Top 10 Bizarre Aspects of Obamacare

With David Letterman back in the news, a top ten list is in order. Let’s illustrate the panoply of weirdness that are the health care bills working their way through Congress.

10. Doctors who treat the oldest patients will be fined by the government:The government will create a “hit list” of doctorswho are in the top 10% of Medicare costs per patient nationwide. Those doctors on the list automatically lose 5 percent of their total Medicare reimbursements, which are already abysmally low. Because the most aged patients are the most costly to treat, doctors will shy away from treating the oldest segment of the population for fear it will relegate them to the hit list. Put simply, this stricture will dramatically reduce access to health care for our most vulnerable seniors.

9. Democrats have combined free health care for illegal immigrants with measures to increase the number of illegals in this country: All GOP efforts to amend the health care bills to require a photo ID, a Social Security number and similar measures have been defeated on party lines. This is consistent with a June report (“If the American people found out…”) that “[pro-illegal immigration group] La Raza said if they get this, they don’t even care about amnesty, because they’ve fixed it so that one family member can apply for all extended family members.”

8: Seniors will receive hefty tax hikes for care: Medical devices are taxed by the Baucus bill in order to raise about $4 billion annually. So much for the promises that the middle class won’t see their taxes raised. These newly taxed devices include pacemakers, hip joint replacements, gastrointestinal tubes, artificial hearts, hearing aids, heart defibrillators, powered wheelchairs, etc. In other words, the taxes will hit seniors hardest, make procedures less affordable, and punish the device manufacturing sector.

7: Choose to self-insure? You’ll face a year in prison: Joint Committee on Taxation Chief of Staff Tom Barthold [confirmed] the penalty for failing to pay the up to $1,900 fee for not buying health insurance: Violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and could face up to a year in jail or a $25,000 penalty.

6: Taxes for everyone with health care insurance will increase: To pay for the $1 trillion cost of the bill, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wants either an income surtax on the wealthy or higher taxes on “Cadillac” health plans (e.g., most comprehensive plans, including those of union members). Again — so much for the promises that the middle class won’t see their taxes raised.

5: Nearly half of all doctors would consider quitting if ObamaCare becomes law: Two out of three doctors oppose the bills under consideration in Washington. And hundreds of thousands of doctors would take an early retirement or shut down their practices if the bills become law. Lastly, “72% of the doctors polled disagree with the administration’s claim that the government can cover 47 million more people with better-quality care at lower cost.”

4: Health care companies are under a “gag order” and can not criticize the bill: In an absurdly illegal repudiation of the First Amendment, “the federal government has now told all companies that provide Medicare Advantage to seniors to stop communicating with their clients about the effects of that legislation — even telling them what they can and cannot post on their websites. This gag order [is] enforced through an agency of the federal government at the request of a Senator… Citizens, either as individuals or grouped together in companies, have a fundamental right to talk about legislation they favor or oppose. That is the core of the First Amendment’s protections on speech. Unfortunately, this is part of a troubling trend of efforts to dismiss the concerns raised by the American people over the past few months.”

3: President Obama says that the health care bill is a job-creating stimulus package: The President stated that small businesses would especially benefitbecause they ‘could buy health insurance through an exchange… ‘where they can compare the price, quality and services of a wide variety of plans’… [and the] government would subsidize health insurance for many businesses and individuals.”

2: 47% of households pay no taxes — and their ranks are growing: Thus,government-run health care is the greatest wealth transfer in history. The 53% of tax-paying households will therefore subsidize the 47% who pay no taxes. And: with the “$787 billion economic recovery package, which included a host of new or expanded tax breaks,” the 47% number is certain to grow.

1: By a margin of nearly 2-to-1, Americans don’t even want government-run health care: Gallup’s latest polling confirms what the 9/12 celebrations, the “tea parties” and other grassroots movements should be telling the bureaucrats in Washington. That is, “89% of Republicans, 64% of independents, and 61% of Americans overall say Americans themselves — rather than the government — have the primary responsibility for ensuring that they have health insurance.”

That won’t stop the Statists, of course, so vote accordingly in 2010.

