GOP Freshmen Discover Health Care Hell
Oh, the irony. The Politico interviewed several GOP representatives who opted out of their Congressional health care plans, and discovered they're all having second thoughts about that whole 'repeal and replace' thing. If it's not the cost of individual insurance that's getting them steamed, it's the pre-existing conditions.
But talk to some of the 16 freshman lawmakers who have declined their government health benefits, and you’ll hear a different side of the story — about tough out-of-pocket expenses, pre-existing conditions and support for health reforms that would help those who struggle with their coverage. As they venture into the free market for health insurance, these lawmakers — many of whom swept into office fueled by tea party anger over the health care law — are facing monthly premiums of $1,200 and fears of double-digit rate hikes.
The experience has caused some of them to think harder about the “replace” part of the “repeal and replace” mantra the GOP has adopted regarding the health care law.
“I have a niece who has pre-existing conditions, and I worry about her if she was ever to lose her job,” said Florida Rep. Richard Nugent, one of the freshman lawmakers who declined federal health insurance benefits.
Every single House Republican voted to repeal the health care law last month.
“I can simply, honestly say that this is going to impact my wife and I to a fairly serious degree, like it would any average American out there,” said first-time Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois.
Walsh’s wife has a pre-existing condition and will need a procedure in the coming months, but because he declined federal benefits, they’re paying for it out of pocket. Meanwhile, Walsh is contributing to a health savings account to cover his expenses.
“It’s a cost we will feel, a cost I will have to pick up. I won’t turn down benefits because I have something to fall back on or because I’m independently wealthy,” he said.
Before I boo-hoo too hard for them, I remember they're being paid $174,000 per year to represent their constituents. But even at that level, $1,200/month is a solid chunk of change, and the limits to Health Savings Accounts won't cover surgery or even medications for some people.
As always, it's about the pre-existing conditions.
Nugent, a former sheriff, doesn’t receive federal employee benefits, choosing instead to purchase a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan for retired county employees, which he said costs about $1,200 a month for his family. Still, he said, his niece’s experience has contributed to his support for ending coverage bans on pre-existing conditions. “One of the key components with the ‘replace’ [bill] was to make sure we take care of people who have pre-existing conditions,” he said.
But don't be fooled by that. Republicans' best plan for people with pre-existing conditions is to shove them into high-risk pools where they can pay ten times what the base rate is for coverage. Wendell Potter says lobbyists and policy representatives from the Big 5 for-profit health insurers are meeting nearly weekly to form a strategy to weaken or eliminate the consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act. In other words, they're fine with the mandate, but the consumer protections have to go.
Think on that when you hear Republican lawmakers get on their oh-so-high horses about "market-based solutions". Their idea of market-based solutions is to bankrupt people who have the misfortune of getting sick while profiting on the healthy. They hate the medical loss ratio requirements, they hate the limits on rate spreads under the new law (3 times the base rate, maximum), and they hate not being able to cap costs.
There are flaws in the bill, and it's true that it doesn't drive down the cost of health CARE. This is because we have this whacked up system where health providers are for-profit, health risk pool providers (insurers) are for-profit, and they rely upon innovation to drive profit margins up, rather than health risks down.
Nevertheless, Republicans are discovering the truth: The status quo is unsustainable, unaffordable, and discriminatory. Now what will they do about that? And how will they appease their angry hordes of Tea Party members being stoked daily via email and fear campaigns?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHjqg4yjyPg
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
There is a God.
I've heard he's dead or that he just gave up the experiment called Earth.
Bite my shiny metal ass.
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"Sorry for the inconvenience"
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
"We apologise for the inconvenience." God's Final Message to His Creation, written in letters of fire on the side of the Quentulus Quazgar Mountains. ;)
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
Thanks... fighting the flu and my quote-o-matic's on the fritz... *smile*
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
Get well soon. BTW: the answer is 42 ;)
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ww...
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
My heart pumps piss for these cretinous assholes.
Do they ever consider the family that lives on 50K a year?
Fuck no.
No, they never consider the family that lives on 50K a year.
I have asked my Republican Congressman this question, "how is it possible for the majority of your constituents (most of whom are blue collar), many of them self employed, and most of whom earn less tha 50K a year, ever afford health insurance at $1,200 per month?" But, he'll never change his mind no matter how much his constituents suffer.
