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Republican Health Reform - Empowering Patients First Act
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by Graywalker | August 25, 2009 at 09:01 am
1044 views | 0 Recommendations | 12 comments
According to cnsnews.com, there are currently three Republican bills introduced that offer solutions to health insurance reform. Two of the links on the site do not work, mostly due to the way Thomas.loc.gov works. However, I have found the bills and will do a brief summary of what I've discovered about two of them in two articles.
CBS News did a story on this bill - Empowering Patients First Act or H.R. 3400.
So, what does this one do?
- Introduces a $2000 tax credit to help pay for Health Insurance Coverage, plus $500 for up to two dependents, for those under 200% of the Federal Poverty level. (Sec. 101, page 4-5)
- This Credit will be paid, in advance every month, to your insurance provider directly, apparently.(Sec. 102, page 12)
- Sec 103, on page 17, will allow you to opt out of Medicaid or other government programs to take the tax credit instead.
- No abortion coverage or payment allowed under this program. You can't use your tax credit to pay for a Health Care Plan that covers abortion services. Except in cases of risk of death, rape and incest. (Sec. 105, page 21)
- It prohibits any discrimination based on the fact that a physician, individual or institution does not offer abortion.(Sec. 106, page 22)
- It apparently makes business contribute to an employee's health care plan even if it is not the one offered by the employer.(Sec. 107, page 23)
- Puts an Exemption to the HIPPA laws in place.(Sec. 107(d), page 29)
- and another HIPPA exemption. (Sec. 107(e), page 32)
- Prevents states from passing or having laws to prevent employers from Auto-Enrolling employees into health plans. Then forces employers to do auto enrollment, unless the employee specifically opts out.(Sec. 108, page 35)
- Provides Incentives for Small Business (up to 50 employees) to Auto-Enroll employees. (Sec. 109, page 38)
- Pre-Paid physician fees are considered medical services for health savings accounts.(Sec. 111(c), page 42)
- Requires states to institute a High-Risk Pool or other mechanism for those with pre-existing conditions.(Sec. 201, page 43)
- Puts $300 Million a year in Block Grants for States to run health care. (Sec. 211, page 44)
- Sets up IMAs - Individual Membership Associations - to allow groups of individuals access to lower-premium health care plans. Superseding state laws.(Sec. 221, page 49)
That is as far as I can stand to go on it. It is a empty, meaningless bill that does nothing to help people who need it and provides tax-shelters for rich people. This is NOT health insurance reform of any kind.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (12)
at 06:07 on August 26th, 2009
Why can't health care premiums be risked based? The worse your health (overweight, smoker, and so on...), the more you pay? Simple. Then health care would no longer be a political issue. It would be a personal responsibility issue instead.
at 11:24 on September 1st, 2009
That would be okay IF your health was solely your own responsibility. What about work-related illnesses and stress (like construction workers, coal miners, etc?). What about Diabetes, Cancer, MS, Alzheimer's and stuff that you are either born with or nobody is sure what causes it? Then you have just plain genetics.Its not Health Care that is at issue - its Health Insurance. The whole idea behind Insurance is something that will protect your interest in case something happens - in this instance, if you get sick. The Reality of things is that Insurance is there for you as long as you are healthy. If you get sick - which is what you are paying for protection from - then the insurance companies fight you every step of the way and drop you as soon as they can.Just like Car Insurance - you are paying for it, but you are punished if you ever actually use it.
at 09:30 on November 14th, 2009
I am with you there. If you think about it, individuals who are overweight, smokers should be able to get a health coverage however they should be charge more since they have decided to live that kind of lifestyle instead of going the opposite way and eliminating the risk of health issues, other tax payers wont have to pay more for their bs........
at 14:32 on September 1st, 2009
Ever get the feeling that the Republicans just don't want people to get decent health care? Irrelevent hit the nail on the head. Insurance companies are there for just premiums, god help you if you ever actually get sick. They will go to incredible lengths to not pay your claim....but they are on you faster than you can blink if you are late on a premium...
at 07:11 on September 3rd, 2009
So.........you would rather have the tax payers pay for all of the insurance. This idea that health insurance is a "right" that is somehow protected by the Constitution is ridiculous. Everyone has access to healthcare.....period. Is it expensive without insurance? Yes. So is replacing your car if you're in an accident and don't have car insurance. Why does everyone expect to go through life always getting a fair deal? I've had two life-threatening illnesses and I've been laid off twice. But I sure as hell don't go walking around looking for handouts. I work every day, I pay my taxes, and at the end of the day would like to have some of that money left to spend on me. Yes, I'm selfish. After I pay my taxes, donate to my church, support the local shelters and childrens clubs, I actually am selfish enough to want some of my own earned money to spend on me, not someone else's healthcare. After all, I'm already paying for that through another tax deduction.
at 05:37 on September 6th, 2009
Where do you get that idea? Nothing in what Obama is proposing has tax payers paying for anyone else's health insurance. Not any more than they already do. Well, unless you are filthy rich, making four times my yearly salary, then only a tiny bit more.
