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Title: 20 Way ObamaCare will Take Away Our Freedoms
Source:
Investors Business Daily
URL Source: http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/capitalhill.htm
Published: Mar 23, 2010
Author: David Hogberg
Post Date: 2010-03-23 15:17:06 by Get Outta Dodge!
Keywords: None
Views: 48820
Comments: 161
20 Way ObamaCare will Take Away Our Freedoms By David Hogberg Sun., March 21, '10 3:24 PM ET Tags: Health Care - ObamaCare - Freedom With House Democrats poised to pass the Senate health care bill with some reconciliation changes later today, it is worthwhile to take a comprehensive look at the freedoms we will lose. Of course, the overhaul is supposed to provide us with security. But it will result in skyrocketing insurance costs and physicians leaving the field in droves, making it harder to afford and find medical care. We may be about to live Benjamin Franklin’s adage, “People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.” The sections described below are taken from HR 3590 as agreed to by the Senate and from the reconciliation bill as displayed by the Rules Committee. 1. You are young and don’t want health insurance? You are starting up a small business and need to minimize expenses, and one way to do that is to forego health insurance? Tough. You have to pay $750 annually for the “privilege.” (Section 1501) 2. You are young and healthy and want to pay for insurance that reflects that status? Tough. You’ll have to pay for premiums that cover not only you, but also the guy who smokes three packs a day, drink a gallon of whiskey and eats chicken fat off the floor. That’s because insurance companies will no longer be able to underwrite on the basis of a person’s health status. (Section 2701). 3. You would like to pay less in premiums by buying insurance with lifetime or annual limits on coverage? Tough. Health insurers will no longer be able to offer such policies, even if that is what customers prefer. (Section 2711). 4. Think you’d like a policy that is cheaper because it doesn’t cover preventive care or requires cost-sharing for such care? Tough. Health insurers will no longer be able to offer policies that do not cover preventive services or offer them with cost-sharing, even if that’s what the customer wants. (Section 2712). 5. You are an employer and you would like to offer coverage that doesn’t allow your employees’ slacker children to stay on the policy until age 26? Tough. (Section 2714). 6. You must buy a policy that covers ambulatory patient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services; chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care. You’re a single guy without children? Tough, your policy must cover pediatric services. You’re a woman who can’t have children? Tough, your policy must cover maternity services. You’re a teetotaler? Tough, your policy must cover substance abuse treatment. (Add your own violation of personal freedom here.) (Section 1302). 7. Do you want a plan with lots of cost-sharing and low premiums? Well, the best you can do is a “Bronze plan,” which has benefits that provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to 60% of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the plan. Anything lower than that, tough. (Section 1302 (d) (1) (A)) 8. You are an employer in the small-group insurance market and you’d like to offer policies with deductibles higher than $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families? Tough. (Section 1302 (c) (2) (A). 9. If you are a large employer (defined as at least 50 employees) and you do not want to provide health insurance to your employee, then you will pay a $750 fine per employee (It could be $2,000 to $3,000 under the reconciliation changes). Think you know how to better spend that money? Tough. (Section 1513). 10. You are an employer who offers health flexible spending arrangements and your employees want to deduct more than $2,500 from their salaries for it? Sorry, can’t do that. (Section 9005 (i)). 11. If you are a physician and you don’t want the government looking over your shoulder? Tough. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to use your claims data to issue you reports that measure the resources you use, provide information on the quality of care you provide, and compare the resources you use to those used by other physicians. Of course, this will all be just for informational purposes. It’s not like the government will ever use it to intervene in your practice and patients’ care. Of course not. (Section 3003 (i)) 12. If you are a physician and you want to own your own hospital, you must be an owner and have a “Medicare provider agreement” by Feb. 1, 2010. (Dec. 31, 2010 in the reconciliation changes.) If you didn’t have those by then, you are out of luck. (Section 6001 (i) (1) (A)) 13. If you are a physician owner and you want to expand your hospital? Well, you can’t (Section 6001 (i) (1) (B). Unless, it is located in a country where, over the last five years, population growth has been 150% of what it has been in the state (Section 6601 (i) (3) ( E)). And then you cannot increase your capacity by more than 200% (Section 6001 (i) (3) (C)). 