Posted by
CyberMom on Monday, September 01, 2008 2:39:18 PM
Onto article two of Stop, Obama time! Where I (through assistance thanks to our wonderful system) will list some very interesting issues regarding our Presidential hopeful.... and without further ado, let us take a deep look into how Barack Obama will change this country for the better starting with health care:
Here is an excerpt from Barack's speech in Iowa in May of this year:
“We now face an opportunity — and an obligation — to turn the page on the failed politics of yesterday's health care debates… My plan begins by covering every American. If you already have health insurance, the only thing that will change for you under this plan is the amount of money you will spend on premiums. That will be less. If you are one of the 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance, you will have it after this plan becomes law. No one will be turned away because of a preexisting condition or illness.”
And, how does the great and powerful Wizard of Oz.. er, um, Mr. Obama plan to effect these changes? Let's see:
Guaranteed eligibility. No American will be turned away from any insurance plan because of illness or pre-existing conditions.
FACT - most employer paid or partially funded insurance packages do not suffer from the pre-existing illness issue. It is those who must get insurance privately that suffer. And, the truth is - they are usually not turned away. The prices are jacked up and they can't afford it. So - did Obama offer ANYTHING in this little diddy about any functional reform? No, not at all.
Comprehensive benefits. The benefit package will be similar to that offered through Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the plan members of Congress have. The plan will cover all essential medical services, including preventive, maternity and mental health care.
FACT: The same plan Congress has? Does that means that premiums can expect to jump about a 1000%? And, most health care programs do focus on preventative care and are almost always stipulated for care for maternity that's not already government funded. As to mental health care - the truth is - Obama will offer no more than what exists now. Those who really need it, still won't get it, because mental health care has never been cheap, and never will be.
Affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles.
FACT: Ahh... the easy thing to say, isn't it? Didn't someone say this at least 20, 30 or more years ago? In an article I recently wrote about the fictitiousness of Free America, one of the topics covered was advertising driven media. In my article, I quoted another who wrote: Since 1997 when the FDA opened the door to prescription drug advertising to consumers, prescription drugs went up in price 200% to 1000% to pay for it. Non-prescription drugs went up with them. They get away with it because industry public relations claims, and we accept, that giant profits are needed to "develop new drugs."
Hmm, so - what happens to those who need life saving drugs and can't afford it? Well, they die. So - affordable premiums, and yet Obama doesn't even address what is massively contributing to driving up the prices. Wonder how that works?
Subsidies. Individuals and families who do not qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP but still need financial assistance will receive an income-related federal subsidy to buy into the new public plan or purchase a private health care plan.
FACT: So, essentially what we're saying here is.... welfare? Okay - makes sense. But, those who don't qualify for the other plans. So, they have to meet a certain set of qualifications - but which ones and how 'real,' will this be to the masses?
Simplified paperwork and reined in health costs. / Easy enrollment. The new public plan will be simple to enroll in and provide ready access to coverage.
FACT: HAHAHAHAHA - everytime the government writes something like 'simplified,' it usually means that they're cutting out everything that could have benefitted you, or that it won't happen in this lifetime. Providing easy access to coverage is a government-based standard that's been around for 30 years or so. For example, if there's a doctor within, say, 2 or 3... hundred miles of you, you can certainly reach them in one day and get back. That's easy access; if you have a car; if you can afford the gas; et. al.?
Portability and choice. Participants in the new public plan and the National Health Insurance Exchange will be able to move from job to job without changing or jeopardizing their health care coverage.
FACT: Those in the new, 'public plan,' or those in the National Health Insurance Exchange,' will benefit. Those who chose the private option because the others sucked or were ineffective, too bad. Those who move from a job to.. no job... also - wonder if they'll even see COBRA type insurance plans exist anymore? This is getting better, isn't it?
Quality and efficiency. Participating insurance companies in the new public program will be required to report data to ensure that standards for quality, health information technology and administration are being met.
FACT: This does NOT lower costs. This creates added paperwork, time and cost. I wonder if Obama actually plans things out or just writes ideas sporadically as they come to him? Let's see, which insurance company is going to write that the doctors are doing a bad job? Hmm... none come to mind. Which doctors' offices or insurance companies are not already swamped under paperwork... wow, except for the kinds of multi-billionaire level docs that good ol' Obama gets, I just can't think of any. So a change? Yes. For the good - so far, NO!
