Economists Ask to Help U.S. Fight Health-Care Lawsuit

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Bloomberg News

A group of 35 economists, including three Nobel laureates, asked a U.S. judge for permission to file a brief backing the Obama administration’s bid to end a lawsuit challenging its health-care overhaul.

Nobel Prize-winning economists Kenneth Arrow, George Akerlof and Eric Maskin are among the scholars who filed papers today asking U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola, Florida, to allow them to submit a brief they say will give the court “insight.”

Nineteen states have joined in the lawsuit brought by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum on March 23, which claimed the health-care legislation signed by President Barack Obama earlier that day is overbroad and unconstitutional.

“Everyone gets sick, suffers an injury at some point in their life or must address the vicissitudes of aging and seek medical care,” the economists’ lawyer, Richard Rosen, wrote in today’s filing. “Those medical costs typically arise at unpredictable times and, when they occur, often exceed the ability to pay of all but the very wealthiest of Americans.”

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-12/economiststs-seek-to-file-brief-oppposing-florida-in-heath-care-lawsuit.html

[Owl]

1. K&R!

And Bill McCollum is a turd.

[Swede Atlanta]

2. Healthcare should be a right but.......

It is also an obligation. If you are going to get sick, which you likely will, you need to participate in the health care system. That means buying a health care policy which, based on age, etc. relates to your risk of claims. I think we need to have some kind of cap on premiums based on age/risk but that is the mantra.

[David__77]

6. No, I strongly disagree.

Simply being a citizen or resident should not make someone responsible to purchase a health insurance policy. I cannot disagree more.

[AlbertCat]

8. Simply being a citizen or resident should ....

... make you eligible for basic heath care... like in most civilized, industrialized nations.


Why are Conservatives determined to make the USA a place you don't want to live in?

[girl gone mad]

7. Nope.

We should be allowed to opt out of the for-profit health insurance scam.

I did so in my 20s after being having claims denied twice, and I'm grateful that I had the option. I saved tens of thousands of dollars paying for my health care out of pocket. I feel sorry for the young people who are now about to be forced to contribute to our deeply dysfunctional system. Most will surely never recover the costs they'll be required to pay in.

[tpsbmam]

9. You're kidding, right?

There are millions without access to health care in the United States and that number is growing in leaps and bounds. Do you think that people in this country want to be in that position? Don't you think that the health care system, the one that is guided by big corporation profit motives, has excluded all of those people due to the astronomically high cost of health care in this country? High health care costs that are due primarily to those same insurance corporations IMO. There are millions who would have insurance if they weren't prevented from getting insurance due to preexisting conditions. Yes, that will soon be illegal. As it stands now, those people can join those high risk pools. And guess what.....those pools are so expensive they are, once again, out of reach for most people, thus the very low rate of enrollment.

Very nice of you to insist that we are "obligated" to participate in the system. I'll tell you where you can send the monthly check to support my participation in my state's high risk pool -- it's unaffordable for me. But since you think I should be "obligated," I'm sure you're willing to put up some of the $$$, right?

:grr:

[glinda]

3. Probably all Repub Governors doing without consent of the people in their State. I

know Tim the Tool Pawlenty is one of them from MN. Like he really asked us what we thought?

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Unfortunately not all.

Don't forget states like PA with a DLC governor and a suit filed by the repuke AG who is now governor-elect. :puke:

[ooglymoogly]

4. Bill McCollum is one of the stinkiest farts to ever pass

turd blossoms anus. Though I think the health insurance preservation act is one of the worst pieces of legislation out of this congress.

"Oh look Health care for everyone"....never mind the greedy insurance industry can charge the taxpayers anything they want for this "largess" to the folks who have no bank accounts or property to ravage. Oh gee only a hundred and fifty bucks for a gauze bandage....and only 390 a month for a single lifesaving medication..."oh well I got nuthin, the government pays."

Without Medicare for everyone these costs will bankrupt this country; so the industry can haul money away to the Cayman islands by the shipload....Oh wait...it already has.

[StarsInHerHair]

5. what is it with Republicans & their junk lawsuits?

hypocrites!