Republican Senators: On Further Review....

Conservatives like to misremember (0.00 / 0)

that Ronald Reagan signed the most sweeping expansion of Medicare in its history.  Hubris.  This after making that foolish recording for the AMA declaring that Medicare would lead to fascism.  Oh, wait a minute, maybe Medicare led to Obama, who is obviously a fascist.  Or is it a socialist?  Or perhaps a Muslim?  Or is it the anti-Christ?  Hard to keep up.  

The Republicans are a caricature of a cartoon making a mockery of mockery.  I'm eager for the shouting to stop so that their circular firing squad can begin in earnest.  Everything we're seeing this week and probably next is designed to blunt the already growing momentum on our side and delay the painful on theirs.  The fracture that Frum was gnawing must be tended sooner or later.  Should be fun.

 

"Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world." A. Einstein

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by: StraffordDem @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 13:09:19 PM CDT

NH's Clueless Republicans (0.00 / 0)

Republican Candidates Call for 140,000+ Granite Staters to Give Up Insurance, Support Raising Taxes on Small Business, and Endorse Discrimination Against
Children with Pre-Existing Conditions

Republican candidates call to repeal historic health insurance reform would be devastating for the state

Concord - While Republican candidates and office holders across the country are backpeddling and abandoning rhetoric about repealing the historic healthcare reform, here in New Hampshire Republicans have come out in droves to announce their support for efforts to repeal the legislation that was recently signed into law by President Obama.

Republican calls to repeal the legislation come at the same time as former Congressman Jeb Bradley is introducing an amendment in the state Senate to effectively prevent Granite Staters from accessing many of these life saving benefits.  

But all the calls for repeal beg the question: what exactly is it they want to see repealed?   The legislation goes a long way to covering the more than 140,000 Granite Staters without health insurance, helps to bring health care costs down, closes the Medicare "doughnut hole," and reins in some of the most abusive insurance industry practices.  

"Only out of touch Granite State Republicans would oppose measures that would expand coverage, lower costs, and benefit seniors," said Derek Richer, press secretary for the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "This gimmicky partisan call to repeal this legislation is only reinforcing what we already knew about all these candidates: they're grossly out of touch and clueless when it comes to what's best for the Granite State."

Specifically the legislation will immediately give nearly 35,000 small businesses a tax break of up to 35%.  The legislation will also end the unconscionable insurance industry practice of denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.  And the law provides immediate assistance to seniors struggling to pay for prescription drug coverage.

"Republicans like John Stephen, Jeb Bradley, Kelly Ayotte, Frank Guinta, Rich Ashooh, Sean Mahoney, and Charlie Bass who are calling to repeal this legislation need to stand up and explain to the people of the Granite State why they oppose important efforts to expand coverage, bring down cost, and rein in the worst insurance industry practices," continued Richer.

While the legislation will be fully phased in over the next couple of years, a number of important provisions will go into effect immediately including:

1.      SMALL BUSINESS TAX CREDITS-Offers tax credits to small businesses to make employee coverage more affordable.  Tax credits of up to 35 percent of premiums will be immediately available to firms that choose to offer coverage.  Effective beginning for calendar year 2010. (Beginning in 2014, the small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums.)

2.      BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE-Provides a $250 rebate to Medicare beneficiaries who hit the donut hole in 2010.  Effective for calendar year 2010.  (Beginning in 2011, institutes a 50% discount on brand-name drugs in the donut hole; also completely closes the donut hole by 2020.)

3.      FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER MEDICARE-Eliminates co-payments for preventive services and exempts preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program.  Effective beginning January 1, 2011.

4.      HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES-Creates a temporary re-insurance program (until the Exchanges are available) to help offset the costs of expensive premiums for employers and retirees for health benefits for retirees age 55-64.  Effective 90 days after enactment.

5.      ENDS RESCISSIONS-Bans insurance companies from dropping people from coverage when they get sick.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

6.      NO DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHILDREN WITH PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS-Prohibits new health plans in all markets plus grandfathered group health plans from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions.  Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, this prohibition would apply to all persons.)

7.      BANS LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE-Prohibits health insurance companies from placing lifetime caps on coverage.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

8.      BANS RESTRICTIVE ANNUAL LIMITS ON COVERAGE-Tightly restricts the use of annual limits to ensure access to needed care in all new plans and grandfathered group health plans.  These tight restrictions will be defined by HHS.  Effective 6 months after enactment. (Beginning in 2014, the use of any annual limits would be prohibited for all new plans and grandfathered group health plans.)

