house Republican Health Care Reform Bill

[jasonk282]

he is what the House GOP is trying to pass in the house and the alternative to the Democrats Bill

The first link the a summary of the Bill
http://gopleader.gov/UploadedFiles/...rnative_Health_Care_plan_Updated_11-04-09.pdf

2nd link is the actual Bill, don't worry it's only 219 pages long unlike the 1,990 of the Dems bill.
http://rules-republicans.house.gov/Media/PDF/RepublicanAlternative3962_9.pdf

Some key points

Lowering health care premiums. The GOP plan will lower health care premiums for American families and small businesses, addressing Americans’ number-one priority for health care reform.

• Establishing Universal Access Programs to guarantee access to affordable health care for those with pre-existing conditions. The GOP plan creates Universal Access Programs that expand and reform high-risk pools and reinsurance programs to guarantee that all Americans, regardless of pre-existing conditions or past illnesses, have access to affordable care – while lowering costs for all Americans.

• Ending junk lawsuits. The GOP plan would help end costly junk lawsuits and curb defensive medicine by enacting medical liability reforms modeled after the successful state laws of California and Texas.

• Prevents insurers from unjustly cancelling a policy. The GOP plan prohibits an insurer from cancelling a policy unless a person commits fraud or conceals material facts about a health condition.

• Encouraging Small Business Health Plans. The GOP plan gives small businesses the power to pool together and offer health care at lower prices, just as corporations and labor unions do.

• Encouraging innovative state programs. The GOP plan rewards innovation by providing incentive payments to states that reduce premiums and the number of uninsured.

• Allowing Americans to buy insurance across state lines. The GOP plan allows Americans to shop for coverage from coast to coast by allowing Americans living in one state to purchase insurance in another.

• Promoting healthier lifestyles. The GOP plan promotes prevention & wellness by giving employers greater flexibility to financially reward employees who adopt healthier lifestyles.

• Enhancing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The GOP plan creates new incentives to save for current and future health care needs by allowing qualified participants to use HSA funds to pay premiums for high deductible health insurance.

• Allowing dependents to remain on their parents’ policies. The GOP plan encourages coverage of young adults on their parents’ insurance through age 25.

 

[Hot Mega]

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

(*gasp*) I can't breathe....I can't breathe...

Here's a good question..I actually have a couple but I'll just stick to this one; Where was all this "genius" ALL these fuggin' years the jokers were in power???

Not to mention specifics as to how they plan to lower costs beyond just saying it...but I digress...lol.

 

[jasonk282]

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

(*gasp*) I can't breathe....I can't breathe...

Here's a good question..I actually have a couple but I'll just stick to this one; Where was all this "genius" ALL these fuggin' years the jokers were in power???

Not to mention specifics as to how they plan to lower costs beyond just saying it...but I digress...lol.

they plan to lower cost by doing the following
http://republicans.waysandmeans.hou..._Healthcare_Reform_and__Affordability_Act.pdf
Sections 201-205: Expanding Access and Lowering Costs for Small Businesses.
These provisions will allow small businesses to pool together through Association Health Plans (AHPs) to leverage lower cost health insurance on behalf of their employees. By creating larger insurance pools for small businesses, these provisions will make health insurance more affordable and more accessible. CBO believes this provision will result reduce the number of uninsured by hundreds of thousands.

Section 211: Extending coverage to dependents.
If a health insurance plan offers coverage to dependents, then the plan must cover dependents up through their 25th birthday. The provision provides parents with the ability to keep their children on their health plan through young adulthood, thereby increasing young adults’ access to affordable health coverage. Young adults shouldn’t lose their coverage simply because they needed 5 years to complete college or were unable to find a job after graduation.

Section 212: Allowing auto-enrollment into employer sponsored coverage.
This provision allows employers to adopt auto-enrollment for health insurance, provided that employees are allowed to decline the coverage, by removing any potential legal barriers. Similar provisions have been adopted for 401(k) plans and have resulted in increased enrollment. Currently, almost 10 million employees have access to employer sponsored insurance and do not enroll.

