Hello, Lt. Governor Garamendi. I have always appreciated your voice on health insurance issues–so glad you will soon bring that voice to Washington.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to us here at FDL today.

Thanks for your kind words Gregg. I look forward to being there and getting the public option passed.

Knowing that you have experience dealing with the insurance companies (I’m a CA native and resident, except for four years in Texas), can you get anyone else in Congress to notice that not controlling insurance premiums and insurance company profits (and paychecks) is what got us into this mess?

The public option is important because it provides a solid health insurance benefit package to compete with the insurance companies whose principle motivation is to increase their profits.

How do I know? Because Wall Street judges the success of a health insurance company based on how little it pays for medical services. This is called the ‘medical loss ratio.’ The lower the percentage of the premium dollar paid for medical services, the higher the stock price. That’s why we need the public option where profit is not the motive.

Thanks for coming by and thanks for taking the Public Option Pledge.

Curious if you’ve talked to the Progressive Caucus about sitting in on Caucus meetings/conference calls now so that you can hit the ground running when you win in November.

As a california independent voter, what can be done about the ‘2/3rds rule’?

And why , in view of the budget crunch will CA not open a bank like the Bank of N.Dakota to address the funding issues?

Thank you for your time and your service. Do you believe there’s any hope for getting single-payer passed in the House?

I support Single Payer for all. I don’t appreciate having a compromise jammed down our throats with the public option that very likely will be abandoned anyway.

My question is this: after the Democrats commit political suicide by passing mandates for a hated product with no public option and you lose your election, what strategy should the Party commit to in the future to actually function like a Party and represent citizens again?

Welcome John to FDL!

What did your 2 terms as insurance commissioner in California teach you about insurance companies?

And where was it you served in the Peace Corps and does that color your perceptions today? I was in Kenya ‘79.

#3 PJEvans: Thanks for the question.

Many members of Congress already know my record as Insurance Commissioner where I created what consumer organizations called the best consumer protection agency in the nation. I went after insurance companies who refused to pay claims and engaged in post-event underwriting. I levied serious fines and forced them to pay.

Sorry, thank you for coming, thank you for listening, good luck in your election. Electing Democrats has brought us much joy, I’m sure you understand my festive mood.

Welcome Lt. Gov. Garamendi. I’m not in CA 10 but I’ll be pulling for you. We need as many single-payer voices as we can get in the House.

What did your 2 terms as insurance commissioner in California teach you about insurance companies?

I’d love to see the answer to that also.

Welcome, Lt Governor Garamendi, and congratulations on your special election victory last week. Although I supported a Democratic opponent of yours, you ran a fine campaign and are an excellent nominee we can all be proud of and support 100%. I look forward to your routing the GOP in November and taking your seat in Congress in time to cast a vote on universal health care, if only on the conference report.

To that end, sir, have you taken the FDL pledge? Will you pledge to vote against any bill, in any form (initial or conference) that does not include a robust public plan which is:

* available nationwide
* on day one
* and accountable to Congress and the voters?

Will you please set the tone, right now, for your future California House colleages, some of whom lag on their pledge?

Thank you for your service to California, sir, and best wishes on your way to Congress. We are lucky to have you in our party.

#4 bob brigham: Thanks for the question.

I’ve been in conversation with members of the Progressive Caucus, including co-chair Rep. Lynn Woolsey. Believe me, we’ll work together for a public option and Medicare for All.

I wish you had run against Lungren. Dr.Durston was great but too much of an unknown I suspect.

As a technical note: there is a “Reply” button in the lwoer right hand of each comment. Click on the “Reply” and it will pre-fill the comment number and name of the commenter to whom you are replying.

That way we can all follow the conversation easier (and save you some typing).

What is happening in CA now where up to 40% of claims are not being paid?

#9 AZMatt: Thanks for questions.

1. See my response to PJ Evans.

2. Patti and I spent our honeymoon in a mud hut, no water, no electricity, for two years in southwestern Ethiopia.

Dear Garamendi,

Do you think this debate is bigger than health care? It seems to me if the progressives can draw a line on one of there core issues they might as well not even bother to make the trip to Washington DC. If the progressive fold now, they will never be respected or listened to ever again.

