Back to Basics

Did the Senate forget they are supposed to be representing the American people and are not on the TV game show “Let’s Make a Deal”?  The health care bill has serious, life-threatening consequences and they are putting their votes up for auction – going to the highest bidder.  Are the rest of the Senators wishing they held out for what was behind door number 3?

It is one thing to hold out to negotiate for a change or addition to a bill that will equally impact all people.  It is quite another to hold out and gain an advantage for only your state.  This bill is loaded with special considerations for a number of states and people.  Nebraska and Louisiana received special funding for their votes.  The tax on Cadillac insurance policies no longer applies equally to all policies; if you are in a certain field of business you will be exempt.  These are only a few.  I’m just not quite understanding the new bill writing system of applying only parts of the bill to some states or some people, while others are exempt, and yet others get special advantages.  Special interests are blaring obvious in this bill.

This got me to thinking of days long ago around this time of year when salesmen used to give gifts to the businessmen who had supported their companies.  Simple gifts, such as fruit baskets, a bottle of alcohol, or tickets to a sporting event.  These were all considered thank you gifts.  But alas, the days quickly ended when these “gifts” became a controversial issue and were then viewed as bribes or kickbacks.  Could one be sure the contract given to company A wasn’t because they gave a fruit basket to some manager who could influence that decision?  The gift giving and acceptance quickly ended with reputable companies for fear of being fired or having criminal charges brought upon them for participating in bribes and kickbacks.  Many scandals resulted from these gift exchanges.

So what makes the deals currently being made in the Senate any less criminal?  Didn’t Senator Ben Nelson actually take a bribe or kickback in exchange for his vote?  He negotiated and accepted a deal that gave a monetary advantage to his state, at the expense of the American taxpayer.  Should we not start holding these people accountable and charging them with the criminal activity they are so blatantly participating in?  The persons offering the bribe/kickback, as well as the person accepting the bribe/kickback, should both be criminally charged for their actions.

If I stood outside a polling place and offered to pay for people to vote a certain way, I am sure I would be quickly stopped, arrested and charged with a crime.  Are the Senators not doing the same thing?  Like I said before, it is one thing to negotiate a provision that will equally affect all.  It is quite another to sell your vote.  It’s time to hold them personally responsible.

What we can expect from the government takeover of our health care is already starting to reveal its deadly intensions.

The H1N1 vaccine, purchased by and controlled by the government, was a promise that couldn’t be kept.  There was supposed to be enough vaccine available for all those who were at risk as well as it sounding like for anyone else that wanted the vaccine.  Since early this year the government was telling the public how much of an epidemic the H1N1 flu was going to be and was encouraging everyone to get vaccinated.  But when the time came to pay up the government fell far short of their promises.

The H1N1 is a separate vaccination from the regular annual flu vaccinations.  The regular flu vaccination is controlled by private industry.  Those vaccinations have been produced, distributed and are available at your doctor’s office or clinic for anyone requesting it.  In fact, my family doctor asked at my annual exam if I wanted to receive the vaccination.

However, the H1N1 is a different story.  The vaccine was purchased and distribution is being controlled by the government.  While they promised to have enough to go around they fell far short.  The government is controlling all quantities of this vaccine, including where the vaccines are to be sent and how much.  It is only being distributed to government sponsored agencies, so your doctor probably didn’t even receive the vaccine.  In order to obtain the vaccination you have to go to a vaccination clinic.  Even then, if you are not considered high risk you may be denied the vaccination.  So by the end of this year’s flu season only 25% of the H1N1 vaccine will have been distributed.  The rationing has already begun.

Then this week I read an article from the New York Times about a government task force deciding mammograms for women are no longer necessary until age 50, and then only every other year.  They further decided that self-breast exams didn’t do any good and should be discontinued.  Their recommendation was between 50-75 mammograms should be done every other year and after the age of 75 they haven’t yet decided.  Could this be because they are embracing the ideas of the Obama Czars – that anyone over 75 isn’t worth the cost of medical treatment because they have served their usefulness in society already?

