A new report issued last week by the CDC contained some very good news – young Americans are taking advantage of a provision in the health care reform, signed into law by President Obama.
Before President Obama’s historic health care reform law was passed, young people were generally dropped from their parents plan when they turned 18 or left college. Obtaining coverage through an individual plan could be cost-prohibitive for young adults, especially those with pre-existing conditions, so many went without health insurance altogether.
The Affordable Care Act includes a provision that allows young adults to stay on their parent’s health insurance until their 26th birthday. When that provision went into effect in September of 2010, about 64 percent of 19 to 25 year olds had health insurance. By June of 2011, that number jumped to nearly 73 percent.
This is good news in more ways than one.
Providing medical insurance for young people encourages a more progressive attitude in regards to looking after one’s own health. Individuals can easily see the importance of maintaining good health – eating right, proper medication, getting exercise, early diagnosis’ for disease, birth control, as well as having regular check-ups with a doctor.
And although a more health conscious mentality will be a good improvement for anyone, it also benefits the nation as a whole, for the health of a nation greatly depends on the health and wellbeing of its citizens.
The announcement is made: beginning next March, the Republicans effort to officially take away your health care, and put your health decisions back into the hands of insurance companies, goes before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul —a case that could shake the political landscape as voters are deciding if Obama deserves another term.
This decision to hear arguments in the spring sets up an election-year showdown over the White House’s main domestic policy achievement. And it allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day.
The justices announced they will hear an extraordinary five-and-a-half hours of arguments from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law and three other related questions about the act. The central provision in question is the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty.
In a move some are describing as pure confidence, the Obama Administration has allowed the September 25th deadline to pass without filing their appeal to the 11th Circuit Court, in the ongoing battle by Republicans to repeal the President’s Health Care Law. Republicans have claimed that the individual mandate in the law is “unconstitutional.”
Former acting Solicitor General Walter Dellinger, who supports the law, told Politico that this move to allow the case to be heard now by the Supreme Court, “confirms what I had already concluded: That the government is confident that it’s going to prevail in the Supreme Court and would like to have a decision sooner rather than later.”
But opponents to the law are looking at this decision differently. Randy E. Barnett, a Georgetown Law professor who is working with the plaintiffs, credits the President for not delaying the case anymore and for sending it to the Supreme Court for their decision in what he refers to as a “constitutional controversy.”
Politico Reports:
The issue of the constitutionality of the individual mandate has been widely expected to be decided by the Supreme Court. The key question has been the timing. The Justice Department’s apparent decision to ask the Supreme Court to review the case greatly increases the chances the issue will be heard in the 2011-12 term, which begins Monday.
The Supreme Court now has several strong reasons to accept the case. The court rarely declines requests from the government to take a case, especially in situations in which a circuit court has struck down a piece of a high-profile law.
The current political make-up of the Supreme Court is 5 to 4 in favor of the Republicans/Conservatives. In a perfect world, one would expect these justices to strictly adhere to the rule of law and judicial precedent. But this particular court is an activist court, implementing decisions that benefit their political party’s ideology over the rule of law.
Expect justice to eventually prevail, but with the current political occupants of this Court, justice will be delayed then detoured until the new occupants move in.
We often brag that we are the most powerful nation on earth. But are we also the most selfish and uncaring when it comes to our own citizens? Why is it apparently acceptable by some if our next door neighbor dies for something as trivial as a lack of healthcare or more specifically as in this case, dental care?
According to NBC affiliate WLWT, Kyle Willis‘ wisdom tooth started hurting two weeks ago. When dentists told him it needed to be pulled, he decided to forgo the procedure, because he was unemployed and had no health insurance.
When his face started swelling and his head began to ache, Willis went to the emergency room, where he received prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications. Willis couldn’t afford both, so he chose the pain medications.
The tooth infection spread, causing his brain to swell. He died Tuesday.
We must be better than this.
We send our troops overseas to “free” other nations, and to teach these nations how “civilized” people should live. We want those nations to be able to live like us. We ask international governments to provide for their people by building schools, roads and hospitals among other things, and we expect the leaders of these nations to do these things, because in our minds, these are the basic and necessary needs of any citizenry.
But when it comes to our own there’s obviously a different standard, as our own citizens without healthcare die because they can’t afford pain medication and antibiotics.
