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So it Begins -- the August Attack on Health Care Reform
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Acorn, Advance Directives, Employer-Sponsored Insurance, End Of Life Consultations, Health Benefits, Health Reform, Health Reform Attacks, Illegal Aliens, Individual Mandate, Mandates, Medicaid, Medicare, Physician-Reimbursement, Private Health Insurance, Public Health Insurance Plan,
Politics News
This week I received a mass email that exhorted the recipients to pray for our country because of the disaster surely to befall on us if health care reform is passed. It is very important for all of us to understand what health reform is about because being able to respond to these distortions is important. So I went through every charge and answered it and sent it back to the huge email list to which it had been distributed. I wish I had seen the excellent rebuttal done by Politifact before I spent all this time, but it's encouraging to know we have multiple ways to toss this stuff back.
The original email charges are in bold and my comments are in CAPS below each of these distortions. I am not really shouting (in CAPS) but in a way I am. This makes me mad, particularly the charges about killing old people.
The bill being referred to is HR 3200 Affordable Health Care Choices -- this is what is being referred to as the House Bill. Of course the bill will be modified before it ever goes to the House lloor, but this version is the one that the email charges refer to.
FIRST OF ALL -- Please note that the first five hundred pages of the bill, or Titles I and II, refer mainly to the new Health Exchanges and the health plans that will offer benefits through these exchanges. There is also language about improvements to Medicare, although you will note that the author of these attacks (anonymous to me) seem to confuse Medicare with private plans.
SO HERE STARTS THE CHARGES -- AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM!
Page 22 -- MANDATES the government will audit books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure.
NO, ACTUALLY THE LANGUAGE SAYS THAT A STUDY SHOULD BE COMMISSIONED TO DETERMINE -- IN GENERAL -- HOW MANY EMPLOYERS ARE SELF-FUNDING THEIR BENEFITS AND MIGHT WANT TO SHIFT THEIR EMPLOYEES TO THE HEALTH EXCHANGE. NOTHING IN THERE ABOUT AUDITING THE BOOKS.
Page 30 Section 123 -- There will be a Government COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.
NOT EXACTLY. AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE WILL RECOMMEND THE BENEFITS TO BE OFFERED, JUST LIKE WHAT YOUR EMPLOYER DOES NOW OR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY -- THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUY MORE EXPENSIVE OR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS BUT IT WILL BE YOUR CHOICE. FOR HEALTH PLANS THAT OFFER BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO BUY THEIR INSURANCE THROUGH THE EXCHANGE, JUST LIKE WITH MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTS NOW, THERE WILL BE A COMMON PACKAGE OF BENEFITS OFFERED SO PEOPLE CAN COMPARE THEIR CHOICES.
Page 29 lines 4-16 -- Your Health Care is RATIONED.
WOW. NOT AT ALL! THIS LANGUAGE SAYS THAT YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN A SET AMOUNT EACH YEAR FOR YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE. RIGHT NOW YOU ALL HAVE MAXIMUM AMOUNTS THAT YOUR INSURANCE WILL PAY ANNUALLY AND THEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN. THE NEW LAW WILL PROTECT YOU FROM HAVING TO PAY MORE THAN SET AMOUNTS. YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY!!
Page 42 -- The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your Health Care benefits for you. You have no choice.
AGAIN. NOT TRUE. THERE WILL BE CHOICES OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLANS YOU CAN BUY. RIGHT NOW IF YOU ARE EMPLOYED YOUR EMPLOYER CHOOSES FOR YOU. IN THE EXCHANGE, ALL KINDS OF PLANS WILL BE OFFERED FOR YOU TO CHOOSE. DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD PERSONALLY BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHAT SERVICES YOU WANT COVERED AND WHAT YOU DO NOT? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT EXCEPT THROUGH A RIDER?
Page 50 Section 152 -- Health Care will be provided to ALL non-U.S. citizens, illegal or otherwise.
THERE IS NOTHING ON PAGE 50 OR SECTION 152 ABOUT ILLEGALS. ILLEGALS WILL NOT BE COVERED. THIS SECTION PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION OR GENDER OR ANYTHING ELSE.
Page 58 - Government will have real-time access to individual's finances and a National ID Health Card will be issued.
NO. IT SAYS THAT THE HEALTH PLANS IN THE EXCHANGE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE YOUR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE THEY ISSUE YOU AN INSURANCE PLAN. YOU ALREADY HAVE ID CARDS IF YOU HAVE PRIVATE INSURANCE NOW OR EVEN MEDICARE. AND YOU CAN'T GET HEALTH INSURANCE NOW UNLESS YOU CAN PAY FOR IT. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT. IT'S NOT THE GOVERNMENT BUT THE PRIVATE INSURANCE PLANS THAT WILL REQUIRE THIS INFORMATION.
NOTE THIS IN POLITIFACT.COM
•
Page 59: The federal government will have direct, real-time access to all individual bank accounts for electronic funds transfer. Barely True: Section 163 sets out goals for electronic health records. One of the goals is to include features that "enable electronic funds transfers, in order to allow automated reconciliation" between payment and billing. The legislative summary says the intent in the section is "to adopt standards for typical transactions" between insurance companies and health care providers. The legislation generically describes typical electronic banking transactions and does not outline any special access privileges.
