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The most critical test of any reform proposal is whether it will empower individuals or impose on them. It is a fact that the leading bills in Congress would increase the power of government and decrease individual freedom. You cannot spend an additional $1 trillion of taxpayer money and reduce the role of government. You will get new bureaucracies, more regulation, more complexity. That means you will have less control of your healthcare.
Disagree? Just read the versions of healthcare legislation:H.R.3200 in the House. One key proposal is to mandate an "essential benefit package" for every private insurance policy sold in the United States. Currently, individuals and employers usually make these coverage decisions. This legislation creates a new federal Health Benefits Advisory Committee that would decide instead. For example, if you are a single male with no children, the legislation still requires you to have maternity benefits and well-baby and well-child care coverage. You don't want or don't need that coverage? Sorry, you have to pay for it anyway.
Other planned agencies would give the federal government unprecedented and unaccountable control over your healthcare. The so-called Health Choices Administration and the National Health Insurance Exchange would set various standards for all health insurance policies. The president is also pushing for another new agency called the Independent Medicare Advisory Council. Described as a cost-control initiative,it would be made up of five government appointees who would, by determining Medicare reimbursement amounts, in essence decide what would be covered and what would not. The fear of government rationing is based on the premise that once government has such power, especially the ability to control what is covered by your private insurance policy, it also has the power to deny and restrict.
Those defending the House legislation claim rationing is not in any of its versions, and though that is technically true -- no one wants rationing -- the unprecedented power this legislation would grant to virtually unaccountable government agencies is all but certain to lead to rationing.
Originally posted by ElectricUniverse
Again we find more, and more information on the "healthcare reform" which will give the government more power, and control over our lives, not to mention our health, yet for some reason i keep seeing more *snip* posting responses on the website like never before.
Originally posted by buddhasystem
I resent your using the word "*snip*" with regards to people who find that reforming the healthcare in the US might be a good idea. The current situation is such that special interests have configured the system in a way that they will milk the country dry out of its healthcare money and they don't give a damn, and that's apparently OK by you and other brainwashed elements. God forbid out government steps in to stop the insanity!
Conservatives are so darn hypocritical about everything. They want less government, except when it comes to our liberties and freedom, the patriot act, big wasteful military budgets, and wars that weaken our army and slaughter innocent people.
They are so not-smart that it's a wonder they haven't accidentally drowned themselves while drinking water.
They think the earth is 5000 years old. They think evolution is a myth. They think oil regenerates itself faster than we're using it. They think the environment doesn't matter -- because jesus will fix it.
I mean come on. Republicans are just idiotic on every level. They know absolutely nothing.
Originally posted by Matrix RisingThis is socialism and it will lead to government rationed healthcare.
Originally posted by Kaytagg
Okay, then stop using the word "*SNIP*" and stop saying the government is going to take over your personal life.
Originally posted by Kaytagg
Stop saying nobody has read anything about health care reform because they happen to want health care reform.
Originally posted by Kaytagg
Stop saying the government is going to decide everything for you. That's malarkey.
Originally posted by Kaytagg
Stop using scare tactics and playing the martyr. Nobody is calling you a terrorist in this thread -- are they?
Originally posted by Kaytagg
Anyway.. Anyone look at the dow today? Great day in the markets -- I'm buy buy buying!
Health insurers ration your care by limiting the doctors you may visit because they negotiate fees with those doctors. They will only pay for you to visit the ones they have negotiated the lowest fees with.
Health insurers ration care through co-pays, deductibles and caps. In fact, what they are really doing is encouraging you to self-ration. Knowing that a certain amount of your care will have to be paid from your pocket, you may choose not to get the care or drug you need.
Health insurers deny services or reimbursements for services. Denial of care is perhaps the most understood form of rationing, because it causes outrage and frustration. What most patients don't understand is that this is also the aspect of rationing that is most affected by laws and regulations, too.
Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Our healthcare is already rationed!
Originally posted by ElectricUniverse
It will be further rationed, and controlled by the government.