14. You are a health insurer and you want to raise premiums to meet costs? Well, if that increase is deemed “unreasonable” by the Secretary of Health and Human Services it will be subject to review and can be denied. (Section 1003) 15. The government will extract a fee of $2.3 billion annually from the pharmaceutical industry. If you are a pharmaceutical company what you will pay depends on the ratio of the number of brand-name drugs you sell to the total number of brand-name drugs sold in the U.S. So, if you sell 10% of the brand-name drugs in the U.S., what you pay will be 10% multiplied by $2.3 billion, or $230,000,000. (Under reconciliation, it starts at $2.55 billion, jumps to $3 billion in 2012, then to $3.5 billion in 2017 and $4.2 billion in 2018, before settling at $2.8 billion in 2019 (Section 1404)). Think you, as a pharmaceutical executive, know how to better use that money, say for research and development? Tough. (Section 9008 (b)). 16. The government will extract a fee of $2 billion annually from medical device makers. If you are a medical device maker what you will pay depends on your share of medical device sales in the U.S. So, if you sell 10% of the medical devices in the U.S., what you pay will be 10% multiplied by $2 billion, or $200,000,000. Think you, as a medical device maker, know how to better use that money, say for R&D? Tough. (Section 9009 (b)). The reconciliation package turns that into a 2.9% excise tax for medical device makers. Think you, as a medical device maker, know how to better use that money, say for research and development? Tough. (Section 1405). 17. The government will extract a fee of $6.7 billion annually from insurance companies. If you are an insurer, what you will pay depends on your share of net premiums plus 200% of your administrative costs. So, if your net premiums and administrative costs are equal to 10% of the total, you will pay 10% of $6.7 billion, or $670,000,000. In the reconciliation bill, the fee will start at $8 billion in 2014, $11.3 billion in 2015, $1.9 billion in 2017, and $14.3 billion in 2018 (Section 1406).Think you, as an insurance executive, know how to better spend that money? Tough.(Section 9010 (b) (1) (A and B).) 18. If an insurance company board or its stockholders think the CEO is worth more than $500,000 in deferred compensation? Tough.(Section 9014). 19. You will have to pay an additional 0.5% payroll tax on any dollar you make over $250,000 if you file a joint return and $200,000 if you file an individual return. What? You think you know how to spend the money you earned better than the government? Tough. (Section 9015). That amount will rise to a 3.8% tax if reconciliation passes. It will also apply to investment income, estates, and trusts. You think you know how to spend the money you earned better than the government? Like you need to ask. (Section 1402). 20. If you go for cosmetic surgery, you will pay an additional 5% tax on the cost of the procedure. Think you know how to spend that money you earned better than the government? Tough. (Section 9017). Welcome Power Line, Fark.com and Big Government readers.
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#43. To: Fred Mertz (#41)
My youngest is being taught by Jesuits... Hal Turner's kid attends the same school. Should I be worried? Or does that balance it out?
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Get used to waiting a lot longer as it is a certainty that there will be a lot fewer doctors willing to practice under this system, and the ones that that do will be a lot less qualified (non English speaking graduates of Bob's Haitian School of Medicine)
I wouldn't worry too much. CS may have a different opinion.
Back in 2004, I laid in a hospital bed for three days waiting to have the surgery on my broken leg that I was told was so vital that I couldn't go get a second opinion as I had to have it within 24 hours of the injury. Thank whatever Sky Ghost you deem appropraite for morphine drips...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
What are they going to do? Become auto mechanics?
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Thanks...PHEW... You're a better person than me, btw. A moonbat is a moonbat...a Boofer is a Boofer...no matter how passionate...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Me either. A friend's husband, uninsurable because he'd had a heart valve replacement, committed suicide when his new valve began to fail, rather than put his family through bankruptcy.
I like the post office.
Ask them 45% Of Doctors Would Consider Quitting If Congress Passes Health Care Overhaul
I would love to live in a world where we all get the healthcare we need, when we need it, at the lowest possible cost. Can we all agree that that world does not exist, has never existed, and will never exist? Because if we can't agree on that, then there's no point in discussing this futher. Most of us (me, anyway) agree that our healthcare system has/had problems. Incremental changes could have been tried. But since socialized medicine has been a democrat wet-dream since FDR, and Zero, Harry and Nancy saw their chance to finally achieve it, they've done it. Even though they had to say "damn the Constitution, full speed ahead" they ended up getting what they wanted. Politically, I cannot fault them for that. Oh they'll pay a short term price, but with amnesty on the horizon, the price will be short lived. We have the first brick in the foundation - and within 10 years, we will have single-payer socialized medicine. And, short of bankrupcy, we can never go back.
"UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems." Take it up with Obama, then. He's the one who stated they were having problems
"UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems." "The share of Americans with employment-based coverage continued to erode for the eighth year in a row from 59.3% of Americans covered in 2007 to 58.5% in 2008."
