Health Care Debate - Winter Park, FL

[jennifer]

its a movement towards socialism

[Joe]

There is no reason for the Federal Government needs to "take over" the health insurance industry. We may need some regulation but no way do we need a takeover. There is absolutely no need or point in having an "insurance exchange" either.

[Anonymous]

Robert Reich - 22nd Secretary of Labor and is a professor at the University of California at Berkeley.
Sunday, July 19, 2009

Obamacare Is At War With Itself Over Future Costs

Right now, Obamacare is at war with itself. Political efforts to buy off Big Pharma, private insurers, and the AMA are all pushing up long-term costs -- one reason why Douglas Elmendorf, head of the Congressional Budget Office, told Congress late last week that "the cost curve is being raised." But this is setting off alarms among Blue Dog Democrats worried about future deficits -- and their votes are critical.

Big Pharma, for example, is in line to get just what it wants. The Senate health panel’s bill protects biotech companies from generic competition for 12 years after their drugs go to market, which is guaranteed to keep prices sky high.

Meanwhile, legislation expected from the Senate Finance committee won't allow cheaper drugs to be imported from Canada and won't give the federal government the right to negotiate Medicare drug prices directly with pharmaceutical companies.

Last month Big Pharma agreed to what the White House touted as $80 billion in givebacks to help pay for expanded health insurance, but so far there's been no mechanism to force the industry to keep its promise.

No wonder Big Pharma is now running "Harry and Louise" ads -- the same couple who fifteen years ago scared Americans into thinking the Clinton plan would take away their choice of doctor -- now supportive of Obamacare.

Private insurers, for their part, have become convinced they'll make more money with a universal mandate accompanied by generous subsidies for families with earnings up to 400 percent of poverty (in excess of $80,000 of income) than they might stand to lose. Although still strongly opposed to a public option, the insurance industry is lining up behind much of the legislation. The biggest surprise is the AMA, which has also now come out in favor -- but only after being assurred that Medicare reimbursements won't be cut nearly as much as doctors first feared.

But all these industry giveaways are obviously causing the healthcare tab to grow. And as these long-term costs rise, the locus of opposition to universal health care is shifting away from industry and toward Blue Dog and moderate Democrats who are increasingly worried about future deficits...

http://robertreich.blogspot.com/2009/07/obama...

[Anonymous]

cost too much now & over time, hurts seniors, and has been as dishonest a presentation of distortions as I've ever seen.

[billgrego]

Anything the government is involved in eventually "FAILS." This is due to Congress being worthless by not helping the average citizen.
Right now "Congress has only a meek 21% favorable rating. This is terrible!

[Hold on]

Thank goodness it's finally beginning to show how America feels with these recent elections. They speak volumes and better make these Washington lifers think!

[mac]

the nation needs reduced healthcare costs by tort reform not increased financial burdens with the rushed,secreted obamahealthcare plan. why was it so secretively rushed thru by pelosi & team?? let the public see all the detail in a timely manner. stop spending money that will burden generations to come.

[Joe]

Hey Grayson, if anyone is going to KILL senior citizens it's going to be your party.

The Democrats plan for heath care reform.
1. Cut 500 billion from Medicare.
2. Chase off all the Medicare MD's.
3. Seniors can no longer access medical on a timely basis or find an MD
4. Kill all the Seniors due to lack of medical care
5. Legalize all the illegals to get more voters
6. Give the money they took from Seniors to fund healthcare for the new "citizens"