I monitor the freepnuts, and one of them just posted a list of "what's in the bill" giving page number and section citations. Of course the poster's "summary" of what each of those citations says is ludicrous. FactCheck.org, Politifact.com, and others have debunked certain arguments, but I haven't found a good source for a total bunking that shows how the acutal language of the bill contradicts or doesn't support the crazy assertions.
Gsadamb posted a diary on Wednesday that took on many of the assertions and is a great resource. I want to go a bit further. Since one of the mob's slogans is "read the bill," they should be challenged on what's actually in the bill. I'd like to assemble counters to all these "citations," using the relevant sections of the bill so I can argue these more effectively. Since it's a long list, I'm shamelessly recruiting help. If you're willing, pick a section, find the actual language of the bill (PDF) that shows how crazy the wingnuts' "interpretation" is, and have at it.
At the end, we should have a resource for those arguing with family and friends, and for those attending townhalls.
Here is the lunatic list from a freeper. It's as posted, except that I've added numbers to make it easier to refer to.
- Pg 22 of the bill MANDATES the government will audit books of all employers that self insure
- Pg 30 Sec 123 of the bill provides for a government committee that decides what treatments and benefits we receive
- Pg 29 lines 4-16 – Provides the mechanism whereby health care will be rationed
- Pg 42 - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your health care benefits for you. You have no choice.
- PG 50 Section 152 in the bill – All care will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise
- Pg 58 – The government will have real-time access two your financial records and a National ID health card will be issued! (Do all of my fellow Comrades grasp the meaning of THIS?)
- Pg 59 - lines 21-24 – The government will have direct access to your bank accounts for electronic funds transfer
- PG 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan specifically for retirees and their families in unions & community orgs (ACORN).
- Pg 72 lines 8-14 – The government is creating an Healthcare Exchange to bring private health plans completely under government control
- PG 84 Sec 203 – The government will mandate ALL benefit packages for private plans shall be contained in the Exchange
- PG 85 Line 7 of the bill – Specifications are included for of Benefit Levels for all inclusive Plans = The government will ration your healthcare!
- PG 91 Lines 4-7 of the bill mandates linguistic appropriate services. Interpreters must be provided for by all healthcare providers. Example - Translation 4 illegal aliens
- Pg 95 of the bill, lines 8-18 – The government will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to enroll people into the government healthcare plan
- PG 85 Line 7 HC Bill – Provides the specifications of benefit levels for medical care plans. Age, current health, etc. will be factors in determining treatment. The elderly and those with long-term needs will be most effected. RATIONING
- PG 102 Lines 12-18 – Medicaid eligible persons will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid. No choice
- Pg 124 lines 24-25 – No company can sue the government on price fixing. No "judicial review" against the government monopoly
- Pg 127 Lines 1-16 – The government will set strict guidelines on fees for services. Doctors may not charge more
- Pg 145 Line 15-17 – All employers MUST auto enroll employees into public option plan. NO CHOICE (or suffer the penalties noted below)
- Pg 126 Lines 22-25 - Employers MUST pay for healthcare for part time employees AND their families.
- Pg 149 Lines 16-24 - Any employer with payroll $400k & above who does not provide the public option health care (In addition to any other plan.) pays 8% tax on all payroll
- Pg 150 Lines 9-13 - Any business with a payroll between $251k & $400k who does not provide the public health care plan option will pay 2-6% tax on all payroll
- Pg 167 Lines 18-23 – Any individual who doesn’t have health care approved by the federal government will be taxed 2.5% of income
- Pg 170 Lines 1-3 of the bill – Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes noted above (Americans will pay)
- Pg 195 Of the bill – Federal employees of the Health Care administration shall have access to the health, personal and business financial records of ALL Americans
- PG 203 Line 14-15 of the bill states: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax" Yes, it really says that.
- Pg 239 Line 14-24 of the bill - The government will reduce physician services 4 Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected
- Pg 241 Line 6-8 of the bill – All physicians’ fees for services will be equalized. Regardless of their specialty, all doctors will receive the same set amount for services provided.