Section 221: Interstate purchasing of health insurance.
Differences in state regulation of health insurance have resulted in significant variance in health insurance costs from state to state. Americans residing in a state with expensive health insurance plans are locked into those plans and do not currently have an opportunity to choose a lower cost option. This provision will allow Americans to purchase licensed health insurance in any state. Insurance sold in a secondary state will be still be subject to the consumer protections and fraud and abuse laws of the policy holder’s state of residence. This provision will provide access to more affordable health insurance options.

 

[JacknCoke]

Not to mention specifics as to how they plan to lower costs beyond just saying it...but I digress...lol.

how will Obama Care get paid for without printing more money?

 

[georges]

how will Obama Care get paid for without printing more money?

it won't be paid, it will go to the dustbin.

 

[JacknCoke]

it won't be paid, it will go to the dustbin.

That's hopefully what happens we need a severely modified version of the bill. This one Jason posted looks promising. Definitely looking into that!

 

[Hot Mega]

they plan to lower cost by doing the following
http://republicans.waysandmeans.hou..._Healthcare_Reform_and__Affordability_Act.pdf
Sections 201-205: Expanding Access and Lowering Costs for Small Businesses.
These provisions will allow small businesses to pool together through Association Health Plans (AHPs) to leverage lower cost health insurance on behalf of their employees. By creating larger insurance pools for small businesses, these provisions will make health insurance more affordable and more accessible. CBO believes this provision will result reduce the number of uninsured by hundreds of thousands.

Section 211: Extending coverage to dependents.
If a health insurance plan offers coverage to dependents, then the plan must cover dependents up through their 25th birthday. The provision provides parents with the ability to keep their children on their health plan through young adulthood, thereby increasing young adults’ access to affordable health coverage. Young adults shouldn’t lose their coverage simply because they needed 5 years to complete college or were unable to find a job after graduation.

Section 212: Allowing auto-enrollment into employer sponsored coverage.
This provision allows employers to adopt auto-enrollment for health insurance, provided that employees are allowed to decline the coverage, by removing any potential legal barriers. Similar provisions have been adopted for 401(k) plans and have resulted in increased enrollment. Currently, almost 10 million employees have access to employer sponsored insurance and do not enroll.

Section 221: Interstate purchasing of health insurance.
Differences in state regulation of health insurance have resulted in significant variance in health insurance costs from state to state. Americans residing in a state with expensive health insurance plans are locked into those plans and do not currently have an opportunity to choose a lower cost option. This provision will allow Americans to purchase licensed health insurance in any state. Insurance sold in a secondary state will be still be subject to the consumer protections and fraud and abuse laws of the policy holder’s state of residence. This provision will provide access to more affordable health insurance options.

Hmm...here's another "dumb" question....how do you secure the cost projections if all of the plans are voluntary?

Also, there is all this grand discussion by GOPers of savings from tort and malpractice reform.....that makes up a whopping 1% of the total costs INCLUDING the VALID claims.....

GOPers ought to go full time stand up comedy.....:thumbsup:

 

[YMIHERE]

So the house Republican Health Care Reform Bill is you can have health insurance if you can afford to buy it. Good idea which should be extend to police and fire protection. Also primary eduction should be available to those that can afford it. God bless America and nobody else!

 

[titsrock]

There are many problems I foresee with the GOP's approach.

1. The majority of these bullet points/talking points literally mean nothing. No change. Simply writing into a bill language which states "we will lower costs" does not guarantee costs will actually be lowered.

2. By allowing health insurers to operate across state lines doesn't mean costs will go down. All it means is health insurance companies can simply standardize everything, ratchet up costs and continue the FOR PROFIT MODEL for which they exist.

3. How exactly will tort reform lower peoples' premiums? All it means is that Big Pharma can eliminate R&D and simply use consumers as guinea pigs. That's a bit dangerous. The threat of a lawsuit is an incentive for Big Pharma not to treat consumers as guinea pigs.

