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Republicans Put The Heat On Healthcare Reform

October 19, 2011 by  

Republicans Put The Heat On Healthcare Reform

Feeling optimistic about the possibility of taking control of the White House and Senate in the 2012 elections, Republican activists are setting the stage for a multi-step process to chip away at Obamacare in 2013.

Many conservatives are pressuring GOP candidates to commit to using every available option to fully repeal the law before pledging to support the candidates, according to the Los Angeles Times.  Conservative healthcare experts reportedly are also discussing draft versions of an alternative to the law, a tactic seen by many people as a way to shield the GOP from past criticisms that they were willing to leave some Americans with no health coverage.

According to The Hill, Republican lawmakers called on Monday for an immediate repeal to measures of Obamacare that the President’s Administration has said are unworkable. A long-term care provision of President Barack Obama’s plan called the CLASS Act was supposed to pay for itself, but last Friday officials announced that it simply could not.

White House officials’ announcement that the CLASS Act was unsustainable prompted swift response from Republicans, many of whom say it is too late to rework the plan. The White House has issued statements saying it is against repealing provisions of the healthcare law, and some experts believe Obama may veto any attempt to repeal any part of the law.

Filed Under: Conservative Politics, Government, Liberty News, Staff Reports
Sam Rolley

Staff writer Sam Rolley began a career in journalism working for a small town newspaper while seeking a B.A. in English. After learning about many of the biases present in most modern newsrooms, Rolley became determined to find a position in journalism that would allow him to combat the unsavory image that the news industry has gained. He is dedicated to seeking the truth and exposing the lies disseminated by the mainstream media at the behest of their corporate masters, special interest groups and information gatekeepers.

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  • Questions

    If the Democratic party is serious about Healthcare, they should be planning on filibustering the Congreesional meetings,just like their GOP counterparts, when they try to chip away at Obamacare. That is unless they are all words and no actions.

  • http://romatomato.blogspot.com Roman Rhyne

    The Alternative to Obamacare

    HMO With A Twist
    The ultimate health care plan for job growth and job creation
    [moving fast, seizing momentum and not letting it go]
    Go to romantomato.blogspot.com for more details

    CADILLAC health care policy for all:
    There will be three universal health plans, which can be replicated nationwide. These are State Plan, Employers’ Plan, and Medicare Plan. The expanded universal coverage is the Cadillac health care policy for all at no extra cost. All three plans will cover acupuncture, ambulance, chiropractic services, dental care, doctor visits, family planning services, hearing, hospital and emergency care, laboratory, maternity and newborn care, mental health services, radiology, prescription drugs, preventive health care, specialty care and vision care. The State Plan will cover all those who are unemployed or employed [and their dependents] whose employers do not provide health insurance. Funding will principally come from Medicaid [Medi-Cal in California]. In addition, it is proposed that 1% from the sales tax from the state would be earmarked for this plan. All those who are employed and whose employers provide health insurance for their employees and their dependents will be covered by the Employers’ Plan. All those eligible for Medicare benefits will be under the Medicare Plan. Medicare is federal health insurance coverage for people 65 and older, certain disabled people, and those with end-stage renal disease [ESRD]. With fewer employers subsidizing health coverage for their current retirees and their spouses, the Medicare Plan can provide health insurance coverage for those older workers – the age group that has the hardest time buying individual policies. There are 54 million Medicare beneficiaries throughout the United States.

    NEXT TO NOTHING:
    All three plans will have low co-payments and no deductible except for Medicare patients where CMS [Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services] will determine and retain control over individual premiums and deductible for Part A and B. There will be no out-of-pocket cost for Part D except for co-pay since prescription drugs will be covered under the three plans.

