The GOP has finally released a plan of their own for health Care, which I shall call the Boner Bill, after it’s chief proponent. The graphic represents American consumers’ best option, if the Boner Bill becomes law.
The Wall Street Journal, of all places, had the most accurate headline on the new Republican health care bill set to be unveiled by John Boehner, after months of waiting. The headline was: "GOP Health Bill Gives Insurers More Leeway."
The Wall Street Journal apparently thought that headline was too honest, and the article has subsequently dissapeared from their website, but the Internet has preserved it for us, in a slightly edited form, and the facts speak for themselves:
A House Republican health-care bill wouldn’t seek to prevent health insurance companies from denying sick people insurance, Minority Leader John Boehner (R., Ohio) said Monday.
…
The bill would allow insurance firms to sell policies across state lines, permit small businesses to pool together to bring down costs they face, implement changes to medical malpractices, and give state governments more flexibility to pursue rule changes in their states.
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Boehner also said Monday that the Republican plan wouldn’t include tax credits for people who buy insurance individually rather than through their employer. He cited the cost of providing those credits as a reason why they wouldn’t be included.
Apparently, the forthcoming GOP health care bill operates on the principle that if it’s good for insurance companies, it must be good for us.
The Republican bill runs the table on provisions that will increase insurance company profits.
- Make more money by denying care? Check.
- Make more money by ending insurance policies when someone gets sick and actually needs to use the care they paid for? Check. (At least according to the original version of the Wall Street Journal article.)
- Allowing insurers to move to the least-regulated states and sell their junk insurance to the rest of the country? Check.
There’s no attempt to expand coverage to people who are dying without it, that would be too costly. And no attempt to shield people from insurance company abuses like denial of care… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Health Care for America Now>
Boner could not have screwed the American consumer more. The Boner Bill ends none of the present Big Insurance abuses, raises costs, and removes insurance company oversight at the state level. This is not a plan. It’s a joke, and a foul one at that. I understand that to thank Boner for his efforts, Big Insurance gave Boner a dose of Viagra. He got six inches taller.
10 Responses to “How to Die Quickly”
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Tom, I'm at the point where I trust NOBODY!! Look what the NJ voters have done! How can I trust our dems in congress and our president to put people first?? I desperatly need a PICK-ME-UP!!!
The Viagra they gave to Boner may have added inches to his stature, but it did nothing for his shifty eyes and his sly ways.
So essentially, their bill consists of only a couple interesting ideas, but lack any of the changes required to help actual people, all to protect the industry's interests over the average American…
So, I wonder how Fox News will spin this bill for the public? Any "life panels"?
As for the elections, I really think Republicans got a good media machine and great publicity. The democrats failed to attack…
Sue, I'm so sorry. {{{hug}}} With Dems, I'm in their corner, but not in their pocket. Corzine is a 'business as usua' guy with close ties to Wall Street. The base did not turn out for him, because he does not represent change.
Holte, nothing can cure that. Viagra just made that prick bigger.
Kevin, none opf the4 idea are enev interesting, once you see through them and understand their intent. Faux says it's God's gift to America.
The Republicans, and Blue Dog Dems like Lincoln, Landrieu, Bayh, and Nelson, plus that a-hole independent LIEberman, are all wasting time and huge amounts of taxpayer money by acting as corporate shills for the insurance industy by stonewalling and supporting legislation with no teeth in it at all. This is disgusting. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "never has so little been owed to so few by so many."
Jack has stirred me up again with the mention of that Lieberman swine. I can't bear to look at this man's face. If Harry Reid doesn't fire him from his chairmanship Harry Reid needs to be fired. As to this ridiculous Boner Bill…..Well enough said.
Lieberman *is* swine. He doesn't refrain from eating pork to stay kosher, he refrains from pork to not be a cannibal.
I've got my AARP Bulletin open in front of me.
I also just received the bad news that my health insurance premiums are going up from $438 to $499 a month starting in January. I'm lucky to have an insurance plan that can't toss me out on any pretext (Oregon State Pension). Otherwise, I'd be SOL.
The other problem (other than being charged a 14% increase) is that the stuff that Providence pays for sucks the big one. I pay $20 copays, $200 deductible. Doesn't sound so bad, except I've rarely reached the deductible on my annual payins.
My gosh, I almost hope I get REALLY sick, so Providence will pay for something. Okay, they do kick in a minor amount on the one prescription I take regularly. It sure as hell doesn't come up to $5256/year for 2009 or $5988/year in 2010. They are making out like bandits on me.
Their out of pocket: about $300 per year. My out of pocket: nearly %6000 per year (2010 premiums).
Pardon me, while I go out and try to get a broken hip or something so I can get all that money back.
That's $6000 not %6000.
Jack, that's a goos analogy. There must be consequences for what they are doing.
Mike, don't look at my #2 today. {{TC hides behind his litter box}}
Stimson, do you realize that you are insulting pigs?
OUCH Marva!! They're a lot better with their Medicare advantage plan. $15 co pay/No deductible. Try staring at a picture of Ann Coulter for an hour. In addition to treatment for ulcers, you'll need months of psychiatric care.