Affordable Health Care for America

This is the meat and potato of the new AFFORDABLE health care for America plan according to the Ways and Means of the US Congress. Word for word or you can click here to go to the Committee on Ways and Means to see it for yourself. Nobody is hijacking your health care, and nobody is going to be screwed over anymore because of your age, a pre-existing health condition, or a lifetime cap set by your insurance company. This is the health care bill recently signed by the President and passed by the congress via reconciliation. I like the idea of health care for all but I'm not very comfortable with any legislation when one political party uses special rules to pass any bill. The Republicans jammed garbage down our throats under President Bush and I'm not so sure if tit for tat by the Democrats under President Obama is any better. Castor oil still tastes like crap and it doesn't matter who is holding the spoon as you are forced to take it. The end result is that you are the one left with the bad taste in your mouth. On the surface this looks like a good thing for the American people. According to some polling results people are coming around to liking it now that the truth is coming out as to what real health care reform is.

KEY PROVISIONS THAT TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY UNDER SENATE BILL AS AMENDED BY RECONCILIATION BILL

FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDITS—Offers tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable. Tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums will be immediately available. Effective beginning for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2014, small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.)

FOR SENIORS
BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE—Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010. Effective for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2011, institutes a 50% discount on brand‐name drugs in the donut hole; also completely closes the donut hole by 2020.)

FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER MEDICARE—Eliminates co‐payments for preventive services and exempts preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program. Effective beginning January 1, 2011.

HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES—Creates a temporary re‐insurance program (until the Exchanges are available) to help offset the costs of expensive health claims for employers that provide health benefits for retirees age 55‐64. Effective 90 days after enactment

FOR THOSE PRIVATELY INSURED
NO DISCRIMINATON AGAINST CHILDREN WITH PRE‐EXISTING CONDITIONS—Prohibits health plans from denying coverage to children with pre‐existing conditions. Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, this prohibition would apply to adults as well.)

IMMEDIATE HELP FOR THE UNINSURED WITH PRE‐EXISTING CONDITIONS (INTERIM HIGH‐RISK POOL)—Provides immediate access to insurance for Americans who are uninsured because of a pre‐existing condition ‐ through a temporary high‐risk pool – until the Exchanges up and running in 2014. Effective 90 days after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, health plans are banned from discriminating against all people with pre‐existing conditions, so high‐risk pools would phase out).

NO RESCISSIONS—Bans health plans from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Effective 6 months after enactment.

NO LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Prohibits health plans from placing lifetime caps on coverage. Effective 6 months after enactment.

NO RESTRICTIVE ANNUAL LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Tightly restricts new plans’ use of annual limits to ensure access to needed care. These tight restrictions will be defined by HHS. Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, the use of any annual limits would be prohibited for all plans.)

FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER NEW PLANS—Requires new private plans to cover preventive services with no co‐payments and with preventive services being exempt from deductibles. Effective 6 months after enactment.

NEW, INDEPENDENT APPEALS PROCESS FOR NEW PLANS—Ensures consumers in new plans have access to an effective internal and external appeals process to appeal decisions. Effective 6 months after enactment.

MORE FOR YOUR PREMIUM DOLLAR—Requires plans to put more of your premiums into your care, and less into profits, CEO pay, etc. This medical loss ratio requires plans in the individual and small group market to spend 80 percent of premiums on medical services, and plans in the large group market to spend 85 percent. Insurers that don’t meet these thresholds must provide rebates to policyholders. Effective on January 1, 2011.

NO DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SALARY—Prohibits new group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees. Effective 6 months after enactment.

EXTENDING COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 26TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS’ INSURANCE – Requires health plans to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents’ insurance policy, at the parents’ choice. Effective 6 months after enactment.

GENERAL REFORMS

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS—Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for nearly doubling the number of patients served over the next 5 years. Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.

MORE PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS—Provides new investment in training programs to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals. Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.

