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Reading the Fine Print in the Health Care Bill
Townhall.com ^ | July 28, 2009 | Phyllis Schlafly

Posted on 07/28/2009 8:58:11 AM PDT by Kaslin

The House Democrats' health-care bill is titled "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009." No clue is given as to how long we will have a choice, but it will probably be only until the "public option" chases private insurance out of business.

The bill's subtitle states its purpose as health care for everyone, reducing "the growth in health care spending ... and for other purposes." Note that the goal is not to reduce spending but only the "growth" in spending, and we need to worry about the "other purposes" that will be added by the bureaucrats' regulations.

The bill states that health-care benefits require "shared responsibility among workers, employers, and the government." That means the government will force all taxpayers to pay for health care for millions of people who don't now buy insurance because they don't need it, or because insurance doesn't cover what they do need. (Page 5)

The bill states that the government will investigate "self-insured employers not being able to pay obligations." Government agents will audit and then harass small-business owners to force them to pay for insurance they cannot afford. (Page 22)

The bill provides for optional "nurse home visitation services" without specifying who has power to exercise the option. Among the various purposes listed are "increasing birth intervals between pregnancies" (this reminds us of China's policies to reduce childbirth by married couples), reducing "child abuse, neglect, and injury" (giving more authority to the already too powerful Child Protective Services) and promoting school readiness (will homeschooling be scorned?). (Page 768)

The bill covers family planning. Those are well-known code words for taxpayer-funded contraception and abortion, and will impose mandatory coverage of abortion on demand in all health plans. (Page 772)

The bill provides for "culturally and linguistically appropriate communication and health services" and "shall give priority to applicants that have developed partnerships with community organizations or with agencies with experience in language access." This opens up plenty of funding for health and translation services for illegal aliens. (Pages 405 and 407)

Title II of the bill creates a "Health Insurance Exchange," pretending to be a marketplace for health insurance plans. Of course, so long as the "public option" is subsidized by the taxpayers, it can always undersell private plans. (Page 72)

The government will specify the health benefits that must be included in any plan participating in the Health Insurance Exchange. If all private plans must include all government-specified benefits (which will surely include benefits unwanted by many people and will inevitably drive up costs), whatever happened to choice? (Page 84)

Anyone who does not enroll in an Exchange-participating plan will be "automatically enrolled under Medicaid." The government will thus use force to achieve its goal of universal coverage. (Page 102)

Employers will be subjected to a play-or-pay mandate. Those who do not provide health insurance to their employees must give the government a "contribution" equal to 8 percent of average wages paid. (Page 149)

Seniors must submit to "advance care planning consultation" (aka end-of-life discussions) every five years, or more often if there is "a significant change in the health condition of the individual, including diagnosis of a chronic, progressive, life-limiting disease, a life-threatening or terminal diagnosis or life-threatening injury." Will these consultants advise seniors to hurry up and die because they are costing too much money? (Pages 425 and 429)

Government bureaucrats will conduct "Comparative Effectiveness Research" to decide the effectiveness of treatments and drugs. That is the exotic label for rationing and, as House Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., admitted, drugs and treatments that are "found to be less effective and more expensive will no longer be prescribed." (Pages 502 and 520)

Government bureaucrats (not the medical profession) shall determine national priorities for research. (Page 505)

Preference in awarding grants or contracts will be given to entities that have trained "the greatest percentage" of public-health workers in the government and that have trained large percentages of "under-represented minority groups." Think ACORN! (Pages 909 and 910)

The Senate bill's official summary also authorizes "home visits" to "improve immunization coverage." Will Americans tolerate a knock on the door from a government agent demanding that we and our children receive all government-ordered vaccines?

