dukeofbaja
New Member
I actually did a bit of poking around, apparently congress is NOT exempt, although some of their staffers may be. Just the messenger....
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/21861
The Truth About What Americans Think About Health Care Reform
- Thread starter upnorth2505
- Start date
I actually did a bit of poking around, apparently congress is NOT exempt, although some of their staffers may be. Just the messenger....
http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/21861
My friend, I am not looking to castigise someone, I am looking for information that I can use to solidify/adjust (as the truth moves me) my postion on this subject.
Congress is exempt as are the persons that wrote themselves out of the bill.
Few would deny that a health care crisis looms large in the U.S. In a country with millions of uninsured and underinsured citizens, health care has become more a privilege than a right. Indeed, the United States remains the only industrialized country in the world that doesn’t guarantee health care to all its citizens.
But this isn’t the case for members of the U.S. Congress. Representatives and Senators alike receive some of the best health care benefits in the country, much of it paid for with taxpayer dollars. Yet these same members seem unable - or unwilling - to extend similar protections to the rest of America.
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
As soon as members of Congress are sworn in, they may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The program offers an assortment of health plans from which to choose, including fee-for-service, point-of-service, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In addition, Congress members can also insure their spouses and their dependents.
Not only does Congress get to choose from a wide range of plans, but there’s no waiting period. Unlike many Americans who must struggle against precondition clauses or are even denied coverage because of those preconditions, Senators and Representatives are covered no matter what - effective immediately.
And here’s the best part. The government pays up to 75 percent of the premium. That government, of course, is funded by taxpayers, the same taxpayers who often cannot afford health care themselves.
Read more at Suite101: Health Care for U.S. Congress: Politicians Receive the Country’s Best Care - at Taxpayers' Expense http://public-healthcare-issues.suite101.com/article.cfm/health_care_for_the_us_congress#ixzz0jLmcnuz4
Congress is exempt as are the persons that wrote themselves out of the bill.
Few would deny that a health care crisis looms large in the U.S. In a country with millions of uninsured and underinsured citizens, health care has become more a privilege than a right. Indeed, the United States remains the only industrialized country in the world that doesn’t guarantee health care to all its citizens.
But this isn’t the case for members of the U.S. Congress. Representatives and Senators alike receive some of the best health care benefits in the country, much of it paid for with taxpayer dollars. Yet these same members seem unable - or unwilling - to extend similar protections to the rest of America.
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
As soon as members of Congress are sworn in, they may participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP). The program offers an assortment of health plans from which to choose, including fee-for-service, point-of-service, and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). In addition, Congress members can also insure their spouses and their dependents.
Not only does Congress get to choose from a wide range of plans, but there’s no waiting period. Unlike many Americans who must struggle against precondition clauses or are even denied coverage because of those preconditions, Senators and Representatives are covered no matter what - effective immediately.
And here’s the best part. The government pays up to 75 percent of the premium. That government, of course, is funded by taxpayers, the same taxpayers who often cannot afford health care themselves.
Read more at Suite101: Health Care for U.S. Congress: Politicians Receive the Country’s Best Care - at Taxpayers' Expense http://public-healthcare-issues.suite101.com/article.cfm/health_care_for_the_us_congress#ixzz0jLmcnuz4
dukeofbaja
New Member
OK, so that was some great info about what type of health care they get, but where did it say specifically they were exempt from the individual mandate or anything else called for in this (weak sauce) reform bill?
Here is another source of info about what they are and are not required to do....
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/mar/26/tom-coburn/health-bill-appears-exempt-some-congressional-staf/
Coburn's quote may make it sound like lawmakers and congressional staff are exempt from broader health care reform, but they are not. Instead, he's talking about a specific provision in the bill that would require lawmakers and their staff to buy health insurance through an exchange, a virtual market place where consumers can pick and choose among plans based on coverage and price. To our knowledge, members of Congress and their aides are the only people who are being forced to give up their employer's health care plan -- in this case, one administered by the federal government.
To check Coburn's claim, we turned to page 158 of the health care bill Obama just signed -- the Senate version of the bill -- and here's what it says:
"The only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are — (I) created under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act); or (II) offered through an Exchange established under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act)."
The provision goes on: "The term 'Member of Congress' means any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate... The term 'congressional staff' means all full-time and part-time employees employed by the official office of a Member of Congress, whether in Washington, DC or outside of Washington, DC."
Here is another source of info about what they are and are not required to do....
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/mar/26/tom-coburn/health-bill-appears-exempt-some-congressional-staf/
Coburn's quote may make it sound like lawmakers and congressional staff are exempt from broader health care reform, but they are not. Instead, he's talking about a specific provision in the bill that would require lawmakers and their staff to buy health insurance through an exchange, a virtual market place where consumers can pick and choose among plans based on coverage and price. To our knowledge, members of Congress and their aides are the only people who are being forced to give up their employer's health care plan -- in this case, one administered by the federal government.
To check Coburn's claim, we turned to page 158 of the health care bill Obama just signed -- the Senate version of the bill -- and here's what it says:
"The only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are — (I) created under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act); or (II) offered through an Exchange established under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act)."
The provision goes on: "The term 'Member of Congress' means any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate... The term 'congressional staff' means all full-time and part-time employees employed by the official office of a Member of Congress, whether in Washington, DC or outside of Washington, DC."
Ok, I'm not unreasonable - I'll read & digest.
GWN
GWN
dukeofbaja
New Member
I feel your sentiment....the only folks I want to have access to different care than the rest of us are our armed forces and veterans. I would love to hear what they have to say about the quality of their socialized government run healthcare.
And most socialized health care systems still allow the rich to opt out if they want, so the ranting I often hear from some folks about this pathetic bill being a complete government takeover is another one of those myths I like to rail against. The main complaint I seem to see with this bill is that it does not go far enough.
And most socialized health care systems still allow the rich to opt out if they want, so the ranting I often hear from some folks about this pathetic bill being a complete government takeover is another one of those myths I like to rail against. The main complaint I seem to see with this bill is that it does not go far enough.
Well, I am a Vet - 23.5 years AD & a recepient of VA healthcare. While I'll say nothing negative about the quality I will tell you the grilling one gets trying to get into the system is nothing short of degrading. I battled for over two years, through appeals, boards, etc... to finally get a rating & so I could "get" to go to the hospital.
The care I recieve is very good, but then again I paid my due's & like many vets were promised "Health care for life when you retire".
Not quite.
dukeofbaja
New Member
Interesting. I hear veterans even get mental health included, which is a much overlooked aspect of tis healthcare debate. Not just for veterans, some of whom have been through some shit I cringe even thinking about, but for the population as a whole. Mental health and physcal health are quite intertwined. I wonder if anything about mental health got into this bill....time to do some research
abe23
Active Member
Are you being serious, here? Because you are either joking or....a bit on the simple side.
Just to get this straight....: you don't like the bill, but you don't have insurance, correct? From your post, I'm also assuming that you want to go to the ER at the hospital because they will see you without insurance. Right? And you are worried that because of the healthcare bill, the lines at the hospital will get longer...?
Ok....why don't you have insurance? Is it too expensive? If it is this bill will allow you to get subsidies so that you can afford it or even you make even less you can get medicaid. The insurance company is also not allowed to deny you coverage because you have a history of illness or if you get an expensive disease later. Basically, you have no reason to go without health insurance now, so instead of going to the hospital, you can see a primary care doctor for non-emergency care. So the lines at your hospital will also be shorter, since those people can all do the same.
I'm not sure you understand this (i'm still hoping you are being sarcastic...) but you are basically the posterchild for why we need this bill. Thanks for your input!