hursday, October 29, 2009 2,000 Pages of Mandates, Taxes, and Bureaucracy Posted by: Michele Bachmann at 12:05 PM This morning, House Democrats held a press conference to unveil their health care reform bill, which they claim will expand coverage for all and decrease costs. Sounds good, but once you peel away the “feel good” rhetoric, there’s nothing to be excited about. This 2,000-page bill includes a job-killing employer mandate, an individual mandate that requires Washington bureaucrats to define what kind of coverage is acceptable, burdensome tax increases, Medicare cuts, and a huge expansion of Medicaid that will break already strained state budgets.
You see, the Democrats are playing a game of bait and switch when they talk about the costs of this legislation. For instance, they say that costs will be kept under the arbitrary $900 billion cap that President Obama has requested. Well, they’ll stay under the cap simply by expanding Medicaid eligibility. In other words, they’ll be shifting the costs off one set of taxpayer-funded books to another set of taxpayer-funded books. And, don’t forget: we just had to bail out those states in large part because their Medicaid budgets were bleeding them dry!
Social Security is broke, Medicare is broke, Medicaid is broke – and all of them were created with the best intentions. But we have to face reality. Our deficit is at an all-time high. Our debt is nearing $12 TRILLION with no signs of slowing. We’re on a crash course for financial ruin. This isn’t conjecture, it’s basic economics.
Republicans have put forth alternative after alternative taking a patient-centered approach -- not focused on government, focused on you -- that will keep costs down, but each and every one of them has fallen on deaf ears. They weren’t even considered by Democrat leadership. Yesterday’s Chicago Tribune did a great job highlighting several of these Republican alternatives that won’t break the bank (a bank that’s already bankrupt).
As the Tribune points out:
“Let insurers sell policies across state lines. That would loosen the strangling state-by-state regulations and unleash compe ion to drive premium prices down.”
“Give people who buy insurance in the private market the same tax breaks as those who get it through employers. Now, employers that offer coverage get a tax break on the premiums they pay for employees. And employees don't pay taxes on the value of the coverage they receive. People who want to buy insurance in the individual market should get the same tax breaks. That would help millions of people acquire coverage.” (That’s what my Health Care Freedom of Choice Act does!)
“Expand the ability of small businesses, trade associations and other groups to set up insurance pools to offer coverage at more attractive rates.”
“Control health costs in part by reining in the medical malpractice system that raises insurance premiums and forces doctors to order tests to protect themselves from lawsuits. Limiting certain kinds of damage awards would reduce spending on health care by about $11 billion in 2009, or about one-half of 1 percent, the Congressional Budget Office estimates. Think about that in human terms: Reform would save millions of patients the expense and trauma of unnecessary tests and procedures.”
As this health care debate plays out, please don’t fall for the rhetoric and take a closer look at what the Democrats’ bill really means. If you do, you’ll realize that it’s a prescription for economic disaster.
Michele Bachmann
That's all?Limiting certain kinds of damage awards would reduce spending on health care by about $11 billion in 2009, or about one-half of 1 percent, the Congressional Budget Office estimates.OK, in human terms that will save a human one half of one percent of his or her premiums to give away the right to sue in all but the most egregious cases.Think about that in human terms
Pass.
Nobody is talking about giving away the right to sue. And you probably think this case would only cost the healthcare system 3.7 million....
Jury finds against Bellin in malpractice case
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/...lpractice-case
October 2, 2009 - Green Bay Gazette
A Brown County jury awarded the survivors of a deceased farm worker $3.7 million Friday in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
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Gustavo Espinal-Santos died Jan. 1, 2004, after contracting blastomycosis, a fungal infection often transmitted through water or soil.
James Sickel of Hinkfuss Sickel Pe jean & Wieting said Espinal-Santos twice visited the Bellin Family Medical Center in Bonduel in December 2003 complaining of illness. Sickel said Espinal-Santos was seen by physician assistants who determined he had pneumonia. He said they failed to run basic diagnostic tests, specifically X-rays.
He was admitted to St. Vincent Hospital on Dec. 23, 2003, and diagnosed with blastomycosis, but too late to save his life, Sickel said.
