Replies

“M. ROMNEY: Well, the model I’d use is this. Let states solve the problem of getting people insured. Not the federal government. Let each state create their own program based upon their own needs.”

This seems to be a good first start, then the models can be studied to see what works best. Seems that tort reform and insurance reform (medical savings accounts would be an option) would relieve the pressures driving costs upward. mandentory medical care also drives up costs which have to be absorbed by the medical facility (many have closed because of this or covered by the taxpayer, states can also determine the best method to deal with this.

Also see it didn’t take long for the creative keywords to appear. See “fisters4romney”, guess “queers4romney” http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2464810/posts wii be next.

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.
Sedalia, Colo. - In his recent speech to Congress, President Obama could have promoted
healthcare reforms that tapped the power of a truly free market to lower costs and
improve access. Instead, he chose to offer a national version of the failing
"Massachusetts plan" based on mandatory health insurance. This is a recipe for disaster.

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.

Under any system of mandatory insurance, the government must necessarily define what
constitutes acceptable insurance. In Massachusetts, this has created a giant magnet for
special interest groups seeking to have their own pet benefits included in the required
package. Massachusetts residents are thus forced to purchase benefits they may neither
need nor want, such as in vitro fertilization, chiropractor services, and autism treatment –
raising insurance costs for everyone to reward a few with sufficient political "pull."

Although similar problems exist in other states, Massachusetts' system of mandatory
insurance delivers the entire state population to the special interests. ."

"‘Severe’ doc shortage seen hiking wait time The Boston Herald ^ | 9/15/09 | Christine McConville As the state’s shortage of primary care doctors grows, people are waiting longer for medical care, according to a new survey by the Massachusetts Medical Society. “The shortage is getting more severe,” said Dr. Mario Motta, the medical society’s president. The state’s health care dilemma can serve as a valuable lesson for a nation whose residents are locked in a frenzied debate about health care reform, he added."

“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.
The higher insurance costs undermine a key tenet of the state’s landmark health care law
passed two years ago, as well as President Obama’s effort to overhaul health care. In
addition to mandating insurance for most residents, the Massachusetts bill sought to rein
in health care costs. With Washington looking to the Massachusetts experience, fears
about higher costs have become a stumbling block to passing a national health care bill.”

“DEATH PANELS OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN MASSACHUSETTS
In August Sarah Palin wrote extensively about the incredible danger that ObamaCare
would lead to what amounts to “death panels.” This of course caused great controversy
with many claiming Palin was either “crazy” or talking about the “end of life”
discussions that were provided for within House Resolution 3200, the prototype
ObamaCare bill.
As more Americans delve into the disturbing details of the nationalized health care plan
that the current administration is rushing through Congress, our collective jaw is
dropping, and we’re saying not just no, but hell no!

The Democrats promise that a government health care system will reduce the cost of
health care, but as the economist Thomas Sowell has pointed out, government health care
will not reduce the cost; it will simply refuse to pay the cost. And who will suffer the
most when they ration care? The sick, the elderly, and the disabled, of course. The
America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down
Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can
decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether
they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil. .
Now we have news from Massachusetts, the home of RomneyCare, which should be
looked at as a shining example of why ObamaCare will be an epic failure. Soaring costs
both to the taxpayers and patients was inevitable, and now the effects of these are coming home to roost.
You can’t reap these savings without limiting patients’ choices in some way,”

“Sunstein: Take organs from 'helpless patients'
TEL AVIV – President Obama's newly confirmed regulatory czar defended the
possibility of removing organs from terminally ill patients without their permission.”

“Customers will pay big for health fix: insurers
WASHINGTON -- The insurance industry yesterday charged that the proposed Senate
health-care bill would shift costs to privately insured people, raising the price of a typical
policy by hundreds -- if not thousands -- of dollars annually. The trade group America's

Health Insurance Plans sent its members a new accounting-firm study that projects the
legislation would add $1,700 a year to the cost of family coverage in 2013. Premiums for
a single person would go up by $600 more than would be the case without the legislation,
it concluded. The study projected that in 2019, family premiums could be $4,000...”

“Reform” Means You Pay More for Health Care [Here are the numbers]
A major new report confirms the worst fears of many: Health care reform will raise the
costs for most Americans—by about 18% on average. That is on top of existing inflation
of health coverage.