Hat Tip Hot Air.

Obama's Deal with Big PhRMA

Here is a recording from a liberal show Air America, with liberals wondering if perhaps the Tea Party and townhall protesters are correct. Could government be teaming up with industry for a complete fascist takeover of the USA? Obama apparently met with a disgraced former politician, who now makes millions working for the pharmaceutical companies, agreeing to ask for not more than a 2% savings in drugs with the new Obamacare plan. No wonder the drug companies have not thrown in advertising against the plan. They are completely bought off. And Obama has sold out the American People. He promised in his campaign to try to bring down drug costs to the level of Canada or Mexico. Nope. He will ask for none of these concessions. Because all he wants is his plan. And he doesn't care what he has to do to get it.

I disagree that he is "such a charming liar." This man never charmed me. He gave me the creeps from the very start.
H/T warrantonegirl.

Ramming Speed?

If the people sit still and mind their manners, this monstrosity of a government takeover of 1/6 of the nation's economy will be rammed down our throats. The legislators are in fact approaching ramming speed. To ask people to sit calmly as they are about to get their teeth knocked out is to go against human nature, and to allow evil to be done to this nation. Yes, I said EVIL. I LIVED in Sweden for a short time. I have SEEN what SOCIALISM does to a people. How none of the children wanted to grow up to be ANYTHING. Government comes in and private initiative goes out. I have thanked my lucky stars every day of my life since then that I am an AMERICAN. [edit: I appreciated being an American as a kid, but traveling put our system into contrast in a way I had not known until then.] Do not now make me ashamed.--I left this comment on Left Coast Rebel in response to a commenter who said that we townhall Americans need to dial it down a notch. Hmph! I think NOT. There is HUGE pressure on our representatives, especially the Democrat ones, to pass government health care. They failed to pass Hilary-care, and they know they are burning bridges, so it is now or never. At least for this generation. Maybe when they raise up another generation on liberal pablum they can convince them to vote away their rights to life and health. The folks here have Wised Up.

Is Socialism a Dirty Word?

No, not if one is a socialist. Then it is simply an applied political philosophy. Share the wealth. Tear down the rich so nobody has to feel envy. Ooops. Tore down all the employers and now nobody has a job. Way to GO! Not.

It's time for a SHOW TUNE

Lovely show tune describing the "One Single-Payer System" to the tune of One Singular Sensation. Thanks to Just a Conservative Girl for the idea. Maybe the tune is too pleasant. Almost lulls me into wanting to sign up. 8-0

Now for bad developments. Roger's Park Bench reported last night that Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) is having outgoing emails to his constituents censored by the Democrats. He is no longer allowed to use the words "Government-Run Health Care" and must substitute a more innocuous phrase, or he will have to pay the postage out of his own pocket. Once the majority censors the free speech of their opposition, we are in a dictatorship, folks. This is very scary stuff. Full story here: http://rogersparkbench.blogspot.com/2009/07/democrats-are-afraid-you-should-be-too.html

Thank Goodness the CBO Works on Saturday

Hat Tip Legal Insurrection. "The Congressional Budget Office once again has poked a massive hole in the Democratic health care "reform" bubble, in a report issued today.

One of the key elements of the Democratic proposals is to hand over the power to make cost cuts to an unelected, unimpeachable council similar to MedPAC. By empowering such an insular entity to make decisions over which health care procedures and medicines are cost-effective, we will have surrendered enormous freedom over personal health care. If a procedure or medication is not approved by this entity, it will not be economically viable for the provider to bring it to market, so it will not be available even if you were willing to pay out of pocket.

Putting aside our freedom, the CBO has come out with an analysis (appearing in full below) which shows that handing over health care decisions to an entity such as MedPAC will not save any substantial sums over the next decade, even as the cost of health care "reform" escalates. As related at The Politico:

For the second time this month, congressional budget analysts have dealt a blow to the Democrat's health reform efforts, this time by saying a plan touted by the White House as crucial to paying for the bill would actually save almost no money over 10 years.

