Why health care reform WILL become law this year

As the debate on health care reform approaches the day of final reckoning in the Congress, health insurance companies continue to increase their premiums -- even for federal employees -- in double digits. Last week, I heard from a federal employee whose agency announced proudly that it had been able to negotiate a lower rate with BCBS Carefirst of the National Capital Area. Now, instead of a 25 percent increase in premiums for 2010, federal employees under the plan would only pay an increase of 9.5 percent. Mind you, our nation's inflation rate has been less than 2 percent for the past year. Gall? No. Nerve? No. There is another name for it.


Health insurance companies have for the past 20 years imposed ever increasing premiums on a public that generally has paid little attention because they don't pay the premiums, "my agency (or my company) pays them." Of course, you and I know that is not true. Indeed we all pay. Because products and services for all other sectors of our economy must go up to feed the appetite of the health insurance industry....and sooner or later, those goods and services become non competitive with those produced by others, e.g., Mexicans, Chinese, Koreans, etc. And jobs go overseas to produce those things we need.


Meanwhile, back home, we just continue to complain about it all and keep on paying the higher and higher premiums which have nothing to do with the laws of supply and demand. They have everything to do with .....greed. Republicans who want to protect such a system are either ignorant of how the capitalist system works or are intentionally turning a blind eye to the problem. I choose to think they are ignorant rather than intentionally acquiescing to those who keep their campaign coffers full.


And so, to the health insurance companies, work with your government, get costs under control, because if you don't, to paraphrase the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, "The government will be back." Would you like me to tell you what comes next IF the current version of health care reform doesn't pass? I didn't think so.


Thank you for your attention. You may now return to counting the deposits your health insurance company will make in the bank today.

Are we done yet?

We are rapidly moving to the point in our history where no one -- and I mean NO ONE -- can govern this nation. We are so utterly and completely polarized that no one will be able to keep enough of us in the center long enough to govern in a way that moves us forward.

There are many reasons for the polarization but I blame the Internet first and radical talk media second. The Internet is an open sewer and people are so very quick to accept everything on it as truth....when 90% is definitely not.

Last night I got an e-m that had been circulated among hundreds of people. It showed President Obama at Ft. Hood on Veterans Day standing on a stage with hands folded in front of him while military people on the stage were saluting. The person who started the e-mail string said "Why can't this guy honor the fallen as he should; why can't he at least put his hand over his heart during the playing of the National Anthem. If I had a sword, I would take care of the problem. I am outraged and you should be, too. Send this to everyone in your mailing list." I took 15 seconds to read about it on Snopes.com and here is what I learned. The photo was NOT taken at Ft. Hood. It was Arlington cemetery. It was NOT taken on Veterans Day 2009; it was Memorial Day 2009. And most importantly, it was NOT taken during the playing of the National Anthem. It was taken just moments after Obama took the stage and the band was still playing "Hail to the Chief." It would have been inappropriate for him to salute himself!! In my opinion, this type of e-m activity is not amusing in the slightest.

This man, Barack Obama, is doing the best job of which he is capable for us. He will make mistakes, and unlike some in that office, he will admit to them. But there is a fairly large and vocal contingent who are not really part of any major political party who hate him for being there. They do not understand our system of government. If they did, they would understand that when the voters have spoken, you get with the program. I'm sorry but this is serious. And it is adversely impacting all major issues before the Congress. If we can't get health care reform done this year, an issue that has been waiting for its day of deliberation for more than six decades, this country will have demonstrated that the people won't let our Congress perform as it should....and all of us will be done.

Health Scare Tactics

Today, as the NY Times reports drug makers are raising prices as they anticipate the passage of a health care reform bill that may restrict their ability to charge whatever their greed might dictate, I recall a column in last Wednesday’s Washington Post by Ruth Marcus. Ruth did an excellent job of capturing the outrageous lies the Republicans are spouting at the behest of the drug makers and insurance companies in reckless attempts to derail health care reform.

Here are several citations from Ms. Marcus’ column for you to share with friends over the back fence.

John Boehner, House minority leader:

"If you're a Medicare Advantage enrollee . . . the Congressional Budget Office says that 80 percent of them are going to lose their Medicare Advantage."

