The Non-Existent GOP Alternative Health Care Proposal
When inviting participants to the White House health care summit, President Obama urged Republicans to “put forward their own comprehensive bill … and make it available online,” just as Democrats have done.
We’ve known for a while that GOP leaders would ignore the request and not offer a comprehensive bill. The big hint came last week when a spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, “We will not be offering a comprehensive bill.” Another senior GOP aide added today that Republicans “fundamentally disagree” with the very idea of putting together a comprehensive bill.
But this only encourages the White House to keep talking about it. Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer wrote an item today emphasizing the importance of giving the public an opportunity to evaluate competing approaches to the problem.
That’s why yesterday the White House posted online the President’s proposal for bridging the differences between the Senate- and House-passed health insurance reform bills. The proposal puts American families and small business owners in control of their own health care. It makes insurance more affordable by providing the largest middle-class tax cuts for health care in history, it ends discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, holds insurance companies accountable, and reduces our deficit by $100 billion over the next 10 years.
But you don’t have to take our word for it: the proposal is posted right here at WhiteHouse.gov for everyone to examine. You can read through the plan’s bipartisan ideas section by section, or you can select your health care status and find out what the proposal would mean for you. You can even submit a question for our policy staff to answer.
What you can’t do just yet is read about the Republicans’ consensus plan — because so far they haven’t announced what proposal they’ll be bringing to the table.
In an interesting little twist, the administration has even offered to publish a Republican alternative proposal on the White House website, posting them side by side for Americans to review and evaluate.
The Republicans offered a response yesterday. It wasn’t very good.
House Republican Leader John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office urged Gibbs instead to “talk with his boss,” who only last month discussed healthcare reform with the chamber’s GOP members at their annual retreat.
“Our health care alternative — the full text of the legislation — has been available at healthcare.gop.gov for months, which President Obama knows, since he discussed it with us in Baltimore a few weeks ago,” spokesman Michael Steel said.
There are three problems with this. First, the GOP alternative is made up of four key areas — all of which have already been incorporated into the Democratic proposals.
Second, this is the House GOP bill. The goal is to see a Republican proposal embraced by both chambers’ caucuses — an official GOP proposal for the party.
And third, House Republicans posted this months ago. Is it still their plan? Has it evolved or adapted at all? Democrats don’t know unless the GOP says so. If this is the Republican plan on health care policy, GOP leaders can present it as such. They haven’t.
This is a real area of vulnerability for Republicans, and they know it. Democrats have presented (and passed) a solid piece of legislation that addresses a serious national crisis. It’s paid for and it’ll work. Republicans have presented … not a whole lot.
There’s a leadership gap between the parties and it’s showing.
Originally Article: THE NON-EXISTENT GOP ALTERNATIVE – The Political Animal
We don’t need to scrap the current healthcare system and start over. It would be so simple to fix the problems with the existing system. All we have to do is allow people to shop across state lines. By increasing competition and giving consumers more options, we could dramatically reduce costs. If we could get rid of the government red tape we could offer insurance plans with options that would make it more affordable for all. It is all of the State Regulations and the add-ons that are causing premiums to go up. What should make basic healthcare affordable and accessable. We should have clinics where people can go for their day to day healthcare at a reasonable cost with major medical insurance to cover serious illnesses. We don’t need to spend a Trillion dollars on a government run system to fix the problems. Look at the fraud and waste in the Medicare system. Can you imagine how screwed up healthcare would be if we turned over the whole system to the government?
[Reply]
..
For all you scared of “socialism”, here’s my advice.
Don’t go to SCHOOL, because that’s a socialist idea.
Don’t use the PUBLIC LIBRARY, because that’s a socialist idea.
Stop using water from you local utility, because THAT’S socialist.
Don’t use the Freeway, ’cause that’s socialist, too.
Let’s SEE: street lights, police officers, firemen, teachers, food safety regulations, OSHA, the EPA….ALL SOCIALIST.
Jefferson , the Adams brothers, Franklin, in fact EVERY “Founding Father” EXCEPT Washington were COMMITTED French Socialists.
Learn about your country before you try to spread the fear of that which you FAIL to understand.
Your ENEMIES aren’t “socialists”. You’ve lived you ENTIRE LIFE in a socialist country, if you are an American. Your “enemies” are the Capitalists and falangists who think Corporations are “people” and that MONEY is FREE SPEECH.
The Know Nothings rise again.
..
