In spite of the inefficiency and costliness of government provided healthcare projects to date (think HMOs and Medicaid part D), the Democrats in Congress are pushing for a public health care option open to all. While many eager liberals are flying straight towards the shiny blue light of “universal health care,” some are taking a moment to step back and reconsider what they’re signing us up for.
North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan (D), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee, has recently voiced trepidation over this public health care plan, and is receiving a tremendous amount of – to put it nicely – anger from congressional Democrats who support the plan. According to the News and Observer, Moveon.org, a liberal advocacy group, has threatened to run ads against Hagan if she does not rescind her opposition against the public option plan. Her vote might prove crucial to moving the measure out of committee, but she understands that more effort should be forwarded to find a compromise between the proposed national level public option and more efficient state level reforms that would not threaten the existence of private or non-profit entities which provide health care for the majority of Americans.
The NC Senator is not alone in her opinion, as the proposed public health care option has received bipartisan opposition. Many moderate Democrats have joined the unanimous Republican opposition to the plan. The two Senate bills in question are being put forward by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D – Mass.) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D- MT). The proposals are estimated to cost $1 trillion and $1.6 trillion respectively in the next 10 years, while still only reaching about a third of those currently uninsured. The new plan would restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers, who currently provide health care to 70% of Americans, thanks to low-ball reimbursement rates and premiums offered up by the government plan (which of course can be compensated for with taxpayer dollars). Doctors already taking Medicare patients would be forced to participate in the new program – regardless of whether or not they have the capacity to accept these new patients, meaning longer wait times for patients. The American Medical Association, although committed to the expansion of affordable health insurance for all Americans, has reacted against the plan as its members continue to believe insurance is better provided through private markets.
Recent surveys suggest the public opposes the plan as well. A Rasmussen poll states that just 32 percent of Americans believe that the addition of a public sector insurance option would reduce the cost of health care; 40 percent say it would not. Sixty-three percent (63%) say it’s likely that a government insurance company would lose money and require taxpayer subsidies. Just 20 percent say that’s not likely. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans believe private insurance companies will provide better service and more choice than the government option. Thirty-four percent (34%) hold the opposite view. These numbers demonstrate that a majority of people are convinced that such a public plan would reduce available options and make health care more costly and less effective in providing quality health care for Americans in the long term.
Senate Republicans have provided several alternatives to the health care plan, but their voices have gone largely unheard. Last month, North Carolina Senator Richard Burr (R) along with Senator Tom Coburn (R) of Oklahoma proposed a plan to provide tax credits that would open the space for better options for people alongside serious health care reform, without annihilating the free market. But this suggestion was quickly knocked down by Sen. Baucus’ supposed bipartisan proposal that did nothing more than add $600 billion to the bill. Our best hope is waiting for a sea change in the mindset of the congressional Democrats, before all Americans are faced with the disastrous effects of a universal government run health care plan.
Does the health care system need reform? – Of course. But unless we are looking for a system that gives all decision-making power to the federal government, will cost trillions more, and essentially ensure we are forced into a health care system with all the personal charm of the DMV and efficiency of the post office – the federal government’s plan is not the answer, and people are all too aware of this.
Given the evident public opposition and internal party divide among Democrats, why are some lawmakers rushing to support a plan the majority of people are not onboard with? Then again, to them, what is another multi-billion dollar spending project, the collapse of more private American businesses, and another ineffective government project further sinking us into debt at this point, but a drop in the bucket?
I would possibly support a private only option IF we could do one thing.. eliminate risk rating. That means that my son who was successfully treated for leukemia could get private health insurance.. I do not mean the implementation of risk pools. I mean the elimination of that as a criteria for insuring or pricing. The insurance companies are willing to do that if all must participate.
One of the barriers to gaining health insurance is rejecting people, even faithful participants in health insurance plans when they need it most. The prices of insurance are so high that predatory pricing for those in need is tantamount for many to exclusion.
I would prefer a bi-partisan approach. The problem is that many are willing to allow the effort fail, believing that status quo is better. I don’t share that belief.
Here is your government control of YOU (yes your personal body)
The Healthcare Bill
The real Government Takeover of YOU!!!!!
What is really in the bill is the chart provided that shows how government is using the Healthcare bill to control you and know everything about you. This is what I’m reading when I look at the chart and the lines connecting the dots is down right frightening. Should you want to know what chart I’m talking about- the source is Joint Economic Committee, Republican Staff- Congressman Kevin Brady has it on his web site. Thank you Mr. Brady for keeping the citizens honestly informed.
There are 31-over 50 new layers of Government we will be paying for but far worse than this is the way YOUR personal information will be floated through these layers of government.
This is only a few that scare me to death but there is more than I’m expressing here.
Bureau of Health Information
National Coordinator for Health IT (This is your personal information between you and your doctor going to the Coordinator plus it
Goes to Office of Civil Rights, Office of Minority Health, The Reinsurance Program to the
Private insures to the Health Insurance Exchange. On the other end, your personal information
Goes to the NPOB (don’t know what that is) The Health and Human Services Dept. also get the
information which will float it to the Clinical Preventive Services Taskforce, to the National
Center for Health Workforce Analysis and the Advisory Committee on Health Workforce &
Evaluation Department. This same personal information will also float to the Individual Tax
Return information which will go to the IRS.