Meanwhile, Republicans are still promising to repeal what they call, “Obamacare” – President Obama’s healthcare reform plan which would offer basic healthcare coverage to over 30 million Americans who presently have none. To congressional Republicans, this is a terrible thing for the leader of our nation to do. What would these Republicans have to say to Kyle Willis’ family? Oh, never-mind that question, Republicans consider Kyle’s death as the natural order of things, you know, eliminating the weak. Only the strong survives!
President Obama will support a recent bill to repeal DOMA – Defense Of Marriage Act. In so doing, the President is signalling his acceptance of marriage as between two people, not necessarily a man and a woman. In answering a question today from Metro Weekly, the White House Press Secretary Jay Carney had this to say about the President’s support of the repeal bill called Respect of Marriage Act.
I can tell you that the President has long called for a legislative repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which continues to have a real impact on the lives of real people — our families, friends and neighbors. He is proud to support the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Sen. Feinstein and Congressman [Jerrold] Nadler [(D-N.Y.)], which would take DOMA off the books once and for all. This legislation would uphold the principle that the federal government should not deny gay and lesbian couples the same rights and legal protections as straight couples.
Every warm-blooded American – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – should hang our heads in shame when we have fellow Americans, fellow human beings, who are pushed to such limits that they feel that their last resort for getting healthcare is to go to jail.
That is the story of James Richard Verone, a 59-year-old man who worked for the Coca-Cola Company for 17 years. Verone prided himself for his work and his dedication to the company, but after he lost his job 3 years ago, he had to take other work to make ends meet. His last job as a convenience store clerk was a strain and magnified the different ailments Verone suffered from. His back hurt and problems with his left foot caused him to limp. He suffered from arthritis in his fingers and carpal tunnel syndrome. He soon lost that job because he was physically unable to perform his duties and then the reality of his situation set in… Verone was unemployed, no savings and no healthcare.
With his options reduced, Verone turned to the government, but all he qualified for was food stamps. The triggering point was when he noticed a growth on his chest. He had a plan, and began implementing it.
As his bank account depleted and the day of execution got closer, Verone sold and donated his furniture. He paid his last month’s rent and gave his notice.
He moved into the Hampton Inn for the last couple of days. Then on June 9 he followed his typical morning routine of getting ready for the day.
He took a cab down New Hope Road and picked a bank at random — RBC Bank.
Verone didn’t want to scare anyone. He executed the robbery the most passive way he knew how. He handed the teller a note demanding one dollar, and medical attention.
“I didn’t have any fears,” said Verone. “I told the teller that I would sit over here and wait for police.”
The teller, however, did have some fears even though Verone never showed a weapon. Her blood pressure shot up and once Verone was handcuffed by police, the teller was taken to Gaston Memorial Hospital to be checked out. Verone said he was sorry for causing the woman any pain.
He has a lot to say on the subject of socialized medical care. He suspects he wouldn’t be talking to a reporter through a metal screen wearing an orange jumpsuit if such an option were available in the U.S.
“If you don’t have your health you don’t have anything,” said Verone.
The man has high hopes with his recent incarceration.
He has seen several nurses and has an appointment with a doctor Friday.
It’s something we say all the time when we want to show America’s exceptionalism – only in America. “Only in America is my story possible,” we would say… or “only in America will you find all these opportunities.” But the ‘only in America’ phrase is also true for Verone’s story, for no other advanced nation on earth would have citizens who have to commit a crime to get health care. Only in America.
Meanwhile, Republicans are promising to repeal health care reform…
In a nation of newspapers, radios, televised media and even the internet including the google, information is still not reaching the masses. Or, maybe the masses don’t want to accept the information that they’re getting. In either case, a new Kaiser Health poll found that only half of Americans know that Health Care was not repealed.
According to the poll, 48% of Americans either believed the law was repealed or did not know enough about the law to say whether it was still in effect. Just 52% of Americans correctly know that the law is still in effect.
Congressional Republicans can therefore exhale. If half of Americans think the bill has already been repealed, then what’s the fuss? John Boehner should just let this segment of society – probably ardent FOX viewers – continue believing that Republicans have done what they promised.
The rest of us – the other half who know the repeal bill will never reach the President’s desk and if it does, it will be vetoed – we will play along, wink wink!
Apparently, not all Republicans in Congress who voted to repeal the Obama Care Health Law know that their Health Care is paid for by the Government. That appeared to be the case with Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkle, Republican Representative from New York.
