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Healthcare Reform Bill
Let's pop the cork on this bad boy. I think that the bill has alot of good qualities. I am not to happy about insurance now being mandatory. What do you guys think?
Does anyone have a copy of the amended bill?
Views: 140
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Yeah, well, Maxine says Congress says they are looking deeper into the Bernie Madoff scandal. You know, the guy who "made off" w/billions in investors' dollars.
Like Maxine says, ain't that just great??!! The guy who made $50 billion disappear is being investigated by the people who made $1.5 TRILLION disappear.
I LOVE Maxine. She is so right on.
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What a great idea!
Walt Service said:The more I've read about it, I have come to the mindset that if all this socialistic health mickey mouse actually gets through the various legal battles that's going to occur, I'm just going to become Amish...they have the option to say "thanks, but no thanks"
Plus, they have way cool hats!
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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How come they can say no to healthcare based on religious principals yet I can't say merry Xmas anymore?
Walt Service said:The more I've read about it, I have come to the mindset that if all this socialistic health mickey mouse actually gets through the various legal battles that's going to occur, I'm just going to become Amish...they have the option to say "thanks, but no thanks"
Plus, they have way cool hats!
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Screw 'em, Rock Hinkle. HAPPY EASTER!!!
(I didn't mean the Amish, I mean the bleeping idiots who come up w/this poppycock about Christmas and everything repeated in Spanish, etc. etc., etc.. This is the United States of America, speaka da english or shuddup; reada da english or stay ignorant!)
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Permalink Reply by Renee on
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Hey Judy ~
One of the main Cheese Steak establishment's "estraordinaire" in Philadelphia requires everyone to place their order in English. I don't know if you've ever been to Philley - but if you have, then you must have had a Philley cheese steak. If you haven't, then try to imagine it - it is as Philley as Philley gets ! And can you then imagine having to watch everyone else and not being allowed to have your cheese steak ?!?!? OHHH NOOOO ! ! ! ! You just have got to say: "Cheese Steak" - or you are out of luck. Well, that's one sure fire way to get ANYBODY to speak English ! Yep !
Hungrily,
Renee
Judy said:Screw 'em, Rock Hinkle. HAPPY EASTER!!!
(I didn't mean the Amish, I mean the bleeping idiots who come up w/this poppycock about Christmas and everything repeated in Spanish, etc. etc., etc.. This is the United States of America, speaka da english or shuddup; reada da english or stay ignorant!)
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Permalink Reply by Walt Service on
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I heard about this place on the news...GOOD for them!!! It should still be the right of the establishment to decide if an issue like this is worthwhile for their business (not to mention ordering easier). I've seen establishments that require you remove your hat (or hoodie), turn off the cell phone, check the handgun.... that is what makes our country super...at least till all this gets outlawed.
Renee said:Hey Judy ~
One of the main Cheese Steak establishment's "estraordinaire" in Philadelphia requires everyone to place their order in English. I don't know if you've ever been to Philley - but if you have, then you must have had a Philley cheese steak. If you haven't, then try to imagine it - it is as Philley as Philley gets ! And can you then imagine having to watch everyone else and not being allowed to have your cheese steak ?!?!? OHHH NOOOO ! ! ! ! You just have got to say: "Cheese Steak" - or you are out of luck. Well, that's one sure fire way to get ANYBODY to speak English ! Yep !
Hungrily,
Renee
Judy said:Screw 'em, Rock Hinkle. HAPPY EASTER!!!
(I didn't mean the Amish, I mean the bleeping idiots who come up w/this poppycock about Christmas and everything repeated in Spanish, etc. etc., etc.. This is the United States of America, speaka da english or shuddup; reada da english or stay ignorant!)
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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AMA put out this primer on the health care reform for patients (attached)
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Permalink Reply by D. W. Conn on
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they have outstanding buggies!
Walt Service said:The more I've read about it, I have come to the mindset that if all this socialistic health mickey mouse actually gets through the various legal battles that's going to occur, I'm just going to become Amish...they have the option to say "thanks, but no thanks"
Plus, they have way cool hats!
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Yes, they do, D W Conn. Wonderful craftsmanship. My daughter was fortunate to pick one up at an auction several years ago. She has competed w/it - and done well - in the Gay 90's Driving Class at our local county fair's horse shows in the past. Used to be the big guys came in for the Driving competition - including the Budweiser team! Lordy, but those draft horse people put some MONEY into those harnesses and wagons!!! Absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, the fair had to give up the old fairgrounds to the city and they are building up again at the new farigrounds but it is taking time and the draft horses, etc. haven't returned to the fair yet. (My daughter doesn't have a draft - she has a QH mare she trained to drive, and now a Paint gelding she's been training to drive).
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It is a good thing that both of you have an EEG background. The Amish community could use your help with all of the birth defects that their lifestyle presents.
D. W. Conn said:they have outstanding buggies!
Walt Service said:The more I've read about it, I have come to the mindset that if all this socialistic health mickey mouse actually gets through the various legal battles that's going to occur, I'm just going to become Amish...they have the option to say "thanks, but no thanks"
Plus, they have way cool hats!
