This is actually from SOJO, posted on 25NOV09 but it applies to today and the Fall elections because the threat by the gop and the tea-baggers to repeal the health care reform law that was passed earlier this year. People need to be reminded that generally the politics of the gop are skewed to support corporate America and the wealthy, and they generally work against the best interest of middle class, working class and poor Americans. This doesn't mean the Democrats are perfect, but generally they do support legislation supporting, protecting and improving the lives of all Americans (even the wealthy, because when the poor are lifted out of poverty the entire nation benefits). It is sad so many American's are allowing their prejudice against the current administration (prejudice that is blatant in the tea-bagger movement) blind them to the fact they are being deceived and manipulated by the gop to gain their support, and so can not see their support of these politicians is only going to degrade their lives health wise, economically, environmentally, morally and by the time they do realize it it will be too late. Blinded by racism and prejudice, I am afraid many Americans are going to find, after the fall elections, they have been their own worst enemy...and I am also afraid they are going to drag the rest of us down with them.
The second article is from NPR on the new Health Law Details, the link to the article on NPR is
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128007852&sc=nl&cc=nh-20100622
Well, they were all brought to you be political progressives, they were all opposed by political conservatives, and they all are now viewed as fundamental presuppositions of a healthy society by virtually everyone. Okay, all but health-care reform, but trust me, if it passes, in no time at all it will be viewed so positively that we will no longer be able to remember why it took us so long to implement it. And, of course, the list actually includes many, many more initiatives—child labor laws, basic workplace safety rules, social security, Medicare, and so on.
In each case, the vast majority of political conservatives opposed them. They told us that businesses would be ruined, that the problems resulting from implementing the initiatives would be worse than if we left things as they were, that implementing them would make us non-competitive, or, more generally, that the good life as we know it would be gone if we were so foolish as to pass these pieces of legislation. One would think that after being wrong sooo many times, political conservatives would speak with a bit more humility, but alas, not so. If one took some of the speeches in opposition to health-care reform, one could substitute “minimum wage laws” or “child labor laws” in place of “health-care reform” and it would be déjà vu all over again—to quote Yogi Berra.
So, it is not at all surprising to find that, as we are on the verge of possibly the most significant reform in American politics in the last 40 years, political conservatives are united against it. We have the highest health care cost “per unit” than anyone else in the world, we are below the countries with universal coverage as far as customer satisfaction is concerned, we are somewhere near 40th in infant mortality (you’d think the pro-life forces would notice this), and it goes on. Yet, in the midst of these overwhelming evidences to the contrary, those opposed to health-care reform think things are just fine. All that is fine, and let’s make no mistake about it, are the financial interests of those who benefit from the status quo—the insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, etc. These are the ones to whom far too many of our politicos are indebted. We need more politicians indebted to the common good, to the common person, to the public good.
There is no guarantee yet that there will be health care reform, though we are closer than ever before. If we do succeed in overcoming the monied interests and act on behalf of the common good, check back with me in three years. We can celebrate yet another case of political progressives going against special interests to move legislation in favor of the common good. May it be so!
Chuck Gutenson is the chief operating officer for Sojourners.
June 22, 2010 Most health insurance plans will soon be barred from turning children down due to pre-existing medical problems, the White House announced Tuesday, spelling out how early benefits of the new health care law will work.
President Barack Obama is marking the first 90 days since he signed the landmark health care overhaul by packaging a series of consumer safeguards into what the administration is calling a "patients' bill of rights."
The law's major benefit — expansion of coverage to some 32 million now uninsured — doesn't come until 2014. So Obama is doing his best to showcase modest early benefits for a nation that remains divided over the legislation.
In addition to guaranteed coverage for children, the safeguards include:
— A ban on lifetime coverage limits. More than 100 million people are enrolled in plans that currently impose such limits, the White House said.
— Phasing out annual coverage limits. Starting this year, plans can set annual limits no lower than $750,000. Such limits rise to $2 million in 2012, and will be completely prohibited in 2014.
— Forbidding insurers from canceling the policies of people who get sick. Unintentional mistakes on application forms cannot be used to revoke a policy.
— Guaranteed choice of primary care doctors and pediatricians from a plan's network. No referral needed for women to see an ob-gyn specialist. No prior approval needed to seek emergency care out-of-network.
The new rules apply to most health plans, except in cases where they are "grandfathered" under the law.