The freshman Congresswoman held her first town hall meeting in Newark NY, and had to be told by a staff member that her Health care is paid for by tax payers. Reporting the story is Marnie Eisenstadt:
“Buerkle, who voted to repeal the health care reform act, was twice asked about the health insurance she receives as a government employee. At first she said she couldn’t understand why people were so interested in her health insurance, and that taxpayers didn’t pay anything for it. She later corrected herself after being handed a note from a staffer. Like most employees, she pays for a portion of her insurance and her employer, the government, pays the rest, she said.”
Seems to me that the wrong person got elected here. Can we hold another election and get her staffer instead?
After the Republican controlled House of Representatives approved a measure to repeal the Health Care Reform passed by President Obama and the Democratic controlled congress in 2010, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Leader promised a vote will be held in the Senate as well.
Mr. McConnell attached the repeal bill to another legislation for aviation as an amendment, and the vote was held yesterday needing 60 votes to pass. It failed along party lines, with all 47 Republicans voting for repeal, and all 51 Democrats voting against it.
McConnell however, promised to continue his efforts to deny Americans the very same health coverage he and the rest of Congress has, saying;
“This fight isn’t over, we intend to continue to fight to repeal and replace Obamacare with sensible reforms that would lower the cost of American healthcare…
This issue is still ahead of us and we will be going back at it in a variety of ways”
The Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, pleaded with Republicans to work with Democrats on finding “common sense” ways to improve the bill;
“It’s time for Republicans to set aside the battles of the past. It’s time to move on from extreme, ideological plans to repeal a health care law that is lowering prices, expanding access to care and lowering our deficit.”
There was one area of bipartisanship where both Democrats and Republicans agreed overwhelmingly. One provision of the Health Reform Law was repealed through an amendment, and received a vote of 81-17. The provision required businesses to file a 1099 form for every purchase they made over $600.00. That provision has been under heavy attack, and criticized as unnecessary and burdensome additional paperwork. Both parties voted, and the amendment was adopted.
Over the last two years of the Obama administration, Republicans went on a rampage, setting a record for the most filibusters – the process of debating an issue with the eventual outcome of slowing down or stopping the policy from being voted on – in one year since the practice began back in the mid 19th century. That record, set by the 111th congress is 132 filibusters. Now that the Republicans are the majority in the House of Representatives, they are demanding that the Democratic controlled Senate vote on all the bills the House votes on.
The particular bill that Republicans are demanding the Senate to vote on is their measure to repeal the Health Care Reform bill, the single most important piece of legislation instituted by Democrats. The House of Representatives voted last week to repeal the bill by a vote of 245 to 189, and now Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate minority leader is promising “No”, insisting that the Democratic Senate vote on the issue and do the same. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has stated he has no interest in bringing this repeal issue to the Senate.
In a television appearance on Fox News yesterday, Mr. McConnell assured the viewers that he will make sure the Senate votes to take away their health care. When asked how he intends to override Harry Reid’s decision not to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, Mitch said;
“I’m not going to discuss how we’ll do it from a parliamentary point of view here. If that does not pass, and I don’t think anyone is optimistic that it will, we intend to go after this health care bill in every way that we can.”
As minority leader, Mitch McConnell cannot set the agenda for the Senate, but the belief among other congressional leaders is that the Republicans in the could offer the repeal bill as an amendment to another bill, thus, forcing the Senate to have the vote. Democratic Senator from Illinois Dick Durbin discussed this possibility;
“If some Republican senator wants to offer it as an amendment at some point, it’s possible they will. It’s possible we’ll face that vote. But having spoken to my members in the Democratic caucus, with Sen. Reid, we feel there’s still strong support for health care reform.”
The lies and scare tactics used by Republicans in the Health Care debate of 2009 have caused a split among the American people. In early polls, taken when the bill was being debated in congress, as much as 60% of the public believed the Republican propaganda against health care reform. But recent polls have shown a change in the public’s perception of the law. According to a recent Associated Press-GFK poll, only 1 out of 4 (25%) Americans are now asking for Republicans to repeal the bill. With poll numbers like these, Democrats are feeling optimistic that the bill will stand up against any amendment trick brought on by the senate. Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senator from New York appeared on CBS, and expressed his optimism;
“If the Republicans offer an amendment on the floor, then we will require them to vote on the individual protections in the bill that are very popular and that even some of the new Republicans House members have said they support. So in the end, their repeal bill is going to be so full of holes it looks like Swiss cheese.”
Individual parts of the bill that have shown strong support among the American people include: allowing young adults to remain on parent’s policy until the age of 26; ending pre-existing conditions for children that went into effect in 2010; ending pre-existing condition for adults that will go into effect in 2014; helping to close the “donut hole” for seniors needing prescription drugs; providing preventative care screenings among others.
