I don't usually post things on my blog that are political in nature, and don't usually post things that are forwarded to me via email, but I feel compelled to have my little community of followers review this summary of the Healthcare Bill being "pushed down" in the legislature. Regardless of your political affiliation, you owe it to yourself to at least look at this list and decide whether it warrants you looking further into the proposed bill and how it will/may impact you.
Keep in mind that there is likely political bias in this list, so as with most things, read the bill yourself and see if you agree with it (it's 1400 pages long, so make sure you have a strong pot of coffee). I must say, however, that I am hearing more non-government people expressing criticism rather than praise for the policy. Regardless, remember that you don't have a right to complain later if you aren't willing to raise concerns now (hmmm...I think I can use that on my kids...)
Little gems from the Health Care Bill
Posted on Friday, July 24, 2009 6:12:23 PM by CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
• Page 16: States that if you have insurance at the time of the bill becoming law and change, you will be required to take a similar plan. If that is not available, you will be required to take the gov option!
• Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!
• Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!
• Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)
• Page 42: The "Health Choices Commissioner" will decide health b enefits for you. You will have no choice. None.
• Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services.
• Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard.
• Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer.
• Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (example: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)
• Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange.
• Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)
• Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens
• Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan.
• Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter.
• Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No "judicial review" is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed.
• Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the governme nt will set wages.
• Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives.
• Page 126: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families.
• Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll <>BR • Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll
• Page 167: Any individual who doesnt' have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income.
• Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them).
• Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records.
• Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that.
• Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."
• Page 241: Doctors: no matter what speciality you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)
• Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc.
• Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries.
A 2 Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs.
• Page 272:20Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!
• Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions.
• Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government.
• Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited for owning and investing in healthcare companies!
• Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval.
• Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on "community" input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN.
• Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing.
• Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc.
• Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals.
• Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone).
• Page 425: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?
• Page 425: Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time.
• Page 425: Goverment provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death.
• Page 427: Government mandates program that orders end-of-life t reatment; government dictates how your life ends.
• Page 429: Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT.
• Page 430: Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life.
• Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN.
• Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN.
• Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage.
• Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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2 comments:
You make some good points here. But it seems to me that our lawmakers probably know what the problems are. they surely must hear the howls of the damned coming from their respective states many of whom are healthcare ship wrecks.
I believe you follow Brian Cork's Blog www.unsinkablebriancork.com.
In several of his postings Cork exposes how members of the House and Senate have access to medical and health benefits beyond the scope of understanding for the average US citizen. Here is an example: http://briancork.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/on-executive-parity/
If our political leaders had to accept the same level of benefits as their constituents we would probably see change and FAST.
Lawmakers today have very little incentive to create real change. I don't have statistics but I feel that their primary objective is to stay in office so they can keep their own platinum benefits.
I understand my point here is sophomoric. But its a start.
Keep up the good work.
T. Rex
Well, awareness and acknowledgement are two very distinct things. I believe they are aware of the cries of their constituents, but rarely do I hear an acknowledgement by an elected representative of a viewpoint other than the one most politically beneficial to them.
Many talk about the rich and capitalism as being the reason our economy is in the state it is in. While I don't hold any one group as exempt from contributing to both the negative and positive condition of our global economy, if I were to choose to lay stronger critique on any class of citizen, those who are elected by us to govern would certainly be at the top of my list.
Let's face it - low accountability coupled with near unlimited financial resources makes movie stars, celebrities, and instant millionaires dangerous to society. The sad thing is that I am not certain that even our right to vote has as much power as it may have previously to help turn the tide. But I'll keep voting with my mind and heart - without regard for political affiliation - in hopes that my future and those of my children have some glimmer of hope, to the degree we are able to control it.
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