How many people know of at least one woman who is alive today because of early detection and treatment of breast cancer?  How many others hear of the terrible tragedy other women face when the breast cancer was diagnosed in a much later stage and it had spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.  Sure, they may not have died from breast cancer, but they died from cancer initially caused from the spreading of the breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society came out against the task forces finding.  Does the government task force know more about cancer that the American Cancer Society?  Shouldn’t this decision be between the woman and her doctor?  No, this is all about money.  The task force says that testing 1300 women to save one life is worth it, but testing 1900 to save one life isn’t.  This is the government playing God.  I’m sure if that life that could be saved were yours or a close family member or friend anyone would agree it was worth it.  What price do you put on a life?  What right does the government have to establish that price?

Rationing and denial of services is what we all have to look forward to if the government takes over control of our health by the proposed health care reform bill passed by the House and under consideration in the Senate.  This is only a sample of what we have to look forward to in the future.  Having health insurance is one thing – getting the actual care of your health is another.  The government is only promising the insurance  – BUYERS BEWARE!

A real case of government healthcare…

One of my daughters became pregnant and found to everyone’s surprise she was going to have identical twins.  The news came with mixed emotions as well as difficult decisions.  This was not her first child and she, like many in the family, believes in natural childbirth without medication.  Only her first child was born in a hospital while all the others were born at home with a midwife.

She initially started seeing her midwife for prenatal visits, but when they discovered she was expecting twins the reality of government interference took hold.  The state of Arizona does not allow midwives to knowingly delivery twins, so they had to find a doctor.  They are on the state insurance, which poses it’s own challenges.  However, trying to find a doctor that not only would accept the state insurance but would also deliver twins and accept a patient at 10 weeks became almost an impossible task.  It took her a month to even obtain the booklet of doctors she requested from the state to start her search.  She went through the book and was more often turned down because the doctors no longer accepted the state insurance.  With the help of her midwife and fortunately a state employee willing to help, she was able to obtain the services of a high-risk OB team.

Through the ultrasounds they discovered the babies were identical twins, had separate bags of water but shared one placenta.  This put her in a higher risk category.  At one point during the pregnancy they determined she was experiencing twin-to-twin transfer and was then referred to a specialist.  Because of this the doctors wanted to see her 3 times a week and she underwent regular ultrasounds and non-stress tests.  During her third trimester an ultrasound indicated she actually had two placentas; that there was a division in the placenta that had not previously been noticed; the twins may not be identical.  At that time it was also revealed that she had not actual experienced twin-to-twin transfer, it was only borderline.  With only 4 weeks remaining until her due date the doctor told her she needed to find another doctor because she was now no longer considered high risk!

She took childbirth classes at the hospital she was to deliver at.  She is also a childbirth instructor so these classes were quite unnecessary from a childbirth aspect, but with this unusual pregnancy she wanted to be informed about the hospital, their procedures, as well as the special considerations in delivering twins.

During her regular doctor visits they discussed the expectations of delivery.  This resulted in a difference of opinion from the doctors and expectant parents.  The doctors believed in a medicated birth with a likely outcome of an induced labor as well as a cesarean delivery.  The parents believed in an unmedicated birth, as natural as possible, and only in an emergency to save the mother and/or babies did they want a cesarean.  They created their birth plan and the doctors made their modifications.  They were able to “negotiate” delaying an induction until 38 weeks.

She went in to labor naturally and the first baby came quickly.  They never made it to the hospital.  Labor never stopped and what seemed like a very short time later the second baby was delivered; he was a breech delivery.  Both babies were well and of good size, especially for twins (7 lbs. 14 oz. and 6 lbs. 9 oz.) with the mother and father cooperating during delivery; no one else was present.  This was a Sunday and at this point they did not want to go to the hospital because there was no need.  So they contacted one of their midwifes who came over to make sure mother and babies were okay – everyone was fine.  It also turns out the twins are identical, sharing only one placenta – the latest ultrasounds were wrong!