Page 59 lines 21-24 -- Government will have direct access to your bank accounts for electrical funds transfers.
NOT THE GOVERNMENT. AGAIN. YOU WILL HAVE TO APPROVE AN ELECTRONIC (NOT ELECTRICAL!) FUND TRANSFER IF YOU WANT TO PAY YOUR PREMIUMS THAT WAY. IT WILL BE THE PRIVATE INSURERS WHO PROCESS THIS, LIKE BLUE CROSS, AETNA, ETC. HOW DO YOU DO IT NOW?
Page 65 Section 164 -- A payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in unions and community organizations (ACORN).
NO. THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE THE GOVERNMENT WILL HELP EMPLOYERS WHO PROVIDE RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TO PAY FOR THOSE BENEFITS IF THEY EXCEED A CERTAIN AMOUNT. IT'S A REINSURANCE PLAN THAT LARGE EMPLOYERS REALLY LIKE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM TO CONTINUE GIVING THEIR EMPLOYEES RETIREE BENEFITS WHEN THEY RETIRE BUT NOT BREAK THE PRIVATE EMPLOYER'S BANK. UNIONS OPERATE HEALTH PLANS JUST LIKE PRIVATE EMPLOYERS SO OF COURSE THEY ARE INCLUDED. NOTHING SAID ABOUT ACORN HERE.
Page 72 Lines 8-14 -- Government is creating a Health Care Exchange to bring private health care plans under government control.
IT IS TRUE THAT GOVERNMENT WILL HELP TO REGULATE THE EXCESSIVE ACTIONS OF PRIVATE INSURERS WHEN THEY DENY YOU COVERAGE BECAUSE OF A PREEXISTING CONDITION OR BECAUSE YOU WERE SICK. BUT DON'T WE ALL WANT THAT? EVEN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY HAS AGREED TO THAT. THE EXCHANGE IS A WAY TO KEEP OUR PRIVATE INSURANCE SYSTEM WORKING, BUT NOT ALLOW THEM TO DENY YOU INSURANCE OR CHARGE YOU AN ARM OR A LEG. HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO BUY PRIVATE INSURANCE BY YOURSELF? IF YOU DID, YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU WERE EVER SICK, THEY CAN REFUSE TO SELL IT TO YOU OR CHARGE YOU A LOT.
SEE NY TIMES SUNDAY WITH THIS QUOTE:
Lawmakers of both parties agree on the need to rein in private insurance companies by banning underwriting practices that have prevented millions of Americans from obtaining affordable insurance. Insurers would, for example, have to accept all applicants and offer a minimum package of benefits, to be defined by the federal government. Nearly all Americans would be required to have insurance. Lawmakers also agree on the need to provide federal subsidies to help make insurance affordable for people with modest incomes. For poor people, Medicaid eligibility would be expanded.
Page 84 Section 203 -- Government mandates ALL benefit packages for private Health Care plans in the Exchange.
THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT PLANS FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM, BASIC TO COMPREHENSIVE DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT TO PAY. RIGHT NOW, IF YOU ARE A MEDICARE BENEFICIARY AND CHOOSE TO BUY A SUPPLEMENT OR "GAP" PLAN, YOU CHOOSE PLANS FROM A MENU AND THE BENEFITS ARE MANDATED AND CONSISTENT.
Page 85 Line 7 -- Specifications for Benefit Levels for Plans = The government will ration your Health Care.
NO RATIONING HERE. YOU CHOOSE THE BENEFITS YOU WANT TO PAY FOR. ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR PLAN, YOUR DOCTOR DECIDES WHAT TREATMENTS YOU NEED. "BENEFITS" MEANS YOU GET HOSPITAL SERVICES AND LAB AND X-RAY. IT DOESN'T DETERMINE WHEN OR HOW OR WHY. JUST LIKE THE PLANS YOU HAVE NOW THROUGH YOUR EMPLOYER OR WHICH YOU BOUGHT YOURSELF. NO DIFFERENT.
Page 91 Lines 4-7 -- Government mandates linguistic appropriate services. Example -- translation for illegal aliens.
YES, LINGUISTIC SERVICES. NO, ILLEGAL ALIENS. NO SERVICES TO ILLEGAL ALIENS. THIS IS A BLATANT LIE. THERE IS NO MENTION OF ILLEGAL ALIENS HERE AT ALL.
Page 95 Lines 8-18 -- The government will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Government Health Care plan.
THE BILL SAYS "APPROPRIATE ENTITIES" WILL HELP WITH ENROLLMENT. DOESN'T MENTION ACORN OR AMERICORPS. IT IS DOUBTFUL ACORN WOULD HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DO THIS TYPE OF ADVISING ANYWAY.
Page 85 Line 7 -- Specs of Benefit Levels for Plans. AARP members -- Your Health Care WILL be rationed.
NO MENTION OF AARP. NO RATIONING. YOU GET TO CHOOSE THE LEVEL OF BENEFITS YOU CAN AFFORD. BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DESIGN THESE PLANS. GOVERNMENT WILL REQUIRE PRIVATE PLANS TO DESIGN THE BENEFITS SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THEM AND CHOOSE APPROPRIATELY.