Through the IRS your information will go to the Institute of Medicine by to Health & Human Services Dept. and other offices. The IRS will use this information to determine your taxes and your health Insurance Premium through the office of the Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund. This is telling me they will compare my wages with my insurance premium and if the government so chooses that they think I’m paying too little I will see a surcharge on my Tax Return for insurance premiums to help pay for the uninsured. Now I’m seeing the Small Business Tax Credits office meaning a Small Business Taxing office.
Now for the other side of the chart is government controlled education of Doctors and nurses. There is the Public Health Workforce Corps, Community Health & Care Centers. CCER, Advisory Panels, Financial Disclosure Reports Any Transfers between Providers and Suppliers (taxing outfit) A Special HIE inspector General and a Public Plan Ombudsman.
There will be a Public Health Investment Fund that comes straight out of the IRS office.
DO YOU GET THE PICTURE NOW: This bill should be dead on arrival and every American that cherishes FREEDOM, LIBERTY, and AND PERSUTE OF HAPPINESS SHOULD BE SCREAMING TO THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. “VOTE NO!!!!!!!!!!!”
This plan was not written over night but is a plan that has been worked on for years. This is a Government takeover plain and simple. People wake up before America becomes a Socialist welfare country.
What I’ve just explained to you incorporate only a small portion (10%) of the many layers of Government that will be controlling your everyday life. Our children and grandchildren will suffer the most because they will have it down at every level to control you for your very survival of the workforce to the doctor to the everyday life you live. They will be telling you where to work, how much you can make, what you eat, drink, and wear. They will do this using the tax system to control your life. Every American Should be SCREAMING to their legislators to: VOTE NO11111111111 NO COMPROMISE– NO DEBATING—-KEEP YOUR FREEDOM— KEEP AMERICA FREE. VOTE NO11111111111111111
The Healthcare Bill
The real Government Takeover of YOU!!!!!
What is really in the bill is the chart provided that shows how government is using the Healthcare bill to control you and know everything about you. This is what I’m reading when I look at the chart and the lines connecting the dots is down right frightening. Should you want to know what chart I’m talking about- the source is Joint Economic Committee, Republican Staff- Congressman Kevin Brady has it on his web site. Thank you Mr. Brady for keeping the citizens honestly informed.
There are 31-over 50 new layers of Government we will be paying for but far worse than this is the way YOUR personal information will be floated through these layers of government.
This is only a few that scare me to death but there is more than I’m expressing here.
Bureau of Health Information
National Coordinator for Health IT (This is your personal information between you and your doctor going to the Coordinator plus it
Goes to Office of Civil Rights, Office of Minority Health, The Reinsurance Program to the
Private insures to the Health Insurance Exchange. On the other end, your personal information
Goes to the NPOB (don’t know what that is) The Health and Human Services Dept. also get the
information which will float it to the Clinical Preventive Services Taskforce, to the National
Center for Health Workforce Analysis and the Advisory Committee on Health Workforce &
Evaluation Department. This same personal information will also float to the Individual Tax
Return information which will go to the IRS.
Through the IRS your information will go to the Institute of Medicine by to Health & Human Services Dept. and other offices. The IRS will use this information to determine your taxes and your health Insurance Premium through the office of the Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund. This is telling me they will compare my wages with my insurance premium and if the government so chooses that they think I’m paying too little I will see a surcharge on my Tax Return for insurance premiums to help pay for the uninsured. Now I’m seeing the Small Business Tax Credits office meaning a Small Business Taxing office.
Now for the other side of the chart is government controlled education of Doctors and nurses. There is the Public Health Workforce Corps, Community Health & Care Centers. CCER, Advisory Panels, Financial Disclosure Reports Any Transfers between Providers and Suppliers (taxing outfit) A Special HIE inspector General and a Public Plan Ombudsman.
There will be a Public Health Investment Fund that comes straight out of the IRS office.
DO YOU GET THE PICTURE NOW: This bill should be dead on arrival and every American that cherishes FREEDOM, LIBERTY, and AND PERSUTE OF HAPPINESS SHOULD BE SCREAMING TO THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. “VOTE NO!!!!!!!!!!!”
This plan was not written over night but is a plan that has been worked on for years. This is a Government takeover plain and simple. People wake up before America becomes a Socialist welfare country.
What I’ve just explained to you incorporate only a small portion (10%) of the many layers of Government that will be controlling your everyday life. Our children and grandchildren will suffer the most because they will have it down at every level to control you for your very survival of the workforce to the doctor to the everyday life you live. They will be telling you where to work, how much you can make, what you eat, drink, and wear. They will do this using the tax system to control your life. Every American Should be SCREAMING to their legislators to: VOTE NO11111111111 NO COMPROMISE– NO DEBATING—-KEEP YOUR FREEDOM— KEEP AMERICA FREE. VOTE NO11111111111111111
This chart can be found at:
http://www.house.gov/brady/