Healthcare Legislation
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-03-22/healthcare-legislation
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff, react in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill, March 21, 2010.
Pete Souza/Official White House Photo via Flickr
What the passage of an historic health care industry man mean for consumers, the healthcare industry, tax payers, the deficit, and the political landscape.
Guests
E.J. Dionne Jr.
senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, Washington Post columnist, and author of "Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right" and of "Stand Up Fight Back."
Vin Weber
Republican consultant, former member of Congress representing Minnesota's 2nd district (1981-93)
Ron Elving
Washington editor for NPR.
Comments
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Democrats will be able to run on specific line item benefits that are in he law. The more the Republicans rail about their grand concept of a "government takeover" and talk against the changes in the bill - the more I think voters will turn away from them (R).
Choice is easy: Dems - here's what I voted for #1, #2, #3 ....
Reps - here's what I want to take away from you #1, #2, #3 ....
I am pleased with this piece of legislation.
I am pleased the the extremes of this political spectrum are dissatisfied.
I am pleased Rep. Stupack held on and extracted the executive order our President proclaimed.
I am grateful for your coverage of this matter.
Sincerely,
John
I thank President Obama for keeping his word. I thank my Arizona District 5 Representative Harry Mitchell who voted for this long overdue healthcare reform.
I speak as a person who endured three long years without health insurance because of the arbitrary cancellation and denial of coverage by the unregulated, for-profit health insurance industry. Believe me, as a breast cancer survivor, those were worrisome years until I reached age 65 and became eligible for Medicare.
I wish the focus of the media would have been on the facts of this important issue and not merely the political aspects. I can't help thinking that the corporate media, whose revenue comes from advertisers like big pharma and health insurance industry, might have been influenced by the almighty dollar. This is why I support PBS and NPR.
Can this plan be considered a victory to Obama since it was changed so much by bipartisan self interests instead of the interest of the citizens?
When I spend money, one automatic calculation includes asking myself, Do I need this more than I need that? When it comes to spending on health care in America, I ask myself which we need more of, more accessible and better health care or (for example) more Defense Department waste? I know what my answer is to that!
I'd like to challenge Vin Weber on his use of the term "partisanship." He uses it as though partisanship has evenly shared by both parties. My own experience is that, since 1994, the mean and exclusionist partisanship has increased and boiled over within the Republican party while the Democrats pant behind, wondering what the heck has hit them! Democrats can be accused of many lapses, but virulent partisanship is not one of them!
I’m 60 years old and I have hoped for health care reform all my adult life, so I am very gratified to have seen this day come. However, as much as I like a good, spirited debate, I have been profoundly shocked to see the vile, hate-mongering behavior of the bill’s opponents. I have been even more disturbed to see the way in which some media and lawmakers have stoked such fires. Have Americans become incapable of civil, reasoned debate?
I agree! I am 1000% for free speech. But, what we see going on now is the exact opposite of free speech.
Last week, I joined other healthcare reform supporters in front of my representative's office to show my support and encouragement of his YES vote. (Thanks again Rep. Mitchell!) It was ok for the first hour -- pro and against, but civil. That is, until the Tea Party folks showed up. I discovered later that it was a nationwide call to print out a sign and drive around and around the block blaring their horns (www.honkno.com) and flashing the finger. Just like the YELL-OUT campaign last summer, it does absolutely NOTHING but discourage civil discourse. Maybe they aren't intelligent enough to argue their point with words????
Is this democracy in action? To shout down your opponent? As ABC News and others seem to be going in the direction of shouting matches instead of factual news and intelligent dialogue, I urge everyone to SUPPORT PBS AND NPR!!!!
I have had many dogs over my lifetime and have found some dogs just do not do well being crated. I think it is better to provide a space in the house (like a utility room) or much better in a pen in the yard with shelter and water for the day. Each dog is an individual and you need to treat them as such.
Thanks, Olivia
I have had many dogs over my lifetime and have found some dogs just do not do well being crated. I think it is better to provide a space in the house (like a utility room) or much better in a pen in the yard with shelter and water for the day. Each dog is an individual and you need to treat them as such.
Thanks, Olivia
I hear about "Health Care", the talk seems only to be about insurance. When can I afford to go to the doctor? How soon can I get a check-up? I had colon surgery a few years back ($55,000.00 worth) and could not get any insurance since that time. I have asthma, perhaps I have post-polio syndrome. All of this is "pre-existing conditions". I want to and need to go to the doctor, I cannot afford to. How does this "Health-Care" benefit me?
