Although the details of the "compromise" (aka sellout) on the public option reached by the Senate yesterday have yet to be released, here's my take on what I've seen so far. This is what we get when we have a malfunctioning body known as the United States Senate which is in reality a wholly-owned subsidiary of the big insurance companies.
We get a Medicare buy-in that's not really Medicare and not really a buy-in, is only available to a handful of people, and only available on a temporary basis.
Not really Medicare:
Not really a buy-in for any significant number of people:
And only temporarily:
But at least there will be tight restrictions on private insurance, right? Nope.
I didn't find any mention of the individual mandate being "compromised" away. Must have overlooked it.
One thing we will get, though:
Also known as:
There are some amendments being proposed which would allow drug importation from Canada and mandate that private companies spend 90% of premium dollars on medical benefits. But if you think the pharmaceutical giants and the insurance monopoly will allow either of those to pass, I've got a bridge for sale.
To sum up, here's what it looks like to me. The older, sicker people will be allowed to kinda, sorta buy into kinda, sorta Medicare temporarily, maybe, conditionally. Meanwhile younger, healthier people will be forced to buy private insurance, at a price to be determined by the insurance companies. End result--cha ching for United Health Care, CIGNA, Aetna, etc.
Call it a good return on investment for the millions of dollars inbribes campaign contributions by Big Insurance.
We get a Medicare buy-in that's not really Medicare and not really a buy-in, is only available to a handful of people, and only available on a temporary basis.
Not really Medicare:
Sen. Kent Conrad has "proposed having the Medicare buy-in be treated as "a separate pool" that could have negotiated rates, rather than those set by the existing Medicare program."
Not really a buy-in for any significant number of people:
"At this juncture, it doesn't appear that everyone in the 55-64-age bracket would be granted access. Negotiators are considering limiting consumers to those who would qualify for high-risk insurance pools already set up under the Senate's health care legislation. This would mean primarily those who have been uninsured for a certain amount of time, have a history of poor health or are unable to get insurance because of a preexisting condition."
And only temporarily:
"The Medicare "buy-in" for people 55 to 64 would be available until government subsidies start flowing in 2014 to new health insurance markets designed for people who now have trouble getting and keeping affordable coverage."
But at least there will be tight restrictions on private insurance, right? Nope.
"Key liberals said they were prepared to abandon a government-run insurance program if it would move the chamber closer to a final deal, provided it was replaced with other coverage options and tighter restrictions on insurance companies. "I don't think we're going to get that right now," Sen. Jay Rockefeller said.."
I didn't find any mention of the individual mandate being "compromised" away. Must have overlooked it.
One thing we will get, though:
"Under the deal, the government plan preferred by liberals would be replaced with a program that would create several national insurance policies administered by private companies but negotiated by the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees health policies for federal workers. If private firms were unable to deliver acceptable national policies, a government plan would be created."
Also known as:
There are some amendments being proposed which would allow drug importation from Canada and mandate that private companies spend 90% of premium dollars on medical benefits. But if you think the pharmaceutical giants and the insurance monopoly will allow either of those to pass, I've got a bridge for sale.
To sum up, here's what it looks like to me. The older, sicker people will be allowed to kinda, sorta buy into kinda, sorta Medicare temporarily, maybe, conditionally. Meanwhile younger, healthier people will be forced to buy private insurance, at a price to be determined by the insurance companies. End result--cha ching for United Health Care, CIGNA, Aetna, etc.
Call it a good return on investment for the millions of dollars in
Now its to the point that the Dems can't fight any battle in a concerted way. They have no idea how to answer the Republicans specious claims and now they can't even settle a dispute within their own party. And the President has no idea ow to use the power of his office even within his own party. We are so screwed.
Another "lump of coal" in our "national healthcare stocking."
Amen!
I'm speechless.
How could they screw this up --- this bad.
They (the Democrats) have the White House and a majority in Congress.
They have a majority of the American people who want some kind of competition to the private sector a.k.a. a "public option."