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Permalink Reply by Melissa Enderle on
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That's great that the insurances can't deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. Now how about denying coverage for certain medical conditions? My insurance company has been reluctant to cover treatment (including further sleep studies and CPAP, etc) for UARS.
Renee said:Here's a fusion of info on the recently passed health care reform - CNN, Clark Howard, etc.
CNN – Posting on Health Insurance Reform –http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/23/health.care.timeline/index.h...
Sources: House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor committees; Kaiser Family Foundation
(CNN) -- President Obama signed sweeping health care reform into law Tuesday. The Senate must now pass a package of changes that will reconcile the differences between Senate and House bills. If those changes are worked out, here is how health care reforms will affect you:
Within the first year
2011
2013
2014
2018
Within the first year
• Young adults will be able stay on their parents' insurance until their 26th birthday.
• Seniors will get a $250 rebate to help fill the "doughnut hole" in Medicare prescription drug coverage, which falls between the $2,700 initial limit and when catastrophic coverage kicks in at $6,154.
• Insurers will be barred from imposing exclusions on children with pre-existing conditions. Pools will cover those with pre-existing health conditions until health care coverage exchanges are operational.
• Insurers will not be able to rescind policies to avoid paying medical bills when a person becomes ill.
• Lifetime limits on benefits and restrictive annual limits will be prohibited.
• New plans must provide coverage for preventive services without co-pays. All plans must comply by 2018.
• A temporary reinsurance program will help offset costs of coverage for companies that provide early retiree health benefits for those ages 55 to 64.
• New plans will be required to implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims.
• Adoption tax credit and assistance exclusion will increase by $1,000. The bill makes the credit refundable and extends it through 2011.
• A 10 percent tax will be imposed on amounts paid for indoor tanning services on or after July 1.
• Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will get tax credits covering 35 percent of their health care premiums, increasing to 50 percent by 2014.
2011
• Medicare will provide free annual wellness visits and personalized prevention plans. New plans will be required to cover preventive services with no co-pay.
• States can offer home- and community-based services to the disabled through Medicaid rather than institutional care beginning October 1.
• A 50 percent discount will be provided on brand-name drugs for Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage enrollees. Additional discounts on brand-name and generic drugs will be phased in to completely close the "doughnut hole" by 2020.
• Additional tax for health savings account withdrawals before age 65 for nonqualified medical expenses will increase from 10 percent to 20 percent. Additional tax for Archer medical savings account withdrawals not used for qualified medical expenses will increase from 15 percent to 20 percent.
• A plan to provide a vehicle for small businesses to offer tax-free benefits will be created. This would ease the small employer's administrative burden of sponsoring a cafeteria plan.
• The Medicare payroll tax will increase from 1.45 percent to 2.35 percent for individuals earning more than $200,000 and married filing jointly above $250,000.
2013
• Health plans must implement uniform standards for electronic exchange of health information to reduce paperwork and administrative costs.
• Contributions to flexible savings accounts will be limited to $2,500 per year, indexed by the Consumer Price Index in subsequent years.
• The Employer Medicare Part D subsidy deduction will be eliminated. Employers will lose the tax deduction for subsidizing prescription drug plans for Medicare Part D-eligible retirees.
• There will be increases to the income threshold from 7.5 percent to 10 percent of adjusted gross income. Those older than 65 can claim the 7.5 percent deduction through 2016.
• The hospital insurance tax will increase 0.9 percentage points for those earning more than $200,000 ($250,000 for married filing jointly), and it includes net investment income.
• A 2.9 percent excise tax on the first sale of medical devices will be established. Excepted are eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids or other items for individual use.
2014
• Citizens will be required to have acceptable coverage or pay a penalty of $95 in 2014, $325 in 2015, $695 (or up to 2.5 percent of income) in 2016. Families will pay half the amount for children, up to a cap of $2,250 per family. After 2016, penalties are indexed to Consumer Price Index.
• Workers who are exempt from individual responsibility for coverage but don't qualify for tax credits can take their employer contribution and join an exchange plan.
• Companies with 50 or more employees must offer coverage to employees or pay a $2,000 penalty per employee after their first 30 if at least one of their employees receives a tax credit. Waiting periods before insurance takes effect is limited to 90 days. Employers who offer coverage but whose employees receive tax credits will pay $3,000 for each worker receiving a tax credit.
• Insurers can no longer refuse to sell or renew policies because of an individual's health status. Health plans can no longer exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. Insurers can't charge higher rates because of heath status, gender or other factors.
• Health plans will be prohibited from imposing annual limits on coverage.
• Health insurance exchanges will open in each state to individuals and small employers to comparison shop for standardized health packages.
• Credits will be available through exchanges for those whose income is above Medicaid eligibility and below 400 percent of poverty level who are not eligible for or offered other acceptable coverage.
• Medicaid eligibility will increase to 133 percent of poverty for all nonelderly individuals to ensure that people obtain affordable health care in the most efficient and appropriate manner. States will receive increased federal funding to cover these new populations.
