Posted on 09/04/2009 8:34:39 AM PDT by Renkluaf
Yesterday afternoon I sat through the town hall meeting of Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ/8) on the campus of Monclair State University. As town hall’s go, this one was pretty good based upon my attendance at a number around the state of New Jersey. Plenty of noise from both sides and a handful of people ejected.
Questions were required to be submitted in writing and separated into pro/con groups on the healthcare issue. To his credit, he alternated back and forth between the two positions so the Q&A was not skewed in either direction. More importantly, once a questioner was identified, they were able to ask their question verbally with the potential for follow-ups.
My question was never selected so let me pose it here should anyone else have the opportunity to corner their Congressman.
We have been told ad infinitum that, “if you like your coverage, you can keep your coverage.” Sounds great but there’s a catch which should be the focal point.
H.R. 3200 explicitly grandfather’s-in existing healthcare insurance plans that are in force at the time the new legislation becomes effective (Section 102, page 16). However, there are specific limits in the legislation that they never address. You may only keep your existing plan as long as ”the issuer does not change any of its terms or conditions, including benefits and cost-sharing, from those in effect as of the day be fore the first day of Y1” (Page 16, lines 21-26).
You can keep your existing insurance only if your plan never changes which will never happen.
H.R. 3200 is structured to funnel as many people to the public option or its equivalent ASAP.
At least it sounds like he tried to be even-handed with the questions.
Steny Hoyer’s response to “why don’t you put yourself on this plan?” was “congress has exactly the same choices that you do.”
Not quite. I can not choose Steny’s plan.
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