What does the phrase "more perfect" mean to you? It seems somewhat oxymoronic does it not? Is it metaphorical for a system that will continually progress toward or strive for perfection for perpetuity? It is moronic to throw up your hands and live with mediocity because you believe that penultimate is the best that you can hope for. Something has to be second to something. And as long as you believe that something exists beyond what HAS BEEN attained, there is no reason to stop. You could find that what you discovered beyond was not ultimate but simply another stop along the trail.
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Fair enough. Thanks.
my anti groupie can't get through life without me.
Bingo. Same for the ultra expensive use of MRI's. My friend is still alive, still undiagnosed, and still living with debilitating pain, two years later.
Glad to here your friend is still alive. Now thats been said, any comment on why Doctors are forced to order extremely expensive tests due to insane malpractice lawsuits?
my anti groupie can't get through life without me.
Yea...the comment is "Wha...huh"?
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
So does the union representing the Postal Employees. Do you like the fact its lost hundreds of billions of tax dollars? That its never come close to 'breaking even'? We should have privatized it decades ago. The biggest irony is the only Postal Service to break even/turn a profit was between 1860 and 1865. In the Confederate States of America.
my anti groupie can't get through life without me.
Denmark ranks 9th on The Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom, the US is 8th. National Socialism You know - the guy with the funny mustache? I guess China is Republican, you know, People's Republic of China.
Its a credit to education in the US that people commonly confuse political systems with economic systems.
That's nice for Denmark, but you do realize that with 5,534,738 people, it ranks 109th in the list of countries of the world in population. The US is 3rd on that same list, at almost 309,000,000 people. "UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems." So was Jerry Brown and you know what they call him.
Geezus fuck boofer...the USPS HAS turned a profit several times in its history...as recently as two or three years ago.... Why do you insist on believing that your level of general knowledge dwells in reality?
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Chyea...trust me when I tell you that my youngest is Alex Keaton. He's had a paper route since he was 10...he wheels and deals on ebay...and he's very good hockey player too...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
That's nice for all of us...but what does that have to do with anything?
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
They were correct about Moonbeam.
my anti groupie can't get through life without me.
The irony is that poster is a Titan of Wall Street! in his mind, anyway. (laughing)
my anti groupie can't get through life without me.
They called him "Moonbeam" because, among other things, he advocated exploring the unviverse and envisioned that the use of satellite technology would become a mainstream method of communication as if it was some kind of nutty idea. The columnist who put that tag on him...I think the guy's name was Mike Royco...later wrote a column apologizing for it and conceded that Brown, at the time was visionary.
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
I'm not sure, but will have to make a decision soon. I started a new job last fall and I've been crazy busy. So, I'm concerned about getting in enough training time. How 'bout you?
Chyea... In a general system in which wealth provides a gateway to both influence and participation in government, it's a by product of man's natural tendency to be corrupt to use both as a means of one to advance the other. And while I would caution anyone towards temperance when describing us as a fascist nation, it is indisputable that corporatism, which we most definitely are, WILL give way to fascism.
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Heh... at least auto mechanics don't get to bury their mistakes.
I have never met a doctor who was happy to deal with insurance companies to get paid. Moreover, the other advanced nations provide comprehensive coverage to their entire populations, while the U.S. leaves 46.3 million completely uninsured and millions more inadequately covered. The reason we spend more and get less than the rest of the world is because we have a patchwork system of for-profit payers. Private insurers necessarily waste health dollars on things that have nothing to do with care: overhead, underwriting, billing, sales and marketing departments as well as huge profits and exorbitant executive pay. Doctors and hospitals must maintain costly administrative staffs to deal with the bureaucracy. Combined, this needless administration consumes one-third (31 percent) of Americans’ health dollars.
Doin St. Anthony's down in FL on the 25th April and am looking at a couple half Ironman's this Summer. But will mostly stay local. Think I'm going to do Ironman again next year. I did enter the Kona lottery and will find out next month if I got in. If that happens...boy will my life change...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Nope...their mistakes are the gift that keeps on giving...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
Not a fan of reading comprehension, I see. The heart attack was not fatal and it occurred while he was employed. His employer (a small business) was concerned about rising annual premiums because of the heart attack and got rid of my relative. The combination of long unemployment and no health insurance made my relative uninsurable and harmed his health further. That's the reality for many Americans.
Or facts...or truth...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
In 1988, Pru-Bache let a man go who contracted HIV during heart surgery...his estate sued and won under ADA...
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
I'm a fan of facts, not sob stories. You insinuated he was let go because of his failling health. How's that for 'reading comprehension' sweetie? Have a nice day.
my anti groupie can't get through life without me.
Hey best health care in the world!
Not only did she "insinuate" it, you snobbish, misogynistic, insignificant wormprick, she STATED IT OUTRIGHT.
