Sunday 21 March 2010

HR 3590 Passes by a Healthy Margin 219-212

HR 3590 Passes by a Healthy Margin 219-212
Posted by Joe Rivett on 03.21.2010 from http://www.411mania.com/politics/columns/133398

I was channel surfing this morning and I came across "This Week" on ABC where the moderator asked a Democratic lawmaker if the passage of a health care reform bill would cause the Democrats to lose seats. I've yet to meet a person whose vote is hinging on whether or not their Representative is going to vote down health care reform. The Republicans have been whipped badly in the last two elections. They have midterm history on their side. The Democrats have a uniquely bad economy to deal with. There are a lot of Democrats in Republican districts. Republicans have the fact that Americas love divided government. Obama will not be on the ticket. No matter what the Democrats do, Republicans will win seats.

However, I believe this bill may save some seats because it will give a lift to dispirited Democrats. It will give them a chance to sell the popular provisions of the bill. It will also bring the media focus to something else and if it is immigration reform, that only helps the Democrats and divides the Republicans. In the end, Obama said it best when he stated his disgust for politics being judged as a sport. So what if a Representative loses their job as if they can't make tons of money in the private sector. If you are going to lose your job helping millions get access to health insurance, I guess that it is better than losing your job over some pointless gun bill.

Before I take off, here are my Real Time thoughts on Boehner and Pelosi's speeches.

• Boehner just said I can't keep my health care plan. Wow, I'll send him a campaign check for 100 bucks if I lose my insurance because of this bill.
• He is complaining about Medicare cuts even though he is against socialized medicine.
• Do we really need to slow down after over a year of debate?
• Boehner now believes that this Health Care Bill is against Moses. Forget Jesus, what would Moses do?
• Boehner is now begging Congress to never let this happen again! Funny stuff.
• He's really into the "Will of the American people," as if he knows how the American people feel. If the American people didn't want more government and health reform they would have never elected Obama.
• Boehner would rather focus on jobs as if Congress can only do one thing at a time.
• The Republicans love to defend the life of the unborn but I wish they cared as much for lives of the born and for the lives of the sick.

• Pelosi thinks this bill is as important as Medicare and Social Security, I think that is a little dramatic too.
• Pelosi talks about how difficult it is to change jobs when you have pre-existing conditions or children with them.
• Apparently being a woman is a pre-existing condition. Apparently some insurance companies were considering Caesarian sections or DV victims as pre-existing. Considering my wife had one and changed jobs after having one, I'm glad this is over.
• The Democrats are using stories on how people's lives will be better but I don't hear the Republicans saying whose lives will be ruined because of health care reform.
• If 45,000 people die because of not having insurance, should that not bother those that freak out and want to destroy the Constitution because of 3,000 people dying during 9/11?
• The bill is somewhat bipartisan because there are 200 Republican sponsored amendments. Also, liberals want single-payer so they gave up a lot in this bill too.

The final tally was 219 – 212 to pass the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Fire Nancy Pelosi

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele indicated that Nancy Pelosi should be fired in order to make a statement. Steele spoke the following words shortly after the health care bill was approved, " It is time to fire Nancy Pelosi and send a message to President Obama that it's time to stop their partisan liberal agenda of government takeovers and start working for Americans to create jobs and grow our economy." Is this a legitimate statement to make?

nancy pelosi

Consequently, most republicans adamantly vowed to repeal the passing of the healthcare bill. According to them, the new health care system will be more detrimental to the American public and the government than the current one. It is suggested that tax payers will be paying over 500 billion dollars more in taxes and the government will be over 100 billion dollars in debt. Insurance premiums for non-employer based insurance will go up 10%, 9 million people will lose their current coverage, and 23 million people will be uninsured in 2019. The new insurance policy is in favor of allowing individuals up to the age of 26 remain on their parents' health insurance, and will help disabled people get better insurance; it will also allow cancer patients unlimited insurance. Sounds like we're going to be paying an awful lot in taxes. Does this sound like a positive change for Americans?

Democrats, on the other hand, are happy with the outcome, and with Nancy Pelosi. In fact, Representative Keith Ellis referred to Nancy Pelosi the "best Speaker in American History."