Democrats WILL BE gone in November for not listening to the majority who opposed this bill. Bottom Line. just wait.....
It may be the best thing for the republicans ever for the dems to pass this horrible, disastrous bill. Truly, the backlash will be much more than if they hadn't steamrolled the bill through or had it included some of the much more realisitic proposals put forth by Republicans. I have never, ever seen people so fired up. Given that and the tiny majority Democrats have, Change is a coming.
Hysterical.
Someone asks a question about the polls showing most opposed the bill and Diane doesn't address that fact but questions the poll's validity. She is liviing in a dreamworld.
EXECUTIVEDECISION...
Which three things in this bill are, in your opinion, the most "horrible" and "disastrous?" Just wondering.
A couple of points.
It does nothing to actually cut health care costs. The actual cost to the government which is seriously debt ridden at the moment, will be much greater than is forecast.
For example, I am a small business owner and I pay about 750 per month for myself, wife and two children. I have a basic policy with 50.00 co-pays for Dr's visits etc. Most people I know have similar policies. Under the new bill, I will be canceling my policy and instead opting to pay a penalty of , at most 2.5% of my income if and when I expect to have med bills in excess of 750 per month. Right now, we don't come close to that but we buy the insurance because we need to be covered in case of hospitalization, serious illness or injury. I will pay for my dr visits out of pocket and if I get , God forbid, something serious occurs, I will jump in and get a policy. Wonderfully, no pre-existing coonditions will apply, I'll pay my penalty -which is a fraction of my actual monthly bill and be better off. The country, however, will be in trouble as everyone decides to take a similar tact. Insurance works because we pay every month and the penalty payment is not enough to cover insurance for those that don't pay every month.
Raise the penalty? Don't think that is likely. The democrats have had a tremendous time getting people to accept the "you must buy insurance requirement" and the penalty was even much lower in the original house bill. Politically, I seriously doubt they could get the penalty up to the 700.00 per month or so amount for families like mine force us to buy insurance vs jump in when we need it.
The bill assumes that people will continue with their current insurance and keep paying in. That won't happen. Costs will skyrocket.
more..
Costs have to come doubt-Absolutely I agree something has to be done. But why not figure out why , exactly, costs are so high. Costs go up 25% per year-We need to look at why. We should be able to compare two years of bills and see exactly where the increases are coming from . Are the insurance companies making 20% more profit each year? Are the Dr's and hospitals making 20% more each year? We can absolutely get those numbers by looking at the bills and attacking costs.
One likely reason is that Dr's are doing more tests. Easily, an individuals yearly healthcare cost could go up by a dr perscribing an additional test or two more than he did last year. Many Dr's I know, do this to protect themselves. Why not order every test under the sun? If they don't , and there was a test that could prevent a bad outcome not matter how infintisimal the chance, the should order it to protect themselves from a possible lawsuit. The fact is that we cannot do every test for everyone. As much as we would like to, we cannot afford to. We need to depend on Dr's to make reasonable decisions and remove the threat of unreasonable lawsuits.
This is just one way of attacking costs. I am sure there are many others, but do that first, then we can looking at how to insure everyone. Or at the very least do both.
I was lucky enough to be able to be driving during the Healthcare discussion and thought your guests were some of the best I've heard. They discussed both sides of the legislation with fairness and with quick thorough answers. Thank-you for getting through so many topics in such a short period of time.
A great and historic day. Bravo to all the fine people who did so much to make this day a reality. Dear Ted is smiling down from heaven today!
Change? What kind of change? Do you mean the same stuff we had with Bush? That is not change. That stagnation and continuing with the very problems we are struggling with today. The bill is not ideal by any means but it is a step hopefully in the right direction. Let's be honest, Republicans don't care about healthcare and do I dare say are opposed to it. They don't want things to change.
I am generally happy that the legislation passed. However, as an unemployed professional I am not sure how the legislation will help me in the near term while I look for a new job ... or start up a consulting business.
After being laid off last April 30, at age 61 my employer of 10 years decided to "retire" me (not my choice) as soon as I turned 62. While laid off, I paid around $400/month for family health coverage. Now that they count me as "retired", the health insurance my x-employer offers is $1400. That is $200 more than COBRA without the ARRA subsidy. Since my employer is offering me an alternative, albeit more expensive than the COBRA, I am now disqualified from the ARRA subsidy. I have to pay the full $1200/month.
So, I was wondering would the law provide me with a better alternative to COBRA ... or will it change the rules so I can get the ARRA Subsidy?
I am currently living off of my savings and with this additional $1000 per month, it will not last more than two more months . HELP!!