Once the plan is fully phased-in (by 2019), a typical family of four would pay an extra $4,000 each year.

When combined with existing inflation, costs would rise from today’s $12,300 annual
average to $25,900. Of that 111% increase, $9,600 is due to existing factors uncorrected
by the legislation, and $4,000 due to additional costs created by the legislation.

For single persons, the differential is projected at $1,500 a year. Premiums would rise
from today’s $4,600 a year to $9,600 overall.
Prepared by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), the new analysis was requested by
AHIP—America’s Health Insurance Plans. It focuses on the leading plan pending in
Congress, sponsored by Sen. Max Baucus (D, MT), which is scheduled for a Senate
Finance Committee vote on Tuesday. .”

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

The state’s ambitious plan to shake up how providers are paid could have a hidden price
for patients: Controlling Massachusetts’ soaring medical costs, many health care leaders
believe, may require residents to give up their nearly unlimited freedom to go to any
hospital and specialist they want.

Efforts to keep patients in a defined provider network, or direct them to lower-cost
hospitals could be unpopular, especially in a state where more than 40 percent of hospital
care is provided in expensive academic medical centers and where many insurance
policies allow patients access to large numbers of providers. .”

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

"Romney Visits Nebraska, Talks Health Care [where he defends Romneycare]
A familiar face came to Nebraska on Friday, hoping to raise a lot of money for the state Republican party and perhaps raise his profile for the 2012 presidential race.
Former candidate Mitt Romney was the keynote speaker for the Nebraska Republican Party's Founder's Day dinner.
The appearance, one of several planned in the past few weeks, may have helped boost his party's hopes in Nebraska's second Congressional district.
He said he's also hoping to bring attention to the debate over health care reform.”

“The WSJ Guide to ObamaCare. A comprehensive collection of our editorials.
50 or more live linked articles, editorials on big government, big business
RINO/Socialism/Romney/Hilary/Obama central health planning from the people
that
gave you public housing slums, lousy expensive highways, lousy expensive
public schools.... "

"Paying the Health Tax in Massachusetts [Romneycare]
My husband retired from IBM about a decade ago, and as we aren't old enough for
Medicare we still buy our health insurance through the company. But IBM, with its
typical courtesy, informed us recently that we will be fined by the state.
Why? Because 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.
My husband's response was muted; I was shaking mad. We hadn't imposed our health-
care costs on anyone else, yet we were being fined ("taxed" was the word the letter used).

We've spent much of our lives putting away what money we could for retirement. We
always intended to be self-sufficient. We've paid off the mortgage on our home, don't
carry credit-card debt, and have savings in case of an emergency. We also have a regular
monthly income of about $3,000, which includes an IBM pension. My husband, 61, earns
a little money on the side, sometimes working as an electronics consultant on renewable
energy projects. I'm 58 and make some money writing science books. We are not
wealthy, but we aren't a risk of becoming a burden on society either. How did we become outlaws? "

Carpetbagger Romney imposing RomneyCARE:
"My Death Panel is now the first.
We Democrats sure love each other”

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.
Sedalia, Colo. - In his recent speech to Congress, President Obama could have promoted
healthcare reforms that tapped the power of a truly free market to lower costs and
improve access. Instead, he chose to offer a national version of the failing
"Massachusetts plan" based on mandatory health insurance. This is a recipe for disaster.

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.

Under any system of mandatory insurance, the government must necessarily define what
constitutes acceptable insurance. In Massachusetts, this has created a giant magnet for
special interest groups seeking to have their own pet benefits included in the required
package. Massachusetts residents are thus forced to purchase benefits they may neither
need nor want, such as in vitro fertilization, chiropractor services, and autism treatment –
raising insurance costs for everyone to reward a few with sufficient political "pull."

Although similar problems exist in other states, Massachusetts' system of mandatory
insurance delivers the entire state population to the special interests. ."

About as long as the usual Mittbot suspects. Welcome to the thread!

Don’t bother supporting Romney here... it ain’t gonna fly... and for good reason... he’s terrible for conservatives.

So, from what I’ve seen of other posters who persist in supporting Romney or ideas that come from Romney, quoting him or referring to him — they are just asking for trouble.

For your own good, if you like Free Republic (for yourself) just respect the fact that nothing having to do with Romney is ever “going to fly” here...

Now that is good advice... unless you’re just itching for a zot or something like that... :-)