Posted by
Nantachie Rat on Sunday, August 02, 2009 12:26:04 AM
Prescription For Disaster...America's Unaffordable Health No-Choices Act Of 2009
Imagine for a moment, a healthcare system with the efficiency of of FEMA, the profitability and business sense of Amtrak, the care and compassion of the Federal Prison System, and the iron fisted regulation of the IRS. That is basically what the proposed “America's Unaffordable Health No-Choices Act Of 2009”, “His Excellency” Mr. President's healthcare plan would be like.
Details of the plan are slowly beginning to emerge, and they are quite chilling. I would dare say they are reminiscent of Nazi Germany, or the old Soviet Union. When asked about care for the elderly, “His Excellency” Mr. President makes a statement about the need to cut medical expenses by eliminating needless treatments for “end of life” patients. He then cites the case of his own grandmother, the “typical white woman” who raised him. He says her hip-replacement was a needless expense, considering her fragile state, and the doctor's uncertainty over weather or not she would ever be strong enough to walk again.
Apparently, the "health choices" that have been so well publicized as of late, will not be made by individuals, but instead will be made by government administrators. Doctor's recommendations would have little, if any, influence. Medicare & Medicaid would also be changed to conform to the new law. There would literally be a government official, with decision making power, involved in every aspect of our health care. Veterans groups have also been voicing grave concerns over what they term to be the Government reneging on their promises to them.
On a recent CBS morning show interview with CBS Medical correspondent Dr. John LaPook, he again laments all of the needles treatments and expenses that have to be paid for. Dr. LaPook had a perfect opportunity to follow up with a question about the out of control law suits and astronomical malpractice insurance rates doctors have to deal with, but he moves on to another question. He also talks more about “end of life patients”, and how the final year of life is the most expensive year of a Medicare/Medicaid patients life, and people should consider less costly treatment strategies for their dying loved ones.Doesn't “His Excellency” Mr. President Sound a little like a private insurance executive? I would love to see the media's reaction if a private insurance executive had said the same thing word for word. Heaven forbid a Republican should say that! I think this may be a subtle hint at the rationing to come, or an attempt to lower expectations in case it doesn't pass. An even more sinister possibility is that involuntary euthanasia may be an eventual goal of the new government agencies that will run the system. Irregardless, this would break the decades old promise of Medicare to the elderly, and that is guaranteed healthcare from a provider of their choosing. Aren't Republicans eviscerated and ridiculed whenever they try to reign in Medicare and Medicaid costs?
It appears that most of the major news outlets are completely in favor of “Obama Care”, as it is called. A recent ABC News prime-time special “town hall” from the White House was billed as an opportunity for both sides to have input in the healthcare debate. It ended up being an “infomercial” for “His Excellency” Mr. President's plan. No Republicans from either house were invited. He again hints at discouraging costly treatments for elderly patients when a member of the audience, Jane Strum, asks about the criteria for making treatment decisions. Mrs. Strum then describes how her 105 yr old mother needed a pacemaker when she turned 100. The cardiologist who had never met Mrs. Strum's mother said she was too old and she may be too weak to undergo the surgery. After meeting Mrs. Strum's mother and examining her, and particularly noting her zest for life, the cardiologist said she would have no problem with the surgery and recovery. Mrs. Strum wanted to know if a person's attitude toward living will be a factor. The non-answer that followed, is the same disdain for costly treatments for people he feels are “going to die anyway, so don't waste the money.”
During the campaign, wasn't healthcare a right that should never be denied to anyone for any reason? Did we not hear over and over again from “His Excellency” Mr. President's campaign and Hillary Clinton's campaign that they each had a plan to provide medical care for everyone for anything at any time, regardless of their condition? Every Democrat running for anything since FDR has ran promising better health care for everyone. Here in Louisiana, our State run medical system is named after former Governor and Senator Huey P. Long, founder of the system. In 1964, Lyndon Johnson ran an “FDR” style campaign touting his “Great Society” and how free medical care would be a major part of it. Any semi-conscious person over 30 can well remember the “Hillary Care” debacle in 1993. Take a look back at “Enviro-Pope” Al Gore's campaign in 2000, did he not promise unlimited free medical care for everyone and their first cousin? I remember the debates between him and former Pres. Bush, they sounded like a couple of insurance salesmen competing for a sale rather than presidential candidates. In 2004 John “I've Got a Plan” Kerry and John “Baby Daddy” Edwards ranted and raved about how they were going to grant everyone's every wish about health care. Again, former Pres. Bush advocated reform of the health care system, but his ideas didn't involve a massive expansion of government. Also, during all of these campaigns, weren't insurance companies demonized and excoriated for picking and choosing what treatments they would pay for and who they would cover? Why is it that damages from lawsuit abuse, and measures to prevent them never factored into the costs incurred by providers of health insurance?
