The new sweeping law will greatly improve the lot of the 15 percent of the population currently without healthcare insurance. For the 80 percent with insurance the situation is mixed, since there is considerable insurance reform in the new law (e.g., pre-existing condition, keeping policy after illness, etc.), but the quality of care going forward may be diminished. There has been much acrimony in the debate over this law and much political posturing on both sides. The fact that not a single House Republican voted for the bill speaks volumes. Though both sides have some of the blame for the lack of any bipartisanship in the final vote, the preponderance of the blame goes to the majority party since they have control and could have broached true compromise with at least a few Republicans. Failure to forge a broader consensus will likely have consequences to governing in the near future as many in the majority of citizens who opposed this bill stay angry over how it was fashioned and approved.
When it comes to making up my mind about voting for a candidate or supporting a legislative issue I try to follow one basic rule: ignore the irrelevant such as what is said, who says it, and what or who is associated with the candidate or issue. Instead, I note what the candidate has actually done and what is actually in the legislation. In the end it does not matter whether we think Pres. Obama looks good and talks knowledgably or that Al Gore, Glenn Beck, or anyone else is associated with support or opposition. I would rather look at the substance, not the advocates or detractors. On that basis my opinion on the new Healthcare Reform bill(s), that combines the Senate bill with the House ‘fix it’ bill, is that Americans are going to be surprised by several items that are in it and probable consequences down the road.
I do not think there has been much discussion about 6 very important unintended consequences, which may result in substantial repeal of this legislation after the 2012 Presidential election:
- The reduced payments to physicians and government control over them that is pervasive in the provisions of these bills (please read the summary regarding this that follows) will result in fewer doctors practicing medicine via early retirement and fewer new doctors entering the system. This is not a wild guess on my part. Surveys of doctors indicate early retirement is favored by a healthy percentage of doctors, after the new law is enacted. Combine this with 30 million newly insured individuals and it is obvious that healthcare will be rationed and otherwise diminished from what it is now for those that are insured at present.
- The paltry tax credit provisions not withstanding, the very substantial new taxes on small businesses will discourage new hiring, expansion, and enterprise creation. Since small businesses create most of the new jobs it means that sustained economic recovery will not happen and unemployment will continue at double-digit rates.
- The healthcare bills add an increase of tax rates on interest, dividends, and capital gains for ‘rich’ individuals, thereby discouraging savings and investment.
- The ‘tax the rich’ philosophy that that the new law continues sounds good to those of us not in this category (income less than $200K) and who will supposedly get the benefits of healthcare reform, but the so called ‘rich’ that recent legislation repeatedly targets are smart folks. They will find ways to either move themselves and investments out of the country or hide income either legally or illegally. Furthermore, if government tax policy becomes too onerous it discourages them from doing the things that create more income for themselves, and jobs for the economy.
- The massive increase of unfunded liabilities for the federal government resulting from the legislation may push the debt to GDP ratio over the top in terms of US government solvency and credit rating downgrade. The new law adds a third under funded entitlement to the federal government’s balance sheet, making the breaking point even quicker to arrive. If so, the consequences are enormous and negative.
- The very surprising item in the new law that allows for uninvited home visitations by authorities “to promote improvement and development in parenting related to child development outcomes, school readiness, ….. “ should shock and outrage every citizen of this country. This provision, probably included with good intentions, could be used legally in the future to influence parents to conform to ‘politically correct’ thinking. The Bill of Rights is about to be trampled on and the collective ‘we’ are allowing it to happen, at least for now.
The benefits of this legislation, while important and laudatory, are more than negated by the problems resulted from enacting it. I am reminded of the Bible story of the brothers Esau and Jacob, who were in line to receive equal inheritance from their father Isaac. Essentially, Esau gave up his entire birthright to Jacob in exchange for a bowl of stew. The stew was eaten, satisfying his hunger, then he had to live with the consequences of giving up his inheritance. Our inheritance is the freedom and liberty from government control and intrusion promoted and fought for by the founders, and defended by many ever since. Unless reversed, we are giving up much of this inheritance, without a foreign adversary firing a shot.
