Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Healthcare for America Now Answers Rightwing Smears

Posted by Will Moredock on Wed, Aug 5, 2009 at 10:04 PM

There is a nasty and misleading right-wing chain email going around. Some of you may have gotten it forwarded to you by family and friends.

The email pretends to go through the "itemized contents of the Health Care Reform Bill," pulling out outrageous claims like, "Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!"

The insurance industry is funding these emails through hired shills and, of course, these claims are universally false. So we want to arm you with the tools to fight back against these smears.

Below, we've created an email you can copy and paste in response to anyone who forwards you these lies. Just reply to the smear email and make sure everyone knows the truth

We can fight these smears, one lie at a time.


To your health,

Levana Layendecker
Health Care for America Now

P.S. I'm sure you've been hearing lots about Members of Congress coming home for vacation and hearing from loud right-wingers at their town halls. It's imperative we show up at these events and make just as forceful a case that we need health reform now - what happens this month may determine whether we get health care reform or not.

On our homepage you can search for events in your area or enter events you know about that are coming up so others can come. Click here to attend events in your area.


Copy the email below this line and use it to respond to this smear
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The contents of the email I am replying to are patently false. If the anonymous writer of this email had actually read the bill, he or she would know better.

Here are the facts. Anyone can verify them by reading the bill at http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text

Actual itemized contents of the Health Care Reform Bill:

"Page 22: Mandates audits of all employers that self-insure!"

TRUTH: This is not an "audit," it's a study. Moreover, the bill states (pp. 22-23) that the report will "include any recommendations the Commissioner deems appropriate to ensure that the law does not provide incentives for small and mid-size employers to self-insure or create adverse selection in the risk pools of large group insurers and self-insured employers." This is almost directly the opposite of the email's claim.

"Page 29: Admission: your health care will be rationed!"

TRUTH: Page 29 continues to define the "essential benefits package" and discusses limits on what Americans will have to spend on health care under this minimum standard. In no way does this section stipulate the rationing of care.

"Page 30: A government committee will decide what treatments and benefits you get (and, unlike an insurer, there will be no appeals process)"

TRUTH: Page 30 begins to describe the Health Benefits Advisory Committee which establishes certain minimum standards for health insurance plans. In no way does this committee deny treatments and benefits to Americans with health insurance.

"Page 42: The 'Health Choices Commissioner' will decide health benefits for you. You will have no choice. None."

TRUTH: Page 42 begins to describe the Health Choices Commissioner's duties. The idea that this person will decide what benefits Americans receive is patently false, given that most Americans will keep their current plans under reform, and Americans within the exchange will have the choice of purchasing many different kinds of health plans. Rather, the Commissioner will establish minimum standards to protect Americans.

"Page 50: All non-US citizens, illegal or not, will be provided with free healthcare services."

TRUTH: Pages 50-51 contain a provision stating that discrimination will not be allowed in the provision of health care services. Nowhere does the bill state that non-US citizens will be provided free health care services. The bill prohibits federal dollars from being used for undocumented immigrants.

"Page 58: Every person will be issued a National ID Healthcard."

TRUTH: Page 58, in the context of a discussion of administrative standards, mentions that "determination of an individual's financial responsibility at the point of service and, to the extent possible, prior to service, including whether the individual is eligible for a specific service with a specific physician at a specific facility...may include utilization of a machine-readable health plan beneficiary identification card." In no way does the bill state that such a card would be national, or that it would be issued to every person, or that it would, in fact, be used at all.

"Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer."

TRUTH: Page 59 continues the discussion of administrative standards, and authorizes electronic transfers of money within the government. In no way does this provision grant the government access to individual bank accounts.

"Page 65: Taxpayers will subsidize all union retiree and community organizer health plans (read: SEIU, UAW and ACORN)"

TRUTH: Here's what page 65 says: "Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish a temporary reinsurance program to provide reimbursement to assist participating employment-based plans with the cost of providing health benefits to retirees and to eligible spouses, surviving spouses and dependents of such retirees." No mention is made of unions or community organizations.

"Page 72: All private healthcare plans must conform to government rules to participate in a Healthcare Exchange."

