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2009/9/8 House Democrats want to fine Americans up to $3,800/yr for having no health insuranceThe below information came from a MSNBC article that sparked me looking up the facts, and yes it is true:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32733321 Summary of the article: "Americans would be fined up to $3,800 for failing to buy health insurance under a new plan circulated in Congress. The latest proposal: a 10-year, $900-billion bipartisan compromise by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. who heads Finance Committee. It would guarantee coverage for nearly all Americans, regardless of medical problems. But the Baucus plan also includes fines that Obama has rejected. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs noted that the administration had not received a copy of the plan before it leaked to lobbyists and news media. The Baucus plan would require insurers to take all applicants, regardless of age or health. But smokers could be charged higher premiums. And 60-year-olds could be charged five times as much as 20-year-olds. Penalties for failing to do so would start at $750 a year for individuals and $1,500 for families. Households making more than three times the federal poverty level ($66,000 for a family of four) would face the maximum fines. For families, it would be $3,800, and for individuals, $950."
This is again what the Democrats strategy is, 'it's a crisis so we have to pass it now before it is too late'. This hurry up and pass it now philosophy is what has gotten the Democrats into trouble in the first place. We need time to review, pick apart, and debate the measures of this bill before we can expect any action on it. At least the summary is only 18 pages, unlike HR3200. So what is in the proposal?
As this was just released and I do require sleep I have only glanced over the proposal. For the most part is looks much better then the disaster the House passed. For one, it does require all citizens and resident aliens get coverage or pay a fine, unless you meet specific economic hardship conditions, of which there are many so it’s not like some college grad who is still working part time and eating mac and cheese will have to pay a fine. The state exchange program is a little vague but the state compact provision is encouraging as it would allow states to ban together and let people in said states do with health insurance what they can do with home and auto insurance, get the lowest cost option that suits their needs across state lines. The small business incentive is great for really small businesses, provided they don't pay their employees that much. There are some solid protections offered but it keeps the co-op option open as well as creating a 10 year $900 billion program that is sure to see cost over runs and problems under the stress of the baby boom retiring. The heart of the bill seems to be to expand Medicaid to non-elderly and non-pregnant adults by easing the eligibility requirements. While this is not the 100% free option Pelosi and Obama wanted it is more realistic. I am concerned with spending control, fraud waste and abuse provisions being too light, and it not addressing the real cause of high medical prices in our country;
As I stated before, it is early and this is new on the scene, so new the White House is just able to see if the day before Obama's big plea to the nation. It needs to be picked apart by the pundits, professionals, analysts, taking heads, and those in the industry as to its impacts and workability before we can pass serious judgment. One thing for sure, the extreme leftist policies and wording like death panels, population control, tax funded abortions, etc. are not as evident or hinted to in this bill. Democracy just may still be alive and kicking after all. Again, there is no dire time table on this topic, it is just a bullet point for the president, we are talking about changing 15% of our GDP here so rashness is not the order of the day. There are provisions and controls in this bill that will hurt the bottom line of insurance companies and drug manufacterors, so what, well they employ tens of thousands and make it possible for medical advances and breakthroughts we all benefit from. We all know how efficient the government runs something, look at cash for clunkers and ask the dealers who ran it if they have gotten paid yet. This is a compromise for the Democrats, still not what many conservatives want, but it is a much better start and something I believe can be worked on and make into something more tolerable, if and only if they can begin to address the root cause of the medical inflation controlled and brought down. 评论 (2)
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