The Insurance Bailout Bill
I’m going to call it the “edifice complex”, the way Obama, the Blue Dogs, and the Republicans worship corporations.
Apparently what few members of the middle class who still exist in this country have reached their limit on paying for health insurance, and Obama et al. feel the need to herd new customers into the corporate feed pens to be drained of their last penny.
The so-called “Health Care Proposal” that the White House has posted for the latest photo op displaying Obama’s obsession with “bi-partisanship”, is, to no one’s surprise a warmed over version of the worst of the two bills that made it out of Congress – the Senate bill. Obama’s competence was barely able to cope with the Senate, and he is lost as an executive.
Obama doesn’t want any real competition for his corporate masters, so there isn’t even a reference to a “public option”, which was never defined in any case. They do intend to tax the health care benefits that a few unions have managed to secure for their members after years of negotiations, and they intend to sic the IRS on to people who object to throwing away money by giving it to insurance companies who have a track record of denying claims.
Oh, they are going to “review” rate hikes. That ought to be effective, telling companies that their 30% rate hike after a year with 30+% profit is somewhat excessive. No doubt there will be a board of former insurance company executives to advise on what is reasonable.
If they pass this turkey the Democratic Party will cease to be anything more than a name.
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Question: If the bill is so good for insurers, why are insurers fighting it tooth and nail?
– Badtux the Baffled Penguin
.-= last blog ..The incredibly stupid (or dishonest) Robert J. Barro =-.
They have mentioned the terrible word “regulation”, and the insurance companies react like vampires to crosses.
The amount of regulation won’t affect anyone because it also allows the companies to go shopping for the wimpiest state for regulation, and sell from there. You’ll see a lot of movement towards Nebraska and Connecticut if this turkey flies.
It’s all theater at this point.
Question: If the bill is so good for insurers, why are insurers fighting it tooth and nail?
that’s an easy one. every time they throw another tantrum, they get another concession.
Lobbyists representing the commercial interests of those who are opposed to the introduction of public health insurance have spent a grand total of $380 million on advertising campaigns, lobbying and direct political contributions, whilst those supportive of the bill, such as the Pharmaceutical companies, have stumped up $150 million.
Think about this…Who Gains? It is not the people!
The point is, to stop this kind of stuff from happening we need to make it illegal for companies to write bills, and take away their lobby rights and give them back to the people.
.-= last blog ..Do You Fully Understand The Threats Of Smoking To Your Health =-.