TRUTH: That's true! Plans have to have a minimum standard of benefits, bat can offer other plans as well. But that's fair, isn't it? Private insurers can continue to operate outside the exchange if they wish - should the government establish no standards for the exchange? In that case, how could reform end insurance industry abuses and help to control costs?

"Page 84: All private healthcare plans must participate in the Healthcare Exchange (i.e., total government control of private plans)"

TRUTH: This section says is that if private health care plans want to operate in the Exchange, they must provide a basic benefit package.

"Page 91: Government mandates linguistic infrastructure for services; translation: illegal aliens"

TRUTH: Some American citizens are more comfortable speaking a language other than English, especially in a sensitive situation like a consultation with their doctor. This provision in no way opens the door for coverage of undocumented workers.

"Page 95: The Government will pay ACORN and Americorps to sign up individuals for Government-run Health Care plan."

TRUTH: Page 95 makes no mention of ACORN and Americorps; all it says is that the Commissioner can conduct outreach to vulnerable populations, making them aware of their options.

"Page 102: Those eligible for Medicaid will be automatically enrolled: you have no choice in the matter."

TRUTH: People who are eligible for Medicaid will not have to face the burdens of paperwork and other bureaucratic struggles. Far from depriving people of choice, this measure will ensure coverage.

"Page 124: No company can sue the government for price-fixing. No 'judicial review' is permitted against the government monopoly. Put simply, private insurers will be crushed."

TRUTH: This section describes rate-setting under the public health insurance plan option, which will compete with private insurers, who can set their own rates. Because of inherent advantages like their established administrative and provider frameworks, private insurance companies will not be "crushed" by government competition.

"Page 127: The AMA sold doctors out: the government will set wages."

TRUTH: The government will negotiate rates with providers under the public health insurance plan option. However, private insurers will continue to pay their own rates.

"Page 145: An employer MUST auto-enroll employees into the government-run public plan. No alternatives."

TRUTH: This is simply not true. Employers with more than 20 employees aren't even eligible to participate in the exchange, let alone the public plan, until several years after the exchange launches in 2013. Moreover, no employer will be forced to participate in the public plan.

"Page 146: Employers MUST pay healthcare bills for part-time employees AND their families."

TRUTH: Employers are required to pay some benefits for part-time employees on a basis proportional to what they pay for full-time employees. No language on this page or the next stipulates coverage for the families of part-time employees.

"Page 149: Any employer with a payroll of $400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays an 8% tax on payroll"

TRUTH: The payroll penalty applies to employers with payroll over $500,000 who do not provide insurance to their employees. The percentage for employers with payroll from $500,000 - $750,000 is 6%. Employers do not have to offer the public option to avoid this penalty, they can offer private insurance if they wish.

"Page 150: Any employer with a payroll of $250K-400K or more, who does not offer the public option, pays a 2 to 6% tax on payroll"

TRUTH: This is false, see above.

"Page 167: Any individual who doesn't' have acceptable healthcare (according to the government) will be taxed 2.5% of income."

TRUTH: Pages 167-173 detail what "acceptable health care" means (basically, insurance coverage) and also allow for many different kinds of exceptions to this rule.

"Page 170: Any NON-RESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes (Americans will pay for them)."

TRUTH: Non-resident aliens do not have to pay the penalty for not having health insurance, nor will the receive federal assistance, because they are not required to purchase health insurance. They are not exempted from individual taxes generally.

"Page 195: Officers and employees of Government Healthcare Bureaucracy will have access to ALL American financial and personal records."

TRUTH: This is a gross overstatement. For the purposes of determining affordability credits for Americans who need financial assistance in purchasing health insurance, employees of the Health Choices Administration will have access to tax information that the federal government already keeps. As is clearly stated on page 196, "Return information... may be used by officers and employees of the Health Choices Administration or such State-based health insurance exchange, as the case may be, only for the purposes of, and to the extent necessary in, establishing and verifying the appropriate amount of any affordability credit described in subtitle C of title II of the America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 and providing for the repayment of any such credit which was in excess of such appropriate amount.''

"Page 203: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." Yes, it really says that."

TRUTH: This quote is taken out of context, and is in fact referring to a calculation used in the bill. Full context of quote: "'(4) NOT TREATED AS TAX IMPOSED BY THIS CHAPTER FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES.-The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax imposed by this chapter for purposes of determining the amount of any credit under this chapter or for purposes of section 55.''