9.      FREE PREVENTIVE CARE UNDER NEW PRIVATE PLANS-Requires new private plans to cover preventive services with no co-payments and with preventive services being exempt from deductibles.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

10.  NEW, INDEPENDENT APPEALS PROCESS-Ensures consumers in new plans have access to an effective internal and external appeals process to appeal decisions by their health insurance plan.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

11.  ENSURING VALUE FOR PREMIUM PAYMENTS-Requires plans in the individual and small group market to spend 80 percent of premium dollars on medical services, and plans in the large group market to spend 85 percent.  Insurers that do not meet these thresholds must provide rebates to policyholders.  Effective on January 1, 2011.

12.  IMMEDIATE HELP FOR THE UNINSURED UNTIL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE (INTERIM HIGH-RISK POOL)-Provides immediate access to affordable insurance for Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition - through a temporary subsidized high-risk pool.  Effective 90 days after enactment.

13.  EXTENDS COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 26TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS' INSURANCE - Requires new health plans and certain grandfathered plans to allow young people up to their 26th birthday to remain on their parents' insurance policy, at the parents' choice.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

14.  COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS-Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for nearly a doubling of the number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years.  Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.

15.  INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS-Provides new investment in training programs to increase the number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals.  Effective beginning in fiscal year 2010.

16.  PROHIBITING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SALARY-Prohibits group health plans from establishing any eligibility rules for health care coverage that have the effect of discriminating in favor of higher wage employees.  Effective 6 months after enactment.

17.  HEALTH INSURANCE CONSUMER INFORMATION-Provides aid to states in establishing offices of health insurance consumer assistance in order to help individuals with the filing of complaints and appeals.  Effective beginning in FY 2010.

18.  CREATES NEW, VOLUNTARY, PUBLIC LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM-Creates a long-term care insurance program to be financed by voluntary payroll deductions to provide home and community-based services to adults who become functionally disabled. Effective on January 1, 2011.

 

2012 starts today.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 15:28:19 PM CDT

My money (and hopes) are on a lemming like dash off the cliff. (4.00 / 1)

"But, in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope." Si se puede. Yes we can.  

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by: Paul Twomey @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 15:39:13 PM CDT

Heck of a job, Scotty (4.00 / 3)

Ayotte, Lamontagne and other Republican candidates went down to MA to campaign for Brown. Now that he is not in the "repeal" camp, will they repudiate him?



"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 16:05:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

things are always better with a dsah of lemmings n/t (4.00 / 1)

Annie 2012!

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by: JonnyBBad @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 17:04:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

To be Republican is to be????????? (0.00 / 0)

I have looked on my road for the marching hoards with a giant red flag with a hammer and cycle---But they aren't there----Wonder why
TeaBagger airlines is running a special on one way tickets to a Republican paradise
NO PESKEY BOG GOVERNMENT
All the freedom you want
No gun control
No socialism
No regulation
ONE WAY TICKETS TO SUMALIA---A REPUBLICAN HEAVEN!!

Of course there is no stable money-no courts-no education-no health care-no roads--etc etc etc
A TRUE REPUBLICAN DREAM!

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by: tchair @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 16:39:33 PM CDT

The Republican agenda is the political version of (0.00 / 0)

planned obsolescence--failure by design.  They've discovered that promising the impossible is the key to longevity in office because the electorate can be convinced to let office holders "try and try again."

And then, every once in a while, they trick Democrats into getting things done and setting things right, so they can mess up again.  Whining works for Republicans because it gets Democrats to do the job for them.

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by: hannah @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 17:32:08 PM CDT

Didn't take long (4.00 / 1)

Josh Marshall has the story of Grassley already taking credit for some of the provisions in the ACT (it's law now) even as he obstructs the reconciliation process.  Almost hard to believe.

Link:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo...


"Physical concepts are free creations of the human mind, and are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external world." A. Einstein

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by: StraffordDem @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 17:44:36 PM CDT

Well yes, it's a Socialist Takeover of (4.00 / 1)

Health Care, with Death Panels 'n' Stuff, but we never said it was BAD...

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by: elwood @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 17:48:35 PM CDT

republican backpedaling (0.00 / 0)

I just wish the Republicans would now "backpedal" on some of their violent rhetoric.  I'm really afraid that one of our Democratic representatives is going to get hurt.

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by: chrisv @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 19:21:55 PM CDT

Lexicographically (0.00 / 0)

I'm pretty sure the correct word here is "backpeddle."

The Republicans are not guilty of extra-vigorous exercise. It's more, overselling.

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by: elwood @ Wed Mar 24, 2010 at 19:39:54 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Pivot, Scott, PIVOT !!! (0.00 / 0)

Dancing with the Stars !!!

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by: FREE Citizen @ Thu Mar 25, 2010 at 01:06:43 AM CDT