[Reply]
Klutz Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 2:38 am
Kirth, I agree with you wholeheartedly but the Adams’ were not brothers, they were father and son. I’m sure many on the right will try to use this slight mistake as proof you’re unedimacated.
Take for example Karen’s comment below, the one where she says of another commenter “you dont seem to be very educated”. She seemed to be unable to spell very well but I think she was just in such a rage she couldn’t think straight or even use her spell check.
[Reply]
Kirth Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 6:18 am
..
SAMUEL ADAMS is who I am refferring to. There were three Adams brothers. You are correct however, in stating that his son John was the sixth President.
I AM edjucated [sic].
See, I know how to be sarcastic AND use the “[sic]“.
Boogie for ME!!
..
[Reply]
Klutz Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
I stand corrected. I’ll be the unedimacated scapegoat now.
[Reply]
Ok, this is directed mostly at Raul but anyone else can enjoy.
I would like to first encourage you to get your education so perhaps you can learn what socialism actually is.
Anyway, another bit of education for you. Our country has the healthcare system it does not because we are cool and different from the rest of the world (there are countries other than Canada and guess what? They have similar healthcare systems)but rather because during World War I there was a cap put on wages across the country. The labor unions pressed to have this compensation moved away from a “raise” which was not legal to other benefits. This resulted in many unions winning compensation for the HMO cost for their employee’s (average then I think was $5 a family). So that is why our great system got started, not because it was a great super idea but rather because workers weren’t allowed to get raises and the unions used the war effort and then the depression to their advantage to get something not called a “raise” but with value.
I am a student and have worked and currently work in various forms of the medical community. I laugh at the right wingers talking about “the man” between them and their Dr. because it is the same now, just an insurance guy outsourced in India telling you that you can’t get your prescription or surgery and not someone in Washington. Though another falsehood of that idea is that no one in Washington is going to do anything, the group “participants” will be outsourced to companies that actually do that type of work (the same insurance companies that managed your plan before).
Personally, I feel that the plan will do more good than harm. However I feel it should be stripped of each and every aspect that does not relate to healthcare. How about we have a bill for once with zero Pork or earmarks in it? If we really had a Democratic system every major bill would be voted on by the people, elected officials are too corrupt most of the time to leave any major decision in their hands. If you really want to know what the people want, pull out the polling machines and ask. Heck, if you can remove all the pork and earmarks in these things people may be able to read them in a single lifetime.
Hint to everyone no matter what your political affiliation. Politicians care about making money and getting elected. They tell people what they want to hear to get in office and then if anything happens that their constituents don’t like they just blame the other group. The GOP won’t let Obama try to do anything because they feel that the Dem’s did the same thing to Bush. So once again “We the People” get screwed. Both sides are guilty, the game is the blame the other party so the people are angry at them instead of being angry at the people they elected to lead and make things better. So in the end the Republicans and the Democrats bicker with eachother and all the elected officials site in Washington laughing about it and taking kickbacks, handouts, earmarks or position themselves for a comfy life after politics. (Funny story to end with…worked for a company that made/sold pharmaceuticals. They submitted a supply contract at the beginning of the Iraq/Afgan war to the armed forces. The contract was roughly 1/3 the cost of the contract that actually was awarded. Certain politicians with prior history with the company that won the contract pushed it through. So we spent 3 times as much as a country for a simple “durable good”. I believe there is a similar story about a contract for Ice production at bases over there, was awarded to Haliburton for 5 times the cost of the lowest bidder, a huge company that makes industrial ice machines. I think I remember they were the same machines Haliburton used.)
Again, not hitting on one side or the other, they are both corrupt and not out to help the people…if I’m wrong i challenge a politician to stand up and prove it. And before someone says Obama is trying just remember he can force his healthcare bill through but it would end his political career…don’t see him doing that though, he’ll just keep up the talks until someone else gives in.)
