Health Care Resolved: Give us the Congressional Plan

BettyJean Kling

Our President and the house and Senate convened in a special meeting this morning all telling us their employers that they have our best interests at heart and what they and we all have in common is this one thing; all Americans deserve and want and need affordable health care. I agree – how about you?

Here they sit fighting over three different plans all written exclusively by democrats and fought over  bitterly by Blue Dog Democrats and Republicans alike while Americans have increasingly done without while paying these fools to fight over the same while the answer is as plain as the nose on their faces.

According to Steny Hoyer, 5^Th. Congressional District Maryland, he has a plan that is affordable and does not restrict pre-existing conditions. While reiterating his deep concern for Americans this morning he announced that he wants all Americans to have as good as he has.  I agree – how about you?

The President has said over and over that he has great heath care for he a his family and always will- need I remind you who pays for that health care? Mr. Obama  along with Nancy, Harry and Steny tell us they want us to all have Health Care as good as theirs.  I agree – how about you? As if rubbing salt in our wounds – We The People have been reminding all 535 of them and POTUS and Company of this very point all along.

Why don’t they understand and why can’t we all have what they have? It costs about $1200.00 a year for the Representative and his family for life it’s a Cadillac plan, has no restrictions, and it is not NOT Government Run! 

What a novel idea.

I think he single handedly pointed right to the solution!

I asked my Congressman last August and many Americans asked their Congresspersons as well but none are suggesting the perfect answer. So Mr. Obama, the dilemma is solved. Stop the summit and give us what you and the Congress has.

Demand the Insurance companies currently covering the hundreds of thousands of government employees to also cover the 300 million Employers with the same coverage. How’s that for a large pool?

Eureka! – Health Care coverage and cost s solved!

Senator Hatch and Chris Matthews Debate Health Care

This clip from the Chris Matthews Show is an interesting Rorschach test for ones political perspective. Posted by a liberal group, their perspective is that it shows that Republicans are unwilling to compromise, and just want to see the President fail. However, from the perspective of a fiscally conservative Independent, I see Senator Hatch making several excellent points. He states how the parties are moving well to the left and to the right respectively, leaving only a few moderate Democrats willing to compromise with Republicans on this bill. Senator Hatch himself has in the past worked on bipartisan health care legislation showing that his disapproval with this bill is not an unwillingness to work across the aisle, but a belief that this is a fundamentally bad bill. He gives an alternative health care solution then explains to Mathews that big government is a problem and not a solution, and that the country’s spending is at risk of bankrupting the country.

Guess it’s all in one’s perspective, but I’d give the points to Hatch not Matthews.

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Hatch and Matthews on Health Care and Political Perspective

Dems Restrain Health Care Debate

After numerous complaints about the Democrats rushing through health care legislation without adequate debate or explanation, a new complaint arises about Senator Baucus using his position to restrain companies (Humana in particular) from providing customers with information about the Senate Health Care Bill.

From the Wall Street Journal – Baucus Bludgeons Humana

Earlier this month, Humana sent a one-page letter to its customers enrolled in its Medicare Advantage plans, which offer private options to Medicare beneficiaries. Humana noted that, because of spending cuts proposed by Democrats, “millions of seniors and disabled individuals could lose many of the important benefits and services that make Medicare Advantage health plans so valuable.” The Kentucky-based company also urged its customers to contact their Representatives. Pretty tame stuff, as these things go.

Mr. Baucus took it as a declaration of war. He complained to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the federal health-care agency, which on Friday duly ordered Humana to cease and desist. CMS claimed the mailer was “misleading and confusing” and told the company it has opened an official probe as to whether the mailer violated laws about how the insurers that manage Advantage plans are allowed to communicate with their customers, as well as other federal statutes.

“Please be advised that we take this matter very seriously and, based upon the findings our investigation, will pursue compliance and enforcement actions,” CMS concluded, ominously. Humana could be fined or booted from Medicare Advantage altogether.

“It is wholly inappropriate for insurance companies to mislead seniors regarding any subject—particularly on a subject as important to them, and to the nation, as health-care reform,” Mr. Baucus said in a statement yesterday, playing the role of Congressional censor. “The health-care reform bill we released last week strengthens Medicare and does not cut benefits covered under the Medicare program—and seniors need to know that.”

In fact, the Baucus draft legislation slashes $123 billion over the next decade from Medicare Advantage, which Democrats hate despite the fact that almost one-fourth of beneficiaries have chosen it over traditional fee-for-service Medicare. One reason seniors like it is because private insurers focus on quality and preventive care and try to manage benefits, as opposed to simply paying bills.

This did not go unnoticed by Senator Mitch McConnell who was uncharacteristically angry over the this impingement on Humana…

From ABC Blog “Shut Up! The Government Says” – McConnell on Humana Letter

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell does not normally get riled up, but he just gave an impassioned speech on the Senate floor about the gag order, Humana, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, who initiated the HHS investigation. McConnell referred to Baucus only as “a colleague.”

“Using the full weight of the federal government’s enforcement powers to stifle free speech should trouble all Americans — and all of us — even more,” McConnell said. “We cannot allow government officials to target individuals or companies because they do not like what they have to say.”

“Shut up! the government says,” said McConnell on the Senate floor of the CMS letter to Humana. “Don’t communicate with your customers. Be quiet and get in line,” he said facetiously.

There are two points to remember here. Humana is based in Kentucky, so McConnell is quick to protect them. And second, he is a staunch defender of the first amendment. For instance, McConnell is the often the only Republican to vote against a flag burning amendment when it periodically arises.

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Dems Heavy Handed on Heath Care