The individual mandate in the bill, which requires everyone to obtain health care insurance, is the major contention with the American people. Democrats argue that this mandate is necessary to ensure the improved level of care required in the bill.
If Republicans succeed in getting Senate Democrats to vote on an amended bill with health care repeal as an attachment, the bill will need 60 votes to pass. Democrats control the Senate with 53 votes, with Republicans in the minority with 47. If 13 Democrats crossed party lines and voted with Republicans to achieve the needed 60, the repeal bill then goes to President Obama’s desk for a signature. The President, however, has promised to veto any repeal bill that makes its way to the White House.
Republicans in the House of Representatives succeeded today in getting enough votes to repeal the Health Care Act, signed into Law by President Obama in March 2010. They are trying to persuade the Senate – which is still controlled by Democrats and led by Harry Reid of Nevada – to continue the repeal process. Senator Reid has signaled no desire to bring the Health Care repeal to a vote in the Senate, thus, the bill is dead on arrival.
But congressional Republicans are not giving up. They have assured their conservative base and the Teaparty that they will do all they can to take away their health care. So the next step for these Congressional Republicans will be to defund the bill to the point that it cannot be properly implemented.
What does this mean for the average American?
Well, the parts of the bill that have already been implemented, will get rolled back if funding is no longer there. Some of these benefits that Americans will lose include:
Children with pre-existing health conditions will once again be dropped from their parent’s coverage
Young adults under the age of 26 will no longer be able to stay on their parent’s policy
Seniors will once again have to split the cost of prescription drugs in half, because the additional funds provided by the Health Care reform will no longer be available
Insurance companies will use less of the money they collect in premiums for your health care needs. More of your premium will be used for overhead expenses and CEO bonuses
You will no longer have the additional options given under the Health Care reform bill to appeal health insurance decisions regarding your coverage
You will have to pay for preventative care.
These are just some of the measures from Obama’s Health Care reform that have already been in effect, and will be lost if the Republicans get their way.
Oh, and let’s not forget the tremendous financial implications. See the video below for more…
Just days before its Republican enemies are officially sworn into office in the House of Representatives and Senate — armed with their zeal and desire to repeal it — major parts of the new Health Care law with a total of 21 provisions, will go into effect in 2011.
The areas of the law scheduled to take effect January 1st 2011, are geared towards consumer protection and as its purpose suggests, it should be very popular with the American people once the measures are fully implemented. Some of the measures scheduled to take effect on January 1st are:
Rebates to Consumers if Insurance providers use less than 80% of premiums for clinical services. Providers would be required to use up to 80% of your premium to provide clinical services and quality of care to you. If they use less than this percentage, a rebate check covering the difference must be sent to you.
Pharmaceutical manufacturers must provide a 50% discount on brand-name prescriptions filled in the Medicare Part D coverage. Also, federal subsidies for generic prescriptions kick in on January 1st.
Eliminate cost-sharing for Medicare covered preventative services. Also, waives the Medicare deductible for colorectal cancer screening tests and authorizes Medicare coverage for a personalized prevention plan, including a comprehensive health risk assessment.
Creates the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test new payment and delivery system, with the goal of reducing costs while maintaining or improving quality.
Reduces the Medicare Part D premium subsidy for those with incomes above $85,000/individual and $170,000/couple. Also, freezes income requirements for medicare part B premiums at 2010 levels for the next 8 years.
Creates a new Medicaid state option to permit certain Medicaid enrollees to designate a provider as a health home and provides states taking up the option with 90% federal matching payments for two years for health home-related services.
Provides 3-year grants to states to develop programs to provide Medicaid enrollees with incentives to participate in comprehensive health lifestyle programs.
Establishes a national, voluntary insurance program for purchasing community living assistance services and supports (CLASS program).
Republicans, however, are promising to stop the progress of these reforms by cutting off all necessary funding. They will take over the agenda in the House of Representatives on January 5th, and will introduce more Republicans to occupy more seats in the Senate on that same day.
Polls suggests that Americans have mixed feelings about the new Health Care reform measures, mainly because they were misled by Republicans and a Conservative media. Some Republicans have even won awards for misleading or lying to the American people, like Sarah Palin’s winning Lie Of The Year Award for claiming the Health Reform contains “Death Panels” to “kill your grandma.”
Democrats claimed that they are up for the coming fight, as they try to keep their signature history-making policy alive. The rumble starts January 5th 2011.
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