Topic: Health Care Reform
Dear Patients: Vote to Repeal ObamaCare
Posted on Sep. 07, 10 | 09:36 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
I missed this great op-ed in the Wall Street Journal last week. Dr. Hal Scherz is warning his patients about the disastrous consequences of ObamaCare. In a open letter to his patients, he writes:
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"Dear Patient: Section 1311 of the new health care legislation gives the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and her appointees the power to establish care guidelines that your doctor must abide by or face penalties and fines. In making doctors answerable in the federal bureaucracy this bill effectively makes them government employees and means that you and your doctor are no longer in charge of your health care decisions. This new law politicizes medicine and in my opinion destroys the sanctity of the doctor-patient relationship that makes the American health care system the best in the world."
Read the rest of the article here.
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Furious Parent Blasts Senator Kagan Over Health Care
Posted on Aug. 19, 10 | 08:58 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care ReformI Don't Think Missouri Likes ObamaCare
Posted on Aug. 04, 10 | 09:43 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
Missouri voters approved of Proposition C last night. The ballot initiative repudiated ObamaCare, specifically the law's individual mandate to buy health insurance.
Prop C passed in a squeaker - 71% to 29%.
Hey Democrats...try to spin that in your favor.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13817
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Prop C passed in a squeaker - 71% to 29%.
Hey Democrats...try to spin that in your favor.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13817
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One Step Closer to Repeal of ObamaCare
Posted on Aug. 02, 10 | 11:12 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
This is breaking news from the Washington Post:
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A federal judge Monday refused to dismiss a Virginia lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the federal health-care law, handing the law's foes their first victory in a courtroom battle likely to last years.
U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson rejected arguments from Obama administration lawyers that Virginia has no standing to sue over the law and no chance of ultimately prevailing in its constitutional claim.
The lawsuit, lodged by Virginia Republican Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli II, argues that Congress overstepped its constitutional authority when it included a provision in the law mandating that citizens purchase health insurance by 2014 or pay a fine.
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U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson rejected arguments from Obama administration lawyers that Virginia has no standing to sue over the law and no chance of ultimately prevailing in its constitutional claim.
The lawsuit, lodged by Virginia Republican Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli II, argues that Congress overstepped its constitutional authority when it included a provision in the law mandating that citizens purchase health insurance by 2014 or pay a fine.
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The Berwick Solution: QALY Him
Posted on Jul. 08, 10 | 10:19 AM by Michael Connolly | Topic: Health Care Reform
I'm usually a fan of presidential recess appointments. Nomination holds are annoying, the president should have leeway in getting his people into office, and under recess appointments, whoever it is will only pester the public for a year or so.
The recess appointment of Donald Berwick to direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is different. There was no hold on his nominatioin. The president appointed him during recess, thereby avoiding a Senate confirmation vote, because he was afraid of being embarrassed by Berwick's performance at his nomination hearing.
Why? Well, because Berwick is embarrassing.
His well publicized views about government health care rationing are not only economically ridiculous, they are morally creepy. "I am a romantic about the [British] National Health Service," he said. "I love it," it's "a global treasure." He favors a system of "algorhythms" by which bureaucrats in Washington can determine if your grandmother, child, or you deserve, say, a hip replacement, a heart transplant, or, in President Obama's memorable words, "the red or blue pill." He wants really smart people -- like him! -- "to weigh public welfare against the choices of private consumers." That is, individuals only get care if the delivery of such care is good for the government.. er, the public.
The Grand Unified Algorhythm is called QALY, quality-adjusted life year. In Britain, a QALY is about $49,000. That is, if the care you need to extend your life by one year costs less than $49,000, you may get it; if it costs more than $49,000 a year, don't buy any green bananas.
Alas. Now that he's been appointed, there's no much congressional Republicans can do about it... Unless... Wait a second.
How about if some enterprising Senate Republican offered an amendment to, say, ration Mr. Berwick's salary and benefits at CMS to, I don't know, say, $49,000 a year until he receives actual hearings and a confirmation vote. Maybe the amendment could do the same for everyone at CMS, weighing, as we must, the "public welfare" against the bloated costs of health care bureaucrats.
