The Future of RomneyCare [it needed $800 million in federal 'stimulus' to stay afloat] [Romney fail]

National Review ^ | 2009-07-09 | Lucy Morrow Caldwell

[rabscuttle385]

As Jim Geraghty notes over at the Campaign Spot, the race for Massachusetts governor is heating up. Yesterday, Charlie Baker, the relatively unknown CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, announced his plans to face off against Christy Mihos in the Republican primary, in hopes of challenging incumbent Democrat Deval Patrick in the general election.

As the CEO of a major regional insurance company, Baker’s a health-care guy, and that’s very important in Massachusetts. Under Patrick, the Bay State has struggled to effectively institute the comprehensive health-care plan devised by former governor Mitt Romney. Though Massachusetts has achieved nearly universal health-care coverage for its residents, the state is now grappling with the high costs.

Judging by this 2006 interview with Boston magazine, Baker may be the one candidate who can inject some common sense into the debate. Though he stressed the need for large-scale reform, Baker also warned of the dangers of a system in which bureaucrats rather than doctors are making health-care decisions.

Governor Patrick’s poll numbers are low; one survey this spring found that less than 30 percent of Massachusetts residents approve of his job performance. In March, Patrick deflected nearly $800 million from his state’s share of the economic-stimulus bill in order to keep Massachusetts health-care workers afloat. That doesn’t bode well for the long-term sustainability of RomneyCare.

At any rate, this may be a race to watch.

Lucy Morrow Caldwell is an intern at National Review.

[rabscuttle385]

-

[DoughtyOne]

How does the above headline gell with this:  Romney Gives Mass. Health Reform An 'A' [praises Romney Care, says it's time to go nationwide]

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Jump into the Monthly Donorship special thread too.

[ejonesie22]

[mrsixpack36]

It is really mind-boggling that this Bozo even calls himself a republican with a straight face.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Epic arrogance. Epic ego.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Romney Fail Placemarker

[ejonesie22]

Per our conversation...

[Hugin]

Where are all the Romniacs who ridiculed Huckabee as a “nanny-state socialist”?

And Myth said today that he wants to bring this to all America?

No thanks.

[rabscuttle385]

Where are all the Romniacs who ridiculed Huckabee as a “nanny-state socialist”?

Huckabee is a "nanny-state socialist" who supports cap-and-tax.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1916761/posts

[exist]

What no more Mark Sanford posts?

[rabscuttle385]

What no more Mark Sanford posts?

Still trying to deflect the criticism away from your Socialist master, eh, Mittbot?

[fieldmarshaldj]

Slick Willard Hussein *omney.

[Antoninus]

Any “conservative” who still supports Flip Romney is either a fool or a crypto-lib.

[exist]

Slick Willard Hussein *omney.

Mega Dittos.

[Hugin]

Mike says he is for “voluntary cap and trade” (whatever the hell that is), not government mandated caps and taxes. I’m disapointed that he buys the whole global warming bull at all, but here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNq6pIYewIo

[ejonesie22]

You left off the following:

- In love.

- On the payroll.

- Lefty plant (but they aren't that good)

- Have “personal reasons” to support him at the expense of their “principles”...

[hiredhand]

Hey! If Barney Frank were to say it, wouldn't it be Womney? :P

...or would that Elmer Fudd? ...Wehwood Womney! BWAH! HA! HA! :-) ...Swick Wehwood!... :-)

[rabscuttle385]

Mike says he is for “voluntary cap and trade” (whatever the hell that is), not government mandated caps and taxes.

Read the original Bloomberg news report from 2007. Huckabee was quite clear about supporting mandatory cap-and-tax. If he is now supporting a "voluntary" cap-and-tax, then he has flip-flopped just like Slick Willard.

[ak267]

....Sarah making notes (and future campaign ads) out of this.

[Finny]

You wascawy Wepubwican, you!