On Monday morning they contacted the OB doctors and told them the babies were delivered.  The parents asked if they should come in to be seen by the doctors and were told by the doctor’s office that they should come in 2 weeks.  The parents questioned this and the doctors decided they should make an appointment for that Thursday.  Everything seemed fine.

However, the parents received a call from the referring midwife indicating the doctor had issued a 911 call and told her to see the mother and babies immediately.  This second midwife came over Monday and checked everyone out – everyone was fine.

They kept their appointment on Thursday with the doctors, and again everyone was fine – or so they thought.  They expected to return to the doctor for her 6-week visit.

The latest version of the Pelosi/House health care reform is more of the same, and worse.  It includes the same problems of HR3200 including the public option, the health care exchange, mandates requiring everyone to buy insurance, mandates requiring employers to provide insurance, penalties if you don’t purchase insurance, penalties on companies for not providing insurance, government real-time access to your bank accounts…more and more of the same.

I briefly reviewed the 1990 page bill and found some additional measures that were equally disturbing.

The bill is supposed to help those who have pre-existing conditions as well as those with chronic illnesses that may not otherwise be able to obtain affordable health care insurance.  The bill does mandate that insurance companies accept everyone, regardless of their medical history.  However, in a transition period, the government has allocated a specific budget to cover these people and this must not result in a deficit.  If the expenditures are expected to exceed the budget there are three options available to solve this problem:  (1) deny services, (2) increase premiums, and (3) put people on a waiting list.  So those with current insurance issues may find themselves no better off once this plan goes into affect since the bill gives the government the right to ration or deny services and increase the cost of your premiums.

There are over 360 pages in the bill that directly relate to medical treatment in the Native American populations.  This amounts to additional studies, addressing alcoholism issues and a number of other issues.  However, the bill also allows the government to take Indian reservation lands for the purpose of medicine.  The government will make those decisions and it did not appear as if the Native American population would have any control over what lands they chose to take, or if the medical facilities is even necessary for this population.  How far does this abuse of power run?

I recently read articles on the Pelosi/House reform and found that it creates 111 new bureaucratic departments and/or programs…more expansion of government.  The cost of this bill is estimated at approximately $1.2 trillion for 10 years.

Likewise, just as disturbing is those people who truly believe that this type of government takeover of the insurance industry is the only way they will be able to obtain health insurance.  They don’t want to even consider any other options that may allow them to be covered but not destroy the health care coverage 83% of the population currently has and likes.  They further expect this coverage, because of the public option, to be FREE; they are not expecting to contribute anything to their health insurance costs.  Nothing is free – you will be paying for insurance premiums, co-sharing costs as well as an increase in your income taxes.  If you don’t wake up now you could find yourself facing a huge medical/insurance bill you will be required to pay.

Behind the scenes in the real world anticipation over the new bills has already made an impact on the insurance industry.  A health insurance agent was at a recent party we attended and she is all for this new mandate, her mouth watering at the prospect of making lots of money from all the policies she will be selling.  As long as the private market can compete with the public option she will make a fortune, as she gets a commission not only when she sells a policy, but will continue receiving that commission as long as you renew your policy – and she may not have to do a thing.  This bill will make her a rich woman.  On the other hand, her ex voiced his opinion at her enthusiasm and stated that all this was at what expense to us.  He understood the consequences.

