Could Obama make an end run on health care?

[zeemike]

i don't know because I am not up on the law, but I just had this idea on how he could do it.
Use and executive order to order HHS to add anyone that has a low income that prevents them from getting health insurance to Medicare regardless of age.
Yep that is what I am saying...rule by executive order just like bush and many other presidents have done.
It seems to me it would make moot any legislation that comes out of the congress that does not have a public option.

[DrDan]

1. do we want to establish a precedent like that for major reform?

remember, someday we will cede power to the bad guys.

[Rick554]

3. Ram it thru

Just ram it thru. When obama care becomes law , it'll take years for the repubs to chip away at it and the dems can fight about it for years. Maybe someday we can "chat" about unemployment, maybe when it tops 10%

[zeemike]

5. I would hope that they can do that.

But that seems unlikely now.

[DrDan]

7. that is different from what the OP calls for

[Rick554]

11. OP??

What OP? They have all the votes the dems need. Why bother with repub votes?

[DrDan]

17. the poster is suggesting to not vote - no legislation from congress

to just sign an EO and allow anyone to sign up for medicare - hence an immediate public option

he would be labeled a dictator if he pushed reform in this manner.

[Bandit]

19. An Executive Order can be easily overturned by the next Executive, a Law not so easy.

Or an Act of Congress :shrug:.. Although Bush* simply ignored an Act of Congress when he defied the Presidential Papers Act very early in his first term.

[zeemike]

4. The precedent has already been set.

And the bad guys used it with a vengence....but some how we are too good to play that game.
It would be wonderful if we could do it democratically but that ain't gonna happen because money runs things not the will of the people.

[DrDan]

6. when? what MAJOR reform was pushed through with an EO?

[zeemike]

9. No major reform that I know of

But the EO has been used many times to do what a president was not able to do with leduslation...and that is the point.

[DrDan]

15. the point is that this is MAJOR reform - not where an EO should be used

there would be a revolt

[zeemike]

20. Well we will get major reform anyway

But you can bet that it will put more money in the pockets of the industry and will not bring coverage to all.

[DrDan]

21. I am having my doubts as to seeing anything major

already sold out to pharma

[excess_3]

2. the HHS agency (or any other) would run out of money .n/t

[zeemike]

8. I don't believe that for a moment

And in fact it could save Medicare by adding millions of people....who would pay premiums into Medicare and many of them would be healthy and not need the services.
The insurance industry is not worried about getting more people on their insurance...to them it means more profit.

[excess_3]

12. budget authorization come from Congress

nobody likes unfunded mandates

[zeemike]

23. Well I would point out that Medicare has premiums.

It is not free health care...we pay monthly premiums just like insurance companies do.
And if a low income person was taken in to medicare their premiums would be based on income. And in fact could make medicare less of a drain on the government.

[excess_3]

24. Social Security payments are 'off budget'

FYI
not sure how SS and Medicare are related
.........................
Social Security's budget do not need
to be re-authorized every fiscal year

[zeemike]

25. People on medicare pay premiums out of their SS checks.

If working people are in the system they too would pay premiums to medicare.

[boobooday]

10. This is the time, and this is the issue

to take a stand.

Not an executive order, but real arm-twisting, no-holds barred political persuasion to pass a robust bill that will really make a difference. No concessions to the Republicans.

[qazplm]

13. no because what stops the next president

who is a republican from simply reversing the executive order?

Now you have all these folks without health care. And dont say they wouldn't do it, they would.

[zeemike]

16. Nothing would of course

Except public opinion.

[Uben]

14. I have a better idea

Tax insurance companies 200% on all premium increases. That way they cannot make money by jacking up rates!

[zeemike]

18. Well I could support that but...

If you think it is crazy now just make some law like that....Then they would really bring out the guns and start shooting.

[DrDan]

22. unless they simply raise premiums to cover the increased taxes

[Uben]

26. They can't

...unless they want to pay 200% of that increase in more taxes! That's the beauty of it!

[DrDan]

27. but they could start to deny more claims and cut payments to the healthcare providers

charge the same premium

one thing we will not see is congress willingly cut into the massive profits of the insurers. That would only cut their contributions to congressmen.