    FISCAL IMPACT:
     The plan will bring about a change in consumer spending. It is proposed that 1% from the total sales tax generated from the state should be earmarked for one of the plans, the State Plan. The sales tax will definitely make a direct impact on every American.
     Every time one makes a purchase, the thought that a fraction of the transactions will help support the health insurance coverage for a segment of the society is enough incentive to boost the sale and purchase of any product or services. If the buying spree stimulates the sagging economy, so much the better. As membership in the HMO/medical facility increases, more jobs will be created. This might even help bring unemployment down.
     The program will generate monthly income to every state. The HMO/medical facility will have to pay $1.00 good will fee to the state for each member enrolled in its organization. In California alone, this translates to approximately $38.5 million a month, $462 million a year.
     Disbursement of the collected funds from the good will fee will rest solely on the discretion of the Governor of the state as he/she deems it fit and proper.
     The HMO/medical facility will have to exercise due diligence in keeping track of its members and at the same time providing an accurate monthly roster to the three payers [Medicaid/Medi-Cal in California, the employers and Medicare].

  • GregS

    The only solution to the problems in ObamaCare is to repeal it…ALL of it. The only way in which this can be done is to vote OUT ALL Democrats in 2012 before ObamaCare becomes a permanent entitlement in 2014.

    ___________________________________________________________________
    Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! ObamaCare has got to go! Defeat the Dems to make it so!

  • bob wire

    Well, anything that can avoid address the serious need for job growth seem to work.

    What about fairy’s, don’t forget and the fairy’s ?

    Oh! and the unborn! They have just rights too you know? Who’s standing up for the unborn?

    And Santa is not welcome in public schools anymore, what going on with that?

    2nd amendment right! I want to buy a tank, one with a big gun, do I need a permit to carry?

    • Lost in Paradise

      Our second ammendment is all we should need and it seems illegal for cities, states and the feds to tamper with it. As for the tank I think it would be better to purchase a fighter from a foreign government which is easy to do, buy then to get it HERE, is another deal. You must plug the guns and do other mods. There are ways around it though.

  • Raggs

    If oblama has his way he will keep the death panels in order to you know “save” money… I don’t even understand why he had to come up with a “new” ( old ) idea to kill people…

  • Ray

    Healthcare in the United States was just great until the government stuck its sticky hands into the healthcare system. To correct the system the government needs to be ejected. Every thing government touches it destroys.

    • Lost in Paradise

      Ray you said a mouth full of truth in that Statement. That is why the government needs to be drastically reduced by at least 50%. We could all live just fine without it.

  • Song

    All of this on the news that the government in all of their wisdom is going to ban the very effective and affordable inhalant Abuteroll for those who suffer from asthma. Oh yes, the government is really concerned about our welfare. LMAO!

  • eddie47d

    Private insurers have been gouging us for many moons and you allowed that to happen. Why does it feel so good when they do it but you will spend endless hours attacking the Affordable Healthcare Plan when it is not even relevant yet. Going after the “government plan” probably won’t bring down costs but it will service millions of your fellow citizens. The average cost of insurance is $8,000 by private companies (mine is $12,500 and partly paid by the company I retired from). Still in all it gouges my $36,000 retirement so I’m not “Afraid of the Affordable Healthcare Plan” if private insurance is nicking me so much now. I’m not scared of sharing healthcare costs with my fellow Americans and I am well aware that the costs probably won’t go down.There will still be some doctors who will over charge and make a killing off of multiple tests and unnecessary surgeries.Saying private doctors will keep our healthcare system strong or affordable is a hoax . A fairy tale perpetuated by the insurance industry and proven over and over to be untrue. They have not kept costs down and they also will keep the price of Admission high over the coming years. So arguing that having private practices or healthcare companies will force the markets to keep costs low is not the reality we have seen.So the opposition better come up with a better excuse in attacking the AHCP

    • Lost in Paradise

      Eddie I think you need to live in a socialist/communist country for a few years to get some education, and who knows maybe you would really like it and never come back to the USA. Could we be so lucky?

      • eddie47d

        I would never want to be LOST like you and so confused.

  • don

    well put. anyone that states pass it to find out what is in it, and the ones that do it are not suitable to be in any kind of government or even a business officinal.