HEALTH INSURANCE CONSUMER ASSISTANCE—Provides aid to states to establish offices of health insurance consumer assistance to help consumers file complaints and appeals. Effective beginning in FY 2010.

CREATES NEW, VOLUNTARY, PUBLIC LONG‐TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM—Creates a long‐term care insurance program to be financed by voluntary payroll deductions to provide benefits to adults who become functionally disabled. Effective on January 1, 2011.

MORE REFORMS THAT BEGIN IN 2014 (WHEN EXCHANGES HAVE FORMED)

NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ADULTS WITH PRE‐EXISTING CONDITIONS

BAN ON HIGHER PREMIUMS FOR WOMEN

PREMIUMS BASED ON AGE CAN ONLY VARY BY A MAXIMUM OF 3‐TO‐1 RATIO

CAP ON OUT‐OF‐POCKET EXPENSES for private health plans

OFFICE OF SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI MARCH 22, 2010

Do all of your friends and family a favor and email this post to everyone. There is so much dis-information out there that it isn't even funny anymore. Time to educate the masses that have been getting screwed over by the health care insurers as to what the real deal is under the new deal for affordable health care in America.

Papamoka

*** My twin brutha from anotha mutha at the Gun Toting Liberal has linked in! Thank you GTL!

Anthem Blue Cross Rate Hike

If you were wondering what was going on with the health care policy debate then maybe you should take a look at what the health care insurance industry is doing. Maybe we should let the insurance companies dictate competition in the market place like the Republican Party is fighting for to keep health care insurance rates down? All of this bull coming from the Dem’s and left wing loonies is all probably just smoke and mirrors to scare average consumers. Anyone in America can get health care insurance at affordable rates. Even Michael Steele, the GOP Chairman, knows that health care coverage is and always will be very affordable in America.

“Trust me, after taxes, a million dollars is not a lot of money,” Steele said. - Think Progress

I’m wondering if Mr. Steele would like to get his health care insurance from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in California that is raising premiums for their policy holders by 39%? Just write the check out and don’t forget the stamp Michael. HHS Secretary Sebelius is pissed and she isn't signing a blank check to Anthem Blue Cross...

Sebelius Calls on Anthem Blue Cross to Publicly Justify 39 Percent Premium Increase

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today sent a letter to Anthem Blue Cross and called on the company to publicly justify its decision to raise premiums for its California customers by as much as 39 percent. In her letter, Sebelius notes that the parent company of Anthem Blue Cross, WellPoint Incorporated earned $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009.

“As we continue the health insurance reform debate in Washington, this announcement reminds us that too many Americans can be left with unaffordable insurance each time the rates or rules change in the private market,” Sebelius added. “It’s clear that we need health insurance reform that will give American families the secure, affordable coverage they need.” - Health & Human Services

Things that make you go Hmmmmmmm? Feel free to view and sign the petition HERE to have Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield explain how they can justify a 39% health insurance premium increase. Otherwise you can keep on driving by this horrific accident called a health care system because there is nothing to see here, keep moving, nothing to see here.

Papamoka

Health Care Debate Violence

It doesn’t surprise me that this simple discussion about healthcare for all Americans has become violence prone. All sides of the debate are getting pissed, miffed, angry, and riotous and it makes no sense. Is it not fair to say that the argument on the right is being fed misinformation from organizations that just don’t want healthcare for everyone? There isn’t a Republican I know that would walk away from someone that was injured or bleeding on the street. Same goes for any Democrat, Green, or Independent that I know. Democrats are not being told the whole truth either given the White House’s recent backing off of a deal with the pharmaceutical companies that would have negotiated prescription drug pricing for people on Medicare.

I find it stupefying when you see people estimate healthcare for all Americans at one trillion dollars but leave out the fact that that is a Washington budgetary term that is in fact spread out over ten years. So the discussion should move to what can be cut in the federal budget to pay for health care for everyone? Can we cut tax subsidies for oil companies that are basically having a freebie on oil leases on public land and seas? Or can we even go so far as to cut the spending for maintaining a military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan and bring our troops all home and hopefully in one piece?