From http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978120771

GSI Commerce

Michael Rubin, CEO of the billion dollar e-commerce giant GSI, goes undercover in his own company where he discovers that rushing through a task can result in injury to others, and that his packing and shipping skills are not up to company standards.

gsi commerce

From http://www.tv.com/video/81mH8FsjCbfPhI3RDKvBHWyXjTKZwRY5/gsi-commerce?o=cbs

Healthcare Bill Summary

Health Care Reform Bill Summary: A Look At What's in the Bill

By CBS News Capitol Hill Producers Jill Jackson and John Nolen
Cost:

$940 billion over ten years.
Deficit:

Would reduce the deficit by $143 billion over the first ten years. That is an updated CBO estimate. Their first preliminary estimate said it would reduce the deficit by $130 billion over ten years. Would reduce the deficit by $1.2 billion dollars in the second ten years.

Read more on the CBO Report

Coverage:

Would expand coverage to 32 million Americans who are currently uninsured.
Health Insurance Exchanges:

The uninsured and self-employed would be able to purchase insurance through state-based exchanges with subsidies available to individuals and families with income between the 133 percent and 400 percent of poverty level.
Separate exchanges would be created for small businesses to purchase coverage -- effective 2014.
Funding available to states to establish exchanges within one year of enactment and until January 1, 2015.
Subsidies:

Individuals and families who make between 100 percent - 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and want to purchase their own health insurance on an exchange are eligible for subsidies. They cannot be eligible for Medicare, Medicaid and cannot be covered by an employer. Eligible buyers receive premium credits and there is a cap for how much they have to contribute to their premiums on a sliding scale.
Federal Poverty Level for family of four is $22,050

Paying for the Plan:

Medicare Payroll tax on investment income -- Starting in 2012, the Medicare Payroll Tax will be expanded to include unearned income. That will be a 3.8 percent tax on investment income for families making more than $250,000 per year ($200,000 for individuals).
Excise Tax -- Beginning in 2018, insurance companies will pay a 40 percent excise tax on so-called "Cadillac" high-end insurance plans worth over $27,500 for families ($10,200 for individuals). Dental and vision plans are exempt and will not be counted in the total cost of a family's plan.
Tanning Tax -- 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning services.
Medicare:

Closes the Medicare prescription drug "donut hole" by 2020. Seniors who hit the donut hole by 2010 will receive a $250 rebate.
Beginning in 2011, seniors in the gap will receive a 50 percent discount on brand name drugs. The bill also includes $500 billion in Medicare cuts over the next decade.
Medicaid:

Expands Medicaid to include 133 percent of federal poverty level which is $29,327 for a family of four.
Requires states to expand Medicaid to include childless adults starting in 2014.
Federal Government pays 100 percent of costs for covering newly eligible individuals through 2016.
Illegal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid.
Insurance Reforms:

Six months after enactment, insurance companies could no longer denying children coverage based on a preexisting condition.
Starting in 2014, insurance companies cannot deny coverage to anyone with preexisting conditions.
Insurance companies must allow children to stay on their parent's insurance plans through age 26.
Abortion:

The bill segregates private insurance premium funds from taxpayer funds. Individuals would have to pay for abortion coverage by making two separate payments, private funds would have to be kept in a separate account from federal and taxpayer funds.
No health care plan would be required to offer abortion coverage. States could pass legislation choosing to opt out of offering abortion coverage through the exchange.
**Separately, anti-abortion Democrats worked out language with the White House on an executive order that would state that no federal funds can be used to pay for abortions except in the case of rape, incest or health of the mother. (Read more here)

Individual Mandate:

In 2014, everyone must purchase health insurance or face a $695 annual fine. There are some exceptions for low-income people.
Employer Mandate:

Technically, there is no employer mandate. Employers with more than 50 employees must provide health insurance or pay a fine of $2000 per worker each year if any worker receives federal subsidies to purchase health insurance. Fines applied to entire number of employees minus some allowances.
Immigration:

Illegal immigrants will not be allowed to buy health insurance in the exchanges -- even if they pay completely with their own money.

From CBS

Healthcare Bill Summary

Healthcare Bill Summary