I feel it is time to get personal about HCR. Because this is a battle for the soul of the Democratic Party. We are in danger of losing our vision of who we are.
Let me tell you about my immediate family and their circumstances as relates to health insurance. Then you tell me what a good Democrat should do. Because our choice is no longer between some better bill, and this bill. It is between this bill, or no bill.
Sibling 1 has employer health insurance.
Sibling 2 is recently unemployed and has no health insurance, but does have a chronic illness, which makes purchasing open-market insurance prohibitively expensive.
Sibling 3 is also unemployed and has no health insurance.
Sibling 4 and spouse: husband is long-term unemployed with a temp job the only income for years. He has several chronic illnesses requiring medication. Wife is employed, gets health insurance through her employer. The cost of adding husband to her plan represents a significant chunk of her take home pay. They are burning through their savings to cover him.
Child one is newly unemployed with no health insurance.
Child two and spouse: both unemployed in the last year. He just had several thousand dollars in non-covered medical expenses, wiping out all their savings and sending them into debt. They have two children.
Child three is a student with no insurance.
Child four and spouse: Husband is sole support. His employer declared bankruptcy last year and dropped all health insurance. They purchase it on the open market at a price equal to a large chunk of take home pay. They have a child with health issues, and wife has a pre-existing condition that adds to the cost.
Child five and fiance: Covered through state insurance, but that may be canceled due to budget problems. They have a child. She may get insurance through her job soon, if she gets promoted to salaried position.
Child six: Special needs child, still lives with me & Lady Aardvark. Over 18 so is only covered because I can claim him as disabled.
Child seven: Teenager we must cover.
Child eight: The Littlest Aardvark is blessedly healthy and unaware of these issues. She does think Daddy is very smart, though, and that you should all listen to me.
Yes, that's a lot of kids. Blended families and all that. And some of the siblings are on Lady Aardvark's side.
And your loyal diarist? I've got health insurance so long as my job lasts. I've also got a couple of pre-existing conditions. And my job is in jeopardy. And COBRA will cost me over $1200/month if I lose my job.
Read through that list. How many people will be helped by this bill?
Sib 1 breaks even.
Sib 2 will be helped a lot - no preexisting condition and subsidies.
Sib 3 will be helped a lot - subsidies.
Sib 4 will be helped a lot - no preexisting condition and subsidies.
Child one will be forced to buy HI, but will also receive subsidies.
Child two and spouse will be helped a lot.
Child three will be forced to buy insurance, but will also receive subsidies.
Child four will be helped a lot by subsidies.
Child five will break even, but will be in a more secure position.
And my dependent family? The difference between what I'd have to pay for COBRA, and the subsidized price, is about $1000 / month if I lose my job. Which is the difference between making it, and not making it. Once COBRA runs out, with my preexisting conditions, the difference is even worse. Plus child six will not be covered unless the HC bill passes.
So, Kossack - consider that my family is probably not all that unusual. Look at all those people who will be helped. People I love, who need this bill, and need it this year.
And the mandate? Well, it does hit child one and child three. Both of whom would receive subsidies to purchase the mandated insurance. And frankly their father would worry a lot less if they had insurance. Because of child two's story, among other things.
But the mandate is so bad, I have read over and over. Because it forces you to purchase something from a private company, by law.
Just like my garbage service.
Just like my electricity and gas.
Don't tell me to do without these things, I lack the skills to make it living off the net. I'm a city dweller. It is as plausible for me to not have garbage and power as it is for someone else to form their own non-profit health insurance company to compete with Aetna and Wellpoint - which, BTW, you are all free to do. The point being, we all give money to corporations every single day, and abstruse arguments about de facto versus de jure are really not the important thing.
So, what is the Democratic Party about? Do we help millions of people who need our help, right now? Who we can help with this bill?
Or are we about hating the health insurance companies? Do we choose compassion, or hate, as our guiding principle?
I choose compassion. I cannot see the Democratic Party walking away from a chance to help millions in need in the name of some idealized better system, and remaining the Democratic Party.
Choose compassion. Please.