"Page 239: Bill will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors and the poor most affected."

TRUTH: This section has nothing whatsoever to do with reducing services. It makes much needed changes to the way in which physician reimbursement is recalculated every year. The bill will, in fact, create much more opportunity for seniors and the poor to receive necessary care.

"Page 241: Doctors: no matter what specialty you have, you'll all be paid the same (thanks, AMA!)"

TRUTH: Page 241 does not say this. Nowhere does it say this. It does say that physicians will be grouped into certain categories regardless of specialty. These categories merely determine if the physician is engaged in primarily therapeutic or preventative care.

"Page 253: Government sets value of doctors' time, their professional judgment, etc."

TRUTH: There is no good response to this assertion as it appears to have been made up completely. The section deals with 'misvalued codes' meaning that the government is potentially not paying an acceptable rate for a specific service. This will allow the government to, for example, pay more for services that require more payment, such as high-overhead procedures. The author of these criticisms separately attacks the bill for paying the same rate to all doctors, then attacks again for paying different rates.

"Page 265: Government mandates and controls productivity for private healthcare industries."

TRUTH: This section amends the Social Security Act to include productivity measures. There is no mandate or control of anything. This merely updates the way in which doctors and hospitals are paid through Medicare.

"Page 268: Government regulates rental and purchase of power-driven wheelchairs."

TRUTH: This is simply not true. This slightly amends existing guidelines for payments for medical equipment, in this case power-driven wheelchairs. This section introduces no 'regulations' that are not in the Social Security Act.

"Page 272: Cancer patients: welcome to the wonderful world of rationing!"

TRUTH: Overusage of the hot-button word "rationing" is a way to deflect attention away from the actual language of the bill and incite unjustified fear. This section only compares costs incurred by cancer hospitals to costs incurred by similar hospitals, and adjusts payments to reduce the possibility of fraud and abuse.

"Page 280: Hospitals will be penalized for what the government deems preventable re-admissions."

TRUTH: This is almost correct. The section is one of the first efforts at targeting excessive readmissions. Excessive readmissions are physically and emotionally damaging to patients, while simultaneously putting them, and the health care system, in far more financial risk than is necessary. The American Hospital Association recommended reduced payments for avoidable readmission in testimony to Congress.


"Page 298: Doctors: if you treat a patient during an initial admission that results in a readmission, you will be penalized by the government."

TRUTH: This is patently false. The section is about possible methods that the Secretary of Health and Human services might consider in order to address the growing problem of patient readmission. This section does not, in any way, create a penalty, nor does it even mandate policy. It merely provides examples of recourses that might be considered.

"Page 317: Doctors: you are now prohibited from owning and investing in healthcare companies!"

TRUTH: This provision only limits Doctor's investments in health care facilities that they refer patients to The effort to limit self-referral has been ongoing for many years as an effort to reduce fraud and abuse. This is, essentially, the medical community equivalent of insider trading. Limiting this incentive works to put the patient's health above all other considerations. Doctors remain free to engage in investment opportunities in areas that don't create a significant conflict of interest.

"Page 318: Prohibition on hospital expansion. Hospitals cannot expand without government approval."

TRUTH: This section regulates physicians' investment in hospitals to make sure that physicians are not unfairly benefiting from their power to refer patients to hospitals they have a stake in. The section does not prohibit hospital expansion.

"Page 321: Hospital expansion hinges on 'community' input: in other words, yet another payoff for ACORN."

TRUTH: In the ongoing effort to demonize community-based groups such as ACORN, every instance of the word "community" has become associated with that group's efforts. In reality, this provision allows for anyone to provide input. This includes homeowners, religious leaders, neighborhood groups, and others. There are no payoffs. There is no money exchanged in any way.

"Page 335: Government mandates establishment of outcome-based measures: i.e., rationing."

TRUTH: This provision is included in order to allow the government to base payments on practices that work. Nowhere does it say health care will be rationed. The attempt to isolate what works and what does not work in Medicare Advantage plans only benefits the health care system in general.

"Page 341: Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans, HMOs, etc."