  • http://personallibertydigest cheryl kwasigroch

    I detest hearing what these people are going to do when this congress cannot even repeal it when it is put up for a vote & we,the people told them we did not want it shoved down our throats & it was NOT workable. Not ONE tort reform was in this Ocare debacle. Not ONE congressman/woman would give up their medical coverage yet we, the people are supposed to swallow this travesty & be grateful with more taxes to fund it. I don’t know about you but I did not get my waiver for this madness. Mandating I buy this BS would just make me stupid. I refuse to play your political games with my health.

    • rosina

      YES, cHERYL.
      you reminded me of one thing i did not mention above and that is
      CONGRESS MUST BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME RULES AS WE THE PEOPLE.
      THAT MEANS, NO SPECIAL HEALTHCARE NOR PENSION SCHEME.
      EVERYONE THE SAME. TRUE EQUALITY!
      And yes, all those demoncraps should be thrown out for signing a bill that no one read.
      And by the way, The House of REPS did vote to repeal but the Senate, has not brought it to a vote but pretend it does not exist. of course, with Harry reid in charge it will not be repealed anyway which is why the Conservatives MUST win the SEnate to really repeal all and any nonsensical acts of this criminal lot.

  • Glenn Leahey

    I wish the Personal Liberty digest would TRY to be MORE specific about the proposed Republican driven changes/revisions to the AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT. What “parts” are they looking to un-do??? The no-lifetime caps. for chronically ill people, like people with Multiple Schlerosis, the provision that TRIES to eliminate the “donut hole” for Medicare seniors, the provisions that gives parents the OPTION to continue coverage on their young adult children through age 26? I really wish they would HELP the Democrats/Obama by forcing in some ADDITIONAL cost-saving measures…and tell the K Street/insurance-healthcare lobbyists to “go to hell”! (Democrats won’t do this on their own!) I’m tired of the “spin” from BOTH sides of the aisle…working and poor people are HURTING in this country. On the one hand we don’t want to have our freedoms impinged on/forced to buy into the program…but on the other hand…the healthcare industry has been too heavy-handed with their lobbying/influence on legislation and profiteering/”blood money”. Have you visited a medicare payment nursing home lately?

    • Lost in Paradise

      Most of us want Obama’s entire health bill repealed. It will in the short and long run ruin the country. When does the government ever do anything as good as the private sector. More government in the health care industry will make it even more expensive.

      It all goes back to a nation with industry. WE have very little. Were can people work and earn a living? We all need to make sure, that the poor especially are well educated, and prepared for the workforce. That in itself would eliminate alot of problems affording health care.

  • wandamurline

    Someone finally took the time to start reading this law…unfortunately, they didn’t read it before they signed it into law. It is beginning to crumble due to it’s own weight. We will finish it off in 2012 as soon as we get rid of those who signed this monstrocity and regain control in the Senate and White House….first action taken after inauguration….repeal the bill. If people want insurance, then let’s allow them to purchase it across state lines (it is called competititon) and let’s do some tort reform to rid outselves of ridiculous law suits by ambulance chasing lawyers. That would make health care affordable….not to mention stopping the freebies for the illegal aliens in this country. Stop the freebies and they will leave…well,
    most of them will.

    • Glenn Leahey

      Wanda: The AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACT was FULL of corporate pork. I agree with you on the impingement on our freedom/requirement to buy (the Supreme Court will decide on this THIS term)…but a SINGLE PAYER SYSTEM for ALL American citizens, like Medicare, would have been SO much cheaper to accomplish and if thos 6 million poor kids don’t have SOME kind of (preventative?)medical coverage..ALL OF US…will end up paying for it in the end. The Medicare Part D-prescription Act, in my opinion, was even WORSE re: corporate pork for the pharmacy industry. It was passed in 2003, cost $2.2 TRILLION and counting (that’s about 40% of the US debt coming into the 2008 McCain v. Obama election) and George Bush and the Democrats in Congress didn’t bother to raise EVEN ONE DIME to pay for it. That’s $2.2 trillion in ADDITIONAL/built in US debt. I ALSO want to know the “devil in the details” in the Republican plan BEFORE it comes to a vote. People are hurting out there and medical costs have GOT to be lowered/reduced! Both parties need to tell the K Street lobbyists to GO TO HELL!

