Free Republic

While the Obama Administration halts deportations to work on its secret amnesty plan, hospitals across the U.S. are getting stuck with the exorbitant tab of medically treating illegal immigrants and some are finally demanding compensation from the federal government. The group that represents most of the nation’s hospitals and medical providers recently urged President Obama to work with Congress to reimburse them for the monstrous cost of treating illegal immigrants. Federal law requires facilities to “treat and stabilize individuals” regardless of their immigration status, but federal support for the services remains “virtually nonexistent,” according to a letter submitted by the...

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday signed seven major health care-reform bills, including legislation establishing a Web-based insurance exchange that will allow consumers to comparison-shop for coverage. The governor's action makes California the first state to implement an oversight board for insurance exchange marketplaces since the new federal health care law was enacted earlier this year. Massachusetts implemented its exchange prior to reform. "For national reform to succeed, it will be up to the states to make it work, and California is moving forward on reforms that will provide affordable and quality health care insurance," Schwarzenegger said in a statement.

Amid appeals from the White House and consumer health care advocates, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed two key health bills Thursday that make California the first state to begin establishing its own health insurance exchange, which could widen medical coverage for small businesses and the millions of uninsured. Facing a deadline of midnight Thursday to act on bills, Schwarzenegger signed scores of new laws, ranging from requiring schools to provide fresh drinking water to extending foster-care benefits to young adults and rolling back the date by which kindergartners must turn 5 in order to start school. The health benefits exchange is...

Sometimes I really hate being right. Look at my website. On September 17, 2004 (“Oops, Government Does It Again”) and June 6, 2003 (“We’re From the Government and We’re Here to Help You”) both predicted massive increases in health care premiums and huge increases in the uninsured from continued regulation of health care financing, principally regulation of health insurance. This week, the Insurance Commissioner, an advocate for socialized medicine, wrote a report, which he called “Priced Out,” showing that insurance premiums have increased 61 per cent, and the number of uninsured has increased to 6.6 million Californians. He blames insurance...