WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans are promising to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul if they win control of Congress. But with what?
Not even they know.
Some have proposed major changes to workplace coverage, even turning Medicare into a voucher plan. Many prefer small steps that tiptoe around political land mines. Others want a clean start.
“During the health care debate there was just as much division within Republicans as there was between the parties,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a leading adviser to 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain.
One of the first acts of a Republican majority would be a vote to repeal what they dismiss as “Obamacare.” But they haven’t said much about what would replace it.
A GOP bill rejected by the Democratic-led House last year is the closest thing to a starting point.
The Republican plan would cover an additional 3 million people by 2019, compared with nearly 33 million under the Obama health care law. It would lower premiums modestly for many small businesses and for people buying insurance directly. It wouldn‘t solve the nation’s long-term cost and coverage problems.
“On a scale of 1 to 1,000, it’s about a 5,” scoffs former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, a senior Democratic adviser.
Yet some Republican proposals are as far-reaching as anything Democrats have tried. A budget crisis could push them to the forefront because lowering health costs is critical to reducing record federal deficits.
Many of those ideas come from Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., one of a group of younger lawmakers trying to energize the party leadership.
Along with Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., Ryan sponsored legislation that would begin to wean the middle-class away from job-based coverage and replace Medicaid with private insurance for most low-income people.
Their plan would make employer coverage taxable to the employee, but that would be offset with a tax credit. It could be used to buy coverage individually or to keep a plan at work. Some people with generous employer coverage could face higher taxes under the Republicans.
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Comments (83)
Okpulot Taha
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:15pmUpon tossing most of our politicians and lobbyists into prison for decades for their engaging in bribery, after kicking out illegal aliens, then we must be rid of millions of civil servants who sit in government offices playing solitaire and looking at pornography all day. I can easily develop a list of 10-thousand government offices, from municipal level to federal level, which not only serve no purpose but also serve to hinder the public and especially hinder free enterprise.
Imprison politicians and lobbyists who commit crimes against our nation, seal our borders, be rid of illegal aliens leeching off our financial lifeblood, dump worthless government offices, this would save taxpayers somewhere in a range of 2-Trillion to 3-Trillion dollars a year in taxes.
Prison for corruption, close our borders, kick out illegals, trim down the size of government at all levels, now we can begin to address health care issues.
For a third time, almost all Americans are sissified socialist welfare loafers who only think of themselves and almost never think of our nation as whole. Those type of logical and realistic measures will probably never happen; Americans only think, “What is in this for me?”
Okpulot Taha
Report Post »Choctaw Nation
baldwin4freedom
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:36pmI really enjoy reading your posts. It is nice that someone is saying what needs to be said, instead of name calling without substance.
We The People must back away from the trough of government subsidies by voting for the repeal of all entitlement programs. Until then, nothing will change.
Report Post »Rubio
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:06pmTort reform and end interstate restictions.
Report Post »Independent Tess
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:50pmYes!
Report Post »Compete or Lose
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 9:01pmAbsolutely–tort reform could be a Malpractice Court–sort of like the Taxcourt. Judges could only grant actual damages–no pain and suffering. In the event of a finding of malpractice, the court would “sentence” the offending healthcare provider or facility to remediation and would have the ability to suspend medical licenses. Attorney fees would be significantly reduced. Bad docs would get eliminated.
Report Post »Okpulot Taha
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:01pmAfter tossing half of our elected leaders and lobbyists into prison for 25 years to life for colluding to undermine public policy for personal gain, then we must address illegal aliens.
At a federal tax level, illegal aliens are costing us taxpayers around 400-Billion to 500-Billion dollars per year and this cost is growing quickly. This is, in better terms, about a half Trillion dollars a year. This is enough money to purchase basic health care coverage for every American.
We must seal our borders and remove illegal aliens from our nation. Securing our borders is easy, this only requires additional man power which would create more jobs. Removing illegal aliens is more simple; prison time for any person or business who employs an illegal alien, whether a gardener or a factory worker. A viable and real “E-verify” system would make this easy. Call a toll free number, punch in a social security number, validation of citizenship in a matter of minutes.