Obviously he has made his choice between constituents, who are too simple minded to know he doesn't have their interests at heart, and re-election. Mind you, these same simple minded, health insurance lacking constituents who don't know what's good for them, would vote against him if he had dared vote for the evil Obamacare.
"they're being paid $174,000 per year to represent their constituents. But even at that level, $1,200/month is a solid chunk of change"
I was paying that on COBRA while unemployed for almost 18 months,
THAT'S A REAL SOLID CHUNK OF CHANGE YOU MORON.
These fuckers can rot for all I care.
Sorry about his wife but, she married him so; fuck her to.
Assholes every one.
Just sayin'. I don't always agree with karoli but "idiot" and "moron" are unwarranted personal attacks. I've been unemployed two years now so I get the frustration. Hell I had to do some minor surgery on myself not that long ago because I have no health care and I didn't find anything she wrote offensive as you obviously did. Maybe you should take some of that expensive COBRA and see about a prescription for valium...
Barack Obama: Change we can only imagine
I understand your anger, but no contributor here is a moron. You want that, go to Red State.
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
that loves this site,and i surely do,should go over to red state.....read the 'comments'..the vile stupidity and hatred is un-fucking-believable,just saying
....the fools do not realize,a population that can ,..... not paticipate .............in the 'economy'...,can not keep it viable!..........."we are listening,.......and we're not blind.,......this is your life....this is your time."
I lasted about one minute there before i got the ban hammer :p
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
i got thrown off too.
....the fools do not realize,a population that can ,..... not paticipate .............in the 'economy'...,can not keep it viable!..........."we are listening,.......and we're not blind.,......this is your life....this is your time."
Ah, right, i banned myself from reading that shite. It made me lose trust in humanity.
I could easily get back there if i want to with multiple sock puppets. But just reading that crap......no thanks. Hmmmm, or maybe i should.
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
when visiting right wing blogs.
You simply create a caricature of the people you wish to troll. Use it when posting there, remember snark is your friend so you can laugh at their faces repeatedly. You can see a few great examples of how it is done in this site.
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
Ya know...when I was on COBRA, it was $1750/month for my family of 4. When my COBRA administrator terminated our coverage the day after my son was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and a diabetic reaction to medication claiming I paid one day late, the treatment came out of my unemployed pocket.
So yeah, I'm a moron. A real idiot.
Next time try playing nice before you dump shit all over my head, ok?
Just might be a few palms meeting foreheads... one can only hope these "Doh!" moments will continue...
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
Pfft, i don't even make $1,200/month and i still have health care. Suck it "GOP Freshmen".
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
your a canuck,no?........maybe someday we will be so smart
....the fools do not realize,a population that can ,..... not paticipate .............in the 'economy'...,can not keep it viable!..........."we are listening,.......and we're not blind.,......this is your life....this is your time."
*You're.
*Canuck.
*dot at the end of a sentence
Yes, i'm a smarts. :p
Edit: ;)
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
Will figure a reason to justify taking the health coverage that congresscritters are offered and continue to vote against fair and affordable coverage for everyone else. One word that describes all conservatives is hypocrisy.
Barack Obama: Change we can only imagine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU4q-ZGo_kw
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Is that the Karma fairy I see?
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
May said Karma Fairy fly about 3 feet over each one's head and... well, use your imagination.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
Want to scare the hell out of the for profit health insurers? Give us the fucking option of purchasing into Medicare at any age! Not only will it be best for the country, but it will also help protect Medicare.
Election 2012: Be Educated! Be Active! Vote!
www.PhoenixJustice.com
Good solution. However, we would all have to weather some serious verbal poison, not to mention them jacking rates up 100% before they go out, as any solution like that would take 4-10 years to implement.
Bastards.
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
Walsh’s wife has a pre-existing condition and will need a procedure in the coming months, but because he declined federal benefits, they’re paying for it out of pocket. Meanwhile, Walsh is contributing to a health savings account to cover his expenses.
“It’s a cost we will feel, a cost I will have to pick up. I won’t turn down benefits because I have something to fall back on or because I’m independently wealthy,” he said.
Bummer, huh dude. OH WELLLLLLLLL.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Yeah, maybe his wife can choose the option my Mother was given when she lost her health insurance due to a preexisting condition:
DIE.
I miss you Mom.
I don't believe in God. Teach a man to be a good citizen and you have solved the problem of life.
-Andrew Carnegie
Lest we forget who it is we're talking about here. It's only a bad idea if the Dems do it.