      • Rich

        Glenn, I don’t no where you’re numbers are coming from but they are so far out of the ballpark it’s sad. Remember as you read this that pharmacy accounts for only 16% of our healthcare bill. There were two Part D bills in the House back in 03 – one from each party. The Republican bill included the donut hole and had a projected 10 year cost of $400 billion. The Dem bill had no donut hole and had a projected 10 year cost of $1 trillion. The Republican bill was approved and is one of the few pieces of law that has remained within budget. Then after complaining about the cost of the Part D plan, in your next post you are in favor of eliminating the donut hole. You can’t have it both ways. If the cost is too high you can’t campaign for changes that raise the cost more. If you want to reduce costs, talk about eliminating fee for service and using global billing like the rest of the world. Push for tort reform so the docs don’t have to keep running CYA tests. Let’s get our compensation discrepancy between GPs and specialists in line with the rest of the world so that preventative medicine becomes the norm. Right now it’s very profitable for the entire industry when we’re sick. That has to be reversed. You talk about the good parts of the PPACA, but you probably don’t know much about the healthcare industry. You’re picking out the feel good phrases without working knowledge. Unlimited Lifetime Maximums – most major medical plans had a 2 to 5 million max. Unlimited didn’t change anything. The age 26 option – sure sounds nice. Unfortunately the way it was implemented means a five person company in the middle of South Dakota has to cover the child of one of their employees who moves to a high cost area like New Jersey because the kid, even though his employer has health coverage available, doesn’t want to pay his premium. Now that small company has to deal with very expensive out of network coverage and all the South Dakota people pay extra. So the S D employer decide it’s to expensive to maintain coverage. I guess that age 26 option wasn’t written in a way that makes it good. And for your single payor system, if the Government does such a god job with healthcare, why are federal employees covered by private insurance companies? The administrative cost of Medicare is divided among around eight different budgets. The 2.7% they tag line is claim processing only. Enrollment is done by Social Security, the building they work out of is under another, anti fraud under a third, etc. They have no idea what the actual admin cost is because they can’t put a number on fraud. The savings in Medicare is acheived by reduced payments to doctors and hospitals and if you listen to the news, you know that is under fire. Oh, by the wat, Medicare doesn’t pay for long term care so there aren’t any Medicare nursing homes. Do a little more research on the healthcare industry and you’ll do everybody a favor.

      • John

        Rich,

        You clearly have a better understanding of factual information than Mr. Leahy. The associated cost of litigation in our health care system are estimated to be half a trillion annually which would go a long way toward helping the uninsured. You cannot hope to recover all of these costs because there is such a thing as legitimate malpractice,but half that number will go a long way. If you want to follow the money trail as so many democrats are fond of saying see where the the Trial Lawyers Assoc. spends its lobbying money. It is true that sickness not wellness is where the money is. As an example my wife the RN graduated from The Univ of Va. w/ a wellness focus in 1984 and that no longer even exists. My business is insurance and I would tend to agree that realigning primary care and specialist pay might help. That has its own set of problems. Most of my clients are physicians and most of them are specialists, because just like them I only have so many hours in a day and I go where the fishing is best.

      • Lost in Paradise

        Can you tell me why you think medical costs are rising??

    • rosina

      I TEND TO AGREE WITH YOU.
      FIRST THINGS FIRST, tort reform to stop lawyers suing for millions often for spurious causes. There should be some judicial way of investigating a lawsuit to see whether it is ‘frivolous’ or not before proceeding. Frivolous thrown out. Then limits on payments especially to the lawyers.
      This would immediately relieve the doctors from onerous Insurance payments which then, REQUIRE THEM TO CHARGE MORE FOR THEIR SERVICES.!!!
      wHEN A SPECIALIST HAS TO PAY OVER $200,000.(TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND) AND has to pay for offices, staff and also support a family, how much do you think he has to earn!
      Tort reform is the one elephant in the room which has not been even discussed! Why? Most of Congress are lawyers!!!!!
      Insurance across states would be good also. And the large companies who have always paid for their employees health costs would continue to pay for them Not as now, when many are dropping this and prefer to pay the penalty. Ridiculous? Unless they get an Obama waiver?
      Illegals should NOT get free health care. If they are illegal they should be sent back and that is that.
      Out of the numbers with no insurance are the young who prefer to spend on fun and games and do not think of illness. I myself had no insurance for over 25yrs -just saved some money incase!
      The ones to help are the poorer who have no insurance because of lack of funds but many states do have some provision for them and all ER’s are obliged to accept emergencies. This is a much smaller group plus long-term care who really need assistance.
      DO SOMETHING FOR THIS GROUP WHO DO NOT ALREADY HAVE MEDICAID.