Page 102 Lines 12-18 -- Medicaid Eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.
NO. LINE 16 SAYS IF YOU DO NOT ELECT (CHOOSE) TO ENROLL IN A PRIVATE PLAN AND IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID BY REASON OF LOW INCOME, YOU CAN BE ENROLLED AUTOMATICALLY. BUT YOU MAKE THE CHOICE.
Page 124 lines 24-25 -- No company can sue the government for price fixing. No "judicial review" against government monopoly.
TRUE, NO JUDICIAL REVIEW OF GOVERNMENT RATE NEGOTIATIONS. BUT GOVERNMENT IS NOT A MONOPOLY HERE. THIS ONLY PERTAINS TO THE PUBLIC PLAN AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE THE PUBLIC PLAN, NOR DOES A DOCTOR HAVE TO CHOOSE TO CONTRACT WITH THE PUBLIC PLAN. IT IS VOLUNTARY.
Page 127 Lines 1-16 -- Doctors/AMA: The Government will tell you what you can make.
NOT EXACTLY. THIS CHARGE MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THE GOVERNMENT TELLS ALL DOCTORS WHAT TO DO. THIS LANGUAGE PERTAINS ONLY TO THE PAYMENTS NEGOTIATED FOR THE PUBLIC PLAN. PRIVATE INSURERS WOULD CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE RATES WITH DOCTORS LIKE THEY DO NOW. . MEDICARE SETS PAYMENT RATES FOR DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS. PHYSICIANS CAN CHOOSE TO CONTRACT WITH MEDICARE AND THEY CAN CHOOSE TO CONTRACT -- OR NOT -- WITH THIS PUBLIC PLAN. AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE TO ENROLL IN THE PUBLIC PLAN. NO ONE IS TELLING DOCTORS WHAT THEY CAN MAKE.
Page 145 Line 15-17 - An Employer MUST automatically enroll employees into public option plan. No Choice.
ABSOLUTELY NOT. THE EMPLOYER CAN PROVIDE ITS OWN COVERAGE OR IT CAN ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO CHOOSE FROM THE MANY, MANY PRIVATE INSURANCE OPTIONS. NO ONE HAS TO GO INTO THE PUBLIC PLAN. SOME SMALL EMPLOYERS (TO BE DEFINED) CAN ALLOW THEIR EMPLOYEES TO CHOOSE A PLAN FROM THE EXCHANGE. IN MOST OF THE BILLS, LARGE EMPLOYERS CANNOT MOVE THEIR EMPLOYEES INTO THE EXCHANGE, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS.
Page 126 Lines 22-25 -- Employers MUST pay for Health Care for part time employees AND their families.
THIS PAGE NUMBER AND REFERENCE IS WRONG. NOT SURE WHAT PAGE THEY ARE REFERENCING. BUT YES, THERE ARE SOME REFERENCES TO COVERING PART TIME EMPLOYEES IN THE BILL IN ANOTHER SECTION.
Page 149 Lines 16-24 -- ANY Employer with payroll 400k and above who does not provide public option pays 8 percent tax on all payroll.
THERE IS AN EMPLOYER MANDATE FOR SMALL EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE MORE THAN 400K IN PAYROLL IN THE HOUSE BILL. BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PUBLIC PLAN. THE PUBLIC PLAN IS OPTIONAL SO PART OF THIS IS TRUE BUT THE IMPLICATION IS THAT THE EMPLOYER MANDATE IS TIED TO THE PUBLIC PLAN. IT IS NOT..
Page 150 Lines 9-13 -- Business with payroll between $251k and $400k who does not provide public option pays 2-6 percent tax on all payroll.
NO REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC OPTION. WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM?
Page 167 Lines 18-23 -- Any individual who does not have acceptable Health Care according to the government will be taxed 2.5 percent of income.
THIS IS TRUE. THERE IS AN EMPLOYER MANDATE AND AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE IN THIS BILL. EVERYONE MUST HAVE INSURANCE AND THERE ARE PENALTIES IF THEY DO NOT GET IT. BUT THERE ARE ALSO SUBSIDIES TO HELP THEM PAY FOR IT. IT'S LIKE AUTO INSURANCE. YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT AND YOU PAY FINES IF YOU DON'T GET IT. UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE NO SUBSDIES FOR BUYING AUTO INSURANCE.
Page 170 Lines 1-3 -- Any NONRESIDENT alien is exempt from individual taxes. (American citizens will pay).
ILLEGAL ALIENS WILL NOT BE COVERED. THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT BE PENALIZED.
Page 195 -- Officers and employees of Health Care Administration (government) will have access to ALL American's finance/personal records.
THIS IS AN OBVIOUS EXAGGERATION. ONLY FOR THAT INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. DO YOU WANT GOVERNMENT PAYING SUBSIDIES FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD COVERAGE? PROBABLY NOT.
Page 203 Line 14-15 Health Care -- "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax". Yes, it says that.
IT DOES. AND IT'S FUNNY. BUT TAX IS A LEGAL TERM UNDER THE IRS RULES AND THIS IS A CLARIFICATION.
Page 239 Line 14-24 -- Government will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, and poor will be affected.
