Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Provisions from House Healthcare Bill

Page 19 - Section 102(c) prohibits the sale of private individual health insurance policies, beginning in 2013, forcing individuals to purchase coverage through the federal government
So I think that people need to stop saying this isn't going to be single-payer.

Page 30 - Section 123 establishes a new board of federal bureaucrats (the "Health Benefits Advisory Committee") to dictate the health plans that all individuals must purchase-and would likely require all Americans to subsidize and purchase plans that cover any abortion
Unless the wording is put into the bill that abortions are not allowed with tax-payer funds, the courts will rule that it can be used.

Page 74 - Sections 202(c) and (d) protects Members of Congress with existing federal employee coverage (as defined in Section 100(c)(6) on page 9) from joining the government-run health plan offered through the Exchange
Big shocker here, the bill is so great that they don't have to be in it.

Page 116 - Section 221 establishes a new government-run health plan that, according to non-partisan actuaries at the Lewin Group, would cause as many as 114 million Americans to lose their existing coverage
Again, more proof that we are moving towards single-payer system.

Page 139 - Section 245 includes language requiring verification of income for individuals wishing to receive federal health care subsidies under the bill-however, the bill includes no requirement for individuals to verify their citizenship or identity before receiving taxpayer-subsidized health benefits
Why should I pay for the healthcare of people who are in the country illegally?

Page 167 - Section 401 imposes a 2.5 percent tax on all individuals who do not purchase "bureaucrat-approved" health insurance-the tax would apply on individuals with incomes under $250,000, thus breaking a central promise of then-Senator Obama's presidential campaign
Anyone who believes that our taxes are not going to increase is clearly delusional.

Page 183 - Section 412 imposes an 8 percent "tax on jobs" for firms that cannot afford to purchase "bureaucrat-approved" health coverage; according to an analysis by Harvard Professor Kate Baicker, such a tax would place millions "at substantial risk of unemployment"- with minority workers losing their jobs at twice the rate of their white counterparts.
Great idea, lets put the onus on small business, they only employee about 70% of American workers.

Page 197 - Section 441 imposes additional job-killing taxes, in the form of a half-trillion dollar "surcharge," more than half of which will hit small businesses; according to a model developed by President Obama's senior economic advisor, such taxes could cost up to 5.5 million jobs.
Yet more good news for small businesses.

Page 331 - Section 1161 cuts more than $150 billion from Medicare Advantage plans, potentially jeopardizing millions of seniors' existing coverage.
This plan gives comprehensive coverage to individuals. Isn't this what the President says will save money? Treating the patient as a whole as opposed to a particular illness?

Page 425 - Section 1233 makes end-of-life care consultations eligible for Medicare reimbursement.
The government should not be involved in discussions on end-of-life care. This is a decision that should be made by families.

Page 501 - Section 1401 establishes a new Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research; the bill includes no provisions preventing the government-run health plan from using such research to deny access to life-saving treatments on cost grounds, similar to Britain's National Health Service, which denies patient treatments costing more than £35,000
Who is going to be sitting in on this board?

Page 835 - Section 1802(b) includes provisions entitled "TAXES ON CERTAIN INSURANCE POLICIES" to fund comparative effectiveness research, breaking Speaker Pelosi's promise that "We will not be taxing [health] benefits in any bill that passes the House," and the President's promise not to raise taxes on families with incomes under $250,000
How much do you want to bet the taxes won't be on the policy that they get to keep?

1 comment:

CJ said...

This plan would ban individual plans outside the "exchange". I'm still unclear on what the exchange is from a practical standpoint.

I do know that this would out-and-out ban my family's $5000 deductible plan that we've been very happy with for years.

IF the overhaul goes to vote in its current form my wife wants us to go with our baby and demonstrate downtown saying the bill would take away our health insurance. All of our business associates know we believe in the gov't helping the poor, but there is no reason to mess up things that are currently working.

If this passes, we will have to tell our health providers that we're willing to pay for things outside the gov't formulary if needed. This is awkward. Right now they know we private pay for small stuff. Eventually institutions of some sort will spring up to handle the fact that part of the population is willing to private pay even though they have comprehensive insurance that is supposed to involve insurance in all transactions. That uncomfortable haves/have-nots inequality has been with us throughout time, but what sucks is a liberal policy is making it worse rather then better. I just can't believe how many ways this overhaul screws things up.

The main problem was Medicaid doesn't cover enough of the poor. I have lobbied at every opportunity for increased Medicaid and SCHIP funding. That's what we need, not an overhaul of everyone's health purchases! Sorry for the rant. Thanks for the spoon feeding of the 1000 page doc.

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