[Reply]
karen Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 12:27 am
Jonobp —for someone who has worked in the medical field, you dont seem to be very educated. this administration has put out research showing a 60 billion dollar a year fraud imposed on medicare and medicaid EVER year. this has been going on for quite sometime. if this administration REALLY wants to prove itself the least they could do is start by removing all the fraud from these taxpaying crimes. personally if i could find a lawyer with big balls id sue the goverment for knowingly and continually allowing MY money to be used in fraudulant activities. if Obama wants me to even consider an UNCONSTITUTIONAL bill like this the least he could do is personally oversee the fixing of this one problem. secondly, again the taxpayers of this country have to sit by and allow more of their hard earned money to pay for medical care of the 20+ illegals floating around MY country using my money for their medical needs. this aloneadded to the fraud would free up so much money id need your toes to count it all. when a teenagers continuously lies to their parent an issue of trust comes to play. and its hard earned to come back. so how after just these tow items can we as Americans trust that our taxpayed by the people government will not fail on this also????? lets also look at the so-called temporary social programs we have now. the fraud there is to enormous to contemplate.How many years have the government went into the taxpayers social security funds to pay for their own pork barrel needs? the reason the clintons could not pass their own health care bill is because the CBO deemed it seriously UNCONSTITUTIONAL !!!!!!!!! nothing has changed since then. OUR constitution still stands the same. our forefathers designed the constitution so that administrations such as this couldnt become to large for their own hats. i also feel its time to allow senators and congressmen to fill their max-terms and then leave washington and let someone else come in. our forefathers were not all career politicians with hefty pensions and lifelong checks and healthcare for them and their sposes until they die. its obsurd to htink these people are some form of royalty or something. read your constitution, remember that we the people said NO why does washington continue to force feed us. this whole thing is nothing more htan a travesty !!!!!!!
[Reply]
The amount of purposeful misinformation that’s gotten into the health care debate is sickening to watch and hear.
Fact: 16-17% of the economy is now healthcare. Where will this end? With current growth, it wouldn’t be unreasonbale for it to be 30+% in the next few decades.
Fact:With the ever increasing rates and premiums insurance companies are charging, most business will have to cancel or substantially decrease their healthcare programs. That’s going to leave employees paying 800-1000 dollars per month for their families health care insurance in the future.
Fact: The burden of health care is making our other industries uncompetitive with products brought in from over seas or even corporations competing with them without the health care burden. This should be something conservaties can appreaciate. and bYour corporations will not be able to bear these health care costs anymoree competitive.
So should 50% of the economy be based on health care? Should we all work for health care insurers, hospitalst etc.?
Insurance companies are just gatekeepers to your health care. I personally don’t see the need for them and would welcome a government health care program. My insurance is set to increase 39% in 2 months? Why? Health Insurers are mandated to pass on 0.70 cents of every dollar to health care providers? Who is auditing these numbers. Are you telling me that they’re still paying 0.70cents of every dollar to providers after the enormous premium increases over the past years. Baloney. There is no oversight and this is what happens when you have government sponsored monopolies in the country. Abuse of power and position.
Either regulate insurance companies in a meaningful way with auditing or give the people another option.
The people are so confused at the moment from the media, they don’t see how much of a benefit 90% of the population would have in a govt. sponsored health care program.
In Europe, health care is free for all, any time any place. You don’t have to worry about going bankrupt if you fall ill. Countries like France, Germany, Austria have world class health care. With our talented physicians, America could be the same. STOP HANDING GIFTS TO CORPORATIONS THAT FLEECES THE MIDDLE CLASS AND DO SOMETHING FOR ONCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY.
[Reply]
THE REPUBLICAN PLAN:
COMMON-SENSE HEALTH CARE REFORMS OUR NATION CAN AFFORD
# Number two: allow individuals, small businesses, and trade associations to pool together and acquire health insurance at lower prices, the same way large corporations and labor unions do.
# Number three: give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower health care costs.
it appears that these points opens the door to socialism in health care. allowing individuals to ‘pool together’ and ‘innovative reforms’ opens the door to medical co-ops and more non-profit medical institutions. it allows the people to take charge to eliminate and/or bypass health insurance companies.
incorporating these republican points with legislative guarantees protecting these co-ops and non profits could be part of health care reform.
[Reply]
Raul — It’s great that you are a rugged individualist and that you know all about the evils of socialism as practiced by our neighbors to the north. It’s wonderful that you think than any government is too much government. But do you know what? That is all a giant container of HS. (HS is found at racetracks, whereas BS is found at rodeos).
You can’t do it yourself brother. The problem is too big. We need the government to control the theiving health insurance companies…you know — the companies that would rather see a client die than lose a dime on his health care.
Drift to socialism? Really? You believe too much right wing rhetoric. Obama is not a socialist. He has not endorsed that the US government seize the assets of Blue Cross. He has not proposed that doctors become federal employees. In fact, Obama is not even a liberal. You need to get over all this right wing nonsense and try a healthy dose of the truth. The truth is this…the government will manage health care in the U.S. sooner or later. The longer we wait, the more patients will die unnecessarily and the more families will go bankrupt. Try a little compassion, Buddy…even though that’s not in the righties’ handbook.
