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Thursday, November 05, 2009
Health care issues: What are GOP's reform ideas?
By The Associated Press
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Will the Democrats have the time to read their own health care bill before voting on it?


A look at key issues in the health care debate:

THE ISSUE: Republicans are the minority party in both houses of Congress. What health care proposals have they advanced, and are they going anywhere?

THE POLITICS: The most viable Republican proposal on health care has come from Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, to use the threat of government insurance to force private insurers to lower prices. President Barack Obama and many Democrats saw some political value in including Snowe's "trigger" plan, but ultimately rejected it for one that would permit states to opt out of government insurance.

Other GOP plans have next to no chance of becoming law. House Republicans on Wednesday released a bill draft that focuses on bringing down costs and limiting malpractice lawsuits. The bill leaves out many provisions of the Democrats' 1,990-page legislation, such as new requirements for employers to insure their employees. It also doesn't block insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions.

The Republican plan would only make a small dent in the number of uninsured Americans, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In an analysis released Wednesday, the CBO said the GOP plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 3 million, compared with the Democratic bill that would reduce the number by 36 million. Both estimates are for the year 2019. The budget office says the Republican plan would reduce federal deficits by $68 billion over the 10-year period, and push down premiums for privately insured people.

WHAT IT MEANS: A rewrite of health care policy is the Democrats' signature issue _ a plus for the president's party if it meets their goals of covering nearly every American without adding to the deficit. But if it underwhelms, Republicans will blame the Democrats and ask the voters to turn them out of Congress. The GOP's top targets: Democratic freshmen from districts Republican presidential contender John McCain won in 2008.

_ Laurie Kellman
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Reply # 1
Date: Nov 5, 2009 - 8:09 PM EST
the health plan

The Republicans should say no to 100% of whatever the dumborats offer becasue behind each dumborat is another lie.
The Republicans should say no to there own bill becasue under the Constitution they have no authority to pass anything.
The Conservatives should again remind the Republicans they screwed up 6 years under Bush and it appears they are in the processes of appeasement to their left of center people again.
We saw the old guard of the right fall on their swords in District 23 in NY. Perhaps its time for them to pack it up and go home. Yes, this includes Newt, McCain, M. Steele and others. These guys have failed the Republican party and Conservative American.
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Reply # 2
Date: Nov 5, 2009 - 7:57 PM EST
dear skypete
Gentle Readers,

Dear Sky Pete,

You're correct -- I should not have written
' uncompensated '.

If you take the costs of treating indigent
patients under the EMTALA 1985 and subtract
from that the tax benefits which that ACT
provides to hospitals that derives my figure
of $2-3 billion dollars.

That does not include non-hospital costs
not reimbursed: doctors fees & medicine from
pharmacies or over the counter remedies, for
example.

The assumption under EMTALA is that if hospitals
don't want to treat the indigent they simply
give up their tax benefits.

Every doctor I know treats people they know
won't pay them. Seems that comes with the
License. If you don't like that, give up
the License and become a Hedge Fund Manager.
( they lose money sometimes too )

Cost per procedure in the U.S. is well below
that of other countries. Americans get more
medical care. Costs in that regard are going
up as people are getting more and better quality care. People want that.

Also, please know there is often a large difference between actual marginal costs
for a hospital to deliver services to indigent
patients, and the amount billed.

X-rays cost less than a dollar -- but can be
billed up to $100.00, as one example.

Kindest Regards to all,

I am,

John Lepant
Brighton
Colorado

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