Employer Contribution: Employers that do not offer or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the national plan. Small businesses will be exempt from this requirement, and will receive a new Small Business Health Tax Credit that helps reduce health care costs for small businesses.
FACT: If this doesn't scare the living bajeebers out of you, you're either too rich, too dumb or flat out not reading this! First off - let's think about 'large,' employers, such as Walmart, that are so cheap they overwork their employees illegally. When this law hits - many of these stores and/or their growth, will cease. Those individuals that are poor and need walmart's services, such as its pharmacy, will pay the price. But, let's REALLY read this, shall we? Notice that employers who do NOT contribute a meaninful share, will do so out of their PAYROLL. I don't know about you folks, but somehow, it seems to me, that if I was a big business owner, I'd just stop contributing a meaninful share and then forcibly take the money out of everyone's wages to contribute my share - forcing them all to make less and PAY FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH CARE. This is NOT a mistake. This is NOT an accident. This is in direct support of big business. Holy cow - this is NOT Democratic, but Republican in its underlying nature, although severly hampered by unscrupulous principals. Glad Obama DOES state SOME of what he intends to do. That way, when people who voted for him are getting screwed, we can go back and tell them how STUPID they are and that they CAN'T complain because he told us in the beginning he was planning on causing this type of havoc.
But wait - there's more! The little guy won't suffer this indignity. Oh no, employers who just can't afford it won't be forced to have to take away from their employees earnings to force them into it. The government will do it FOR them. This small business tax credit - guess what, that's less taxes, and it has to be compensated somewhere. No - the cost of the health care doesn't decrease, but their income increases, but now they have to dish that out into health insurance anyway. And, everyone is still forced onto the same system. But wait - it gets better! When taxes have to be compensated for, others will have to pick up the slack. So the employees of big business that just got their paychecks reamed, will have to start paying.... yup - MORE TAXES!
MAN - I LOVE THIS GUY! He is the exemplification of the very strategy designed to destroy a nation, but look so good doing it, that NOBODY notices until it's too late! How awesome is that? The Liberals - the 'for the people,' people, are strategically targeting the people and the economy for a fall.
Mandatory Coverage of Children: Obama will require that all children have health care coverage. Obama will expand the number of options for young adults to get coverage, including allowing young people up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parents' plans.
FACT: All health care plans (well, okay, almost all), offer child health care coverage. The reason kids are not covered - NOBODY can afford it! Let's see - $85 per month for you.... $95 per month for your spouse, and.. oh yeah, $250 per child!!??? But now - it's required? How does that work? Do states start saving money by not making mandatory coverage for children while parents are forced to dish out this $250, lest DHS/CPS step in and take their children away for being bad parents? This is not only bad people - it's (insert HUGE explitives here) dangerous! Who is this man? Satan's hand puppet? And, allowing children up to age 25 for coverage through their parents? Well thank GOODNESS he clarified that. Cause currently, it's children who are still enrolled in school. Now little jimmy can drop out, live off of mom and dad until he's 25 and get all that health care coverage he won't need until mom and dad finally kick him out and he's unhealthy for spending 24/7 playing VIDEO GAMES! Personally - it seemed dangerous to begin with to have a president with such young children (putting family first is important in my book - but as President, you can't; yet, putting Presidency first as an obligation, hurts families and lowers any respect anyone could have for him). But, it's even more dangerous when the man has the foresight of a bat with a blindfold on that's heading toward a big rock and can't use sonar!!
Expansion Of Medicaid and SCHIP: Obama will expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve their critical safety net function.
FACT: Yes, expansion of these programs is what we need, because people who need them like the retired and disabled are not getting the services they need like affordable prescriptions or health care.. wait.. that's NOT what he said. He said: eligibility. Oh, I see, the same screwed up plan, just a lot more people to screw with it! Awesome!
Reducing Costs of Catastrophic Illnesses for Employers and Their Employees: Catastrophic health expenditures account for a high percentage of medical expenses for private insurers. The Obama plan would reimburse employer health plans for a portion of the catastrophic costs they incur above a threshold if they guarantee such savings are used to reduce the cost of workers' premiums.
