Bush, GOP Shift Focus To Helping Uninsured

[ima_sinnic]

By ROBERT PEAR The New York Times
Published: Dec 15, 2003

WASHINGTON - Fresh from their victory on Medicare, congressional Republicans and the Bush administration say they are planning a new initiative to help provide health insurance to people under 65 who have no coverage.

The Senate majority leader, Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is developing legislation and said it would be high on his agenda next year.

Just minutes after President Bush signed the Medicare bill on Dec. 8, Frist said he was turning his attention to the uninsured. "For my next three years, that will be the overriding issue," he said. "That's the next big challenge."

Details of the package have not been decided. But members of Congress and administration officials said they were considering several proposals: tax credits to help individuals and families buy health insurance, expanded eligibility for existing health programs, and new tools to help small businesses band together to buy insurance. . . .

http://www.tampatrib.com/News/MGAY2TY38OD.html

. . . now why do I get the feeling that any healthcare legislation BushCo introduces will benefit only the insurance companies?? :eyes:

[aquart]

1. God help us all.

[papau]

7. A tax break for the homeless and out of work! Or a discount card?

Which way will they go?

Or will it be direct pay to insurance companies as a "study" in "privatizing" homeless health care?

[proud patriot]

2. hmmmmm

How are all of Conservatives who are pissed off about
the medicare bill going to feel about this ? ehhh ?

[La_Serpiente]

3. We might as well have

universal health insurace. If the Republicans are putting forth a plan to offer health care to uninsured Americans, then Democrats can put forward an alternative plan to help everyone.

[PurityOfEssence]

4. Gosh, how Clintonian...

...to take the enemy's issue and make it your own, just like welfare reform.

No wonder they hated that guy: he toted around that Bible and worked their own schtick with a mojo that wouldn't quit. That's why they had to destroy him.

This is obviously trouble, because they'll be able to force through whatever they want, and opposing them will be some version of baby killing. If Junior can deliver this--or make it look like he is--it takes one of the few resonant issues from our hands.

Of course, any bill that is approved will only have flaws that are the fault of the evil Dems...

Hmmm...hard to tell. Folks are mighty tired of this mob's shit, but it's still a toss-up if they're tired enough.

Fine. Whatever. At least some more people will hopefully be getting some protection from the evil that is medicine for money.

[Sugarbleus]

5. LOL ima!

The article had me going for a second...LOL Oh yeah, we gonna help all those uninsured...then B A M!! The punchline!
What if the people are not working? What if the people are the working poor and couldn't afford a single penny for any type of insurance???? Oh, great idea Frist...'You da man..'

THBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

[xchrom]

6. help from republicans?!?

that's frightening.

[mbperrin]

8. And for those who can't use the tax credit

or have the money to even get the discount card, a free membership to that jolly new organization Euth In Asia, where people are dying to get in!

(Would go well with Frist's background as a cat-killer)

[The Zanti Regent]

9. Is Fri$t gonna bring the Churches into the act?

There's the answer, put the churches on the Gravy Train and give them some of that "faith-based" money to take care of the needy, Of course the GOP will look the other way when all those preachers buy new Mercedes for themselves...

[supernova]

10. And how am I supposed to use this?

tax credits to help individuals and families buy health insurance, expanded eligibility for existing health programs, and new tools to help small businesses band together to buy insurance

I'm unemployed. If I could afford insurance on my own, I would have already been paying for it. The tax credit would just be gravy, really.

We need single-payer health care now.

[0007]

11. Who are they trying to fool now?

Perhaps the folks that spend most of their time watching CNN - FAUX - MSNBC?

These lying sons of bitches ought to be put in a animal shelter and given distemper shots and fed animal crackers.

[Snellius]

12. This is like giving a starving man a laxative

What's the point of giving someone with no money a tax break? Republicans are so out of touch. Somehow they only seem to think that the poor are just rich people who just earn less.