Posted on 07/15/2009 5:48:04 PM PDT by Kaslin
Congress: It didn't take long to run into an "uh-oh" moment when reading the House's "health care for all Americans" bill. Right there on Page 16 is a provision making individual private medical insurance illegal.
It turns out we were right: The provision would indeed outlaw individual private coverage. Under the Orwellian header of "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage," the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill clearly states:
"Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day" of the year the legislation becomes law.
So we can all keep our coverage, just as promised — with, of course, exceptions: Those who currently have private individual coverage won't be able to change it. Nor will those who leave a company to work for themselves be free to buy individual plans from private carriers.
From the beginning, opponents of the public option plan have warned that if the government gets into the business of offering subsidized health insurance coverage, the private insurance market will wither. Drawn by a public option that will be 30% to 40% cheaper than their current premiums because taxpayers will be funding it, employers will gladly scrap their private plans and go with Washington's coverage.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibdeditorials.com ...
What about changes to family member status— going from single to married/family, adding a baby, etc.? Will newborn babies go onto the gvt plan? Will a change in marital status be allowed?
Every year we have a ‘dual choice’ enrollment period, where we can change our health care plan, effective with the next calendar year— looks like that’s history, too.
I don’t know...I’m not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV). The key word seems to be “enroll,” and I don’t think an addition of a dependent is an enrollment, but any other change at all, like adding a spouse, is an enrollment, so likely prohibited.
I just had a huge knock down drag out fight with my goofy liberal sister over this stuff. That is another thing that I blame Obama and the democrats for. They are not ‘governing from the center’..they are racing us into a full blown marxist/communist take-over when they have no mandate to do so. The polls don’t support such a mandate and neither did Obama’s win.
Now sisters are turning against sisters, mothers against sons, fathers against daughters. I really feel like we are heading for a civil war in this country if this insanity is not stopped. I usually blow her off but not this time..I took her down a country road and don’t feel bad about it one bit!
These people are destoying our country!
Destruction is their aim .. socialist takeover
of every segment of our lives is the game.
I can definitely relate to the family thing.
I think it’s been prophesized somewhere.
Anyone have anything authoritative on that?
Seen this?
Sen Roberts: Obamacare Bill includes the end of Medicare and TRICARE
That simply doesn’t surprise me. Why would they run competing health care delivery systems? (Other than “Congress Care”)
It will eventually incorporate all public health care policies from fed to state to local. Teachers will lose health care. Veterans will lose health care. Everyone will lose their health care and be enrolled in the gov’t plan.
Of course, that’s one less incentive to offer a young person pondering a military career, but liberals are not in the DoD growth business. They want to close her down except for a palace guard and a secret police, if they can get away with it.
It will be cheaper. In the beginning...
Yep, we can keep our private health insurance, but after the bill is passed no new private health insurance policies can be written. So much for freedom of choice on health care.
I’v emailed my senators twice and will place a phone call to their offices tomorrow. If their interns tally the calls, I at least want to go on record as being against this and adding another slash in the NO column. This fiasco is nothing more than the “eugenics and euthanasia” bill, and conservatives should refer to it as such. But the average rank and file citizen probably doesn’t even know what those two words mean.
bump
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This seems to be talking about current existing health coverage, and making it not subject to any new regulations for a period of time.
The part that will influence private plans are here:
TITLE I—PROTECTIONS AND STANDARDS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS
Subtitle A—General Standards
SEC. 101. REQUIREMENTS REFORMING HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this title is to establish standards to ensure that new health insurance coverage and
employment-based health plans that are offered meet standards guaranteeing access to affordable coverage,
essential benefits, and other consumer protections.
(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS.—On or after the first day of Y1, a health benefits plan
shall not be a qualified health benefits plan under this division unless the plan meets the applicable
requirements of the following subtitles for the type of plan and plan year involved:
(1) Subtitle B (relating to affordable coverage).
Subtitle B—Standards Guaranteeing Access to Affordable Coverage
SEC. 111. PROHIBITING PRE-EXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSIONS.
