During a recent interview with Patti Wenzel of the Thirdcoast Digest, far right Republican House candidate Dan Sebring, who’s challenging incumbent Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore in the 4th Congressional District, said he finds nothing good in the health care reform legislation passed into law by Democrats earlier this year. Instead, Sebring said he wants to, “defund, repeal, and replace the current health care reform legislation, adding that a friend of his who works for Anthem Health has come up with a plan that converts health insurance providers into health care “financiers.”
He explains that people will have access to health credit lines which will allow them to pay for care they need from the provider of their choice. “This will allow patients to compare prices and foster a competitive market for health care that will control costs.”
So to recap, Dan Sebring’s health care reform “plan” would convert health insurance companies into the equivalent of credit card companies, with individuals and families then going into debt to those companies for any health care they’ve received. It’s also worth noting Sebring didn’t mention during his interview that his health care reform “plan” would also make any debt owed to these health care “financiers” by individuals or families would be non-dischargeable, meaning they couldn’t be eliminated through bankruptcy proceedings.
Here’s a look at a few of the provisions contained withing the Democratic health care reform legislation that Dan Sebring thinks are “nothing good:”
- Insurance companies can no longer denying children coverage based on a preexisting condition.
- Starting in 2014, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to anyone with preexisting conditions.
- Closes the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” by 2020.
- Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap will receive a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs.
While the health care reform legislation passed by Democrats was far from being perfect, I’d argue with Dan Sebring’s assertion that eliminating the ability of health insurance companies to deny coverage to children based on preexisting conditions is “nothing good,” and I’d argue that closing the Medicare prescription drug “donut hole” is certainly something good.
Why can’t those who are opposed to healthcare reform not admit that there are positive aspects of the bill. While I agree it is not perfect, to scrap it and start over would be a big win for the insurance companies and set any form of healthcare reform back 20 years. I just do not see those who are opposed to it making it any type of priority. I also do not hear any better ideas coming out of the opposition
Nothing like a straw man to help your argument. There certainly are a few good good elements to the bill. The pre-existing condition changes are a good thing – assuming that ever actually happens since it’s still almost half a decade away. Ending rescission is certainly a good thing as well.
Um, for the most part, it was a big sloppy kiss to insurance companies. Sure they got some changes pushed on them that they don’t like. But they’ll jack up rates to pay for them. But the federal government has made it law that everyone buy their products. Nice deal if you can get it.
The two biggest problems with our health care system were that not everyone had health insurance and costs have risen at such a high rate that it’s becoming too big of a burden. The law potentially decreases those without coverage – but still leaves millions out. And it does nothing to deal with the health care inflation. All for the low, low cost of a little liberty and billions in cruft.
Better to start over with targeted bills to address the individual problems on their own. There’s plenty of low hanging fruit that are 80/20 issues. True portability for example would be universally supported, have a ton of benefits with very little costs.
Um, for the most part, it was a big sloppy kiss to insurance companies. Sure they got some changes pushed on them that they don’t like. But they’ll jack up rates to pay for them. But the federal government has made it law that everyone buy their products. Nice deal if you can get it.
The two biggest problems with our health care system were that not everyone had health insurance and costs have risen at such a high rate that it’s becoming too big of a burden. The law potentially decreases those without coverage – but still leaves millions out. And it does nothing to deal with the health care inflation
Locke – I always stay silent on healthcare, it’s SO confusing I can’t pretend I understand what the hell happened. But what you said right there? Word, baby.
I can NOT understand how any bill is worth a CRAP if there is not any regulation (dirty word, you can’t expect Corporations to obey LAWS omg no) on how much Ins. Co. can charge. and how many procedures they can pretend don’t fit their weird and changeable rules. And that there is IS no controls but we are required to be the company’s bitches and MUST buy their product, I don’t understand!!!!
How can a fair government say “YOU MUST BUY THIS TV, but we will not limit how much the company can charge you for this.”
don’t get it don’t get it don’t get it.