NO. THE LANGUAGE IS NOT VERY CLEAR BUT IT REFERS TO A FEE SCHEDULE, WHICH IS IN PLACE NOW ANYWAY FOR MEDICAID.
Page 241 Line 6-8 -- All doctors will be paid the same regardless of their specialty.
NO. THIS REFERS ONLY TO A CERTAIN EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN MEDICARE. IT IS NOT A BLANKET PROVISION BY ANY MEANS.
Page 253 Line 10-18 -- Government sets value of doctors' time, professional judgment, etc.; literally the value of humans.
THE RVU (RELATIVE VALUE UNIT) IS THE WAY DOCTORS ARE PAID FOR MEDICARE NOW. IT'S A COMPLICATED FORMULA. PHYSICIANS ACCEPT IT, AND ACTUALLY, SOME LIKE IT BECAUSE IT REWARDS THEM FOR TIME SPENT TALKING TO PATIENTS, NOT JUST TIME WRITING PRESCRIPTIONS. THIS WHOLE SECTION IS ABOUT PAYMENT FOR MEDICARE. MEDICARE ALREADY USES THESE FORMULAS.
Page 265 Section 1131 -- Government mandates and controls productivity for private Health Care industries.
THIS IS FOR MEDICARE. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EXCHANGE OR PRIVATE PLANS.
Page 268 Section 1141 -- Government regulates rental and purchase of power driven wheelchairs.
THIS IS ABOUT MEDICARE. GOVERNMENT ALREADY DOES THIS. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS A POWER DRIVEN WHEELCHAIR. DON'T YOU WANT YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY BEING SPENT WISELY BY MEDICARE?
Page 272 Section. 1145 -- Treatment at certain CANCER HOSPITALS; rationing for cancer patients.
NO. THIS REFERS TO MEDICARE PAYMENTS TO CANCER HOSPITALS AND THE ATTEMPT BY GOVERNMENT TO KEEP COSTS UNDER CONTROL BY NOT OVERPAYING.
Page 280 Section 1151 -- The government will penalize hospitals for what government deems preventable re-admissions.
THIS REFERS TO MEDICARE AGAIN. AND YES, IF A HOSPITAL DUMPS A PATIENT OUT BEFORE THEY ARE READY TO LEAVE AND THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND BE ADMITTED AGAIN, THE HOSPITAL SHOULD BE PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT READMISSION.
Page 298 Lines 9-11 -- Doctors, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission and the government will penalize the doctor.
THIS APPLIES TO MEDICARE ONLY. AND YES, THE DOCTOR WHO RELEASES THE PATIENT SHOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE IF THE PATIENT HAS TO COME BACK.
Page 317 Lines 13-20 -- PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Government tells doctors what/how much they can own.
NOT ALL OWNERSHIP. JUST SITUATIONS WHERE DOCTORS OWN THE MAJORITY OF A HOSPITAL OR LAB AND ONLY SEND THEIR PATIENTS TO THE PLACE THEY OWN, THUS INCREASING THEIR INCOME BUT NOT GIVING PATIENT ANY CHOICE. THERE ARE ALREADY PROHIBITIONS ON WHAT THEY CALL "SELF-REFERRAL" IN PLACE, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE.
Page 317-318vLines 21-25,1-3 -- PROHIBITION on hospital expansions.
NO. ONLY SITUATIONS WHERE DOCTORS OWN THE HOSPITAL AS WELL AS THE LABS, ETC. AND THEY HAVE A MONOPOLY.
Page 321 2-13 -- Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required. Approval by ACORN?
NOTHING SAID ABOUT ACORN HERE OF COURSE. AND BY THE WAY, THERE HAVE BEEN PROGRAMS TO REVIEW HOSPITAL EXPANSIONS SINCE 1980. THESE PROGRAMS WERE CALLED HEALTH PLANNING AND THEY ALLOWED THE PUBLIC TO COME AND COMMENT ON WHETHER OR NOT A HOSPITAL SHOULD BUY A NEW MRI OR BUILD A NEW WING..
Page 335 Lines 16-25; Page 336-339 -- Government mandates establishment of outcome based measures. Health Care the way they want it. Rationing.
THIS ONLY APPLIES TO MEDICARE AT FIRST, BUT IT IS COMMONLY USED NOW IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. WHY SHOULDN'T WE MEASURE THE QUALITY OF CARE RECEIVED? HEDIS, CAPHS, ALL USED FOR YEARS BY PRIVATE SECTOR -- EVEN BEFORE MEDICARE USED THESE MEASURES -- MOST DOCTORS AND HOSPITALS AGREE THAT OUTCOME MEASURES ARE IMPORTANT. THIS IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL IN MOST CIRCLES. WHO DOESN'T WANT BETTER QUALITY CARE?
Page 341 Lines 3-9 -- Government has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMO's, etc., thus forcing people into government plan.
YIKES. MEDICARE IS A GOVERNMENT PLAN. AND IT'S MEDICARE ADVANTAGE, NOT ADVANCE. AND MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS ARE HMOS AND PPOS AVAILABLE TO MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES NOW. THE PROGRAM WAS STARTED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH. THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH RUNS MEDICARE, HAS ALWAYS REGULATED MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS SINCE THEY FIRST STARTED.