A qualified health benefits plan may not impose any pre-existing condition exclusion (as defined in section
2701(b)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act) or otherwise impose any limit or condition on the coverage under the
plan with respect to an individual or dependent based on any health status-related factors (as defined in section
2791(d)(9) of the Public Health Service Act) in relation to the individual or dependent.
SEC. 112. GUARANTEED ISSUE AND RENEWAL FOR INSURED PLANS.
The requirements of sections 2711 (other than subsections (c) and (e)) and 2712 (other than paragraphs (3), and (6)
of subsection (b) and subsection (e)) of the Public Health Service Act, relating to guaranteed availability and
renewability of health insurance coverage, shall apply to individuals and employers in all individual and group
health insurance coverage, whether offered to individuals or employers through the Health Insurance Exchange, through
any employment-based health plan, or otherwise, in the same manner as such sections apply to employers and health
insurance coverage offered in the small group market, except that such section 2712(b)(1) shall apply only if, before
nonrenewal or discontinuation of coverage, the issuer has provided the enrollee with notice of nonpayment of premiums
and there is a grace period during which the enrollees has an opportunity to correct such nonpayment. Rescissions of
such coverage shall be prohibited except in cases of fraud as defined in sections 2712(b)(2) of such Act.
SEC. 113. INSURANCE RATING RULES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The premium rate charged for an insured qualified health benefits plan may not vary except as
follows:
(1) LIMITED AGE VARIATION PERMITTED.—By age (within such age categories as the Commissioner shall specify) so
long as the ratio of the highest such premium to the lowest such premium does not exceed the ratio of 2 to
1.
(2) BY AREA.—By premium rating area (as permitted by State insurance regulators or, in the case of Exchange-
participating health benefits plans, as specified by the Commissioner in consultation with such
regulators).
(3) BY FAMILY ENROLLMENT.—By family enrollment (such as variations within categories and compositions of
families) so long as the ratio of the premium for family enrollment (or enrollments) to the premium for
individual enrollment is uniform, as specified under State law and consistent with rules of the
Commissioner.
(b) STUDY AND REPORTS.—
(1) STUDY.—The Commissioner, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary
of Labor, shall conduct a study of the large group insured and self-insured employer health care markets.
Such study shall examine the following:
(A) The types of employers by key characteristics, including size, that purchase insured products versus
those that self-insure.
(B) The similarities and differences between typical insured and self-insured health plans.
(C) The financial solvency and capital reserve levels of employers that self-insure by employer size.
(D) The risk of self-insured employers not being able to pay obligations or otherwise becoming
financially insolvent.
(E) The extent to which rating rules are likely to cause adverse selection in the large group market or
to encourage small and mid size employers to self-insure
(2) REPORTS.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall
submit to Congress and the applicable agencies a report on the study conducted under paragraph (1). Such
report shall include any recommendations the Commissioner deems appropriate to ensure that the law does not
provide incentives for small and mid-size employers to self-insure or create adverse selection in the risk
pools of large group insurers and self-insured employers.
Not later than 18 months after the first day of Y1, the Commissioner shall submit to Congress and the
applicable agencies an updated report on such study, including updates on such recommendations.
SEC. 114. NONDISCRIMINATION IN BENEFITS; PARITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER BENEFITS.
(a) NONDISCRIMINATION IN BENEFITS.—A qualified health benefits plan shall comply with standards established by the
Commissioner to prohibit discrimination in health benefits or benefit structures for qualifying health benefits
plans, building from sections 702 of Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 2702 of the Public Health
Service Act, and section 9802 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
(b) PARITY IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER BENEFITS.—To the extent such provisions are not superceded
by or inconsistent with subtitle C, the provisions of section 2705 (other than subsections (a)(1), (a)(2), and
(c)) of section 2705 of the Public Health Service Act shall apply to a qualified health benefits plan,
regardless of whether it is offered in the individual or group market, in the same manner as such provisions
apply to health insurance coverage offered in the large group market.
SEC. 115. ENSURING ADEQUACY OF PROVIDER NETWORKS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A qualified health benefits plan that uses a provider network for items and services shall meet
such standards respecting provider networks as the Commissioner may establish to assure the adequacy of such
networks in ensuring enrollee access to such items and services and transparency in the cost-sharing
differentials between in-network coverage and out-of-network coverage.
