The Post Office is broke... again

Why are Americans so worried about turning over control of our Health Care to the Federal Government? Because even the oldest Federally-controlled corporations - the Post Office - is dead broke. The postmaster reports that they will be out of money by October. If they can't get it right in in 236 years, what hope do they have to fix an already-broken health care system?

Donahoe said that as of Sept. 30 his agency will owe the federal government a payment of $5.5 billion to fund medical costs, in advance, for future retirees, and in November it will need to make a $1.3 billion payment for worker's compensation.

"The Postal Service will not have the cash available to make both of these payments. We need legislation this year to address that fact," he said.

If it does come down to crunch time, said Donahoe: "We will deliver the mail." Employees will be paid, as will suppliers, he said. "The thing we will not do is pay the federal government."

Without some important changes to the law the post office "cannot survive as a self-financing entity," Donahoe said.

Health Care Reform ruled "Unconstitutional"

This is sure to go all the way to the Supreme Court, so neither opponents or proponents should get too excited, but a Federal Judge has ruled the Health Care Reform Bill unconstitutional. The reason? The individual mandate which would require all Americans to buy Health Insurance.

“Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional and not severable, the entire Act must be declared void. This has been a difficult decision to reach, and I am aware that it will have indeterminable implications.,” he wrote in his ruling...

The suit was filed by the state of Florida shortly after the reform law was signed in March. But since then, 25 additional states and the National Federation of Independent Business joined the case, making it the most high-profile and politically charged lawsuit against health reform.

The individual mandate was always the weakest part of Health Care Reform. Liberal legislators wanted it to avoid "free rides" or people not having health care due to their own actions. But the Constitution has always been harshest in its restrictions on the extension of Federal power over individuals. This is a good call.

That being said, I don't think it will be hard to come up with an amendment to the original bill which does pass Constitutional muster.

CT Health Care Reform Backlash

Do you remember when President Obama promised that his Health Care Reform plan would bring down the costs of health care for all Americans? Those of us in Connecticut are wondering how he will explain the latest move by insurers who now want the ability to raise rates by over 20% in 2011.

Aetna asked earlier this summer for an average 24.7 percent increase over last year for small-group HMO plans. State regulators approved an average increase of 18 percent for all of Aetna's small-group plans and 14.2 percent for large-group and middle-market plans, according to Aetna and an initial review of documents provided to The Courant by the state Insurance Department...

In what might appear to be an oddity, companies are citing a huge range of effects that the health care reform mandates will have on plan prices — from near zero to well over 20 percent...

ConnectiCare is seeking an average 22.2 percent hike for its individual-market HMO plans, according to a filing with state regulators...Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut, by far the largest insurer of Connecticut residents, said in a letter that it expects the federal health reform law to increase rates by as much as 22.9 percent for just a single provision — removing annual spending caps...

Somehow, I suspect suddenly health care will return to be a #1 issue in the Fall elections... at least in my home state.

"Pre-existing Condition" Plans began July 1

"ObamaCare" has begun as the requirement for states to offer alternative plans to anyone denied health insurance for a "pre-existing condition" went into effect. If you need health insurance and are in this boat, check out the healthcare.gov website to see what your state offers. For example, my home state is offering a plan to anyone uninsured more than 6 months and unable to get coverage.

A Humble Proposal

The People are speaking loud and clear. Less than 10% of voters believe Congress is doing a good job. President Obama's positives appear to be in free-fall, but Republicans get as poor ratings as Democrats. Politicians grumble that American is "ungovernable", but the truth is that it it the governing who can't see past their own agendas.

Let me humbly propose a change in course. Stop the mammoth do-it-all bills, where pork is the norm rather than the exception, and take a page from the Republican Revolution of 2004. Put down the ideas you want to pass in single-issue bills, debate them and have an up-and-down vote. For instance, on Health Care, give us mini-bills for:

• A ban on denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.
• A ban on dropping insurance for individuals undergoing treatment for an illness, unless they have hit their stated policy maximums.
• Opening up sales of insurance across state lines (but without removing the power of state laws and regulations).
• A public option - whether medicare-for-all or a state-sponsored private plan, let's have the debate on this specifically.
• Extension of COBRA - it is due to expire soon for those laid off at the start of the Great Recession without any bridge to the new system.
• Ability of individuals or states to challenge egregious premium increases before an arbitrator.
• A cap on malpractice settlement payouts to limit the potential costs of honest mistakes.

Let any Republican try to stand against the more obvious cases here. Let any Democrat try to defend a public option without all of the other "hard cases" around it. Let's have a real debate, pass some real bills, and show the American people that Congress is about more than grandstanding and stalling for time.

