I must state that I believe we need Universal Government Controlled, Regulated and Administered Health Care that ACTUALLY provides: as needed, Medical Treatment(s) or Preventative Care; as done with Medicare and Medicaid FOR EVERYONE. Free prescription drugs or a nominal flat co-pay.
Anything less is a betrayal of our Politically Progressive Ideals and votes and is a threat to our Health Freedoms in the Greatest, Richest & Most Powerful Nation in Human History!
I will not deceive myself anymore into believing it's "right vs. left"...those are "straw-mans" diversions.
The recent Diaries I've read that say we should support the current Senate & House Bills because:
"We'll never get another chance" or "it can be fixed later" or "it's the best we can muster".
Or the fear-mongers that say, "wait till you get sick" I say "Hooey" to all those empty arguments.
Here's what I see & this is my analysis of the current situation:
I'm required to buy a private insurance policy at an average annual cost of $5500 as a single middle-aged woman (45 to be exact).
Two years ago as a Lowly Store Manager, I was making $37,000. The "cheapest plan" my Company offered would cost me, at that time, $4680 annually.
(as per CBO Estimates, in 2016 it will be $7,300 for the average plan)
http://cbo.gov/...
That "coverage" does not include the Deductibles, or Co-pays (or the changing paid percentages of said co-pays)or The Yearly Policy Limits or The Lifetime Policy Limits.
My yearly deductible was $750.00, any Hospital Visits were $250. My co-pays for GP visits were $45.00, Specialists, if pre-approved varied from $25 to $125 per visit. Some specialists I could only see once a year or others there were Lifetime Policy Limits, say for example: psychiatry of up to 25 times total.
And anything not enumerated was paid at the percentage of 40-60, the 1st yr. and then topping off at 60-40 after 3 years of continuous coverage, if approved.
Forget pre-existing conditions: they were so narrowly defined that if I had a "hang-nail" it wasn't covered because it must be a genetic defect and I didn't inform them prior.
Now, onto the issue at hand.
Will any of these "Bills" provide me with cheaper care, better care or free care?
If I'm spending a minimum required of 15% to 19% of my annual income on Health Insurance, BEFORE I EVEN WALK INTO THE DOCTORS OFFICE FOR ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT...what am I getting again?
All this money spent and I now only have the "opportunity" of getting Medical Treatment that may be ONLY PARTIALLY covered.
Where do I get another 10, 15, or 20% of my income for the Co-pays, the Prescriptions, God Forbid, any actual Medical Treatments, say like...a "suspicious mole" removal on my breast?
Now, some will say that we have the "best in the world" really?
I already pay 36% of my income on taxes, not including these new Mandatory Insurance Premiums...which would bring my new total to 50% or 54% of my yearly income (depending on what figures you use).
AND after spending at least 50% of my income on these things, I now can't afford to pay my rent, car insurance, food, electric, gas, or phone bill, let alone pay the deductibles associated with ACTUAL MEDICAL TREATMENTS.
So, what do I go without: a home, heat, electric, running water or say food this month? Just so I can spend my money on a doctors office visit or on an antibiotic or even worse...Heart Medication?
Wait, it get's better:
Let's say I do have a pre-existing condition or conditions:
Let's say I get an aneurysm in my abdomen caused by undiagnosed High Blood Pressure, a Heart Condition caused by High Cholesterol and my yearly Prescription limits are $1500, I use that up in the first 3 months of the year. How do I continue to pay these costs?
This scenario is happening right now to Americans everyday and effects the elderly even worse. They make choices between eating, paying their heat, electric, phone or water bills just to pay for needed medications.
Dr. Howard Dean's objections to this bill were very revealing:
"The pre-existing condition coverage isn't what they say, if you look at the fine print, your Insurance Company can charge you 300% or more...what will this do to the elderly?"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/...
So, if you have Pre-existing Conditions, these bills will ALLOW your Insurance Company to charge you 300% more!
So, my new total for Mandatory Health Insurance has now gone from 15% to 45% annually...NOT INCLUDING...all Income Tax, Property Tax, Sales Tax...OR THE POLICY DEDUCTIBLES AND CO-PAYS!
