White House Economic Advisor Brian Deese held a Press Opportunity today with various Insurance Commissioners from Kansas, Maine, Michigan and Pennsylvania to discuss the various elements of the proposed Biden/Obama Healthcare legislation.
The seemingly most important portion of this proposed legislation is to include everyone in the pool. Young and old alike, healthy and sick, the indigent and the rich, the able and disabled. Yep, they want everyone into that pool or you will be paying $1000 to $3400 dollars a year penalty for not having insurance, if you are “self-employed” or working for someone on a W-2!
The second issue they were flaunting was halting any “pre-existing conditions” by Insurance Companies. So, in order for the Big Pharma and the Big Insurance Companies to go along…..they will need everyone in the pool. Adding about 25 million people of the 48 that need it, would go a long way in filling the pockets of those giving and caring Insurance Companies. How much do you think 25 million people will be paying Blue Cross Blue Shield or United Heathcare next year if this baby passes the Congress?
Big Pharma is very excited about adding increased sales of Cialis, Viagra and other well advertised products to a growing client base of essentially….”healthy paying customers”. Think how much more advertising they will be able to do with all that cash…….for each and every sporting event that makes it to Cable, Direct TV or Commercial Televison!
The folks that had the White House Press Conference today failed to answer a few important questions regarding their new plan. (1) Are they going to “Means Test” those old folks that can’t afford their drug co-pays? Maybe they could cost shift cash from Medicare entirely? Maybe the Administration can make those making over $100,000 dollars a year pay double co-pays to balance out the current “unsustainable” cost growing from Insurers and Big Phrama. (2) Since those present in the press conference stated that “the cost of Insurance is going up and can’t be stopped, unless the Federal Government gets involved.” Maybe, they should consider retracing a few steps on holding back the Consumer Price Index raise for Social Security this year and next!
Hey, if the cost of both Insurance and Big Pharma is going to go up…..the least they can do….is give “limited income” seniors their CPI increase of $50 bucks! Why is the Senate and House right now, so cheap when it comes to Social Security?
The bottom line is that “The Administration” wants “everyone into the pool” so that those that are relatively healthy and working can pay for all those that can apply and find benefit with the new system. The various kids working in retail are the ones that are going to suffer most. Next, will be all those service industries. Hey, the Retail Clerks at markets already have insurance and may be the only exception. It will certainly be the mom and pop retail stores that will not be able to afford to pay and that will leave each employee responsible for his own healthcare. Making rent and a car payment and car insurance……and they may wind up in the bread lines too!
We strongly oppose “Mandating Insurance for the Masses!” when the government is not taking away the bogus Big Phrama Co-pays. Those co-pays cost more Administratively to collect than they gain in profit. They are designed strictly to engorge the Insurance System. Make it all, “too big to fail”! Ever heard that one? Unless the Government program encourages participation in a Government healthcare program with positive incentives…..this proposal is doomed to failure. It may pass and never be funded. It may pass and cause such an outroar that the entire Congress may be flipped over in 2010. If it fails, it will be due totally to a lack of listening by the White House. We have tried to tell them that slowly assimulating new people into the system…..will be the only way it can work………ever!!!
Right now, we need to add jobs to the economy. Right now, we need MORE not less “Employer Based Health Insurance”. That would include the Co-Op process and the opening of State Borders and Regions to the proposal. Right now we really should not be shooting for “Healthcare for the Masses.” Right now, we need to make Insurance affordable for those that already have it and those that need it – SENIORS! An 18 year old high school senior is not what we are talking about – Old Folks, OK? When do we get that $5000 dollar a year Dental Care Insurance again? When they add that….we may have to take another look at the proposal. Until then…….”Forget about it!”
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