    • slapjack

      This Law was written way before O’Nitwits election and in one of the COMMIE Reps (we have 78 socialist/communist represenatives in Congress) desk for years; written and ready for the special occassion of O’NITWITS election or whomever. Nancy Pukelosi said on the Lamebrain media networks we must pass this bill in order to read it?????????? In all her ignorant haste to make the O’nimrod look great they raped plundered and decieved to pass this monstrosity we have hanging over our heads and it is still being read and translated into the horror story it is becoming. We The People are going to pay a terrrible price for Ojoke-o-care. Repeal it and Impeach the Kenyan Imposter, NOW.

      • JACK EDWARDS

        Your post stinks.

    • http://dinggo3365@gmail.com TheDuke

      I agree with you 100%. If we can change, deregulate and reduce allocations to illegal medical recipients, any defined medical programs should work effectively. Humanitarian help should start with our own constituents first. Social services must be totally reviewed with significant changes. Regulatory policies must be imposed to change by classifying medical requests and applications. Prioritizing based on existing contributing individual and/or family legally working Americans first before any other illegal classifications, whose benefit should always be just secondary having no rights and of illegal status. Social Service Departments must be revamped. Families with illegal entries with more than 4 family dependent children must be discouraged by reducing current benefits and enforce family planning programs to discourage the notion, that more children is better because of increased social benefit allocations. These freebie medicaid/medicare services are draining our economy without control. Affected our economy directly and forced allocation of almost 65% of our yearly national budget. Visit any emergency facilities on any hospital in the nation, and you can easily conclude these changing trend. This is America and to be an American, entails some requirements, such as speaking straight english, dressed American, and adoption to the American standard ways and philosophy in life. We can save millions of dollars in not requiring second language interpreters/interpretations in all aspects of governmental services, specially in school, employment and unemployment services and etc.

      Justification of wasteful expenditures and allocations to governmental departments must be controlled and strictly supervised. Like allocation to unemployment services that encouraged department heads to increase unnecessary hiring (even mandatory suspension of hiring is imposed), and/or overtimes just to justify these wasteful allocations that were useless and unnecessary.

      These are hard times that necessitate our government to change, not by just verbal implication, but more of application in deed and fulfillment of promises to save our very nation.

      The Dept.of Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Dept of Social Services, Employment Department, and Immigration should work together in enhancing their efficiency in coordinating their good governmental roles to regain back our image that made our nation the greatest.

    • JACK EDWARDS

      What a hate filled posting. Hope you never get sick and need care that you would deny to others. A pox on you

  • MidwestTom

    Why not simply state that the difference between the Federal Budget without any healthcare expenses, and the Federal income, will be spent on healthcare.

    • eddie47d

      It’s too late for the GOP to shield itself from criticism. Going after Long Term Care patients will hardly endear them to our senior citizens. Doing away with the Affordable Health Care Act after many years of wrangling over this issue will show that the Republicans who in the past supported the same measures will demand answers of flip flopping. Cannibalizing the Plan will only show that they once again only care about certain segments of society and the rest be damned.(They will only keep the parts that benefit those they are in bed with and not the citizens who really need it). That would take us back to the favoritism of Big Pharma and even more uncontrollable healthcare costs from favorite private healthcare companies. The Commonwealth Fund a non-profit healthcare policy Foundation released their report yesterday . It mostly reiterates what has been said for years about America’s declining ranking on the health of various industrial nations. Americans die more often from preventable diseases and injuries than those other nations. Such as bacterial diseases,Cancers,diabetes and surgery complications. One third of all Americans can’t afford to go to the doctors,don’t take required medications or skip needed tests. Even when doctors says those tests are urgent. Americans still pay double of what other nations pay yet our service is poorer. Why do we continually have to spend more and get lesser treatment when it comes to healthcare. Since the Affordable Health Care Act is barely off and running what does the GOP suggest we do about those serious problems and continual poor ratings in the private sector?

