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President Barack Obama signs the health care bill in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 23, 2010. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Health care -- one year later ... A nation still divided … and confused … Who’s left in Congress who voted for and against it … Where it stands in the courts … What’s ACTUALLY in effect … What will be and when … Bet you didn’t know … By the numbers
From NBC's Chuck Todd, Domenico Montanaro, Ali Weinberg, Carrie Dann, and Kevin Hurd
*** Health care -- one year later: Today marks the one-year anniversary of President Obama signing the health-care overhaul into law. That debate, the town halls, the process, and the late-night votes consumed every bit of the political oxygen for a year and were the subject of heated political rhetoric and spin (see: “Death panels,” pulling the plug on grandma, “government takeover,” socialism, and the public option). But look at what’s happened since (in order): the BP oil spill, the Greece riots, Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, floods in Pakistan, Democrats’ “shellacking” in the midterms, Republicans take control of the House, Rahm Emanuel becomes Chicago mayor, Bill Daley replaces him at the White House, a new press secretary, no more Michael Steele, Tucson, Tunisia, Egypt, Japan, and Libya.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
*** A nation still divided…: Back to the health-care anniversary … the needle hasn’t moved all that much on the health-care bill’s popularity. In the most recent monthly tracking poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 42% of respondents said they had a favorable opinion of the bill compared to 46% who saw it unfavorably. In April 2010, just after the bill was signed, the numbers were a similar -- but more favorable -- 46%-40%. In November 2010, when the midterm elections put the politics of health care front and center, those numbers were 42%-40%. The 2010 exit polls, which reflected an electorate that voted to sweep Democrats out of power in the House, showed an equally split country -- with 47% saying it should either be expanded or left as is and 48% saying it should be repealed. Kaiser’s numbers are similar to the ones shown by our NBC/WSJ poll. In March 2010, right before the legislation passed, 46% said they supported passage, 45% opposed. That’s exactly the same breakdown as NBC/WSJ found 10 months later in January 2011 on a DIFFERENT question -- on whether they supported or opposed its repeal.
*** …And still equally confused: Polling indicates Americans continue to be confused about how the bill will impact them, what’s actually in it, what’s been implemented, and whether it’s been repealed. Kaiser shows that, as of March, 53% say they are “confused” about their feelings on the law. In April 2010, 55% said they were confused. That dipped to 42% by June, but then spiked back up to 53% by September, dipped again to 43% by December and ticked back up at the beginning of this year; 52% say that they don’t know enough about the legislation to understand how it will affect their lives. That’s about the same as April 2010, when 56% said so. Incredibly, almost half in February of this year said INCORRECTLY either the bill had been repealed (22%) or weren’t sure (26%).
*** Congress -- who’s left: Of the 219 House Democrats who voted for the health care bill, 171 remain. The four House Democrats who voted for the health-care bill and ran for Senate all lost. Of the 34 House Democrats who voted no, 14 remain. One, Charlie Melancon (LA-3) ran for the Senate and lost. Of the 56 Senate Democrats who voted for it, 46 remain, 11 of whom won re-election in 2010. Of the three Senate Democrats who voted against it, two remain. Only one -- Blanche Lincoln (AR) -- was up for re-election last year. And she lost. (Republicans point out that NO Senate Democrats voted against the bill the first time around on the Christmas Eve vote.) *** UPDATE *** Republicans also point out that "six of the last eight Senate Dems to decide whether to support the health care bill will either not run for reelection or have been beaten. The seventh will be in a dogfight this year and the eighth will likely be reelected barring something dramatic in Vermont: Lincoln – lost; Ben Nelson – will likely lose; Lieberman – retire; Bayh – retire; Webb – retire; Conrad – retire; Feingold (because it wasn’t liberal enough) – lost; Brown (D - OH) (because it wasn’t liberal enough) – ??; Sanders (because it wasn’t liberal enough) – ??"
*** Where it stands in the courts: Nearly two dozen legal challenges have been filed in federal court over the law, NBC’s Pete Williams reports. And while most have been dismissed on technical grounds, five resulted in decisions on the central issue -- whether the law’s requirement that nearly all Americans buy health insurance is unconstitutional. The five cases are pending before federal appeals courts, and one may reach the U.S. Supreme court during its next term. In three of those cases, filed in Virginia, Michigan, and Washington, D.C., judges said the law is constitutional. In the other two, brought by the states of Virginia and Florida, judges said Congress exceeded its powers in passing the law. The lawsuit filed by Florida was backed by 25 other states. Adding Virginia, that brings to 27 the number of states challenging the law’s constitutionality. Six more cases are pending in the lower courts.
*** How is the law affecting you RIGHT NOW? There were cries of, “Have you read the bill?” and “What’s in the bill?” which led to a lot of the confusion. Well, here’s some of what’s ACTUALLY in the bill that’s taken effect already or will this year, per NBC’s Betsy Cline and others:
- Children allowed to stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until their 26th birthday.
- A 10% tax on indoor tanning services. (Sorry, Snooki.)
- Seniors receive a $250 rebate to help cover the so-called “donut hole” in Medicare drug coverage
- Free preventative care covered by Medicare and private plans. (So, when your company says, “Good news, you now get free health-care screenings, child well visits, physicals and other preventative care,” that comes from the health-care bill.)
- Nursing mothers to be allowed lactation breaks
- Insurance companies no longer allowed to discriminate against children with pre-existing conditions
- Government-run insurance plan set up for adults with preexisting conditions who are denied coverage
- Government-run long-term care program set up. For those who participate, people pay premiums for five years and then will receive benefits if they need them -- “whether they are 20-somethings in snowboard accidents or 80-somethings with Parkinson’s disease,” the New York Times wrote.
- Insurance companies barred from placing lifetime caps on benefits
- Insurance companies barred from dropping patients’ coverage when they get sick
- Insurance companies must prove they spend 80% to 85% of premium revenue on medical services.
- Insurance companies required to disclose rate increases (and the reason) of 10% or more
- Small businesses (with fewer than 50 employees) begin receiving tax credits covering 35% of premiums to help them buy coverage. (This credit jumps to 50% in 2014.)
- States receive billions in funding for community health centers
- Drug companies face $2.5 billion in fees (rises in later years)
- Creation of a government research institute created to examine the effectiveness of medical treatments
- Establishment of a Medicare Independent Advisory Board, which will be tasked with trying to keep Medicare spending down and submitting legislative proposals to do so. It will first submit recommendations in 2016.
*** How will it affect you IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS? If most of that sounds good (that is, unless you’re Snooki), Republicans will rightly argue the law was front-loaded with many of the positive parts. In 2013, new taxes and fees go into effect for individuals making more than $200,000 a year (and families making more than $250,000 a year), on dividends and interest, and on sales of medical devices. By 2014, the individual mandate goes into effect -- if you don’t have insurance, you have to buy it or face a fee. By 2016, that fee will be 2.5% of your income or $695 a year, whichever is more. (Kaiser has a helpful interactive timeline here.)
*** Bet you didn’t know…: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office yesterday passed around a quote from Starbucks’ CEO, who said, “I think as the bill is currently written and if it was going to land in 2014 under the current guidelines, the pressure on small businesses, because of the mandate, is too great.” It’s true that by 2014, businesses with more than 100 employees will have to contribute to buying health insurance for their employees or face hefty fines (if at least one of their employees qualifies for tax credits, but not Medicaid). But, we bet you didn’t know that businesses with fewer than 50 employees NEVER have to buy health insurance for their employees, per the White House.
*** By the numbers: For all your quick facts needs, here’s a health care, by numbers (gathered from published reports, the Kaiser Family Foundation, government health-care Web sites, the Department of Health and Human Services, and White House “fact sheets”):
- $2.8 billion: Dollars distributed so far to states to implement the law.
- $241 million: Dollars given so far to six states and a “coalition of states” in “Early Innovator” grants
- $50 million: Dollars to go out this year for five-year medical malpractice grants to go out this year to states to “develop, implement, and evaluate alternatives to current tort litigations”
- $50 million: Dollars in grants sent to states to establish exchanges
- $46 million: Dollars in grants so far to states to address insurance rate increases
- 4 million: People received $250 because they hit the Medicare “donut hole” since the law passed
- 12,000: People who were denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions since the law was passed and were added to the government-run Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan
- 1,040: Waivers granted that allow companies to cap annual payouts at lower levels than the original law orders
- 219: House Democrats voted for the health-care bill
- 171: House Democrats remain in Congress
- 63: House seats Democrats lost in the 2010 midterms
- 56: Senate Democrats voted for the bill
- 53: Percent who say they’re still confused by the law
- 48: Percent who say they think the law has either been repealed (22%) or aren’t sure (26%)
- 46: Democrats who voted for the bill remain in the Senate
- 38: States whose legislatures have proposed measures opposing elements of health reform
- 27: States have challenged the constitutionality of the law
- 26: Percent who say they’re not sure if the health-care law has been repealed
- 22: Percent who say incorrectly that the health-care law has been repealed
- 6: States -- Nevada, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota, and Iowa -- all have applied for waivers and are being reviewed
- 6: Cases pending in lower courts challenging the health-care law
- 5: Health-care lawsuits taken up by the courts out of the dozens of cases that were filed -- most centered on the individual mandate, which requires all Americans to buy health insurance
- 3: Steps the Small Business Administration created for small businesses to apply for or see if they qualify for government subsidies. The SBA claims, “Four million of the nation’s six million small businesses that employ workers could be eligible for these credits.”
- 3: Court decisions in court in favor of the administration
- 2: Court decisions against the administration.
- 1: State -- Maine has undergone the full process to get approval for a waiver on the 80%-85% provision of the health-care law. It got the provision adjusted to 65% through 2012. The reason for approval, per HHS: “The main insurance company that provides coverage for about” one-third of the 37,000 people on the individual market “said they may leave the market if they are required to meet the higher standard.”
- 1: Other state -- New Hampshire -- is farthest along in its waiver process and has a hearing set for Thursday.
Leave a Comment:
Obama has done more than any other prez to divide and conquer, using class warfare as a too to exploit theĀ voters! He is only the Prez of Chicago! In name only!
He is quickly losing any legitimacy: morally, constitutionally, and functionally.
You can see the list of positives in the healthcare bill, but I have to ask the LIBS why then is this thing over 1900 pages long? I would like to call that pork and buying of votes! Libs will say thats the way things are done in congress and thats not a good answer! Remember Obama is bringing change and hope...yeah right!
Like many have stated already, this bill is unconstitutional and will be striken down. Well not so much striken down, but once they realize people don't have to contribute to this mess, it will crumble from lack of money.
The thing that makes most people upset is they want healthcare reform, but this bill is a JOKE. If you have Pelosi saying sign the thing, so we can see what's in it that should be the red flag! Oh and passing this crap bill on Christmas Eve....seriously? I don't know what Obama is going to run on for the next election, especially if HC is doomed!
The reason all Bills are long winded is that the laws being changed have to be printed in the original form as well as the changes being implemented. If you would have read it you would have realized this. There are far too many people unwilling to read the bill, but more than willing to distort the content with ignorant statements.
James Reynolds...with all of my comments you are going to try and defend the 1900 page bill saying this is normal? Seriously...? I can bust out other legislation that does more in a fraction of pages. I will ask you this. Are up saying all 1900 pages of this HC bill are all health care related? Seeing how you made it sound like all you do is read 1900 page bills, please be careful on your answer.
I call that pork and buying of votes.... Am I wrong?
We should spend less time bloviating about what a great country we are and more time trying to make it great. Insurance works because everybody pays in to the pool, even some who may never get anything out of it. Imagine how expensive it would be if only really sick people had insurance? Healthy, young, and stupid people need to pay in some - I'm not sure how much - but something, for some basic coverage. In return, when you are older and/or sicker and you can't pay your own way becuase you have planned poorly, the rest of us will take care of you. Yes, I guess that is socialism, so what? So are streetlights, public schools, paved roads, the military, etc. Those are all examples of various government entities taking my money to distribute as they see fit, or as they feel is needed for the greater good. There are so many people yelling about freedom. Freedom to have cancer and to not afford care? Freedom to just go to the emergency room when you are really sick and can't pay, so I get an inflated bill when I have to go too? You can have it. We need to grow up as a people to the point that we accept that we are at a point in the development of our civilization where we believe that everyone should have basic care. And yes we all have to pay for it. I guess many of us just aren't there yet.
the larger question we need to address as a society is why we have so many people who require assistance. ---- solve that problem, and you will solve all our problems.
I get your point, but that doesn't entitle our country to fine/tax someone for not purchasing something. I don't have to pay into SS or even taxes, I could choose not to work or go to jail. You sound intelligent on this issue but at the same time you are willing to overlook our constitution!
In regards to several of your points above, if someone doesn't plan well for the future why should others have to pay for it? We have private insurance pools where people contribute and it works, so leave it at that and don't force somone to buy something they don't want.
James-You do realize that your tax dollars are now paying for those that choose to not have health insurance, don't you? Don't you think getting everyone to pay for their own health insurance is the best and most fair way? You're telling me that you don't mind paying for everyone's emergency room visits because they have a cold and choose not to buy health insurance? I do.
Clem..... As you stated we are already paying for ER visits from people without insurance. But do you know the poverty level in the US? Adding people to the pool who don't contribute to anything as it is, will only increase costs.
Since you are such a giving liberal, why don't you go ahead and pay my share then? I thought so!!!! :)
My health care has been going up every couple of years for the last ten years or so. If not the cost them the deductible. Of course the insurance companies are going to blame the health care bill. You don't think they are going to take responsibility for raising rates? I knew someone who got cancer years ago and when he did his insurance company dropped him. They can't do that under this health care bill. I spent 4 days in the hospital in 2001 at the cost of over 5,000.00 dollars a day. I can't imagine how much it costs today. That didn't include my personal physicians charges. Arizona is giving millions in tax breaks to companies and saying they don't have the 3 million or so necessary to help pay for transplants. 2 people waiting have already died. As Smirnoff would say: What a country!
If you haven't seen a premium go up for health insurance, you must be a teacher or on the government payroll.
Where are all the jobs promised from passing this bill?
WHY HAVE OVER 1000 COMPANIES GOTTEN A WAVER FROM THIS IF IT IS SO GREAT?
ļ»æTrue American???? Anyone with a brain knows you can cite statistics and surveys from various sources to support one's belief....worse yet, we can take them out of context. Both sides of the issue do it. After 33 years of healthcare I was without income for two years and no longer received employer-sponsored healthcare; Iapplied for healthcare, was repeatedly denied for either pre-existing conditions (hypertension treated and controlled for 30 years) or given an outragious policy that would have cost me $10,000 out of pocket a year. Say what you will about Candian healthcare all you natsayers but I now live in a country (Canada) which provides exceptional healthcare despite occasional wait-in-line dleays (better than being denied insurance or a claim like in the US) has has a life expectancy rate and infant mortality rate that puts the US to shame. I'm living the example of what's wrong with US healthcare. I am also a True American...jsut not living in the US and supporting Obamacare as republicans like to call it.
You ran away?
How naive and simple-minded a comment. Usually reserved for people who offer no meaningful contribution to a debate. I got married you dumb a$$ and moved to be with her as her mom was dying of cancer. May you rot in hell.
I have worked now in three different countries and there are adavantages and disadvantages to each. I would take the Canadian healthcare system over the US anyday...but if you've never moved out from under your rock I can see why you bred with your relatives..
How many people think this bill will save the American middle class taxpayer all the money that Pelosi, Reid and Obama claimed? Of the 47% who actually pay income taxes, how much will it save you?
Why did we take the best health care in the world for 85% of Americans and turn into mediocre healthcare for most Americans? Obama is paying back the his voter Democrats who feed at the govt trough everyday.
and that is the problem ---- this HCR law will never produce the reduction in premiums that many of our leaders touted before passing it.
Just a few points I’d like to share with EVERYBODY!
My one overriding question is HOW IN GOD’s NAME COULD A GOVERNMENT PASS A LAW WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IT, COMPLETELY? Can you imagine telling YOUR boss you approved that without knowing it? That is EXACTLY what your representatives and president told you.
Just a few points I’d like to share with EVERYBODY!
1. This nation’s government has put EVERY person in this country in debt so deep we cannot get out within at least six generations.
2. Anyone care to name ANY government run system that is SUCCESSFUL?
3. Given item 1 and 2 above, do you REALLY want to put the health care of your family into the hands of these same managers?
4. Perhaps what we are actually seeing is the creation of yet another tool to be used by government to make cuts and get votes, AKA the education system, Immigration system, FEMA, need I go on?
5. Anyone care to explain why the value of nearly every health care company shot up the day this bill was signed?
6. Can ANYONE list those who are exempt from this bill along with their relationship to the great and glorious Obama?
7. My one overriding question is HOW IN GOD’s NAME COULD A GOVERNMENT PASS A LAW WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IT, COMPLETELY? Can you imagine telling YOUR boss you approved that without knowing it? That is EXACTLY what your representatives and president told you.
Most of the bill doesn't even take into effect until 2012, after the election of course. Then you will see people loose their health insurance because it will be cheaper for companies to pay the fines on the tax returns.
Everyone here is forgetting something, the bill doesn't take effect until 2014. Only the things listed in the article have taken effect as of today. Insurance companies are going to make as much money as they can while they can.
Suzy
"We don't qualify for the credit because our annual cash receipts exceed the government's limit for the exemption."
I have looked at the law at length and I am unaware of any provision that limits the ability to get a credit based on gross receipts. There is of course a phase out for higher paid employees, so if too many are highly paid and your average wage per FTE ( full time equivalent) is too high your company may not qualify. Again this is a slow phase out, not an abrupt cut-off. Just saying.....
tnmnbates - I am a liberal democrat by most definitions, and an Obama supporter, and my healthcare has not been compromised. What are you talking about, other than making up nonsense? I don't feed at any government trough. I'm one of the many people who has planned well, makes more money than most, pays for your kids to go to school, and so on. I don't mind paying at least some amount more if it means everyone is covered. I'll agree with you on one thing though, that half of the population and the corporations that are not paying taxes is a real and big problem.
and the question we need to address and solve as a society is why we have so many low-income people who require assistance. ---- if you solve that problem, you solve just about all our problems.
Ā Of course people are confused, nobody will tell them the truth about this piece of crap. Costs will soar when this thing kicks in, unless it can be repealed.
Been with state farm for auto for over twenty years. Just decided to start shopping around and of course, my agent is upset. BUT, no matter where I go, I can save 20-30 per cent initially and usually 20 percent for the long term. Health insurance is the same, just start shopping around, and you will see there are better deals out there. YOUR insurance company does not want you to know this!!!
IF... all of the complainers about the increasing costs just start to shop aggressively for cheaper and better coverage, YOU will save money. Just do it!!! Start shopping. See what happens when real competition starts to happen in the market. REAL FREE market dynamics can work for all of us here.
The vast majority of folks get their health insurance through their employer.
why should i bother signing up for healthcare insurance when i can just wait until i have a medical condition, then sign up under the cannot-be-denied provision ??
Ron, that's one of the reasons why you are required to sign up now, or pay a penalty.
let's see ---- what is 2.5% of zero ?? ----- let's see, which is less, $300 per month, or $695 per year ?? ----- from page 131 of the law, if i refuse to pay the fee, they can only come after me for the amount of the fee -- there is no additional penalty or punishment.
I take it at face value you are right in those figures, but what's your point? That the penalty should be higher? I thought the right wing said there should be no penalty at all.
i have no idea what the right wing said, but i can do simple math ---- many of those currently uninsured will opt to pay the penalty ---- if an insufficient number of people sign up, the whole thing fails financially. ----- my question is, why does it seem that they designed this law in such a way that it would have almost zero chance of success ??
ronpaul-here's a very big reason; there is a 6 month waiting period to get the insurance built in to the bill to keep people from doing that. Pay the fine or not; if you decline it ; then change your mind; you must wait 6 months. Get hit by a bus or get cancer while you wait and you've lost everything. Collection agents don't care what you think the constitution says; they only want the hospital and doctors money.
if i get hit by a bus, the bus company's insurance would pay for my care --- has nothing to do with healthcare insurance. ---- at my age, they're not going to treat me for anything serious anyway, nor would i expect them to. ---- on the other hand, why should i be penalized for living a conservative, healthy lifestyle, while others are rewarded for living an unhealthy lifestyle ??
Every libby on here today defending the insurance farceknows that it will const us more they get on here and lie to defend it.
No one over the gae of 10 believes that this will take the cost of helthcre down.
The libbies don't care about the cost they want free insurance, because they have no intentuion of paying for any protion of it.
At some point we are simply going to have to quit putting up with liberals and do what eveer is necessary to restart this country.
It's primary goal was to provide health insurance for the poor and those who are refused due to illness or pre-existing conditions, not primarily to bring down costs. A public option would have accomplished that.
The rest of your post is rhetoric.
Wilburn - you sir, are ignorant garbage. I'll cut you slack for your bad spelling and grammer, because I can tell you're passionate, but not your stupidity. Go ahead and go back to the frontier if thats what you want.
Mark, again, the President stated that this law would accomplish 2 main goals; 1. cover what ever number of people that do not have insurance, which by the way is a guesstimate because no one could ever know that figure and 2. make Insurance more affordable and reign in costs; i.e. bring them down. Those are the 2 main tenents of Obamacare..
Comming from a provider stand point, It is taking longer for us to get paid and the Oklahoma Medicaid program will nit pick at every claim that gets sent in. I do agree that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare do need to crack down on fraud however, There needs to be more provider specific education than there is and when you call the provider medicare line to get assistance 95% of the time the representives do not know what to tell you to do. I would like to see diffrent groups of Medicare provider reps that are provider specific you call in and talk to reps that are trained in one speciality and know that speciality. Also there needs to be more specific patient medicare manuals patients need to under stand exactly what is not covered by the medicare program all you hear is as long as its "medically necessiary" its covered to an elderly patient whom is having weakness to them it may be neccisarry, to CMS its not necissary.