(a technical note: hit the “reply” button in the lower right of a comment to set up a “in response to” line on your reply to another commenter. The commenter name and comment number then appear in your response.)

Thanks for stopping by, Lt. Governor. Looks like you’ll take the 10th easily.

Would you be part of the progressive caucus? Which committees would you like to serve on?

Thanks for being here, Lt. Governor Garamendi!

Do you have a feel for what might be happening on Capitol Hill right now? And why does the White House (or at least Rahm) seem not to get what everyone else does WRT the popularity of the PO?

Now if you had only been able to tackle the CPUC *G*

Lt Gov., how can commissioner Poizzner claim to be doing his job when the overall claim rejection rate in CA is so high?

#14 Teddy Partridge: Thanks for the question.

Two months ago, I signed Dr. Howard Dean’s pledge. I also support the FDL pledge and will add my name soon.

As for setting the tone, that’s why I’m here and that’s why I’m running for Congress.

Thanks for the tip. Will do so for now on.

Lt Gov. Garamendi,

Congratulations, you are now my Congressman. Where will you have offices in CA-10, when will you be sworn in after your victory in November?

You’re right. A recent study by the California Nurses Association indicates that 39.6% of Pacific Care’s claims were denied in the first six months of 2009. 32.7% for Cigna. HealthNet 30%. Kaiser Permanente 28.3%. Blue Cross 27%.

So we should fear the private insurance companies rather than a public option.

Thanks also for your strong leadership against offshore drilling on the Public Lands Commission. Do you think Arnold’s appointment of your successor at Lt-Gov will tip the balance on the Commission enough to allow them to approve offshore drilling next year? Have you discussed your successor appointment with the Governor, or would that be considered premature since there’s still an actual election against a GOP in November in CA-10?

How do you feel about the war in Afghanistan?

Lt gov (thanks for being here) – what are your overall thoughts on profit + the medical/insurance sector? is it always wrong? is there a reasonable level of profit to be made?

to me, it seems that profit + health care can never co-exist, the “safety net” tier of the medical sector simply needs to be treated differently. thanks again! (i’m not in CA, but good luck to you sir…)

teddy, let me suggest the better question has to do with not taxing oil pumped in CA.

Winston Churchill, during the height of the Battle of Britain said, “Never give in. Never never give in.” And so with health care reform, we will never give up until every American has an affordable comprehensive health care insurance benefit, and the way to get that is Medicare for All.

We will not fail. We must succeed in our major agenda items, and I’ll fight on.

we need more candidates like you regarding “the public option” and other issues. Good luck and thanks a lot for being there!

My private health insurance premium went up 25% on July first, the beginning of HealthNet’s year. They just notified me it will increase another 23% on October first, since I’m “aging up” into another category. All in all, a 56% increase over the premium paid on June first.

This is profit-taking, pure and simple, and the reason health insurance stocks rise every time the public option is called “non-essential” in Washington.

Let’s see what the President says on Wednesday. Hopefully he will stand firm for the public option.

He’s not doing the job.

As a TURN member I offer this “Labor Day Call to save 1,000 Jobs

Whittier, CA — With over 2 million Californians out of work, consumer and labor representatives are uniting to oppose Southern California Gas Company’s plan to eliminate 1,000 union jobs. The job cuts won’t come cheap to SoCal Gas’s customers. They will pay a billion dollars to replace the people who currently read their gas meters with so-called “smart” meters. The meters will allow SoCal Gas, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, to track customers’ usage remotely, and have engendered customer concerns about privacy, choice and accuracy.”

and ask your perspective on EFCA.

Good Afternoon

Would you support a bill giving the govt. the power to set limits on what insurance companies and medical providers can charge in lieu of a public option?

That seems to be the French system which many are now arguing is the best in the world.

The govt. doesn’t provide care or provide insurance, they just control costs and mandate coverage.

The providers can make as much money as they want through efficiency- but nothing by simply raising prices (drug companies too)

I’m sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, most Americans are feeling the same financial pain. The health insurance companies dominate the marketplace and are able to pass along both costs and higher profits to consumers. A public option gives all Americans an opportunity to purchase a quality health insurance program at a reasonable cost and that’s why the insurance industry is spending millions to kill the public option.

