Video Raises Questions About Bloomberg’s Views On Health Care For Older Americans
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
If Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg was 95 years old and had prostate cancer, he could afford advanced and extreme medical care to improve and extend his life.
But what about a 95-year-old non-billionaire with prostate cancer who requires medical treatment using taxpayer dollars? In 2011, Bloomberg made the following statement: “If you show up with prostate cancer and you’re 95, we should say ‘go and enjoy, have a nice day, live a long life.’ There’s no cure and we can’t do anything. If you’re a young person, we should do something about it,” said Bloomberg, a former New York City mayor.
Bloomberg warned that society was not yet willing to make hard choices with respect to treating older Americans and this is “going to bankrupt us.”
The video reportedly was released by Daily Caller, a hyper partisan conservative website.
Bloomberg’s 2011 statement surfaced as he released a proposed health care plan to improve retirees’ lives, from giving low-income workers access to government-provided retirement savings plans to bolstering Social Security. Bloomberg said he would limit out-of-pocket drug costs and provide federal coverage for long-term care costs.
Do Bloomberg’s Statements Constitute Age Discrimination? Yes. Without a Doubt.
Dr. Robert N. Butler, M.D., (1927-2010), who coined the term “ageism” in 1968, said generations throughout history have justified the futility of granting the aged access to health care due to unfounded ageist beliefs. Butler defined ageism is ‘a process of systematic stereotyping, prejudicial attitudes and direct or indirect discrimination against people because they are old.”
In his book, Age-ism: Another Form of Bigotry, Butler writes: “Age-ism reflects a deep seated uneasiness on the part of the young and middle-aged – a personal revulsion to and distaste for growing old, disease, disability; and fear of powerlessness, ‘uselessness,’ and death.”
Scapegoating Older Americans
Moreover, Bloomberg’s 2011 ramblings while sitting Shiva with a Jewish family also seem profoundly misguided. There are many other criteria that seem just as likely to bankrupt the United States.
The U.S. health care system is notoriously inefficient and outrageously expensive. It costs four times more to run the U.S. health care system than Canada’s single-payer system. Why is America saddled with a failed system? The U.S. Congress has failed to act in the face of intense lobbying by insurers and pharmaceutical companies.
And why is aging singled out as opposed to other conditions, such as obesity? Some 40 percent of American adults aged 20 and over are obese, a condition that can lead to coronary heart disease and stroke.
The Centers for Disease Control states that coronary heart disease and stroke cost the U.S. health care system $199 billion per year and cause $131 billion in lost productivity on the job.
Why doesn’t Congress address America’s “new national epidemic” and enact sound policy changes, such as limiting unhealthy foods at schools and restoring “gym ” for all students. Congress could tax products that contribute to obesity or require informative labeling of food products Many blame lobbying by the mammoth food production and retail industries for Congressional inaction.
Generational Competition
Butler, the founding director of the National Institute on Aging, also said inter-generational tension causes ageism and discrimination. He said both groups compete for public funding. Older Americans seek support for health care and Social Security, while young people are struggling to get an education and buy a home.
Interestingly, one of the reasons that Butler became interested in age discrimination was his experience as a medical student. when he noticed medical practitioners treated older patients with disdain and distaste.
Butler's research showed the ageing process did not cause senility, which instead resulted from disease, neglect and stagnation. He worked with consumer advocate Ralph Nader on an investigation into the poor care offered by nursing homes. His 1975 book, Why Survive? Being Old in America, won a Pulitzer prize.
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Just more Bloomberg elitism. Spend 50 plus years working and he has plans for you if you get sick.
he has plans for us for all aspects of all our lives. After all, he’s a bicoastal progressive elitist urban snob who thinks he knows better than we what is good for us. What a loser. It’s time to strangle this campaign in its crib before it even starts due to the horrid nature of the man it is promoting.
Could it be “just die quickly”? What a plan!
First of all, I can't find confirmation from any non-righty publication.
And LMAO, I didn't realize that only the middle and working classes would be affected by this. You mean he said rich people would get help while just the working Joe is affected by thing. All too funny.
Guess what luv, right now people are losing their life savings and homes under Trump's brilliant non-plan. You know, the one he promised but never delivered
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Get sick now and be 95, let's see if you don't lose the roof over your head. Heck, don't even wait till your 95 because I met people at Sloan-Kettering that were young and losing everything from their cancer.
Bloomberg must be getting to you guys. Non stop Anti- Bloomberg. I am amused.
I'll post a video for you, You can read the written text of what he said in the article.
Who said that? Only you did. The author made the comment that if Bloomberg was 95 and had cancer he would have no qualms about seeking treatment. Quit making stuff up.
Oh no not the 'But Trump', I wasn't aware that Presidents passed laws, I thought it was congress's job. FYI I'm sure that Trumps non-plan was better than the joke ACA that Democrats passed.
It's nice that you come out and take your stance with Bloombergs horrible views, I just had a really good friend pass at 98 years old he was active and battled his prostate cancer for 6 years, I drank a beer with him a week before he died. I guess in your view he should have just went home and died 6 years ago.
Again you work 50 plus years to have some elitist prick tell you if you get sick go home and die.
So that was his POV about health care back when? How old is that footage? And that has nada with being an elitist. He is sitting in a room of average people having a discussion. And what is more shocking to me, is that you are not supposed to be taking video at a Shiva.
I'd love to see a video of that since from what I have read he said that at a Shiva. Do you even know what that is?
I am commenting to this:
See, I don't get even if he did say this (I am doubtful) how that constitutes elitism. Ageism maybe.
Oh well, let's think back and see what Trump actually did to the ACA:
That's funny, I don't remember taking a stance. I remember saying that I can't find this anywhere. And as for old people with prostate cancer, that would include my 92 year old father in law who lives with us on the weekends, my 76 year old Uncle, my 94 year old Uncle. My view is that our present system stinks. I am not sure what Bloomberg's actual policy is but I did look it up and he actually says to build on the ACA. Find that here: