Senator Sheila Kuehl
Bull Dyke alert.
Posted on 05/17/2005 11:21:34 PM PDT by HKMk23
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE ALERT
RE: SB 840 – Socialized Medicine
Author: Senator Sheila Kuehl
Position: Strongly OPPOSE
Status: In California State Senate
Summary of Concerns:
SB 840 is an aggressive plan to bring socialized medicine into California by replacing private health insurance with a mandatory state-run program for every California resident. SB 840 will: 1) force every California resident above poverty level to pay a state insurance premium (hidden tax); 2) destroy the current system of choices of health care coverage; 3) drive up the cost of health care coverage; 4) reduce the quality of health care available; 5) reduce the availability of health care, forcing some families to go out of state to obtain health care for their family members; 6) create a new huge government bureaucracy that will make life and death medical decisions; and 7) place all final health care decisions in the hands of a single government board and its commissioner.
A. Action:
1. Call your State Senator in Sacramento now and ask them to "Please vote No on SB 840."
B. Background:
* SB 840 would create the "California Health Insurance System" to be administered by an autonomous agency, the "California Health Insurance Agency," under the direction of the "Health Insurance Commissioner" who would be elected for terms of eight years.
* SB 840 would establish the "California Health Insurance Agency" as the sole primary provider of health insurance coverage for all California residents.
* SB 840 would prohibit all current health care service plan contracts or health insurance policies from being sold in California because they would duplicate services provided through the "California Health Insurance Agency." Individual health care service plans or insurance companies would only be able to sell medical or health services in California that the "California Health Insurance Agency" does not provide.
C. Reasons to Oppose this legislation:
1. Health care is primarily the responsibility of families and individuals, not of the government.
2. Health insurance and health care plans have operated as private for-profit or non-profit enterprises in a competitive free market. These should not be controlled or stopped from operating.
3. SB 840 effectively creates a form of taxation in the form of insurance premiums that are to be paid to the state. The state would control how that money is redistributed to pay for medical services for anyone who resides in the state.
4. SB 840 will destroy the current level of choices for health care coverage available to Californians as the "California Health Insurance Agency" dictates what health care the state will provide.
5. SB 840 interferes with the right of individuals to fully manage their own medical decisions. For instance, under SB 840 individuals can only obtain services approved by the state, and only by providers approved by the state. Morally objectionable services, such as abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, or mandatory regular psychiatric exams for everyone could be paid for. In addition, some services, such as those that help the disabled, the aged, or infants with congenital conditions could be rationed or eliminated.
6. SB 840 could result in individuals needing to purchase additional coverage for care beyond what the state's plan would provide. This would require the individual to pay into the state's plan and additionally into a private plan. Most people would not be able to afford to pay for additional plans and would be stuck with only the state's coverage.
7. Under SB 840, premiums for a state plan are very likely to be significantly higher than premiums for existing private plans, which are of a higher quality and offer more choices. Everyone above poverty level will be subsidizing the hundreds of thousands of low- or non-income individuals who will not be paying for their coverage.
8. SB 840 would allow this new state agency to issue regulations concerning your medical care without any public input or independent review by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). Current law requires the opportunity for public comment and for OAL review of government generated regulations.
It just never ends here!
That means good health care becomes no health care with a long wait.
Arnold has to promise to veto this.
"Arnold has to promise to veto this."
My thoughts exactly. If there ever was a CA bill that needs to be vetoed, this is it.
I think we need to write not only to our legislators, but to Arnold, asking that he speak up against it and assure us that he will veto it, if the CA Legislature passes it.
Those are excellent points you are making.
I would think it would be obvious to Arnold that this would be devestating to our state.
Well, here is a fight for Tom McClintock to spearhead -- one of the most important ones in recent memory and one of the most important ones for the future of our State and our lives.
He should be encouraged to take it on, and use his name recognition in the fight against this disastrous bill.
They're relentless over there in California. I don't know how you guys find the time to keep up with the liberals and make a living at the same time.
Given the socialists cooking up this scheme, you can expect it to be progressive, i.e. premiums based on your income and services provided on a means tested basis. A bonanza for illegals and a major screw job to people making a decent income.
"SB840, by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, made it out of the Senate Health Committee on a partisan vote -- but only as a nod to the political left. The bill is expected to die unless legislators decide to force a veto by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger so Democrats can taunt him for killing reform.