The real power lies with the Senate and Assembly who can reject any appointee.

I support the Employee Free Choice Act.

Thanks so much for being here today, Lt. Gov. Garamendi, and for pledging to vote against any bill that does not have a robust public option. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it proves the conventional wisdom wrong. I guess we don’t have to accept a “conservaDem” from the district, or forfeit the seat to a Republican.

I know you’ve said that you would also vote against any bill that had a public option with triggers.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..50/8122#c3

Do co-ops fit your definition of a “public option?”

“I’ve been in conversation with members of the Progressive Caucus, including co-chair Rep. Lynn Woolsey.” ; well, you and Rep. Woolsey can keep ‘hoping’ about President Obama, but I’ve given up on him.

Well, I do live in the 10th. I did not vote for you in the primary. I voted for the Black guy who went to West Point, did two tours in Iraq, before telling and getting kicked out of the military. He did not have the support of Bill Clinton or Al Gore as you did. Nor did he have the support of Ellen Tauscher as another opponent of yours did. I voted for Anthony Woods precisely because he was not tied in.

Now tell me, What did you do as Insurance Commissioner. Somehow I can not remember one single thing.

I’m awaiting your answer, trying to decide if I should bother voting at all come November 3.

What stupid timing on raising your rates, Teddy.

I need to go to the Alameda County Labor Council for a Labor Day event now, but I will respond to additional questions later. Thank you everyone. I’ve enjoyed the conversation.

Thank you for taking questions.

I have had a lot of trouble with Kaiser, basically mental health. As an activist I was improperly spied on by the government and slandered by my mental health provider. The slander of mental health professionals is especially damming to activists. Is there anything we can do about it?

I have several other concerns as an activist, President Obama voted for FISA, do you think there is any chance that can be reversed?

And, in the medical debate, I haven’t heard any mention of medical marijuana. As a representative of our state, how would you vote on bills to legalize medical marijuana? I think it would be a major boon to the economy of California and a good move for improved health outcomes in general, especially in replacement treatment for alcoholism.

I wish medical marijuana could be part of the debate. Are you that brave?

Thank you sincerely,

Reverend Lauren Unruh
THC Ministry
Pleasant Hill, Ca

Can you think of any ways We the People can make Poizzner do his job?

I fully expect Anthem to refuse my recent claim, as they did with two prior claims more than 20 years ago.

Do you think our state can get along without a Lt-Gov for a year — with a stalemate on the Public Lands Commission? Do you suppose our Sacramento leaders would defy Arnold despite his popularity in the mid-thirties?

I hope the Lt-Gov answers this question upon his return. I’m not sure my conference-vote question got answered, either.

PATRIOTS FOR A PUBLIC OPTION!

I LOVE THE USA! I AM A PATRIOT!

I WANT A PUBLIC OPTION!

Go USA! Be #1 in Healthcare

John Garamendi has been a friend of Labor here in CA and I cannot let this Day pass without a shout of support to him as he begins his run. I look forward to his efforts on beahlf of CA 10.

You have my vote and I do live in Tracy

Can you give us your perspective, based on your job as insurance commmissioner, on the viability of federal/state oversight of the insurance industry. Is it reasonable to expect government to have the staff/resources and information to monitor whether they comply with bans on denial of coverage for prior conditions, rescission, etc? Won’t they target their efforts towards to the risk, and leave the high risk uninsured?

I still hold out hope that the CA Democratic Party would find someone to defeat Gary Miller, CA-42. He is a Republic who represents himself and his cronies, but not his District.

Do you think the National Association of Insurance Commissioners serves any purpose other than to serve as a good place for State Insurance Commissioners to meet with lobbyists?

Lt. Gov. Garamendi ~ you seem to be one of those “better Democrats” that we need MORE of AND highly electable too! Thank you for your leadership on these important issues ~ Medicare for all: boohyah! ~ and best wishes as you go forward.

Maybe Anthony Woods would run. He just lost here in the Ca 10 primary. I voted for him. He might be just the ticket for your district.