Freshman rep. pledges to forgo federal health insurance

[sabra]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) - As House Republicans prepare to introduce a repeal of the health care reform bill, one new GOP congressman said he is standing by his pledge to forgo federal health insurance despite a potentially expensive personal impact.

Rep.-elect Joe Walsh, R-Illinois, told CNN's Jim Acosta that he and his wife will not accept the insurance offered to members of Congress because he made a pledge during the campaign last January.

"My wife and I are going to struggle a little bit because of it. But I was sent to Washington to do what I said I was going to do," Walsh said in an interview on American Morning.

"I don't want to burden the American taxpayer with my health care bill. The federal government is my employer. Right now, the health care system has a real bias against folks who need to shop out there in the individual market," Walsh said.

The Illinois Republican's wife has a preexisting condition that Walsh said will make finding insurance difficult.

"My wife and I now are going to have to go through the struggles that a lot of Americans go through, trying to find insurance in the individual market and having to deal with problems of preexisting conditions."

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/01/04/freshman-rep-pledges-to-forgo-federal-health-insurance/

[jpak]

1. So he must be all for the Obamacare Exchanges that will help folks now on the individual market

and the Evil Obamacare provisions that help folks "having to deal with problems of preexisting conditions."

:evilgrin:

[Kber]

2. Should be an eye-opening experience for them.

I wish them luck.

[Aleric]

3. You missed the best part

"We just don't want to get into a system where people can purchase insurance and then drop insurance whenever they want to. That's not - that's not going to help the system at all."

So, he's saying that a free market, where customers can change vendors at will is bad? That the Health Care Industry needs a different system?

[jpak]

4. but...but...but... Obamacare!!1 ummmm nevermind

:D

[pnwmom]

11. He's an idiot. That's why we have the mandatory insurance requirement --

to keep people from dropping in and out at will.

[SpiralHawk]

14. He's saying he's against the people, and for the RepubliCorp Health Care conglomerates

...to make it plain...

[Javaman]

22. We'll see how long this lasts...

he will change his tune once the first medical emergency comes along and costs him a bundle.

His wife will call him a halfwit and he will quietly sign up for the plan.

anyone congress person that doesn't sign up for free health care is a moron.

[notadmblnd]

5. What does his wife do?

Cause I'd put money on it that he is insured through her employer.

[Javaman]

23. Very good point. nt

[AKing]

6. Where was he getting his insurance previously?

[gratuitous]

7. So, which lobbyist is going to step up and buy Congressman Walsh?

For the price of health insurance, you too can have your very own Congressman to do anything you want him to! Need someone to rant against your enemies and extol your own alleged virtues? Congressman Walsh is your man! Act now and we'll throw in his personal appearance anytime you like. Imagine having your very own Congressman at your personal beck and call, all for the low, low, low price of a monthly premium. Confidential to health insurance companies: this might qualify as a write off! Consult your accountant for details.

[alp227]

8. Didn't Joe Walsh use to play guitar for the Eagles? Oh wait...

It'd be scary for the musician Joe Walsh (who's over 60) to not want health care. Meanwhile there's this other freshman Republican (Bill Johnson, OH-8) who did the same thing.

[Angry Dragon]

9. Going to give him the benefit of the doubt

he might be a republican with a heart and soul

[pnwmom]

10. Someone should tell this yo-yo that the plan will save hundreds of billions

of dollars for the American taxpayer. If that's what's most important to him.

And what about this quote:

"Walsh said what's needed is "a change in mindset."
'We just don't want to get into a system where people can purchase insurance and then drop insurance whenever they want to. That's not - that's not going to help the system at all.'"

Has he even read the bill? That's why we have the mandatory insurance requirement -- to keep people from dropping in and out whenever they want.

[freshwest]

12. Sorry, but I doubt it. He's still singing the company theme song:

"...Right now, the health care system has a real bias against folks who need to shop out there in the individual market," Walsh said.

No doubt because of all those worthless slugs on Medicare, Medicaid and veterans insurance programs now. (sarcasm)

That is 'the health care system' that he finds most at fault!

I'm not weeping for the private insurance lobby like he is, they've done everything they could to bankrupt the government system.

And I seriously doubt he's so broke as to end up uninsured for real. That statement he made later:

"My wife and I now are going to have to go through the struggles that a lot of Americans go through, trying to find insurance in the individual market and having to deal with problems of preexisting conditions."

He's still singing the individual market and slinging disrepute on the public model with every word.

More of the 'I'm just like you guys' sympathy ploys from the party that serial abuses everyone in America from top to bottom. I'm sure his vote will be on the rolls for repealing ACA and not raising the debt ceiling to make sure those covered by 'the system' suffer.

While your intentions are good, there's no way to trust the party that calls those on government assistance 'parasites.' They simply don't believe in doing right by anyone they can take advantage of.

I know that's harsh, but 2010 was certainly revealing. These new congressmen are following the Ayn Rand model. Not that the older Republicans didn't love it. These guys are really, really going to do it to all the American people.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

13. I doubt it, probably a one-trick pony since he's a teabagger.

[Javaman]

24. He may have a heart and soul, but he's lacking brains and sense. nt

[Volaris]

15. and if we had passed the damn Public Option,

Probably things like your wifes pre-existing condition would be a lot less of a problem.....

[quakerboy]

16. I am sure whatever insurance he applies for

will screen him ever so carefully, and treat him exactly like they would any other member of congr... I mean any other schmuck off the street applying for health care.

On edit, they will probably charge him just what they would charge anyone else too, and deny his claims if and when they occur. Granted, if I was starting a job making 170k per year, I'm pretty sure that even with my preexisting conditions, I could afford insurance too.

[Skittles]

17. LOL, "STRUGGLE"

aw, FUCK OFF, JOE :rofl:

[Festivito]

18. Let me guess. He's rich. And, he's not bright enough to realize other people are not rich.

Maybe he'll learn something. Maybe he'll learn a lot. Maybe this is how Republicans will gracefully exit their current position, and then just lie about how they killed tens of thousands of Americans while finally enacting the inevitable.

[upi402]

19. Sociopaths don't care

I think conservatives have a bit of the ol' sociopath in 'em. I stopped hoping they'd see the light decades ago. They are vacant.

[eringer]

20. "landslide" Joe won by a whopping 291 votes

He has got a wife and 5 kids to worry about (and maybe another on the way). Forgoing FEHB coverage is foolish and endangers the well-being of the children in his care.
What an idiot.

[LibertyLover]

21. I would put a dollar or two down in Vegas

that in a few months' time there is a small 2 paragraph story buried in the back of this guy's local newspaper that says how sorry Joe was that he and his wife were unable to find affordable health care coverage because of her pre-existing condition and he has, oh so regretfully, signed up for the federal health insurance plan, but only for his family's sake.

[Javaman]

25. I'll back you on that one. nt

[xchrom]

26. Who's going to deny him? He's a member

Of the united states house of representatives.