The fine print of the Democrats' health-care bill (which imposes incredible debt on our children) gives enormous power to the Obama bureaucrats to impose uniform, government-defined-benefits insurance, to decide how much we must pay or be hit with fines and penalties, and to determine what treatments and drugs are "effective" and will be permitted. This isn't America -- this is Marxist socialism.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: 111th; agenda; bhohealthcare; communism; democrats; healthcare; liberalfascism; obamacare; socialism; socializedmedicine; taxes
Phyllis Schlafly, hit the nail square on the head
1 posted on 07/28/2009 8:58:12 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

2 posted on 07/28/2009 9:04:17 AM PDT by Signalman
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To: Kaslin
The bill provides for optional "nurse home visitation services" without specifying who has power to exercise the option. Among the various purposes listed are "increasing birth intervals between pregnancies" (this reminds us of China's policies to reduce childbirth by married couples), reducing "child abuse, neglect, and injury" (giving more authority to the already too powerful Child Protective Services) and promoting school readiness (will homeschooling be scorned?). (Page 768)

&)(*&#(*&)#(*&)(*&)(&*!!

Is there no end to the tyranny in this bill! It's like they thought if they put enough infuriating things in the bill, we could not possibly have time to point them all out to the American people.

3 posted on 07/28/2009 9:05:58 AM PDT by KansasGirl ( Obama's heros have always been left-wing radicals.)
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To: Kaslin

I have downloaded the version of this bill and to those who do not read between the lines will not see these threats. It is written to sound so reasonable. I do not like the dictates in much of this as it is between the person or the family and the doctors. Hospice is a wonderful organization that provides support to families of those who have less than 6 months. But to then turn around and suggest that these people use their style of care to help hurry those who otherwise would have a good life end it ..well I am surprised there is not a phrase in there that all those of medicare age who have so much as a hangnail report the last day of the month to the bus depot for a trip, all costs paid, to the LaBrea Tar Pits...
Who is this govt to tell anyone when their life is meaningless, that it is the duty to just donate their money to the govt, give the personal property to family and friends and just end it for the sake of society. This lot ca go to hell and fast.
How are we going to get this gang out of the WH and govt positions before it is too late? Can’t this birth certificate issue get to the point that he is found to be the fraud he is and get him out?
Rush says it is not panic time..I think we are close to it.


4 posted on 07/28/2009 9:09:09 AM PDT by celtic gal (I think the democRATs should change their logo from a jackass to a RAT with a long tail.)
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To: Kaslin

ObamaCare = DeathCare= Legalized Euthanasia of American citizens by decree of Big Brother and the US Congress


5 posted on 07/28/2009 9:13:57 AM PDT by ExTexasRedhead
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To: ExTexasRedhead

That is a very true summary


6 posted on 07/28/2009 9:18:54 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: celtic gal

I have also downloaded the bill and everyone should do the same so they can read the bill


7 posted on 07/28/2009 9:21:27 AM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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To: Bobkk47
Boy is that good!
8 posted on 07/28/2009 9:38:59 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (They were the Slave Party then; they are the Slave Party now.)
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To: Kaslin
Anything that the government “dictates” is bad, because it subverts the constitution. One of the problem with third world countries is that their doctrine is shoved down the throat's of it's citizens, like it or not. Are we there?
9 posted on 07/28/2009 9:44:56 AM PDT by ANGGAPO (Leyte Gulf Beach Club)
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To: Kaslin
Does it strike anyone as coincidental that the regulatory enforcement does not go into effect until 2013? As in after 2012?
10 posted on 07/28/2009 11:10:56 AM PDT by jnsun (The LEFT: The need to manipulate others because of nothing productive to offer)
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To: Kaslin

Where can download the bill?


11 posted on 07/28/2009 12:21:55 PM PDT by Vindibudd
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To: Vindibudd

The House bill is at: http://www.jeffhead.com/HC-HouseII.pdf


12 posted on 07/28/2009 1:16:14 PM PDT by A Mississippian (Proud 7th generaion Mississippian)
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To: A Mississippian

Actually thank you, but I went to my representative’s site and he has it there. Alan Grayson - D Florida 8th. He seems to be a big supporter but I sent him a blistering email about it absolutely guaranteeing that he would not get a vote from me if he voted for it.


13 posted on 07/28/2009 1:51:44 PM PDT by Vindibudd
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To: Vindibudd; A Mississippian
Did you see this?

Conyers Sees No Point in Reading 1,000-Page Bill

arrogant B@#$%&@d

14 posted on 07/28/2009 3:18:13 PM PDT by Kaslin (Acronym for 0bama: One Big Ass Mistake America)
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