Remove employment incentive for illegal aliens, those illegals will leave our nation on their own.
Sealing our borders would save taxpayers over a TRILLION dollars a year in taxes by lessening or removing our cost of war on drugs, cost of prosecution and imprisonment and cost of being victims.
A trillion dollars a year could easily purchase basic health care coverage for all Americans.
Long prison sentences for politicians and lobbyists who engage in bribery, remove all illegal aliens. Those are the first two steps to create a climate under which we can address health care issues.
We can do this if enough of us raise a ruckus. Once again, this would be challenging because a vast majority of Americans are sissified and only think, “What is in this for me?”
Okpulot Taha
Report Post »Choctaw Nation
Okpulot Taha
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 12:45pmBefore health care costs can be brought under control, first there must be incentive to address this problem. Currently, our politicians have no incentive to sincerely address health care issues. Our elected leaders are in the pockets of the health care industry. While special interest lobbyists continue to line the pockets of politicians with cash, such as campaign donations and “gifts” such as hookers and exotic vacations, there can be no effective public policy for health care nor any other public issues. Our government system, today, operates based upon bribery and personal gain, nothing else.
We must mandate a minimum of 25 years to life in prison for any elected official and lobbyist who collude to undermine public policy for personal gain. This is crime against all Americans, the number of victims is in the hundreds of millions of people. A fitting punishment is 25 years to life in prison.
You may think this extreme. I do not. Collusion to criminally victimize all Americans is right up there with crimes against humanity. Having this possibility of life in prison hanging over the heads of elected officials and lobbyists for offering or accepting bribes would end this problem.
This type of law needs to be enacted at a municipal, county, state and federal level.
I am dead serious. If enough of us raise a ruckus about this, we can have this type of law enacted.
First remove unethical personal gain incentive, then address this myriad of problems facing our nation.
Unfortunately a vast majority of Americans are not willing to work hard to solve our problems; our American populace has succumbed to a philosophy of, “What is in this for me?” This is the same political philosophy which has rendered our nation into a two bit Banana Republic.
Okpulot Taha
Report Post »Choctaw Nation
van
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:00pmonce more I agree with you totally. I do have one thing to add, remember that when D.C. speaks about the influence a particular lobby has what they really mean is the MONEY the lobby has. You hit the nail on the head about the “legal” bribery of campaign contributions and other “gifts”.
If we could institute term limits along with some laws pertaining to employment after congressional service so that those serving could never benefit by “selling” their votes it would be another big step in solving some of the problems of corruption in D.C.
I am sure that much more could be done but the American people must always be vigilant and must never take their eye off of those who are supposed to serve the American people.
Report Post »Okpulot Taha
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:54pmVAN comments, “You hit the nail on the head about the ‘legal’ bribery of campaign contributions and other ‘gifts’…”
Yes, sir, this is the baseline problem with America. Government corruption is pervasive throughout all levels of government from municipal to federal. We cannot address any issue challenging our America until we eliminate government corruption.
Whether health care coverage or gasoline tax, we cannot address those issues until graft, bribery and unethical influence is removed from government.
We can develop the most perfect solution for health care coverage, we can develop a viable health care system which provides free health coverage for all Americans, and this system will never come to be because of corruption not only within our governments but also within our society.
Most of our government leaders are corrupt and most of our American populace is corrupt.
We cannot, we can never solve our problems while corruption is widespread throughout government and our American society. We are addressing the wrong issues. We think “health care” and do not think “corruption”. We are going about this backwards. We must first establish an honest and a level playing field before we can play this game of solving our national problems.
VAN mentions “term limits” which is an excellent beginning point. I would add mandatory 25 years to life in prison for corruption whether this is committed by a politician, by a lobbyist or by an American citizen. Term limits will break this decades long cycle of corruption. Almost all of us know “career” politicians are a major component of our problems.
Yes, VAN is perfectly correct. We must impose term limits.