Page 354 Section 1177 -- Government will RESTRICT enrollment of special needs people.
NO. THIS PROVISION ATTEMPTS TO STRENGTHEN PLANS THAT SERVE PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. YOU READ IT COMPLETELY WRONG.
Page 379 Section 1191 -- Government creates more bureaucracy -- Tele-Health Advisory Committee. Health Care by phone?
IT'S ONLY A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THIS IDEA. ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN REMOTE AREAS. THIS WOULD ALLOW DOCTORS TO TALK TO PATIENTS WHO LIVE IN ALASKA OR SOME RURAL AREA WHO ARE SICK AND CAN'T GET TO A DOCTOR IN A TIMELY WAY. IT COULD SAVE LIVES.
Page 425 Lines 4-12 -- Government mandates Advance Care Planning Consults. Think senior citizens end of life.
THIS ONE REALLY MAKES ME MAD. ALL THIS DOES IS ALLOW PEOPLE TO CHOOSE (GET IT, CHOOSE?) TO HAVE A CONSULTATION ABOUT WHAT IS CALLED AN ADVANCED DIRECTIVE. AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A STATEMENT BY A PERSON ABOUT HOW THEY CHOOSE (CHOOSE!) TO BE TREATED IF THEY GET A TERMINAL DISEASE. THE PERSON CAN DECIDE THEY WANT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE DONE FOR THEM OR THEY CAN DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE ON FEEDING TUBES. BUT IT IS THEIR CHOICE. NO ONE ELSE'S. AND THIS IS AN OPTIONAL BENEFIT. NO ONE NEEDS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO.
Page 425 Lines 17-19 -- Government will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney. Mandatory!
NOT MANDATORY. NOT MANDATORY. NOT MANDATORY. OPTIONAL. OPTIONAL. OPTIONAL. IF YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE A CONSULTATION EVERY FIVE YEARS, YOU CAN. IF YOU DO NOT CHOOSE TO DO IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 -- Government provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death.
THE LIST OF RESOURCES IS JUST A LIST SO PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO FIND OUT INFORMATION. SENATOR SNOWE (REPUBLICAN) INTRODUCED THIS IDEA SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
427 Lines 15-24 -- Government mandates program for orders for end of life. The government has a say in how your life ends.
NO MANDATE. NO SAY IN HOW YOUR LIFE ENDS.
THIS IS AN OPTIONAL PROGRAM. . BUT IF THERE IS A PROGRAM TO ADVISE PEOPLE, OF COURSE THE GOVERNMENT WANTS THAT PROGRAM TO GIVE ACCURATE INFORMATION AND RESPECT PEOPLE'S WISHES.
Page 429 Lines 1-9 -- An "Advanced Care Planning Consultant" will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.
CAN BE USED MORE FREQUENTLY. NOT WILL BE USED. IF THE PATIENT IS DYING QUICKLY AND NEEDS MORE HELP, THAT HELP WILL BE AVAILABLE.
Page 429 Lines 10-12 -- "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from Government!
NOT FROM THE GOVERNMENT. IT PLAINLY SAYS IF THERE IS AN ORDER -- FROM THE PATIENT TO THE DOCTOR -- THE DOCTOR ISSUES THE ORDER. NOT THE GOVERNMENT. READ IT! LINES 13-25.
Page 429 Lines 13-25 - The government will specify which doctors can write an end of life order.
.
NO. ONLY DOCTORS WHO ARE LICENSED PROFESSIONALS CAN MAKE THAT ORDER. AND THE ORDER IS AT THE REQUEST OF THE PATIENT TO START WITH. GOVERNMENT ONLY ASSURES THAT A REAL DOCTOR OR QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IS HELPING OUT.
Page 430 Lines 11-15 -- The government will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life.
NO. THE INDIVIDUAL PATIENT DECIDES THAT. IT PLAINLY STATES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL DECIDES. NOT THE GOVERNMENT. NOT EVEN THE DOCTOR.
Page 469 -- Community Based Home Medical Services = Non-profit organizations. ACORN Medical Services?
NOTHING TO DO WITH ACORN. AND IT'S NOT HOME MEDICAL. IT'S "MEDICAL HOME." THAT'S A CONCEPT THAT IS GAINING A LOT OF RESPECT AMONG PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THEM TO GET PAID FOR HELPING TO COORDINATE PATIENT CARE MORE EFFECTIVELY.
Page 472 Lines 14-17 -- Payment to community-based organizations; One monthly payment to a community-based organization like ACORN.
ACORN IS NOT A MEDICAL HOME OR A MEDICAL ORGANIZATION. NO PAYMENT TO ACORN. I HAVE SEARCHED THE BILL AND ACORN IS NEVER MENTIONED.Page 489 Section 1308 -- The government will cover marriage and family therapy, which means they will insert government into your marriage.
NO. THIS IS A CLARIFICATION OF A BENEFIT UNDER MEDICARE. IT ALLOWS CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS TO BE INCLUDED AS WELL AS PSYCHOLOGISTS. IT IS VERY TEMPTING TO GET SNARKY ABOUT THIS ONE. A LOT OF PEOPLE COULD USE A LOT MORE MARRIAGE COUNSELING!!
