Boehner/McConnell: Democrats are denying insurance companies their rights

[marmar]

:dunce: :freak:


GOP raps Dems for hushing insurers on Medicare
By CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON – Republican lawmakers rebuked the Obama administration Tuesday for telling health insurance companies to stop warning elderly customers they'll lose benefits in health care legislation, which some equated to a gag order.

At least one prominent insurer has misrepresented the pending bills to frighten older Americans, the administration says. But GOP leaders said the companies, whose income could be reduced by the legislation, are entitled to free speech and political debate.

Tuesday's exchanges came as a Senate committee began debating a health care bill most Republicans oppose. President Barack Obama supports the bill's main provisions, and the flap over insurance companies' mailers is the latest front in a long-running dispute.

"It is outrageous that the Obama administration is trying to keep seniors in the dark about the consequences of congressional Democrats' costly government-run health care bills," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said.

The Senate's GOP leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said citizens and companies "have a fundamental right to talk about legislation they favor or oppose." ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090922/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_medicare

[Deja Q]

1. And insurance companies deny people coverage and/or care.

Boner can go stick his into a light socket.

[marmar]

2. He probably already has.

nt

[LynnTheDem]

3. The GOP is loyal ONLY to big biz. One day, most republicans will finally realize this fact.

Oh wait...only 31% of Americans now identify themselves as republicans.

Huh.

[YOY]

6. and dropping like a fucking champ with every crazy outburst of batshit.

Cuz let's face it! The kids do not the dig wacky antics of fat white dopey rejects.

[anonymous171]

4. Companies have no rights. nt

[PDJane]

5. The only rights companies have

are the ones granted by their incorporation. That can be revoked.

Repeat after me: Corporate personhood is a legal fiction. Corporations aren't really people.

[xchrom]

7. i pay more to my insurance company

just because i'm a certain age.

they make money off of me every year that i don't cash in on an age related illness -- what is that exactly? -- they didn't inform me about that? -- so what sort of sympathy am i supposed to show?

[Me.]

8. Now There's A Persuasive Argument For You

:sarcasm:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. Even if they did have rights...

what right do they have to stomp on people?

[spanone]

10. ...and i thought the will ferrell video was sarcasm....bwhahahahahahahaa

[BlooInBloo]

11. Uh... guys... Wil Ferrell already beat you to this joke.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/041b5acaf5/protect-insurance-companies-psa

[Arkana]

12. Yes, those poor, poor, defenseless insurance companies.

Mitch and Boner are idiots.

[beltanefauve]

13. Why do the Democrats

want to "punish success"?

(Do I really need to use a sarcasm emoticon?)

[jtrockville]

14. I say NO government regulation of health insurance companies!

Let the free market rule. Give us a choice of a non-profit government-run health CARE program, and let the insurance companies do whatever they will.

This way, insurance companies are FREE to deny payments, or raise their premiums sky high, or institute enormous deductibles, or exclude dental care/mental health/eye glasses etc., or pay their CEO's hundreds of thousands of dollars per HOUR, or ALL of the above, and we're free to not participate in their SCAM.