As for me, before I started mindlessly sheeple-ing, Facebook-ing, blogging, MySpace-ing or condemning, I decided to do my own research and come up with my own opinion about this monster that has changed history.
First of all, let's start with the facts:
1) It's called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010).
2) Final count for the passage of said bill? 219 to 212, with every single Republican and 34 Democrats not-so-delicately bowing out of saying, "Aye."
Now, let's begin with the major problems (as I see them) facing this bill. These are the problems I have the most trouble wrapping my mind around and, for the life of me, I cannot see why there are people who are advocates of this panoply of B.S.
Wait, let me put in a disclaimer: I do think that we need health care reform. We've needed it for many, many years. I do NOT, however, think that this bill was the right way to go.
Trampling on the Constitution:
According to the U.S. Constitution Article 1, Section 8, Congress shall have power "to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes." Sounds pretty simple and straightforward, yeah? Nope. In looking up this particular article, also known as the Interstate Commerce Clause, there are no less than four interpretations of that one simple statement. And, let's face it, lawyers are masters at hair-splitting, so I'm quite sure there are more than just "four interpretations."
The way I see and read that Article (verbatim), yes, Congress does have the right to "regulate commerce...among the several states," said commerce being insurance. So, why are there more than 11 state legislatures getting ready to file lawsuits alleging that the passage of this bill is unconstitutional?
Here is the legislatures' argument: Congress is attempting to regulate commerce (or lack thereof) by charging FINES for people who opt out of health insurance, up to 2% of yearly income or $750, whichever is greater. Therefore, in order to avoid being fined, you have to purchase some sort of health insurance. And several of the legislatures' reasons for saying the bill unconstitutional can be found here:
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/statecommerce.htm
OK, wait a minute, hold the friggin' phone. I don't give a rat's backside about lawyers carping the Constitution, I have a problem with Congress telling me they will FINE me for not buying coverage!
Let me get this straight: if I don't want health care coverage, I will be FINED? As in made to pay money? To who? And where will it go? Where in the Constitution does it say that the federal government has the RIGHT to fine me for not following what they've mandated? I'm sorry, but this "mandate" tap-dances perilously close to the line of socialism. Look up the definition of socialism if you don't believe me.
And people don't have a problem with being fined by our government for something they don't want. Really?
Or How About the Cost?
In doing my research, I have seen the word "trillion" tossed around like a cheap whore after a Super Bowl win. I'm not really sure people understand the word "trillion." To put it into some sort of perspective, it's a 1 followed by 12 0's, as in $1,000,000,000,000. That's a pretty damn big number. Check this little ditty out:
http://www.pagetutor.com/trillion/index.html
However, I digress...
There are reports that this bill will save us $1.3 trillion dollars over the next 10 years because of the cuts in Medicare/Medicaid spending, etc. OK, so does that $1.3 trillion off-set the estimated $1 trillion cost of this bill? Is the whole thing a wash? I'm still not quite sure where the government gets off talking about trillions of dollars being thrown hither, thither, and yon when there are record unemployment numbers occurring this year alone and our deficit runs into the trillions every single year. And besides, where are the initial dollars for the implementation of this bill going to be coming from?
Let me give you an example about the implementation. According to CNN.com, the cancellation of the insurance companies' claim "[exclusion] of adults because of pre-existing conditions" will not take place until 2014. Until then, adults with pre-existing conditions will get subsidized premiums.
Oh, really? Subsidized by who? The government?
Oh, OK, so the government will subsidize the premiums. Who subsidizes the government? Taxpayers. Who are the taxpayers? Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public, that's who. Me. You. Auntie Em.
And pro-Health Care Bill people think that taxes being raised to cover the cost of those subsidized premiums is OK? Wow...
And taxes being raised is just one aspect of the economic problems this bill will cause for the country. Those problems will not be felt instantaneously. Nope. It will be a trickle down effect. Any student of economics can see this. I believe that Matt Welch, Editor-in-Chief of Reason, put it pretty succinctly:
“But there will be no telegenic apocalypse, no collapse of the public finances. Instead, there will be a daily drip of deterioration, sporadically rupturing into crises and even bankruptcies on the state and local level, followed by more federal bailouts and a steady establishmentarian drumbeat of hiking taxes to cover "structural" budget deficits.”
IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?? OR SENATE?! OR CONGRESS??!
Unfortunately, no. Not for the foreseeable future. It's a fact that medical schools have seen a steady decline in students opting for the Primary Care Physician title and instead heading towards the more lucrative specialized practices.
Why do you suppose this is? Speculate to your heart's content, but I believe it's because being a Primary Care Physician is a grueling, thankless job, with little money to be made and most of that money going to take care of the crippling student loans the doctors have to take out in order to go to medical school. Not only is the money poor, but every doctor across the board has to deal with endless mounds of paperwork, claims to be filed only to get rejected again, paperwork for people with NO insurance ("Who's gonna take care of that bill, Dr. Smith?" " Well, I don't know, Sally, but I can pretty much guarantee it won't be them [patients or insurance company, take your pick]..."), all of which takes away from the time spent with a patient to maybe, just maybe, find out what the ailment really is!