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DOC! What is the MATTER with you? Bringing sensible commentary to perhaps the most critical social debate since Medicare?....for shame....:-)
Anyway, here's my fear....regardless of the financing and the policy debates and the delivery system modifications, we still are left with the same "risk pool" with the same claims percolating through the system, and add to it another 30 million or so now not served or underserved. Unless we fundamentally change behavior and move away from the mcnuggets and cigarettes we will still be over-weight, over-fed, under exerting time bombs - you know the joke, if you don't think we are doomed in this regard, go to a county fair. Here in Wis at the state fair they are promoting chocolate covered bacon on a stick!......I kind you not!
We both have looked at enough claim data to know that unless the lifestyle factors that cause 51% of the mortality in the US are confronted, we are just rearranging the deck chairs. The deeper I dive into that data pool, the more I am convinced a single payor system may be the only answer....true all for one one for all....
As for those wingnuts you cited in your piece, they always make my head hurt.....
1. The pay for 'Outcome' pack is most likely to expedite the introduction of Health Care IT SYSTEM.
2. The synergy effect of combined Health Care IT & a pay for 'Outcome' SYSTEM may enable the clinicians to correctly diagnosing and effectively treating a patient earlier in the process so that it can measurably scale back the crushing lawsuits and deter the excuse for unnecessary cares to make fortunes.
3. In modern society, 'medical institute' and 'energy sector' is the only arena that is not retrofitted with 'a must' . And what happens if the financial institutes get back to the PRE- IT SYSTEM ? , supposedly the crisis would be comparable to the present health care system. It is believed that over the duration of two wars, computer IT has not expanded the progress to 'electronic medical records' & ' smart grid technology' . With them in place, people all around the globe might have avoided this tragic recession.
4. The Mayo Clinic medical practice has launched the first widely available e-health information service for patients on Microsoft's HealthVault service.
Through Mayo Clinic's network, users of its health-care services can keep up with their health information and information for family members, and receive health guidance and recommendations from Mayo that is optimized for each person.
The system also allows patients to upload information from home-health devices such as blood glucose monitors and digital scales. Patients can authorize whether they want to share their health information with doctors or other
Linda, you are quite the cheerleader for this. As with much legislation of this type, bureaucrats will decide the implementation and interpretation of this bill after it is law.
You provide a very warm fuzzy answer to each issue though.
I do not have the same faith or trust in congress you express
I can see that you distrust "government" from your comments here. And I'm sorry about that. I guess for me, "government" has many faces, and many of those faces are people I have worked with over the years and I trust their integrity. I have been called a "government lover" by the person who started this whole email thing. And I must say I am proud of that label. When you work as many of us do in the policy arena, you get to see how things are done behind the scenes, and I have tremendous respect for the hard work of the Congressional staffers, the people who work at CMS, HHS, AHRQ, the National Institutes of Health, etc. What does disturb me is that people don't take the time to really get to know their representatives, follow their work, dialogue with them, etc. It's so much easier to just throw mud and accusations.
So when you feel like slamming the "system", try talking to an individual somewhere. The system is just individuals like you and me, most of whom are trying their best to do what's right.
Call me naive. But please call me a government lover!!
Hi Linda thanks for the response. You are correct, I do distrust government. From my prospective they have not acted in the best interests of Americans. Neither house of congress has acted to truly curb and punish corruption; there is numerous examples corruption on both sides of the aisle. The failure to restrict lobbyists, whereby limiting the influence pedaling is disheartening to say the least. We have several examples of tax loop holes being written to benefit specific lobbyist for campaign contributions, of course I realize the contributions and legislation benefiting special interests are merely a coincidence. Sure it is.
Politicians act in their best interests, and represent parties not people.
One question; why are you a fan of big government?
One thing that congress and the senate has not addressed is how to pay for this.
The classic Tax The Rich class warfare will not work, taxing the rich will not make up 239 billion dollars.
This entire bii is a scam, We the people need to demand that our elected reps. open this discussion for all Americans.
I want to know what these corupt bums are voting on, before it is shoved down our throat.
We need health care reform or insurance reform, what ever the name. But we cannot trust eithier house of congress to up US first, instead of special interests, such as themselves.
Reps. or Dems. we cannot trust any of them.
why doesnt the congress and the senate want to enroll in this wonderful system?
Why dont the unions want to enroll in this wonderful system?
They already have this wonderful system.
And we the people shall demand that if this program is good enough for me and mine it is damn well good eough for them.
How is congress planning to make up the 239 billion dollar deficit, taxing the rich won’t do it.
My congressman has Blue Cross, I asked.
I noticed that you did not address page 16. It details that after the effective date of the bill. Private option changes are disallowed, such as changing employers, you will be required to ”choose” the public option. Was this dropped from the House Bill?
We should demand that all elected reps and government employees have the public option, that should solve many of the problems.