[byteback]

That will be great if Mass can elect someone to run the system as it was before Patrick got his hands on it. Too many mandates jacked up the cost. Just keep it simple was the plan but once gov’t gets involved we end up with out of control costs. Why did they have to tack on prescription drugs? Keep it to catastrophic care.

[sickoflibs]

A liberal friend of mine gave me the ‘emergency room more expensive that socialized medicine’ (as did a co-worker) argument and I dismissed that argument adding that medicare is bankrupt and Obama should fix that first and lets see how that goes. Then he said that we should pay more for our insurance to pay for those that cant afford to pay (so they can get the same benefits) . So I said “then don't call it insurance. It's someone being taxed to pay for others. That's welfare. Insurance is GIECO”

Fortunately the Obama honeymoon is over, it was the rise in the stock market that kept his polls high for a while.

[Repub_licans2010]

I like what you said byteback. I think it’s worth noting the system would be working a lot better if Patrick hadn’t got his hands on it. Also, the mandates the democrats forced into the plan at its inception are the worst part of it.

[hiredhand]

LOL! :-)

[Tennessee Nana]

How are those $50 abortions workiong out for the Abortion Apostle, Romney ????

[Tennessee Nana]

FRed Thompson on RomneyCare...

Fred Thompson: Romneycare At A Glance

Fred Thompson Release:

- This is Romney’s health care plan of which he claims authorship and credit. - The plan guarantees Planned Parenthood a seat at the decision-making table. - The plan provides taxpayer-funded abortions for a copay of $50. - The plan penalizes individuals not buying health insurance coverage and small businesses not offering health insurance to their employees.

Romney Is Quick To Take Credit For Massachusetts’ Health Care Plan

- “I love it. It’s a fabulous program.” (Mitt Romney, GOP Primary Debate, Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA, MSNBC, 5/3/2007) -

“But I helped write it and I knew it well...” (Mitt Romney, GOP Primary Debate, Reagan Library, Simi Valley, CA, MSNBC, 5/3/2007)

KEY ASPECTS OF ROMNEY’S MASSACHUSETTS HEALTH CARE PLAN...

(1) Guarantees Planned Parenthood A Seat At The Table. Romney’s legislation created an advisory board and guarantees, by law, that Planned Parenthood has a seat at the table. Romney’s plan established a MassHealth payment policy advisory board, and one member of the Board must be from Planned Parenthood. No pro-life organization is represented. (Chapter 58 Section 3 (q) Section 16M (a),

http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw06/sl060058.htm )

(2) Provides Taxpayer-Funded Abortions . Abortions are covered in the Commonwealth Care program that Romney created as Governor. Under the program, abortions are available for a copay of $50. (Menu of Health Care Services:

http://www.mass.gov/Qhic/docs/cc_benefits1220_pt234.pdf

- Romney used his line-item veto authority to strike eight sections of the bill that he found objectionable, including the expansion of dental benefits to Medicaid recipients. Yet, he did not strike Planned Parenthood’s guaranteed Board representation and he did nothing to prohibit taxpayer-funded abortions as part of his plan. (”Romney’s Health Care Vetoes,” Associated Press, 4/12/06)

(3) Punitive Toward Small Businesses. Small Businesses are fined $295-per-employee if they do not provide health insurance coverage to employees. (Steve LeBlanc, “Mass Lawmakers Ok Mandatory Health Bill,” Associated Press, 4/5/06)

(4) Punitive Toward Individuals. Individuals not obtaining health insurance coverage lose their personal state tax exemption in 2007, which will cost them an estimated $219 in higher taxes. In 2008, uncovered individuals are assessed a fine equal to 50-percent of the cost of a standard insurance policy, which could be as much as $2,000. (Michael Tanner, “No Miracle In Massachusetts,” Cato Institute, 6/6/06; Steve LeBlanc, “Timing Of Health Care Law’s Penalties Could Pose Risk For Romney, MA,” Associated Press, 11/9/07; William C. Symonds, “In Massachusetts, Health Care for All?” Business Week, 4/4/06 )

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1949306/posts

[rintense]

Both Mitt and Huck are nanny state socialists.