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The term "health care reform" is actually quite misleading. The legislation that is currently sweeping through congressional committees in Washington right now is actually health care insurance reform, a very different beast.
Essentially what President Obama has said is that he wants every person living in America to have health insurance coverage. According to White House numbers, there are 47 million people in the U.S. without it. Those numbers are debatable however and could be significantly less when one removes those earning in excess of $50,000 per year (because they could afford coverage but choose not to pay for it), those who are not legal U.S. citizens (approximately 10 million), and many more who are already eligible for government health care insurance options such as Medicare and Medicaid but have not signed up.
Members of congress and the senate are drafting thousands of pages of legislation to accomplish the president's goal. Though a final bill has not yet been drafted, here's what's been reported so far.
* It will be mandated for every American to participate in health insurance. There is still debate as to whether you will be able to keep your current plan as employers will soon have the option of dropping private insurance (and pay a tax to the government), keeping your current plan, or shopping around for a cheaper program.
* There will be "surplus" taxes for the "rich" (as defined by congress) to help pay for the new government service. Reports thus far have estimated that any individual or business making more than $250,000 would be subject to the tax. The consequences of further taxing those who provide jobs, contribute to charity, and help the economy grow have not been evaluated by congress or the Congressional Budget Office yet.
* The price tag for this legislation will top $1,000,000,000,000.
* There will be a new government agency charged with determining what is acceptable, affordable and treatable. All plans currently in committees add the creation of a "rationing body" of sorts to constantly evaluate and change the health care system. This government body will not be restrained by congress and its members will be chosen by the administration.
* Under all plans in review, Congress, the Senate, their staff, and the White House staff will be exempt from participating in the public option program. They will keep their current insurance, doctors, etc. There have also been reports that unions will not have to participate in the program or pay taxes and penalties associated with the program.
Though the president held a press conference on July 22, 2009 to help explain what exactly the health care insurance reform will look like, many Americans are still unsure of what it all means. Will they be able to keep their current doctor? Will the government be the "middle man" in determining procedures, medicines and care? How exactly will the American people pay for this program? Will illegal immigrants be able to participate in the program?
When asked what the American people will have to sacrifice to accomplish the president's ambitious goals, he replied, "They're going to have to give up paying for things that don't make them healthier." - July 22, 2009 press conference.
Obama didn't go into specific detail, but one has to ask, does that mean certain tests to determine illness or injury will be denied? Though a test doesn't make you healthier, it no doubt may be a desired service. Different drugs work differently on different human bodies. Does this mean that a drug that only helps a few will be denied in favor of a drug that helps the masses? The new government health agency will answer that question.
Quite possibly the most revealing question of the press conference was from Steve Koff of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
"One, can you guarantee that this legislation will lock in and say the government will never deny any services, that that's going to be decided by the doctor and the patient, and the government will not deny any coverage?"
The President's response:
"No. The whole point of this is to try to encourage changes that work for the American people and make them healthier."
Healthier as determined by whom? Will the government rationing body have access to our healthcare records? Likely. Will that body be able to determine the best care for a patient in Roanoke while seated at a fancy mahogany conference table in Washington D.C.? We'll have to see.
For more details on the president's plan for health care insurance reform, please click here:
Health Care
AP Photo Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Comments
Erin - thank you for putting this in terms that even a 7th grader can understand. You have hit the nail on the head and we should be VERY afraid of this lunatic and his band of criminals! Please make sure that your readers know they MUST communicate to their legislators that they DONT SUPPORT THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE!! Flood their voice mail boxes and e-mail in-boxes. I love your column and keep up the excellent reporting!
Selling out of the Poor? What would Elmo say?
Full Name: Wayne Berman Title: Vice-Chair; Finance Co-Chair; Adviser
Over the course of three years, Berman’s lobbying firm was paid $660,000 to lobby on behalf of UnitedHealth subsidiary Americhoice, a managed care HMO providing health insurance to Medicaid, Medicare, and SCHIP recipients. Specifically, according to the lobbying report, they lobbied on Medicaid issues in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.[Americhoice Lobbying Reports 2004 – 2007; Americhoice.com ] Berman Also Lobbied For “Absurdly Low” Rates for Medicaid Managed Care Companies to Pay Out of Network Hospitals. Also included in the DRA, and mentioned as a lobbying issue on Berman’s Americhoice lobbying report, was a provision setting rates managed care companies must pay to out-of-network providers -- mainly hospital emergency rooms -- for care received by Medicaid beneficiaries. Rather than forcing managed care companies to reimburse out-of-network hospitals an amount comparable to network providers, the legislation set the default amount to the state’s “fee-for-service rate,” which often is “absurdly low.” The provision thereby shifted financial responsibility for services to Medicaid beneficiaries from the managed care companies to the hospitals themselves, permitting managed care companies to rake in huge profits, while hospitals incurred added losses.[Modern Healthcare, 1/29/07; Text of S. 1932] To Save Money, Bill Cut Services to Medicaid Beneficiaries, But Left Managed Care Providers Untouched. Under the final budget package, substantial Medicaid spending cuts were achieved by imposing new premiums and increased co-payments on Medicaid beneficiaries; some costs were also shifted to the states, who in return were awarded new powers to drop coverage or reduce benefits to certain beneficiaries. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, the AARP CEO decried the final bill, saying it “protects the pharmaceutical industry, the managed-care industry and other providers at the expense of low-income Medicaid beneficiaries.”[Inside CMS, 12/29/05; Los Angeles Times, 12/22/05; World Markets Analysis, 12/21/05; The Hill, 12/20/05]
The Players and whats up for grabs. Profits United Health Group 2010 $4.293 billion
Here are some other 2010 budget numbers: Wonder what it cost CMS ( Can't Manage Sxxx) to operate each year.$453 billion Medicare///$290 billion Medicaid ///$78.7 billion Department of Health and Human Services/// UnitedHealth Group Awarded TRICARE Managed Care Support Contract ... Jul 13, 2009 ... UnitedHealth Group Awarded TRICARE Managed Care Support Contract for more than $20.3 billion. BILLIONS awarded and still to be awarded United's AmeriChoice unit is the largest government contractor administering state Medicaid programs for the poor and federally sponsored plans for children. AmeriChoice's revenue rose 34% last year, to $6 billion. United Health Group and its subsidiarys must be exhausted from signing Corporate Integrity agreements each and every year and as reward for their violations well what happens? they are awarded more contracts and more money and maybe even an ambassadorship here and there and if anybody should question what the heck is going on, then send them a Elmo doll.(Americhoice sponsors Sesame Street) Up side, Billions to be made, down side pay some fines (cost of doing business) move on and nobody goes to jail or gets excluded from the game. Get up the next day put on your Elmo costume and its back to work as usual. WOW, even in the Casino world or Mob world this would be a no no, suprised Hollywood has not done a movie on this or maybe even great TV.
The Government created this monster and now they don’t know what to do about it, like shooting yourself in your own foot etc.Tons of money to advance their national growth, its market positions, tons of money for political donations, tons of money to send 75 millon back to its home office from New York state alone, tons of money to suppot National TV shows, tons of money to pay hugh State fines, tons of money to hire the very best law firms, tons of money to pay for bribes and kickbacks, tons of money for hugh salarys and bonuses, all done on the back of the American taxpayor, you see this company receives all its money from the Federal State governments. Should your tax dollars it be held to a higher standard? Should the government agencys responsible for there review be held to that same standard? Should the IRS audit their corruption? Why has this company not been charged? How long can the buck be passed here in more ways then one?
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