Tag: health care (page 3)

It is relevant to note that nearly every act by the US Congress has a cost to some particular interest, and that the weight borne is often disproportionate and devastating.  The other day we talked about the effect on the mom and pop internet retailer which is about the have the jack-boot of 40+ states rammed up the backside.  And today I wish to add a reminder of WHY we sent a Republican majority to Congress in 2010.  To abort Obamacare.

A friend in the hinterland relates a discussion held with an employee at a large retailer that has a significant presence in Michigan. The title above uses his descriptive, and is a reasonable way to drive home the value of such legislative measures.  He says:

" I was shopping there this afternoon and struck up a conversation with the gal checking out my groceries.  She was complaining that her hours are going to be cut back from 30 hours per week to 24.  This she said was due to Zero-Care.  By going to 24 hours she would be part-time and as such that Meijers wouldn't have to pay the penalty related to Z-C.  Even though her husband works it is going to be hard for her to pay her bills and make her car payments, according to her.  This sort of thing isn't going to help Zero's popularity rating.  Or will he have to blame it on Bush, the Republican's, hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry, the insurance industry, etc., etc..  Anyone but him and the Democrat majority who passed Zero-Care, right?"

Until "Zero-Care" is defunded, rescinded, and relegated to being merely a bad memory, we will continue to see families suffer. Whether Obama will suffer the consequence still remains to be realized, but the rest of our communities will.

Today 'ForAmerica' Chairman L. Brent Bozell III released a statement regarding reports that Republican leadership in Congress is in secret negotiations to exempt themselves and their staffs from ObamaCare.

"Recent news reports reveal that the Republican leadership in Congress is participating in the ultimate hypocrisy: months of secret meetings with Democrats to betray the most important promise they made to their supporters in 2010. Rather than forcing repeal of ObamaCare, they are discussing exempting themselves and their staffs from it. This is what Third World dictators and tyrannical kings do - they create mandates for the supposed `good' of the peasants, while exempting themselves from the burdens of their whims. Our message is clear: stop these secret meetings immediately and get to work defunding and repealing ObamaCare so everyone, not just you and your staff, can be freed from its burdens."

Back in 2010 Dave Camp PROMISED to defund as a mission of last resort, the Obamacare act that inappropriately bears the name "affordable". If I am not mistaken, we are at the last resort stage now.

Hello, is this thing on?

We should remind our legislators that their words of promise have become meaningless, and the line between those whom we would call 'Republican' to the evil that is progressivism, is truly blurred.

Concerns that make for hyper-sensitive drawing of conclusions, and perhaps seeing boogeymen behind every curtain and legislative effort with language that sounds the same. Alas, my own post several days ago  attacking SB0324 might have been premature in its assumption that creating a licensure provision for health care navigators also created a default Michigan inclusion in the exchange. Writing

"By establishing the 'Director's' responsibilities and creating framework of a 'navigator' your bill is creating Michigan's participation in the exchange. It pretends protections, yet does NOTHING to protect Michigan citizens from the evil that is Obamacare and this catastrophic blow to our individual rights. Why are we providing ANY assistance to the federal government which is asserting authority is does not have into our health care choices?"

"Not true" according to legislative staffers, who explained the effort as more of a check and LIMIT on what could become a wholesale political get-out-the-vote effort for the progressives in power, versus a limited and licensed number of 'navigators' who might lose their status and outreach ability if stepping outside of their authority as specified.

Can you say epiphany?

As an aside, I am told that SB0324 will likely be amended to include language that asserts Michigan's acceptance or recognition of the Affordable Care Act will not be implied by this regulatory effort.

SENATE BILL No. 324 , Introduced yesterday by Senators MARLEAU, JONES, EMMONS, KAHN, BOOHER, BIEDA,GREGORY and JOHNSON was referred to the Committee on Health Policy. Michigan Senator Marleau explains:

".. the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) allows states to license "navigators" to assist people enrolling in health insurance through an exchange. Senate Bill 324 would ensure that navigators in Michigan act in good faith.

