The GOP health care plan will die of starvation

Anyone want to guess how long the Canada Health Act(the enabling legislation for their Medicare program) is? Fourteen pages. Actually, that's misleading. Since this is Canada it has to be published in both official languages so those pages contain everything twice.
Granted this is backed up by provincial legislation (we will have the same at the state level here) and administrative rules, (same here) but when all you have to say is, "We will cover all necessary medical expenses and pay for it out of general tax revenues," it doesn't take many words.
My point is that our legislation will be longer because we will have to mandate what it will not do, and what cannot be left up to the bureaucracy to figure out on its own in an effort to get the job done in the most effective way.
Shorter version. Doing the job is easy. Figuring out which part of the job you want to do, and then making excuses for the work left undone is hard.

Interesting that with a 2000 page bill, the only thing the 24 hour news channels want to report is whether it contains a public option - not what kind of option, just yes or no. And apparently nothing else in the 2000 pages is newsworthy. It's enough to just report "concern" and debate whether it's more or less concern than the day before.

I guess that's why the GOPers have no healthcare plan--they're too busy thinking up bumper-sticker slogans. That, and, of course, their 'budget' was such a roaring success that they just plan to rest on their laurels.

This is noise, as with most things Republicans and some Democrats say about HCR.

The reality is that we in the USA do not have universal, guaranteed health care for every citizen, unlike most every other first world country on this planet. The naysayers would have you believe that this is not necessary, that this would be the end of civilization as we know it, that society would fail if we did what all of these other countries do.

The truth is, we are Neanderthals on this. And on many other social issues.

We average, what? 2 weeks paid vacation a year? While countries like France guarantee 5 weeks paid vacation, from the lowliest janitor to the loftiest CEO, while we in the US debate abortion and the War on Christmas. Not to mention France's health care system. The end of the world naysayers would have us believe happen with such things hasn't happened, and won't. They live on fear.

And guess what? In those countries, again the rest of the civilized first world who have universal health care and who have generous, mandated time off regimes, the people are generally happy and healthy, both mentally and physically. Yet the powers that be here have us debating issues that have already been answered, arguing about two sides of issues, when one side is clearly, factually correct.

But we are a young country, comparatively speaking. When the people of France felt shafted by their government, they marched and they demonstrated, in large numbers and vocally, sometimes with quite a bit of violence. And that got them health care and worker's rights and the generous time off that they all enjoy. And their government remembers that, and they fear the people because of it. (I use France as an example because in some ways I think the US needs to emulate them.) Yet we here have been trained to question everything, even fact, and debate endlessly such that true change is diluted in time, and we eventually go back to other, mundane things, often forgetting what it was that had us so riled up.

And the power structure keeps us docile. We watch our TV and we pay ridiculous sums to receive health care (if we're lucky), and we yearn for our two weeks each year. Not knowing that we can do more if we really wanted to. But no, we take it. The banksters come close to and may well still ruin our way of life through blatant greed, yet rules and laws are being written to largely maintain their power to continue their money-grubbing ways. And we take it. Health care behemoths take thousands and thousands of dollars from each of us every year, and deny care or make us go through such bureaucracy to get care, and the reform that has been promised will not at first (if ever) be that which the rest of the civilized world enjoys. And we take it.

These are discussions that other countries have had, decades ago, and the people won out. They got their health care and they got their vacation time. Because they thought people shouldn't have to stress and worry about such things. They believe that for some things, there are rights, and that life is full of enough trials and tribulations. They no longer worry about health care, it is a right. They enjoy the mental health and well-being fostered by a generous, guaranteed vacation each year, and they are able to do it without loss of productivity that the powers that be would have us believe would result from such time. This too has become a right enjoyed by all. But we here in the US continue to take that which the powers that be would dole out for health care and for vacation time (and a host of other issues to be sure), and we think we're the best place ever and that we're number one, USA! USA! USA!. We're not. In issues such as these, were are not. I wonder if we'll mature as a country, or if we will continue devolving back into that which we fought British rule in our founding to supposedly escape--a feudal society, with the masses as serfs. I fear that the Robber Barons are winning.