One thing is certain, America needs to fix its health care system and it will not get fixed when everyone is yelling and screaming at one another. It certainly won’t fix itself or even remotely heal with violence breaking out at Town Hall meetings to discuss health care. It’s one thing to discuss an issue, it is entirely another when violence becomes the high point of any political reporting on what the changes of our health care system are or can be.

When you really look at America, we have a diverse culture and collection of people. We can be best of friends on Facebook or Myspace and yet not recognize one another and become violent with one another over healthcare? Does that make sense to you? In the end, if the violence wins the day and kills healthcare for all Americans, what has the political movement on the right really won? David Frum has his opinion on that…

Makes me wonder if outside influences and special interests on both sides are pushing the buttons to force matters and discussions regarding healthcare into a violent end. Otherwise, I think we can all agree that Kate Smith had it right with her inspirational rendition of God Bless America. At the end of the day, we are all still Americans and we can not and should not ever forget that.

Video Link



Papamoka

Healthcare Boiled Over Debate

Anyone with a heartbeat has something to say on healthcare for all Americans or they damn sure as hell should have an opinion. From business owners that have seen the gross profiteering from their health care insurance providers to the employees of those same businesses that have seen their own cost rise but services cut. The only people winning are the mega structures built to provide a new home to the next generation of Robber Barons. And yet an industry that claims that they can police themselves is recording record profits while the rest of America is losing its shirt? Does that make any sense to you?

Teddy Roosevelt was a Republican bastard to industry and that is a political and historical fact. He saw a wrong, it was un-American for the times and he sure as hell fixed it. He carried his big stick and broke up the Robber Barons for a reason, they were killing the American economy. When any industry Robber Baron thinks that they are so powerful that the laws and the liberty of all Americans is no longer of their concern because they believe to have omnipotent power, then it is up to a strong President and Federal Government to protect the American people from them.

Capitalism in America is a funny business, sometimes it serves the many but often it serves the few. There is nothing wrong with any company making a profit to survive. If I were a CEO then that would be my objective one hundred and ten percent. We are talking health care though, not gas, not steel, not oil and things that could be commodity driven. Just health care is being discussed here and frankly I have to agree with Teddy Roosevelt that it is time to take out the federal government big stick and knock the sons of bitches down a notch. As the system stands now, you would have to work for your employer and forsake all of your wages twenty years from now just to see your doctor for the sniffles. Pay your soul to the company store for anything worse than that.

Reality is simple, do the math yourself. The more people without health care means that the cost to you will rise further and higher than it has in the past. People will look back kindly when co-pays only increased twenty percent per year. Health Care CEO’s will take hundred million dollar plus bonuses and wonder how they will increase their pay the next year?

Meanwhile, ten of millions of our fellow Americans will go without regular care, never see a doctor till the cost of care goes into the millions and the sun will shine the next day regardless of political opinion one way or the other. Just make sure you wear your sunglasses as you pass the conglomerate skyscraper HMO built to make sure you get your health care bill emailed, faxed, debited from your checking account, or sent to your cell phone before you even get home from your doctor.

The health care industry is broken. It isn’t the nurses and doctors that give the care fault. It’s the white shirts in a huge glass building hundreds or thousands of miles away from the table that you sit on where they ask you to roll up your sleeve or stick out your tongue. It’s not even the emergency room hospitals fault either. Most hospitals according to some reports have to waive the bills and eat the cost of caring for people without health insurance. Where do you think that cost gets passed on to? That two dollar treatment such as Aspirin or other medication of equal cost ends up costing $250 on an insurance form from the ER.

It is time for a Teddy Roosevelt big stick. Hell yes! President Obama needs to speak softly and carry a big stick when it comes to healthcare reform. Is that not one of the biggest reasons we voted to elect President Obama and a Democrat controlled Congress? I believe we have the votes to get it done so what is the problem? Just get the job done and lets move on to the next issue!