Yes, I am correct, we must deal out long prison sentences to the corrupt.
Know why Obama and Democrats are side stepping our Constitution to grant amnesty to illegals? Very obvious answer: To buy the votes of Hispanics. This is corruption. This should earn long prison sentences.
True underlying problem and many will be angry with me for this, true problem is Americans only think of themselves and are quite content with corruption while this benefits them. Our America will continue to degrade into a worthless nation while the very fabric of our society is corruption.
Bothers to me to write, “A majority of Americans are sissified welfare rats.”
We will NEVER solve any problems until we are rid of corruption and entitlement thinking.
Corruption is unlawful, entitlement thinking is unethical. Those are the issues we are to address first.
Okpulot Taha
Report Post »Choctaw Nation
T.E.A.PARTNER
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 12:39pmThings that concern me:
People who receive prescription pain medication, who don’t need them, then sell them for cash.
Preventative health care is still not pushed(dental and eye care treated as a priviledge,thus, far more expensive when included in health plans, tooth and gum disease being acknowledged as contributing to heart disease).
When the lawyers are done with a malpractice suit(legitimate), they walk away with 40% or more of their client’s settlement, leaving the client often less than taken care of ( eg: How much expense [hours,supplies etc.] does that law office incur to justify receiving $400,000 out of a One Million dollar award – and they can sleep at night.
I have more, but the readers can come up with more ways to tune a good system into GREAT one.
Report Post »chattycathy
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 12:23pmStart by removing all restrictions for purchasing insurance across state lines. I can purchase a book, bedspread, or a lamp from another state so why can’t I purchase health insurance? If there are any mandatory coverage requirements placed on health care plans by the FEDERAL government, remove them immediately. Give vouchers for Medicare/Medicaid recipients to purchase private insurance. Other than a few primary military hospitals such as Bethesda, close the others and give our injured soldiers health care vouchers for the purchase of a ‘cadillac’ health insurance plan. Regarding TORT reform … it is my understanding that much of this has to be changed at the state level because only a small percentage of these cases are fought in federal court. (THEREFORE … if you have not contacted your State Senators and State Reps, please do so. Tell them that you want TORT REFORM NOW for both doctors, hospitals and drug companies! It is ridiculous, for instance, to expect a drug company to ensure that a drug is compatible with every drug combo and with the physiology of every person on this globe. Limit these jury awards & solve more of these via arbitration.). Government could possibly form insurance pools for the so-called ‘uninsurable’. I would hope that insurance companies would severely penalize anyone using an emergency room for non-emergency care.
Report Post »sccm52
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 12:22pmDoesn’t all this depend on who will win in 2012? For right now, focus on supporting your candidates and figuring out who will run in 2012! And make it a good one,so they can beat Obama and Hillary if she runs!!!
Report Post »Gita
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 12:12pmWe The People want the federal government out of the health care business altogether as it is unconstitutional for the feds to be involved in health care at all. The mandate to purchase is very unconstitutional and the death panel is extremely unconstitutional. In the Bill of Rights we have the God given right to life! If this health care law includes even a possibility of a death panel than those who voted for it and the president signing it into law is totally against the constitution they swore to uphold and should be just cause for immediate impeachment. The GOP still does not get it! We want a limited constitutional government and We The People are willing to do the hard work and sacrifice needed to get us there!
Report Post »Clarion Caller
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:42amJust kill it.No need to be divided on replacing it.Then come back with some reform like opening up health care across state borders….health care tort reform etc etc.Don’t be distracted into failing because of lack of agreement.De-fund any in government office connected to it.
Report Post »Savage
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:41amOkay…I don’t like the censorship aspect in here. I would rather it be more like FACEBOOK and have my post immediately…well…posted.
Report Post »T.E.A.PARTNER
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 12:50pmFacebook doesn’t screen comments. The Blaze apparently does. I like restictions on vulgarity, and other offensive language.