[Reply]
House GOP Bill:
http://rules-republicans.house.gov/Media/PDF/RepublicanAlternative3962_9.pdf
HC Reform does not need to be comprehensive.
[Reply]
@Raul – no, I want an insurance company, whose #1 priority is to make money for its share holders, to control whether or not someone gets the treatment they need. The countries with the best healthcare in the world are, gasp, gov’t run.
You worry about higher taxes, but you don’t say a thing about the double-digit annual growth in insurance premiums. We would be MUCH better off if everyone was in one 300 million person pool. The risk would be spread, it would be more efficient to run one plan instead of thousands, emergency rooms would be more free to treat true emergencies since people without insurance would be able to see a doctor in an office, etc…
Oh wait, you don’t have health insurance… Who pays for your care if you get in an accident or fall ill? Mom and dad?? Hmm…do you go to a state school??? Socialist! *face palm*
[Reply]
Raul Duke: You are an idiot, and you don’t know what you’re talking about.
The Canadian government has absolutely NOTHING to do with the decision to provide healthcare, that is between the doctor and the patient. The government (via the provincial health insurance plans) simply PAYS for it.
Yes, there is not really enough money to have 7 MRI machines in every hospital – and ELECTIVE surgeries can sometimes have unacceptable wait times (I guarantee you that if you need a procedure done to live, you’ll get it even MORE quickly than down here because your doctor doesn’t have to argue with an insurance company to get the surgery pre-approved, and doesn’t have to even THINK about the possibility of the claim being denied later). So yes, there are issues with the Canadian system.
But if you get hit by a truck tomorrow and need a couple hundred thousand dollars of healthcare, then YOU would be utterly screwed. Unless you’re independently wealthy, without insurance you’ll either be in debt for the rest of your life, or be forced into bankruptcy. Something that has not ever, and WILL never, happen to anyone living in Canada.
Fundamentally, the Canadian system is better. You point at it’s flaws as if ANYTHING wrong with it means it’s entirely useless. This is known as a strawman argument. You misrepresent the facts, and then act like disproving the misrepresentations proves your argument. But in this case even if we assume what you said is completely true and unbiased, you still haven’t made a case FOR the private, capitalist healthcare system – you have simply made a case AGAINST the Canadian one.
I was raised in Canada and spent most of my life within it’s healthcare system. I currently live in the U.S. and have spent time without insurance. Currently I am lucky enough to have a plan through my employer, but even WITH insurance I am still on the hook for the first $3000 of any bill (a deductible amount which resets each year, so if I incur $2999 in costs this year I have to pay them all out of pocket – and then continue paying when my deductible resets back to $3k on January 1st).
So what I’m saying is that I’ve lived in all three situations, and even WITH insurance I would still rather have a Canadian style system. And that’s just for myself – add in the social benefits of supplying the poor with healthcare, and your arguments completely evaporate like so much smoke.
[Reply]
Rebel Reply:
March 6th, 2010 at 10:02 am
Lyle,
You are the idiot. Raul is right on in his assesment.
If the Canadian system is so great, why don’t you cancel your insurance? You can always go back to Canada to get your “free” healthcar if you get sick.
[Reply]
ITS NOT LIKE THEY EVER REALLY HAD ONE ! THEY HAVE BEEN LYING TO THE AMERICAN PPL FOR 9 – 10 MONTHS NOW, ITS TIME THEY PUT UP OR SHUT – UP !
[Reply]
I really must be one of few my age (im in my early 20′s) who actually has a level head about this idea. Why the hell do you want politicians responsible for supplying you meds? You actually want the group of people that you complain about on every other subject, the same group who CANT EVEN BALANCE A BUDGET to be IN CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH CARE-you must be joking rite? This will bring more taxes, with more taxes you make government bigger-the same government that lies to its people and cheats them. Look at Canada’s health care; MUCH longer lines, on average an extra 5-7 months in waiting time for major surgeries because the GOVERNMENT is doing the only thing it knows how; its rationing supplies. I dont know about you but im one of those thousands of Americans without health care, and im fine with that for now-it makes me want to continue my education and get a solid job so I can obtain it someday. Lets not drift to socialism, if we do I fear current will be so strong we wont be able to swim back to the other side ever again.
[Reply]