I have a couple of “health issues” that I just let “simmer” – haven’t been to a doctor in 10 years. You know me, after watching the BP “clean-up” and all the fox-in-the-hen-house behavior that conservatives have proven they excel at, I don’t trust them at all, but this “reform” seems like a pile o’ shit to me. But you can’t really say that TOO much because the people who worked on this crap are all “thins is good!” and if you give an inch the Neo-cons will take 500 miles and it’ll be worse than ever. So I am totally against repeal because you can’t let Carpetbaggers in charge of the store again. They’ll set it up so it’s all about PROFITS to their CEOs and screw the patients even worse than ever. Karl Rove and all the billionaires, they don’t give a shit. Talk about “entitlement”, they think they’re entitled to own the whole freaky planet and make us slaves.
Please sir, may I have a Tylenol? oh, I have to do WHAT first? hmmmm.
The Cons also lie their asses off, if you have any pals in Eurpoe or Japan, you will know they have healthcare without all this shit, and those are NOT socialist countires like all the shit Glen Beck cries about, it’s likes. if Americans actually talked with other nations’ people like just human beings you’d know theay are NOT in commie countires. Except my Venezuelan freind his country is a pile of socialist shit. He says it, I say it. Total socialist shit, Chavez = King Asshole
(far all the crying about “socialism” in the US, crap! no one wants that Chavez crapola here, I don’t, only drunk 2 guys in a Detroit bar think that is a goal.so stow it)
But Europe, not socialist. Japan, not. And when my friends talk about going to the doctor it is WAAAAY differnt than here and there is no “govt interference” between doctor and patient and all the lies.
But of course, we are the BEST NATION ON EARTH so we don’t need to chat with the inferiors in other countries. Wea re YANKS! We know goddam everything.
It’s all crap. I hate it.
Employers are gonna cut those remaining shreds of Health coverage their employees have to manipulate the situation and out of spite. YOU KNOW THEY WILL.
It will be cheaper to pay that fee than to cover an employee.
we’re gonna be fucked. yup yup yup
and yet, required to buy. I don’t get it at all.
Annie – I agree with some of what you say here & disagree with some. There are systemic problems and the people who see “my side is good” their side isn’t in the general sense, seem to have their eyes shut to the world. By and large, they’re all crooks – with a slim minority of good ones on both sides.
We can disagree over philosophy and the best approach to address our problem, but this much is absolutely certain: regardless of what party is in power, we need clear, direct, transparent laws that deal with one issue at a time. Omnibus laws simply do not work. They allow politicization to the extreme (since almost nobody knows everything in them). There’s garbage in there for everyone, and billions gets wasted without solving the original problem very well, if at all.
If you think I have a side, or if you count my remarks as being for a side in that they express my general world view. well of course. We all have that. and we all can only honestly react from our own experiences. I do.
But if you call my “side” the Democrats, and if you think I defend my side and think they are all cool, you haven’t read I thing I have said.
The list of Democrats I personally despise is long, probably more venomous too because if I know a bad thing about them (or things) it is often from personal experience and they are not things that I would share or write down.
I don’t have a “side” I have beliefs, they fall within a group with inter-connected themes, they are not a jumble of this or that based on a persuasive talking point here on one issue and another persuasive talking point on another. I have core beliefs, if someone stands for things that seem to resonate with those beliefs then I support the person, group or idea. But it goes from the “inside” out I am not a passive person when it comes to beleifs.
They do tend to favor the Liberal side far more than what is currently called “conservative” because my beliefs involve *sigh* well this is too long and I don’t know how to characterize my belief system without ranting for too long, or else relying on loaded describing words that are overly.. just, dumb.
So I won’t
I really like Russ Feingold yeah. But there’s Democrats I wouldn’t’ spit on cuz I don’t wanna waste my DNA. And I have plans to vote for 2 Republicans this time around. That’s true. I sometimes leave spaces blank too and there’s a seat or two now where I don’t know what I’ll do for sure till I’m in that booth.
As to the health-care mess, Like other people i ask “what do you REALLY think?” I am confused, skeptical, and can only wait to see how it translates to real life and hope for the best. That is NOT a cool way to feel at all. I have no opinion on whether Omnibus bills are bad or what. Just too complicated and weird. I’d have to devote too much of my time to come to a truly informed decision, and I can’t invest that kind of time. I suppose the Pols bank on that kind of situation, and we have to trust their talking points. I can’t read that huge thing.
