President's health care proposal, lets have a serious conversation....

I have spent some time on the proposal - which isn't easy because even the WH site doesn't give you good links to find it (why hide?)and I may be missing some points but here are some things that caught my attention: Point one: The bill not only still requires everyone to buy insurance, it actually increases the fine for not not buying insurance by increasing the income assessment. I still believe it is unconstitutional for the government to force people to purchase anything, whether it's toothpaste, toilet paper or health insurance. Point two: The proposal from the president still includes the tax exemption for the unions on their cadillac health insurance plans, so it treats one section of the population more favorably than others. All men are created equal unless they belong to a union, then they are just slightly more equal than the rest of us? Point three: Although Ben Nelson's cornhusker deal is gone, the Landrieu bribe is still in there. I don't believe in legislation that contains specific bribes for votes. Point four: Government control of the marketplace by setting up insurance exchanges and setting rates for companies participating. Rates that are set too low will cause health care quality to diminish, cause care shortages and ultimately put insurance companies out of business. Point five: Obama announced in the first month of his reign - I mean, presidency - that he wanted to defund Medicare Advantage. A huge outcry from our seniors (bless their souls) has prevented that from happening entirely, but this plan starts by reducing payments to MA plans by 14%, stating that they are overcharging. I think this is a first step to eliminating these valuable HMO and PPO type plans that save seniors money and provide a greater level of coverage for them than original Medicare, especially in that they include prescription coverage with no additional premium (unlike Medicare). Point six: Obama chose to avoid including the Stupak amendment and so leaves the door open for funding of abortion through federal subsidies of health insurance plans that cover abortion and through direct funding to community health centers. As I am pro-life, I object to federal funds being used to fund abortion. And just in case you think I have nothing but complaints, there is one point in the proposal that I like. Every member of Congress will be required to purchase their insurance from the new health insurance exchange.

'I'd like to have one decent, intelligant conversation on this thing' oh good luck. seriously i hope you get what you want. i think one version of my my name does belong also to the patron saint of lost causes. unfortunately i can't help here because i have absolutely no intention of reading the thing.

As I said, I've yet to find a link that works for me to read the entire proposal. However, I thank you for starting this "conversation". I'll bet we can do better than they do at the "summit" coming up on Thursday. All we need to do that is keep our minds open, something I don't think some of those in Congress are capable of. Annie

no link...

In the PDF of the key improvements, at the end of page three, and into page 4,(no I don't know if I'm doing this right :P) It still lists one of my main concerns. "Improve individual responsibility" If I am understanding correctly, If I were married and our household made more than 18,700$ a year and we had access to health care but chose not to take it, we would be forced to pay 8% of our income to offset our "Inevitable health care costs" Personally I think my money would be better off saved for those same possible costs, or for better quality food. This would have to be repealed before I could ever support it. Forgive me if I misunderstood this, but this is also a place to give possible suggestions to help our countries medical care as well right? In that case, I think the best thing we could do to offset or take care of the high costs of Diebetes treatments and medicines, Cardiovascular related treatments, and the costs of the effects of obesity, would be to repeal the farmer subsidiary program that was established in '72. Which would make it so that the high fat and sugar content foods that seem to seriously help cause these illnesses would be more expensive than the healthier foods.(it's all in the corn) It would also put a damper on Illegal immigration (but that's not what this is about :P) Feel free to correct me if I got out of line :) and that's it until I read more, and thanks for the link btw :)

Haven't had the chance to see it, but as long as it stops abuses like "pre-existing conditions", huge increases in premiums and insurance for the uninsured, I am ready to offer support.

x, No offense here, I just want to add an observation of mine which is more of a macro perspective. In view of this bad economic weather and your country's financial rescue aid to the near collapse of your country's insurance companies. There is really not much choice. Making the health insurance mandatory to all Americans here, will not only provide the necessary financial coverage for medical treatment to all but on a broader perspective will help to revive the insurance industry and eventually the country's economy. IMO, your country is really into a lot and the debts are just piling and ever more so with this current economic turmoil. I feel that everyone at the office does not have an easy task especially when the burden is unbearably heavy. On the hindsight, do you think there'll be a better solution where we can benefit all parties other than this proposal? I just do think so at the moment. Have a nice day.