Romney: Pawlenty wrong on plan (Romney defends Romneycare, says it does not provide abortions)

Politico / The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | 2009-12-07 | Andy Barr

[rabscuttle385]

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Sunday that Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has his facts wrong in criticizing the health care plan Romney instituted in his state.

Pawlenty has repeatedly pointed to the Massachusetts plan of his potential rival for the 2012 Republican nomination as the perfect example of how not to do health care reform. The Minnesota governor has made that case in numerous interviews, speeches and op-eds that, while not focused on the Massachusetts program, make his criticism of it clear.

Presented with a clip of Pawlenty arguing that the Massachusetts plan did not come close to meeting cost estimates, Romney told CNN host John King on "State of the Union" that Pawlenty's attacks were not accurate.

Asked by King if Pawlenty had the plan "right," Romney responded: "No, I'm afraid facts are stubborn things."

"The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation has taken a good look at the Massachusetts plan some three or four years after it was passed, and it is well within the original forecast," Romney said. "It's a little over 1 percent of the state budget."

"And in fact," he added, "virtually all of our citizens are insured."

[rabscuttle385]

*Slick Willard ping!*

[Arthur McGowan]

I’m outraged that either of these men has the gall not to have fallen in line and endorsed Sarah.

Pawlenty and Romney should heed the warning of Sanford and Huckabee. Anyone who stands between Sarah and the White House is courting disaster. Watch for Pawlenty to come down with Dutch Elm Disease. Watch for Romney to be caught trying on women’s underwear in Filene’s.

[Caipirabob]

Romney: Pawlenty wrong on plan (Romney defends Romneycare, says it does not provide abortions)

Translated from Romnese: It doesn't provide abortions! It bankrupts the state, crushes the economic system and everyone who particiapates it. It rushes right into "health distribution", denying those in need in order to cut costs. The policy itself lends itself toward the destruction of human life. Abrotion is a happy side-effect. We don't need no stinkin' arbortion!

[Diogenesis]

Mmmmm, mmmmmm, Mitt. Bringing the GOP more loss and sh$t.

PROOF RomneyCARE is a Disaster (and Romney is utterly clueless)

“Small businesses bridle at health insurance hikes (Romneycare strangles Mass. businesses)
some really bad news from Blue Cross-Blue Shield: His company’s health insurance rates are going up 47 percent in January.”

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“ Rationing medicine has already begun
… government-
run health care has introduced rationing and waiting lists and cost the lives of the people under its provisions.”

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“DEATH PANELS OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN MASSACHUSETTS”

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“President Obama's newly confirmed regulatory czar defended the
possibility of removing organs from terminally ill patients without their permission.”

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“You can’t reap these savings without limiting patients’ choices in some way," said Paul Levy, CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess.”

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“State plan may place limits on patients’ hospital options( Mass. RomneyCare )”

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"Romney Visits Nebraska, Talks Health Care [where he defends Romneycare] “

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"Paying the Health Tax in Massachusetts [Romneycare]
Massachusetts requires every resident to have health insurance, and this
year, without informing us directly, the state had changed the rules in a way that made
our bare-bones policy no longer acceptable. Unless we ponied up for a pricier policy we
neither need nor want—or enrolled in a government-sponsored insurance plan—we
would have to pay $1,000 each year to the state.
How did we become outlaws? “

---

"National Health Preview - The Massachusetts debacle, coming soon to your neighborhood."
It was only a matter of time.
They're trying to manage the huge costs of the subsidized middle-class insurance program that is gradually swallowing the state budget.
The program provides low- or no-cost coverage to about 165,000 residents, or three-fifths of the newly insured, and is budgeted at $880 million for 2010, a 7.3% single-year increase that is likely to be optimistic.
The state's overall costs on health programs have increased by 42% (!) since 2006."