FACT: Let's get this straight - employers who now contribute so little that they can dock the wages of their employees to cover the difference, will get reimbursed (in this case - free money to the business as they aren't the ones putting it out) for a 'catastrophic cost' that goes beyond the insured amount ONLY IF, that added amount will reduce the cost of the portion the worker's pay. Okay - let's see: I, the business owner contribute $25 per month (versus the $100 I used too! HAHAHAHA), and now deduct an added $75 from payroll - no specific employee - per person to cover that amount (while the employees currently pay their own $50 premium), but the injured employee is suing for an added $50k above and beyond the coverage limits set for them - I have two choices. I can A) Now have to pay more and further hurt my employees payroll my taking more from payroll to have higher coverage, or B) I can take the Obama Plan $10k they'll reimburse, pocket $5k, use $5k to tell the employees I'm lowering their premium by $5 per month (so now they only pay $45), but because of the lawsuit, the $40k and the bottom line, I can no longer contribute the full $25 I was before and can only contribute $15, so I'll have to deduct payroll an added $10 per person to compensate.
Man -oh - man - okay, quick poll: how many of you 'obama' supporters just woke up and realized you weren't laying in a field of poppies over the rainbow, but in the big pile of doggy doo that's building up around you? Just wondering.. show of hands.. come on now - don't be afraid...
Support disease management programs. Seventy five percent of total health care dollars are spent on patients with one or more chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Obama will require that providers that participate in the new public plan, Medicare or the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) utilize proven disease management programs. This will improve quality of care, give doctors better information and lower costs.
FACT: Mr. Obama says... spend more money on equipment that doesn't necessarily work but is now required of you because we don't give a darn about actually trying to cure conditions like diabetes or heart disease. Now, Mr. Obama says, only those insurance companies that want to be cut costs by forcing health care into a vacuum tube that doesn't work and screw people but raise your bottom line, jump in on these new national programs. Now, provide better services for the currently, government subsidized individuals who aren't employed, are disabled or can't afford health care and don't qualify for the Obama Plan support through businesses.... oooohhh.. obama didn't say! No fixing the REAL underlying situation of lack of money for REAL services via government funding for you poor dolts!
Require full transparency about quality and costs. Obama will require hospitals and providers to collect and publicly report measures of health care costs and quality, including data on preventable medical errors, nurse staffing ratios, hospital-acquired infections, and disparities in care. Health plans will also be required to disclose the percentage of premiums that go to patient care as opposed to administrative costs.
FACT: Yes - do JUST as the government does. Tell us everything. Come on now, be honest. How many of you big, bad doctors are really providing poor quality to your patients? Tell us how you're inadequately providing services to those with health care. Tell us all the mistakes you personally make, not the mistakes because the system's screwed up. Also, we want to know if you deserve less staff and are screwing up the care of your patients. Also - JUST like the government, our model of absolution and truth, we EXPECT those of you in charge to show us, honestly, that you're not stacking paper to the ceiling while the clinic itself is hurting. Especially you insurance companies. After all - we KNOW how honest you are...
Align incentives for excellence. Both public and private insurers tend to pay providers based on the volume of services provided, rather than the quality or effectiveness of care. Providers who see patients enrolled in the new public plan, the National Health Insurance Exchange, Medicare and FEHBP will be rewarded for achieving performance thresholds on outcome measures.
FACT: YES! You no longer have to make services available to as many people as possible through the public... health... care... plan? What? Okay, um, you just have to show that you're doing a good job... at... it, and we'll give you.. more.. of... our... tax... money? HUH? I'm sorry, did I miss something? I thought Biden said that Mr. Obama was one of the 'clean,' black people, not one of the heavy pot smokers that gets high before making decisions. Oops - that was egregious- my bad. I apologize. Mr. Obama made a perfectly, um, somewhat, um, kinda... logical decision here?
Comparative effectiveness research. Obama will establish an independent institute to guide reviews and research on comparative effectiveness, so that Americans and their doctors will have the accurate and objective information they need to make the best decisions for their health and well-being.