After some 70 plus years of being promised our every health care wish from the Democratic Party, and being made to expect they can deliver on them, alas we are told there may limits on what we could expect to receive upon passage of “America's Unaffordable Health No-Choices Act of 2009”
“His Excellency” Mr. President was asked by Dr. Orrin Devinski if he would seek medical treatment outside of the system if a member of his family were gravely ill. He yet again referred to his grandmother the “typical white woman” and laments costly needless expenses, and ends with quote;”you're absolutely right, if it's my (family) I want them to have the very best healthcare available.” end quote.
It seems the orthodox socialist-in-chief thinks himself and the “royal family” to be above the rest of us. Are we to assume, based on that remark and the fact that “His Excellency” Mr. President never answers questions he doesn't want to, that he and the privileged elite will be able to opt out of whatever system they are planning? May we be so bold to ask that if they really do have our best interests in mind, then why are they giving themselves an out? Isn't this the very same thing that insurance execs and Republicans are pilloried for?
H. R. 3200, ‘‘America’s Unaffordable Health No-Choices Act of 2009’’ (1017 pages) was just released publicly on the 17th of July. “His Excellency” Mr. President had been demanding that there be a final vote (rubber stamp) so he could sign it into law before the August 1st recess. In a well rehearsed and over hyped Rose Garden ceremony, of course. The news media, with precious few exceptions, was swooning and fawning over the “ambitious” timetable, and “how focused and driven” “His Excellency” Mr. President was to deliver on his promise to make health care “available and affordable for everyone.”
“His Excellency” Mr. President, his “disciples” all over the country, and his groupies in the Congress and the news media have grossly underestimated the intelligence and resolve of the American people.
There seems to be a collective “Wait just a damn minute!” from a substantial and rapidly growing number of people, Republicans and a surprising number of Democrats in the Congress, and an exponentially growing conservative web-roots community.
The “Blue Dog” Democrats, as they are known in the House of Representatives, are conservative leaning, and believe in fiscal restraint and responsibility. In other words, they are sane and in their right mind. (Pun intended.) Right now, they are making a stand in the House Energy and Commerce committee chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D) of California. They have been involved in very tense negotiations attempting to reach an agreement to mark it up and send it to the floor for the full House to consider.
The hold up is over disparities in Medicare/Medicaid funding in different areas of the country. The Blue Dogs are arguing that these disparities prove that a massive new public plan for everyone would be plagued by the same problems on a much larger scale.
It has become apparent that “His Excellency” Mr. President's “ambitious” time-table for his signature piece of legislation will not be acheived and has been extended to mid to late September, at the very least. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D) Maryland had suggested that lawmakers should stay in Washington through August to to get the bill out of the Energy and Commerce Committee and onto the floor for a vote. He was probably figuring that at least a yea vote from the House would build some momentum going into the recess. So far no one has taken him up on his offer. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) Nevada is going to postpone consideration of H.R. 3200 until after the recess.
Sen. Kent Conrad (D) North Dakota is calling on Senate Republicans to join with the Democrats to craft a bi-partisan bill that can be passed, because they “can't do it alone.” Democrats hold the “magic number” of 60 votes in the Senate. They don't need Republicans to do anything. However, there seems to be a few “Blue Dog” Senators as well. There are three RINOs (Republican In Name Only) on the Senate Finance Committee on board for now. As GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Says, “The only thing bi-partisan about this bill is the opposition to it.” The other reason they want GOP support for this measure is to blunt any attacks from GOP candidates (Don't blame us, y'all voted for it too!) in next year's mid-term elections. In other words, Democrats are trying to lure Republicans into a trap because they are shrewd enough to know that there is a good possibility that this bill won't pass, there is substantial public disapproval, and GOP candidates will have a made-to-order issue to hammer Democrats with.