A key House chairman and moderate House Democrats on Tuesday agreed to a White House-backed proposal that would give an outside panel the power to make cuts to government-financed health care programs. White House budget director Peter Orszag declared the plan "probably the most important piece that can be added" to the House's health care reform legislation.

But on Saturday, the Congressional Budget Office said the proposal to give an independent panel the power to keep Medicare spending in check would only save
about $2 billion over 10 years- a drop in the bucket compared to the bill's $1 trillion price tag.

What a pathetic joke the Democratic legislative effort has become. Loss of freedom and no meaningful cost savings. The opposite of "you get what you pay for."

As Rahm Emanuel and Henry Waxman push to have a vote next week, it is clear that neither the Congress nor the White House has any clue as to the consequences of what they are proposing (if they even have read it). All the more reason we need to see the bill, debate it, and let our representatives know how we feel before they vote.

So give double thanks this weekend. First, for the CBO not giving in to political pressure. And second, for the fact that the CBO works on Saturdays."

Everything will be OK

You are getting sleeeeepeeee. Relax and let the soothing sounds of your government tell you how to live your life. No responsibilities means no worries. All is calm. It is the Will of Landru.
Hat tip to Anthroblogology.

Don't let up about Obamacare

It looks like there will be no vote on Obamacare before the August recess. Hooray! But we can't let up pressure. I saw this comment today by Gina on Gateway Pundit. It is certainly something I plan on copying/pasting into my next faxes for my (and your) representatives.

I had an email from Axelrod today with the subject header "This Is Not A Game." My response:

Dear Sirs:
If this is not a game, then please start acting like this is not about political gamesmanship rather than real health care reform. I will believe that it is not a game when you have a package that you can sell honestly rather than resorting to political muscle, slick PR, and deception.

I will be forwarding your message to friends and family as you requested, but I will be asking them to contact their Congressional representatives to urge them to:

A. Dump the current fiasco being pushed on us since it is too flawed to be saved;

B. Support real reform measures like tort reform, tax credits for those purchasing private insurance, support for private insurance co-ops, and deregulation that allows companies and individuals to purchase insurance across state lines;

C. Keep the government out of our health care decisions;

D. Reform Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security FIRST before adding a huge new opportunity for waste, fraud and mismanagement to the public purse. The President admitting that 2/3rds of this huge new budget item can be paid for by eliminating waste and fraud in other programs is a damning admission of guilt that government cannot administer social programs effectively. Clean the house up first before adding on a new addition.

When I see movement like this, I will take seriously the administration's words that it wants to help average Americans with our health care needs.

Obama Care applied to restaurants

This is a short, simple demonstration of what Obamacare would mean for this country. Old people thrown out of line. Children wait for care with everybody else. Delayed care is denied care.

There are less than 2 weeks to prevent this tragedy. Contact your representatives and demand they vote NO on Obamacare. If you don't....
Hat tip to Moonbattery.

Welcome to Mexico, Gringos!

James Lewis at American Thinker said, "I once had a minor medical procedure done in Mexico. The doc wanted to be paid in cash, and I obliged. Then I asked for a receipt. What followed was Keystone Cops. It took a while for me to realize I was being stupid. By asking for a receipt in the double economy of Mexico I was asking the doc to sign a confession to the tax police. He was right, I was wrong, and I learned something about the underground economy in socialized medicine.

Welcome to Mexico, friends, where the people are warm and wonderful, the drug gangs ruthless (but mostly gun for each other), and the medical profession is a sign of things to come in the US of A. Rich people get pretty good medical care in Mexico. Poor people? So-so to dreadful. Same thing in Italy, and most of the Left-dominated world. Want to get pretty good medical care in Russia? How many dollars you got?

The trouble with socialized medicine is that it corrupts the doctors. They start living a double life. So do the patients. And irony of ironies, it doesn't hurt the rich one little bit.

If ObamaCare is given the bum's rush through Congress in the next couple of weeks, first thing I'm going to do is check out medical travel. Hong Kong has first-rate hospitals, inspected and rated by the British Health Authority. Israel has more qualified doctors per square inch than New York City. Taiwan, Singapore, the big cities in India, Thailand, the Philippines. Eastern Europe is heading that way. If they provide excellent care at lower cost than the US, it can only grow. Nobody in Congress has repealed the laws of supply and demand.