Another tip of the hand came when it was open enrollment time for my daughter.  Her options had been greatly diminished in health insurance coverage.  Option A would give her a set office visit cost of $30/visit, a $750 deductible and she would be responsible for 40% of her medical bills.  Option B would have given her a set office visit cost of $35/visit, a $1500 deductible and again she would be responsible for 40% of her medical bills.  For this reduction in coverage she would enjoy a minor increase in premiums.  Yes, she can say she is “covered” by health insurance but with the deductibles and cost-sharing responsibilities she cannot afford medical care or treatment!  This is from a very large insurance company, so one has to ask if this is the direction we can expect the government plans to be heading.  Is this the type of coverage that may be offered in a basic insurance plan?  If so, then although the government could claim more people would be insured, it would not necessarily mean people would be able to obtain medical care or treatment because they may not be able to afford it.

While the House healthcare bill does little or nothing to decrease medical costs and is anticipated to actually increase insurance premiums, one has to wonder what the real motives are behind the bill.  Is this just a bill to grant the government more control over our lives and denying us personal freedoms…with more government expansion?  With insurance agents waiting in the wings to jump at the vast money making opportunities, whose interests – or special interests – were really in mind?  Does being insured actually make medical care and treatment affordable…or will the cost of the insurance policy and cost-sharing expenses make it even more unaffordable?

Time is running out.  The House is expected to start debate on this issue this week.  The people spoke this summer at Town Hall meetings.  Did Congress get the messages?  It is time we remind them.  Call, write, fax and email your representatives before it’s too late.  The life you save may not only be yours but the country.

John Shadegg pic

So Nancy Pelosi and President Obama are adamant that Congress pass their health care bill.  They’ve dismissed the August protesters and are pushing for passage as soon as possible.  But, what does this mean for the average American, we’ll call her Mary Smith, a single mother of two struggling to get by in a down economy.

She hears terms like “individual mandate,” “employer mandate,” and “CBO score.”  But none of this helps her understand what health care reform means for her.

Mary wants to help the uninsured, but why is Congress talking about changing her plan?  And, why does every report now indicate her premiums and her taxes will go up–and her employer could be fined or forced out of business?  President Obama said his plan would control cost.  She worries about losing the health plan she has and the doctors her children know.  And, what about her job?  What if her employer can’t continue to afford coverage?  Will decisions about her family’s coverage and medical care be made by her or someone in Washington?  Will it be a radical change that rations care?

Unfortunately, Washington politicians are ignoring the concerns of average Americans.  Her family’s health care is about to change dramatically.

Mary gets her insurance through her employer.  She has a plan that suits her needs, and has a great relationship with her doctors.  She’d like more personal say in her plan, but like 83% of Americans, she’s basically happy with her care.  Why don’t the politicians just fix what’s broken—cover those without care and people with pre-existing conditions?  Instead, they are forcing her to change her plan.  H.R. 3200, the House bill, changes every plan in America.  Some are outlawed sooner, but virtually all are disqualified in five years.

Mary’s parents also lose the coverage they know, understand, and like.  They have Medicare Advantage, which provides benefits they like over and above regular Medicare.  Under Nancy Pelosi’s proposal and the Senate bill, that program will disappear.

What’s worse: when Mary goes shopping for a new plan, it will have been designed by a government bureaucracy, even if the so-called “public plan” isn’t adopted.  These new, “government-approved” plans will make her pay for services she doesn’t need, and can’t afford, like alcohol and drug counseling, even if these aren’t health care concerns for Mary or her family.  She’ll be forced to buy services she doesn’t want because it will be illegal to buy just what she needs.  It’s like being forced to buy a multipack of cereal boxes when you know you’re only going to eat the corn flakes.

The government will dictate coverage requirements, reimbursement rates, prices—even “approved” marketing practices and “free” wellness coverage.  “Free” wellness coverage?  Who’s kidding who?  She knows nothing is free.  Of course costs will go up.

Like it or not, Mary’s family will lose the plan they have and maybe the doctors they like and trust.  And, the government is serious about making that happen.  If Mary doesn’t comply and purchase a “government-approved” plan, she’ll be fined.  If her conduct is willful, she’ll be guilty of a misdemeanor.  When did health care “reform” become about punishing people instead of controlling costs and helping the uninsured?