- PG 253 Line 10-18 of the bill states that government will determine the value of the physician’s time with each patient. This sets a value for humans.
- PG 265 Sec 1131 – The government shall mandate and control productivity metrics for private healthcare industries
- PG 268 Sec 1141 – The government shall regulate the rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs
- PG 272 SEC. 1145 – Treatment of certain diseases shall be strictly controlled by the government. Hospitals/hospices that provide treatment for late-stage cancer patients will be carefully managed by the government. Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!
- Page 280 Sec 1151 – The government will reserve the right to penalize hospitals for what the federal health care administration deems preventable readmissions.
- Pg 298 Lines 9-11 – Any physician who treats a patient during an initial admission, may be penalized by the government, should that patient require readmission.
- Pg 317 lines 13-20 – The federal government will set guidelines and limits on how much property and other tangible assets a physician may own
- Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 - Prohibits expansion of hospitals (public or privately owned, for, or non-profit) except upon approval by the health care administration
- pg 321 lines 2-13 – WRT the above, hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can you say ACORN?!!
- Pg335 lines 16-25, Pg 336-339 – The government shall mandate establishment of outcome-base medical care procedures. Rationing...needs-based healthcare. (The elderly better watch out!)
- Pg 341 Lines 3-9 - The government has the authority to disqualify Medicare supplemental plans, HMOs, and other plans. This will force us into the government plan
- Pg 354 Sec 1177 – The government may restrict the enrollment of special needs persons. Not good...my niece has Down’s syndrome!
- Pg 379 Sec 1191 – The government health care system will employ tens of thousands of new federal employees to run the system. There will be for example, a "Telehealth Advisory Committee" Health care by phone?
- PG 425 Lines 4-12 – The government will mandate "Advanced Care Planning Consultation" for the elderly. This one scares the hell out of me! Think seniors and "end of life". If you bring no benefit to the community...you are doomed.
- Pg 425 Lines 17-19 – The government will ensure that all citizens have living wills and durable powers of attorney. Mandatory for all.
- PG 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 – The government will provide an approved list of "end-of-life" resources, guiding us in death.
- PG 427 Lines 15-24 – The government end of life program will determine how you will spend your last days in this world. You will not.
- Pg 429 Lines 1-9 – Another reference to the "advanced care planning consultation" that will be used to prepare terminal patients and their families for the end. (I wonder if they will also determine the drugs to be used in putting me down.)
- PG 429 Lines 10-12 – The "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from the government to end your life at the appropriate moment...NOT determined by your physician and family.
- Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The government will specify which physicians may write an end of life order.
- PG 430 Lines 11-15 – The government will decide what level of treatment terminal patients will receive near end of life
- Pg 469 – Provide for Community Based Home Medical Services, i.e., non profit organizations shall be permitted to provide appropriate health care clinics and services...ACORN?
- Page 472 Lines 14-17 – The federal government will pay the community based organizations for operation of the community-based medical care system...ACORN again?
- PG 489 Sec 1308 – The government will provide for and control family therapy care. They are now into your most intimate affairs of your marriage.
Since I'm a physician, I'll start with a few that fall under my area.
- Pg 30 Sec 123 of the bill provides for a government committee that decides what treatments and benefits we receive
The bill says the committee "shall recommend to the Secretary of Health and Human Services benefit standards..."
Section 123 subsection 4 defines benefit standards: "the essential benefits package described in section 122," which contains "Minimum Services to be Covered."
I don't know in what universe "standards" translates to "deciding treatments" but most state governments already have such standards - For example, the National Conference of State Legislatures notes "46 states and the District of Columbia have some law that requires health insurance policy coverage for diabetes treatment."
It's a minimum, not a restriction.
Next up
- Pg 42 - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your health care benefits for you. You have no choice.
This page gives the duties and authority of the Commissioner. The only applicable portion is "The establishment of qualified health benefits plan standards under this title, including the enforcement of such standards in coordination with State insurance regulators and the Secretaries of Labor and the Treasury."
I suppose they think the Commissioner of the FDA "chooses your food for you" by setting minimum standards of food safety.