4. Small Businesses are inherently unstable enterprises. Most fail. When a small business fails (and the number is usually 60% fail within 5 years) what then happens to people's healthcare:dunno:

I think a blank piece of paper has ACTUAL substance than the GOP's "plan"....:2 cents:

 

[YMIHERE]

Budget Monitor Says G.O.P. Bill Leaves Many Uninsured. Little if any reduction in health care cost.



http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes....-monitor-questions-impact-of-gop-health-bill/

 

[jasonk282]

I rather have lower insurance cost than 1.1 TRILLION of debt, but that's just my opinion.

I have stated before that everyone should be able to afford health care coverage not have it handed out by them and then tax the small business that people work at to pay for universal coverage, thus causing the small business to fold and lay more people off.

 

[FlyingWallaby]

There are many problems I foresee with the GOP's approach.

1. The majority of these bullet points/talking points literally mean nothing. No change. Simply writing into a bill language which states "we will lower costs" does not guarantee costs will actually be lowered.

2. By allowing health insurers to operate across state lines doesn't mean costs will go down. All it means is health insurance companies can simply standardize everything, ratchet up costs and continue the FOR PROFIT MODEL for which they exist.

3. How exactly will tort reform lower peoples' premiums? All it means is that Big Pharma can eliminate R&D and simply use consumers as guinea pigs. That's a bit dangerous. The threat of a lawsuit is an incentive for Big Pharma not to treat consumers as guinea pigs.

4. Small Businesses are inherently unstable enterprises. Most fail. When a small business fails (and the number is usually 60% fail within 5 years) what then happens to people's healthcare:dunno:

I think a blank piece of paper has ACTUAL substance than the GOP's "plan"....:2 cents:

1. And this is different from liberal plans how? At least conservative ideas are sensible, instead of promising cuts to medicare which, as long as there is AARP, will never materialize.

2. Not only will this offer more competition in all states, but it will allow more choice for the consumers. Yes, this will probably also mean standardization of plans, but in a business sense, standardization drives down costs, thus saving money. As for the insurance companies, yes, they are for profit, but when compared to other industries, their margins are extremely low.

3. The tort reform being proposed is not intended to eliminate malpractice damages, it is only intended to set a cap on the amount of "personal suffering" that can be applied in the lawsuit. (I think it is $250,000, but I haven't checked for a while.) While the personal suffering would be capped, this would not effect the portion of the lawsuit that would "correct" the malpractice: bills would still be paid in full, just a cap on the pain and suffering. This would lower premiums because it would decrease the amount of testing that doctors would have to do and charge insurance companies for. Doctors would be able to test based on symptoms and illnesses the patient probably has, instead of having to test based on all the possible illnesses a patient could have (i.e. defensive medicine). Ironically, a large number of doctors have actually quit practicing altogether due to the fact that they themselves cannot afford insurance against potential malpractice suits. In summation, this is how it would work: tort reform = reward cap = less unnecessary testing = less cost for the insurance company and less co-pay for you.

4. The beautiful thing about people or businesses banding to buy insurance is that is allows an inherent flexibility in the system. So the system would be able to shed failing businesses because it is also absorbing new businesses. As for the individual who just lost their job, they would then begin receiving health benefits through government assistance. So the system would allow choice and flexibility, while still maintaining the necessary safety net for the individual.

 

[Hot Mega]

I rather have lower insurance cost than 1.1 TRILLION of debt, but that's just my opinion.

Jason, I have the design and plans for a car that will do everything that a Bugatti Veyron will do for a fraction of the costs. You interested? If so, I also have a slightly used bridge for sale in northern California.:thumbsup:

I have stated before that everyone should be able to afford health care coverage

A little reality check....How on earth do you ensure something like that without doing most of the things you appear to oppose??

For example, let's say there was no public fire dept. How would you be able to ensure as a government that everyone has the means to afford to call a service which extinguishes fires on private property (this is the key>>>)all the time unless a public pool (not the place one swims) paid for it?

 

[jasonk282]

A little reality check....How on earth do you ensure something like that without doing most of the things you appear to oppose??

What I mean is that everyone should be able to BUY health coverage not handed to them.

