There has been a push in recent days to get a clearer picture of what the Health Care Reform proposal has to offer the American citizen. During the year long debate, the Democratic majority and the President lost the message war as the Republican Party of NO and the astroturf groups orchestrated by Big Pharma took to the streets and the airwaves chanting discouraging slogans and scaring uninformed seniors.So as we head into the final week or so before the House votes for the already passed Senate Healthcare Bill, the public is getting one last blast of corrective language to better inform anyone who still has the desire to learn what's to come.
Americans across this country agree that our health care system is broken: Unaccountable insurance companies ration care, soaring premiums cripple the budgets of our businesses and families, and vital care remains out of reach for far too many. The time for change has come. President Obama’s final proposal incorporates the best ideas from both parties to put Americans in control of our own health care.
Here is what Obama's Plan is expected to do:
PROTECT AMERICANS FROM INSURANCE COMPANY ABUSES
• You will never be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions
• You will never be hit with arbitrary premium hikes
• You will never see your coverage revoked just when you get sick or injured
• You will never face unlimited out-of-pocket expenses for your care
GUARANTEE AFFORDABLE CHOICES
• If you like your current doctor and you like your current plan, you keep them.
• Uninsured individuals and small business owners will become part of a powerful negotiating pool, just like members of Congress and other federal employees, lowering prices and increasing choice.
• Struggling middle-class families will receive a tax credit to make coverage even more affordable – the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.
REDUCE THE COST OF CARE FOR OUR FAMILIES, BUSINESSES & GOVERNMENT
• We’ll save billions of dollars every year by reducing waste and abuse in our current system.
• We’ll save and create millions of jobs, raise wages and strengthen the economy.
• We’ll cut the deficit by nearly $1 trillion over two decades.
So you may ask, what if our elected leaders do nothing?
*Up to 17 million more people will be uninsured by 2019 than today.
*The average family's health care costs will nearly double by 2020, from $13,000 to $24,000 — meaning they'll be paying a quarter of their income toward health care costs.
*Insurers can continue the massive and arbitrary premium rate increases we've heard about recently — such as Anthem Blue Cross raising rates for customers in California by nearly 40%, and rates in Illinois going up by as much as 60%.
*As many as 275,000 people could die prematurely over the next 10 years because they don't have health insurance.
*Health care costs will take up a staggering amount of our national budget. In 1960, it was 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), last year it was 17 percent. Costs will reach 21 percent of our economy by 2020 if we fail to act.
*Rapidly rising costs will make it harder for employers — particularly small businesses — to provide quality health insurance to employees, leading many to drop coverage or shift to plans that cover less.
*Even those who have insurance today will be less secure, and more likely to lose coverage if they switch jobs or lose their job due to rising costs on the individual market or being denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.
So I don't have to add much more to the issue as a local Blogger. Frankly, we don't have much in the way of influence in the closing days of this debate. Here, I have expressed my concerns on the Insurance Industry dictated mess from the Senate and the lack of spine in the House. What I find amazing, is that support for the Public Option is growing at this late date. Simply amazing.
Reid has indicated that, if the House sends a reconciliation package that includes the Public Option, the supposed 53 votes in the Senate may have the opportunity to pass that too. We shall see.
8 comments:
An interesting point to consider: the average health insurance co. profit margin is only 3% or less, hardly enough to be considered rip-offs. And why, pray tell, should we believe for a single minute all of these wonderful promises, promises from the same group that promised us unemployment of less than 8% if only we gave away billions of dollars (we gave it away and the rate is now what..well over 10% I believe), or that promised us that GM would be a thriving business if we only gave them billions of dollars (same story, same result) or that promised us that our social security funds were in a locked box, forever protected until we needed it (All that money GONE? If you honestly believe that anyone, ANYONE who spouts this nonsense can be trusted, then you, sir are a fool. Any group who lies as often, as regularly and as dramatically as our politicians would be trusted only to be lying again.
Its true, you have been an advocate for a more comprehensive healthcare reform bill. But you are just one voice here in New York just like the rest of us.
If the elected officials across the country knew just how the Public Option would help all of the municipalities in their districts, they'd be more inclined to join the desperate cry for property tax relief.
Opening the options for government employees has the potential to lower operating costs throughout the Nation. How can taxpayers not see this?
SP
Don't forget the cost of healthcare to the uninsured which is heaped onto the taxpayers as well!
Please don't put all of the blame on the Republican party as the party fighting the reform. There are quite a few independents and democrats who are not please with the reform. So to put it squarely on the republicans is a bogus argument.
A lot of lawyers are democrats and they are the ones who are resisting tort reform as it is their livelihood in some cases. Tort reform would go a long way in reducing premiums for health insurance. Most of the occupations in the Congress & Senate are individuals with law degrees.
I am resentful of something being jammed down my throat before all of the homework has been done. I have a strong aversion to our lawmakers in Washington who do not have to have the Health plan that Americans will be forced to have. But if they had to have the same plan as us, I might be more receptive. I wonder how they would vote if this was forced on them??
Which website did you just copy and paste these talking points from? They are outdated. The Party of No, and BigPharma Astroturf is really getting old. Speaking of Big Pharma, didn't Obama make some huge concessions for Big Pharma for their support? You really should give credit where credit is due.
Super Majority, and the dems STILL can't get it passed.
The governent gets its power FROM THE PEOPLE. Our representitives do not have the right to tell us what is best for us. Since when did the term 'represent', mean something other than represent. Now, sure, because of the liberal tide in our area, it could be said Hinchey is representing his constituents. But when the majority of American OPPOSE the current plan, there should be a majority of represtitives also opposing the current plan.
For those who oppose the mere notion of altering our current healthcare system, the greatest threat to you would be that congress passes the two bills and the result actually makes this country better.
For you, the worst outcome would be better times ahead while Obama is in office.
For the rest of us, nothing less than a better tomorrow will do and we are willing to work toward that end no matter who is in office.
Many of us still hoped for a successful America even as we railed against the Bush agenda. If the Obama plan becomes reality, let's actually work to make it a success rather than sabotage this long overdue reform.
One question, if an insurance company can not deny health care to any person because of medical condition how will they not increase the price to the customer? And don't give me the reform medicare waste, because doctors are paid less from medicare than a garbage man from the city of Kingston. (Where are all of you union organizers screaming for a fair wage?) Private insurance is the only system where doctors make a semi-fair wage, and even that isn't all that good considering their expenses.
All of the money has to go into a pot and the pot is used to pay the bills. Your propoganda above says that we will never see increases in rates and we will never see anyone denied because of medical condition. Well if we add all of the payouts that come with the added cost of paying for people with serious medical conditions but we don't increase the cost to the consumer (aka more money in the pot), then how does the system stay solvent?
The answer is it doesn't, which means government will have to subsidize it. Translated your taxes will have to go to pay for the added costs. And our health care system will turn into the same thing as every other government program. A hole where all of your money goes and nothing good comes out of.
Tell you what I will continue to work for my health care plan, and you guys can go off somewhere else and use your own money to finance your little health insurance utopia. Maybe the wizard of oz will float on down and wave his wand when your program goes broke.
5:33, the BEST outcome? The PROGRESSIVES (not democrats) pass this monstrasity (sp), they get voted OUT of office, and the Supreme Court of the United States, deem just a single part of the bill UNCONSTITUTIONAL, and the entire bill is thrown OUT! THAT, my friend, is the best scenario. You progressives lose and lose. Music.
Post a Comment