Papamoka

Do You Value Life

My father was a decorated veteran of WWII and Korea. He raised seven kids and loved them all to no end. Dad died from Alzheimer’s disease and the only one that cared for him for the last eight or nine years of his life was me. The only person that knew of his last wishes was me. All of the burden from seven children was on me to sign a DNR which is a Do Not Resuscitate should he go into a medical condition that could end in his death. I spent the last night with him holding his hand and he had no clue as to who I was. And yet I knew who he was. That was all that mattered.

There is a ton of controversy over the current health care legislation in Washington and there should be. I don’t want a blanket Gestapo health care plan but we all know that the system is broken. Nobody in America would drive by an accident with people, children, babies, bleeding and dying on the side of the road and yet that is what the current system does. Our health care system only cares for the people that can afford it and if you don’t have a job, you have an emergency room health care system. The costliest system there is. That means it is broken. Our health care system sucks! It’s one of the worst health care systems in all of the industrialized nations of the world.

I have Parkinson’s or some form of it according to doctors and the director of Neurology at UMASS Medical hospital in Worcester. I haven’t had insurance to treat it for a year and a half. I lost my job. I don’t bitch about it, I deal with it. I don’t have medication for it, I don’t bitch about it either. I do however have a living will.

I don’t want my children visiting a vegetable in a hospital or nursing home for a decade. I don’t want machines keeping me alive for one more second than God intended. That is my right and my decision to decide. I have made my peace with my God and I am not afraid. My path is not easy but my words for now are the truth. I am one of the people lost in the health care system that is broken beyond belief. I have my faith in God but I would like a few more years with my children. Could a health care system for all do that?

Nobody is proposing to kill the elderly. That would be idiotic just as it sounds. Matter of fact, the person putting in that addendum to the health care plan is a Republican doctor in the Congress. All he is asking for is a living will for all. I don't have a problem with that but I do have a problem with his political party selling it as a fear factor even though it came from their own political party as an addendum!

Thought for the process of the discussion for you to think about. Don’t you think you have a right in the discussion as to how you want to be treated in the end of your days? I know for a fact that I sure as hell do! Whatever organs I have that are of use, take em, use them, do whatever you want with them. My time in this vessel is or will be done. Anyone mocking this life changing legislation has never read the current wording by Senators Dodd and Kennedy. What has been added to it is not of their ownership.

Life is what it is, love it while you have it to enjoy! Go out of your way to make someone smile while you can.

Papamoka

Virginia Foxx Nut Job on Healthcare

I should first start off by offering this little piece of information about the Republican nut job from North Carolina, she claims that every American has health care. I can’t make this stuff up! She said it, believes it, and is freakin’ delusional! I wonder what her net worth is to be able to boast this lie about our healthcare system? “All Americans have healthcare”. Raise your hand if you know of someone that does not have health care? Email Congressmen Foxx if you do not have health care insurance. Check out her statement, you have health care…

(No video, just a sound bite)



Is she right? I hate to say it but she is correct. It’s called an emergency room! That’s the problem Virginia! DUH IS YOU Virginia. That is what is busting our health insurance system. Yes you can go to the ER if you have a medical emergency, and yes you will get patched up and sent home. The issue Mrs. Foxx, God that is ironic (she gets and extra X in her name to differentiate the filth and lies Fox News reports as almost the truth), is that emergency rooms do not and will not treat long term health care problems like cancer, leukemia, muscle disorders like MS or can I go through a plethora of other life threatening medical problems that millions of Americans face every single day. Emergency rooms are not for long term treatment that could save lives!

