A bill is being considered in the House of Representative that would once again encroach on our Constitutional rights.
What is it?
The bill itself is innocuous enough. It is the Medicare reimbursement bill, which is being called up on Capitol Hill, the “Doc fix bill.” The part of the bill that is
encroaching on our Constitutional rights is what some in the Congress want to
add to the bill.
Federal Tort Reform.
Tort Reform is being pushed by the American Medical Association and the insurance industry. The AMA has no interest in protecting the
Constitutional rights of Americans.
They want to protect Doctors. The AMA was also a prime supporter of Obamacare, so
their track record of good ideas is not that great.
The insurance industry along with the Doctors have destroyed the free market in the health care sector of the economy.
Why does health care cost so much? It is not the medical malpractice lawsuits as the big insurance companies would have you believe. It is because there is no competition.
Doctors now set their prices based on what the insurance companies will pay. But, we the
public don’t even know what the cost is.
All we know is we pay a $25 co-pay and we have a deductable and that is
it.
Doctors have no incentive to compete because their prices are controlled by the insurance industry.
Now, the same people who managed to destroy the free market for healthcare and drive up costs of healthcare now want to destroy another part of the free market.
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, the free market is wonderful. It encourages good
behavior and punishes bad behavior.
The civil court system is a part of the free market. It is the part that punishes bad
behavior.
Federal Tort reform is a really bad idea. First, this is an issue that belongs to the States under the 10th Amendment. Second, this is a direct challenge to the 7th Amendment right to a civil jury trial.
Conservative scholars like Randy Barnett and other great Americans like Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli have not only called it
unconstitutional but threatened litigation if Federal Tort Reform ever becomes
law.
I have this morning sent a letter to John Boehner and Eric Cantor, asking them to make certain that Federal Tort Reform is not included in the “Doc fix bill.”
This is one issue that is not as dramatic or as sexy as some of the other issues we have fought but it is just as important. I encourage you call your Congressman and ask them to oppose Federal Tort Reform.
Here is the letter I have sent to John Boehner and Eric Cantor
Permalink Reply by Cheri H Dorbritz on Okay ... I'm going to be very unpopular here for a minute, but when it comes to healthcare and medicare I think it has to be said. You should know that I'm 60 years old and I tote the load on my own healthcare. Graphically that means I carry major medical with a $10,000 deductable. I do that because I have been blessed by God with general good health and an average year means I spend in the neighborhood of $1,500. I have high blood pressure and I am in a high risk category for breast cancer so I go for a yearly mammogram. I've shown you my health warts now I will make everybody mad.
Doctors are small businessmen. They take an oath to heal the sick, but not to do it for free. Insurance companies are a business. They agree to cover portions of your helthcare in exchange for premiums that are based on risk assessments that provide them with a healthy profit margin. Insurance companies are not your friend. Quite frankly they don't care whether you live or die. They are BIG business and all they care about is making money based upon their risk assessments. Sometimes they agree to cut you some slack with well care perks, but other than that insurance (more than any other industry) is strictly bottom line, profit and loss & balance sheet driven.
So what drives up the cost of healthcare. Technology for one, everytime a new drug or treatment for something hits the market everyone lines up to get it, but mostly it is the burden of society that is and has forced healthcare to sky rocket. Our courts have dictated that NO ONE can be turned away from treatment. Whether they are in this country illegally or not. Anyone regardless of their ability to pay or not must be treated. So suddenly emergency rooms are overflowing with illegals who take advantage and work the system our courts dictated must be available to all. Not just citizens and not just tax payers. No one in this country can be refused medical treatment. Healthcare facilities and doctors are legally forced to provide the care and it must be the best care and the same care for all, but who will pay for it? If an illegally drug smuggler is shot and paralized for life then healthcare facilities and doctors must provide the necessary care. The courts and whiners won't let you get them stabilized and then deport them to their country of origin no we get to foot the bill for the remainder of this persons life. If they don't they will be sued and the courts inevitably side with the individual (which presents a question for another discussion, "Why can non-citizens sue in our courts? If they aren't taxpaying citizens why are they tying up our courts? Because our courts have ruled that our Constitution doesn't say "citizen". Wouldn't it be easier and less expensive to ammend one word?) which drives up their liability premiums. This forces institutions and doctors to seek remuneration from taxpayers. Then governments (state and federal) start regulating forcing insurance companies to pay for things they normally would not consider covering. They in turn throw it back on the premiums, but people complain so the insurance companies approach the doctors and healthcare facilities and negotiate for what they will payout in order to keep premiums down.