Hell, who knows, they might even bring single-payer back into play as the fiscally responsible approach.
They need not worry about their base, just have Faux News champion the flip-flop and say that's what the conservatives have been saying all along. The base will follow and blame the Dems for it taking so long.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmcA9LIIXWw
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I don't make 1/4 of what they make. Even with my Federal Health insurance, there are things that aren't covered (such as dental and podiatry services I need). And I do have high copayments for some items. As far as I'm concerned, I say THOSE WHO LIVE BY AYN AS IN MINE RAND SHOULD SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!
with dental, chiro, podiatirc and other expenses that aren't covered. This is not an ad - just some advice about something I learned about and found very helpful.
My dentist told me about it and is a great program. It's called Care Credit ( it think the website is carecredit.com), and if your providers are part of their program and your credit is good, you can get interest-free credit for up to 24 months to pay for care you need.
I have no dental insurance, and needed a crown right away as a tooth broke. I couldn't really afford it and didn't want to put it on a regular credit card and rack up the interest. So, I applied for the care credit and I was approved - I got enough credit to 'buy' the crown and I choose to pay it off in 12 months - with no interest.
At any rate, it doesn't hurt to check it out.
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
Didn't know about it. I will check it out!
instead of allowing a taxpayer paid benefit to go to waste, if Rep,. Nugent isn't using his Congressional Health Care policy, can I apply for it????
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
"Nothing is more admirable than the fortitude with which millionaires tolerate the disadvantages of their wealth."
Rex Stout (1886 - 1975)
http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/38759.html
"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that! " ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )
That $127k is even slimmer as they have to maintain two residencies and cover a good amount of the costs of the job, as well as maintain a certain "appearance" or whatever so as to maintain their position. This is true of all of 'em.
I agree with the contents of the post, and I'm equally amused and elated, but that is an important bit of context for understanding how little money they actually earn in contrast to their cost of living.
Protean Post-Left Nonsense: http://mdespard.blogspot.com/
How about those people in the service industry...who make under $30K a year, pay for their own uniforms, pay to have them cleaned, ride the bus.
Take your boo hoo story and stick it.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Boo story? This is why we can't do anything as the left; we're too busy talking shit to pay attention to what the hell is going on.
It's called reading. Quote me where I was all boo-hooing on their behalf, prick.
Protean Post-Left Nonsense: http://mdespard.blogspot.com/
... what costs of the "job" do congress people have to finance off their own pocket?
It seems that actual facts and figures are missing from you so-called "context." You know the stuff that makes "context" what it is... and differentiates it from a run of the mill red herring.
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
I believe he was pointing up that these self-important blowhards are actually having to give more than lipservice to the ill-thought-out talking points, it's jumping up and biting them in the ass, and their seeming surprise at a comparatively small taste of what millions of us out here live every day, 24/7/365.
If this is what he was pointing up, then I am in 100% agreement.
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
Love the smell of Schadenfreude in the morning...
In the marketplace of ideas, too many people shop in the bargain basement.
-- Thunder BlueRose
Why, yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU
http://saxman.bravepages.com
now what that has to do with my query regarding actual facts and figures...
CTHULHU 2012 "Why vote for a lesser evil?"
Schadenfreude is one of my favorite words beside lickspittle :)
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
Oh the poor rich guys, i feel so sorry for them. QQ.
LOL, cry me a river.
Bite my shiny metal ass.
http://www.startalkradio.net/
and some live in rent free lobbyist owned properties.
Parliamentary expenses and the corruption and false claiming for everything under the sun, was one of the reasons Labour in the UK got thrown out of office in the last election cycle.
high as that cost of living is, how is it that those who spend any amount of time in Congress usually enter the institution average middle class or slightly better, but can, if they choose, eventually depart as very wealthy people.....on only a government servants pay?
They get well over $120 per day food allowance, even for the days that they arent there. I barely spend $100 in a week for my entire family. Also, their residences are subsidised. Dont be fooled for a second that they are paying all of those costs.
I have NO sympathy for these asswad bloviators discovering after the fact that they were talking out of their asses...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DrRE1LDY_U
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
But they do deserve some measure of credit for attempting to live by their philosophy. Many in the GOP don't even bother - they vilify any government plan and then hold out their hands for their cut.
Now, whether these freshman will actually learn their lesson and change their ways remains to be seen...
"And how will they appease their angry hordes of Tea Party members being stoked daily via email and fear campaigns?"