The White House announcement comes as administration officials meet privately with state insurance commissioners, and CEOs of major insurance companies, amid concerns over continued premium hikes. Obama was expected to attend at least part of the session, and is scheduled to make a speech later.
Consumers who buy their policies directly faced increases averaging 20 percent this year, according to a survey released Monday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Although most Americans are covered on the job, about 14 million purchase insurance on the individual market and have the least bargaining power when it comes to costs.
It's still unclear how insurance companies will price the new guaranteed coverage for children. If premiums are too high, families may still be unable to get health insurance.
The second article is from NPR on the new Health Law Details, the link to the article on NPR is
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128007852&sc=nl&cc=nh-20100622
Well, they were all brought to you be political progressives, they were all opposed by political conservatives, and they all are now viewed as fundamental presuppositions of a healthy society by virtually everyone. Okay, all but health-care reform, but trust me, if it passes, in no time at all it will be viewed so positively that we will no longer be able to remember why it took us so long to implement it. And, of course, the list actually includes many, many more initiatives—child labor laws, basic workplace safety rules, social security, Medicare, and so on.
In each case, the vast majority of political conservatives opposed them. They told us that businesses would be ruined, that the problems resulting from implementing the initiatives would be worse than if we left things as they were, that implementing them would make us non-competitive, or, more generally, that the good life as we know it would be gone if we were so foolish as to pass these pieces of legislation. One would think that after being wrong sooo many times, political conservatives would speak with a bit more humility, but alas, not so. If one took some of the speeches in opposition to health-care reform, one could substitute “minimum wage laws” or “child labor laws” in place of “health-care reform” and it would be déjà vu all over again—to quote Yogi Berra.
So, it is not at all surprising to find that, as we are on the verge of possibly the most significant reform in American politics in the last 40 years, political conservatives are united against it. We have the highest health care cost “per unit” than anyone else in the world, we are below the countries with universal coverage as far as customer satisfaction is concerned, we are somewhere near 40th in infant mortality (you’d think the pro-life forces would notice this), and it goes on. Yet, in the midst of these overwhelming evidences to the contrary, those opposed to health-care reform think things are just fine. All that is fine, and let’s make no mistake about it, are the financial interests of those who benefit from the status quo—the insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, etc. These are the ones to whom far too many of our politicos are indebted. We need more politicians indebted to the common good, to the common person, to the public good.
There is no guarantee yet that there will be health care reform, though we are closer than ever before. If we do succeed in overcoming the monied interests and act on behalf of the common good, check back with me in three years. We can celebrate yet another case of political progressives going against special interests to move legislation in favor of the common good. May it be so!
Chuck Gutenson is the chief operating officer for Sojourners.
White House Releases Health Law Details
President Barack Obama is marking the first 90 days since he signed the landmark health care overhaul by packaging a series of consumer safeguards into what the administration is calling a "patients' bill of rights."
The law's major benefit — expansion of coverage to some 32 million now uninsured — doesn't come until 2014. So Obama is doing his best to showcase modest early benefits for a nation that remains divided over the legislation.
In addition to guaranteed coverage for children, the safeguards include:
— A ban on lifetime coverage limits. More than 100 million people are enrolled in plans that currently impose such limits, the White House said.
— Phasing out annual coverage limits. Starting this year, plans can set annual limits no lower than $750,000. Such limits rise to $2 million in 2012, and will be completely prohibited in 2014.
— Forbidding insurers from canceling the policies of people who get sick. Unintentional mistakes on application forms cannot be used to revoke a policy.
— Guaranteed choice of primary care doctors and pediatricians from a plan's network. No referral needed for women to see an ob-gyn specialist. No prior approval needed to seek emergency care out-of-network.
The new rules apply to most health plans, except in cases where they are "grandfathered" under the law.
The White House announcement comes as administration officials meet privately with state insurance commissioners, and CEOs of major insurance companies, amid concerns over continued premium hikes. Obama was expected to attend at least part of the session, and is scheduled to make a speech later.
Consumers who buy their policies directly faced increases averaging 20 percent this year, according to a survey released Monday by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Although most Americans are covered on the job, about 14 million purchase insurance on the individual market and have the least bargaining power when it comes to costs.
It's still unclear how insurance companies will price the new guaranteed coverage for children. If premiums are too high, families may still be unable to get health insurance.
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