Nobody is looking for handouts. Health Insurance Premiums have been growing at FOUR Times the rate of anything else - including salaries. They are not raising rates because they have to - they are just adding more and more and more profit for their pockets. We want some regulation to cut out the pure profiteering (not all profit, mind you nutjobs, just excessive). We want something Affordable. I don't want to pay my hard earned money to line some greedy CEO's pockets and get nothing out of the deal. I want my money's worth and I want fair dealing. I don't want some CEO or his flunkies deciding what medical tests or procedures I really need and refusing to cover what my doctor says I need.
I find it ironic that Church goers are so selfish and hateful about this. Even about spending their tax money to pay for someone else's insurance (even though that has nothing to do with Obama's plan, really). Jesus said, "What you do unto the least, you do unto me." ... and assuming church-going has anything to do with the teachings of Jesus any more, it is a religious charge to take care of others. Yet, here they all are, "Screw the poor! I've got mine and I'm keeping it all for my self!! Let them die!"
at 09:05 on September 8th, 2009
Graywalker - where do you think the government gets the money to pay for ANYTHING??? It's TAX PAYERS. So, ontop of all the taxes I already pay (federal, state, local, sales taxes, etc...) they are going to HAVE to raise taxes for health care. The federal governement should only have enough money for all the programs that are in place now. Now this MASSIVE project gets implemented that's going to cost MASSIVE amounts of money. Guess where it's going to come from....I'll give you a hint. If you have a job and pay taxes, it's coming out of your back pocket. Why are some people so stupid as to think that the tax payers are an unending source of revenue?
at 11:15 on September 8th, 2009
I'm sorry, I don't think people making over $350,000 a year are "Middle Class" and if you make over that... can I have $20,000? Those people are "well off" and mostly have nothing more than whether or not to renew their golf club memberships to worry about. (Subtitle D, Sec. 441 of H.R. 3200 deals with that tax increase)
Many people making less than that are getting tax credits, not tax increases.
Right now the Insurance Companies are bleeding us dry. H.R. 3200 will make MY taxes and my health insurance costs go DOWN. I don't have to guess - I've done the research.
Why are some people so stupid as to think Fox News tells the truth?
at 09:16 on September 8th, 2009
Oh yeah, about "Church goers", you obviously don't go to church. "Church goers" give more to charity than non-church goers. Mississippi, the poorest state and located in the "Bible Belt", gives more to charity than the richest states like Massachusetts. Look it up. So your beef with "church goers" is mistaken. I find it funny how non-church goers always picks on the christians. Look in the mirror pal. I believe in teaching people to better themselves and making it in this world. you have the "Screw the middle class, lets take all their money in the form of taxes and give it to the poor. Since you are big on quoting scripture, try the one where Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "Those who don't work, don't eat".
at 11:21 on September 8th, 2009
So, are you a Paulist or a Christian?
Besides, I didn't bring up Church, someone else did. I just pointed out how ironic I thought the attitude was.
I AM the middle class, and I want to keep more of my money and give less of it to Insurance Agents and their CEOs.
What does teaching people to better themselves have to do with christianity? Kind of the opposite things there.
You are horribly confused - stop listening to Faux News. The Reality of NOW is that those who work can't eat and can't get good medical coverage. Those who sit in offices and sign papers are taking all our money. The TRUTH is that the less you do, the more you make.
at 19:08 on September 5th, 2009
Questions about the bill: The Empowering Patients First Act, or H.R. 3400, would allow:* Individuals to choose their health insurance (no mandates) What does that really mean? If you are a woman you have do you have to add coverage for pregnancy, PAP test, mammograms and cancers more common to women? Does that mean it wouldn’t normally cover tests given to new born babies? * Deductibility of health insurance premiums regardless of who pays Most people use the standard deduction; would this mean that everyone would have to fill out a long form? * Employers to provide flexible health-insurance options to employees Many <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Florida employers provide few if any benefits, are you suggesting that employers would be required to offer some level of benefits such as dollars / hr. of a percentage of pay? * Health insurance coverage for low-income families (300 percent of the federal poverty level)* Health insurance for high-risk individuals (pre-existing conditions) Would everyone who is 45 pay the same rate? * Sale of health insurance across state lines Who would regulate the insurer, or would it be up to the insured to hire a lawyer to go up against the insurance company if they denied a claim. Could you afford to hire a lawyer? * Expansion of Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs* Individual membership association health insurance plan* Association Health Insurance Plans* Medical liability limitations (Tort reform) There may be a small point here. My understanding is that it might save about 1% but 1% of billions of dollars is a lot of money. If employees and or employers were not fined for not participating, how would we deal with the uninsured patients who show up in the emergency room. Currently these costs are being covered by people who have insurance or at least pay their doctor / hospital bill.
at 19:56 on September 9th, 2009
I would like to point out a certain degree of disdain towards the "public option" not covering abortions. However, I can see why it does not. *cough* religion *cough* *cough*Ah, but I digress. From what I have seen, healthcare is too expensive to pay for without insurance. However, over the years, health insurance has become increasingly expensive and unreliable. Clearly this is a problem. I do not agree with some of this bill, but it is a step in the right direction towards improving the system. Alas, many are unwilling to read the bill or at least find a reliable source on the subject.