Want to build a great new business? Go into the medical travel game. Guarantee your clients only the best and most highly accredited doctors and hospitals in the world. Sell them medical and travel insurance. And tie it in with sunny retirement communities for Boomers. It will be a Gold Rush." More here.

Obama's Communist Revolution in America-Universal Healthcare--Michael Savage

If it walks like a Marxist, if it talks like a Marxist, it IS a Marxist. We are in the middle of a slow-motion Marxist revolution. They are talking about cradle-to-grave control over you and your health care and your medical and psychiatric and psychological records. This is completely contrary to the freedoms that America was founded on. And because of a compliant media, this is happening with hardly a peep.
Hat tip Nearly Nobody's News.

Health Care Humor

"Each pill split in half and each ailment left untreated is a patriotic victory against personal responsibility. Less is more..."

Oh no. No Government Health Care Please

Please contact your representatives and urge them to vote no on Government Health Care.
Let's keep:
• Our choice of doctors
• Our control of our health insurance options
• Timely access to quality health care
• Money instead of paying for a government takeover

"Obamacare Sucks! Expose on Canadian Health Care" Steven Crowder

It is 20 minutes long, but worth the time. Real-life stories of how it is impossible for the poor and middle class Canadians to get decent health care under their single-payer system. And how their taxes are through the roof to pay for the awful care they have. It costs $900 to even walk through the door of a private clinic, after being turned away by the public clinic. If you believe Obama's health care plan will help this country, this is a MUST SEE. If you don't believe that Obamacare will help, this video will give you some more arguments to make against those who do.
Hat tip to Nearly Nobody's News.

Sunday Funny and a quote

Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.--Ronald Reagan

Hat tip Reaganite Republican Resistance.

I love SNARKY posts!

Especially the weekly snarky column by Euripides.

On to real news. If a US Senate bill becomes law, Americans who refuse health care coverage may be fined $1000. (AP) Anyone who thought they could escape nationalized health care, will find themselves basically paying a penalty tax, estimated to raise $36 billion in revenue. This won't, of course, hit poor people who will be on the government dole of health care. This will hit the average small business owner - the ones who cannot afford government-meddled health care at the present. Add this to the energy cap and trade and we have some serious taxing going on here folks.
HELP!
National health care is the hot topic of choice for both the president and Congress. Now that they've destroyed US foreign policy, destabilized the Mideast, kicked up the national debt to three times the Bush years, overextended US credit to the breaking point while selling off US interests wholesale to the Chinese, and have set up the largest tax increase in US history, now that they've done all that, they're ready and willing to take on health care. Here's the latest idea:

"According to Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, their legislation would extend health insurance coverage to 21 million uninsured people over 10 years at a net cost of $611.4 billion." (TheHill.com)

First off, whose brilliant idea was it to name that Senate committee HELP? Is that some sort of congressional code word for extortion? But let me see if I get these numbers right. At a mere cost of $611.4 billion, the federal government can extend health care to about six percent of the population of the US? Be still my palpitating heart.

There are two things I do know with all this talk of health care reform. I know I will not benefit from it and I know I will be paying for it. How do I know this? Because along with teaching I own a small business. In all this high-falutin government talk, the small business owner is always the one to get the short stick. Then again, who cares about small business? We only represent about 54% of the work force in the US. Hardly a drop in the bucket.

My thoughts exactly!

I really DO recommend dropping by Euripides' blog to read the rest of his Snarky Files post. Other topics touched on include Michael Jackson media coverage, marriage law in Maine, Microsoft, Defense of Marriage Act, Palin politics, Al "Bore", and a "Third" stimulus. In fact, skip the middle wo(man) and click the Follow button while you are there, if you haven't already.

Psssst! Here is another old SNARKY post I highly recommend. That is, if you love river rafting adventures and, er, clothing-malfunctions.

