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EDITORIAL
Another empty pledge
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The main promise of ObamaCare was that it would cost less. But it’s a ridiculous claim.
The notion that a huge new health administration bureaucracy can really be assembled without adding costs — or that any government-run health system can save anyone money without rationing, a common feature of European socialized medicine schemes — runs counter to common sense and experience.
The claim was further revealed as a fraud when the Congressional Budget Office last month released new estimates predicting the health care overhaul will likely cost about $115 billion more over the first 10 years than originally projected — bringing the estimated cost of the scheme to about $1 trillion.
And now to the president’s second major promise: that people who like their current coverage will be able to keep it.
“If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period,” Mr. Obama declared in a speech to the American Medical Association a year ago. “No one will take it away, no matter what.”
But now, an early draft of an administration regulation finds that many employers will be forced to make changes to their health plans under the new law. That means, “In just three years, a majority of workers — 51 percent — will be in plans subject to new federal requirements, according to midrange projections in the draft,” The Associated Press reports.
The Obama regulations for “grandfathered plans,” telegraphed four months ago, “take a sledgehammer to ... that pledge” that the average American will be able to keep his health care plan, Philip Klein warned on his American Spectator blog back on Feb. 22. “All of the new requirements proposed by Obama would increase premiums, and by definition, alter the composition of those insurance plans.”
Says James Gelfand, health policy director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “What we are getting here is a clear indication that most plans will have to change.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it shows Mr. Obama’s assurance that Americans would be able to keep the plans they currently have was “a myth” all along. “Since its passage, Republican arguments against the bill have been repeatedly vindicated.”
But is it really a surprise that Democrats rammed through health care reform with a smokescreen of half-truths, fantastical promises and outright prevarications?
If the GOP does indeed succeed in regaining control of Congress next year, its first order of business should be to hire Dr. Jack Kevorkian to put this mess called ObamaCare out of its misery.
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Marc - your position is that there is no way to achieve any savings of any kind form Medicare. That is an interesting position for a conservative to take.
Mark, seniors are in trouble with Obamacare unless they are planning on leaving this physical world soon. That's why Obama is sending those $200 something dollar checks.
The only donut hole they are going to close is the one between Harry's ears
nyp, it is great that you like SS. You take it. Can I just keep my money instead since I don't like it? No, if I tried men with guns would show up eventually. So, in essense what you like is forcing me into a program you like but I hate. If I don't comply out come the guns. Why so violent, dude?
The Obamacare also get at least $500 Billion or more from Medicare. This would mean higher cost for seniors to buy their medicines and to get check ups. My mother complains that she has to pay more to see her doctor and buy her medicines. And Reid is saying he's proud for shoving this Obamare down our throat.
The worst case scenario is that Obamacare doesn't get repealed, Social Security runs out just as I find out that the IRS won't allow me some life saving medical treatment
to "davej" - like the editors of this newspaper -- and Sharron Angle -- you believe Social Security was a mistake.
I happen to disagree.
Another lie that was offered up by the light-weight, ignored by the left-wing media,and accepted and parroted by the soft-headed liberals among us.
"This law, too, represents a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means complete. It is a structure intended to lessen the force of possible future depressions. It will act as a protection to future Administrations against the necessity of going deeply into debt to furnish relief to the needy. The law will flatten out the peaks and valleys of deflation and of inflation. It is, in short, a law that will take care of human needs and at the same time provide the United States an economic structure of vastly greater soundness"
For anyone interested, that was president Roosevelt on August 25, 1935 claiming that social security would take care of all of us in our old age. Obamacare of course will lesson the burden of living even more.
I am so glad President Obama will let me keep my health insurance that is now way more expensive, because of the regulations now placed upon my insurance company. Never mind the fact that I had no gripes about it to begin with, but thanks Prez for making those decisions that I am obviously too stupid to make for myself. You are so wise and compassionate.
I love the one about keeping the insurance plan I have - good one.
Harry Reied favors an exemption for unions. I hope Sharron Angle gets a change to repeal and replace this plan