I wonder what you think of the current progress towards health care reform. I think the health insurance companies are poised for record profits. I think the average citizen is poised to pay more in premium costs and much more in taxes and get less for it.
According to most of the Democrats, we are addressing a moral issue and we should gleefully pony up and pay for the less fortunate among us. If you disagree with this position you are an evil, greedy, selfish person and should be ashamed of yourself.
I wonder why those of us who currently enjoy a comfortable life complete with health coverage should have our benefits cut and our costs increased to implement a plan that will not ultimately provide quality care at a lower cost for the less fortunate among us.
I heard on the news over the weekend that, included in this bill is a tanning booth tax. The argument is that, “I should not have to pay for someone to get cancer from tanning”. On the surface this sounds reasonable, right? If you believe that you need to wake up! I am sure this single tax isn’t the only one in the bill. There are many seemly harmless little sections on preventative care that will probably affect each and everyone of us, either in a tax or mandatory participation in order to qualify for continuing coverage.
These seemingly harmless, “It is good for us,” provisions, are in reality “behavior modification” tools.
The government wants the overweight, the smokers and many other personal behaviors changed under the guise of health.
While in principle these are very good things for people to do, I think it infringes on personal freedoms. What is the trade off here?
As usual there are a few crumbs tossed to the taxpayers, such as the much touted, insurance companies cannot cancel or deny you coverage for pre-existing conditions and other small concessions but, the over all requirements of the House bill and Senate bill truly benefit the insurance companies and our representatives campaign coffers more than the public.
I have contended that I should not have to pay for a large government entitlement plan. I have been called just plain lucky because I was smart enough to get a plan that I could carry into retirement. One my liberal friends told me that he felt that I had an “I got mine to bad for you attitude”. He also said that at 20 years old he didn’t think that far ahead. I would ask him did you not think at 30, 40, 50 and now in your 60′s? Is it fair that I have to pay for him because he did not think he would ever get sick. Not much difference than the tanning bed position the liberals take is it?
I wonder about the exclusions two states get to the cost sharing of Medicaid. If this bill is so good why did these Democrats feel the need to protect their states citizens at the expense of the rest of us. I wonder why one Democratic Senator felt the need to have the anti-trust exemptions excluded from the bill. I feel this single change to current law would have cut insurance costs by half. This is just my opinion, but take a look at your auto insurance. How high would it be if State Farm had a monopoly in your state?
My liberal friends also tell me the bill will change as the process continues, they are right of course, it will get worse, cost more and insure fewer people.
These are just a few of my thoughts on the big insurance reform sell out. What are yours?

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HealthCare and the Capitol

The Progressives are moving in lockstep towards health care reform. The House bill is being debated, the Senate bill is classified top secret. What are we the people going to get?

I read the house bill, I found it very frightening. Speaker Pelosi and her cohorts have crafted a bill that will revamp the healthcare in this country. If this bill passes it we will all be forced into a system that raises taxes and increases our insurance premium costs. This bill puts the government in control of our healthcare and large sums of our money. This is the most extensive, expensive, do nothing for the people, healthcare bill in the history of the United States. It is more costly and complicated than medicare. If you don’t believe me read the bill yourself.

After months of calling the insurance companies thieves and liars the writers of this bill have created a wonder and profitable place for them, “THE EXCHANGE,” where all of us must go to purchase insurance unless we meet the new poverty levels and qualify for Medicaid. We will find all the familiar names waiting for us in the exchange. Do you think cheaper insurance because of a larger pool of customers? Think again, the bill allows a 25% increase in premiums for the insurance companies. Nice! Seems to me the champaign contributions will continue to roll in while Congress rolls over and we get screwed.

We get to keep what we have huh? We are grandfathered in. Do you know what grandfathered in means in government speak? It means the people who are currently in a program can stay, but did you know this bill prohibits insurance companies from issuing policies to individuals at year one of the start up. They have to go to the exchange. What does this tell us? It tells me that if you stay in your old program you can but, as soon as all of us in the program have died or quit, the program will end leaving only the exchange.

The medicaid portion concerns me greatly. I know that under any government assistance program there are income and ownership limitations. If you are one of the folks that qualify for Medicaid you have to accept it, you have no other options. On the surface this sounds fine but what of the people under this new qualifying level who own a house? A house is an asset. They  may not qualify and be forced into the exchange. These folks are struggling to make ends meet and they will be forced to absorb a monthly health insurance premium payment, they might be forced to sell just to get Medicaid or make a premium payment. You think that these kind of folks don’t exists, think again I know several.

You may be asking yourself, how does this lead us to socialism? My opinion is the government is forcing me to purchase something I may not want or already have, they are telling me where to purchase it. Progressives make the case that the government already does this in many forms. I agree! Each one of these mandates costs me more personal choices and liberties. Each one of these mandates is another step towards socialism. It is my opinion that we as citizens have an obligation to pay taxes to support many important government functions for the benefit of us all. It is my opinion that there is a fine line between these obligations and government control. The policies of this administration and congress are crossing that line.

There is just to much to discuss in one blog so I will have to continue this later. Please get involved, make your voice heard. Indications are Pelosi won’t listen but your rep might!

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