5 posts tagged “health care”

I can understand why so many people are having difficulty understanding the term "public option" because there are a lot of liars and distorters out there.

SO ... in plain English, here's what the "public option" is all about:

If you want to stay in a traditional insurance program that excludes people using the phrase "pre-existing condition" and only makes the CxOs of insurance companies ridiculously wealthy (by not letting sick people get insurance), then you keep the insurance you have.

IF YOU DO NOT ... your OPTION is to go with the government insurance.

That's it, people.

Other countries, such as Germany, Denmark, England (and on and on and on) determined that there is a conflict of interest between public health and for-profit insurance companies. So what did they do? They went with government-subsidies insurance, and EVERYONE has insurance.

It's just that simple, people. What are you afraid of? That brown-skinned people will be able to participate in health care? Just curious.

OK, people, let's look at the facts using the actual verbiage contained within the proposed healthcare bill and not the rantings of people who are getting PAID by private insurance lobyists.

A guy has started a Facebook page about how the proposed plan would seriously compromise care for persons with disabilities. He specifically quoted Part 3, Subtitle D, so I READ all of that section.

*SIGHS*

Let me tell you what that section says (in plain English):

"You cannot enroll after the annual enrollment period (Jan. 1, 2011) [um, just like your insurance through work, IF you have it] UNLESS you / family member has been newly diagnosed with a qualifying condition."

SO ... just like PRIVATE insurance, there is an ANNUAL enrollment. If you, as a responsible adult or caregiver do not have the organizational capacity to enroll your child who needs insurance into this program by the deadline ... then you have failed (not the program). Oh, and UNLIKE private insurance, you CAN enroll past the deadline IF you have a NEW diagnosis. (Private insurance does not give you that courtesy. In fact, private insurance would DROP your disabled child because disabilities are typically PRE-EXISTING.

Just so you can read it yourself (and not rely on someone else to interpret the facts for you, here is the actual text of the specific section (I downloaded the PDF version of the bill; you should, too):

PART 3—TREATMENT OF SPECIAL NEEDS PLANS
14 SEC. 1176. LIMITATION ON ENROLLMENT OUTSIDE OPEN
15 ENROLLMENT PERIOD OF INDIVIDUALS INTO
16 CHRONIC CARE SPECIALIZED MA PLANS FOR
17 SPECIAL NEEDS INDIVIDUALS.
18 Section 1859(f)(4) of the Social Security Act (42
19 U.S.C. 1395w–28(f)(4)) is amended by adding at the end
20 the following new subparagraph:
21 ‘‘(C) The plan does not enroll an individual
22 on or after January 1, 2011, other than during
23 an annual, coordinated open enrollment period
24 or when at the time of the diagnosis of the dis25
ease or condition that qualifies the individual as

an individual described in subsection
2 (b)(6)(B)(iii).’’.

SEC. 1177. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY OF SPECIAL NEEDS
4 PLANS TO RESTRICT ENROLLMENT.
5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1859(f)(1) of the Social
6 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w–28(f)(1)) is amended by
7 striking ‘‘January 1, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘January 1,
8 2013 (or January 1, 2016, in the case of a plan described
9 in section 1177(b)(1) of the America’s Affordable Health
10 Choices Act of 2009)’’.
11 (b) GRANDFATHERING OF CERTAIN PLANS.—
12 (1) PLANS DESCRIBED.—For purposes of sec13
tion 1859(f)(1) of the Social Security Act (42
14 U.S.C. 1395w–28(f)(1)), a plan described in this
15 paragraph is a plan that had a contract with a State
16 that had a State program to operate an integrated
17 Medicaid-Medicare program that had been approved
18 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as
19 of January 1, 2004.
20 (2) ANALYSIS; REPORT.—The Secretary of
21 Health and Human Services shall provide, through
22 a contract with an independent health services eval23
uation organization, for an analysis of the plans de24
scribed in paragraph (1) with regard to the impact
25 of such plans on cost, quality of care, patient satis-

faction, and other subjects as specified by the Sec2
retary. Not later than December 31, 2011, the Sec3
retary shall submit to Congress a report on such
4 analysis and shall include in such report such rec5
ommendations with regard to the treatment of such
6 plans as the Secretary deems appropriate.

We're number one! Um ... really? 

The Republican scare machine is up and running, people, and it's out to GETCHA! Rush and his cohorts have been saying that the universal health care bill will include mandatory END OF LIFE counseling! (Boogah boogah boooooogaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!) And that counseling is defined as "steps on how to end your life."

They are really good, because the first part is true (the section within Advance Care Planning Consultation, pg. 425) does discuss End of Life Planning.However, it does not include discussing how to kill yourself (or state-sponsored euthenasia, as they are calling it). End of Life Planning means, creating a Living Will, establishing a health proxy, should you become unable to communicate, and planning out what your care should be right up until the end. That way, we have no more publicized Florida-type dramas over the last wishes of someone who is comatose.

See how they did that? One part truth, 50 parts lie. What's in it for them, you ask? Why, kick-backs from the industries that would LOSE if we ALL get the health coverage we need, namely health insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies.

What kind of person do you have to be to lie to the American people like that? What kind of GULLIBLE do you have to be to believe it? (Because I have some excellent ocean-front property in West Texas to sell you.)

Seriously, though ... always check the facts. Do not believe anyone at face value, especially regarding politics (no matter what side of the aisle you prescribe to). In this case, Repbulicans and Blue Dog Democrats are lieing to us out the wazoo.

Health coverage for everyone is a good thing, people. It's not the boogie-man.

About 14,000 American citizens lose their health care coverage A DAY. Every. Single. Day. 

Health