After a four-day trial and about eight hours of deliberation, the jury found Bellin Health System and Dr. Peri Aldrich, who was responsible for overseeing the physician assistants, were negligent.
Sickel said the award will be reduced because of award caps in Wisconsin law.
Espinal-Santos’ survivors include his wife, Maria Zavala McDaniel, and daughters Maria Espinal-Zavala, 10, and Anna Sophia Espinal, 5.
Bellin Health issued a statement Friday on the verdict.
“Foremost, Bellin Health wishes to express our empathy to the Santos family. It is difficult any time you lose a family member. Bellin Health is obviously disappointed with the verdict and believes the care provided was appropriate and followed established medical protocols. We are now determining what, if any, other action will be taken in this matter. Out of respect for the privacy of the family, we will have no further public comment.”
1. Thanks for omitting the rest of my quote.
2. Your own article says the award will be reduced.
3. How much exactly are you saying it will cost the health care system?
4. How much do you think Mr. Espinal-Santos' life is worth? How much do you think your life or the life of a family member would be worth in the same situation?
"established medical protocols"
... which this case obviously proves are bull .
iow, 90K deaths/year due to avoidable medical errors is, well, how the protocols work.
And you think doctors working not able to decide their own profit will fix this?
Do they decide their own profit now?
Can they just quote any number to the insurance companies and get compensated 100%?
And you are argueing for more govt. control of our healthcare.
That's not an answer to my question.I'm trying to find out what you are arguing at all. You don't make any sense.Do they decide their own profit now?
Can they just quote any number to the insurance companies and get compensated 100%?
Sorry, nobody is talking about giving away the right to sue "in all but the most egregious cases."...better?
The amount of the award is not the total cost to the healthcare system.
Let's see, in order to avoid another suit of this type the hospital needs to take chest x-rays and test for an uncommon fungal infection on every person who comes in with a cough and chest congestion during the middle of cold & flu season. Hard to come up with an exact price tag on that but if they do that then I'm sure you and bouton's will be right there complaining that they are doing unnecessary testing just to make an extra buck.
I don't think of lives in terms of how many dollar bills they are worth. If it were me or a member of my family who developed cold/flu like symptoms in December I'd be pretty happy if a doctor figured out it was blasto in only two weeks or so (that's actually a pretty quick diagnosis for blasto). And I wouldn't expect a big payday because the doctors were unable to successfully treat a disease that can be very difficult to treat successfully.
I never read an article by M. Bachmann. I am listening to her on Hannity's radio and she knows her stuff. Is there something slanderous or where she has lied, or is it just that she is Conservative?
You should google her. She's known for her colorful, slightly paranoiac vision of America.
Since when is it paranoid to see reality as it is?
“And what a bizarre time we’re in, Jan, when a judge will say to little children that you can’t say the pledge of allegiance, but you must learn that sexuality is normal and you should try it.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, appearing as guest on radio program “Prophetic Views Behind The News”, hosted by Jan Markell, KKMS 980-AM, March 6, 2004
http://www.thebachmannrecord.com/thebachmannrecod.html
“It’s part of Satan I think to say that this is “gay.” It’s anything but gay.” — Senator Michele Bachmann, speaking at EdWatch National Education Conference, November 6, 2004.
You tell em, WC.
I agree one hundred percent with that statement.
I know you do. That's what makes it all hilarious.
A 2,000 page cluster , good, this is a clear indication this regime is dishonest and arrogant, and has alot to hide. The people have another indicator of this regimes direction for them.
Have you ever noted the number of pages in any congressional bill before you were told to be outraged about this one?
We've had this discussion before....... remember. No it's great don't get me wrong I like it. I don't expect the congress will need to read this one either, much less the people.
I remember you never answered.
Yes it's bizzare, and I agree too. I see nothing wrong with her quotes.
I still don't see anything that shows her as paranoid.
"I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. And I'm not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it's an interesting coincidence." - Bachmann interview with Pajamas Media
Do you think a judge should order children not to recite the pledge of allegiance? That they should be taught and encouraged to try sexuality?
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