FACT: Obama cares. He cares SO much, that he's going to take OUR tax money, create an institute that will mandate additional government spending on the effectiveness of research - no, don't be silly, not government money to actually help people or perform research, or look at it - so that we are told what we will and will not get. Wait! Hold on! I thought Mr. Obama was a liberal? I thought he believed in less government intervention into the private lives and practices of our people and economy? How is it - that the government will now GUIDE reviews and research? Doesn't that mean that they can pick and choose as they want, and there will be no governing authority over them? Doesn't that mean that pharmaceuticals like Phizer, with a bad rep for eating smaller suppliers and potentially (this is only heresay folks) contributing to the FDA who monitors the drugs they issue, will be able to, for instance, be on the favorable side of an opinion of some person who can now declare that only Phizers' way is right - and they can jack the meds and corner the market? Isn't this the foundation of Capitalism and an Empire? Wow, maybe I'm just reading it wrong. Guide the research on what works best and what will be done - hmmm - somehow, I can't see any other way to read that.
Tackle disparities in health care. Obama will tackle the root causes of health disparities by addressing differences in access to health coverage and promoting prevention and public health, both of which play a major role in addressing disparities. He will also challenge the medical system to eliminate inequities in health care through quality measurement and reporting, implementation of effective interventions such as patient navigation programs, and diversification of the health workforce.
FACT: Ahh, here we go - let's rewrite this to be more accurate: New laws governing smoking, drinking, driving, living, breathing, eating and more of our personal lives. And, no more lying for those health care providers. Now they will have to report their statistics and be honest. Cause, when they harm people, we KNOW, that they always tell the truth. Of course, now it will be a WHOLE lot easier for them to avoid some silly, government trap, because patient navigation programs will tell the patients what they will do, eat, sleep, tests they'll be subjected to, added visits with added co-pay and transportation costs and... what's this? Diversification of the health workforce? Um, maybe I'm wrong, but as far as I could tell, doctors come in all shapes, sizes, colors, sexes and more. Does this mean that the Obama plan actually has an underlying, hidden message that will force the health workforce to remove its qualified people and lower its standards? Well - at least we're being more fair in equality, even if those lowered standards mean more people die.....
WHO IS THIS NUTBALL?
Insurance reform. Obama will strengthen antitrust laws to prevent insurers from overcharging physicians for their malpractice insurance and will promote new models for addressing errors that improve patient safety, strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and reduce the need for malpractice suits.
FACT: Ah, so less cost for malpractice insurance. So - the insurance companies get an out and doctors will be directly screwed more often. I suppose that holds them accountable. Of course, in law-suits and the current justice system, the doc didn't REALLY have to do anything wrong. After all - everyone's honest, aren't they? But, of course, we'll promote patient safety - and in doing so - with added forms, disclaimers and effective intervention into the doctor's ability to do their job, this will most definately strengthen that doc-client relationship! No need for malpractice suits now! Wait... does that mean new stipulations on what qualifies for those suits? Maybe - this will be less cost to insurance companies, more risk for doctors, and even higher risk for patients. Cool! That's the way to win 'em over. Screw their wages, their health care and THEN - screw up the doctors. This is getting AWESOME!
Lowering Costs Through Investment in Electronic Health Information Technology Systems: Most medical records are still stored on paper, which makes it hard to coordinate care, measure quality or reduce medical errors and which costs twice as much as electronic claims. Obama will invest $10 billion a year over the next five years to move the U.S. health care system to broad adoption of standards-based electronic health information systems, including electronic health records, and will phase in requirements for full implementation of health IT. Obama will ensure that patients' privacy is protected.
FACT: Obama loves people and is dedicated to their privacy. Therefore, he's going to jack the costs to the clinics and hospitals, dramatically re-route any IT they have in place, dampen the need to have paper records and back-ups by dramatically increasing IT costs (and thank goodness, we ALL know just how RELIABLE the computer industry really is), and keep it all under HIS watchful care by the U.S. government. Of course, to those cynics who think this is a conspiracy to get around making laws that open up medical records to courts and governments to continue the assault on the American Public by corrupted law enforcement, I can assure you: it's.. um.. well... Obama can assure you, that HE will personally protect your privacy. Nobody but you, your doctor, and the U.S. government will have control of your records. Whew! Wipe that drop of sweat from your brow. After all, a simple search at the DOJ / FBI / CERT, regarding computer security will show you that the FBI has been breaking the law, repeatedly, anyway, and getting access to records that they are getting away with or later having to apologize for and are only hacked about 1 million or so times per year. That's ONLY, 1 MILLION opportunities for the hackers to steal your records. What.. could... go.... wrong? At least you won't have to worry about law enforcement breaking the law to illegally take your medical records. Now - they'll have unlimited access. Oh yeah - and notice the $10 billion. How come we didn't get an amount anywhere else? I suppose that he didn't want us to see the measley $1 million being used for a part of the Obama plan that's to help cover the ENTIRE NATION!!??