TRUTH: The government can disqualify some Medicare Advantage Plans from receiving some additional payments, but only if those plans are not meeting necessary requirements.

"Page 354: Government will restrict enrollment of SPECIAL NEEDS individuals."

TRUTH: This section only deals with how to handle special needs individuals who need to enroll outside of the open enrollment period. Almost every type of plan operates with open enrollment periods. This section does not create more restrictions.

"Page 379: More bureaucracy: Telehealth Advisory Committee (healthcare by phone)."

TRUTH: This section merely expands existing Telehealth programs, which supplement but do not replace other health coverage, and provide a vital resource to Americans in rural and remote areas.

"Page 425-430: More bureaucracy: Advance Care Planning Consult: Senior Citizens, assisted suicide, euthanasia?; Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. Mandatory. Appears to lock in estate taxes ahead of time; Government provides approved list of end-of-life resources, guiding you in death; Government mandates program that orders end-of-life treatment; government dictates how your life ends; Advance Care Planning Consult will be used to dictate treatment as patient's health deteriorates. This can include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. An ORDER from the GOVERNMENT; Government will decide what level of treatments you may have at end-of-life."

TRUTH: All of these hysterical claims have been debunked elsewhere. HR3200 provides for the reimbursement of a voluntary session of end-of-life counseling with your physician once every five years. This in no way means the government will make decisions for patients or encourage doctor-assisted suicide. Counseling simply makes patients and their families aware of their options.

"Page 469: Community-based Home Medical Services: more payoffs for ACORN."

TRUTH: ACORN is not a Community-Based Medical Home.

"Page 472: Payments to Community-based organizations: more payoffs for ACORN."

TRUTH: This is clearly still referring to community health groups, not ACORN.

"Page 489: Government will cover marriage and family therapy. Government intervenes in your marriage."

TRUTH: Covering marriage and family therapy, as many private insurance plans do, does not mean that the government "intervenes in your marriage." The types of individuals who are recognized as therapists are clearly defined on page 491; in brief, professionals only, not bureaucrats.

"Page 494: Government will cover mental health services: defining, creating and rationing those services."

TRUTH: This section expands government coverage for mental health services under various government programs, and ensures that all mental health services will be offered by qualified professionals.

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Comments (22)

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I think you're living in fantasy land. All over Europe and just North of us rationing is a way of life and you think it won't or can't happen here? It already is happening here! Ever hear of Medicare? I'm not a right wing anything but what I am is an American and a realist!

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Posted by Ken29404 on August 6, 2009 at 6:57 AM

I almost forgot..if the Town Hall Meetings are being held by Democrats then why are there no Democrats in the meetings supporting the Supposed Health Care Plan? The Democrats holding meetings evidently live in Democratically controlled districts....so where are they? It appears that those who supported the Democrat are now up in arms and are being slandered by the very people they voted for.
It's my feeling that most hard working Americans are fed up with the current gov. spending like a drunken sailor. The liberals in office can't seem to understand that you can't continue to raise taxes on the rich and get out of the current economic crisis. I've never gotten a job from a poor man have you? I'm a poor man and have never employed anyone.

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Posted by Ken29404 on August 6, 2009 at 7:05 AM

Agree 1000% Ken!!!! Hopefully SOMEDAY soon America will wake up and STOP what is going on. I noticed in this email we can use to "reply" to it said what was supposedly false but didn't REALLY say why it was false!!!

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Posted by JBOAT on August 6, 2009 at 7:31 AM

People pay big attention to the important !
Don't be distracted by the smoke screens, planned distractions and false blame that take your attention away from the truly important.

Our Congress is making every move right along the Democratic Socialist Party's (communist) play book.

Smoke screens, distractions, mis- information, misdirected blame and outright lies. This is how they strive to achieve the redirection of our society..... and the ruination of what has made this country the greatest country on the planet.

If people who love this country do not want to lose it.... they better get seriously active and very fast.

Otherwise it will quickly be gone and we will truly have a socialist government.

Pay attention America....

Get active and get going now... there is no time to lose.

Everyone must call their government representative, write letters, get petitions signed and to their senate and congress representatives immediately. There is no time to lose.

We will lose this country through the actions of O'Bama and his Democratic allies in our government unless citizens wake up and take action now.

