Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Obamacare Is Nothing Like They Said It Was But It's Just Like The Republicans Said It Was


You're losing your plan

By SCOTT GOTTLIEB
Last Updated: 4:33 AM, June 14, 2010
Posted: 1:16 AM, June 14, 2010
Late last week saw the first leaks of the administration's draft regulations for imple menting the ObamaCare law -- and everything is playing out just as the critics warned.
The 3,000-odd pages of legislation left most of the really important (and controversial) policy decisions to the regulations that government agencies were told to issue once the bill passed. Now that those regs are starting to take shape, it's clear that the Obama team is using its new power to exert tight control over the payment and delivery of all formerly "private" health insurance.
The ObamaCare law references the Secretary of Health and Human Services almost 2,200 times and uses the phrase "the secretary shall" more than 725. Each reference requires HHS to set new rules on medical care, giving control to an existing federal office or one of 160 new agencies that the bill created.
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (who was once the Kansas state-insurance commissioner) has taken to these tasks with zeal. In some circles, she's now known as the nation's "insurance regulator in chief."
She's starting off by applying new regs to health plans offered by large employers -- even though these costly rules were supposedly only going to apply to plans sold in the state insurance "exchanges" that don't get created until 2014. This twist is spelled out in an 83-page draft of a new regulation that leaked late last week.
Bottom line: Sebelius means to dictate what your insurance plan must look like almost from day one, no matter how you get your coverage.
Indeed, the draft regs envision more than half of all policies having to change within three years -- an unmistakable break with President's Obama's oft-repeated promise, "If people like their insurance, they will be able to keep it."
Yet that may be the least of the broken promises.
Ultimately, these rules force consumers to buy one of just four health policies -- which vary mostly only by trading off higher co-payments for lower premiums, while offering essentially the same actual benefits. In arguing for passage of the law, ObamaCare's defenders claimed the rules were aimed at health plans sold in the "exchanges." Oops: Now Sebelius is applying them to employer plans. Eventually, this would force all but the very wealthiest Americans into a single government-designed insurance scheme.
This is far from the only area where Secretary Sebelius is exploiting the law's fuzzy language to tighten her control over the private insurance market. In recent weeks, she has said that the new law gives her authority to review and even set the rates on health policies sold in private markets, a role previously left to state insurance regulators.
The ObamaCare bills were written to paper over an intellectual divide between White House economists and HHS policy wonks. Some economists wanted genuine competition to take root in the new federally managed insurance "exchanges." The HHS crew favored a one-sized government plan with tight federal regulation over benefits.
The law itself didn't explicitly side with either school -- but it did leave the writing of the implementing regs to those same HHS wonks. Unfortunately, those more moderate White House economists are now leaving the administration, including the rumored departure of widely admired businessman and health-care expert Robert Kocher.
Washington insiders refer to this HHS team as "true believers" -- a group of earnest, left-leaning activists who've long favored a single nationalized health plan. They are massaging the law's vagueness to give themselves the tight federal control over health care that will bring their vision into practice.
Critics warned that the Obama bill meant a federal takeover of health care, with Washington bureaucrats making core decisions about medical care. With ObamaCare taking shape, that's exactly what consumers are getting. Saying "we told you so" is no consolation to those who took the president at his word.
Scott Gottlieb, a physician and American Enterprise Institute fellow, was a senior official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He is partner in a firm that invests in health-care companies.

Here is what some of President Obama's government takeover of healthcare big government. Below is a list of new boards and commissions created in the bill and each one will require your tax dollar to support:
 
