Friday, January 30, 2009

HillaryCare Arrives

Let's put it this way.

You are the frog. The water is warmer--and warmer---and warmer.

You know the end of the story.

Democrats have studied "Frog-Cooking 101" and are instituting HillaryCare with just a little more warm water.

The "stimulus" also hijacks Cobra, a program that lets the unemployed retain access to their former company health benefits -- usually for about 18 months. The new stimulus permits any former employee over the age of 55 to keep using Cobra right up until they qualify for Medicare at age 65. And here's the kicker: Whereas employees were previously responsible for paying their health premiums while on Cobra, now the feds will pay 65%. CBO estimates? Seven million Americans will have the feds mostly pay their insurance bills in 2009.

While I would not object to 'allowing COBRA until Medicare qualification' under the usual terms and conditions, the red-highlighted part is objectionable--principally because NO ONE is denied health-care in this country under Hill-Burton. So what is the need?

None.

It is estimated that this provision will have 7 million recipients inside of 2 years.

HT: PowerLine

8 comments:

Unknown said...

principally because NO ONE is denied health-care in this country under Hill-Burton.

I don't even understand what this means. Help?

Dad29 said...

The Hill-Burton act mandates that anyone seeking healthcare MUST be given healthcare, whether or not they can pay for it.

Been around for 40++(??) years.

So there's no NEED for taxpayer-paid COBRA premiums.

Unknown said...

So you're saying that the care one is likely to receive as a result of this Hill-Burton measure is the same as the care one would be getting with actual health insurance?

Dad29 said...

Yah. Same hospitals, same docs, same nurses, same diagnostics, same treatments.

Hospitals have to give X% of their gross revenues to 'charity care;' that's the Hill-Burton act.

Unknown said...

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but listen: I'm sure you're not saying that the care one might receive as a part of Hill-Burton is the same as the care one would receive having private insurance. Right?

I mean, if I lost my insurance tomorrow I couldn't go to my doctor and say "I don't have any money, but there's this Hill-Burton thing," could I? Let's get real.

Dad29 said...

Try it.

You'd (obviously) be very surprised.

Are you trying to insinuate that hospitals, MD's (etc.) will willfully and knowingly break the law?

You obviously don't know many medical professionals.

Unknown said...

Look, let's get down to it. You're talking about emergency care. I cannot go in to my doctor's office and say "I don't have money and I don't have insurance, but could you look at this rash I have?" You do realize that, don't you?

The inability for emergency rooms to turn people away is NOT the same as "everyone has health care."

Dad29 said...

E-rooms look at rashes.

But that's not the point.

The point is that there is no NEED for the taxpayer to pick up 65% of COBRA.