I mean really, can you imagine passing legislation without reading it, let alone legislation with far reaching importance and consequences. These guys are doing it!!!!!!!!!
These a-holes are totally guilty of malfeasance in office !!!

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Posted by RML2040 on August 6, 2009 at 9:25 AM

If we want to change the health care industry for the positive, then let's stop supporting legislation that gives Pharmaceutical companies an unfair advantage. The health care reform being proposed by many Democrats and the President is exactly the type that will enable the pharmaceutical companies to further run our lives. This legislation would allow the government to set standards for treatment of illness. Are we all naive enough to believe that the corporate lobby of our representatives won't play a major role in determining the standards? Pharmaceutical companies with the best lobbyists will get legislators to favor their products and their treatments, despite what is truly needed and indicated for individuals using the government's health care. This is just one side-effect of the ill-advised proposal.
There are some better alternatives being proposed. One is phasing out employer provided health care (which also favors major corporations at the expense of small businesses and individuals) and encouraging private individual health care. Another is allowing a greater amount of tax-free health care savings in HSA's. Both of these options would empower individuals to take their personal health into their own hands. It would eliminate the expensive middle-men and increase competition, which would in turn decrease prices and encourage doctors to provide free or reduced services to those unable to pay.

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Posted by annarlutz on August 6, 2009 at 9:30 AM

Oh good lord....where to start....nevermind I realize you can't be reached. It is obvious though that none of you or your loved ones have been hit by a catastrophic injury/illness.

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Posted by grateful you're the minority on August 6, 2009 at 9:42 AM

YES, I have- 'grateful you're the minority'.

I find it soo funny that whenever a NON-LIBERAL makes comments about the society or anything, LIBERALS always say "you can't be reached, etc..." but THEY are the ones that are soo close-minded and NEVER listen to anything others say about their Messiah!

O great one, lead us to destruction!!!!

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Posted by JBOAT on August 6, 2009 at 9:59 AM

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

Thank you, neocons above and your ilk, for proving these past few weeks with your childish antics, hand-wringing and outright lies about universal healthcare that all you truly care about is your wallet.

That to you, bloody, senseless preemptive war (Iraq) is A-OK, whereas the novel idea that everyone might have free access to healthcare in the country you claim to love is "Communist."

I do not claim Obama is perfect but with his fight for universal healthcare he is trying to help a large section of the population that either can't afford healthcare or does not qualify for it (yes, that includes quite a few Republicans). That you claim that universal healthcare is somehow leading our country to destruction is not only un-Christian (for who preached about helping the poor and downtrodden more than Jesus?) but also demonstrates a lack of judgment and a flair for fearmongering...which I guess is not surprising given your party's penchant for such things.

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Posted by inthelowcountry on August 6, 2009 at 10:32 AM

More Socialist Blatantly False post by Will Moredock...How does this idiot have a job??..What is the papers agenda??...Think people

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Posted by Liberty Guy on August 6, 2009 at 10:33 AM

Well they are doing it again. The "push polling" against health care reform has started. In Collin county TX where I live, I got a call to my house with an automated message asking me if I was concerned about health care reforms affect on abortion. Then it claimed that abortion reform could be sneaked into the health care bill. They are up to their lies again!!

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Posted by jimmy123 on August 6, 2009 at 2:48 PM

"Free Healthcare" will be overused, oversubscribed, and poorly managed. First, overused because anything that is "free" is always overconsumed...or in this case overused. Second, oversubscribed because there will be no other plan. The law as written means that private insurers will go out of business (i.e. lost jobs). Read the bill. Third, the government cant manage anything. Politian’s are focused on getting reelected by spending OUR money, and trying to create policies that pander to their voting public. Just look at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Good ideas managed very badly, and cost us $260 BILLION over the last year. As a professional economist, this is such an obviously such bad law that I cannot foresee any objective debate finding that it is good for the country.

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Posted by hammermulk on August 6, 2009 at 3:51 PM

all you riht wingers try and put fear in the peoplel.Im twenty two work all day and go to school..Im just glad i will finely b able to get a checkup.And its the government thats giving me and millions of other kids a future with aid for school.Mean while i work for a corporation that pays most employees minimum wage and offers no benefits..whys thats?

