know the ratio for county contributions)
I'll give you a hint. It varies for place to place, and is higher in NYC than in any other part of the state, or was before Pataki had them stop reporting it. But that is another issue.
health care costs eat up more than $40 billion of the NYS budget. To argue that $1.5 billion in cuts can't be balanced with program restructuring & other efficiencies seems silly. And the counties' contributions shouldn't be mentioned: one, its a huge financial burden on these small governments and two, they really shouldn't be paying for any of it. NYS should pickup the entire cost since its the State officials that helped create this monster.
4:19 is absolutely right. The health care system in NYS has to be reorganized. There is excess capacity in places that don't need it, and not enough capacity where it might do some good, deliver better care AND save some money.
I'm a pro-union socialist and I agree with the Governor on this one, as does the Commission on the Public Health System.
In addtion, 1199 is on my nerves for foisting an unqualified candidate and another costly election on the 40th City Council district. Enough!!!
I agree that threr is too much money going to the healthcare provicers. But these cuts are crazy. All the cuts do is make the hospitals and nursing homes cut staff, becuase staff make up the majority of their budgets. So if you've been in a hospital lately, you know that you cant find a nurse, this shortage will only get worse with Spitzer's plan. Healthcare will only worsen.
1199 is part of the problem so they should not be part of the solution. Spitzer is correct. Steamroll their asses.
9:36 am is the problem. Steam rolling doesn't solve any problems. And for the Gov. all it did was get him a Controller he didn't want.
Hey "stop it":
It's too bad 1199 hasn't shown more enlightened thinking in their approach to the financial nightmare that is the NYS healthcare system. The attack ads & rallies may not be as effective with a popular Governor like Spitzer, who not only enjoys broad public support but who also really doesn't give a rat's ass about the union's political theatrics.
The union may have also erred by striking a public partnership with the wealthy hospital executives who pretend that they're really worth the seven figure salaries they draw. I'm not saying that top-level management skill shouldn't be properly compensated, but these ain't Fortune 100 companies we're talking about here. Are executives really deserving of salaries that exceed $2 and $3 million dollars? How about $5 million? And if so, do the hospitals really need all of them?
So now, unfortunately, 1199 may have become the face of the status quo & the symbol of all that's wrong with Albany: that no matter how much public money is dedicated to health care, that it's never enough, that other public priorities like education, public safety, unemployment, housing should take a backseat while health care consumes over $40 billion. 1199 has shown a total disregard for the TIRED TAXPAYERS like myself that work hard but are saddled with the most burdensome tax rates in the country.
By the way "stop it," do you think that the tens of millions of dollars taken from hardworking 1199 dues paying members and used to pay consultants & the media have been well spent?
Is it me or is there an air of desparation in these ads? It appears the only one still fighting for 1199 is Joe Bruno and since his days are numbered as Sen Maj Ldr after Craig Johnson's win, 1199 is going to be in a world of hurt in short order.
Spitzer's overall health care philosophy is right. We need to move primary care away from urgent care and emergency rooms supported by big hospitals to local doctor's offices and community health centers. Not only is it less expensive to provide primary care in these settings, it is almost always higher quality care.
Has anyone noticed that virtually all the patient advocacy groups support what Spitzer is trying to do? Interesting!
Tired Taxpayer--Union dues can't be used for politics--It's a federal law so once again--you are tired. Health policy guy --the health advocates support Spitzer because he's either throwing money at them or they want to schmooze with the new sherriff in town. Remember --it's cheaper to fund "public" institutions and clinics than private ones. The beauty of the debate is that Spitzer and the Union both have made good points about the future of healthcare in this state. 9:04---stop it. YOu are probably the lady behind The Commission on Public Health that hates 1199 anyway--I think your name is Judy Wessler right?
well with all the cutting the Gov. is doing--he should make sure he has a room reserved at one of the hospitals he's saving---Harlem here he comes!!!
"Remember --it's cheaper to fund "public" institutions and clinics than private ones."
I have been working in health policy for over a decade and have not seen one one study that shows it cheaper to provide basic medical care in a hospital urgent care center or emergency room than to provide the same services in a doctors office or community health center. I'd love to see evidence that backs up your point.
health policy guy you contradict yourself, but that seems pretty common amongst the Gov's supporters.
stop it - How do I contradict myself? Please provide me with evidence that it is "cheaper" to provide care in hospitals over doctors offices and community health centers. I suspect you don't have any since you chose to attack rather than answer.
Another riddle to be answered:
NY spends $7,583 per Medicaid enrollee.
CA, a state with similar costs and demographics, spends $2,520 per Medicaid enrollee.
The benefits under each program are virtually the same. What are NYers getting for this extra money that Californians aren't?
under rep. Gov in Cali. there's universal health care coverage. under rep. Gov. in Mass, although there's a Dem there now, began universal health care coverage. IN NY under a DEM there's cuts, cuts and more cuts. Health Policy--Nice to see you get excited for the GOV. If I didn't know any better I'd think either you dont' have much to do or on the staff.
Hmmm. Sounds to me like 'stop it' could be an employee (maybe even a high level one) for 1199. The constant attacks - including trying to identify an anonymous blogger by name - is their calling card. Nice.
They'll do anything to avoid explaining WHY they're fighting so hard to keep medicaid funding so extraordinarily high.
stop it - I love how you attack me rather than answer my legitimate questions. And before you get on your high horse about universal coverage, I watched in 1994 as Dennis Rivera and Ken Raske worked feverishly behind the scenes to help kill the Clinton Health Plan because it would have reduced federal Graduate Medical Education payments to NY. That might have been a flawed plan but if it had become law we wouldn't have 45 million uninsured people in the US today.
I have no connection to Spitzer's office and do not have any desire to work in govt at this point in my life. I just happen to think he is right on policy and am appalled by the scare tactics being used by 1199.
Wow...between Health POlicy Guy and the Tired Tax Payer ==I appreciate all of your love. just confirms for me how much time you have on your hands. Tired is the right way to begin your name and health policy guy she really be health policy fry. Yep....because that explains your logic. see ya in a few.
I don't know much about health, but scare tactics are being used by the Gov. not the UNION. Especially what he did to Bruno yesterday.
My mane is Chaojun Shi. I was layoff by Mont Sinai School of Medicine. I want to continue my 1199 member. On Monday I told to your department---Chau and she said,
Will give me a letter. Until now I don’t receive anything from your department. What I can do? I still wait or sample sent a check?
My mane is Chaojun Shi. I was layoff by Mont Sinai School of Medicine. I want to continue my 1199 member. On Monday I told to your department---Chau and she said,
Will give me a letter. Until now I don’t receive anything from your department. What I can do? I still wait or sample sent a check?