(b) PROVIDER NETWORK DEFINED.—In this division, the term "provider network" means the providers with respect to
which covered benefits, treatments, and services are available under a health benefits plan.
SEC. 116. ENSURING VALUE AND LOWER PREMIUMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A qualified health benefits plan shall meet a medical loss ratio as defined by the Commissioner.
For any plan year in which the qualified health benefits plan does not meet such medical loss ratio, QHBP
offering entity shall provide in a manner specified by the Commissioner for rebates to enrollees of payment
sufficient to meet such loss ratio.
(b) BUILDING ON INTERIM RULES.—In implementing subsection (a), the Commissioner shall build on the definition and
methodology developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under the amendments made by section 161
for determining how to calculate the medical loss ratio. Such methodology shall be set at the highest level
medical loss ratio possible that is designed to ensure adequate participation by QHBP offering entities,
competition in the health insurance market in and out of the Health Insurance Exchange, and value for consumers
so that their premiums are used for services.
(2) Subtitle C (relating to essential benefits).
Subtitle C—Standards Guaranteeing Access to Essential Benefits
SEC. 121. COVERAGE OF ESSENTIAL BENEFITS PACKAGE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A qualified health benefits plan shall provide coverage that at least meets the benefit standards
adopted under section 124 for the essential benefits package described in section 122 for the plan year
involved.
(b) CHOICE OF COVERAGE.—
(1) NON-EXCHANGE-PARTICIPATING HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS.—In the case of a qualified health benefits plan that is not
an Exchange-participating health benefits plan, such plan may offer such coverage in addition to the essential
benefits package as the QHBP offering entity may specify.
(2) EXCHANGE-PARTICIPATING HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS.—In the case of an Exchange-participating health benefits plan,
such plan is required under section 203 to provide specified levels of benefits and, in the case of a plan
offering a premium plus level of benefits, provide additional benefits.
(3) CONTINUATION OF OFFERING OF SEPARATE EXCEPTED BENEFITS COVERAGE.—Nothing in this division shall be construed
as affecting the offering of health benefits in the form of excepted benefits (described in section
102(b)(1)(B)(ii)) if such benefits are offered under a separate policy, contract, or certificate of insurance.
(c) NO RESTRICTIONS ON COVERAGE UNRELATED TO CLINICAL APPROPRIATENESS.—A qualified health benefits plan may not
impose any restriction (other than cost sharing) unrelated to clinical appropriateness on the coverage of the
health care items and services.
SEC. 122. ESSENTIAL BENEFITS PACKAGE DEFINED.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In this division, the term "essential benefits package" means health benefits coverage, consistent
with standards adopted under section 124 to ensure the provision of quality health care and financial security,
that—
(1) provides payment for the items and services described in subsection (b) in accordance with generally
accepted standards of medical or other appropriate clinical or professional practice;
(2) limits cost-sharing for such covered health care items and services in accordance with such benefit
standards, consistent with subsection (c);
(3) does not impose any annual or lifetime limit on the coverage of covered health care items and services;
(4) complies with section 115(a) (relating to network adequacy); and
(5) is equivalent, as certified by Office of the Actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to
the average prevailing employer-sponsored coverage.
(b) MINIMUM SERVICES TO BE COVERED.—The items and services described in this subsection are the following:
(1) Hospitalization.
(2) Outpatient hospital and outpatient clinic services, including emergency department services.
(3) Professional services of physicians and other health professionals.
(4) Such services, equipment, and supplies incident to the services of a physician’s or a health professional’s
delivery of care in institutional settings, physician offices, patients’ homes or place of residence, or other
settings, as appropriate.
(5) Prescription drugs.
(6) Rehabilitative and habilitative services.
(7) Mental health and substance use disorder services.
(8) Preventive services, including those services recommended with a grade of A or B by the Task Force on Clinical
Preventive Services and those vaccines recommended for use by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention.
(9) Maternity care.
(10) Well baby and well child care and oral health, vision, and hearing services, equipment, and supplies at least
for children under 21 years of age.