Lowering Costs by Increasing Competition in the Insurance and Drug Markets: The insurance business today is dominated by a small group of large companies that has been gobbling up their rivals. There have been over 400 health care mergers in the last 10 years, and just two companies dominate a full third of the national market. These changes were supposed to make the industry more efficient, but instead premiums have skyrocketed by over 87 percent.
FACT: Yes, government support of big business pharmaceuticals and the FDA taking bribes (although - that's only heresay because they were donations), will no longer be an issue. Pharmaceuticals will have to give up that power to the little guys. This will FORCE them to lower their prices. On the other hand, the first time the government got involved, they screwed it all up. Now, instead of addressing the other mistakes the government made and taking responsibility for it, like allowing the public advertising of drugs that drove the market up 800%, they're going to make the pharmaceuticals accountable, just like they did with AT&T. That worked WONDERS... didn't it?
Barack Obama will prevent companies from abusing their monopoly power through unjustified price increases. His plan will force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care instead of keeping exorbitant amounts for profits and administration. His new National Health Exchange will help increase competition by insurers.
FACT: Yes, those insurers that join in this national program [only], will no longer be money making mongers, they will become insurers that pay out of the premiums to the doctors! This should lower premiums! This should make things better! Of course... it will be somewhat "funny," (and I use that term loosely), when the insurance companies then INCREASE the premiums to continue pocketing what they want and insurance will become unaffordable. Wow. It's one thing to make open ended decisions that have possibilities. It's an entirely different matter to back yourself into a wall that will actually HURT the masses.
Lower prescription drug costs. The second-fastest growing type of health expenses is prescription drugs. Pharmaceutical companies are selling the exact same drugs in Europe and Canada but charging Americans more than double the price. Obama will allow Americans to buy their medicines from other developed countries if the drugs are safe and prices are lower outside the U.S. Obama will also repeal the ban that prevents the government from negotiating with drug companies, which could result in savings as high as $30 billion. Finally, Obama will work to increase the use of generic drugs in Medicare, Medicaid, and FEHBP and prohibit big name drug companies from keeping generics out of markets.
FACT: Didn't I say that it was the stupidity of government intervention that drove prescription prices upwards of 800%? Isn't it also true that European and Canadian markets don't suffer the same thing because of a highly-reduced, advertising-driven media vs. government/public funded media? But, of course, now WE can buy our medications from other countries. Thank goodness he invented that - just like Dan Quayle invented the internet! But, instead of the current system that lets us do that, the drugs will suddenly become inaccessible due to 'safety,' and the element of pricing. I guess, that really does hurt those folks who don't have insurance and can't afford the high-cost of drugs, because for them - they don't "fit," into the perfect, Obama Plan. However, Obama will no longer prevent the government from also taking part of the lowered prescription drug cost program - just like they did in Oregon. And oh, how it's benefitted SO many people with higher taxes, a limited range of available drugs and a whole, whopping, 10% savings over the stores! Wowweee! Thank goodness for that generic drug market now. After all, that was SO foreign to us... but I wonder... oft times we don't see a generic version of a drug because one doesn't exist. Hmm... I suppose it looked good on paper when he wrote it, but in reality - it means nothing. Guess that's not much different from everything else he's saying.. now is it?
That's all for now. Stay tuned for the next installment of: Stop, Obama Time! This time, we'll address Obama's miracle cure for the economy. This time, we'll show how this strong-willed liberal has full support of his party because he believes in:
Tax cuts for the wealthy, not those middle class losers!
Think he really didn't say this? HAHAHAHAHA - stay tuned believers!