Yes, Virginia, Democrats could pass Health care if they wanted

While it is hardly good-natured, this article points out something which Conservatives and moderates may need to hear. The reality is, Barack Obama does not need to tack to the center to pass Health Care Reform. He could pass it today with the existing Democratic majority.

Some of us realized all along that there was no rational reason that the Massachusetts election had to kill health care reform. Fundamentally, the main barrier -- getting sixty votes in the Senate -- had already been crossed. The remaining obstacles are puny. All the Democrats needed to do was have the House pass the Senate bill. If they insisted on changes, most of those could easily be made through reconciliation, which only requires a majority vote in the Senate

I am hopeful that Democratic congresspeople who want to keep their jobs after the election will realize that this is a bad idea. But it is certainly possible. We need to be ready for anything.

President Obama doubles-down on Health Care Reform

Congress put forth two unpopular Health Care Reform plans - one by the House and one from the Senate. Both were pushed with considerable urgency by the White House. And these plans and the sense of reckless pace of passage was extremely unpopular with voters, and lead to the lowest ratings in recorded history of Congress. And, of course, the election of Republican Scott Brown to the Senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy. So, what do you do if you are President Obama? Apparently, more of the same stuff that ruined Democratic chances for 2010.

President Barack Obama is putting forward a nearly $1 trillion, 10-year health care plan that would allow the government to deny or roll back egregious insurance premium increases that infuriated consumers....
It conspicuously omits a government insurance plan sought by liberals.

They say "insanity" is defined as "doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.". I realize the president is trying to pass something before his Democratic majority is either reduced, or eliminated altogether in the 2010 elections. But one has to wonder if this would be easier to sell if the various measures were passed separately and the overall scope reduced.

Health Reform empowers IRS

It was seen as a key victory for the average American when the IRS lost power under President George W. Bush. In the late 90s and 2000s, there were a number of high profile cases of abuse of power by the Internal Revenue Service which illustrated Conservatives fears of the unbounded power of agents. Now, as part of President Obama's desire to be the anti-Bush, it appears the pending Health Care Reform Bill is poised to return significant new powers to the IRS, as it will be the primary agency responsible to monitor American's purchasing of Health Insurance. Anyone who fails to purchase insurance under the new rules, will be paying their fines to the IRS.

Welcome back, Tax Man.

What have we come to?

From Townhall.com.

COBRA - Not enough for some?

COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) is a government program which allows downsized employees to purchase insurance thru their former employer for up to 18 months. The Obama administration put into the bailout bill a subsidy of 65% of the premium, as well, to help out unemployed Americans who need insurance. This particular program has been of GREAT help to those in my family during tough times - so much so that at one point I suggested a compromise health care reform step might be to change COBRA to have no set end point for the unemployed.

But now, many unemployed Americans are saying it is no help to them at all - even with the subsidies.

Cynthia Parras decided not to enroll in Cobra after she was laid off from her job as a financial-services product manager in San Francisco in February, because she felt she couldn't afford it. Over the summer, she was diagnosed with shingles. The infection moved to her eyes, and doctors told her she could lose her sight without treatment. She paid about $2,500 out of pocket. To help compensate, she skipped her mortgage payment last month, and signed up for a state insurance plan for welfare recipients.

"This is scary and degrading," she says. "I never have been without insurance, and never in a million years thought this would happen to me."

Stories like these remind us that no government program can solve all of the ills of the health care system, because some of those ills are part of the human condition. We should be careful with the final health reform bill, and humble in not trying to overreach.

Christmas Cynicism

From here.

I am proud to have voted for Joe Lieberman in the last election

From here. Sometimes "No" is the most powerful and patriotic word in the English language.

Health Care Reform Reality Check

Abortion Issue may derail Health Care Reform Bill

Most supporters of the Democratic Health Reform Bills would claim their concerns are purely practical - budgetary savings, expanded coverage, and improved survival rates. But it appears that the Bills' passage may instead come down to a single moral/ethical/philosophical issue - abortion. While the House was willing to compromise in the name of practicality, the Senate is not ready to do the same.

Efforts to find such a common ground failed in the House.

Women's rights groups were caught off-guard by the provision that passed the House and are now vowing to keep similar language out of the Senate bill. Hundreds of activists organized by Planned Parenthood and other groups rallied Wednesday, holding signs reading "Listen up senators: Women's health is not negotiable."

Several House Democrats spoke, vowing to oppose final passage of any health bill with the tough abortion restrictions already approved by the House. Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., called it "a devil's bargain" that she couldn't accept.