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Posted by theman1340 on August 7, 2009 at 3:54 PM

hey people theres 50 million people with out health care 10 million are probably losers and the rest probwork there ass off! that leaves 40 million soon to b suffering people..but who cares right..all these people want is an option! you selfish people.

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Posted by theman1340 on August 7, 2009 at 4:09 PM

After looking at the bill, it is clear that your interpretation is just as full of lies and misinformation as those who oppose the bill.

We do need healthcare reform, but it needs to be effective reform. Unfortunately, the little good this bill does is far outweighed by the significant costs, the clear attempt at social manipulation, the large potential for abuse, and the tremendous central power given to Washington.

This bill needs to be dropped. Lets take our time, lets have a reasonable discussion without all of the political pandering... AND LETS GET HEALTHCARE REFORM RIGHT!!

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Posted by iyeee14 on August 7, 2009 at 5:13 PM

There are more simple ways for us to reform healthcare. The two most expensive parts of healthcare are cost of pharmacueticals and costs of lawsuits. People are able to sue healthcare providers for their chance at the "lottery" and with much better odds. This this makes liabilty insurance for providers astronomical. Cap these lawsuits at a reasonablerate and that will dramatically reduce the cost of healthcare. Revamp the way that pharmaceuticals are sold by eliminating the paid advertisements and the free samples that can be used to influence the doctor's prescription as well as the kickbacks for the MD's. Eliminate the incentive and you will reduce the cost of drugs, period. We know that new drugs are expensive to develop with reseach and developmet but also know that the pharmaceutical compnies are totally taking adavantage of the situation by pushing for certain drugs to be recomended. There are lower alterbnatives. Make it simple, it does not and will not be controlled by the government. No matter whether the politicians are democrats or republicans, they will all scew it up if given control, LEAVE THE POWER WITH THE PEOPLE BY GIVING A CHOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!! We dont need a 1500+ page bill that no one has read to give control of the BEST healthcare system in the world to the government who will DEFINATELY mess it up if given control!!!! Who else is tired of elecing officials who dont do their job of at least reading a bill before voting on it?

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Posted by real america on August 8, 2009 at 2:58 AM

Nationalized Health Care? What do you think we have? Billions of state tax payer dollars a year go to trauma centers around the country because the indigent poor use Emergency Rooms as a doctor’s offices. I do not support the current proposed solution but something is needed to free up our trauma centers for what they are designed to do. A method is needed to provide reasonable heath care for all, the indigent poor and the middle class beside the ER. It’s easy to ridicule proposals and complain; that never provides a solution to the current needs of the country. Put as much effort into the solution as the whining and something may develop. Be a part of the solution and post ideas don’t be a whiner; it’s so boring.

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Posted by gadsen on August 8, 2009 at 6:19 AM

Rationed health care? Ask anyone whose insurance company has refused a claim about rationed health care.

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Posted by FCB on August 8, 2009 at 12:58 PM

Stnad tall, Will, and remember the same people who are against health care reform are the ones who thought the best way to deal with 9/11 was to spend a trillion dollars blowing up and them rebuilding Iraq.

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Posted by FCB on August 8, 2009 at 1:03 PM

Only a lunatic or those who are making $1.2Trillion extra per year from the current health care system in US (big insurance, big pharma, wall street gang) or those who have been brain washed by their agents (aka the right-wing media such as Talkradio, Fox TV, Wall street journal, etc.) can be for the current for profit health care system in US and against the single payer (not for profit) Universal health care that they have in ALL, I repeat ALL, European countries, Canada, Japan, Australia, China, in fact in all developed countries, including Israel the beloved nation of the right-wingers.

After all consider these FACTS about how horrible the current for profit private health care in US is compared to the single payer (not for profit) Universal health care that they have in ALL European countries, Canada, etc.

1- 50Mill Americans have NO health insurance so their only choice in case of illness is death or bankruptcy and usually both, while every European, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, Australian, etc. has access to the same health care for the Taxes that they pay plus a nominal
fee such as $59 per month per person in Canada.

2- 2Mill+ Americans go bankrupt each year due to health care costs WHILE in Europe or Canada that have Universal health care ZERO person or family goes bankrupt each year due to health care costs.

