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The Huffington Post: Fact Sheet: The Truth About the Health Care Bill

GhostofSparta

By GhostofSparta
in The Tailgate

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GhostofSparta

GhostofSparta

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/fact-sheet-the-truth-abou_b_506026.html

Fact Sheet: The Truth About the Health Care Bill

by Jane Hamsher (Founder, FireDogLake.com)

The Firedoglake health care team has been covering the debate in congress since it began last year. The health care bill will come up for a vote in the House on Sunday, and as Nancy Pelosi works to wrangle votes, we've been running a detailed whip count on where every member of Congress stands, updated throughout the day.

We've also taken a detailed look at the bill, and have come up with 18 often stated myths about this health care reform bill. Real health care reform is the thing we've fought for from the start. It is desperately needed. But this bill falls short on many levels, and hurts many people more than it helps them.

While details are limited, there is apparently a "Plan B" alternative that the White House was considering as recently as two weeks ago, which would evidently expand existing programs -- Medicaid and SCHIP. It would cover half the people at a quarter of the price, but it would not force an unbearable financial burden to those who are already struggling to get by.

Congress may be too far down the road with this bill to change course. But before Democrats cast this vote which could turn "ban the mandate" into "gay marriage" for the GOP in 2010, they should consider the first rule of patient safety: first, do no harm.

Myth 1: This is a universal health care bill.

Fact: The bill is neither universal health care nor universal health insurance. According to the Congressional Budget Office:

  • Total uninsured in 2019 with no bill: 54 million
  • Total uninsured in 2019 with Senate bill: 24 million

Myth 2: Insurance companies hate this bill.

Fact: This bill is almost identical to the plan written by AHIP, the insurance company trade association, in 2009.

The original Senate Finance Committee bill was authored by a former Wellpoint vice president. Since Congress released the first of its health care bills on October 30, 2009, health care stocks have risen 28.35%.

Myth 3: The bill will significantly bring down insurance premiums for most Americans.

Fact: The bill will not bring down premiums significantly, and certainly not the $2,500/year that President Obama promised during his campaign.

Annual premiums in 2016: status quo / with bill:

Small group market, single: $7,800 / $7,800

Small group market, family: $19,3oo / $19,200

Large Group market, single: $7,400 / $7,300

Large group market, family: $21,100 / $21,300

Individual market, single: $5,500 / $5,800

Individual market, family: $13,100 / $15,200

(The cost of premiums in the individual market goes up somewhat due to subsidies and mandates of better coverage. The CBO assumes that cost of individual policies goes down 7-10%, and that people will buy more generous policies.)

Click link for more

Mods, if this needs merged I understand, but I thought it would be interesting to show some of the objections to the bill from a liberal point of view.

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SkinsHokieFan

SkinsHokieFan

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Myth 4: The bill will make health care affordable for middle class Americans.

Fact: The bill will impose a financial hardship on middle class Americans who will be forced to buy a product that they can't afford to use.

A family of four making $66,370 will be forced to pay $5,243 per year for insurance. After basic necessities, this leaves them with $8,307 in discretionary income -- out of which they would have to cover clothing, credit card and other debt, child care and education costs, in addition to $5,882 in annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for which families will be responsible.

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ABQCOWBOY

ABQCOWBOY

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I am not a fan of the Huffington Post. However, it is nothing that has not been debated many, many times on this board so far as I can tell.

I don't agree with the Bill but until it is repealed or found to be unconstitutional, it doesn't much matter what I agree with.

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The Evil Genius

The Evil Genius

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Myth 4: The bill will make health care affordable for middle class Americans.

Fact: The bill will impose a financial hardship on middle class Americans who will be forced to buy a product that they can't afford to use.

A family of four making $66,370 will be forced to pay $5,243 per year for insurance. After basic necessities, this leaves them with $8,307 in discretionary income -- out of which they would have to cover clothing, credit card and other debt, child care and education costs, in addition to $5,882 in annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for which families will be responsible.

Shouldn't that read - A family of four, that does not currently have medical insurance, will be forced...additionally, my understanding is that is the maximum that salary level would have to pay, not the absolute cost. Am I wrong in that interpretation?

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Larry

Larry

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Shouldn't that read - A family of four, that does not currently have medical insurance, will be forced...additionally, my understanding is that is the maximum that salary level would have to pay, not the absolute cost. Am I wrong in that interpretation?

I don't know the facts. But looking at what they actually said, I'd say that what you're reading in that paragraph (that you quoted) is exactly what I'm reading in that paragraph.

Edit: Maybe, what they're saying is "the average family of four, with average medical expenses" (would have to pay $5K for insurance and an additional $5K in deductible/copay.)

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Veretax

Veretax

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Ghost,

Excellent Find. I don't read the Huffington Post, but their analysis is pretty close to what we've heard rumblings of (but the media not covering) for a while. So in essence a special interest (wellpoint which btw is the same insurance company I believe that raised its rates in Cali and got lambasted by Obama as I recall) helped write this legislation.

Yeah no special interests in deed. I normally see the HuffPost as a very biased source, so wheN i see a source I often disagree with posting some of the same things I've been saying. Either I've gotten a mental disease or something or its time to reevaluate.

I agree with what was written. This bill won't really do anything to help costs, and reminds me of other bills that passed in earlier congresses that moved money around but did nothing to help x or y problem. I kind of feel dirty to be in agreement with the HuffPost, but I'm not going to say its a lie when I believe what they wrote to be true and accurate in this case.

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Bang

Bang

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As I said in the other thread, Arianna Huffington is an evil person and I would believe nothing posted in it. She is pro-murder till birth. EVIL person.

Huffinton Post = modern day Der Stürmer

Your ignorance of history is astounding.

Unfortunately, that isn't all that unexpected.

~Bang

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Predicto

Predicto

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Wait, I'm sorry, is there a rule about opinions? Or just certain opinions?

It's way to early to pull the "persecuted conservative" card. You've only been on ES one day.

Go google "Godwin's Law" and you might understand why you are getting negative reactions here.

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The 12th Commandment

The 12th Commandment

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Pinky As I said in the other thread, Arianna Huffington is an evil person and I would believe nothing posted in it. She is pro-murder till birth. EVIL person.

Huffinton Post = modern day Der Stürmer

A problem with how they're expressed perhaps? Instead of general slams, site a particular that's relevant to the topic. Pro-murderer till death is a little cryptic, ascerbic and irrelevant.

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desioreo87

desioreo87

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Wait, I'm sorry, is there a rule about opinions? Or just certain opinions?

opinions that offer nothing to the discussion like your dumbass post are just not necessary. If you have objections to arianna huffington then state them clearly in a manner which doesn't sound crazy.

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Pinky Tuscadero

Pinky Tuscadero

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Your ignorance of history is astounding.

Unfortunately, that isn't all that unexpected.

~Bang

Really? Educate me, since my family had Holocaust survivors in it (they've passed now)... I would really like to know how I am ignorant about the subject of abortion (since I am female and have lost children) or Germany.

Please enlighten me.

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Bang

Bang

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Really? Educate me, since my family had Holocaust survivors in it (they've passed now)... I would really like to know how I am ignorant about the subject of abortion (since I am female and have lost children) or Germany.

Please enlighten me.

Here's your enlightenment as far as it will come from me.

So far in your short day here I've read several of your opinions and noted your style in which you handle opposing views. As such, won't waste time debating things with you that I've discussed here over the years with much more rational people.

It appears to me that any enlightenment that anyone might provide for you would be pointless, since I very much doubt you're open to anything that doesn't conform to what you've decided already.

Enjoy your stay.

~Bang

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