Here's a statement by Kevin Pho, who blogs on KevinMD.com:
And his statement opens up a whole 'nother kettle of fish regarding quality of care, waiting rooms, waiting room times...you get the drift?
To all of my readers (all one of you!), my questions are these:
Have any of you ever truly dealt with the Medicare/ Medicaid system? Have you been in a Medicare office to apply for it, and seen the grossly overworked, grossly underpaid staff trying to get to everybody who needs help and not having enough hours in the day to do it?
Have you been to a doctor's office (who accepts Medicare/Medicaid) and seen the way the doctor is bowed over with fatigue and the fact that he is trying to run patients through the chute like cattle in order to cover his overhead and maybe make a little extra dough?
I have dealt with Medicaid, and everything that comes with it. And it sucked. Imagine waiting for a doctor for nearly three hours with a newborn in your arms. Imagine all chairs taken and no spot to rest, and there are people ranging in age from days old to octogenarian. Imagine the smells, sights, sounds of sick people who are in pain and can't see the doctor for another hour because other patients are monopolizing the doctor's time, asking him/her questions about everything that hurts, because they don't want to wait another three hours. Imagine the paperwork involved when something happens and Medicare/Medicaid doesn't cover the procedure or office visit or prescriptions.
Now imagine that happening in doctor's offices all over the country.
You think I'm kidding, or being melodramatic? Try it out sometime. Go check out a charity hospital. I dare you.
"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who tells you differently is selling something."
This is the section where readers are going to crucify me for being a right-wing radical conservative. But this is my belief. I lived it.
I was uninsured for the longest time when I was in my early twenties. I refused to go see a doctor because of the cost and that negligence damn near cost me my life at one point. However, because of that one incident, I decided that I was going to shop for insurance. And I did. And I was bowled over by the cost. I didn't get any insurance and I didn't bother putting away a little bit of money each month "just in case." Hell, I was young! I'd be fine.
Then I got pregnant. And I had to get government assistance (Medicaid) for medical care, pre- and post-natal. That was the most disgusting, humbling process I have ever been through and to this day, I refuse to ask the government for anything resembling a health care hand-out. If that is the way that Medicare/Medicaid was and is run, and it is a government entity, I will sacrifice in order to get the kind of quality care that private insurance companies ensure, and to make sure I never have to go through that tragedy again.
This means that I will not buy that sweater I like. This means I will not get that sports car I want. This means I will not have a closet full of shoes I wear only once. This means I will not buy expensive rims for my car, or expensive, brand-name clothing for my kids. This means I will not have expensive electronics for either my kids or myself. This means I will not be "keeping up with the Jones's." If I DO find I need these things, then I will sacrifice in order to be able to PAY for those things MYSELF.
So, I did. And still do. And it is the hardest thing I have ever done because of what I used to believe. But, in my experience, it has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done for myself and my family.
I am a disciple of the Dave Ramsey school of financial thought. Don't spend more than you earn. If you have a job where you are uninsured, then set aside money each month for "emergencies" or even routine doctor visits. Get rid of that car that's costing you $600 a month while your family is "a flu away from foreclosure." Better yet, get rid of that mortgage that's literally driving you to the poor house and find one you can afford! WORK for what you need and want. If you are unemployed, go out and find a job digging ditches. Work at fast-food joints. There are jobs and affordable health care out there for people if they just stop expecting someone else to take care of it for them, get up off their duffs and find it! I did it; therefore, so can they.
(NOTE: In no way am I directing that last castigation at the elderly, disabled (mentally/physically), or kids. I'm talking about the unemployed people who refuse to take jobs because "it doesn't pay as much as my last job did" or other people who are physically and mentally able to work, but just don't.)
People need to understand that the U.S. Government was not founded in order to be a charitable institution. Too bad now it is starting to become one. It started in earnest with this health care bill.
Like I put on my Facebook a couple of weeks ago: "Don't spread my wealth. Spread my work ethic."
"Good Night, and Good Luck."
As my disclaimer said at the beginning: I really do think that we need health care reform. But this particular ultimatum--and there's really no other word for this bill that directly opposes the wishes of a majority of the nation-- crosses several lines that never should have been crossed. Especially by an elected body.
I hope and pray that there will be a solution. I loathe the thought that there are people in this nation without adequate access to any sort of help, much less health care. I wish I could be the one to help everybody; my friends call me "Mama Bear" for a reason. And the first people I would help would be the elderly, the babies/kids, and the mentally/physically disabled.
But it is not the government's job to steamroll a bill like this onto the American public. Especially if it advocates the things I'm afraid it advocates...
Good night, y'all. I have a 2,700 page document to peruse...