No, they do not have this system the system they have allows them to directly negotiate their own policies with insurance companies. Page 16 (section 101) makes it illegal for people to have any new policies after HR3200 goes into effect and forces people onto the public option or they will be taxed section 207). If you lose your coverage (like your employer chooses to go public option, or your group gets dropped for cause like excessive claims) and your coverage did not meet or exceeds coverage thresholds which have not been yet established; because the Health Benefits Advisory Committee has not yet been appointed by the President as outlined in Section 123, then you can't get on the public option via section 201 (Health Insurance Exchange).
If you have been paying any attention to even the mainstream media you would know that at least Congress has been honest in admitting that they are exempt from HR3200 (and HR3200 even states they are exempt) and that they do indeed have different coverage. Actually the only thing that the President was Honest about in his staged town hall was that he as well as congress does indeed have different coverage.
The early drafts had unions exempted. Obama will take care of the unions, as a political payoff for their support. The rank and file will not stand for this, they have great health care.
Not to mention, many union works do federal projects, they know what a boondoggle federal work and management is. Why would they want the government involved in thier health care?
Thank you so much for this. I will bookmark it so that next time I get one of those silly emails I can respond.
Plus some doctors won't even see you if you don't have insurance..... I use to be in middle management and work for Aenta insurance co. I understand why & how insurance company's work. They do not care about the consumer. It's all about stocks and the bottom line. People don't want the government to tell them which doctors to go to or what procedures they can have even though the insurance companies do this every day of the week.
There are NETWORK docs and non-network docs.
There are prescriptions on the formulary and the ones that they will not pay for.
You have to have their permission before you get an MRI and other tests.
Some procedures like getting a kidney are not covered at all in some plans because it's considered experimental. they are currently spending millions to halt the public option and there are idiots out there who believe their brainwashing not to mention the congressmen & senators who are taking pays off from the lobbyist. It's a racket.
I assume you no longer work for Aetna. It is surprising to me that you don't know how hard Aetna physicians work to set out medical policies about what will be covered and what will not. All the things you mention are tactics to contain costs but also to ensure quality of care. Things that are "experimental" are just that. We don't know whether or not they work or for whom. So insurance companies wait to cover these treatments until they can be assured that the treatment will work most of the time. Personally I am grateful that physicians who work for these insurance companies as medical directors take the time to investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of new treatments before they willy nilly pay for them. And most of the public supports some limitations on coverage. Check out a new study called "What Matters Most." http://www.chcd.org/whatmattersmost/index.html This study surveyed 1000 Californians about what they thought ought to be paid for and what should not. The results might surprise you.
Thank you for this article. I got a WARNING E-MAIL on heath care reform this morning. I didn't think about health care until I didn't have it and could not get it because of pre-existing conditions.
In 2007 I got sick, even with insurance my health care bills came to $12,000. I sold my home to cover my bills in 2008. My cobra ran out in 2009 and now I am uninsurable. I am in my 50's. Single and broke. I challenge any person who is against a public plan to try to get health insurance on their own. 75%-85% of people over 40 would be denied. If you are not denied for one person you will easily pay around $500 a month, with a family about a thousand. Have a hugh deductable. You will quickly find out how much drugs really cost and why Americans go to Canada to buy their drugs.
check out these links:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/07/health_care_continues_its_inte.html
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/2009/07/drugmakers_group_pledges_100_m.html
I wish Obama would show a plan...this is what I propose...this is what you get & for how much.
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/gop-rep-health-care-reform-not-that-important-to-the-american-people/
Obama says he wants to cut health care costs and give more people health insurance at the same time. The only way this is possible is by rationing care and raising taxes. And people who already have insurance or who actually pay income taxes (less than half all adult working Americans) tend not to like that. Many people also like their current health insurance plan, like me, and are scared that the company they work for will drop their current good plan and put them on the government plan. Small business owners should also be scared as they'll face higher costs, either by being forced to give more workers health insurance or pay the a penalty (tax) to the govt. A large number of doctors don't favor this either as they'll make less money. Many people who work for health care companies should be scared too, because as profits in the health industry go down because of more govt control of costs, they're at risk of corporate cost cutting. The health care industry, for those that don't know, created more jobs over the past 10 years than any other sector of the economy. With this bill many health care jobs will be at risk. Many other Americans will be upset that millions of non-American citizens (immigrants and many illegals) will be put on the health care dole, which the taxes of US working citiznes will have to pay for.
You didn't read the article, did you?
Each of your so-called points is disputed above.
Why would you believe the party which says the elderly will be euthanized, coverage for illegals will be mandated, care will be rationed (differently than it is currently), and jesus christ was an actual person?
Follow me closely here: THOSE ARE ALL LIES!
If there is no rationing, then health care costs and premiums will go up more than it would have otherwise, and then taxes would need to be increased to pay for it. If the govt tries to force health care companies to reduce prices, then the "cost-cutting" will begin and jobs in the health care industry will be cut.
Why would anyone believe the hypocrites of this same party that supported Bush as he was lying the nation into war in Iraq?
Have you read the bill?
Rationing we not be called out, it will be decided by a health care board. What will happen when this becomes too expensive for the tax base, rationing is unavoidable.
What about the 239 billion dollar funding short fall?
Do you trust congress and the senate to act in your best interests? They don't care, thier particapation is written out, as well as federal employees.