The four points in Boehner's republican health plan.

Number 1: allow insurers to sell coverage across state lines?
response in part from: http://www.newamerica.net/pressroom/2008/across_state_lines_explained_why_selling_health_insurance_across_state_lines_not_answer'

Insurers could sell their products to Americans in any state. The insurer would have to follow the rules and regulations in the state where it is based or domiciled � not the rules of the state where the consumer or policyholder lives. Allowing the state laws chosen by the insurer rather than the laws of the state where the consumer lives to govern health insurance regulation is what makes this policy so controversial.

Premiums? Health insurance premiums may decrease for many young, healthy individuals. Yet, premiums would like go up for many other Americans, especially those people with health conditions or individuals who prefer comprehensive insurance policies.

Benefit Mandates? Most benefit mandates would be eliminated by an across state lines proposal. In fact, selling health insurance across state lines would eliminate any guarantee that important benefit mandates like maternity care would be included in insurance packages in the future. Consumers would get little in exchange � overwhelming evidence shows that benefit mandates per se are not why health insurance costs so much.

Access to Coverage? Many people would find it more difficult to access health insurance if health insurance were sold across state lines. This is because there would be fewer guaranteed issue policies and because insurers would have an increased incentive to deny people coverage and charge people more based on their health history.

Note: Any plan that doesn�t mandate use of community ratings rather than individual ratings is a waste of time and money. It�s tantamount to licensing insurers to charge those with illness more, which is no different from what we have now.

Number two: What does it mean to �allow individuals, small businesses, and trade associations to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower prices, the same way large corporations and labor unions do.�
Note: This is a revolutionary (sic) idea that���..is already available. The problem is that individuals with illness wanting to join such a group are not allowed entry, or charged so much that they can�t afford insurance�which is of course the problem with our current non-system. Insurers don�t want high risk sick people, in their pools. Guess who gets to pay fr their care?

This is yet another great republican idea that doesn�t work out of the box. Now if they were to propose that such groups should accept all comers and that community ratings rather than individual ratings would apply the approach might be useful. As is, it�s another smoke screen.

Number three: �give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower health care costs.�

Note: What does that mean? It�s what my high school teacher called a glittering generality. Details NONE!!

Number four: �end junk lawsuits that contribute to higher health care costs by increasing the number of tests and procedures that physicians sometimes order not because they think its good medicine, but because they are afraid of being sued.�

Note: What about valid lawsuits? This approach has not worked to decrease utilization or costs in states where it�s been tried. See Texas for example. I have no objection to fewer lawsuits simply to decrease the physician�s infinite personal liability. But there is no evidence doing this will decrease costs to a significant degree and make health insurance more efficient, available or affordable.
The emperor has no clothes, the republican health plan is not a plan.

www.medicynic.com

Thanks for the great posts!

H.R.676 has 30 pages,will cover 100% of the population and save trillions of dollars over the next decade.

1990 pages. Double spaced. In large print. With lots of indents. Full of lots of boiler plate language you don't have to read to understand the bill "Insert Sec 1273 (quote the language) after Sec 1272 in the Public Health Act of 1986"

If you took the whole thing and reformatted it into the form it will ultimately take in the U.S. Code and the Code of Federal Regulations the page count would shrink dramatically.

Plus almost all the stuff actually under debate comes in the first two hundred pages, this bill does all kinds of things beyond just implementing a new insurance scheme.

