Republican talking points - "it's really big and stuff and uses long words"

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

Yes, friends, that's about what it comes down to. Let's keep reminding them to release their own so-called plan - that little pamphlet they were waving at the President the night Joe Wilson was so disgraceful.

They also apparently are running a pool to see who can use the phrase "government run Healthcare" the most times in two minutes.

They will do anything rather than discuss the actual provisions in the plan - like all this stuff that kicks in immediately:

********************************************************************************************************************
TOP 14 PROVISIONS THAT TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY

1. BEGINS TO CLOSE THE MEDICARE PART D DONUT HOLE — Reduces the donut hole by $500 and institutes a 50%
discount on brand-name drugs, effective January 1, 2010.

2. IMMEDIATE HELP FOR THE UNINSURED UNTIL EXCHANGE IS AVAILABLE (INTERIM HIGH-RISK POOL) — Creates a
temporary insurance program until the Exchange is available for individuals who have been uninsured for several
months or have been denied a policy because of pre-existing conditions.

3. BANS LIFETIME LIMITS ON COVERAGE—Prohibits health insurance companies from placing lifetime caps on coverage.

4. ENDS RESCISSIONS—Prohibits insurers from nullifying or rescinding a patient’s policy when they file a claim for
benefits, except in the case of fraud.

5. EXTENDS COVERAGE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE UP TO 27TH BIRTHDAY THROUGH PARENTS’ INSURANCE— Requires health
plans to allow young people through age 26 to remain on their parents’ insurance policy, at the parents’ choice.

6. ELIMINATES COST-SHARING FOR PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN MEDICARE—Eliminates co-payments for preventive
services and exempts preventive services from deductibles under the Medicare program.

7. IMPROVES HELP FOR LOW-INCOME MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES—Improves the low-income protection programs in
Medicare to assure more individuals are able to access this vital help.

8. PROVIDES NEW CONSUMER PROTECTIONS IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE— Prohibits Medicare Advantage plans from
charging enrollees higher cost-sharing for services in their private plan than what is charged in traditional Medicare.

9. IMMEDIATE SUNSHINE ON PRICE GOUGING—Discourages excessive price increases by insurance companies through
review and disclosure of insurance rate increases.

10. CONTINUITY FOR DISPLACED WORKERS—Allows Americans to keep their COBRA coverage until the Exchange is in
place and they can access affordable coverage.

11. CREATES NEW, VOLUNTARY, PUBLIC LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PROGRAM—Creates a long-term care insurance
program to be financed by voluntary payroll deductions to provide benefits to adults who become functionally disabled.

12. HELP FOR EARLY RETIREES—Creates a $10 billon fund to finance a temporary reinsurance program to help offset the
costs of expensive health claims for employers that provide health benefits for retirees age 55-64.

13. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS—Increases funding for Community Health Centers to allow for a doubling of the
number of patients seen by the centers over the next 5 years.

14. INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS — Provides new investment in training programs to increase the
number of primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals.

PREPARED BY OFFICE OF SPEAKER PELOSI – OCTOBER 29, 2009

[jschurchin]

1. How about

15) Prohibits premium increases in excess of the cost of living.

This fucking 40% bullshit needs to stop. When most Americans see a 2-5% wage increase during any given year, how are they expected to pay a 40% increase to any "Bend Over Here It Comes" insurance company, and still survive.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

3. I think that would be great.

This list is just the stuff that kicks in right away. I don't know if there are effective cost controls that kick in later. I appreciate Pelosi's office preparing this list for the immediate stuff, but they need to do the same thing for the entire bill - an easy read version of what actually happens and when it happens.

[zbdent]

2. It takes so many pages to close the loopholes that Repugs would be screaming about

if it were as big as what they presented at the SOTU ... one sheet, with "Republican Health Care Plan" written on it ...

[alc]

4. I am concerned that it's really big

Who knows what loopholes and contradictions are in there or how many ways things can be interpreted. I wish they could preface it with a simple list like these 14 (but maybe 50, 100, 200 items)and another list of things it will not do. Use simple, plain language. Plain English will be open to interpretation but the legalese will be also. So state that when there is a question about the legalese or conflicting sections are found, these 2 lists (what will happen and what wont happen) can be used by a jury of us commoners to settle.

If they had that
1) Fox can't twist the legalese now.
2) Future administrations can't re-interpret sections or re-prioritize conflicting sections.
3) No congressman can say "I didn't know it did that" like they've said with TARP and the stimulus or say "I couldn't vote for it because this section could be interpreted to require baby seals to be slaughtered in front of your grandmother and force-fed to her until she dies"
4) It will be harder to hide corporate giveaways and other items that should not be there

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Bills may eventually become laws. Because of that a simple sentence won't do. A bill must contain

all the specifics of how, when, and by whom things have to happen. The more words and clauses in the bill, the less chance for varying interpretations.

[bluescribbler]

5. Funny

I don't recall them complaining about the length of the USA Patriot Act when it was introduced. :shrug: Just sayin'.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

6. It's a stupid argument designed to appeal to stupid people

I just looked up the PDF of the Patriot Act and it was 132 pages, so that one is not the best example to counter with.

The point is that healthcare legislation is complex if you are going to truly have reform and anyone who pretends that it isn't and can be addressed in a couple hundred pages is just wrong.

[bluescribbler]

7. I stand corrected.

I thought it was more like 600 pages.