(c) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO COST-SHARING AND MINIMUM ACTUARIAL VALUE.—
(1) NO COST-SHARING FOR PREVENTIVE SERVICES.—There shall be no cost-sharing under the essential benefits package
for preventive items and services (as specified under the benefit standards), including well baby and well
child care.
(2) ANNUAL LIMITATION.—
(A) ANNUAL LIMITATION.—The cost-sharing incurred under the essential benefits package with respect to an
individual (or family) for a year does not exceed the applicable level specified in subparagraph (B).
(B) APPLICABLE LEVEL.—The applicable level specified in this subparagraph for Y1 is $5,000 for an individual and
$10,000 for a family. Such levels shall be increased (rounded to the nearest $100) for each subsequent year
by the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index (United States city average) applicable to
such year.
(C) USE OF COPAYMENTS.—In establishing cost-sharing levels for basic, enhanced, and premium plans under this
subsection, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent possible, use only copayments and not coinsurance.
(3) MINIMUM ACTUARIAL VALUE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The cost-sharing under the essential benefits package shall be designed to provide a level of
coverage that is designed to provide benefits that are actuarially equivalent to approximately 70 percent of
the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the reference benefits package described in
subparagraph (B).
(B) REFERENCE BENEFITS PACKAGE DESCRIBED.—The reference benefits package described in this subparagraph is the
essential benefits package if there were no cost-sharing imposed.
SEC. 123. HEALTH BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established a private-public advisory committee which shall be a panel of medical and
other experts to be known as the Health Benefits Advisory Committee to recommend covered benefits and
essential, enhanced, and premium plans.
(2) CHAIR.—The Surgeon General shall be a member and the chair of the Health Benefits Advisory Committee.
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—The Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall be composed of the following members, in addition to
the Surgeon General:
(A) 9 members who are not Federal employees or officers and who are appointed by the President.
(B) 9 members who are not Federal employees or officers and who are appointed by the Comptroller General of the
United States in a manner similar to the manner in which the Comptroller General appoints members to the
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission under section 1805(c) of the Social Security Act.
(C) Such even number of members (not to exceed 8) who are Federal employees and officers, as the President may
appoint. Such initial appointments shall be made not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
(4) TERMS.—Each member of the Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall serve a 3-year term on the Committee,
except that the terms of the initial members shall be adjusted in order to provide for a staggered term of
appointment for all such members.
(5) PARTICIPATION.—The membership of the Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall at least reflect providers,
consumer representatives, employers, labor, health insurance issuers, experts in health care financing and
delivery, experts in racial and ethnic disparities, experts in care for those with disabilities,
representatives of relevant governmental agencies. and at least one practicing physician or other health
professional and an expert on children’s health and shall represent a balance among various sectors of the
health care system so that no single sector unduly influences the recommendations of such Committee.
(b) DUTIES.—
(1) RECOMMENDATIONS ON BENEFIT STANDARDS.—The Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall recommend to the Secretary
of Health and Human Services (in this subtitle referred to as the "Secretary") benefit standards (as defined
in paragraph (4)), and periodic updates to such standards. In developing such recommendations, the Committee
shall take into account innovation in health care and consider how such standards could reduce health
disparities.
(2) DEADLINE.—The Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall recommend initial benefit standards to the Secretary
not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(3) PUBLIC INPUT.—The Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall allow for public input as a part of developing
recommendations under this subsection.
(4) BENEFIT STANDARDS DEFINED.—In this subtitle, the term "benefit standards" means standards respecting—
(A) the essential benefits package described in section 122, including categories of covered treatments, items
and services within benefit classes, and cost-sharing; and
(B) the cost-sharing levels for enhanced plans and premium plans (as provided under section 203(c)) consistent
with paragraph (5).
(5) LEVELS OF COST-SHARING FOR ENHANCED AND PREMIUM PLANS.—
(A) ENHANCED PLAN.—The level of costsharing for enhanced plans shall be designed so that such plans have
benefits that are actuarially equivalent to approximately 85 percent of the actuarial value of the benefits
provided under the reference benefits package described in section 122(c)(3)(B).