I have to say, I'm a romantic about this idea. I love it.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13650
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The recess appointment of Donald Berwick to direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is different. There was no hold on his nominatioin. The president appointed him during recess, thereby avoiding a Senate confirmation vote, because he was afraid of being embarrassed by Berwick's performance at his nomination hearing.
Why? Well, because Berwick is embarrassing.
His well publicized views about government health care rationing are not only economically ridiculous, they are morally creepy. "I am a romantic about the [British] National Health Service," he said. "I love it," it's "a global treasure." He favors a system of "algorhythms" by which bureaucrats in Washington can determine if your grandmother, child, or you deserve, say, a hip replacement, a heart transplant, or, in President Obama's memorable words, "the red or blue pill." He wants really smart people -- like him! -- "to weigh public welfare against the choices of private consumers." That is, individuals only get care if the delivery of such care is good for the government.. er, the public.
The Grand Unified Algorhythm is called QALY, quality-adjusted life year. In Britain, a QALY is about $49,000. That is, if the care you need to extend your life by one year costs less than $49,000, you may get it; if it costs more than $49,000 a year, don't buy any green bananas.
Alas. Now that he's been appointed, there's no much congressional Republicans can do about it... Unless... Wait a second.
How about if some enterprising Senate Republican offered an amendment to, say, ration Mr. Berwick's salary and benefits at CMS to, I don't know, say, $49,000 a year until he receives actual hearings and a confirmation vote. Maybe the amendment could do the same for everyone at CMS, weighing, as we must, the "public welfare" against the bloated costs of health care bureaucrats.
I have to say, I'm a romantic about this idea. I love it.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13650
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Two for the price of one?
Posted on Jun. 17, 10 | 11:57 AM by Michael Connolly | Topic: Health Care Reform
Over at The Corner, Robert Costa has an interest post about the continuing dividends being paid by the defeat of Utah Sen. Bob Bennett last month:
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13547
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Hatching a Plan to Repeal Obamacare [Robert Costa]
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah) wants to repeal Obamacare, piece by piece. Today, he’s introducing two pieces of legislation: The first would repeal the individual mandate and the second would repeal the employer mandate. “By repealing both the unconstitutional individual mandate and the job-killing employer mandate, the most egregious elements of this devastating health law will be eliminated,” Hatch says. “This would be a huge leap in the right direction for hard-working families and small businesses.”
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A Discharge Petition for Repeal of ObamaCare!
Posted on Jun. 17, 10 | 08:50 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
Rep. Steve King has just unveiled a discharge petition to repeal ObamaCare. Encourage your representative to sign on!
For those who don't know, a discharge petition allows the minority in the House to force a vote when the Speaker is currently blocking it. Once a discharge petition has 218 signatures, the ruling party has to schedule a vote, usually within a couple of weeks.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13544
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For those who don't know, a discharge petition allows the minority in the House to force a vote when the Speaker is currently blocking it. Once a discharge petition has 218 signatures, the ruling party has to schedule a vote, usually within a couple of weeks.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13544
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17 Democrats Flip-Flop on ObamaCare
Posted on Jun. 16, 10 | 11:37 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
I knew it wouldn't take long. The following 17 Democrats flip-flopped on ObamaCare. Last November, they voted NO on ObamaCare, but yesterday, they couldn't back that up when they voted against repeal of ObamaCare's signature feature - the individual mandate to buy health insurance.
During consideration of a bill unrelated to health care, House Republicans smartly introduced a motion to recommit the bill back to committee with instructions to repeal the individual mandate. These 17 Democrats chose to keep the mandate and allow ObamaCare to continue, even while 89% of Republican voters and 41% of Democrat voters want it gone.
Spread the word. These flip-floppers need to be exposed.