These bills are printed in a form that allows some elderly Senator to be able to read the text and mark it up by hand. Unfortunately a lot of trees had to die in the process. But the end result is not War and Peace, I got through the relevant parts over the course of Thursday morning. By skipping Div B

DIVISION B—MEDICARE AND MEDICAID IMPROVEMENTS
TITLE I—IMPROVING HEALTH CARE VALUE
Subtitle A—Provisions related to Medicare part A
Subtitle B—Provisions Related to Part B
Subtitle C—Provisions Related to Medicare Parts A and B
Subtitle D—Medicare Advantage Reforms
Subtitle E—Improvements to Medicare Part D
Subtitle F—Medicare Rural Access Protections
TITLE II—MEDICARE BENEFICIARY IMPROVEMENTS
Subtitle A—Improving and Simplifying Financial Assistance for Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries
Subtitle B—Reducing Health Disparities
Subtitle C—Miscellaneous Improvements
TITLE III—PROMOTING PRIMARY CARE, MENTAL HEALTH SERV-
ICES, AND COORDINATED CARE
TITLE IV—QUALITY
Subtitle A—Comparative Effectiveness Research
Subtitle B—Nursing Home Transparency
Subtitle C—Quality Measurements
Subtitle D—Physician Payments Sunshine Provision
Subtitle E—Public Reporting on Health Care-Associated Infections
TITLE V—MEDICARE GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION
TITLE VI—PROGRAM INTEGRITY

Important stuff to be sure, but not really relevant to the argument over whether to have an Exchange and a Public Option. Div B starts on page 366. Unless you are a deep Medicare/Medicaid wonk you can profitably skip the last 1624 pages of this bill and still be up to speed on the big issues.

"H.R.676 has 30 pages,will cover 100% of the population and save trillions of dollars over the next decade."
http://www.pnhp.org/nhibill/nhi_bill_final.pdf
•HR 676
"SEC. 101. ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—All individuals residing in the
United States (including any territory of the United
States) are covered under the USNHI Program entitling
them to a universal, best quality standard of care. Each
such individual shall receive a card with a unique number
in the mail. An individual’s social security number shall
not be used for purposes of registration under this section. "

Does this include people on tourist visas along with all illegal immigrants?

Sec 102 universal coverage of all health procedures including most dental and vision

"SEC. 103. QUALIFICATION OF PARTICIPATING PROVIDERS.
(a) REQUIREMENT TO BE PUBLIC ORNON-PROFIT.—
(1) INGENERAL.—No institution may be a participating provider unless it is a public or not-for-profit institution.
(2) CONVERSION OF INVESTOR-OWNED PROVIDERS.—Investor-owned providers of care opting to participate shall be required to convert to not-for-profit status."

Okay. Doctors will neither individually or in groups be able to set up in private practice or operate for-profit clinics.

"SEC. 104. PROHIBITION AGAINST DUPLICATING COVERAGE.

(a) INGENERAL.—It is unlawful for a private health insurer to sell health insurance coverage that duplicates the benefits provided under this Act. "

Yeah the bill is short. But anyone who thinks a bill that extends health care unconditionally to everyone happening to be within US borders, forbids doctors to establish their own private practices, and makes it illegal to buy supplemental insurance is going to actually get anywhere needs their head examined. HR676 is a proposal to set up a British style NHS system with at best some reliance on non-profits (so as to not knock out the entire Catholic and Jewish hospital systems I guess) that goes far beyond the Canadian or any European system I am aware of.

This is posturing, not policy. And I for one am not going to take it seriously. This thing demagogues itself.

BTW while such a bill might theoretically save trillions by turning all doctors into salaried employees as written it will get a monumentally shitty CBO score simply by including the broad range of dental and vision services. Oh and good luck with the proposal to kill off the VA and Indian Health Services. Sheesh.

How many pages is the Republican health care reform plan?" For now, the correct answer is, "Zero." -- Steve Benen

It's their contribution towards saving the environment (think of the trees!); didn't you know? Now, if only they also learnt how to keep their mouths shut, instead of emitting toxic gases every time they open their pieholes... But, you can't have everything.

how long was the Patriot Act?