• An annual health insurance provider fee will be imposed across the health insurance sector according to insurers' market share to companies whose total premiums exceed $25 million.
2018
• 2018 Taxing "Cadillac" plans: An excise tax will be imposed on high-cost, employer-provided health plans beyond $27,500 for family coverage and $10,200 for single coverage; it will increase to $30,950 for families and $11,850 for individuals, retirees and employees in high-risk professions.
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Clark Howard posting on Health Insurance Reform
Mar 23, 2010 -- Clark's take on the health care reform law
Following the passage of the new federal health care law, Clark wants to discuss the issues in way that's not political.
This law is not by itself going to destroy freedom in America as we know it, nor will it by itself bankrupt the country. But the problem is that it continues in a direction that's unhealthy for long-term prosperity, by having government take a bigger role in health care and having more of our nation's wealth go to health care.
You've got to understand that the politicians are not stupid people. This law was structured so that many of the benefits come first while the costs come later. Having said that, some things the law does are long overdue, such as banning insurers from redlining customers.
Here's a quick rundown of some highlights you need to know:
• In September, there will be several immediate benefits for children. First, no more pre-existing exclusions for kids. Second, a child can remain on a parent's health care plan until age 26.
• The next big changes come three years down the road and involve higher taxes. For the average person, that means a tax increase of around $450 annually to pay for the law's mandates. Those who earn $125,000 or more will be hit much harder.
• Beginning in 2014, families earning an annual income of $88,000 or less can leave their employer's health plan and get a taxpayer-subsidy to buy health coverage. This provision also applies to small businesses and individuals.
One side-note: From an economic standpoint, the problem with any subsidy is that it takes away some of the pressure to control costs. If somebody else is paying, there's not as much focus on the total bill, is there?
As Clark says, if you work for a big company and get your health insurance through them, there's not much either good or bad for you in this law. Things stay the same. If you're a low-income earner, however, there's a lot of benefit. And those who earn high incomes face a lot of hazard thanks to higher taxes.
In the final summation, what we spend on health care is not sustainable regardless of this new law. The signing of this bill into law is not the end of the process. It's part of the continuation of a dialogue about how we balance between choosing to provide for the well-being of our own health and the nation's wallet.
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MY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
2010 – New plans will be required to implement an appeals process for coverage determinations and claims. Existing plans are not required to implement appeals process.
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2010 – Insurance coverage should not be cancelled if one uses it for a large claim. However, the penalty for the insurance companies if they are found to break the “cancellation” ban is only that they would have to pay a SMALL fine (not sure of the amount – however, given that they ONLY have to pay a $100 a day for denying coverage for a pre-existing condition, I don’t expect the fine would be too large for breaking this law either).
– AND, in the legislation, while the insurance companies are to be bound by the “letter” of the law – they are NOT bound by the “spirit” of the law. Therefore, saying that one did not claim "this or that" related OR completely unrelated condition on the application. Or by just questioning issues of the application or the claims themselves can hold up pre-authorizations for treatment – as well as payments – and drag out in appeal – and, therefore, hold up treatments for YEARS - and the person could simply give up fighting the insurance company or be more grievously ill or dead – if / when treatment is finally approved. – And, so, the insurance companies can, readily, by a variety of machinations – LEGALLY EVADE THE "SPIRIT" OF THE LAW.
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2014 –Coverage should not be denied to adults with pre-existing conditions; however, the penalty to the insurance companies if found guilty of breaking the pre-existing ban is only to pay a SMALL fine – ONLY $100 a day!
– AND, in the legislation, again, while the insurance companies are to be bound by the “letter” of the law – they are NOT bound by the “spirit” of the law. Therefore, an insurance company could plausibly stipulate a person’s pre-existing condition and / or anything / everything potentially related to it as NOT eligible to be covered under the policy.
ALSO, by simply placing a few carefully chosen prescriptions onto their restricted classification of drugs NOT covered, an insurance company automatically makes an insurance policy worthless for people with a great variety of illnesses because if an RX is going to cost $400 to $1000 per month or more in addition to the insurance premium, deduction and co-pay – most families would be forced to pay the tax penalty in addition to continuing to pay for their own medical bills. So by choosing a few drugs associated with certain conditions and placing them on the restricted list, the insurance companies can effectively ward off people with a variety of illnesses.
And, in the worse case, the only penalty for large insurance companies for restricting policies based on pre-existing conditions is to simply pay the SMALL fine of ONLY $100 a day – and, then, only if they are found to guilty of deliberately breaking the “letter” of the law. Seems likely the insurance companies will readily be able to find methods to LEGALLY EVADE THE "SPIRIT" OF THE LAW.
Also, individuals with pre-existing conditions will be in “high-risk” pools which will likely affect policy premiums, etc.
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MISC – The drug companies have been given multi-year extensions of patents so that their RX will remain “brand” longer and thus will be more expensive rather than if they were to change to “generic”.
Until 2020 – The health insurance reform prohibits Congress or any other branch of government from negotiating with the drug companies for any savings on pharmaceuticals.
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