If you lower health care cost to an affordable price then people would be able to BUY the coverage that they WANT. Not take the coverage that the Government feels they need.

 

[Hot Mega]

What I mean is that everyone should be able to BUY health coverage not handed to them.

If you lower health care cost to an affordable price then people would be able to BUY the coverage that they WANT. Not take the coverage that the Government feels they need.

Again, how on earth can a government ensure something can be affordable or affect costs without governmentizing it in some way???

You're tying to get to point B without starting at point A.

And when lower costs are discussed in the GOPer "plan" it all involves "if/then" scenarios not "when/then". You don't have a plan if it involves "ifs". You only have plan that can produce close to desired results when you have; when we do this, x (some logical, reasonably agreed upon likelihood) will happen.

 

[jasonk282]

Again, how on earth can a government ensure something can be affordable or affect costs without governmentizing it in some way???

By letting people buy health insurance nationwide. I live in Pa, the employee contribution is $2,971 for family coverage for 1 year http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=40&cat=5&ind=271. The employee contribution in Iowa is $2,525 http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=17&cat=5&ind=271. I just saved $446.00 per year by buying health insurance from another state.

Also it would drive down prices in states that have high insurance prices. I don't understand how we can buy life and car insurance across the country and get the policies that we want for a price that works for us, but we can't do the same for health insurance.

 

[Hot Mega]

By letting people buy health insurance nationwide. I live in Pa, the employee contribution is $2,971 for family coverage for 1 year http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=40&cat=5&ind=271. The employee contribution in Iowa is $2,525 http://www.statehealthfacts.org/profileind.jsp?rgn=17&cat=5&ind=271. I just saved $446.00 per year by buying health insurance from another state.

Also it would drive down prices in states that have high insurance prices. I don't understand how we can buy life and car insurance across the country and get the policies that we want for a price that works for us, but we can't do the same for health insurance.

Tell me you're joking...PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE JOKING!!!

Uh, Jason you're talking EMPLOYEE contributions to JOB subsidized healthcare....You wouldn't be going out buying that insurance on the open market yourself!!!

"EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION"!!!! Which means you must be an employee of some company which THEN has some menu of choices limited to the health insurance companies THEY do business with.

See, this is what I'm talking about...it's smoke and mirrors.

Of course various insurances will differ from state to state based on the combinations of circumstances particular to the state. If you don't live in that state you may not fall under the circumstances conducive to the savings residents of that state do.

 

[jasonk282]

Of course various insurances will differ from state to state based on the combinations of circumstances particular to the state. If you don't live in that state you may not fall under the circumstances conducive to the savings residents of that state do.

but why not?

Why can we buy car and life insurance across state lines but we can't buy health insurance across state lines? I have my car insurance through Nationwide and they are based In Ohio, why can't the same be done for health insurance?

 

[Hot Mega]

but why not?

Why can we buy car and life insurance across state lines but we can't buy health insurance across state lines? I have my car insurance through Nationwide and they are based In Ohio, why can't the same be done for health insurance?

Don't their rates vary state to state, city to city and zip code to zip code though? AND your car insurance isn't subsidized by some job like most health care coverage is.

What would it matter where you purchased your own health care insurance from if your coverage is STILL going to be based on the same circumstances an insurance company in your state bases it's premiums on??

Health coverage is a little more complex than the GOPer talking points want you to believe. Get this through your head, they don't believe in reformation of health care coverage which has to do with public involvement...that's why they NEVER did anything themselves about it when they were in power.

Most of what they offer is not even remotely realistic or in some cases relevant...but it's a sound opposition and obstructionist tactics.

Con the people into believing they have an alternative and sell the notion that they're going to save this or that ultimately for the goal of getting nothing done but a political win on the issue.

Call me a cynic but if you've been around long enough to see the cycle...this is a broken record.

The did the same shit in '93...and here we are in '09 after years of them doing nothing going through the exact same script and playbook.

 

[Baill Inneraora]

House Republicans might as well say,"Take two aspirin and call me in 5 years."