(B) PREMIUM PLAN.—The level of cost sharing for premium plans shall be designed so that such plans have benefits
that are actuarially equivalent to approximately 95 percent of the actuarial value of the benefits provided
under the reference benefits package described in section 122(c)(3)(B).
(c) OPERATIONS.—
(1) PER DIEM PAY.—Each member of the Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall receive travel expenses, including
per diem in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States
Code, and shall otherwise serve without additional pay.
(2) MEMBERS NOT TREATED AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.—Members of the Health Benefits Advisory Committee shall not be
considered employees of the Federal government solely by reason of any service on the Committee.
(3) APPLICATION OF FACA.—The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), other than section 14, shall apply to
the Health Benefits Advisory Committee.
(d) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall provide for publication in the Federal Register and the posting on the Internet
website of the Department of Health and Human Services of all recommendations made by the Health Benefits
Advisory Committee under this section.
SEC. 124. PROCESS FOR ADOPTION OF RECOMMENDATIONS; ADOPTION OF BENEFIT STANDARDS.
(a) PROCESS FOR ADOPTION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.—
(1) REVIEW OF RECOMMENDED STANDARDS.— Not later than 45 days after the date of receipt of benefit standards
recommended under section 123 (including such standards as modified under paragraph (2)(B)), the Secretary
shall review such standards and shall determine whether to propose adoption of such standards as a package.
(2) DETERMINATION TO ADOPT STANDARDS.— If the Secretary determines—
(A) to propose adoption of benefit standards so recommended as a package, the Secretary shall, by regulation
under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, propose adoption such standards; or
(B) not to propose adoption of such standards as a package, the Secretary shall notify the Health Benefits
Advisory Committee in writing of such determination and the reasons for not proposing the adoption of such
recommendation and provide the Committee with a further opportunity to modify its previous recommendations
and submit new recommendations to the Secretary on a timely basis.
(3) CONTINGENCY.—If, because of the application of paragraph (2)(B), the Secretary would otherwise be unable to
propose initial adoption of such recommended standards by the deadline specified in subsection (b)(1), the
Secretary shall, by regulation under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, propose adoption of initial
benefit standards by such deadline.
(4) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall provide for publication in the Federal Register of all determinations made by
the Secretary under this subsection.
(b) ADOPTION OF STANDARDS.—
(1) INITIAL STANDARDS.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall,
through the rulemaking process consistent with subsection (a), adopt an initial set of benefit standards.
(2) PERIODIC UPDATING STANDARDS.—Under subsection (a), the Secretary shall provide for the periodic updating of
the benefit standards previously adopted under this section.
(3) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary may not adopt any benefit standards for an essential benefits package or for level
of cost-sharing that are inconsistent with the requirements for such a package or level under sections 122 and
123(b)(5).
(3) Subtitle D (relating to consumer protection).
Subtitle D—Additional Consumer Protections
SEC. 131. REQUIRING FAIR MARKETING PRACTICES BY HEALTH INSURERS.
The Commissioner shall establish uniform marketing standards that all insured QHBP offering entities shall meet.
SEC. 132. REQUIRING FAIR GRIEVANCE AND APPEALS MECHANISMS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—A QHBP offering entity shall provide for timely grievance and appeals mechanisms that the
Commissioner shall establish.
(b) INTERNAL CLAIMS AND APPEALS PROCESS.— Under a qualified health benefits plan the QHBP offering entity shall
provide an internal claims and appeals process that initially incorporates the claims and appeals procedures
(including urgent claims) set forth at section 2560.503–1 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, as published
on November 21, 2000 (65 Fed. Reg. 70246) and shall update such process in accordance with any standards that
the Commissioner may establish.
(c) EXTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner shall establish an external review process (including procedures for expedited
reviews of urgent claims) that provides for an impartial, independent, and de novo review of denied claims
under this division.
(2) REQUIRING FAIR GRIEVANCE AND APPEALS MECHANISMS.—A determination made, with respect to a qualified health
benefits plan offered by a QHBP offering entity, under the external review process established under this
subsection shall be binding on the plan and the entity.
