Doctors Group Applauds Bush Veto

NewsMax ^ | October 18, 2007

[Kaslin]

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons issued the following statement from Kathryn Serkes, director of policy and public affairs, in response to the House of Representative’s failure today to override President Bush’s veto of a bill to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP):

“We support the President’s veto of this massive, messy bill that would have spent almost as much money on doctors and seniors as it would have on children’s medical care.

“This bill is an example of the worst of political sausage-making. In the old joke, we’re warned that we really don’t want to know what’s chopped up and thrown in the pot to get the end product.

“This bill is like an extremely expensive sausage filled with mystery meats that have nothing to do with delivering medical care to poor children who have no other means to get it. And no one has bothered to analyze the contents.

“Some physician and other groups are cynically using the cry ‘for the kids’ to advance their own agendas and self-interests when in reality, about HALF – or more than $10 billion a year -- is diverted to doctors and seniors.

“The numbers tell the story: according to the AMA’s action alerts, over ten years about $117 billion was allocated to doctors and seniors, with $129 billion for children’s programs. It includes almost $70 billion for physician Medicare payments, a pet project of the American Medical Association; about $50 billion for Medicare beneficiaries; and cuts physician-owned hospitals off at the knees, a blow to patients of all ages but a big win for the American Hospital Association.

“Also, it does such a bad job of targeting assistance to truly needy children that it isn’t even on the radar screen. About 60 percent of children currently eligible already have private insurance, and more than 75 percent eligible under this expansion already have private insurance.

“Since so many families well above the poverty level are included in this bill, a much simpler and effective strategy to get them affordable insurance would be to allow them to purchase insurance policies outside their own states. This would open up the markets for families held hostage by states with massive mandates and regulatory costs that drive up insurance premiums, such as New Jersey.

“Rather than sue the federal government to force the SCHIP reauthorizations, governors and attorneys general would do well to consider the model legislation passed this summer by the state legislator members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) called ‘Health Care Choice Act for States.’ This simple act would increase the buying power of millions of SCHIP-eligible families without burdening the taxpayers or paying off the doctors.”

[maine-iac7]

Those poor excuses (dimRats) for human beings can't win for losing -

BTW Rush's auction is now $1,200,100.00

Why don't we get the dimRats to write some more letters - and EVERYone can have free health insurance.

Somehow, I don't think we'll see many more dingy harry type letters for a while...

[tcrlaf]

Funny how these facts get reported AFTER the fact, isn’t it?

[BobS]

This is kick-ass! Rush is under their skin big time. Maybe MahaRushie should do do a Sunday show tour blowing cigar smoke:) And offer everybody on the set one for not helping in a worthy cause. It is an historical document because 41 senaturds put their signatures on a blatant lie and sent it to an individual. I hope it gets to 5 Mil. Hell, put on the S&P for kicks!

[Kaslin]

It’s up to $2,000,200.00 now

[Kaslin]

It can easily go up to $ 5 million

[SuziQ]

“Since so many families well above the poverty level are included in this bill, a much simpler and effective strategy to get them affordable insurance would be to allow them to purchase insurance policies outside their own states. This would open up the markets for families held hostage by states with massive mandates and regulatory costs that drive up insurance premiums, such as New Jersey.

AMEN! We've tried to find bare bones health insurance, even very high deductible insurance, but it isn't sold here in MA. That's because Democrats want everyone paying higher rates in order to subsidize the 'poor', even though the poor are not buying private insurance, they're covered under Mass Health! We figured that when we move back to MS, our health insurance premiums will be about half of what they are now.

[EEDUDE]

“Funny how these facts get reported AFTER the fact, isn’t it?”

Just like Comprehensive Immigration “Reform”.

They DO NOT want you to know what’s in it before they vote.

Our government is seriously screwed up.

[GovernmentShrinker]

“Since so many families well above the poverty level are included in this bill, a much simpler and effective strategy to get them affordable insurance would be to allow them to purchase insurance policies outside their own states. This would open up the markets for families held hostage by states with massive mandates and regulatory costs that drive up insurance premiums, such as New Jersey.

A better idea would be federal legislation prohibiting atate mandates re what policies cover, as well as spelling out that people are free to buy insurance from anywhere they like. This wouldn't really be adding any new federal meddling, but rather just explicitly putting an end to much of the existing mountain of unconstitutional state meddling with interstate commerce, personal liberties, and private property, that has been built up in the area of medical care and financing. And next, maybe the mountain of federal meddling could be attacked . . .

[CholeraJoe]

AAPS members are the anarchists of the medical profession. They typically do not accept insurance, Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement. I’m not surprised they applauded this decision.