Report Post »Savage
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:38amLets ‘hope’ that the Supreme Court will ‘change’ this monstrosity into a DEAD piece of legislation. Unfortunately, as I am no lawyer, I cannot intelligently argue how THIS differs from Social Security – the already set precedence! I sincerely believe that 55% of the people who are against this should IGNORE it OR…OR….Cloward and Piven the hell out of it when inacted. We all dump our current providers and SUCK OFF the dol until it is BANKRUPT and they have no choice but to repeal it!
Report Post »baldwin4freedom
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 4:15pmThey want us to get on the dole. The government has the rich and the poor in their pocket. They only lack the middle class. Once the middle class gets on the dole, it will be irreversable in our lifetime or our children and grandchildrens, either.
Report Post »twofoot_trucker
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:37amRepeal and replace? They still don’t get it. They still don’t understand why people are so pi$$ed. How about just repeal and leave us the he!! alone?
Report Post »Savage
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:42amAgreed!!!
Report Post »Savage
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:30amI don’t like this format. I hate that I have to scroll all the way to the bottom BEFORE I can post a comment. On another site, people can both REPLY and VOTE (thumbs up or down) on a comment made. I like that format better! Get with it BLAZE.
Report Post »RightWingKookTank
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 3:48pmGeez, can’t even submit a comment in all caps…how about this: THuMBS UP!
Report Post »Scorpion
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:27amLets get back to the beginning,no Govt involvment,no Obama Care,pre 2008,we were pretty ok with the greatest health care system in the world,costs were and are getting too high and need to be addressed,NOT with Gov’t taking over but with the free markets working in the health care industry, just as in OTHER industries,just as our free trade was intended,GET RID of their ANTITRUST exemption that allows them to conspire and set prices! allow them ALL to compete in the free market ACROSS state lines,GET the slip and fall lawyers out of the extorting rediculose awards from buisness with fraudulent frivelous lawsuits,then watch competition take over and drive the prices downward,and lastly when a health relate buisiness goes under , let em! even if they ARE a favored constituant that contributes MILLIONS of dollars to the party in office,let the system work.
Report Post »If we get Representatives loyal to the Constitution and they do the right things and not contrary to the Constitutional law of the land then we can go from there, after all there IS NO enumerated right for the Constitution that allows the Fed to intrude into Healthcare. So lets stop the talk that starts with the Gov’t involed with the task of running and fixing health care(we all know how well Gov’t runs things) and lets insist on leveling the playing field,legislativly, of the health care Industry and have it under the same free market laws and rules that guide other industries leading them to BE COMPETITIVE OR DIE and THEN see where we are.
RodT82721
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:23pmBut who will pay for the moochers?
Report Post »AMERICANCITIZEN
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:20amThe House of Representatives fund all programs this is one of there powers given to them in the Constitution. So if the Republicans take over the House they can defund the Obamacare.
Defunding the bill for the remaining term of Obama, then hopefully he will be defeated in 2012, and then we will have a conservative (real) as president and then they can repel and replace.
Hopefully they will take this next 2 years to really research the real answers to our healthcare problems.
1. Abuse in Medicaid/Medicare (60 billion every year)
2. Allow purchasing policies over state lines ( Competion)
.3. Tort Reform – put caps on law suits
4. Illegal immigrants- use our facilities (emergency rooms ) and then never pay, We Pay
The government should not be running our healthcare, they can not run anything efficeintly.
Report Post »examples Post office , Amtrak, both of these businesses operate in the red with tax payer picking up the tab.
Hold on America
November is coming
God bless America
338lapua
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:20amPaul Ryan’s “roadmap” is a VERY attractive plan. It actually is a win win for the country. Obamacare is SO bad I think, if explained properly and actually made available to the public, the roadmap may become the plan to beat.
Report Post »baldwin4freedom
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:19amThe first problems with our health care system is employer based and government subsidized coverage. The second problem is WE THE PEOPLE. The system is over used which creates a higher demand, thus driving the costs up.
When people are responsible for paying for their own healthcare expenses they in turn are not going to the doctor for every runny nose and belly ache that comes along.