The rise in health care costs is primarily a matter of insurance companies making obscene profits while restricting (dare we say--rationing) which procedures and tests they will cover, the pharmaceutical companies charging Americans 10X more for drugs because our legislators do not allow Medicare to negotiate for price (so we get more restrictions on which ones we can get thru our insurance), out-of-control malpractice premiums, and the necessity of ER visits for the non-insured--shifting those costs to the rest of us. Canada, as one example, uses 7% of their GDP and provides health care access/coverage for *all* Canadians. For the same percentage of the U.S. GDP, we leave 3.5 million people wondering how they'll pay for their medical care. Many of us working in health care are not worried about losing our jobs. We're concerned that there are a large number of Americans who have to choose between bankruptcy and medical care. We find it reprehensible that any person in this country doesn't have the ability to go to the doctor when they need it. We're sitting at work wondering why insurance companies have a stranglehold on the system such that needed reforms cannot be made because it might cut into profits.
For those of you who want to see what the R's are doing without the shouting, here's an exceprt from the Financial Times.
"The truth is, Democrats and Republicans alike have been working on the assumption that voters are idiots. Opinion polls are teaching the administration that this is not so. Republicans are doubtless enjoying the Democrats’ discomfiture, but it is a hollow success. Their contribution to this debate has so far been worthless, and the country knows it."
The Financial Times is giving us credit for having brains. This IS something new.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8e920892-7f8a-11de-85dc-00144feabdc0.html
many thanks for this article - i too have been receiving the mass anti hc emails and have spent hours answering the items, not nearly as well or as completely as you did - have just sent this out to all - thanks again -
Your points are great, Ms. Bergthold, but I think you need to break them down into Top Ten, or better yet, Top Five, comments, under specific categories. (For example, "The Truth about Elders and Health care Reform", or "Ten Things You Need to Know about Elders and Health Care Reform." You should also make sure that the reading level of your material matches the reading level of your target audience.
One big reason that Democrat-produced info material goes over the heads of grass-roots Republicans is that the material is too long for folk with aging eyes, and it's written at a reading level that's above that of the people they want to reach.
Very good suggestions, Neli. The reason I did it in this order was because that was the order of the email that was circulating. There is a good website, though, that does it exactly as you suggest -- check out http://www.healthca rereformmyths. org/HealthcareRe formMyths. php?Act=Home -- they divide the topics into categories.
As for the reading level -- I thought I was being "too" simplistic. Apparently not!
If that is the best our government can come up with they all need to be voted out of office. End of
discussion!
HR 3200 requires taxpayers to buy private insurance for themselves & anyone who cannot afford it.
The "public option" will be administered by private insurance companies (Section 221(c)).
It is not "health care reform" nor is it "universal health care." It is the greatest windfall the gov't has ever given to private industry.
End of discussion.
It's a dog that should be put to sleep.
your audience isn't interested in compromise. Reforming healthcare and suppling care to the uninsured can be done a lot easier than creating a gigantic progam "public option" which would be OK in the beginning but would deteriorate as it's enrollment swelled.
Here's my suggestion (I have a public health Masters' degree and work in the industry).
an easy remedy is just to federalize Medicaid (not have states run) and cover
all individuals to 150% of poverty. Also extend S- chip to ages O - 22.
You need to include changes to private insurance too -
* Make them not for profit - non public /stock companies (Columbia did this not too long ago)
* They must accept preexisting conditions
* Detach the coverage from the employer (create purchasing pools in each state)
* Capitate medical malpractice awards
Pretty simple, unless your real objective is different than what you state " to cover those that are not covered now
1) you have no solution for bringing down the cost of coverage and care overall.
2) you state no evidence that a public option would deteriorate as enrollment increases--and its curious that you make this argument seeing as how most developed nations have public health care and their systems have not deteriorated.
3) Medical malpractice awards are not the problem. CA and TX have already capped MMA and a decrease in medical costs did not occur. Stop listing outdated conservative talking points.
4) Since you are in the industry you, your ideas are already suspect seeing as how it is in your interest to keep this system in place.
I don't blame RealityThinks for looking at the whole problem with an eye to keeping their current employment intact. It's the American way, or something.
That said, making insurers non-profit entities doesn't mean they can't earn profit. That would have to be separately capped as it is in either Germany or the Netherlands, I forget which.
There is a difference between the public health care available in most countries and the "public option" suggested in the House bill. The House bill would allow the government to basically negotiate a better price on insurance for those who are not able to get insurance through Medicare/Medicaid or through an employer. The government would essentially create a group plan for citizens to buy into.
This is completely the opposite of "public health plans" or "universal health care." In Canada, France, Taiwan, etc...the government *pays* the bill. The House bill only makes an insurance plan available and cheaper than it would be if you tried to get it on your own.
As to your point #4, not everyone in this industry wants to keep the system as it is. There are a few thousand doctors publicly advocating a single-payer system (a la Canada or most of Europe). The only difference in my job is that I could potentially see more patients come in for procedures. There is no financial benefit to me to see things remain the same.
Re: #4--keeping the system the same would provide me (and many other health care workers) absolutely no financial benefit. In fact, given the state of the economy in my area, the status quo is going to cost me money. When patients lose their job and their insurance, they usually don't see doctors as much and they certainly don't invest in expensive tests or treatments.
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