But then re: my “conservative hate” it’s also impossible to pay attention to News and read comments from conservatives on blogs and newspaper sites and not be appalled and in some case frightened of how heartless compassion-less vindictive and selfish and just hate-filled they so often are. I don’t know who raised these people and why they hate so many with such glee. I can’t trust them. They can say how Christian they are, but they are not. Jesus was not exactly an early Rush Limbaugh or Glenn beck . They seem to be missing a few important concepts here.
Just a few.
and I just get sick of the way certain people refer to “libs” with such hate, so I start to feel- back at ya then.
But thanks for the civil answer. I’m frustrated at “famous conservatives” and a lot of local ones say repugnant things and feel proud about it. But as long as you’re decent to me (as I recall you have been so far but I don’t always check back so you could have insulted me 500 times and I don;’t know LOL ) well I don’t mean anything personal.
YET!!!!!!
mwahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
😉
I most certainly wasn’t referring to your side as Democrats. While your posts often confuse me, occasionally give me headaches, and sometimes use language I’d consider a bit crass, there’s never any questioning your sincerity and you have always struck me as being defiantly independent. Your thoughts are clearly your own – the furthest thing from talking points, and what I was drawn to in the post I replied to was you’re willingness to call out both sides for their BS.
While there’s a lot I don’t like in the health care reform legislation, I’d like to think most/all of us can agree that putting an end to the whole preexisting conditions mess is a very good thing. Ultimately, the point I was trying to make is that while HCR is far from perfect and may very well be a “big sloppy kiss” to health insurance companies, there was some good within the bill, contrary to Dan Sebring’s assertion.
One can agree that there are a few good things and still be in favor of dumping the whole thing & starting over. I sure do. On the whole, I think it’s going to cause more problems and waste than it will fix – and separating out the wheat from the chaff a waste of time. Torch the thing & pass legislation dealing with the individual elements on their own.
I didn’t see that assertion made in the linked article at all. The writer said
Note the use of third person. But far as I can tell, Sebring didn’t.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/the-republican-swindle-ab_b_770692.html
The Republicans are trying to tell us that the health-care-reform bill is a hugely expensive trespass against freedom and liberty. This obviously refers to the price tag and the individual mandate. What they don’t mention is that “Obamacare” will actually achieve several very significant goals.
1) The health-care-reform bill will help working and middle class Americans to afford quality health insurance via hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies. For example, families of four earning $54,000 will see their insurance premiums reduced by around $10,000 per year. That’s a lot. Who in their right mind would turn down a government check for $10,000? Every year. That’s a full semester of state university tuition, among other things.
2) Contrary to the “Obama-is-spending-too-much” meme, the bill does not increase the deficit. According to the nonpartisan CBO, the bill cuts the deficit by $130 billion over ten years. Put another way, all that scaremongering about the cost of the bill is just that: scaremongering. The bill pays for itself and then some.
3) There are no enforcement mechanisms for the super-duper terrifying individual mandate. If you choose not to buy insurance when the mandate takes effect in 2014, and are consequently fined $695, there is no means of actually enforcing the payment of that penalty. No liens, levies, no jail, no Obamacare Goons swooping into your house like America-hating Kenyan ninjas. Nothing will happen to you. Nothing. So, you know, chill out about the mandate.
The question about “Obamacare,” then, is very simply: Why are the Republicans against reducing the deficit by $130 billion, and why are they against more accessible and affordable healthcare? I have no idea, other than they’re taking the childish opposite position of what was passed (despite the deficit reduction and subsidies for the middle class, etc.). Oh, and they call it “Obamacare,” which is spooky and one letter away from being “Osamacare.” Scary, but entirely without substance.
I see MANY pts with two jobs or 39 hour “part time” Walmartters who have no coverage. It causes Death and Bankruptcy. Dr Dean is Right..we need a public option, too.
seven hundred buck penalty??
So WHAT!?!?
COBRA cost/costs 10k/yr for a family of four?
Cant pay??
Then you DIE!!!!