Example of employer based coverage. I use the example of buying a goose neck trailer, because the trailer relates to those close to me. The price tag of a trailer is $ 3,500.00, non-negotiable, but it is only worth $ 3,000.00. If a friend and I were going to go partners on it we would be more apt to buy it because each of us will only have to come up with $ 1,750.00. Neither one of us would buy it if we stood alone, because the trailer is not worth a dollar over $ 3,000.00. I know this is an odd example to some, but it is the only way that I could get people to understand that employer based coverage is only an opportunity for insurance companies to make more money. The employer and the employee do not feel the full effects of the health costs, until it is to late.
Government subsidized is, of course, just a hand out. The individual does not feel the impact.
The consumer must be empowered, thus held accountable, to control the costs of healthcare to all. The idea is simple, but implementing it is difficult. It looks like Paul Ryan may have the right idea, but I need to look a little closer at his proposal.
I am open for rational debate.
Report Post »van
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:25amYou do make sense. Most people could care less about the cost of a hospital stay if their insurance is paying for it and they pay very little for it. A few years ago I had surgery and my employer based health insurance covered it. But when I started looking at the bill I strongly questioned many of the items and got some removed and others reduced. Why, because I care about it and didn’t like being ripped off even if my insurance was paying for it. Most people could care less.
Report Post »mark
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:18amWhat worries me is that most of the GOP only wants to hijack OBAMACARE for their own big government agenda. The damage has been done now that public healthcare is law.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:29amThat, Dear MARK, is a cold, hard statement of fact. Can anyone here name for me one example of a major federal program (boondoggle, giveaway, entitlement, etc) that has ever been “repealed or replaced” once it was law? Could this be a FIRST? Call me a (very hopeful) skeptic.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 2:04pmBroker, LOL, I can name that tune in one note. It’s called “prohibition!”
Report Post »van
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:18amStart with not funding anything in the socialist health care bill.
Then if there are any federal roadblocks to buying health insurance across state lines, get rid of these laws.
Then it will be up to the States to allow for buying health care across state lines.
For people who are unable to buy health insurance because of physical or mental disabilities they should be helped (perhaps at the state level) but for everyone else they should buy their own health insurance either on their own or via their employers.
Everyone should take responsibility for themselves.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:59pmAgreed, dear one, but it was already the states who entered into agreements with certain insurance companies to not allow competition within a particular state! The states must not be allowed to do that again, nor should the insurance companies. It’s exactly like pepsi or coke getting a restaurant to sell onlt pepsi or only coke. Except health insurance really is important, not like choosing a soft drink. There should be the free flow of commerce for health insurance with no interference by states or fed.
Report Post »Sandman75
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:09amWhat was missing from that story? Portability, remember? That was the big catchphrase our rinos in charge were saying. Allow the user to purchase insurance across state lines, increases competition and lowers prices.
Report Post »toongoon
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:03amHow about replacing with medical insurance without the government regulations that our congress destroyed it with over the last few decades. The regulations and political interference are the only reason medical is expensive anyway. Medical care shouldn’t be costly that you have to file bankruptcy for a broken arm or gall bladder surgery.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:58amThe Republicans offered a very viable alternative bill which I have on pdf and will happily provide. I can e-mail it, I don’t know how to put it here. It is 219 pages, contains no takeovers and no access to your bank account or retirement fund. It encourages sales of insurance across state lines and as I read it, is much better and easier implemented. It was offered months before the abomination that was passed came to be. My email address is wingedwolf1@verizon.net. If you email me and request a copy, I can attach it to an email and send it.
Report Post »wingedwolf
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:40pmShe with head up hynie apologizes. Here is the link to download the pdf for anyone interested in the republican alternative to the abomination the demolibersocialcommies rammed down our throats:
Report Post »http://blackburn.house.gov/UploadedFiles/GOP_Alternative.pdf
This was prsented in November 2009 and completely ignored.
Tatum
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:57amWe can change it. It‘s doesn’t have to have The Plan today.
It will never stay a Law. It’s a Joke.
