Reaction to the US House passing the Health Care Bill

[Ned]

That would be true, but there is no public option in this health care bill. Nothing has been said in this thread to lead me to believe anyone of us even talked about a government owned and run plan, once we dispensed with Medicare and Medicaid which the new plan isn't, though there are a few tweaks to those plans in the new bill, but it's certainly not the bill's core.

If you are under the impression that we "are dealing with a national health care program, administered by the government for the entire nation" then you have swallowed the lies of the GOP, hook, line, and sinker. I don't blame you if that's so, because the GOP's lawmakers in Congress have become extremely adept at lieing. I think they've all taken lessons from Rush and Glenn. Those two are the most adept liars on the planet. I think they've lied so much these last years they wouldn't know the truth if it fell from the sky and hit them on the head. (Sorry for the extra rant, but I couldn't help myself.)

Even the health care exchanges will NOT be run by the government. The government may provide a subsidy, but it isn't running the show.

Therefore what I said remains true. And by the way, that includes group coverage, as groups are analyzed by insurance companies when they set yearly premiums. That's why groups have to turn in demographic data to insurance companies.

[Eileen Sellers]

If you are under the impression that we "are dealing with a national health care program, administered by the government for the entire nation" then you have swallowed the lies of the GOP, hook, line, and sinker

To some extent and perhaps a large extent,yes.

I don't think the plan will be administered by the government, but insurance companies will have to be accountable to the government in a more direct way on behalf of the public. Insurance companies stand to gain a wind fall profit initially and that money needs to be accounted for long term. I also think that despite the sloppy way the bill was passed and all the hooplah that it is a good thing for the country. Only the democrats would spend this much money with out any idea how to pay for it and compound it with earmarks. But that is how it goes. The Republicans will come in on the next election and figure it out. Which is usually the way it goes. In the end the country has a health care plan that will eventually work.

Overall I think health care will improve because there will be more money pouring into it. More people will receive care earlier on which will avoid tragic loss and debilitation.

[Ned]

Originally Posted by Eileen Sellers

To some extent and perhaps a large extent,yes.

I don't think the plan will be administered by the government, but insurance companies will have to be accountable to the government in a more direct way on behalf of the public.

There is absolutely nothing in this bill (I have now read every page of it.) which includes the government administering anything, though there are specific regulations the insurance industry must follow with government oversight to make sure it is followed. I think the insurance companies will definitely be accountable to the public and government, but most of the oversight will be indirect. Heaven help them if they increase costs very much in light of the new law or Congress and the people will go berserk and regulation of health insurance will increase like never before.

Originally Posted by Eileen Sellers

Insurance companies stand to gain a wind fall profit initially and that money needs to be accounted for long term.

I agree completely. The insurance companies are completely behind this bill for two major reasons. First, they will have a huge increase in the number of subscribers. Second, they can spread their risk over many more subscribers, which will tremendously reduce their overall risk uncertainty, which will also enable them to increase profits over the long haul.

Originally Posted by Eileen Sellers

I also think that despite the sloppy way the bill was passed and all the hooplah that it is a good thing for the country.

I agree, especially about the sloppy part you mention.

Originally Posted by Eileen Sellers

Only the democrats would spend this much money with out any idea how to pay for it and compound it with earmarks. But that is how it goes.

Only the Democrats have the audacity to change the face of entrenched business as usual with few exceptions. That being said, we know how it's going to be paid for, we just don't really know how much it will cost, and if the cost savings contained in the new law will work so that it will actually save us money. Personally, I think the law will be modified over time to ensure the cost savings measures work, so at least it will be revenue/cost neutral. If done right, it should result in substantial savings, however, we certainly don't know that yet.

Originally Posted by Eileen Sellers

The Republicans will come in on the next election and figure it out. Which is usually the way it goes. In the end the country has a health care plan that will eventually work.

There is no doubt the Republicans will win gains in the November elections, but I wouldn't count on an overhaul of Congress just yet. I believe the vast number of Americans are not against this legislation, but for now their voices are drowned out by the "Tea Partyists." The "Tea Partyists" can't do that once we're at the ballot box or the voting machines. There is much backlash brewing against the GOP right now for their behavior. I'm not talking so much about the fanatics in the general public, but the legislators in Congress. People want their leaders to lead, and while the GOP said "no" very often and effectively, many Americans already realize they had no credible counter offer to make that would have made it possible for most Americans to finally have health insurance, to eliminate max benefits which were bankrupting heart and especially cancer patients, and anyone in long term care, etc.

Moreover, I have little doubt that President Obama will be "campaigning" and championing the health care legislation from now 'til November, and he is a very persuasive and brilliant public speaker. He is going to change people's minds. I also believe he is going to get out the Democrats to vote, not as heavily as in the last election, but far more heavily than normal at midterm elections. Democrats don't want to loose a majority in either house. And don't forget, Republicans would have to win an unprecedented number of seats to gain a majority in either house.

I think as part of the strategies the Dems will employ over the next 7+ months is give history lessons in palatable form, and hammer on the benefits of the health care package conveniently leaving out mention of how much it will cost the government. While the GOP will talk up the costs, that's much harder to understand than the benefits which are stark and directly improve the situation of millions and millions of Americans.

You know, reconciliation bills were an invention of the GOP. It was invented during the Nixon administration to eliminate the use of the Democratic filibuster. There have been 23 reconciliation bills, 17 of them used by the GOP, only 6 by the Dems. The first one was used by Reagan. Major, initially unpopular bills were passed using "reconciliation."

The COBRA law was passed by Reagan as a reconciliation bill. ERISA is another one passed that way. The tax limit cap on Medicare taxes was raised from a $53,400 income to $125,000 in income by Bush this way. Welfare as we knew it (Aid to Dependent Families) was done away with in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act which was the Republican's cornerstone of their so-called "Contract with America" was passed by reconciliation.

Following the passage of each of these unpopular bills, within months, the American public began to understand them and not just accept them, but embrace them. I think the same is about to happen in the coming months, in America for the health care legislation, except among the conservative right who limits their news and information gathering to the Rush and Glenn news outlets. While they have a very loud voice, they are not even close to the majority of this country.

I absolutely agree with you that eventually the health care plan will work, but it does need more work.

Originally Posted by Eileen Sellers

Overall I think health care will improve because there will be more money pouring into it. More people will receive care earlier on which will avoid tragic loss and debilitation.

Yes. Indeed this legislation will positively affect people's lives. It will help countless people live healthy lives who would otherwise live with much illness, and will save lives. It will fulfill part of the mission so eloquently stated in the Constitution's preamble which talks in part about "promot[ing] the general Welfare." What could be more important in promoting the welfare of the country than improving our health, after all, it's said if you have your health, you have everything.