3- In Europe or Canada that have Universal health care health care is taking 8% of GDP while in US where as noted above Millions do not have health care or Millions go bankrupt each year due to health care costs, health care is taking 18% of GDP.

4- In US toward the goal of maximizing profits health insurance companies deny coverage to Millions of Americans under claim of "pre existing conditions..", thus sentencing them effectively to DIE! Which would be a criminal act in any civilized (European) country but here in US under the cover of our right-wing Media and lunatics (Republicans and so called centrist Democrats) insurance companies get away with such a practice.

5- In US even if you have health insurance, costs of co-pays and deductibles drive many American families into financial ruin, unless you have Military or Government type health insurance, the type that our Senator and Congressman enjoy courtesy of our Taxes. Whereas in Europe, Canada, etc. there is NO such thing as co-pays and deductibles, beside a nominal fee such as for example 5 Euros per doctor visit in France, whether you stay in the Hospital a day or a month.

So when one presents the above FACTS which clearly show how much better European, Canadian style single payer Universal health care is compared to the for profit private health insurance in US, then Republicans (aka our right-wing Media) state the following:
"But European's have economic stagnation due to having a "Socialist" single payer Universal health care......"
Which is patently false since the European economies are in FACT doing much better than US economy as evident by:

1- Euro being so much more valuable than US Dollar
2- Avg homes in Europe being much more valuable than avg homes in US and not falling in value 95% of Europe, even 3 years into less valuable US homes falling in value in 95% of US
3- Europeans Auto makers doing fine while US ones went bankrupt, with just 1 German Auto maker, VW, having a market valuation MANY MANY times of all US Auto makers combined!
etc. etc.

And having shown them that that assertion is patently false then the lunatic Republicans or our right-wing Media state this:
"but we have better health care in US or our health care system leads to miracle drugs and miracle advances in health care technology...."

Which claim is absurd and patently false since Europeans have much higher life expectancy than US. In fact US ranks with poorest of 3rd World countries in most health care measures as you can see in this ranking:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/aug/1…
or here with more details:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count…
and similarly US ranks well below European countries in regard to child mortality rates and all other rates of health care. So obviously our health care is not better, we are not making as much miracle drugs as Europeans who ALL have single payer Universal Health Care.

After one exposes the above assertion to be false then the lunatic Republicans and our right-wing Media resort to this last desperate assertion:
"But European or Canadians are coming to US for their health care....."

Of course the lunatic Republicans and our right-wing Media will not back this assertion by any real facts from European or Canadian Governments or Media, because it is totally a LIE, made up by the lunatic Republicans and our right-wing Media. Instead what they will do is point to a few Europeans or Canadians who have come to US for their health care needs, which would be the same as saying "look someone won the Lottery in US, then everyone is going to win the Lottery..", or "Someone jumped off the bridge in Canada, then everyone must want to jump off the bridge in Canada...", which is absolute nonsense since the issue is not what 0.01% of Canadians or Europeans have done but what do the great majority want and have done. As the best proof of this point, here is the position of the Conservative party in UK about universal health care: "This body will allocate money fairly and in a way which will help secure equal access to healthcare for all." Which you can read about it here:
http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/Where_…

So as you see EVEN the Conservative party in UK is for the universal health care that they have in UK. And they are the most Conservative party in whole of Europe. Or consider this FACT: Not long ago, CBC, that is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, asked Canadians to nominate and then vote for The Greatest Canadian in history, 1.5Mill Canadians responded. The winner? Not Wayne Gretzky, Not even Alexander Graham Bell, another finalist.
The greatest Canadian ever?
Tommy Douglas, who was the father of the Canadian single payer Universal health care system:
http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/


So as you see given the above FACTS, not opinions and unsupported assertions, but FACTS, only a lunatic or those who are making 100s of Billions of Dollars
of the current bankrupting health care system in US would be for the current health care system in US.

