Posted on 11/16/2010 2:35:12 AM PST by markomalley
In an interview with CNSNews.com on Monday at the “November Speaks” rally on Capitol Hill, sponsored by the conservative group Americans For Prosperity, DeMint said that forcing insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions is not necessary.
“We don’t need to do that,” said DeMint. “We have examples of what they call high-risk pools at the state level that create an option for people with pre-existing conditions. A few states are doing that really well. What we need to do is multiply that over all the states.”
Apart from causing premiums to rise for all Americans to cover people with pre-existing conditions, as the Democrats’ legislation is already causing, DeMint said he would not go along with a plan to force insurers to cover those who were already sick, because similar mandates have been enacted in other nations, and they have failed.
“What we found in other countries is, once you do that, people don’t buy insurance until they’re sick,” said DeMint. “So that’s not something I’d support.”
In the “Pledge to America,” a set of promises to the American people laid down in writing prior to the November election, the House Republican leadership wrote that it would “ensure that those with pre-existing conditions gain access to the coverage they need.”
This pledge was made despite a repeated promise that congressional Republicans would repeal the Democrats’ health care bill in its entirety, including the pre-existing conditions mandate, as soon as repeal was possible.
It is unclear whether DeMint, who has often found himself at odds with the GOP Senate leadership, is on the same page as his Senate and House colleagues when it comes to assuring that individuals with pre-existing conditions can get access to health insurance.
DeMint addressed a crowd largely made up of Tea Party members, calling for congressional Democrats to refrain from pushing through a liberal agenda during the lame duck session of Congress.
DeMint was joined by Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-Minn.), Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) and several newly elected Republican congressmen who will take their seats after Jan. 3, 2011.
“The only reason I’m here today – and a lot of you thanked me on the way in – is to thank you,” DeMint told the crowd. “What you’ve done is given us, me, Mike Pence, Michelle, others, the power to change things. Because the only power we have here in Washington is the power of ideas and the millions of people who are standing behind us.”
Government managed single payer health care gains support for this very reason.
______________________________
If and when that ever happens in this country, mark my words, I’m out of here.
Title I of HIPAA prohibits pre-existing conditions for group policies for longer than 12 months. Additionally, they regulate what can be determined “pre-existing” conditions.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/healthcare/insurance/hipaa1.htm
This shows DeMint really plans on opposing Obama-care. Any RINO can be against the personal mandates, it's like opposing middle class tax increases. But being against these popular mandates (on insurance companies) shows he is serious.
You are correct. That's exactly why people very often don't buy medical insurance until they become ill.
The nice thing is that you can refuse to pay the higher premiums from the Blues. You can't escape the crushing tax burden imposed by nationalized health care.
Wow, a politician willing to publicly state that people don’t actually have a constitutional right to some goodie and government has no authority to impose burdens on the private sector in order to buy votes.
That’s refreshing.
DeMint BUMP.
Agreed, but that has existed in Medicare in the past. A 10% reward for turning folks in. Don’t know if it is still in effect now though.
This should not be controversial if we are talking about real insurance. Otherwise, we might as well be able to purchase auto insurance after having a car accident.
btt
I highly and respectfully disagree.
Your comments...
“Require Credible Coverage for 6- 12 months to encourage compliance”
“Fines and penalties for people with no insurance who buy insurance at onset of condition.”
This sounds much like Obamacare, which we are trying to stop. REQUIRE and encourage compliance? Fines and penalties?
There should be NO forcing of the people.
We should, in fact, have affordable choices, to be made by us. Not the government forcing us into it. These are our decisions, to be made as freedom loving individuals.
And...
“Treat any benefits paid during 6-12 month period as income to be taxed at normal rates. Or…turn them away if no ability to pay.” Now THAT is simply wrong.
I’m sorry, but we need to stop these people from forcing us into things we do not want.
Company mandates, individual mandates...FORCING is WRONG.
What’s next???
for later
One way that would help immensely is to get rid of the quasi-monopolies in each state. Let all 1000 insurers compete for each dollar. For a fraction of the cost of Obamacare, we could have a program to take care of special cases
That is why DeMint is the best choice for President. He actually thinks things through.
You totally missed my point.
Look up the terms “adverse selection” and “credible coverage”.
The only way to deal with (cover) pre-existing conditions is to have a pool large enough to handle them. This requires participation. If people know they can buy without regard to pre-x, then they will purchase when a major incident happens and hose the whole system. They contribute nothing and take out lots.
I did not say fines and penalties for not having coverage. I said enforce when someone gets insurance only when faced with major medical issues...like wanting fire insurance while their house is burning down! It would fine people for trying to bilk the system!
Do you want to encourage people to sit out and only get coverage when they discover they have Stage 4 breast cancer?
If you want pre-x covered, and I assume you do, participation is a MUST. Otherwise the system will crater.
Participation is the only way to ensure rates can be sustained at a lower level. Otherwise claims are off the charts.
“We should, in fact, have affordable choices, to be made by us. Not the government forcing us into it. These are our decisions, to be made as freedom loving individuals.”
Yur statement above sounds nice, but is not rooted in economic reality concerniong how insurance works. Requiring “credible coverage” (i.e. responsibility) will absolutely encourage compliance...not mandate it.
” That is why DeMint is the best choice for President. He actually thinks things through. “
He appears to be serious.
Good for him.
He’s also the most conservative guy out there, after Hunter.
Toss in Bachmann and Issa in the House.
Both fine conservatives. But both can be intimidated. Such as after Michelle went on Hardball in 08 and said the MSM should be investigating the dems “anti-america” views. She was lambasted and let the media intimidate her into backtracking.
I’ve never heard Hunter “clarify” or claim he misspoke or backtrack.
Nevertheless, I hope our country has many more Bachmanns and Issas in its future. I know Allen West will be one, and then some.
I heard West interviewed on talk radio recently, and I was very impressed. Rational & logical.
And he’s going to join the COngressional Black Caucus. That’s gonna be a hoot.
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