1. Grant program for consumer assistance offices (Section 1002, p. 37)
2.
 Grant program for states to monitor premium increases (Section 1003, p. 42)
3.
 Committee to review administrative simplification standards (Section 1104, p. 71)
4.
 Demonstration program for state wellness programs (Section 1201, p. 93)
5.
 Grant program to establish state Exchanges (Section 1311(a), p. 130)
6.
 State American Health Benefit Exchanges (Section 1311(b), p. 131)
7.
 Exchange grants to establish consumer navigator programs (Section 1311(i), p. 150)
8.
 Grant program for state cooperatives (Section 1322, p. 169)
9.
 Advisory board for state cooperatives (Section 1322(b)(3), p. 173)
10.
 Private purchasing council for state cooperatives (Section 1322(d), p. 177)
11.
 State basic health plan programs (Section 1331, p. 201)
12.
 State-based reinsurance program (Section 1341, p. 226)
13.
 Program of risk corridors for individual and small group markets (Section 1342, p. 233)
14.
 Program to determine eligibility for Exchange participation (Section 1411, p. 267)
15.
 Program for advance determination of tax credit eligibility (Section 1412, p. 288)
16.
 Grant program to implement health IT enrollment standards (Section 1561, p. 370)
17.
 Federal Coordinated Health Care Office for dual eligible beneficiaries (Section 2602, p. 512)
18.
 Medicaid quality measurement program (Section 2701, p. 518)
19.
 Medicaid health home program for people with chronic conditions, and grants for planning same (Section 2703, p. 524)
20.
 Medicaid demonstration project to evaluate bundled payments (Section 2704, p. 532)
21.
 Medicaid demonstration project for global payment system (Section 2705, p. 536)
22.
 Medicaid demonstration project for accountable care organizations (Section 2706, p. 538)
23.
 Medicaid demonstration project for emergency psychiatric care (Section 2707, p. 540)
24.
 Grant program for delivery of services to individuals with postpartum depression (Section 2952(b), p. 591)
25.
 State allotments for grants to promote personal responsibility education programs (Section 2953, p. 596)
26.
 Medicare value-based purchasing program (Section 3001(a), p. 613)
27.
 Medicare value-based purchasing demonstration program for critical access hospitals (Section 3001(b), p. 637)
28.
 Medicare value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 3006(a), p. 666)
29.
 Medicare value-based purchasing program for home health agencies (Section 3006(b), p. 668)
30.
 Interagency Working Group on Health Care Quality (Section 3012, p. 688)
31.
 Grant program to develop health care quality measures (Section 3013, p. 693)
32.
  Center  for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 3021, p. 712)
33.
 Medicare shared savings program (Section 3022, p. 728)
34.
 Medicare pilot program on payment bundling (Section 3023, p. 739)
35.
  Independence at home medical practice demonstration program (Section 3024, p. 752)
36.
 Program for use of patient safety organizations to reduce hospital readmission rates (Section 3025(b), p. 775)
37.
 Community-based care transitions program (Section 3026, p. 776)
38.
 Demonstration project for payment of complex diagnostic laboratory tests (Section 3113, p. 800)
39.
 Medicare hospice concurrent care demonstration project (Section 3140, p. 850)
40.
 Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 982)
41.
 Consumer Advisory Council for Independent Payment Advisory Board (Section 3403, p. 1027)
42.
 Grant program for technical assistance to providers implementing health quality practices (Section 3501, p. 1043)
43.
 Grant program to establish interdisciplinary health teams (Section 3502, p. 1048)
44.
 Grant program to implement medication therapy management (Section 3503, p. 1055)
45.
 Grant program to support emergency care pilot programs (Section 3504, p. 1061)
46.
 Grant program to promote universal access to trauma services (Section 3505(b), p. 1081)
47.
 Grant program to develop and promote shared decision-making aids (Section 3506, p. 1088)
48.
 Grant program to support implementation of shared decision-making (Section 3506, p. 1091)
49.
 Grant program to integrate quality improvement in clinical education (Section 3508, p. 1095)
50.
 Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women?s Health (Section 3509(a), p. 1098)
51.
 Centers for Disease Control Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(b), p. 1102)
52.
 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(e), p. 1105)
53.
 Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(f), p. 1106)
54.
 Food and Drug Administration Office of Women?s Health (Section 3509(g), p. 1109)
55.
 National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council (Section 4001, p. 1114)
56.
 Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (Section 4001(f), p. 1117)
57.
 Prevention and Public Health Fund (Section 4002, p. 1121)
58.
 Community Preventive Services Task Force (Section 4003(b), p. 1126)
59.
 Grant program to support school-based health centers (Section 4101, p. 1135)
60.
 Grant program to promote research-based dental caries disease management (Section 4102, p. 1147)
61.
 Grant program for States to prevent chronic disease in Medicaid beneficiaries (Section 4108, p. 1174)
62.
 Community transformation grants (Section 4201, p. 1182)
63.
 Grant program to provide public health interventions (Section 4202, p. 1188)
64.
 Demonstration program of grants to improve child immunization rates (Section 4204(b), p. 1200)
65.
 Pilot program for risk-factor assessments provided through community health centers (Section 4206, p. 1215)
66.
 Grant program to increase epidemiology and laboratory capacity (Section 4304, p. 1233)
67.
 Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 4305, p. 1238)
68.
 National Health Care Workforce Commission (Section 5101, p. 1256)
69.
 Grant program to plan health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(c), p. 1275)
70.
 Grant program to implement health care workforce development activities (Section 5102(d), p. 1279)
71.
 Pediatric specialty loan repayment program (Section 5203, p. 1295)
72.
 Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program (Section 5204, p. 1300)
73.
 Allied Health Loan Forgiveness Program (Section 5205, p. 1305)
74.
 Grant program to provide mid-career training for health professionals (Section 5206, p. 1307)
75.
 Grant program to fund nurse-managed health clinics (Section 5208, p. 1310)
76.
 Grant program to support primary care training programs (Section 5301, p. 1315)
77.
 Grant program to fund training for direct care workers (Section 5302, p. 1322)
78.
 Grant program to develop dental training programs (Section 5303, p. 1325)
79.
 Demonstration program to increase access to dental health care in underserved communities (Section 5304, p. 1331)
80. 
Grant program to promote geriatric education centers (Section 5305, p. 1334)
81.
 Grant program to promote health professionals entering geriatrics (Section 5305, p. 1339)
