US health care tab to keep growing under overhaul

[andym]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – A new government report is sending a sober economic warning to Democrats trying to push President Barack Obama's health care overhaul plan through the Senate.

The analysis from nonpartisan economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department concludes that the nation's health care tab will grow more rapidly under the Democratic plan senators are debating. It also calls into question the Democrats' plan to squeeze $493 billion in savings from Medicare over 10 years, saying it "may be unrealistic."

In more bad news, the report released Friday warns that a new long-term care insurance plan included in the legislation could "face a significant risk of failure." The silver lining: The bill provides coverage to 93 percent of Americans.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091211/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul

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Presumably this applies to the weak public option version of the Senate bill, but the article is unclear. Looks like more cost controls are definitely needed. Strong public option? Premium caps?

[SandWalker1984]

1. They LIE: Mandates to buy insurance does not = insurance coverage

"The silver lining: The bill provides coverage to 93 percent of Americans."

No, it doesn't. Both bills in Congress do not guarantee coverage for 93% of Americans -- they MANDATE that Americans buy private, for profit health insurance. There is a huge difference between PROVIDING coverage and MANDATING you BUY coverage.

Most people that do not have health insurance are going without because they cannot afford the monthly premiums, especially if they are over 49 years of age or have pre-existing conditions OR family members that have/had pre-existing conditions. (Try buying insurance in the open market if you have 2 immediate family members that have battled cancer and you will know what I am talking about.)

It is a lie to say these bills will be successful because most Americans will have health insurance.

It is a lie to call this health care reform because these bills will not reform the cost issues that are prohibiting many Americans from getting health CARE.

It is a lie to call it health care reform when failure to buy the for profit insurance (that will not be sufficiently regulated) will result in FINES or PRISON.

And it is a lie when Democratic members of Congress jump on the insurance bandwagon while telling us how great this "reform" legislation is going to be.


The very corporations that have created the need for health care reform will be rewarded immensely for their bad past behavior. That is not the real reform we were promised or deserve.

Health care reform must include a strong public option that allows all Americans that want to participate access. It's key to controlling costs, expanding coverage, and forcing big insurance corporations to compete. Without it, we'll end up with a national health care system controlled by a handful of large corporations accountable neither to American voters nor to the market.

This legislation as currently stands is totally dysfunctional
and I cannot support it. Nor should any thinking person, especially progressives.


Moveon.org has a petition to stop the big gift to the insurance industry at
http://pol.moveon.org/gift/?id=18245-2244643-YIiqDkx&t=2


We need to let Congress know we will not accept an insurance corporation giveaway as health care reform.

[dgibby]

2. A-freakin'-men!

Thanks for the link.

[mvd]

4. I'm concerned that what will come out of the Senate will be a complely disorganized mess

Hopefully that is resolved in conference.

[laughingliberal]

6. Signed with the following comment:

I never would have, in my wildest dreams, believed I would find myself opposing a reform of our health care system. On the other hand, I never, in my wildest dreams, would have thought I'd see this kind of corporate friendly, working class murdering legislation coming out of a Democratic House and Senate.

[andym]

3. Here's a link to the actual report

http://src.senate.gov/files/OACTMemorandumonFinancialImpactofPPAA%28HR3590%29%2812-10-09%29.pdf#page=4

[mbperrin]

5. Single payer would save money and provide coverage for all.

It's proven, worldwide. Other countries spend less per capita than the US, and their citizens live longer, and have lower infant mortality.

Period.

Defeat this bill. It's a pocketstuffer for the insurance companies.