Kennedy Bill Would Make Employers Provide Health care

WASHINGTON — Employers would be required to offer health care to employees or pay a penalty, and all Americans would be guaranteed health insurance, under a draft bill being circulated Friday by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's health committee.

The bill would provide subsidies to help poor people afford care, and give patients the right to select any doctor they want.

Insurers would be required to provide a basic level of care and cover all comers, without turning people away because of pre-existing conditions or other reasons.

It's already been known that Kennedy's health committee was planning to pursue most of the concepts outlined in the draft of the bill, called the "American Health Choices Act." But it's the first actual bill language to circulate since Congress began working on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

"It's a draft of a draft. HELP democrats are still actively talking amongst themselves and their Republican colleagues," said Anthony Coley, spokeswoman for Kennedy's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Comments

[rxvette]

Universal healthcare is a must if we are too sustain any sense of dignity for our citizens in America but I'm not for forcing employers to provide healthcare for their workers. I'm for a system that achieves universal care through a combination of private and public plans that prohibits discriminating against pre-existing conditions and also prohibits any insurance plan from making a profit on providing basic medical care. However the system is revamped we should never again here of stories like the following:

http://rxvette.blogspot.com/2009/05/healthcare-reform-touches-home.html

[LDnearthesea]

Even Kennedy doesn't get it. Medicare for all. Employers should not have to do this. The government should. That's what government is for! THE GOOD OF THE COMMONS!

[NoblesseOblige]

Exactly.

[Popperian]

He does get it ... he's just on the payroll of the HMOs like the rest of these corrupt people.

[LouisvilleLiberal]

Don't be silly. Senator Kennedy has a terminal brain cancer. At this point in his life, he doesn't need to worry about re-election and in fact, hasn't really had to worry about re-election for decades.

He's the last Senator that I worry is bought and paid for. He has nothing to lose in fighting for affordable health care for all. It's a career long mission that I am sure he would love to see realized before he passes.

[pigpen4573]

A single payer system is a must for two main reasons that I can think of, I. Health insurance must be independent of employment because fewer people are staying with one job for an entire career and 2. putting the cost on employers puts American companies at a competative disadvanta­gerelative to the EU and Canada.

Senator Bernie Sanders has filed the only single payer bill in the Senate.

In an interview with the Washington Post today, Senator Sanders said :

"If the goal of health-care reform is to provide comprehensive, universal health care in a cost-effective way, the only honest approach is a single-payer approach. And in my view the single-payer program would be best administered at the state level.

I fear very much that much of the talk of health-care reform is not getting to the root cause of why we have 46 million uninsured and, at the same time, we pay more for health care per person than any industrialized country on earth. And the reason the discussion is not getting to the root cause of the problem is that the discussion is unwilling to take on the role of private insurance companies that are precisely the reason our system is so wasteful, inefficient and bureaucratic. And not to take on that fact is to ignore the reason we are where we are.

http://www.sanders.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=314029

Support S.703, the American Health Security Act.

[seanseamour]

If health care is built into the payroll taxes like in most of Europe if you change jobs i has no impact. Recent studies indicate France and Japan in the #1 position in quality / availability of health care, we are variably through different studies well behind the pack in the double digit position. My incapacitated father lies in a New York nursing home, tiny double room in a decrepit to not say depressing facility for over 15k per month. Here in the south of France where I live as an expat, high quality facility, single room in park, by the sea, all health care included, gov't regulated to endure standards (EHPAD) is less than 3.5k per month. Which would you prefer? To those labeling this "socialist", let me finish by saying the facility is privately owned and run, the company has 12 such facilities from Paris region to here. Take away greed and the system can work, albeit with the umbrella of Universal Health Care. That is he debate, quality for all or the some.

[seanseamour]

The cost is there whatever the formula, our health care is prohibitive in cost, it is the most expensive yet far from the best. The only way to ensure quality and availability is some form of government sponsored umbrella which regulates the private sector. Our health care problem resembles our wall street problem. France is give or take #1 in health care, but also in productivity among developed nations, don't let the "socialist" scarecrow shy us away from understanding a better model that works, I know, I live in it.

[pigpen4573]

Thanks for the response that clarifies my my first issue.

[StevenevetS]

Great Posts!

[seanseamour]

Recent studies indicate France and Japan in the #1 position in quality / availability of health care, we are variably through different studies well behind the pack in the double digit position. My incapacitated father lies in a New York nursing home, tiny double room in a decrepit to not say depressing facility for over 15k per month. Here in the south of France where I live as an expat, high quality facility, single room in park, by the sea, all health care included, gov't regulated to endure standards (EHPAD) is less than 3.5k per month. Which would you prefer? To those labeling this "socialist", let me finish by saying the facility is privately owned and run, the company has 12 such facilities from Paris region to here. Take away greed and the system can work, albeit with the umbrella of Universal Health Care. That is he debate, quality for all or the some.

[mikekc]

How did you manage to get in France to live? Was it difficult? Are you on a work Visa? I am being serious when I am asking. Did you look into other countries before deciding on France?

[Waltfl]

The Kennedy plan doesn't seem to exclude single payer. Single payer doesn't mean there is only one health insurance available, and private insurances are not allowed. It means that a government provided insurance plan pays from a single fund. This does not apply to private insurers.