On July 31st it was announced that the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed their version of H.R. 3200 after lengthy negotiations with Blue Dogs by a vote of 31 to 28, with three Blue Dogs dissenting. No Republicans on the committee voted for it. There are two other committees that have their own version, and the three will have to be melded together before it goes to the floor for a vote. The punchline is this; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there is no guarantee that the hard-fought compromises reached in the Energy and Commerce Committee, or the two others, will be included in the final bill.
For some strange, unknown reason House Speaker Nancy “The Wicked Witch of The West” Pelosi says she's had the votes to pass H.R. 3200 for some time, and had been wanting to bring it to the floor for a vote before the recess, but she is now saying it will have to wait until after. Apparently, she like Rep. Hoyer thought that a yea vote would build some momentum going into the recess. I know that Speaker Pelosi is a shrewd and ruthless partisan, and is very much able to get unruly Democrats to behave. I think she is underestimating the resolve of the Blue Dogs to oppose this measure. I also believe that Democrats from conservative districts who barely won against GOP candidates know that they are committing suicide by voting for this bill. The Blue Dogs are standing on principal, but the Democrats from the conservative leaning districts are trying to save their own hide. The real contest will be weather she is tough enough to strong-arm the needed votes, or weather the Blue Dogs' have the resolve to go the distance. The rest will line up behind who ever looks like they will win. I hope that there is not one single Republican who votes for this, just like on the ACES- American Clean Energy and Security Act.
The compromised bills agreed upon by the House Committees may be the “loose thread” that causes the whole thing to come unraveled. Liberal House members are not at all pleased with Chairman Waxman's concessions to the Blue Dog members of his committee. The rest of the Blue Dogs are not at all pleased with Rep. Mike Ross (D) Arkansas-the Blue Dog leader- for compromising with Chairman Waxman. At this point, there is not a single Republican on board, even with the compromises. Speaker Pelosi may just implode the whole thing by trying to force a vote on a version without the compromises. Such a move would only serve to infuriate the Blue Dogs and House Republicans and galvanize their opposition to it. Never the less, Spkr. Pelosi says she has the votes to pass H. R. 3200.
The August recess for this year, is shaping up to be one of the most contentious in history. The groundswell of opposition will surly continue to grow as more and more of the now 1100 plus page bill comes to light. People are spooked and worried about such a massive and unprecedented government take over of what is essentially a private industry. There is also persistent nagging doubts as to how this will be paid for. Especially after a Congressional Budget Office report that said it is impossible to know the full cost of such a massive plan that in current form exceeds every estimate. The most disturbing aspect of the whole thing is the fact that the traditional doctor-patient relationship we Americans have know since our founding will no longer exist. Our well-being and our very lives and those of our loved ones will be at the whim and mercy of government administrators, who in most cases we will never see, making decisions based on what is best for the Government. I have read over this bill carefully and all I see is where the Secretary or the Administrator makes any decision. We definitely need to keep up the pressure to oppose this. It is for sure that undecided members of Congress will be under tremendous pressure from Speaker Pelosi, “His Excellency” Mr. President, and their henchmen. They have not once given any attention whatsoever to any idea from Republican and Conservative members of Congress, despite the fact that many of these members of Congress are licensed MD's. Two of them are my Representative, Dr. John Fleming, R-La4th and Dr. Bill Cassidy R-La6th. They are advocating allowing health insurance to be purchased online and across state lines, therby increasing the risk pool and lowering rates. Independent research of these ideas has shown promising results. I have not seen where anyone from the insurance industry has been allowed anywhere near the Capitol to offer input. No public input has been allowed either, unless it is in support of the Administration. Not a word is said about limiting awards for malpractice suits, reforming tort laws to protect doctors and hospitals from predatory lawsuits, and controlling the cost of malpractice insurance. This would surely reduce the money and time wasted on “treatments that don't make people better” as “His Excellency” Mr. President would say.