At this point, Kuehl calls SB840 a two-year bill because there is no plan to pay its cost of up to $80 billion -- bigger than the state's general fund budget.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/05/01/INGCGCFQKA1.DTL
Its a constant beginning...caustic and relentless
Senator Sheila Kuehl
Bull Dyke alert.
Why do you think I'm up at this hour?
If there's ANYTHING that truly "takes a village", it's keeping a watchful forest of eyes on the Legislature in Sacramento. They've gone to incredibly fraudulent lengths to try and slip bad legislation past the citizens of this State.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to heat up some dinner.
"I'm going to heat up some dinner."
As long as you are not going to dig up another depressing bill.
This has been a bad evening: Villaraigosa elected Mayor of LA, bills such as SB840 being cooked up in the Legislature, behind the backs of people.... What next?!
ping
I moved to Oregon, which is not much better, but at least I did escape the high cost of living there...
If this crap goes through, I hope it truly applies to all Californians and does not exempt the greedy *ss unions and the Legislators themselves.. Same plan for ALL CALIFORNIANS. BUT, IMAGINE how fast this will spread across the country!
Business *will* pull out... this is nuts.
Those LaRaza types are drooling and rubbing their hands together thinking of the VOTES they can buy for life with this.
hARUMPH.
~ping~
She is Zelda from Dobie Gillis
Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for Georgia
One overlooked development coming out of the 2005 Session of Georgia's Legislature was the creation of a study committee to examine the potential benefits of enacting a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights(TABOR)(view the bill by clicking here).[snip]
~ping~
In the past 20 years, over two million people have moved to the region, shrinking cropland by 500,000 acres. The valley’s current population of 5.5 million is expected to grow to 12.5 million by 2040, reducing farmland by another one million to 2.5 million acres." See
Bump this to the very top!
This might be good for the ping list for California, farmfriend.
I'm sorry to have to disagree, but Arnold IS the Governor and has all the political capital as the head of CA's Republican Party who won't even allow a challenge to that now!!! Tom needs to marshall whatever capital he has into winning that Lt. Governor spot and not get tangled up in a single issue strategery at this time.
What an abject wuss the big body builder has turned into!!! See him turn and run in terror!!! It's contemptable!!!
Hey, Alia. This doesn't surprise me. If what I'm seeing in the other comments is true, that surprises me: that the Dems aren't simply doing this, Ahnold regardless. They really think they can simply jail the goose and that'll do it.
So glad I got outta dere.
This is reason #648 why I moved out of California.
Cheers,
Beleg
hello, jessejane :o)
We have as high or higher incidences of malpractice here than every other first world country, so the myth that we have the "best care" really is just that. A myth. Most doctors are tools of the pharmaceutical industry.
Ah, c'mon SW. Ya know it's just all part of the strategery!
First lower expectations, making people believe that he will accept the most leftist policies.
Then, the smallest move in the right direction demands applause.
It's #4 in the Arnie playbook.
Wull crap! I had enuffa that under Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown!!! (or was it fruitfly Brown?)
Nice work, HKM.
I'll send some emails/letters.
Thanks, and good on ya'!
Bump.
I agree with you.
You're welcome.
Bump ;-)
bttt
Let me remind the Good People of the US...
Californian's by a majority PASSED AND APPROVED Proposition 187 (stopping the "illegal" money raid scam at pub ed, etc.). Dems shopped a judge. The judge OVERTURNED the will of the people. And Dems in CA have stopped EVERY EFFORT to halt runaway problems. CA Dems also shot down numerous attempts by CA Repubs to HALT VOTE FRAUD. So, now Dems are proposing to punish all those currently paying medical insurance to pay for those who don't have it and for those who choose NOT TO PURCHASE medical insurance.
Oooh, can't ya just hardly wait to see how Dems are defining "below poverty level"?
Dems are trying very hard to figure out how to stop the hospitals from going backrupt. Heck.. why don't they just propose a RETROACTIVE TAX ON ALL THOSE WHO PAY MEDICAL INSURANCE. Their beloved Bill Clinton proposed a RETRO TAX.... However, they've probably already run the numbers and figured out that this new "tax" will pay for past debts in non-covered medical expenses. Think they gave those hospitals "promissory notes" to be redeemed in year whatever? I hear "election time" engines revving up...
Click. (and thanks for the ping). Au so-once organic "California" will become the "stem cell" "sci-fi gardening" center of the US, no doubts. And of course, the "medical communities of CA" will no doubts create extra race boxes in order to receive "grants and funds" to study the effects upon their beloved "minorities".