Please read a very enlightening summary of the medical implications of these bills:
From Stephen E. Fraser, MD:
As a practicing physician I have major concerns with the Health care bill before Congress. I actually have read the bill and am Shocked by the brazenness of the government’s proposed involvement in the Patient-physician relationship. The very idea that the government will Dictate and ration patient care is dangerous and certainly not helpful in Designing a health care system that works for all. Every physician I work With agrees that we need to fix our health care system, but the proposed Bills currently making their way through congress will be a disaster if Passed. I ask you respectfully and as a patriotic American to look at The following troubling lines that I have read in the bill. You cannot Possibly believe that these proposals are in the best interests of the Country and our fellow citizens. Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit Books of all employers that self-insure!!
Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill: THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE That decides what treatments/benefits you get.
Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!
Page 42 of HC Bill: The Health Choices Commissioner will Choose your HC benefits for you. You have no choice!
Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL Non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise.
Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to Individuals’’s finances & ; a ‘National ID Health card’ will be issued!
Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to Your bank accounts for elective funds transfer.
Page 65 Sec 164: Is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and Their families in unions & community organizations: (ACORN).
Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages For private HC plans in the ‘Exchange.’
Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans — The Govt will ration your health care!
Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic Appropriate services. (Translation: illegal aliens.)
Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups (i.e. ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan.
Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. (AARP members – your health care WILL be rationed!)
Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill: Medicaid eligible individuals Will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. (No choice.)
Page 12 4 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price Fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt monopoly.
Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association – The Govt will tell YOU what salary you can make.
Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto-enroll employees Into public option plan. (NO choice!)
Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part-time Employees AND their families. (Employees shouldn’t get excited about this As employers will be forced to reduce its work force, benefits, and Wages/salaries to cover such a huge expense.)
Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k & above Who does not provide public option will pay 8% tax on all payroll! (See the Last comment in parenthesis.)
Page 150 Lines 9-13: A business with payroll between $251K & $401K who doesn’t provide public option will pay 2-6% tax on all payroll.
Page 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn’t have Acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.
Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt From individual taxes. (Americans will pay.)
Page 195 HC Bill: Officers & employees of the GOVT HC Admin.. will have access to ALL Americans’ finances and personal records.
Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax.” (Yes, it really says that!)
Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors. (Low-income and the poor are affected.)
Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors: It doesn’t matter what specialty you have trained yourself in — you will all be paid the same! (Just TRY to tell me that’s not Socialism!)
Page 253 Line 10-18: The Govt sets the value of a doctor’s time, profession, judgment, etc. (Literally– the value of humans.)
Page 265 Sec 1131: The Govt mandates and controls productivity for “private” HC industries.
Page 268 Sec 1141: The federal Govt regulates the rental and purchase of power driven wheelchairs.
Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS – Cancer patients – welcome to rationing!
Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever the Govt deems preventable (i.e…re-admissions).
Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors: If you treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission — the Govt will penalize you.
Page 317 L 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. (The Govt tells doctors what and how much they can own!)
Page 317-318 lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion. (The Govt is mandating that hospitals cannot expand.)
Page 321 2-13: Hospitals have the opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required. (Can you say ACORN?
Page 335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339: The Govt mandates establishment of=2 outcome-based measures. (HC the way they want — rationing.)
Page 341 Lines 3-9: The Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc. (Forcing people into the Govt plan)
Page 354 Sec 1177: The Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of ’special needs people!’ Unbelievable!
Page 379 Sec 1191: The Govt creates more bureaucracy via a “Tele-Health Advisory Committee.” (Can you say HC by phone?)
Page 425 Lines 4-12: The Govt mandates “Advance-Care Planning Consult.” (Think senior citizens end-of-life patients.)
Page 425 Lines 17-19: The Govt will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. (And it’s mandatory!)
Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: The Govt provides an “approved” list of end-of-life resources; & nbsp;guiding you in death. (Also called ‘assisted suicide.’)
Page 427 Lines 15-24: The Govt mandates a program for orders on “end-of-life.” (The Govt has a say in how your life ends!)
Page 429 Lines 1-9: An “advanced-care planning consultant” will be used frequently as a patient’s health deteriorates.
Page 429 Lines 10-12: An “advanced care consultation” may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans. (AN ORDER TO DIE FROM THE GOVERNMENT?!?)
Page 429 Lines 13-25: The GOVT will specify which doctors can write an end-of-life order. (I wouldn’t want to stand before God after getting paid for THAT job!)
Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end-of-life! (Again — no choice!)
Page 469: Community-Based Home Medical Services = Non-Profit Organizations. (Hello? ACORN Medical Services here!?!)
Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover marriage and family therapy. (Which means Govt will insert itself into your marriage even.)
Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, and rationing those services.
