Difference between revisions of "ObamaCare"

Revision as of 15:43, October 7, 2009

Obamacare is the term some critics^[1] use to describe Congressional Democrats' and the Obama Administration's proposal through legislative mandates to require private citizens to purchase health insurance, under the threat of legal sanctions if they do not. The new laws would impose as much as a $1000 fine on citizens for failure to comply.^[2] The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the revenue generating device could produce as much as $36 billion over ten years.^[3]

The fines are euphemistically dubbed "shared responsibility payments."^[4] Employers would be required to deduct the penalties from employees paychecks.^[5]

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) maintains there are no redeeming provisions of Obama's health care plan and offers a number of criticisms of Obama's health care plan. ^[6] The AAPS maintains that Obama's health care plan will significantly increase the overall cost of health care to United States public plus reduce the quality of care that the system provides.^[7] Political analyst and commentator Dick Morris has asserted that Obama's health care plan will lead to the significant use of rationing senior health care which will decrease the life span of senior citizens.^[8]

The State of Massachusetts has had a similiar program in place for several years.^[9]

Mandatory coverage

One such proposal would create a system to require adults (over age 19, U.S. citizens, not incarcerated) to enroll themselves and dependent children in a plan through the state-wide Health Help Agency (HHA) unless they provide evidence of enrollment or coverage through Medicare, a health insurance plan offered by the Department of Defense, an employee benefit plan through a former employer (i.e. retiree health plans), a qualified collective bargaining agreement, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the Indian Health Service. There may by a religious exemption under this proposal. Each adult would have the responsibility to enroll each child in a plan. Dependent children include individuals up to age 24 claimed by their parents for deductions in the tax code.

If an individual fails to purchase coverage and does not meet the exceptions or the religious exemption, then under Obamacare a financial penalty may be assessed for non-indigent individuals.

Penalty for Failure to Purchase Coverage

If an individual fails to purchase coverage and does not meet the exceptions or the religious exemption, then a financial penalty will be assessed for non-indigent individuals. Under this particular proposal for mandatory care, the penalty is calculated by multiplying the number of uncovered months times the weighted average of the monthly premium for a plan in the person’s coverage class and coverage area, plus 15 percent.

Fines will be paid to the HHA of the State in which the person resides. That agency also may establish a procedure to waive the penalty if the penalty poses a hardship. Each State would determine appropriate mechanisms to enforce the requirement that individuals be enrolled.^[10]

Privacy rights

Section 163 of the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 would allow the government real-time access to a person's bank records - including direct access to bank accounts for electronic fund transfers.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Disinformation

A webpage at whitehouse.gov entitled "Reality Check" claims that the president's program "would be fully paid for over 10 years, and it would not add one penny to the deficit."^[15] The CBO is mandated to prepare cost estimates and to show how individual legislative proposals would change spending or revenue levels under current law.^[16] A July 15 2009 letter from the CBO made this assessment,

Obama Administration health care plan and liberal elitism

See also: Barack Obama and liberal elitism and Barack Obama and uncharitableness

Barack Obama

In 2007, when Obama was running for the office of President of the United States, he promised Americans "health care that is as good as the health care that I have as a member of Congress."^[19] However, recently when a newspaper reporter pressed Obama on whether he would commit to Americans having the same health care as congressmen, Obama repeatedly refused to commit to his previous promise of Americans having the same coverage as members of Congress.^[20] President Obama merely claimed Americans would have health care coverage that would "largely match up" with what members of Congress have.^[21] President Obama also stated he is constantly followed around by a personal physician.^[22] The Obama administration's liberal elitism is not unusual when it comes to health care. For example, Belinda Stronach, a former Member of the Canadian Parliament, chose to have a surgical treatment in the United States rather than be treated in Canada for her condition (Canada has a socialized medicine system of health care).^[23]

Congressman John Fleming has offered a legislative amendment that would require United States congressmen and senators to take the same health care plan they try to force on others (under proposed legislation they are curiously exempt). Congressman Fleming is encouraging people to go to his website and sign his petition.^[24]

Treatment of Elders

Some critics, including former Vice-Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, have accused Obama of planning on setting up "Death Panels" to judge the worthiness and "cost effectiveness" of keeping certain people alive, such as senior citizens.^[25]

Also See

• Socialized Medicine
• Obamunism

External Links

• The Obama health care press conference: The Public Option

References