If the preexisting condition for kids isn't covered why should we believe any of the

[dkf]

Provisions will work as it was promised?

Is the democratic party inept at writing laws?

[zipplewrath]

1. The mandate was very clear

I dunno, the mandate was very clear, with the fine schedule and exemptions all established explicitly. I think the core purpose was written very well. The limits on drug negotiations were also very explicit.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. True

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[babylonsister]

7. Without a doubt!

:fistbump:

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[KharmaTrain]

10. Still A Lot Of Misinformation...

...as well as fixes and tweaks that will be needed. Few bills of this size just sail through from Day One and many of us who want a move towards a true universal system (public option or single payer) need to continue to press for moves in that direction. The first is making sure the exchanges are up and running as the infrastructure for a future national system. That said, different people benefit from this bill in different ways at different times. We'll also soon see the loopholes that the insurance companies and others are sure to use to try to end run any bites into their profits...and those will need to be fixed as well.

Considering how dysfunctional our government and body politic have become, I'm honestly surprised anything was passed. As you say, far from perfect and a start not an end to developing a better comprehensive healthcare system. Sadly the economy is also a factor as it's tough to find money from shrinking tax revenues to pay for this program (and gives the GOOP a major talking point) and makes others angry cause it seems like all the focus was on this bill and not focusing on jobs. You can never win.

Cheers...

[Warren Stupidity]

5. I think the r's should run with this talking point.

a) Obama is going to issue an EO clarifying the regulation.
b) It contradicts their position that gummint should get outta da way.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. The law's intent is clear, the insurance companies are full of shit.

However, the Obama administration has indicated it will issue an E.O. ending this effort by the health insurance extortion cartel to avoid the intent of the law.

[Thothmes]

23. Intent is one thing, what the law actually says is what counts

What it actually says is what is legally required.

[Warren Stupidity]

26. Nope, not even close.

There is a very long history of the executive branch deciding what legislation means, what the intent was, and how that meaning and intent should be administered. That is how our system works, and as the news today indicates, the insurance extortion cartel knew that and was just testing the waters.

[midnight]

6. I do hope this issue is settled quickly. There are young children who's lives

depend on this being corrected.....

[vi5]

8. It's the enforcement (or lack of) I worry about...

I'm on record from the first days of this debate as saying my concern was not as much passing the laws, as it was whether adequate arrangements were going to be made to enforce those laws. You need an institutional body set up immediately and ready to go to review these cases and issue the fines where needed. And the fines need to be prohibitive.

[stray cat]

11. Words alone don't work by themselves, do Americans have the will to make it effective?

[Edweird]

18. More 'blame the victim' nonsense.

[newfie11]

12. What! Everything I have heard said it was covered with the passage of this bill.

That was stated by Obama right after the bill passed. What has changed since then?????

[laughingliberal]

13. The problem with this is the law does not require guaranteed issue until 2014

If the insurer issues a policy to a family they must cover preexisting conditions for children. But, there is nothing in the law which requires them to issue a policy for children or adults. They may refuse to issue policies to families who have a child with a preexisting condition if there has been a 'significant gap in coverage' which is defined by HIPAA laws as 60 days. So, families who have been struggling for years with no insurance will not be able to get a policy. Here is a section of a New York Times article addressing the White House plan to issue regulations:

<snip>A White House spokesman said the administration planned to issue regulations setting forth its view that “the term ‘pre-existing’ applies to both a child’s access to a plan and his or her benefits once he or she is in a plan.” But lawyers said the rules could be challenged in court if they went beyond the law or were inconsistent with it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/health/policy/29health.html?hp

I believe the insurers will prevail on an argument that the rules go beyond the law or are inconsistent with it. They must do something about guaranteed issue. Currently, guaranteed issue does not become law until 2014. Congress will have to amend it. I'm not sure how. Would it be possible to demand guaranteed issue for families with children who have preexisting conditions and not others? Kind of a mess.

This is one of hundreds of little loopholes in this bill. Many of them, I believe, were intentional owing to the fact that the Senate's intent was to keep from pissing off the industry and make sure the bill was as profitable for them as possible. It's time for the Democrats to start working on some real fixes. Republicans now plan to run on chipping away at the law which will, as I feared, make the bill worse. Democrats need to get out in front and amend the loopholes which will anger people as more are known about and a lot of nice talking points are found to be less than what was promised.

[sabrina 1]

16. The other problem is that even if Ins. Corps end up losing

THIS attempt to reject sick children, there is still nothing in the bill to prevent them from raising the cost of such premiums as high as they want. Many families will not be able to afford those premiums which would also have huge co-pays and deductibles.

This should not have been included in the HC bill, it should be a completely separate law which could be enacted immediately. People dying as a result of not having adequate health care, is a crime. And it should be dealt that way.

Lives should never be negotiable or bargained away. Everyone knew that the Private Ins. industry was corrupt. If anyone thought they would suddenly become honorable after being saved by this bail-out, they were very naive.

[Karmadillo]

14. Because we've been told to believe and we must do what we're told.

nt

[caty]

15. Wouldn't this include children....

"People with pre-existing conditions will be able to get help with a special fund set up to cover the gap until the Insurance Exchanges are up and running."

You can decide to build a building, but after that decision is made, it takes a lot of time, planning, arranging, and work before that building is actually built. It's the same with this health plan. It's going to take awhile before everything is set up to implement all of these changes. And with some changes that will take place over the years, it could be a decade before we are all satisfied with this reform. This is just the beginning.

[spoony]

17. The insurance companies are adept at weaselry

I anticipate a lot of this cat-and-mouse nonsense. Of course, it can only be cat-and-mouse if Dems promptly act to counter the bullshit, in that I suppose I'm assuming too much.

[Vinca]

20. O should call their bluffs and change the 2014 date to immediately

. . . for everyone.

[bvar22]

21. OH NO....a loophole?

Insurance Corporations are going to Game the Regs?


http://rawstory.com/2010/01/whisteblower-reveals-health-insurers-game-insurance-bill/

[Naturalist111]

22. You should always expect this

it will take some time for the concrete to harden. If any spots in the concrete need tending to then it will be repaired.

[hayu_lol]

24. The concrete of inattention has failed miserably to harden...

in the cases of the Bankruptcy Bill and Medicare Part D.

In comparison, these two bills were simple to the health care/insurance boondoggle.

[branders seine]

25. those who count (in the administration's and congress's eyes)

are being served.


The rest of us are being served TO them.

"It's a cookbook!"

[branders seine]

27. we shouldn't