Day 31 of Packrat refusing to register here. Day 29 of Boofer The One Eyed Wonder Bot refusing to answer: When is Blackwell going to have the recount? Jan 30, 2006 ... by saveliberty (Proud to be Head Snowflake, Bushbot...
So factoring in layer upon layer of government bureaucracy is going to make things better and cheaper? What kind of dope do you need to smoke to believe that? I've never had a problem with doctor's filing insurance. I doubt it actually costs very much as the same people who do it handle many other administrative duties, too.
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#44. To: lucysmom (#42)
As to "strapped system" - I've spent many an hour waiting with my elderly father in the local ER
#45. To: war (#43)
Should I be worried?
#46. To: lucysmom (#42)
(Edited)
As to "strapped system" - I've spent many an hour waiting with my elderly father in the local ER (if one is taken by ambulance, no wait time).
#47. To: dont eat that (#44)
Get used to waiting a lot longer as it is a certainty that there will be a lot fewer doctors willing to practice under this system
#48. To: Fred Mertz (#45)
#49. To: Suzanne (#25)
I just can't get nostalgic for that type of health care system.
#50. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#29)
"UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? It's the Post Office that's always having problems."
#51. To: war (#47)
#52. To: lucysmom (#42)
The issue behind your questions seems to be rationing of medical care. I take it you are in support of rationing as long as its not your care that's being rationed.
–Barry Soetoro attempting to make the case for government-run healthcare, while simultaneously undercutting his own argument, Portsmouth, N.H., Aug. 11, 2009
#53. To: lucysmom (#50)
I like the post office.
–Barry Soetoro attempting to make the case for government-run healthcare, while simultaneously undercutting his own argument, Portsmouth, N.H., Aug. 11, 2009
#54. To: Badeye (#31)
20% unemployment rate in real numbers...and I question the validity of the statement overall.
#55. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#52)
(Edited)
I would love to live in a world where we all get the healthcare we need, when we need it, at the lowest possible cost.
#56. To: lucysmom (#54)
#57. To: Badeye, Get Outta Dodge! (#34)
or did the doctor order it to shield him/herself from a potential malpractice lawsuit?
#58. To: lucysmom (#57)
#59. To: Badeye (#58)
Now thats been said, any comment on why Doctors are forced to order extremely expensive tests due to insane malpractice lawsuits?
#60. To: lucysmom (#50)
I like the post office.
#61. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#35)
Without our "capitalism" (such as it was), Denmark (and the rest of Europe) would be living under a different kind of socialism right now.
#62. To: war (#36)
Nazi Germany was as capitalist as they come...it's also why they were fascist...
#63. To: lucysmom (#61)
Denmark ranks 9th on The Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom, the US is 8th.
I guess China is Republican, you know, People's Republic of China.
You may not be far wrong.
–Barry Soetoro attempting to make the case for government-run healthcare, while simultaneously undercutting his own argument, Portsmouth, N.H., Aug. 11, 2009
#64. To: war (#43)
My youngest is being taught by Jesuits...
#65. To: Benjamin Franklin Boofer (#60)
#66. To: lucysmom (#64)
#67. To: Get Outta Dodge! (#63)
That's nice for Denmark, but you do realize that with 5,534,738 people, it ranks 109th in the list of countries of the world in population.
#68. To: lucysmom (#64)
#69. To: lucysmom (#62)
#70. To: Badeye (#68)
(Edited)
#71. To: war (#28)
You doing any events?
#72. To: lucysmom (#62)
(Edited)
It's a credit to education in the US that people commonly confuse political systems with economic systems.
#73. To: war (#47)
What are they going to do? Become auto mechanics?
#74. To: dont eat that (#44)
Get used to waiting a lot longer as it is a certainty that there will be a lot fewer doctors willing to practice under this system...
#75. To: Suzanne (#71)
#76. To: mininggold (#73)
#77. To: Badeye (#32)
Its the employers fault your relative had a fatal heart attack years after he was let go.
#78. To: Suzanne (#77)
Not a fan of reading comprehension, I see.
#79. To: Suzanne (#77)
#80. To: Suzanne (#77)
#81. To: war (#46)
Back in 2004, I laid in a hospital bed for three days waiting to have the surgery on my broken leg that I was told was so vital that I couldn't go get a second opinion as I had to have it within 24 hours of the injury.
#82. To: Boofer Schweitzer, Suzanne (#80)
I'm a fan of facts, not sob stories. You insinuated he was let go because of his failling health. How's that for 'reading comprehension' sweetie?
#83. To: lucysmom (#74)
Doctors and hospitals must maintain costly administrative staffs to deal with the bureaucracy.
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