I’m an American citizen, born here, raised in Worcester County my entire life. I don’t have health insurance. I more or less work for myself now and I can’t get affordable health insurance even from the state of Massachusetts because my parents didn’t have a name for me before they left the hospital that I was born in. My birth certificate reads pure and simple “--- O’Keefe” and the fact that I was a baby boy born to Jack and Louise O‘Keefe. Feel free to call me Dash. The kids are covered but I’m screwed no matter how many times I tried to prove that I am and have been an American citizen.

Do I have long term health problems? You betcha I do and I can’t see the specialty doctors at UMASS Hospital that I had when I was gainfully employed. So I deal with it and live with it. I’m not important in this battle simply because there are so many more people that DO NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE that are important to this countries future. He or she may be sitting right next to you at this very moment. Without health insurance for all of our people then only the silent voices of the sick and poor will pass out of our range of hearing. That works fine for those of us with tons of cash in the bank and have a voice and pulpit to preach from. It doesn’t work for those of us hoping that the symptoms and progression of our medical issue that grows worse daily will not or does not take us one step closer to the casket. We have so much to offer and Virginia Foxx is lying for the sake of the almighty dollar and whatever connections she has financially to her political office. How do you sleep at night Virginia? Follow the money is always the rule of thumb. I dare to wonder how many skeletons are in the Foxx closet.

Life is precious and anyone that comes out with a statement as moronic as Virginia Foxx’s, that declares all Americans have health insurance should be questioned and that statement vilified. I personally find it more than stupefying that she is so anti abortion and yet she has no problem with letting millions of Americans die each year simply because they have no health insurance. What is the difference Virginia? What is the difference?

This fight for healthcare for all Americans isn’t a right verse left issue. It is a fight for life. Defend your argument against life from the right side of the political spectrum. If you can’t your stance against health care for all, then why is the right side of politics so much against healthcare for all Americans?

Papamoka

Unemployed with NO Insurance

The vast great economy of George W. Bush finally tapped yours truly on the shoulder on Thursday March 6th. I was laid off by my employer and for the first time in my entire working life I am without a job. Depressing as that may sound, my families health insurance for my five girls, my wife and I, was canceled effective with the deliverance of my vacation pay and box of personal effects.

For some odd reason my interest in the election for President has a new foundation on why health insurance for all is very important. Not having health insurance that I’ve had my entire working life is somewhat perplexing that for every day I no longer have coverage our former Governor Mitt Romney found it in his heart to penalize this out of work citizen for. What a swell guy… NOT!

If you have followed this little blog then you might be aware that one of our children has been very sick for a very long time. She is the star in her Daddy’s eye and her life has such huge potential that sometimes it scares me. Even with what most would call full medical coverage by my now former employer, we lost everything when she spent ten months in the hospital. Our home, our A1 credit rating, and our self respect. One thing we did not loose was faith and hope in our oldest baby. Time is a wonderful thing and today she still has personal health issues but her future is brighter than ever. Is it really health insurance when all the things your companies medical plan does not cover drags you financially under?

One of the reasons that I am backing Barack Obama is the simple fact that his Universal Health Care plan has the best chance of passing in the Congress once he is elected President. The important part of that last statement was “best chance”. We still live in a democracy and legislation like this is not a given once you sit behind the desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Unlike President Bush who has had a slam dunk, in his pocket, looking the other way at all times Congress. Our nations next President will have a very new and independent Congress to face. Just because you promise Universal Health Coverage does not mean the Congress will pass it.

When it comes to health coverage for all we need a President that can and will work across party lines for the good of the country. Not that Senator Clinton has not shown that ability in the past but on this issue you need to convince the opposing side with a little kindness and political charm and Obama brings that and more to the table.

I’m off to figure out what to do with my lack of a good job with good pay and health insurance. I’ve already begun the networking of friends in the wire and cable industry. If you hear of anyone looking for a great sales guy in the wire and cable business please point them my way. Otherwise I’ll be knocking on doors come Monday morning till one of them says come on in and have a seat.

Papamoka

Cross posted at MichaelLinnJones.com and Bring It ON!

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