No wonder we can't compete in the global marketplace. We spend more of our GDP on health care costs, than any other industrialized country in the world. And, we get less bang for our buck. We have higher rates of infant mortality; we don't take care of our veterans; our old people are warehoused in nursing homes, or thrown out in the cold. We have no programs in place to address mental illness.
What the hell is wrong with these people, anyway???
Are they all so corrupt -- that they no longer give a damn about the ordinary citizens of this country???
The millionaires in the U.S. Senate, have screwed the rest of America ---- one more time.
Let's face it - Sparkle, Black Shards, Beck, Limbaugh, McConnell, Boehner, Steele and all of these fools have done their best to scare the shit out of the American people about socialized medicine and a government takeover of health care. And, American voters, way too many being too lazy and indifferent to bother to learn the facts, bought into the fear. So, all of the horror stories about insurance companies denying coverage, or about millions of American families in financial ruin due to health care bills didn't mean diddly-squat. Once again, our failing political system appeals to the lowest common denominator - fear. And fear wins arguments. And these are Democrats largely calling the shots. And the party wonders why Obama's popularity is declining.
Son of a bitch! Does anybody have Mighty Mouse's cell number??? I'm pretty sure we need him.
yeah, I agree, maybe there is more to the story than what we have received thus far...I don't know how it can be viewed as a forward step at all. The politicians have to know something we don't.
History does provide precedent for this condition, though. Social Security sprang into existence only because the agricultural industry, which at the time comprised the minority workplace, was barred from participating...compliments of the elitists, of course! It grew (no, that's not a dirty word) to accommodate the majority of the working populace. Medicare is it about to morph into such an historical model. Perhaps, there are more examples that history can provide and more examples that the future will provide?
I think something was lost in the translation. The Democratic legislators reportedly were hailing a victory of sorts, but I don't see where the pressure to reduce medical costs is going to arise?
maybe the "real" angry mob will finally show up, start protesting, and get a little media attention. instead of obstructionist, posturing party of no supporters. you know, morons who say "do nothing because we are number one!" too stupid to understand that when cantor tells them "if you get sick or disabled, go find charities and govt programs" which is in some cases a death sentence and in all cases saying "you're on your own pal". these tea party idiots have been the only citizen voices heard since last summer, sought out by both the media and republicans for shameless news exploitation. the media needs to keep the fringe zealots in the spotlight for ratings, the republicans run the range from true zealots to real evil of demint and his "waterloo" speech. harry ried finally grew a pair and told the truth, that these same zealots and republican types would have slavery still going and white men controlling the vote of the entire country, instead of the vote of their party. all the media can do with this is instigate back and forth about michael steele demanding an apology? to hell with an apology, this should be dems only battle cry from here on out! should have been the dems opening argument last summer, instead they neglected to plan any worthy debate to outline the public option and things started going downhill from the onset. cable news allows orin hatch to get away with "nothing the govt does is done right" when in fact it is common knowledge that our govt in fact runs many enterprises effectively, some even efficiently. all they do run are necessary and should they be privatized, would be a further erosion of accountability and total takeover by profit kings, like what happened on wall street. i think it was the doobie brothers who said "takin' it to the streets" and that's exactly what we should be doing, even if it's too late to salvage. letting these tea partiers score the final say is something i'm not prepared for.
I am so beyond pissed that I can't see straight! I can't afford the Texas High Risk Pool anymore, but the Medicare buy in will essentially be a high risk pool? With the high monthly premiums of a high risk pool?
Bullshit!
So I guess this means I need to hang on to my job with health insurance in Corporate America until my son is 30 so his medical needs for his chronic disease are met. (I have really good insurance right now.) Then he's on his own from 30 - 54, at least, until Medicare kicks in ... if it still exists by that time.
And naturally, there will NEVER be another candidate or elected official who will EVER take this topic on again. Congress has merely succeeded in further dividing us.
We didn't even get kissed.