Hagel (R-Ne) panel details new system for health care (tax on alcohol and tobacco)

[Omaha Steve]

Free reg req: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1219&u_sid=2324413

Published Friday | February 2, 2007
Hagel panel details new system for health care
BY STEVE JORDON
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

A high-powered study group formed by Sen. Chuck Hagel recommended drastic changes today in national health care funding, practices and control, including a Federal Reserve-type group to form and carry out policies.

The plan would redirect federal and state money that now goes to Medicare and Medicaid and establish other funding sources, including a new national tax on alcohol and tobacco. The money would go into a system that would give every American a basic health plan known as a "medical home."

The Hagel commission's chairman, former Alegent Health Chief Executive Charles Marr, said the recommendations represented "a new vision for accessible and sustainable health care in America."

Hagel, R-Neb., said he would use the group's "creative and important ideas" as the basis for legislation he planned to introduce in Congress this year.

FULL story at link.

[burythehatchet]

1. A basic package of health and wellness services

available to everyone is a good start.

[JerseygirlCT]

5. Betcha basic women's care is skimpy -- and don't look for

birth control or abortion services in this anti-choicer's plan.

Just a guess.

[caligirl]

2. What is the definition of basic they are using here? If it covers

things like eye exams, urinary tract infections, immunizations, and trips to urgent care for dehydration and minor lacerations, thats nice. But what about durable medical for oxygen or wheel chairs. What about labor and delivery services, or hip replacements? chemo or diabetes supplies and diabetic complications, or heart surgery? None of those sound like 'basic' health plan to me.

[PSPS]

3. This stinks

From what the full article contains, it looks like a backdoor attempt to funnel Medicare and and Medicaid funds to bush cronies and GOP contributors.

The plan would redirect federal and state money that now goes to Medicare and Medicaid and establish other funding sources, including a new national tax on alcohol and tobacco. The money would go into a system that would give every American a basic health plan known as a "medical home."

This sounds like a way to de-fund a perfectly working system of Medicare/Medicaid and, instead, funnel that money through the high-overhead multi-million-dollar-compensated-CEO insurance companies, along with a regressive "sin" tax to boot.

[JerseygirlCT]

4. Yes, I'm suspicious

I somehow doubt this is a new government program, but rather another attempt at privatisation. Remember how HMO's were going to lower prices and cover everyone?

I don't get why, when the gov't programs work more affordably than private insurance does, that anyone who is serious about the issue ignores the possibility of simply expanding that system already in place?

Cut out the zillion levels of bureaucracy in insurance companies, and we'd save a whole lot of dough.

[BayCityProgressive]

6. yuck

WHAT IS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT SINGLE PAYER MEDICARE FOR ALL!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[SoCalDem]

8. AMEN.. all they need to do is to model ours after ANY

civilized nation that has one.(which happens to be MOST western countries).

It will NOT happen here thought , until we have a national ID card that identifies us as a US citizen (entitled to the free care)

and

when employers are no longer "allowed" to offer their own plans to their chosen few.

as long as "some" people can get health care/insurance through their work, there will never be a grassroots groundswell big enough to DEMAND (and get) it.

As long as the upper-middles have their care and the kids can get their braces & the wife can get her babies delivered, and the guy can get his bypass, the "average" haves don;t give a crap about the have-nots.

When the upper middle exec finds out that HE'S gonna have to do it all on his own, you better believe that the briefcase brigades will be marching on DC..

Until then.....not so much

The ID card is paramount to health care issues as well as voting, but as loong as citizens don't "want" to be identified, the government can go on its merry way, pretending that we have the best care on the planet and that our voting system is secure and accurate.

that ID card would also address a lot of the "immigration" issue, but there are too many paranoid people in the US who have allowed the government to scare them out of what should be their national rights

health care
secure voting
jobs available to citizens first
college slots for citizens first

[JerseygirlCT]

9. I suppose if you've got your hands elbow deep in

insurance corporation's money, it's impossible to understand a system without their being at the trough.

[truthisfreedom]

7. They should tax guns as well.