Many Americans are not aware of the changes they will soon face in their health care options if HR 3200 becomes law. President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have vowed to pass this bill in spite of massive protests by Americans from all walks of life, a clear majority of which (Rasmussen Reports, Gallup Polling) are satisfied with their health care and do not want to be forced into a government ran system that their representatives refuse to participate in themselves.
The Democrats have clear majorities in both the House and Senate and do not need Republican support, so we can only assume they will attempt to pass this Bill after the August recess. President Obama has assured Americans they will be able to keep their private insurance if they wish, but his past statements can only leave folks concerned and wondering what is actually true. Speaking before the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) while running for president just two short years ago Senator Barack Obama stated “My commitment is to make sure that we’ve got universal health care for all Americans by the end of my first term as president…I don’t think we’re going to be able to eliminate employer (private) coverage immediately. There’s going to be potentially some transition process.”
If Obama’s goal is met and private medical insurance is eliminated, where will Americans go to get health insurance? The only place left will be the government ran health care system. Americans have been told repeatedly that they will be able to make their own choices, but (Senator) President Obama’s words indicate something else entirely.
What I have read in HR 3200, among other things, is: the president will get to appoint a board to run this program (unelected and unconfirmed) they will decide what services you will get. This is the rationing component of the Bill you may have heard about. Study the “Czars” Obama has appointed to better understand who will be making your health care decisions for you. HR 3200 also mandates that a National Health Care ID Card will be issued by the government; gives the government the right to automatically subtract funds from your bank accounts to pay for “services” provided; fines those who decline to purchase the coverage $2,500 per year; and perhaps worst of all has the government involved in “end of life” counseling sessions, whatever those could turn into; and there is no appeals process for any decision the bureaucracy renders. Supporters of government ran health care talk a lot about increasing competition and lowering rates by making insurance companies compete with the government, but what private business can hope to compete with an entity that can legally print money to cover its losses? It is not possible.
Additionally, how many times have you heard lately that Social Security, Medicare, etc… are broke and out of funds, with huge cost overruns? How many more trillions in spending can we afford? Health care reforms are needed, but another huge, out of control, mega-spending big government bureaucracy is not the answer to the challenges we face. You have a limited time left to make your feelings known to Congressman Rahall, who has not publicly expressed a position on this bill.
I would encourage everyone to read the HR 3200 and do so without delay.
Dave Farley
Ashland, Ky.
Folks, wake up quickly. Nick Rahall is going to force this on you while exempting himself and his family. Our system is the envy of the world; what we need is help in the cost area, which could be addressed with tort reform, interstate competition between insurance companies, Health Savings Accounts, several good ideas.