healthcare reform

To no one's surprise on Blue NC, they're not even trying to hide the buying of policy anymore. The NC House Insurance Committee has taken up a controversial bill (H-115) that gives insurance companies a large role in overseeing how consumers will be able to buy "affordable" insurance coverage through a state-level “health benefits exchange” to be created under the new national health reform law.

Update by James with short answer: Yes, Ellmers does support destroying Medicare.

Last cycle, Republican’s across the nation ran against President Obama’s healthcare reform plan by scaring seniors about ‘Death Panel’s’ and how the President’s plan would cut over $500 billion from Medicare. Although both claims are completely misleading, that didn’t stop Renee Ellmers from using those lies to attack Bob Etheridge for his support of heathcare reform.

For those who are for and those who are against the national health care reform, there is a website that very clearly and simply lays out the reforms and when they are implemented. Go to http://healthreform.kff.org/timeline.aspx

This is a site sponsored by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Senator Leahy has introduced an amendment to the Wall Street Reform Bill S.3217 that would repeal the anti-trust exemption that the private health insurance industry has. It's up for a vote today or tomorrow.

Please call Senator Hagan and ask her to support the Leahy Antitrust Exemption Amendment!

Amendment number -Leahy #3823 (health insurance antitrust enforcement)

(202) 224-6342 Sen. Hagan's office
OR
(202) 224-3121 switchboard

http://leahy.senate.gov/press/press_releases/release/?id=827caf11-ce71-4...

PS:
Franken's amendment #3991 passed 64-35 on credit ratings issue

Chris Bowers (Open Left) writes:

If there's one thing I believe in, it is experimentation. The way you find out if things will work is to try them. In the healthcare arena, I would have preferred experimenting with something more bold (Single Payer Plus) than the current reform legislation. But what do I know. More to the point, what does anyone know? We're all just guessing. And if history is any indicator, even the best of our guesses will come up short. That's what experiments are for. We do what we can do, and then we build on it. It's called progress.

Actually, I'm only sharing the top five, because I want you to go to Progressive Pulse to see the others benefits.

• Prohibit pre-existing condition exclusions for children in all new plans
• Provide immediate access to insurance for uninsured Americans who are uninsured because of a pre-existing condition through a temporary high-risk pool
• Prohibit dropping people from coverage when they get sick in all individual plans
• Lower seniors prescription drug prices by beginning to close the donut hole
• Tax credits to small businesses to purchase coverage
• Eliminate lifetime limits and restrictive annual limits on benefits in all plans

VIA EMAIL:

Washington, DC – Flanked by constituents who favor comprehensive health insurance reform, Representative David Price (D-NC) today announced his support for the legislation that will come before the House of Representatives later this week. Rep. Price is the first member of congress from North Carolina to announce that he will back the legislation, lending more momentum to one of President Barack Obama’s top initiatives.

The N&O has a good piece today on rising insurance rates from Blue Cross. Over at Ed's place, people are sharing their stories about how they're coping with big increases in the cost of care. If you're willing, please post your story here. These days we're seeing roughly 4000 readers a week. Telling your story might just make the difference that needs to be made for someone.

Monday, Feb.22nd,2010 - The White House and President Obama's announced Healthcare bill proved my worse fears - that there was never any intention by Democratic Leadership or the President to support the Public Option.
And along the way, the base of the party was once again strung along with glimmer of hope in the form of the 'Bennet letter.'
Today's Healthcare Bill not only signals an end to the Public Option, but the Bennet letter can only be characterized as the worst form of manipulation of the democratic voters by the White House.