Report Post »van
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:37amtatum, don’t ever think of anything obama does as a joke. He is a shrewd character and firmly believes in what he is doing. Right now the infrastructure is being built for this law and it will be like a cancer, very difficult to cut out of the body of America. That is the real danger here plus whatever his czars are doing that we never hear about, they are very dangerous people both for America and the World.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:52amI seem to remember reading about something called a Presidential “Vota”, or “Vato” or something like that. I think thought it required a 2/3 Senate majority to override, or something like that…..
Report Post »Seriously, what the hell are these Republicans talking about. There is ZERO chance that they will have a Veto-Proof Majority after November 2010, unfortunately. And without it, they will be repealing NOTHING. Why are they making promises they KNOW they can’t keep?
Marylou7
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:07amThey can defund it. Without money it can’t go anywhere.
Report Post »tepartyblog.info
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:08amYes but in 2012 we wont have to worry about that check being used against the American people.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:15amCorrect, it can be defunded in 2011 and then repealed in 2013. So WHY are, “Republicans promising to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul if they win control of Congress.”? It is a campaign LIE that the Dems. will certainly seize upon.
Report Post »338lapua
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:16amMy guess is starving obamacare is step one,defund. Step two is dismantling the current un-constitutional legislation. Third is obviously to insert some positive replacement legislation.
Report Post »The democrat minority will follow right along.
Savage
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:31amStrip away the funding!!!!!!
Report Post »Compete or Lose
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 3:24pmThe beauty of the system of checks and balances is that democratic congresspeople and senators will have to stand for election in 2012 and are more likely to support a replacement plan if they think theyr seat is vulnerable.
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 10:50amAnything the GOP has is better than Obamacare which is more about taking away our libertites and NOTHING about improving healthcare. In fact, under Obamacare, the quality of healthcare will plummet and the cost will skyrocket. Paul Ryan is a no nonsense, get to the guts of the matter kind of guy.
Report Post »keepemhonest
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:31amThere will be no remedy to the Health Care dilemma so long as the free market is excluded from the process. Health care policies should be portable. Allow policies to be privately negotiated and not tied to employment. Allowing policies to be purchased across State lines and with benefits that fit the purchasers’ requirements would dramatically lower cost. Frivolous lawsuits and excessive jury awards are driving many health care providers out of communities and forcing doctors to practice overly defensive medicine. This reduces access to medically necessary services and raises the costs of health care for all. Three simply changes, that can lower cost and improve coverage, and NONE were acceptable to the Democrats in the Obamacare debate.
Report Post »tobywil2
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 11:54amThe Social Security Trust Fund is almost bankrupt and the Medicare trust fund is bankrupt. The problem has been apparent for years but until now no one has advanced a plan to save these popular programs.
At last, our President has the courage to propose a solution! It is so simple that one wonders why no one thought of it before. The solution?
Enact a “Health Care Reform Bill” the severely rations health care to the elderly. This will save the Medicare Trust Fund and allow it to be used to reward the Presidents political cronies and provide health care for “deserving Illegal Aliens.”
Deprived of medical care, the lifespan of the elderly will be reduced, depleting the number of recipients of the Social Security Trust Fund, saving that popular program.
Both problems solved! Why did it take so long to find such a simple solution?
Of course, the Congress and the President are exempted from the solution so they can perpetuate the problem.
Report Post »http://commonsense21c.com/
Compete or Lose
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:19pmThe fundamentals to replace Obamacare need to include (1) Unleash the competative poswer of free enterprise to better manage the cost curve (2) Private ownership of health care policies inclusding prohibition against pre-existing condition exclusion (3) extend the level of coverage among citizens (4) Rerstore the $500,000 stolen from the Medicare trust fund that Obamacare wants to use to give free insurance to non-seniors (5) eliminate the tax subsidy for employer provided health care.