The Kennedy plan seems to have parallels in the German system. Both, employer and employee pay a certain amount, which is withheld by the employer, like our medicare. There is a government issued fee schedule which doctors, hospitals and pharmacies have to follow. This is the most essential part of single payer, because that is the part that prevents that doctors and pharmaceutical firms suck the system dry. Since premiums are calculated as a percentage of the gross income, there will always be a threshold, where paying into this system doesn't make sense, if certain income levels are reached. If I remember correctly, it was around 4.500 Euros/mo. when I was there. If a person reaches this income, her or she can chose to go with a private insurer, or stay in the governmental system. For everybody else it's mandatory, which is also essential, because it prevents people from not getting insurance, and having the system pay, if they get ill.

The issue I have with the Kennedy plan is the insurance for spouses and children. Are they being insured with the main income provider, and if yes, how much does it cost? Ca someone with 5 kids still afford it?

[Beachchick]

This is when a functioning media would come in handy to take the time and explain how universal health care can be funded. It doesn't have to be single payer to accomplish universal coverage, but it does have to be non profit. There is a frontline documentary that is extremely informative and explains the various ways universal care is funded in other countries.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundamerica/

[LDnearthesea]

Unfortunately, insurance companies advertise on the korporate media, which except for Olbermann, Maddow, and Shultz, is totally right wing corporatist.

[Beachchick]

Wrong Link --sorry.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/talk/index2.html

[thepoliticalcat]

In this day and age, you need to be rich to afford five kids or more. Why would someone have five kids in the first place?

[LDnearthesea]

I agree! There's over 6 billion of us, and we are ruining the Earth. There's a reason I decided not to have any kids.

[Beachchick]

Senator Kennedy has been a hard working, dedicated lawmaker who always supported women, children and the poor for which I respect him. But I don't support this legislation. No tax dollars for profit care. These insurance companies have killed people and defrauded the government for millions with no consequences. It is perverse to expect the American people to use public funds for an industry that is unethical and unnecessary.

What is so hard with lawmakers shifting to a public health system that controls cost by eliminating profit and negotiating pharmaceutical costs. It is the right thing to do for America's long term social and economic health.

[LDnearthesea]

I totally agree. By the way, I'm in California, Santa Cruz area. Great beaches here, good surf, good sailing. Enough weather change in the winter too so that it's not like So Cal.

[jeffrey678]

MEDICARE FOR ALL ! Decouple it from employment.

[Artemis34]

Hear, hear!

Public, not private program. No triggers!

Health care for PEOPLE, not for PROFIT!

[mergina]

Asinine.

[thepoliticalcat]

You are.

[mergina]

Really? What if you are unemployed? Self employed? If the ONLY WAY that the senate or the rest of the bought and paid for politicians in Washington could get health insurance that they could use while employed or once unemployed (which is going to be the story for many of them in the next election) the would be scrambling to get one passed. BTW if all you can do is post the equivalent of childish name calling, why bother? GROW UP.

[LDnearthesea]

LIke I said, even Kennedy seems to be owned by Blue Cross.

[magicmary]

I just emailed the Senator. I said we need single payer because we have a MOBILE workforce and you should be able to count on the same coverage regardless of who your employer is or whether you have employment or not. I've been downsized, outsourced, had to temp and move across country for family - my worklife is very mobile and will probably continue to be mobile in the future. Single payer would be great for me, don't know about anyone else!

[LDnearthesea]

Couldn't agree more. We need Medicare for all, and yeah, it's socialism, and so f****** what!

[BillMelater]

Sorry Teddy, but mickey mouse outrageously priced insurance for everybody is not the answer.

Besides, this would keep our businesses uncompetitive with the rest of the world further promoting job exodus.

Single payer non-profit is the only solution that will work.

[mergina]

WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO WOO WOOOOOOOOOOO! Will always love you Curly.

[LemonMeringue]

Everyone please take one moment to write an email to the White House. http://whitehouse.gov

[NightOwlCafe]

Listening to Thom Hartman interview Bernie Sanders today about health care. Thom suggests that calling our representatives and the White House gets more attention as emails are usually ignored, unfortunately. Also hand written letters are effective. This is urgent, lets get busy.

[LDnearthesea]

You wouldn't think so. Emails are the way many people communicate nowadays. Senators and Congressmen are stuck in the 80's! Not reading emails of constituents should be against the law!

[LemonMeringue]

Not good enough Ted.

Single payer health care. Americans deserve what every other industrialized nation has.

[10SNE1]

I've always provided and paid for health insurance for my employees and their spouse/families. Each year I've seen prices go up and benefits decrease.
For Profit healthcare does not work. As a citizen healthcare should be a basic right. Profit driven healthcare is diametricly opposed to quality medicine.

[LDnearthesea]

You are a good employer. So many who own businesses are Repugnantcans and wouldn't want so-called 'socialized' medicine.

[NoblesseOblige]

Thank you!

[neurologymatters]

You are a great employer- are you hiring?

[kkuchenb]

No, no, no, no, no. Health care needs to be decoupled from employment. We, as Americans, no longer have stable employment. That's just a fact. We're buffeted from boom to bust, and employers have been cutting and outsourcing jobs. It makes no sense to have health care linked to something as unstable at that. Besides, your career decisions should not have anything to do with health care. How are you supposed to start a new business or join an exciting new startup if you have to stay with the employer that provides health care. Time to retire, Sen. Kennedy. You are dead wrong. This model has been breaking down in Massachusetts, and you know it.

[magicmary]

Yes!

[NeoConDeath]

isnt this the guy who introduced HMOs to America. Go away Ted and keep cashing those checks from the insurance industry. Single Payer care now.

[XLintLuvR]

Wow you're ignorant!

[LDnearthesea]

Yeah, there's plenty of Repug senators that that would apply to before Kennedy.

[Popperian]

HMOs were a GOP plan approved by Nixon.