The Republicans have been making a big deal out of insurance companies canceling some insurance policies that don't meet the basic standards of the health care reform in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). They say the president lied when he said people could keep their current policies if they liked them.
That's not true. These few policies were nothing more than a scam perpetrated on consumers by the insurance companies -- and did not offer adequate insurance coverage for those consumers. The insurance companies could have brought the policies up to meet the new standards, but they chose not to. They decided to just cancel them (and now the Republicans are trying to blame the president for the actions of these insurance companies).
And sadly, former president Bill Clinton has fallen into the Republicans trap -- and seems to be accepting their lies as having some validity. Clinton says:
"I personally believe, even if it takes a change in the law, the president should honor the commitment the federal government made to those people and let them keep what they got."
He is wrong. No one should be allowed to keep those inadequate insurance policies -- most of which are closer to a scam than a real policy to cover medical costs. What is going to happen when someone with one of those policies contracts a serious (and therefore expensive) illness? Many of them are going to have to declare bankruptcy and ruin their credit. The new standards imposed by Obamacare actually protects these people -- by requiring coverage of more medical expenses, and by capping the amount any consumer would have to pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses.
And it also protects the rest of us. How? Well, someone has to pay those medical bills that the consumers with inadequate policies incur. The hospitals can't afford to absorb those costs, and you can bet the insurance companies won't pay a penny more than they are required to pay under the terms of the policy. It's hard enough to get them to pay for the things a policy does cover.
That leaves the rest of us ordinary Americans to pay those costs. If those people with bad policies got their care in a public hospital, then we will pay through higher taxes. If they got their unpaid care in a private hospital, then the hospital will raise its prices and insurance companies will have to pay those higher prices (which means everyone will pay a higher premium).
Obamacare's basic insurance standards doesn't just protect the people who currently have inadequate insurance -- it protects all of us by insuring that we won't have to absorb those costs. Bill Clinton is just mistaken. These scam insurance policies must not be allowed to continue -- even if some foolish people still want them.
I like Bill Clinton -- but he is wrong on this issue.
Well, as the old saying has it, 'it takes one to know one' so when Clinton calls Obama a liar he knows where-of he speaks! And when Obama, himself, admits that when he, er, "misspoke" not once, not twice, not thrice, but 29 times then I think we can safely assume he was lying through his teeth!
ReplyDeleteThe other question I would like to ask you, Ted, is why you think YOU are better at deciding what other people purchase than THEY are? What gives the Democrat party the right to interfere in private and voluntary exchanges? And if you succeed in ramming this monstrosity down the throats of your choking fellow citizens, what will be next on the agenda? Telling them what cars they must buy, what clothes they must wear, what food they must eat - Michelle is well on the way with that one!
Jest askin'!
First, Clinton didn't call President Obama a liar.
DeleteSecond, the government already tells us what kind of car we must buy, by laying down various safety and mileage requirements. Health insurance is no different, and should meet certain standards (just like the required car insurance must do).
Third, all citizens (including me) have the right to an opinion on this issue -- since this is supposed to be a democracy.
Fourth, why does it upset you so much that insurance (like many other products) is now required to meet certain basic requirements?
First, yes, Clinton didn't call Obama a liar, he just told him to do whatever it takes to put matters right so that *then* Obama's words, repeated 29 times, would be the true not false. (Er, Ted, are you a lawyer by any chance?)
DeleteSecond, yes, the lays down minimum standards for ALL cars but leaves it to the individual to choose from a huge variety from the cheap to the expensive. They don't tell you that you MUST buy one with air con, leather seats and alloy wheels!
Third, of course you are entitled to an opinion but not the right to lay down injunctions.
Fourth, because there is a huge range of insurance contracts available and it's no damn business of government to order me to buy what *they* choose.
Don't you Americans have any sense of individualism anymore? Have you gone as soft as us Europeans and just love hanging from a government teat? Can't you see the creeping 'diktat' that is slowly approaching?
The minimum standards for health insurance is no different from the minimum standards for car insurance, or for cars themselves. Yes, you can buy a cheap or expensive car, but they all have to meet the minimum standards -- and you can buy a cheap (bronze) or expensive (gold or platinum) health insurance policy, but they all must meet the minimum standards (standards that are there to protect everyone). Why is that so hard to understand?
DeleteAnd no, I am not an attorney -- but I spent my working life in various aspects of law enforcement (retiring as a parole officer).
Additionally, Bill just made healthcare matters more difficult for Hillary when she is POTUS.
ReplyDelete