82.
 Grant program to promote training in mental and behavioral health (Section 5306, p. 1344)
83.
 Grant program to promote nurse retention programs (Section 5309, p. 1354)
84.
 Student loan forgiveness for nursing school faculty (Section 5311(b), p. 1360)
85.
 Grant program to promote positive health behaviors and outcomes (Section 5313, p. 1364)
86.
 Public Health Sciences Track for medical students (Section 5315, p. 1372)
87.
 Primary Care Extension Program to educate providers (Section 5405, p. 1404)
88.
 Grant program for demonstration projects to address health workforce shortage needs (Section 5507, p. 1442)
89.
 Grant program for demonstration projects to develop training programs for home health aides (Section 5507, p. 1447)
90.
 Grant program to establish new primary care residency programs (Section 5508(a), p. 1458)
91.
 Program of payments to teaching health centers that sponsor medical residency training (Section 5508(c), p. 1462)
92.
 Graduate nurse education demonstration program (Section 5509, p. 1472)
93.
 Grant program to establish demonstration projects for community-based mental health settings (Section 5604, p. 1486)
94.
 Commission on Key National Indicators (Section 5605, p. 1489)
95.
 Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6102, p. 1554)
96.
 Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 6103(a)(3), p. 1561)
97.
 Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 6103(b)(3), p. 1568)
98.
 National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 6112, p. 1589)
99.
 Demonstration projects for nursing facilities involved in the culture change movement (Section 6114, p. 1597)
100.
 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1619)
101.
 Standing methodology committee for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1629)
102.
 Board of Governors for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (Section 6301, p. 1638)
103. 
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (Section 6301(e), p. 1656)
104.
 Elder Justice Coordinating Council (Section 6703, p. 1773)
105.
 Advisory Board on Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (Section 6703, p. 1776)
106.
 Grant program to create elder abuse forensic centers (Section 6703, p. 1783)
107.
 Grant program to promote continuing education for long-term care staffers (Section 6703, p. 1787)
108.
 Grant program to improve management practices and training (Section 6703, p. 1788)
109.
 Grant program to subsidize costs of electronic health records (Section 6703, p. 1791)
110.
 Grant program to promote adult protective services (Section 6703, p. 1796)
111.
 Grant program to conduct elder abuse detection and prevention (Section 6703, p. 1798)
112.
 Grant program to support long-term care ombudsmen (Section 6703, p. 1800)
113.
 National Training Institute for long-term care surveyors (Section 6703, p. 1806)
114.
 Grant program to fund State surveys of long-term care residences (Section 6703, p. 1809)
115.
 CLASS Independence Fund (Section 8002, p. 1926)
116.
 CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 8002, p. 1927)
117.
 CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 8002, p. 1931)
118.
 Personal Care Attendants Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 8002(c), p. 1938)
119.
 Multi-state health plans offered by Office of Personnel Management (Section 10104(p), p. 2086)
120.
 Advisory board for multi-state health plans (Section 10104(p), p. 2094)
121.
 Pregnancy Assistance Fund (Section 10212, p. 2164)
122.
 Value-based purchasing program for ambulatory surgical centers (Section 10301, p. 2176)
123.
 Demonstration project for payment adjustments to home health services (Section 10315, p. 2200)
124.
 Pilot program for care of individuals in environmental emergency declaration areas (Section 10323, p. 2223)
125.
 Grant program to screen at-risk individuals for environmental health conditions (Section 10323(b), p. 2231)
126.
 Pilot programs to implement value-based purchasing (Section 10326, p. 2242)
127.
 Grant program to support community-based collaborative care networks (Section 10333, p. 2265)
128.
 Centers for Disease Control Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
129.
 Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
130.
 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
131.
 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
132.
 Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
133.
 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (Section 10334, p. 2272)
134.
 Grant program to promote small business wellness programs (Section 10408, p. 2285)
135.
 Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2289)
136.
 Cures Acceleration Network Review Board (Section 10409, p. 2291)
137.
 Grant program for Cures Acceleration Network (Section 10409, p. 2297)
138.
 Grant program to promote centers of excellence for depression (Section 10410, p. 2304)
139.
 Advisory committee for young women?s breast health awareness education campaign (Section 10413, p. 2322)
140.
 Grant program to provide assistance to provide information to young women with breast cancer (Section 10413, p. 2326)
141.
 Interagency Access to Health Care in Alaska Task Force (Section 10501, p. 2329)
142.
 Grant program to train nurse practitioners as primary care providers (Section 10501(e), p. 2332)
143.
 Grant program for community-based diabetes prevention (Section 10501(g), p. 2337)
144.
 Grant program for providers who treat a high percentage of medically underserved populations (Section 10501(k), p. 2343)
145.
 Grant program to recruit students to practice in underserved communities (Section 10501(l), p. 2344)
146.
  Community Health Center Fund (Section 10503, p. 2355)
147.
 Demonstration project to provide access to health care for the uninsured at reduced fees (Section 10504, p. 2357)
148.
 Demonstration program to explore alternatives to tort litigation (Section 10607, p. 2369)
149.
 Indian Health demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (S. 1790, Section 112, p. 24)*
150.
 Office of Indian Men?s Health (S. 1790, Section 136, p. 71)*
151.
 Indian Country modular component facilities demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 146, p. 108)*
152.
 Indian mobile health stations demonstration program (S. 1790, Section 147, p. 111)*
153.
 Office of Direct Service Tribes (S. 1790, Section 172, p. 151)*
154.
 Indian Health Service mental health technician training program (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 173)*
155.
 Indian Health Service program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 192)*
156.
 Indian Health Service program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 194)*
157.
 Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 204)*
158.
 Indian youth life skills demonstration project (S. 1790, Section 181, p. 220)*
159.
 Indian Health Service Director of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment (S. 1790, Section 199B, p. 258)*