CAN ANYONE SAY ABJECT POVERTY?
I'm now paying 81% of my yearly income on taxes and Health Insurance, remember, I'm single and making $37,000, I don't qualify for any subsidies and I'm left with a GRAND TOTAL OF $7030 a year to live on!
My rent currently is $585 or yearly total of $7020...leaving me with $10 for everything else...
Can you say BREADLINE? Can you say HOMELESS? Can you say DESTITUTE?
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NOW LET'S GO ONTO THE REALLY GOOD STUFF!
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I'll give you a "what if" scenario:
What if, I buy the mandatory Health Insurance and loose my job, I can't find a job, I miss the Cobra payment because my unemployment insurance hasn't kicked in yet or I don't get unemployment at all because the Company claims I was "insubordinate" and subsequently I'm dropped from the Insurance Company.
The parsing of words calling the fines a "tax" is legal maneuvering.
"H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax." [page 1]
I'm now in violation of the stated provision above and I'm now required to pay a tax on top of the Insurance Coverage I've already paid for and no longer have.
That tax is "only" 2.5% of my yearly income". Where do I get that extra 2.5% "tax" money from?
Because, "If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply...The penalties for not paying the extra "tax" is $250,000 or 5 years in jail." [page 2]
http://republicans.waysandmeans.hous...
In the "eyes of some bureaucrat", the loss of my job was willful because I was denied unemployment so, obviously I did "something wrong" and my failure to pay the "tax" is a result of "willful behavior"... I then go to jail for not being able to pay the extra "tax".
This scenario is a very real possibility, in the Southern States, they are notoriously known for denying unemployment for "created reasons".
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NOW HERE'S THE REALLY JUICY STUFF!
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Let's Look At The "Trends" & Headlines Recently:
What if my Health Insurance Company claims that I'm "at risk" for x, y, or z...because as a child they took dna samples of me at the hospital when I was born...as currently done in Texas...or I'm "at risk" because of my age, gender, ethnicity or physical location?.
Or This:
"FDA Panel Recommends Broader Use of Cholesterol Drug Crestor"
http://www.healthnews.com/...
Do you see where this all is leading to?
They tell me that I must start taking this drug or that drug "as preventative care"...since the FDA has suggested it or that I must get this vaccine or that vaccine because of the latest "scare or hyped" pandemic because of the CDC's "recommends" it....
WAIT...I refuse...I tell them I can't afford it...then they drop my Insurance Coverage...
Now since my Insurance is mandated by the Government, my employer is obligated to follow the law, they can't provide me with Health Insurance because their chosen Company has dropped me...so they have no choice but to fire me...or they're breaking the law...
Hmmm...can you say FREEDOM?
"Oh, I remember that word, what does it mean again?" "When I was your age, there were rumors and stories about it...nah...they're just "urban legends"...sonny... don't believe everything you hear! Boy these kids today, I tell ya! Gettin' all these wild ideas in their heads!"...
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FINALLY, Thank's for being Patient with me...
WILL THESE "HEALTH CARE REFORMS"...
PROVIDE ME WITH BETTER MEDICAL TREATMENT?
CHEAPER MEDICAL TREATMENT?
FREE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?
WILL MY ABILITY TO OBTAIN THESE SERVICES BE ENHANCED OR CURTAILED?
Keith Olbermann's "Special Comment" hits the Nail On The Head!
"And I hereby pledge that I will not buy this perversion of health care reform. Pass this at your peril, Senators, and sign it at yours, Mr. President. I will not buy this insurance. Brand me a lawbreaker, if you choose. Fine me, if you will. Jail me, if you must."
These Bills are not going to make me healthier, better or live a longer more productive life are they?
When I'm bankrupt, homeless and walking down the street pulling my "grocery basket on wheels" behind me...
With eyes that reflect my broken and battered spirit...don't shake your head and ask:
"How'd she let herself get like that?" "Or Brush her off as just a crazy old woman!"
For that "crazy old woman", just might turn out to be you or me!
ANY QUESTIONS? OR SUGGESTIONS?