For sake of this post not getting 2 long, U can read much more in this regard on this Blog:
www.anoox.com/blog/Uhc

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Posted by RealNews on August 8, 2009 at 6:52 PM

I agree that this health care bill is an OUTRAGE to the American people. This is a gov't run health care in which violates our constitutional rights as America's. STOP..the spending! You cannot spend your way out of a recession; and yes my friend I said recession. It is still here..do not listen to your radcial demos. They have NO IDEA how to run this country. Vote Demos out of their positions. They have proven over again that they are NOT capable of running this country the way the AMERICAN PEOPLE want it run. This is still a demo/republic country and keep it that way...STOP THE TYRANNY!!!!!

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Posted by deebenzdee on August 30, 2009 at 2:58 AM

Lets face it, only lunatics (aka Republicans) or those who are making 100s of Billions of Dollars extra per year from the current health care system in US (big insurance, big pharma, wall street gang) or those who have been
brain washed by their agents (aka the right-wing media such as Talkradio, Fox TV, Wall street journal, etc.) can be for the current for profit health care system in US and against the single payer (not for profit) Universal health care that they have in ALL, I repeat ALL, European countries, Canada, Japan, Australia, China, in fact in all developed countries, including Israel the beloved nation of the right-wingers.

After all consider these FACTS about how horrible the current for profit private health care in US is compared to the single payer (not for profit)
Universal health care that they have in ALL European countries, Canada, etc.

1- 50Mill Americans have NO health insurance so their only choice in case of illness is death or bankruptcy and usually both, while every European, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, Australian, etc. has access to the same health care for the Taxes that they pay plus a nominal fee such as $59 per month per person in Canada.

2- 2Mill+ Americans go bankrupt each year due to health care costs WHILE in Europe or Canada that have Universal health care ZERO person or family goes bankrupt each year due to health care costs.
(BTW: Can you imagine how many Americans could not pay their pathetic $2K per month mortgages due to health care costs IF 2Mill are going bankrupt each year due to health care costs, which is THE MAIN reason for US housing downturn since average house prices in US at less than $200 per Sqft are much lower than avg house prices in Canada or Europe AND percentage of home ownership in Canada is even higher than US.)

3- In Europe or Canada that have Universal health care health care is taking about 9% of GDP while in US where as noted above Millions do not have health care or Millions go bankrupt each year due to health care costs, health care is taking 18% of GDP.

4- In US toward the goal of maximizing profits health insurance companies deny coverage to Millions of Americans under claim of "pre existing conditions..", thus sentencing them effectively to DIE! Which would be a criminal act in any civilized (European) country but here in US under the cover of our right-wing Media and lunatics (Republicans and so called centrist Democrats) insurance companies get away with such a practice.

5- In US even if you have health insurance, costs of co-pays and deductibles drive many American families into financial ruin,
unless you have Military or Government type health insurance, the type that our Senator and Congressman enjoy courtesy of our Taxes.
Whereas in Europe, Canada, etc. there is NO such thing as co-pays and deductibles, beside a nominal fee such as for example 5 Euros per
doctor visit in France, whether you stay in the Hospital a day or a month.

So when one presents the above FACTS which clearly show how much better European, Canadian style single payer Universal health care
is compared to the for profit private health insurance in US, then Republicans (aka our right-wing Media) state the following:
"But European's have economic stagnation due to having a "Socialist" single payer Universal health care......"
Which is patently false since the European economies are in FACT doing much better than US economy as evident by:

1- Euro being so much more valuable than US Dollar

For sake of this post not getting 2 long, u can read much more related here:
www.anoox.com/blog/uhc

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Posted by RealNews on August 30, 2009 at 5:56 PM

TRUTH page 29 (lines 4-16) Annual limitations are established.
TRUTH page 30 (Sec. 123) A government committee will decide what treatment you get. and a commisioner will enforce (p42 lines 6-11) p438 (Sec.1236)
TRUTH page 50 (Sec.152)and(page 170 lines 1-3)
Provides a healthcare entitlement for anyone who steps on US soil, regardless of citizenship, legality, or their contrribution into the plan.
TRUTH page 59 (lines 21-24)(C)enable ELECTRONIC FUND transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation with the related health care payment and remittance advice.(D) require timely and transparent claim and denial management process, including tracking, adjudication,and appeal processing.

ya know what? I could go on, but why should I? If some of you are too stupid to look things up for yourself, then STAY stupid.


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Posted by justme on August 30, 2009 at 8:41 PM
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