*Section 10221, page 2173 of H.R. 3590 deems that S. 1790 shall be deemed as passed with certain amendments.
Your Friend,
Lee Terry

Video: Gather Your Armies

 


This is starting to sound like the left wing when "W" was in office. This video I'm sure will make the left wing go ape shit crazy. They will say things like "sedition" ,"dangerous" or "militia". The same things they said about the Tea Partiers but never happened. The left will get wrapped up in all the props in the video instead of listening to the words. Listen to what Barber is saying. If you agree with what he is saying,why? If you don't agree with his words then why don't you? And should the right wing use left wing tactics against them? Maybe a theatrical ad like this is what we need right now to wake up the rest of the nation. The truth is this ad is just a symptom of the bigger problem. We also need to stop with the impeachment talk. I want you to close your eyes for a minute. Now picture Joe Bidden as president of the USA. Is that better then Obama as president? Impeachment wont make anything better as the Democrats have put an even bigger buffoon in as VP and Speaker of the House. Things are bad and thanks to the Democratic Socialist party they keep getting worse for the people of America. What do you think about this ad?

Afghanistan Is Obama's War For Lithium

I'm sure we all remember the Democrats mantra about the "war for oil".  They kept saying it even though we get almost no oil from Iraq. But in a wild turn we find out that Afghanistan is full of lithium. And I mean full. Lithium is needed for the batteries of all the electric cars the Democrats want to see on the road. Obama knew about this lithium and other metals that Afghanistan has and we need. The Russians knew about it but at that time lithium wasn't as big of a commodity as it is now in our "green economy". This should make sense to all those left wingers out there that went nuts over the Iraqi oil.  It also makes sense that Obama is ramping up the war in Afghanistan. Afghanistan needs us to build the infrastructure so that we can come in and take that new green fuel lithium. I'm sure the left wing that went crazy over Bush's "war for oil" will be out in full force over this new war for green fuel. What am I saying? Those Democratic hypocrites wont do anything about the war for lithium until a Republican or Independent is in charge.
Gold