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Congress Keeps Gold-Plated Health Care... For Themselves
Townhall.com ^ | October 19, 2009 | Jillian Bandes

Posted on 10/19/2009 3:31:27 AM PDT by Kaslin

Personal doctors on call 24/7. Coverage that knows no caps. No exemptions for pre-existing conditions.

Those are the sorts of benefits members of Congress currently enjoy on the taxpayer’s dime, and the kinds of benefits Americans on a government-run public health care plan will never see if Obamacare passes.

“One thing is certain: Congress will exempt itself from whatever lousy health care system it forces on we little people,” said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute. “Congress will get better insurance than you do because politicians always get a better deal under government-run health care.”

While it’s not news that Congressional health insurance plans are posh, CBS News recently uncovered the details of plans – right as the details of the Baucus health care bill are being hashed out.

Members of Congress can choose from five different plans, and have access to both the VIP Bethesda Naval Hospital and a reserved spot Ward 72 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, an elite division usually reserved for military members. Their everyday medical concerns can be taken care of at a doctors office located inside of Congress.

Their premiums are the same as those of insurance plans with half the benefits, and the plans last a lifetime; not until Medicare kicks in do ex-Members or loose their Congressional health benefits. Congress has repeatedly voted down any provision that would switch their insurance plans to the lower-grade public option if Obamacare goes through.

Helen Evans, the director of Nurses for Reform, a campaign for more consumer-led, sustainable healthcare systems in Britain, said that this sort of elite care for the bureaucracy – and low-brow care for the plebes – is the same thing that happens in the government-run British health care system.

“Independent academic research has shown that on average the professional and managerial types obtain 40% more resource per illness episode than lower down the social spectrum” in Britain, she said.

Evans is certain that the exact same thing would happen in the U.S. if Obamacare was installed.

“The National Health Service, is famous for being a highly politicised bureaucracy that whilst it legitimises itself on the basis of equality favours the powerful, articulate and well connected,” she said. Nurses for Reform is unsurprised that American politicians are pushing for government-run health care “while of course attempting to secretly perpetuate their own elitist system funded by ordinary taxpayers.”

At least one U.S. Congressman is speaking out.

"If we pass a law that says a public option will be made available, I think people like myself should get out of this plan and go into the public option," Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.), told CBS.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
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1 posted on 10/19/2009 3:31:27 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

shuuuush...the common folk almost forgot about that......


2 posted on 10/19/2009 3:33:18 AM PDT by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: Kaslin
Personal doctors on call 24/7. Coverage that knows no caps. No exemptions for pre-existing conditions.

I hope there is a 40 percent tax on this.

3 posted on 10/19/2009 3:33:39 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: Always Right
I hope there is a 40 percent tax on this.

Now that is funny

4 posted on 10/19/2009 3:38:31 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

Then I guess it should be taxed the same way as other cadilac plans......start the crying now poor congress-critters....animals all.....


5 posted on 10/19/2009 3:45:42 AM PDT by The Wizard
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To: Always Right

"taxes be for little peoples"

6 posted on 10/19/2009 3:46:56 AM PDT by Doogle (USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: Kaslin

They already VOTED to EXEMPT THEMSELVES!!! YOU FIRST, CONGRESS!


7 posted on 10/19/2009 3:56:03 AM PDT by Ann Archy
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To: Ann Archy

Don’t they always?


8 posted on 10/19/2009 4:00:37 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin

yes....they exempted themselves from SEXUAL HARRASSMENT LAWS also!


9 posted on 10/19/2009 4:03:02 AM PDT by Ann Archy
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To: Kaslin

Congress has repeatedly voted down any provision that would switch their insurance plans to the lower-grade public option if Obamacare goes through.
No matter what party you support remember that at election time.


10 posted on 10/19/2009 4:19:28 AM PDT by Vaduz
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To: Ann Archy

We need to know, TO THE PENNY, how much money was spent to keep the KENNEDY ASSHOLE alive for 2 years. That would be a hell of a HEADLINE right about now...


11 posted on 10/19/2009 4:28:52 AM PDT by Huebolt (Democrat = (national socialist) = NAZI)
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To: Vaduz

Please cite a reference to exactly how many of those votes were Republican.

My understanding was that the amendments you cite were voted down in committee along strict party lines: All Dems against; all Repubs for.

If you have different data, please educate us.


12 posted on 10/19/2009 5:01:41 AM PDT by doc11355
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To: Kaslin

Yet, where will they find quality doctors as medical standards and education will naturally deteriorate in years to come?


13 posted on 10/19/2009 5:22:54 AM PDT by onedoug
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To: Kaslin

14 posted on 10/19/2009 5:25:53 AM PDT by opentalk
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To: Kaslin

We have a privileged elite in this country. They have given themselves money, privileges, bonuses, pensions, insurance plans, free parking, free postage, free money, all paid for by the suckers who voted for them.


15 posted on 10/19/2009 5:43:24 AM PDT by Leftism is Mentally Deranged
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To: Leftism is Mentally Deranged; All
I just found this. (Freerepublic mentioned)

http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/

16 posted on 10/19/2009 7:26:31 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Kaslin; thouworm; rxsid; GOPJ; Fred Nerks; null and void; stockpirate; george76; PhilDragoo; ...
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Congress Keeps Gold-Plated Health Care... For Themselves Townhall.com ^ | October 19, 2009 | Jillian Bandes

Personal doctors on call 24/7. Coverage that knows no caps. No exemptions for pre-existing conditions.

Those are the sorts of benefits members of Congress currently enjoy on the taxpayer’s dime, and the kinds of benefits Americans on a government-run public health care plan will never see if Obamacare passes.

“One thing is certain: Congress will exempt itself from whatever lousy health care system it forces on we little people,”

[BTW, FRmail isn't working right now.]

17 posted on 10/19/2009 12:12:58 PM PDT by LucyT
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To: Kaslin; Free ThinkerNY; SouthTexas; Piquaboy; freekitty; T.L.Sink; sheik yerbouty; 70th Division; ..

Tyranny and treason courtesy of the US Politburo. Meanwhile, Americans can be sent to the RAT Gestapo-sponsored euthanasia farm.


18 posted on 10/19/2009 12:25:47 PM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
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To: LucyT
Why are they and their families more special than mine?

[BTW, FRmail isn't working right now.]

Thanks for the head's up on FRmail.

19 posted on 10/19/2009 12:33:43 PM PDT by azishot
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To: Kaslin

As if we needed another one, THIS has always been a Red Flag about ObamaCare, BUT is it BHO’s ace in the hole?

My concern is that, at the last minute, BHO gets Congress to “concede” on this (wink, wink because BHO will make sure elite care stays in place)-— deceives all into thinking if Congress is submitting itself to ObamaCare, what can be the matter with it.


20 posted on 10/19/2009 2:30:14 PM PDT by thouworm
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