Adler (D-NJ-3)
Baird (D-WA-3)
Barrow (D-GA-12)
Boccieri (D-OH-16)
Boyd, A. (D-FL-2)
Davis, A. (D-AL-7)
Gordon (D-TN-6)
Herseth Sandlin (D-SD-AL)
Kissell (D-NC-8)
Kosmas (D-FL-24)
Kratovil (D-MD-1)
Kucinich (D-OH-10)
Markey, B. (D-CO-4)
Matheson (D-UT-2)
McMahon (D-NY-13)
Melancon (D-LA-3)
Murphy, S. (D-NY-20)
Thanks goes to Club intern Mark Offenbach for digging this information up.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13540
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During consideration of a bill unrelated to health care, House Republicans smartly introduced a motion to recommit the bill back to committee with instructions to repeal the individual mandate. These 17 Democrats chose to keep the mandate and allow ObamaCare to continue, even while 89% of Republican voters and 41% of Democrat voters want it gone.
Spread the word. These flip-floppers need to be exposed.
Adler (D-NJ-3)
Baird (D-WA-3)
Barrow (D-GA-12)
Boccieri (D-OH-16)
Boyd, A. (D-FL-2)
Davis, A. (D-AL-7)
Gordon (D-TN-6)
Herseth Sandlin (D-SD-AL)
Kissell (D-NC-8)
Kosmas (D-FL-24)
Kratovil (D-MD-1)
Kucinich (D-OH-10)
Markey, B. (D-CO-4)
Matheson (D-UT-2)
McMahon (D-NY-13)
Melancon (D-LA-3)
Murphy, S. (D-NY-20)
Thanks goes to Club intern Mark Offenbach for digging this information up.
Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=13540
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Key Vote Alert - "YES" on Repeal of Individual Mandate
Posted on Jun. 15, 10 | 05:12 PM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care ReformKEY VOTE ALERT
“YES” on MTR for H.R. 5486
“YES” on MTR for H.R. 5486
The Club for Growth urges all House members to vote “YES” on the Republican motion to recommit for H.R. 5486, the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act. The motion would repeal the individual mandate that would force Americans to buy health insurance. The motion is expected to be voted on later today. A vote on this motion will be included in the Club’s 2010 Congressional Scorecard.
This individual mandate is an unprecedented and unconstitutional infringement of the individual liberty of American citizens by the federal government.
As part of the sweeping healthcare legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama earlier this year, the individual mandate forces Americans to buy health insurance. The federal government now has the authority, through the Internal Revenue Service, to deem if a citizen’s insurance policy is acceptable or not. Violators could be faced with a large fine or imprisonment. This law betrays the principles of limited government and individual liberty that our Founding Fathers relied on when they crafted the Constitution. This motion to reject the individual mandate should be accepted and vigorously supported.
Our Congressional Scorecard for the 111th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.
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63% Support Repeal of ObamaCare
Posted on May. 24, 10 | 10:05 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
From Rasmussen Reports [emphasis mine]:
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Support for repeal of the new national health care plan has jumped to its highest level ever. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 63% of U.S. voters now favor repeal of the plan passed by congressional Democrats and signed into law by President Obama in March.
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IRS Will Withhold Refund if You Don't Get Health Insurance
Posted on Apr. 16, 10 | 10:17 AM by Andrew Roth | Topic: Health Care Reform
When ObamaCare passed into law, it gave the IRS vast new powers since the agency will now be the official gatekeeper for complying with the individual mandate. Excerpt from the Wall Street Journal:
The Internal Revenue Service won't audit you to make sure you have purchased health insurance under provisions of the new health-care law—but it may withhold your tax refund if you can't demonstrate that you are insured, an IRS official said Thursday.
Steven T. Miller, IRS Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement, made the comments during a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee. He echoed earlier comments by IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman that questions about health coverage won't in and of themselves lead to an IRS audit.
"There are tools we can use. We obviously will be notifying folks [for whom there is no record of health insurance] that we have these questions," said Mr. Miller. "We have a refund offset mechanism in order to enforce that provision."
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The Internal Revenue Service won't audit you to make sure you have purchased health insurance under provisions of the new health-care law—but it may withhold your tax refund if you can't demonstrate that you are insured, an IRS official said Thursday.
Steven T. Miller, IRS Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement, made the comments during a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee. He echoed earlier comments by IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman that questions about health coverage won't in and of themselves lead to an IRS audit.
"There are tools we can use. We obviously will be notifying folks [for whom there is no record of health insurance] that we have these questions," said Mr. Miller. "We have a refund offset mechanism in order to enforce that provision."
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