Better to Start Over Than to Pass These Bills

[IndianaGreen]

This article predates the Ben Nelson appeasement, but still holds true.

Better to Start Over Than to Pass These Bills

By Athena Godet-Calogeras, Peter Mott and Andrew Coates

The Buffalo News, Dec. 17, 2009

You might think that all of us who have worked so long and so hard for comprehensive and affordable health care would be jumping with joy at the recent passage of a House bill and the opening of the Senate debate on health insurance reform. Not so.

In fact, many of us, including some in Congress who are ardent proponents of universal health care — like Rep. Eric Massa, D-Corning— are convinced that the route to comprehensive and affordable health care has taken a dramatically wrong turn.

The main features of the legislation have often seemed obscure, despite unprecedented amounts of attention. For instance, neither a “government takeover” nor a “public option” really have anything much to do with the final bills.

Instead the centerpiece of the House bill will not start until 2013 (2014 in the Senate bill) and at that time health insurance will become mandatory for virtually every person, every family. Being uninsured could become a crime, punishable by an annual fine of up to 2.5 percent of adjusted income under the House bill. The fine in the Senate bill is lower, $95 per person starting in 2014, rising to $750 by 2019.

To make insurance affordable, tax money will be used to subsidize private insurance premiums for those who earn up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Even with these subsidies, presently uninsured families with income between 200 percent and 400 percent of poverty will be required to spend 8 percent to 12 percent of their income to purchase insurance. Meanwhile the insurance companies stand to gain tens of millions of new customers and at least $447 billion in taxpayer subsidies.

The bills in Congress offer no meaningful cost controls. Mild promises to “bend the cost curve” fall short when even middle-income people will still end up being saddled with huge, unsustainable health care costs.

Neither will the bills make health coverage universal. By 2019 the House bill still leaves at least 17 million uninsured in the United States. The Senate bill would do less.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/december/better-to-start-over-than-to-pass-these-bills-0

[Armstead]

1. You must be a Republican

....kidding

[gaysonf]

2. we must

start over

[bigwillq]

8. Hello.

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Laelth]

16. Welcome to DU.

:toast:

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[ananda]

3. Hear hear!

Start over and do it right.

Make it a real healthcare bill, about people and healthcare
services for all, including women, the disabled, the ill,
those with cancer, those who need affordable prescriptions,
etc.

Make it non-punitive and all-inclusive, over-riding
corporate and special interests in the interests of all
of the people in this country instead.

[jenmito]

12. And how is the bill supposed to get any better than it is now? There will only be fewer Dems.

in '10. What we have now is the best it's gonna get.

[Armstead]

19. Sigh.....Who says it could not be fixed quickly?

yes it would take some politicians to say, "I made a mistake." The ego factor may be the biggest barrier.

But removing this rush to passage, going back and taking out the most objectionable things could be done quickly.

[jenmito]

27. Sigh.....the congresspeople who didn't accept certain things THIS time won't

magically accept them in a few months from now. I think you're dreaming. :shrug:

[NashVegas]

4. What Did You Expect From the Gov't That Mandated Digital High-Def TV?

We are in the middle of a corporatist state.

[IndianaGreen]

9. I am bitterly clinging to my old analog TV

since I can't afford the new TVs.

[Cant trust em]

5. Too much money on subsidies is going to be spent on an inferior product.

I am a tax and spend liberal, but I want the money I spend to be used effectively.

[still_one]

6. It isn't going to happen. The best you can hope for is after the bill becomes law, they can

revise it between now and 2014 before it fully kicks in

[Laelth]

7. Agreed, and here's another reason why:

California will probably pass single payer on its own in 2011. All they need is a Democratic Governor. The legislature has already passed the bill. Schwarzenegger vetoed it. Once California has single-payer, most (if not all) states will follow suit.

It's likely that if we pass a new law now, the new law will preempt single-payer, i.e. the Federal law will preempt state law and prevent states from enacting a single-payer system.

THIS is what the health insurance companies fear. THIS is what brought them to the bargaining table. THIS is why they are not fighting Obama's tepid reforms, and THIS is why it is extremely important that we do not pass any health insurance reform bill this year.

Let's not settle for a bail-out of the health insurance industry. Let's insist on the eradication of it. In all likelihood, California will lead the way in 2011 ... if we can just give them time.

Canada got its single-payer system one province at a time, and it looks like that's the only way it can happen in the United States.

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[IndianaGreen]

10. You are right. This bill will forbid states from passing single payer

It is a bailout of the health industry at our expense!

[treestar]

11. Why would starting over help?

Lieberdick would still be the same. Nelson would still be from a state so right wing that its Democrats are so conservative they are pro-choice.

Of course waiting until the next Congress might help. A republican Senate would surely consider health care. :sarcasm:

[IndianaGreen]

13. We will use the reconciliation route

as Howard Dean and Bernie Sanders said.

[BP2]

14. For goodness sake why?

The insurance companies are gonna make out like bandits

[Ikonoklast]

15. Where will you magically find five more votes in the Senate?

If this bill doesn't pass, NO BILL WILL.

[jenmito]

17. Exactly. n/t

[Laelth]

18. Good. This bill is worse than doing nothing.

Kill the bill.

Forcing people to buy insurance is no more the answer to a failed health care system than forcing people to buy houses is the solution to homelessness.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Ikonoklast]

22. Tell that to the tens millions of Americans that this bill will help.

You don't get exactly what you want, so give up the ship.

Not me.


I'll keep fucking bailing, just as fast as I can.

This is just a start to more reforms.

[BeyondGeography]

24. Correct

Why that is such a hard point for so many to grasp is pretty appalling. They get an erector set under the Xmas tree, but it doesn't come with all the necessary accessories. So they want to send the erector set back, thinking that Santa will magically bring them the full package next time.

[busymom]

20. I agree, but

anytime I spoke out about the direction this was moving in the past and expressed my displeasure I was called to task as not being a "real" democrat. Apparently, I was just supposed to enjoy my short stay here. It's almost amusing to me that now so many people are disappointed it is OK to say "WAIT!".

We do need to start over.

[mzmolly]

21. This article was written before the new federal plan buy in was inserted.

Let's wait and see how things shake out.

[Garam_Masala]

23. Touche! eom

[David Zephyr]

25. Money will trump the will of the people. This thing is a done deal.

Sell out.

Wait until Obama's "commission" reports back to him that Americans will have to tighten their belts even more.

His Chinese and Saudi bankers want to see cuts in spending and Obama is not going to cut defense, so guess who gets really screwed next year?

Obama's "bi-partisan" commission will give him the cover to slash entitlement programs.

[angee_is_mad]

26. PUMA

puma, puma, puma,puma.....