The solution is a $2,000 national health care voucher for every citizen not eligible for Medicare ($8,000 per year for family of 4). Permit all heath insurers to cross state lines to compete for the greatly expanded market and require in exchange that al health insurers provided a “minimum coverage” policy in exchange for the voucher. Allow employers and VEBAs to negotiate “supplemental coverage” benefits but make the cost of such benefits taxable as wages.
For an uninsured individual the minimum coverage would be a dramatic improvement over no heath insurance. For the employee getting coverage from their employer, the receipt of the tax free voucher will offset the cost of making supplemental coverage taxabvle. Require all government employees (state and federal-active or retired) onto the new system. For states the availability of vouchers for Medicaide recipients would save state budgets a fortune.
The voucher program can be funded by dedication of tobacco and alcohol taxes and the income tax on employer paid premiums for supplemental insurance together with a broad based 4% national sales tax. Sales taxes are efficient, tax every one that spends money (including the underground and unreported economy–no need for 1099s).
The reality is that while everyone support repeal of Obamacare at the moment, there needs to be a strong preogram to replace it. This system would dramatically reform the delivery of health care in the US and move it toward a competative market system with minimal government interferrence.
Report Post »Independent Tess
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 1:55pmI’m betting that if POTUS, Congress, gov’t employees etc. were forced to participate in the same healthcare they have planned for us, they would quickly make improvements.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on September 19, 2010 at 4:33pmLet’s keep it SIMPLE.. IF YOU DON‘T have insurance or CAN’T get insurance and have parents that were LEGAL citizens you can apply for medicaid on a SLIDING SCALE payment .. but you have to PROVE your income.. Let the companies that are providing insurance for their employees keep doing so.. and here’s the one that people will scream about IF a child on medicaid has parents that ARE NOT citizens send the bill to the consulate of the country of their parents.. since most of these countries allow the child to have duel citizenship because of their parents.. they should therefore be willing to pick up AT LEAST half of their healthcare bill you can also kick back the cost to the states therefore those states that encourage illegals to reside in their states by not passing or enforcing laws will be expected to pick up the entire tab.. this will save BILLIONS that we can put to helping with the healthcare of LEGAL citizens.. BTW reverse the law that says our emergency rooms must take care of ANYONE who goes to them.. to only LEGAL CITIZENS.. and they must ONLY treat the others IF they have been in an accident or some other REAL emergency.. (which would stop illegals from using the emergency rooms for DOCTORS offices)..
Report Post »DGroundhog
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 7:39amHow about we just repeal it? I was pretty happy with my old health plan. With ObamaCare I will lose my health care thru work, will not receive compensation for the loss, will be FORCED to purchase health care insurance, receive fewer choices and worse care.
This is lose/lose/lose/lose/lose for me and most working Americans.
…and for what? To insure the lazy unemployed folk who CHOOSE not to work.
Granted, with Zero’s disastrous unemployment figures there are some who truly wish to work who cannot find employment – but there is always a segment of the population just too damn lazy or strung out on drugs to be employed.
Report Post »barthom
Posted on September 20, 2010 at 3:56pmI want freedom. If I don’t join the health care in any way, I don’t want to pay a fine. I don’t want to be forced to pay a fine. I don’t want the federal government to pay attention to whether I have health care of whether I have health. I don’t want the federal government to even know whether I have health care, or go to the doctor. It is not their jurisdiction.
About jurisdiction: we have three – country, church, and family. Within country governments, we have several – federal, state, county, city, neighborhood. None of he governments need be concerned with our health. Health belongs to church or family.
Le’t repeal the Omamacare. Let’s repeal more than that. Let’s get gov regulations out of our health.
If we get benefits from the country’s government, we get strings attached, and we give up liberty. I don’t want the feds to tuck me in bed at night, either.
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Posted on September 20, 2010 at 3:59pmOther than keeping me from killing people, the unborn, or the elderly, or the handicapped, the government should not be concerned with our health. The federal government’s role is to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The federal government should protect life (stop abortion, stop euthenasia), should protect liberty (repeal a lot of regulatory laws, don’t replace them with Republican regulations), and (if we are not doing anything actually wrong) leave us alone.
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