You should know that individuals using insurance are charged one rate for any procedure or visit (usually the highest allowed), an individual who pays from their own pocket is charged a different rate for the same procedure or visit (usually lower), a medicare patient is usually charged a lower rate for the same thing, but medicaid patients pay the absolute lowest rate usually nothing or very close to nothing.
I'm going to send you to my blog for the simple truth about medicare http://therightvoicerants.blogspot.com/2011/11/what-u-dont-know-tha... to cut down on space here.
But the most righteous truth of all is that taxpayers or their employers are paying their healthcare premiums and copays, then our federal, state and local taxes are covering medicare (which no one ever paid into an account to cover. It was plain and simple "a gift") and medicaid which covers, every other single individual in the U.S. whether they work or not, whether they have fifty kids out of wedlock or not, whether they are citizens or not, whether they are in this great nation illegally or not. And most shocking of all is that medicaid patients receive far better treatment at a much lower price than any of the other groups and doctors and hospitals are reimbursed better than they are through medicare.
There's more that I could add, but I've got to go and earn some bread so that I can support all the human refuse out there as well as tote the load for myself and pray through the grace of GOD I stay healthy.
Permalink Reply by Virginia Neill on You are popular with me, Cheri.
Permalink Reply by Bob Bennett on The right to trial began to be eroded by Miranda vs Arizona in 1966. This decision, most noted for having to read a person his rights, requires that counties provide an attorney for anyone without funds who faces a possible six months imprisonment or more. Most states have a possibility of 1 year in jail for misdemeanors, so nearly everyone gets a government (citizen) paid attorney. The criminal courts are overloaded, and have been for decades, largely due to the war on drugs. The public defenders, especially in large cities, spend less than 5 minutes with those charged with misdemeanors, due to time constraints. Obtaining a statement from those charged is not required in various states (California). "Plea no contest and I can get you out of jail by tomorrow" is an acceptable and usual thing an attorney says upon first meeting a client. This has built a disrespect for the law, and has encouraged crime, as well as scapegoat those who believe they are innocent, as they can stay in jail without trial for months. Of course celebrities are not faced with this. Also, HIPAA laws - Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act, allow for the cover up of deaths in jails and prisons, as well as preventing those with disabilities who live in facilities from having contact with family members. For many, they are required to give advance permission in writing, renewable every six months to a year, before anyone is allowed to speak to them. If the name of the friend or relative isn't on the list of people with written permission to contact the disabled person, information, even if that person is or is not at that facility, is not let out, nor is it required to let the disabled person know that someone tried to contact them. The drug pushing machine has way too much power which it has been abusing for decades.
Permalink Reply by Virginia Gomez on I CALLED AND ASKED MY SENATOR TO OPPOSE THE FED TORT REFORM.
Permalink Reply by Gary Wren on Like Boner could care about the American people..........just give him a drink, a cigarette and a crying towel.
Permalink Reply by Virginia Neill on Not nice, but pretty funny.
Permalink Reply by John Wiant on The Government seems to be really good at making absolutely sure they get re-elected, and most of what they do seems to be directly related to THAT. Everything else appears to be on "cruise control" and was probably set up around 1940.
Why do we put up with such massive amounts of corruption? I think it's because THIS is a good example. Most people will NOT send that letter because most people (myself included) do NOT believe those letters will accomplish anything. Why and how can the Tea Party (at least) make people believe they are all going to individually have an impact on how and why our Government officials do things without including so much corruption? I'm hoping around 11-7-2012, if / when we have about 90% Conservative majorities in the House and in the Senate, while Newt is walking around smiling non stop.
Permalink Reply by Brian Keith Prince on Pharma...is one of the BIGS...in P.A.C.s...billions spent..on status-quo. Go to my twitter zerrubabel@zerrubabel and dig down about 1/2 a dozen tweets for one from The Latest from The American Dream (Good Blog Post, by the Way...consider subscribing to him). I think the article is something about 18 reasons America is the most Drugged Nation...or something to that effect. You are welcome to post anything - I have posted or re-tweet. God Bless All who Love God and Country. Amen.
Permalink Reply by Sheila on If we keep sitting back and doing nothing we will be under communist rule! Obama doesn't want anything good for our country, he only wants to be re-elected so that he can ruin this great country and become the communist ruler that he has always planned to do. I am afraid that if the Republicans don't get control again that there will be nothing left to fight for, our constitution has meant nothing to Obama and the democrats except when it benefits there outcome.
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