Hmm... thyroid, hypertension, or heart issues. Sheila doesn't look all that healthy. Granted, I've accounted for the natural aging process...
Tom would have fixed the problems in CA. Ergo, he never would have gotten voted in. What did and do the Dems have in mind? Bringing CA to its knees and demanding the "feds" pay for everything -- to bail out, CA. This bailing out would have been paid from EVERY SINGLE STATE IN THE USA.
Enter, Arnold. Incrementally cleaning up the mess left by Dems while continuing to keep, however hidious, the economic environment at least "moving" in CA. Since Liberals are obsessed with "social" matters, fine, give them the go-ahead; and then blast their proposal budget when it arrives.
Sometimes, just sometimes, Beleg... I get the strongest perception that many in CA have utterly, absolutely, unequivocably NO concept of how economically "dire" are the straits CA has been put into by the Dems.
Anyone who has ever been in "credit hell" knows firsthand the jingly,dancing game one plays to survive while getting out of debt.
Good morning :o)
Reasons to support SB 840:
1. Contrary to what another poster posted SB 840 will not encourage companies to move out of California. Providing health insurance for employees is one of the biggest costs that companies face today. SB 840 will actually save them money by providing employees health insurance at a lower cost, and it will eliminate the middle man, the insurance companies. Support the businesses and citizens of California by supporting this bill.
2. SB 840 provides for universal coverage and comprehensive benefits while making very significant state savings in health care spending. In the short run, it adds no new spending, and in the long run it controls the growth in health care spending.
3. SB 840 provides for reliable coverage and security for every California resident. Eligibility is based on residency, not employment or income. No one will ever lose coverage because of unaffordable insurance premiums, changing or losing a job, going to or graduating from college, or pre-existing conditions.
4. SB 840 provides for affordable health care. Health benefits will be paid for by federal, state and county monies currently being spent on the health care system and affordable insurance premiums that replace all premiums, deductibles, out-of pocket payments, and co-payments now paid by employers and consumers.
5. System savings resulting from use of the state's purchasing power to buy pharmaceuticals and medical equipment at discounted rates, administrative simplification, and making primary care and preventive care available for everyone will dramatically increase the funds that can be spent on providing universal coverage. According to the Lewin Group study, even after care is made available to California's uninsured and underinsured, the net state savings will be about $8 billion in the first year.
6. SB 840 provides for efficient delivery of health care. Waste will be eliminated by consolidating the functions of many insurance companies into one comprehensive insurance plan saving the state and consumers billions of dollars each year. A recent Boston University study shows half of every dollar spent on health care is squandered on clinical and administrative waste, insurance company profits and over-priced pharmaceuticals. The Lewin Group report estimates that California will save more than $20 billion in reduced administrative costs in the first year alone.
7. SB 840 provides for high quality health care. Consumers will have total freedom to choose their personal primary care provider. Health care providers and facilities will receive fair reimbursement for all covered services they provide.
8. SB 840 provides for generous health care benefits based on all care prescribed by a health care provider that meets accepted standards of care and practice. The benefit package is broader than that of many current health plans and includes hospital, medical, surgical, and mental health; dental and vision care; prescription drugs and medical equipment; diagnostic testing; emergency care; health education and translation services; hospice care; and more.
9. SB 840 will stabilize the growth in health care spending by linking spending increases to growth in state gross domestic product and population, employment rates, and other relevant demographic indicators. It includes cost controls and an emphasis on preventative and primary care.
That's some wicked lookin' Kool-Aid, you're drinkin'.
Hope it goes well with the fragrance of OZONE.
IB4TZ
Sure!
Socialized medicine works really well!
Just look at the 6 month to a year waiting list in Canada..
Eventually, we are all going to have to pay for our own health insurance, since businesses are finding ways to get out of providing coverage, and who can blame them with sky rocketing costs. Are you willing to pay $600 a month for an individual policy, and thousands a month for a family? And that is just this years insurance premiums, which have been going up double digit for the last several years. That is if you are lucky enough to be healthy. Once you get sick and have a pre-existing condition you are out. The insurance companies root you out fast, and then you have no insurance at all. What everyone calls insurance, is not insurance at all. The insurance companies are there to make money. At least with a state runned program you have a fighting chance. Even my doctors agree. They are sick of fighting with the insurance companies to get approval for the necessary care of their patients.
You are advocating socilized medicine in your previous post.
It does not jive with having to pay for your own coverage.
Troll.
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