All change is confusing, is expensive, creates some drama, has a learning curve, and can be frightening at the same time it is exhilerating! Think of a big move you've made, any adventure you've chosen to to. What I describe is what happened, in part or in whole. In the end, you adjust though, the new status becomes familiar and you usually like where you ended up. That is the way I look at this bill. I would choose this adventure and I am willing to go through the expense/fear/drama, so that in the end I can be exhilerated that this country took a giant leap forward in caring for its citizens. We currently pay for too much for far too little from our government. This will, eventually, be a tangible 'win'.
Well I for one don't like having anything rammed down my throat. Which is exactly what they did with this bill. The good news is that once I have lost my teaching job, I can still get health insurance! Wow what a deal! If they are so good at fixing things, why can't they fix education??????? All thye do is dump more crap on us (unfunded mandates, testing, etc.) and then blame us because the kids are fed up with all the testing crap and don't care if they pass or not. As you can tell, I am a little cynical about our governments ability to fix anything. Actually, they remind me of a bunch of roustabouts. Which means "What they can't screw up they crap on!"
Of course there is confusion, but confusion doesn't make it wrong. Confusion comes from building a large bill that had to fix multiple years of neglect from administrations on both sides of the house. The left hate it because it doesn't go far enough. The right hates it because it goes to far and the 46% of the rest of us in the center want everyone to move on so that we can fix the next big problem in America and stop wasting resources on this one.
bn
The confusion comes from not reading it,making to many deals for votes,and closed door meetings.
There are so many parts of the Bill that refers to other Gov't laws and regulations that it is almost impossible to read and understand. Hell the thing has been a law for a year and people still don't understand it or know what are its ramifications.
The one thing I know for sure Obozo when campaigning said over and over, with his health care law premiums should go down an average of $1500.00 per year, my wifes health insurance premium almost doubled, guess someone forgot to factor in Obozo care. Obozos health care is a JOKE!!!!
HCR added 1 to 2% to health care premiums in 2011; no more. The additional went to the insurance companies to pay the lobbiest and politicians to spread misinformation.
got waivers?
I have a simple question: Can anyone tell me why the Unions, who spent millions trying to get this passed for Dear Leader, asked for a waiver from The Mighty O? If this is the savior of Western Civilization, why do those fun loving Unions want out? I'm serious, I want an answer.
Don't worry even theUnions are being hit if that makes anyone actually feel better. One of the major Unions in New York had to drop children from the provided health care. This was done since, in order to compensate for having to cover children upto 26 (really? 5 years out of college or 2 years out of graduate school and the government still considers you a child), the insurance company premiums for family plans rose astronomically.
Big Surprise.
I just want to know why the Unions want out and Dear Leader is granting waivers to them as fast as he can. If HCR is so wonderful, why do we have waivers in the first place? Can any Liberal please answer this question?
soupy-its called being self insured and large corporations have been doing it for years. It saves the company money; has nothing to do with not wanting HCR. The only benefit of the Union being self insured; it gives you a chance to repeat questions Rush and Hannity twist to fit their agenda.
But Clemintine - it is the greatest law that this country has ever passed yet a 1,000 waivers have been granted mostly to Unions. Unions spent millions supporting this and you are telling me that the Unions are better off self insuring their members? That is better than Dear Leaders plan? I find that hard to believe! So the Unions can do it better than Dear Leader?
No matter what care plan is created by the government, the working class will suffer. It doesn't matter which party. Representatives and Senators alike are basically set for life...once they leave Washington, they will still have health insurance (I don't think they changed the policy reps & senators have lifetime coverage), they can get whatever job they want and serve on any board as a director. Meanwhile, the working folk are at the mercy of the government, major corporations, and any company that can afford lobbyist to get what they want because these entities have the POWER. Have you changed your reps/senators mind lately? Do they think of you before they pass legislature? Hm!
Insurance companies set rates based upon your health risk. If you smoke or have a disease your rates are going to be higher. ALSO, EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT THE PLAN THE COMPANY WILL CHOOSE. So if your employer wants to save money on premiums that they pay per employee, then your deductibles & copays will increase. In this case it is not about the government. It's about your employer trying to save a buck or two.
For some people it is better to buy your own individual policy rather than be insured by your employer. Shop around. Wise up ya'll. Divided we fall. United we stand.