Not true. The CBO hasn't said anything of the sort. Boehner's office acknowledges that he misspoke: He meant to cite a study from the Medicare actuary estimating that projected enrollment would be down by 64 percent -- if the cuts took effect. Choosing not to enroll in Medicare Advantage is different from "losing" it.

Kentucky Republican Brett Guthrie: "The bill raises taxes for just about everyone."

Not true. The bill imposes surtax on the top 0.3 percent of households, individuals making more than $500,000 a year and couples making more than $1 million.

Georgia Republican Tom Price: "This bill, on Page 733, empowers the Washington bureaucracy to deny lifesaving patient care if it costs too much."

Not true. The bill sets up a Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research "in order to identify the manner in which diseases, disorders, and other health conditions can most effectively and appropriately be prevented, diagnosed, treated, and managed clinically."

Price, again: "This bill, on Page 94, will make it illegal for any American to obtain health care not approved by Washington."

Not true. The vast majority of Americans get their insurance through their employers. The bill envisions setting minimum federal standards for such insurance, in part to determine who is eligible to buy coverage through the newly created insurance exchanges. This is hardly tantamount to making it "illegal" to obtain "health care" without Washington's approval.

Michigan Republican Dave Camp: "Americans could face five years in jail if they don't comply with the bill's demands to buy approved health insurance."

Not true. The bill requires people to obtain insurance or, with some hardship exceptions, pay a fine. No one is being jailed for being uninsured. People who intentionally evade paying the fine could, in theory, be prosecuted -- just like others who cheat on their taxes.

California Republican Buck McKeon: "I offered two amendments to try to improve this bill -- one to require members of Congress to enroll in the public option like we're going to require all of you to do."

Not true. No one is required to enroll in the public option. In fact, most people won't even be eligible to enroll in the public option or other plans available through the exchanges.

Florida Republican Ginny Brown-Waite: "The president's own economic advisers have said that this bill will kill 5.5 million jobs."

Not true. Christina Romer, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, has estimated that the bill would increase economic growth and add jobs. Republicans misuse Romer's previous economic research on the impact of tax increases to produce the phony 5.5 million number.

Thank you, Ruth Marcus.

How uncomfortable it must be for these Republicans who have so completely sold out to the pharmaceutical industry and health insurance companies to so willingly participate in such a farce. Have they no shame; have they no conscience? I guess not.

Friday Potpourri

That 10.8 percent unemployment rate from……..Ronald Reagan.

You’re going to hear a lot of Obama critics today saying, “Where are the jobs, Mr. Obama?” They know the unemployment rate is a “lagging indicator,” as the economists say. But they have forgotten how our system works (if they ever knew). So, here is the unemployment rate for one of the recessions presided over by their saint and savior, Ronald Reagan.

For the 12 months of July 1982 to June 1983, the unemployment rate was 9.8 percent or above. For 10 of those 12 months, the unemployment rate was above 10 percent, reaching a high of 10.8 percent in November and December of 1982. Give it a rest, my dear Republican friends.

Memo to GOP

Yesterday, John Boehner, minority leader of the House of Representatives stood before a rally of raging opponents of the health care reform proposed and he railed on about the difficulty of governing when we forget the sacred principles of the U.S. Constitution. He said “I’m going to read to you the first paragraph of that great document,” and then he proceeded to read the first paragraph of the ….Declaration of Independence.

PS to GOP: why not ask your members to read the Constitution before they actually run for office?

GOP angst over Obama’s ability to address more than one issue at a time.

One Republican friend asked me this week why President Obama doesn’t stay in the Oval Office and work on one major issue at a time instead of spending tax money flying all over the nation in Air Force One talking to constituents?

I explained this President has 322 million citizens looking to him to keep the lights on for them, clear the air for them, provide adequate and affordable health care for them, assist with the education of their children, and oh yes, protect them from all enemies, foreign and domestic. I don't begrudge him a ride on a big plane to Wisconsin to talk with his constituents about education and other important issues.

The reason this President continues his high approval rating with most Americans is because they perceive in him a President, finally, who actually CAN keep more than one ball in the air at the same time.