      • DD967

        Are they going after long-term care, or a particular financially usustainable approach to long-term care? I think opposition to particular healtcare reform policies is being equivocated with the idea of reforming healthcare, or insuring that long-term heath care inusurance is availabloe or provided. Debating the merits of this piece of admittedly failed legislation is not equal to being against policies to long-term health care by the debators…. This particular type of equivocation produces reactionary responses, regardless if that outcome is intended or not….

      • Glenn Leahey

        DD: so…INSTEAD of just saying what they’re AGAINST, I can only HOPE (and pray!) that the Republicans will (at the same time) propose what they are FOR! WHAT IS THEIR PLAN B! How do THEY propose that we (as a country) deal with long-term health care costs/payments? What are THEIR cost-savings measures? (follow the money…BOTH parties have their hands in the K Street lobbyists pockets DEEP!)
        We’re not a 3rd World country…yet.
        P.S. I hope it’s not yet another proposal for BLOCK GRANTS, which essentially just throws the problem back to the individual states.

      • Glenn Leahey

        Eddie: You said it SO much better than me. Part of the rising costs in healthcare are DEFINITELY technology related and the fact that we are all living longer…but we REALLY need to have more disease/illness prevention measures in any healthcare legislation. Single payer, like MEDICARE, would have been MUCH cheaper..to cover kids in states with NO healthcare plan for kids…focusing on PREVENTION. I’m only 48, but I have several older friends in nursing homes now. One friend, Arlene from the Bronx, at age 77, has exhausted all of her savings, and her ENTIRE Social Security/@$1600 a month and pension./@$1800(less $50 a month clothing allowance) has been eaten up by her nursing home and she has ONLY been there a year and a half. Her son had to SIGN OVER all her savings/@$300,000, including the sale of her condominium, to the nursing home BEFORE she was admitted there for long-term care. She wants to LEAVE this place but there is no options for her. She has actually improved both mentally and physically since her admission (nutrition/eating better) and does NOT have the option to go to a lesser restrictive facility…she can’t AFFORD it. (and I don’t even have a pension through my job!) (sigh…)

      • Bob from SoCal

        You just don’t get it Eddie. If the Democrats keep spending the way they are, America is going to be a financial disaster area. And then there will not be ant health care for anyone.

      • Bob from SoCal

        will not be any.

      • bob wire

        Hmmm? a frighting thought! Since the US out spend in military matter 10 to 1 any other nation on earth. I’m left to think it a matter of selecting what the American people want most, gun and bullet or sticking our nose in out peoples business.

      • Ellen

        Eddie, The problem is that long term care is available already through regular insurance companies at 1/5th the cost that the government planned to charge. And, the private policies pay better benefits. Why would anyone buy the government policy? I find it funny that you mention how more Americans die from diseases like cancer and diabetes than die in other countries. The dirty little secret here is that, with very few exceptions, chemotherapy and radiation don’t work so other countries use other more effective and much less expensive cures for cancer. We also have more deaths from diabetes because we have more diabetes. The dirty little secret there is our diets and the use of hydrogenated oils, which have been outlawed in other countries. They cause more than 1/2 of our heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Considering these are among our largest health problems, outlawing them is common sense.

      • JACK EDWARDS

        Very well written article. Thanks for putting in proper prospective.

      • Matt Newell

        The biggest reason for the ballooning health care costs are the frivolous lawsuits against the medical profession. The biggest change they could make would be to set limits on payouts and lawyer fees and have the losing party pay the both parties lawyer fees.

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