But the House language is just what Nelson wants to include in the Senate bill.

In reality, for all of President Obama's talk about this being a practical choice, these debates prove this is all about philosophy. Which is why they are happy to pass ANY bill - however flawed - so long as it is ideologically pure.

Senate explores taxes, taxes, and more taxes to pay for Health Care Reform

The Obama administration keeps pledging that Health Care Reform will wind up saving Americans money. But every time we hear back from Congress, the tax bill for it keeps going up. Now, the Senate is exploring new and interesting ways to tax hiring in the middle of the Great Recession.

The versions leaked so far would add as much as 0.5% on workers who earn more than $200,000. If assessed on both the worker and employer, this would increase the Medicare tax rate to 3.9% from 2.9% today. It would also create the first progressive payroll tax in American history, with wealthier workers paying a higher Medicare payroll tax rate than lower income workers...

In another trial balloon, Mr. Reid would impose the payroll tax on all income, not just wages and salaries. This means applying the tax to capital gains, dividends and other investment income. This would convert the Medicare levy into a de facto version of the income tax.

For those keeping score at home, that includes both taxes that punish investing (which creates jobs) and hiring (which gets people into jobs). Anyone out there think that will have a positive effect on Unemployment?

I am still amazed that the Democrats seem to think Unemployment is unimportant compared to all of their other priorities.

President Obamas Health Care Speech

Like most Americans, I was out living my life during most of the president's speech on Health Care, so I missed it. And this morning, all I am finding is coverage of the "You lie!" outburst on the floor that was bad etiquette but otherwise irrelevant to the speech. So, in the interest of clearing things up for the rest of us, here is the transcript of the speech and here is the online video taken by CNN.

My Health Care Advice: CALM DOWN!

You know that the Health Care debate has gotten out of hand when you start reading about one protester biting off a counter-protester's finger. You know it is even MORE insane when people begin trying to win political points off of the incident. Please, America, calm down. Neither Universal Government Health Care nor Private Insurance is the end of the world.

O'Hanlon says the man got into an argument and fist fight, during which he bit off the left pinky of a 65-year-old man who opposed health care reform.
A hospital spokeswoman says the man lost half the finger, but doctors reattached it and he was sent home the same night.
She says he had Medicare.

If you wonder why some fear Universal Government Care...

...then it is time to read this report from Britain, where some experts are claiming patients who are not dying are being caused to die by an uncaring bureaucracy.

In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, a group of experts who care for the terminally ill claim that some patients are being wrongly judged as close to death.
Under NHS guidance introduced across England to help doctors and medical staff deal with dying patients, they can then have fluid and drugs withdrawn and many are put on continuous sedation until they pass away...The warning comes just a week after a report by the Patients Association estimated that up to one million patients had received poor or cruel care on the NHS.
The scheme, called the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP), was designed to reduce patient suffering in their final hours...It has been gradually adopted nationwide and more than 300 hospitals, 130 hospices and 560 care homes in England currently use the system.

It is important for Universal Health Care proponents to understand that opponents aren't (generally) saying that a government-run system can't be good. But opponents rightly fear that an actual government-run system would deteriorate the way Great Britain's has. If so, then the cure might be worse than the disease, if you'll excuse the pun.

I know I'm ready for some

Why was Death Counselling a bad idea in Health Reform?

Sarah Palin struck a nerve by claiming that the Democratic Health Reform bills contained provision for (or would inevitably lead to) "Death Panels" deciding who would live and who would die? After much back and forth, it was revealed that it was the "death counseling" portion of the bill that triggered this accusation. Many advocates claim such end-of-life planning is critical, while others claim it is merely an excuse to end the lives of the helpless.

Charles Krauthammer has posted one of the more reasoned and thoughtful pieces on the subject. It reminds us that health care decisions are NOT private things, but rather collective decisions made by both us and those who love us.

My own living will, which I have always considered more a literary than legal document, basically says: "I've had some good innings, thank you. If I have anything so much as a hangnail, pull the plug." I've never taken it terribly seriously because unless I'm comatose or demented, they're going to ask me at the time whether or not I want to be resuscitated if I go into cardiac arrest. The paper I signed years ago will mean nothing.

And if I'm totally out of it, my family will decide, with little or no reference to my living will. Why? I'll give you an example. When my father was dying, my mother and brother and I had to decide how much treatment to pursue. What was a better way to ascertain my father's wishes: What he checked off on a form one fine summer's day years before being stricken; or what we, who had known him intimately for decades, thought he would want? The answer is obvious.

Except for the demented orphan, the living will is quite beside the point.