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Starting Saturday, two of the new health care law's most significant reforms take effect -- or at least begin to take effect. The first will dramatically clamp down on insurance industry waste, abuse, and excesses. Starting on New Year's Day, insurance companies will have to spend at least 80 percent of the revenues they receive from premiums on actual health care. Not on salaries or overhead. Like so many of the law's early reforms, the impact of a strict "medical loss ratio" will be invisible to most consumers. But don't mistake that for insignificance. The bill's most strident critics cite this one provision as the basis for the claim that the government is "taking over" the health care system. That's a false claim, no matter how you slice it -- this is about insurance companies, not, say, hospitals or pharmaceuticals, and those insurers are all still private. They'll just have to play by stricter rules. The other is much more visible. Senior citizens -- a demographic that's skeptical of the bill -- will see real benefits. In 2011, the law will begin to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap -- the infamous "donut hole." Seniors who reach the donut hole will now receive a 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs, the first step in a 10 year plan to fill the hole completely. Seniors will also now receive free annual checkups, screenings and other preventive care. Other changes will also kick in. But these are the biggies. Add them to other reforms that have already taken effect -- such as a ban on discriminating against children with pre-existing conditions, and the new right parents have of keeping their children on their family insurance plans until they're 26 years old -- and you're talking about a bunch of stuff that would be very unpopular to repeal.
Posted By: Richard Kigel
Friday, December 31st 2010 at 12:34PM
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Reform?
I don't know if I would exactly use that word. The Insurance companies are still in the drivers seat and raking in huge profits.
But, as Vice-President Biden told President Obama: "THIS IS A BIG EFFIN DEAL!"
Friday, December 31st 2010 at 12:36PM
Richard Kigel
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Exactly.
Here is a piece I saw today on THINK PROGRESS. It deals with a top candidate to succeed Michael Steele as chairman of the RNC who has been one of the loudest voices crying "gov't takeover!" and "Socialized Medicine".
Turns out, according to this article, that his law firm has created presentations to help their clients adjst to the new Health Care law--and they start with the declaration that the Health Care Law is, indeed, Constitutional, despite all the rhetoric and fuss.
The exact quote from the lawfirms presentation:
”Lawsuits filed to block the case are unlikely to succeed because the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress authority to act on this legislation."
Here is the full text of the article:
”Lawsuits filed to block the case are unlikely to succeed because the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress authority to act on this legislation."
Here is the text of the THINK PROGRESS article:
RNC CANDIDATE'S LAW FIRM SUPPORTS CONSTITUTIONALITY OF HEALTH CARE LAW
In January 14, 168 standing members of the Republican National Committee (RNC) will hold an election to select the next national chairman of the party. Current RNC Chairman Michael Steele is running for a second term against a number of challengers, including Saul Anuzis, Ann Wagner, Maria Cino, Gentry Collins, and Reince Priebus.
Priebus, the current state chairman of the Wisconsin GOP, is positioning himself as the true conservative alternative to Steele. His announcement video contained militant rhetoric, like a claim that Democratic policies do “damage” to the country. Three separate times on a recent conference call, Priebus called for the “execution” of President Obama, later saying he meant Osama bin Laden. RNC committee member Jim Bopp, the leader of the far right faction of the RNC, endorsed Priebus last week.
Despite his heated anti-Obama attacks, Priebus makes a living at a law firm far more comfortable with the policies of President Obama. Priebus works as a partner at the Milwaukee law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. Over the summer, the firm created a series of presentations to explain health reform to its clients and to pitch the firm’s services for employers looking to comply with new health reform regulations. In one presentation, John Barlament, a colleague to Priebus at the firm, said that a health reform repeal is not only unlikely, but that the lawsuits brought by Republican Party allies to declare the law unconstitutional probably have no merit. Referring to the controversy over the individual mandate, Barlament explained that the commerce clause of the constitution “gives Congress authority to act on his legislation”:
“Don’t hold your breath,” Barlament advised employers hoping the Affordable Care Act will be repealed. A number of political and business groups have called for repeal or significant revisions, but Barlament said there is nothing on the “near horizon.”Lawsuits filed to block the case are unlikely to succeed because the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress authority to act on this legislation.
Presentations from Priebus’s law firm also tout health reform benefits routinely ignored by right-wing partisans, like generous subsidies to small businesses, vastly expanding health insurance coverage in America, closing the Medicare Part D donut hole, and the end to egregious insurance company abuses (ending the program of capping benefits, ending “rescissions,” ending discrimination based on pre-existing conditions).
It’s not the first time Priebus’s law firm has contradicted his role as a Republican partisan. As FrumForum reported, the website for his law firm indicated that Priebus had been part of a team dedicated to steering projects from the Recovery Act to clients. Despite the multiple pages on the law firm website indicating Priebus’s involvement in obtaining stimulus grants, he denied ever working on that part of his law firm’s business.
Friday, December 31st 2010 at 2:12PM
Richard Kigel
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Irma--You are so right!!!
Saturday, January 1st 2011 at 11:39AM
Richard Kigel
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Exactly.
So much of their objections to the Obama Administration is theatrics. LIke the massive investigations of just about every single cabinet level department. The only net result will be to throw a monkey wrench into the wheels of government--then blame the Dems when gov't isn't working efficiently.
It remains to be seen how effectively they can combat this ridiculousness. I have to admit--I am greatly encouraged by the collection of Keystone Kops currently running for President. Talk about a circular firing squad--I can't wait!
Saturday, January 1st 2011 at 12:22PM
Richard Kigel
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Yup!
Amazing to see that her approval rating in Alaska is down in the thirties!
Saturday, January 1st 2011 at 1:23PM
Richard Kigel
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This will offer the American citizens one more chance to learn how Education is the key to saving government and our country from self distruct via greed and ignorance. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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I can not wait to see the right eat its own in the House, because they must now come out on teh floor of Congress and say exaclty why they have been only saying NO for the past two years especially to all of teh things they agreed with before our president agreed with them....
I can not wait to see the House" protect their turf ". (otfl) (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
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