Politics

Three weeks and no response from Senator Casey about "Universal Healthcare" question

Stan Spotts — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 20:09:04 GMT

So I've not received a response, which is about what I figured would happen. I started looking for information, and found H.R. 1200 (House) : American Health Security Act of 2009.

I'm not a politician, lawyer, or minion of Evil, so I'm not sure about some of this. I didn't yet find a Senate version of this either, but from reading this bit I have a question:

SEC. 106. RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING FEDERAL HEALTH PROGRAMS.

(a) Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)-

(1) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, subject to paragraph (2)--

(A) no benefits shall be available under title XVIII of the Social Security Act for any item or service furnished after December 31, 2010;

(B) no individual is entitled to medical assistance under a State plan approved under title XIX of such Act for any item or service furnished after such date;

(C) no individual is entitled to medical assistance under an SCHIP plan under title XXI of such Act for any item or service furnished after such date; and

(D) no payment shall be made to a State under section 1903(a) or 2105(a) of such Act with respect to medical assistance or child health assistance for any item or service furnished after such date.

(2) TRANSITION- In the case of inpatient hospital services and extended care services during a continuous period of stay which began before January 1, 2011, and which had not ended as of such date, for which benefits are provided under title XVIII, under a State plan under title XIX, or a State child health plan under title XXI, of the Social Security Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and each State plan, respectively, shall provide for continuation of benefits under such title or plan until the end of the period of stay.

(b) Federal Employees Health Benefits Program- No benefits shall be made available under chapter 89 of title 5, United States Code, for any part of a coverage period occurring after December 31, 2010.

(c) CHAMPUS- No benefits shall be made available under sections 1079 and 1086 of title 10, United States Code, for items or services furnished after December 31, 2010.

(d) Treatment of Benefits for Veterans and Native Americans- Nothing in this Act shall affect the eligibility of veterans for the medical benefits and services provided under title 38, United States Code, or of Indians for the medical benefits and services provided by or through the Indian Health Service.

Does 2(b) above include the Senate, House, President, and other elected officials, or is just the drudge bureaucrat workers? Do the officials have yet another plan that isn't on this list? I've no idea what CHAMPUS or SCHIP are.

There's also a part in section 206 that makes me wonder:

(6) PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, BIOLOGICALS, INSULIN, MEDICAL FOODS-

(A) Outpatient prescription drugs and biologics, as specified by the Board consistent with section 615.

(B) Insulin.

(C) Medical foods (as defined in section 202(e)).

If Insulin is called out, why? There are plenty of non-insulin dependent diabetics who have expensive meds as well.

Anyway, I'll post again in a few weeks if I hear anything from my Senator.

My message to PA Senator Bob Casey

Stan Spotts — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:55:59 GMT

After reading the April 13th newsletter from my state Senator, Bob Casey, I decided to send a reply. The following is the text of that message. The work week is almost over and I've yet to see a response.

Your April 13th newsletter stated that one of the issues you plan to work on is "the important work of reforming our health care system." I have some concerns about the "our" portion that might be coming.

"All Americans" is inclusive of all from the President down to those people who have made the committment to earn legal citizenship and everyone in between. My concern is that like in some socialist countries, such as the late USSR, the political elite will have a diffent set of benefits from those that are paying for it.

Right now the President, Senate, House members, et al have free and open access to places like Johns Hopkins for any health care issues. Will our government leaders do the ethically correct, and morally required thing? Will they change their elite health plan and follow the new "universal" health plan they devise for the rest of us?

I have to say right now that I won't believe it until I see it. I'm hoping that I'll be proven incorrect, and will be ecstatic to be able to say I was wrong.

What say you, Mr. Senator?

Our elected officials work for us, not the other way around. Why are they treated better than me and others that pay taxes?

Obama - just who is he?

Stan Spotts — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:11:59 GMT

I'm fairly disappointed with the Republican party, being a somewhat moderate Republican. I'm even more dissapointed with the news media and the one-sided coverage they're providing. It seems that everything I might possibly want to know about the personal lives of McCain and Palin, and their families, has been covered in excruciating detail, but I can't find any real info about Obama.

I constantly see a link with McCain and Bush, regardless of how real that is, yet the Obama team yells foul whenever an association with criminals, radicals, extremists, and terrorists is brought up. I mean, he really hasn't done much in his half-term of Senator, so what else do we have to look at?

He's a helluva speaker, although shows a real anger when questioned about things he doesn't want to talk about. He doesn't seem to have any solid details about how he'll actually change anything, just that he'll change things. I don't even see any evidence that he understands basic macroeconomics. This whole Fanny/Freddie mess is being blamed on the Bush administration, which hurts McCain by party allegience, yet Bush was working with a solid Democratic House and Senate. Heck, I heard someone on a talk show say that Obama not only got a mortgage through Freddie, he got some kind of sweetened deal. Yah, we'll see change all right.

I can't actually see where he's got ANY qualifications for assuming the Presidency. Except for one year in the Senate, the mayor of my small town is just as qualified. :)

I liked Hilary a lot more. While she's still more of a socialist than I like (hey, I earn my money, I want to keep it and spend it myself!), she didn't scare me like Obama. I'm actually frightened about what will happen if he wins this election. Frightened for myself, my family, and my country.

Understand that if there was a more capable Democrat running, I think McCain would be in a lot more trouble. I'm finding that a lot more people are worried than I expected, and a lot more are wondering what Obama is really all about.

I'm not posting any more about this, but I had to vent a little about the crappy media coverage.

In case anyone doesn't understand, this is my personal opinion and doesn't reflect anything at all from my employer or this blog site.