Those town hall zombies will attack! Watch out...
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIWsMKZt3Eg
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
I've said it over and over through the years, and it bears repeating: conservatives have no empathy and no imagination.
Until it happens to them, it doesn't matter. And once it does, it's all they care about. "The world was unfair it me!" It's unfair to everyone, you idiots, that's why we're supposed to help each other out.
From the 02.09.2011 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Thought for today: "The man who has eaten enough will never believe a hungry one." --Albanian proverb
Glad to see 16 "hungry" people who may be turned into "believers."
Ask me if I care about the sad story of the REPUBLICANS and the Tea Baggers. The told US common Folk we would just SUCK IT UP, and quit our crying. SO I say to them STICK IT.
The Tea Party is made up of individuals who, for the most part that I have encountered, are wealthy people who own businesses and do not want to pay employees more than minimum wage. Why should they want to provide health care to us lowly working slaves?
It is about time that they get their comeuppance. If they think religion is going to help them, face a credit agency collecting on a medical bill as I have. God is not giving me any leeway, why do they think it is their divine right to allow people to die when the death could have been prevented by proper health care?
Another brilliant idea spawned by a bunch of self serving lawyers who got elected to public office. The real reason they go to church at all is to dig up clients.
waived healthcare for the sake of their ideology. They should be proud to be
victimscustomers of the insurance companies...the insurance racketeers are one of their overlords, after all. Wait until they make the delightful discovery that, in fact, they have no insurance at all when their insuranceracketeerproviders rescind them for whatever reason suits their fancy. I 'm so happy for them that they are getting what they asked for. I hope the having of it is as satisfying as the wanting of it.Well Senators... welcome to our world.. or the new high-tech world! Cat Scans, MRIs, diagnostic procedures that are very effective, and --- lots and lots of waste in the healthcare system.
I would prpose that we apply the new paradigm of disruptive innovation, considered for Education reform, to the healthcare environment. Whoopee... waste will go.. and we will be able to put that money into saving the Consumer money... ;) . Oh my goodness... good old common sense here. :) Does anybody remember what that is???
Things don't always have to be complicated to fix something. Healthcare needs improvement to include- effective/less wasteful healthcare system- healthy foods - healthy lifestyles- focus on teaching/educating children on health... these are all inseparable if we want to optimize our resources and make healthcare affordable. The downfall, I guess, would be that the insurance companies and the elite pharmaceutical corpocrats would make less money off of disease...... and what the heck is wrong with that!
As a healthcare professional for most of my life, I can tell you the system is convoluted, wasteful, and the insurance companies, and at times the American Medical Association see profit at the expense of the welfare of our nation as their prime focus. Nothing wrong with profit... but not when it abuses the system, and deliberately abuses processes to make money that is not honestly earned, and waste is and poor care is deliberate to ensure profit. There must be balance.... win-win for all.. . Now the only one losing is the patient/insured. President Obama is right, this healthcare crisis will injure our productivity, stifle the American dream. I have seen it often in the hospitals... one major illness and you could be wiped out of much of your savings. For those of you who have experienced illnesses like this my heart goes out to you. The system can and must do better. Humanity, dignity and compassion require a higher level of awareness from a civilized society. Lets get it done. It's the right thing.
JOFB
"“I have a niece who has pre-existing conditions, and I worry about her if she was ever to lose her job,” said Florida Rep. Richard Nugent....."
A Republican that worries about someone or something besides Corporate America's profits? The guy is a RINO and a commie. Doesn't he know his neice will be better off if she has NO HEALTH INSURANCE when she gets sick? All she needs to do is hurry up and die. End of problem, no?
He is currently getting his insurance by being a retired county employee. According to some of the RW noisemakers, that's another of those HUGE BENEFITS THAT GOVERNMENT WORKERS SHOULD NOT GET BECAUSE ALL STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ARE JUST SUCKING ON THE HUGE TAXPAYER FUNDED COW.
Who can afford $2,000 per month in Health Insurance Premiums?
I spoke to an employee (62 years old) tonight who had moved to Florida about a year ago. We kept him on our group policy at $1,000 per month, which Blue Cross had approved, but then a couple months ago they cancelled him from that plan. He has been out of work since moving there so there's no chance of an employee plan for him.
Blue Cross offered him an alternative plan at $2,000 per month. Now, of course, he and his wife are without health insurance. And he is in poor health in the first place. It's a pretty scary position for him to be in needless to say.
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