There are some very bad things in this healthcare bill

[deminks]

For one, and it has been on my radar from the beginning, is the thuglican notion that insurance companies be allowed to sell insurance across state lines. Here is an article from today about it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/16/AR2009121603639.html?hpid=topnews

Senate plan is called too empowering to health insurers

The Senate health-care bill could enable insurers to avoid some of the strongest consumer protections and benefit requirements adopted by state governments, Democratic lawmakers from Maine and California say.

The bill would allow insurers to sell policies across state lines, subject to the laws and regulations in a state of the insurers' choosing, 31 Democratic House members said in a letter Tuesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).

"Practically speaking, insurers will domicile their plans in states with less stringent regulations and market to the population in more protective states like ours, just like nationally chartered banks have done," the House members led by Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) wrote on behalf of lawmakers from the two states.

(snip)

While the authors of the letter focused on the interstate compact provision, another provision of the Senate bill could achieve a similar result. It would allow insurers to offer nationwide plans, subject to the benefit requirements of only one state. The benefits would have to meet minimum federal standards established under the bill.

The bill explicitly recognizes the possibility that these nationwide plans could omit benefits required by some states. In such cases, it would require only that the insurer notify consumers "that the policy may not contain some benefits otherwise mandated."

The Senate bill would allow states to opt out of nationwide plans they find unsatisfactory.

Three key senators in the health-care debate -- Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine), Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) -- have proposed an amendment that would prevent states from opting out of nationwide plans.

(end snip)

Very bad things indeed in this bill.

[tblue]

1. Kill it. The more I hear about it, the less I like it.

Thanks for sharing. This is so sad.

[Raine]

2. The more you know about this bill

the more you see how horrid it is. x(

[Jokerman]

3. An insurance company xmas gift.

Anyone still want to argue that this isn't just a big sloppy wet kiss to the insurance industry?

[Norrin Radd]

4. kr

[AzDar]

5. K & R

[chimpymustgo]

6. To know it is to HATE it.

[Laelth]

7. Kill the bill. It's worse than doing nothing. n/t

:dem:

-Laelth