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A Very Sick Health Plan; Bay State’s ‘Grand Experiment’ Fails [RomneyCare]
"Initiated on Mr. Romney’s gubernatorial watch in 2006, this “experiment” has fallen on hard times, and predictably so. “

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Health care in Massachusetts: a warning for America [Romney brings Mass. to its knees]
The Bay State's mandatory insurance law is raising costs, limiting access, and lowering care.
Three years ago, Massachusetts adopted a plan requiring all residents to purchase health
insurance, with state subsidies for lower-income residents. But rather than creating a
utopia of high-quality affordable healthcare, the result has been the exact opposite –
skyrocketing costs, worsened access, and lower quality care."

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"‘Severe’ doc shortage seen hiking wait time
“The shortage is getting more severe”"

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“Health costs to rise again.( RomneyCare )
The state’s major health insurers plan to raise premiums by about 10 percent next year,
prompting many employers to reduce benefits and shift additional costs to workers.”

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“Nation’s ill-advised to follow Mass. plan [Health plan a failure]
September 17, 2009 The canary is dead.
Massachusetts, the model for the ObamaCare universal insurance plan, is the canary in
the health care coal mine. Yesterday, its obit appeared on the front page of both The Wall
Street Journal and The Boston Globe-Democrat “

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"Bay State Insurance Premiums Highest in Country - Boston Globe August 22, 2009
Massachusetts has the most expensive family health insurance premiums in the country,
according to a new analysis that highlights the state’s challenge in trying to rein in medical costs
40 percent higher than in 2003. Over the same period, premiums nationwide rose an average of 33 percent..."

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"Massachusetts: the laboratory for ObamaCare“

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"Massachusetts' Obama-like reforms increase health costs, wait times [RomneyCare]
Premiums are growing 21 to 46 percent faster than the national average"

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"Mass. Pushes Rationing to Control Universal Healthcare Costs (RomneyCare)
A 10-member Massachusetts state healthcare advisory board unanimously recommended
that the state begin rationing healthcare to keep the state’s marquee universal health care program afloat financially.”

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"1,000 cancer patients 'refused treatment'"

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"Massachusetts Universal Healthcare System Breaking Down Already
ERs in Massachusetts have not seen a downturn in visits. On the contrary, it seems that ER visits are actually on the upswing in the Bay State. In fact, in 2007 they were higher than the national average by 20 percent...”

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"Hospital patients 'left in agony'"

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"National Health Preview - The Massachusetts debacle, coming soon to your neighborhood.
In Massachusetts's latest crisis,
They're trying to manage the huge costs of the subsidized middle-class insurance program that is gradually swallowing the state budget.
The program provides low- or no-cost coverage to about 165,000 residents, or three-fifths of the newly insured, and is budgeted at $880 million for 2010, a 7.3% single-year increase that is likely to be optimistic.
The state's overall costs on health programs have increased by 42% (!) since 2006
Mr. Romney should have known better before signing on to this not-so-grand experiment, especially since the state's "free market" reforms that he boasts about have proven to be irrelevant when not fictional.
Only 21,000 people have used the "connector" that was supposed to link individuals to private insurers."

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A Very Sick Health Plan; Bay State’s ‘Grand Experiment’ Fails [RomneyCare]
… fiscal troubles aplenty within Repubican Mitt Romney’s brainchild, Massachusetts’ “grand experiment” in “universal” health care."
"Initiated on Mr. Romney’s gubernatorial watch in 2006, this “experiment” has fallen on hard times, and predictably so.
Even though the Bay State commenced its program with a far smaller percentage of uninsured residents than exists nationwide,
“RomneyCare” is threatening to bankrupt the state.“

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"Dem Congresswoman Admits Obama Health Care Plan Will Destroy Private Health Insurance Industry"

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"Romney’s mistreatments a sick man, as Gov. Mitt Romney meets a medical marijuana patient"

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

[LibLieSlayer]

ratman romney speaks with forked tongue... like all snakes.

