Dissecting the Kennedy Health Bill (Congress EXEMPT)

WSJ Online ^ | 06/19/2009 | BETSY MCCAUGHEY

[cbkaty]

No, you won't be able to keep your insurance if you like it....

Members of Congress "enjoy the widest selection of health plans in the country," according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. They "can choose from among consumer-driven and high deductible plans that offer catastrophic risk protection with higher deductibles, health saving/reimbursable accounts and lower premiums, or fee-for-service (FFS) plans, and their preferred provider organizations (PPO), or health maintenance organizations (HMO)." These choices would be nice for all of us, but they're not in the offing. Instead, if you don't enroll in a "qualified" health plan and submit proof of enrollment to the federal government, you'll be tracked down and fined (sections 3101 and 6055).

For a health plan to count as "qualified," it has to meet all the restrictions listed in the legislation and whatever criteria the Secretary of Health and Human Services imposes after the bill becomes law. You may think you're in a "qualified" plan, but the language suggests that only plans with managed-care controls such as the "medical home" will meet the definition (sections 3101 and 2707).

[cbkaty]

Tar & Feathers....anyone?

[neodad]

Did they keep the dacha in the country prevision for congress?

[MAD-AS-HELL]

While the cork suckers in DC continue to limit our choices and heard us into a disastrous piece of crap legislation, I am wondering about all the choices of abortion this bill will allow?

[VeniVidiVici]

...the bill specifically exempts Congress

Gee, now there is a shocker.

[browniexyz]

Just remember, everyone, if your Congressional representative doesn’t accept ObamaCare, neither should you! If every American would analyze health reform using this ONE PRINCIPLE, it won’t pass!

[not2worry]

START AN EMAIL CAMPAIGN ASKING THAT CONGRESS GIVE US A PROGRAM EXACTLY LIKE THEY HAVE!

I just emailed my senator, Senator Bill Nelson of the great state of Florida, and requested that he introduce a Bill that gives every United States Citizen the exact same benefits as the United States Senate enjoys.

Told him that I felt sure he would agree that the “folks” (this Senator's attempt at trying to achieve bonding with his dumb-dumb constituents) who elected him deserve the same benefits that enjoys at our expense.

Further noted that we were putting together a group of similar minded folks that he could lend his support to; knowing that he felt all people are created equal.

We need to bring this fact to life. It needs to grow legs with a pair of Nikes....we need to JUST DO IT!

[Sudetenland]

Anyone who believes that "If you like your current healthcare plan, you can keep it," is smoking something more than regular cigarettes (which will soon be illegal).

In the face of a government sponsored healthcare plan, all private insurance plans will gradually fade away as the cost of keeping them becomes prohibitively high...except for the few wealthy elite.

They never intended to keep that "promise." Old Ted "The Lady Killer" Kennedy's plan just does away with the gradual process in favor of an abrupt change.

Of course those in the government will continue to have "Cadillac" plans...just as the old Soviet Communist Party leaders had "special privileges."

[RebelTXRose]

NO - Not THIS time are they exempt!

[cbkaty]

...the bill specifically exempts Congress

Any wonder why the fools in congress rarely bother to read and understand legislation...at the bottom of most bills carries the disclaimer that exempts....

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: The legislation contained in this bill is intended only for the little people and contains privileged and confidential communications, protected from disclosure. All members of the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of the United States government are exempt.

[cbkaty]

all private insurance plans will gradually fade away

Gradually? They'll disappear faster than a cold glass of ice tea in the Texas summer heat...

[Buckeye McFrog]

I thought that the Dems ‘08 platform called for every American to have the same quality health coverage as the US Congress?

[Sudetenland]

Hah! :) A more apt analogy than usual given this current oven we’re “enjoying.” Crikey! It’s been hot.

[puppypusher]

Of coarse Congress is exempt.Now you didn't think that they would want to be covered by the same health care plan we lowly citizens would have. After-all they are so much better than us. Seriously though,We need to take away all of these Congressional exemptions and hold them accountable for these laws their passing.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Even if on paper the congress-critters had the “same” “plan” as us lowly peasants, do you really think it would equate to the same treatment? I don’t.

Anymore than we get the same police protection that they do, or take your pick.

If they showed up at a “public” hospital the red carpet would be rolled out for sure. For us, the line would be stretching around the block.

[Dajjal]

obumpa

[truthluva]

Someone should call for a ‘test’ of the proposed program and the participants of that test should be Congress. The test period should last no less than 5 years. Let the American people vote on conducting this test.

[an amused spectator]

I’m calling the new plan “Peasant Care”. Pass it on.