Posted on 09/13/2010 9:27:56 AM PDT by John Semmens
In the wake of the health care law passed earlier this year, insurers have been notifying their customers that new mandates for coverage will boost costs and premiums. In response, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services, issued a stern warning to the health insurance industry, vowing to “put them out of business” for what she termed “unjustified” rate increases.
Arguing that the new law has “fundamentally transformed the health insurance industry,” Sebelius asserted that “all critical decisions on prices, coverage, and therapies have been transferred to my Department. We will decide who must be covered. We will decide what treatments, surgeries and drugs they may have. We will decide how much can be charged. Companies that have an issue with that are free to exit the business.”
Sebelius rejected the industry’s argument that premiums must be high enough to cover costs. “That may be how it worked in the old system,” Sebelius said, “but it’s not how it’s going to work in the future. If private carriers have to fold because they lose money providing coverage, the government is ready to fill the breach. If that ultimately means that government is the only insurer left standing, well what’s so bad about that?”
(Excerpt) Read more at azconserv1.wordpress.com ...
I think this time it was only about 5% satire (not “semi”). Sad but true...
The great thing about Semmens’ satires is that they are entirely plausible.
John, aside from the disarming honesty of the attributed (and fictional) quote, where is the fictional portion that turns news into satire? Isn’t this what she’s saying between the lines?
“Isn’t this what she’s saying between the lines?”
I believe John has quite accurately read Sebelius’s mind (or perhaps read a first draft of her remarks before they were toned down by someone in the WH who thought it might be bad form to tip their hand so blatantly prior to Nov. 2.
I know this is satire, but Ms. Sebelius is one bureaucrat that would really look good modeling the Fall tar and feathers collection.
Yes, heaven forbid these big bad insurance companies should be able to afford to expand their business and hire new employees.
Yes. My satires are based on covert reports from my team of moles buried deep within the Democratic establishment.
That sounds so mundane. I thought you were a psychic!
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