LLS

[stephenjohnbanker]

Uh, Mr. Romney? Romneycare is broke, and sucking millions of taxpayer dollars every day to stay afloat. Go F yourself,Mr. Romney.

[arthurus]

Abortions or not, it is still socialism. Abortions is NOTY the main reason to oppose this statist takeover.

[Friendofgeorge]

All these guys need to stop campaigning and get behind Sarah! Then and only then can we begin to feel good about them again.

[ConjunctionJunction]

And this one:

Former speechwriter for John Edwards, Obama, and Hillary Clinton can’t afford health insurance in Massachusetts:

“Health Care Speechwriter for Edwards, Obama & Clinton Without Insurance Now”

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/08/health-care-speechwriter-for-edwards-obama-and-clinton-doesnt/

[Diogenesis]

THEN:

Fascist dictator-carpetbagger Mitt Romney chortles
as he inflicts socialized medicine (HillaryCARE=ROmneyCARE)
upon Massachusetts citizens.

Sen. Hillary Clinton on RomneyCARE=HillaryCARE: "To come up with a bipartisan plan in this polarized environment is commendable."

FLASHFORWARD: TODAY:

“Health Care Speechwriter for Edwards, Obama & Clinton Now Without Health Insurance”
I'm a critic because what Washington is talking about doing
has made health insurance unaffordable in Massachusetts."

[Tennessee Nana]

RINO Romney distancing himself from his own disasters...

[Sarah-bot]

The one thing he can’t deny is the fact that his health care plan forces people to purchase insurance policies against their will. A society can not claim to be free while forcing people to purchase intangible products. I know people justify mandated health insurance by pointing out that auto insurance is mandated, but mandating auto insurance is a questionable practice that does not justify mandating health insurance.
As questionable as mandated auto insurance is it is designed to protect people that could be damaged by a driver. The Health care insurance is designed to protect the purchaser from inevitable life events. The bottom line is that mandated health insurance is in opposition to freedom. An that is the direction the health care debate should take. It is not about the economic feasibility, but about human rights.

[blasater1960]

Waiting for the Mittwits to appear....”wait!... he has a nice family” or “but he ran the Olympics good” or ......

[reaganaut]

I know people justify mandated health insurance by pointing out that auto insurance is mandated, but mandating auto insurance is a questionable practice that does not justify mandating health insurance.

- - - - - - - —
I have 2 main problems with this comparison:

First, car insurance isn’t to protect ME, it is to protect the other person in case of an accident. Health insurance is to protect me.

Second, if I do not want to pay for auto insurance, I have a choice. I sell my car and take the bus. But with mandatory health insurance, I still have to pay for it, even if I never go to a doctor.

[cricket]

Sarah Palin is the best answer; but if she is not 'ready'. . .then I will support whomever has the 'R' over their name. Am so desperate for at least, a 'legitimate' human being; would vote for Ron Paul if that only push, came to shove! Happy no; deperate; yes. Of course, that is not going to happen; but we need a Repub to survive to 'win again' and better. Our future would have a chance. Our children and grandchildren would have a chance.

We will not have that; if the Dem taliban led by Obama, wins/steals. . .assends to higher power; again.

(Of course, I think Obama will have us in 'crisis' big time by Election day and he will have already changed 'term limits' by fiat. . .and like Chavez, he will not leave. Think these people have no intention of giving up the power they now wield. Come hell; or high water. Hope I am wrong though.)

[cricket]

Does not appear to mention the problem of those shwoing up at their doors from other states to get the 'free care'; including illegals. Why not just make this a 'State's rights' issue. Watch for five years and see which States, are still in tact. Of course the best guarantee for the 'best option' is to have our esteemed Reps be on the frickin 'SAME' plan; they are ordaining for the rest of America.

Meantime, the straw is heavy on the Medical Community's back. . .Doctore will be packing their bags if more legislation to control their profession comes their way. . .as it promises to do, of course.