"We must make sure our residents are protected both from bad behavior as well as from incompetence," said Marleau, R-Lake Orion. "My bill establishes safeguards to keep navigators honest and to ensure they know what they're doing."

Marleau emphasized that the federal rules are not finalized, but the bill was introduced to start a discussion about how the state can ensure residents are protected.

"This is the start of the discussion, but our time to act is limited since residents plan to start shopping on Michigan's insurance exchange in October," he said.

SB 324 will protect Michigan residents by registering navigators, requiring background checks on them and ensuring they are professionally trained according to minimum standards for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act training."

Listen Senators.  Do you mind if I call you that, or would you appreciate something more direct?

Get those damnable lobbyists for health insurance plans (authors of this legislation) out of your office for five minutes and read the garbage you are introducing. By establishing the 'Director's' responsibilities and creating framework of a 'navigator' your bill is creating Michigan's participation in the exchange. It pretends protections, yet does NOTHING to protect Michigan citizens from the evil that is Obamacare and this catastrophic blow to our individual rights. Why are we providing ANY assistance to the federal government which is asserting authority is does not have into our health care choices?

The MiGOP chair once again screwed up an opportunity to mend fences with the conservative base.

Bobby Shostak hoping to catch some of the CPAC love fest action for Michigan Republicans makes this announcement about 86th House District Representative Lisa Posthumus-Lyons who was featured and honored as one of the Conservative Political Action Conference's (CPAC) 10 conservatives under 40. Lyons District is in Kent and Ionia Counties, and serves as the Assistant Majority Floor Leader. :

"Rep. Lyons is a tremendous leader in Michigan and she's a strong advocate of the common sense conservative policies that are resulting in Michigan's comeback."

" Rep. Lyons is recognized as a "Rising Young Conservative Leaders," which relates to CPAC's theme this year, "America's Future: The Next Generation of Conservatives. New Challenges, Timeless Principles."

"Timeless principles" must have a meaning I am not familiar with. Perhaps its those progressive principles they call timeless. If this is the next generation of conservative, I'm out.  And a note to our MiGOP, the activists you will find below the fold are just a few of those who would disagree with this blind accolade.

However, instead of the Medicaid expansion to a million new recipients, Florida legislators are calling for some skin-in-the-game and an eventual withdrawal from ALL Medicaid.

"Sen. Joe Negron says he hopes the state can eventually exit from the Medicaid system entirely and called this proposal the beginning of a transformation. Lawmakers also discussed using state funds to help with co-pays.

A House panel last week also rejected expanding Medicaid. "

Following up on this, Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement praising Florida Senate and House committees that have killed Governor Rick Scott's proposal to expand Medicaid:

"Both these Senate and House committees have saved federal taxpayers some $20 billion from 2014 to 2019, and Florida taxpayers another $1 billion by 2022 by not following Governor Scott's ill-advised proposal to expand Medicaid by 1 million people. This should set the stage for other state legislatures, like Arizona, Michigan, and Ohio, to break ranks with their governors by refusing to implement Obamacare.

"Overall, if every state were to expand Medicaid, it would increase spending by more than $117 billion a year in additional costs just for starters. In this case, not implementing Obamacare is the best medicine for what ails the U.S. economy: too much debt."

Long term damage for short term perception of gain.

The plan this time includes mandatory preventive care costs, and the forced "Women's Preventive Act", where employers pay for the sexual proclivities of their female employees.  Sadly it is not only with the traditional sit down agencies that we submit to this constitutional heresy, but with ALL Plans; including those that will be offered through the the government milking farms known as 'health care exchanges. And I suppose I should report that it won't just be the Conservatives that toss any Republican stupid enough to put their hand in the termite mound to grab a handful of nuts.

The agency we deal with, is a little freaked out about the exchange possibility.  It means the end to them and they know it.  Not because they cannot compete, but that they will not be allowed to compete as the government takeover matures.

There are more than merely Republicans and conservatives employed in those agencies.

Thank you for your clarity Mr Green.