(d) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting the availability of judicial review under
State law for adverse decisions under subsection (b) or (c), subject to section 151.
SEC. 133. REQUIRING INFORMATION TRANSPARENCY AND PLAN DISCLOSURE.
(a) ACCURATE AND TIMELY DISCLOSURE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A qualified health benefits plan shall comply with standards established by the Commissioner for
the accurate and timely disclosure of plan documents, plan terms and conditions, claims payment policies and
practices, periodic financial disclosure, data on enrollment, data on disenrollment, data on the number of
claims denials, data on rating practices, information on cost-sharing and payments with respect to any
out-of-network coverage, and other information as determined appropriate by the Commissioner. The Commissioner
shall require that such disclosure be provided in plain language.
(2) PLAIN LANGUAGE.—In this subsection, the term "plain language" means language that the intended audience,
including individuals with limited English proficiency, can readily understand and use because that language
is clean, concise, well-organized, and follows other best practices of plain language writing.
(3) GUIDANCE.—The Commissioner shall develop and issue guidance on best practices of plain language writing.
(b) CONTRACTING REIMBURSEMENT.—A qualified health benefits plan shall comply with standards established by the
Commissioner to ensure transparency to each health care provider relating to reimbursement arrangements between
such plan and such provider.
(c) ADVANCE NOTICE OF PLAN CHANGES.—A change in a qualified health benefits plan shall not be made without such
reasonable and timely advance notice to enrollees of such change.
SEC. 134. APPLICATION TO QUALIFIED HEALTH BENEFITS PLANS NOT OFFERED THROUGH THE HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGE.
The requirements of the previous provisions of this subtitle shall apply to qualified health benefits plans that are
not being offered through the Health Insurance Exchange only to the extent specified by the Commissioner.
SEC. 135. TIMELY PAYMENT OF CLAIMS.
A QHBP offering entity shall comply with the requirements of section 1857(f) of the Social Security Act with respect
to a qualified health benefits plan it offers in the same manner an Medicare Advantage organization is required to
comply with such requirements with respect to a Medicare Advantage plan it offers under part C of Medicare.
SEC. 136. STANDARDIZED RULES FOR COORDINATION AND SUBROGATION OF BENEFITS.
The Commissioner shall establish standards for the coordination and subrogation of benefits and reimbursement of
payments in cases involving individuals and multiple plan coverage.
SEC. 137. APPLICATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SIMPLIFICATION.
A QHBP offering entity is required to comply with standards for electronic financial and administrative transactions
under section 1173A of the Social Security Act, added by section 163(a).
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There are a number of things to be concerned about here. A commissioner and health care advisory committee seem to have no limits on their recommendations of what should be covered and how much a company can charge for the coverage. The required unlimited free coverage of preventive care. The maximum cost-sharing amounts of $5,000 and $10,000 seem arbitrary as well.
The legislation is also likely to finish off health savings accounts, a goal that Democrats have had for years. They want to crush that alternative because nothing gives individuals more control over their medical care, and the government less, than HSAs.
Actually, when we consider the real motives at work (Cheaper - no; Improved Quality - no; Preserved Choice - no; Efficiency - no; More Thorough Coverage - Maybe at the expense of the previous and your sovereignty), it become intuitive.
Stick a fork in this country.
must read!!!!!
JUST WHERE IN THE CONSTITUTION WAS CONGRESS EMPOWERED TO MAKE HEALTH CARE CHOICES?
Insanity. Pure insanity. Scares the hell out of me.
Another thing to consider is that policies are renewed once a year. Even if you do not change, would this renewal be considered “new” for that year and thus be automatically forfeit anyway?
I am trying to think like a statist snake trying to be extremely crafty and sly.
Not just Freedom but our country as we know it - is GONE!!!!!!! UNLESS THE FEW VOICES THAT ARE LEFT UNITE AND TELL THE COWARDLY SENATORS TO DEFEAT THIS BILL!!!
Thanks for making it even clearer - the devil is in the details.
Actually, the devil is in ALL of this nightmare of a bill. He authored it.
great article, thanks for the ping.
It did indeed
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