Rally Against ObamaCare

There was a rally last night in front of the Salt Lake City ABC building, protesting the one-sided Socialized Healthcare Extravaganza. There were some really great signs. I just had to show you. Thanks to Just Another American Patriot.

Save Me From Government Health-Destruction

I didn't watch the ABC health-destruction extravaganza last night. I don't know where ABC is on my program lineup. However, I hear that there was a chink in Obama's armor. Obama admitted that he would not subject his own family to the care rationing and denial that he wants to foist on the rest of us.

Dr. Orrin Devinsky, a neurologist and researcher at the New York University Langone Medical Center, said that elites often propose health care solutions that limit options for the general public, secure in the knowledge that if they or their loves ones get sick, they will be able to afford the best care available, even if it's not provided by insurance.

Devinsky asked the president pointedly if he would be willing to promise that he wouldn't seek such extraordinary help for his wife or daughters if they became sick and the public plan he's proposing limited the tests or treatment they can get.

The president refused to make such a pledge, though he allowed that if "it's my family member, if it's my wife, if it's my children, if it's my grandmother, I always want them to get the very best care.

more here at Chicago Ray.

Gibson interjected that often patients don't know what will work until they get every test they can.

Hot Air calls it Obama's Michael Dukakis moment. He exposed himself as a hypocrite.

If ObamaCare isn’t good enough for Sasha, Malia, or Michelle, then it’s not good enough for America. Instead of fighting that impulse, Obama should be working to boost the private sector to encourage more care providers, less red tape and expense, and better care for everyone.

"Doctors can give survival odds to their patients, but the decision on what is and is not futile, when it comes to an individuals life, should be made by that individual.

Hope should never be ripped away from a person by the government, simply because that hope isn't cost effective." says Susan Duclos at Wake up America.

Obama's healthcare Deception

I'll give you a hint. It's not about choice.

No Government Heathcare, Please.

It is time to look at another poster from Michelle Malkin's Obamacare poster contest. If you are worried about Nationalized Healthcare, please take the time to call, email or fax your congressman or senator. I did a google search for my reps, found their official websites, and used their own email contact form. That way they know for sure that I am a constituent. And I told them clearly that I am against Socialized Medicine. Please do the same, if you care. If you don't wish to live under socialism, now is the time to speak up.

Still time to defeat Obamacare?

Dick Morris writes, "The old recession — that the public says was caused by Bush — shows signs of winding down. But the new recession and/or inflation — triggered by Obama’s massive deficits — is just now coming upon us.

If Obama refuses to cut back on his spending/stimulus plans (despite convincing evidence that Americans are not spending the money), he has three options:

a) He can raise taxes, which will trigger a deeper recession;

b) He can print money, which will trigger huge inflation;

c) He can pay more interest to borrow money, which will send the economy diving down again.

The blame for these outcomes will fall squarely on Obama’s deficit and spending policies. The fact that Americans are aware of these issues, and already disapprove of Obama’s performance on them, indicates that they will be increasingly receptive to blaming him for the “new” recession.

Interestingly, Obama’s polling is now the exact opposite of President Clinton’s in the days after Monica Lewinsky. Back then, the president’s approval for handling specific issues was his forte, while his job approval remained high but his personal favorability lagged 20 points behind. Ultimately, it is a politician’s performance on specific issues that determines his electability. Personal favorability withers in the face of issue differences. Obama is about to find out that you cannot rely on image to bolster your presidency when the underlying issues are crumbling.

All this data suggests that Obama might run out of steam just as he gets to his healthcare agenda. As unemployment mounts, month after month, and Obama’s claims of job creation (or savings) ring hollow, it is possible that he will not have the heft to pass his radical restructuring of the healthcare system. The automaton Democratic majority may pass it anyway, but it will be a one-way ticket to oblivion if they do." (emphasis mine)

I can only hope that government healthcare is dashed on the shoals of the American independent spirit. If there is anybody here who insists on living under government healthcare, there are plenty of places in the world in which to live. And I hear they are accepting immigrants.

I will be emailing and faxing my congress-people to remind them of their "one-way ticket to oblivion".

Above is a submission to Michelle Malkin's Obamacare poster contest.