Law and Legislation, Umbrella topic for legal and legislative matters Options

[eskie]

The current text of H.R. 3200, also known as "America's Affordable Healthcare Choices Act of 2009" and "Obama's and the Democrats' Healthcare Bill", can be seen at this link: (LINK). (Link updated 7 Nov. '09.)

I looked it over and didn't notice any particularly problematic points, in principle. The troubling thing is the cost, of course. The concept is good but it's going to cost a lot of money to implement, money that ultimately comes from taxes. It's interesting that Congressmen will have the option of not participating in the plan, an option not open to ordinary citizens. Indeed, ordinary citizens who are not part of a qualifying plan under the terms of this bill will be assessed premiums as if they were, if I understood that part of the bill correctly.

It's not clear at this point that the bill is actually going to pass; further debate and additional amendments are likely first.

[eskie]

A visit to the U.S. Capitol -- art by Maira Kalman.
http://kalman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/e-pluribus-unum/

[Bard]

I looked it over and didn't notice any particularly problemat points, in principle. The troubling thing is the cost, of course. The concept is good but it's going to cost a lot of money to implement, money that ultimately comes from taxes. It's interesting that Congressmen will have the option of not participating in the plan, an option not open to ordinary citizens. Indeed, ordinary citizens who are not part of a qualifying plan under the terms of this bill will be assessed premiums as if they were, if I understood that part of the bill correctly.

It's not clear at this point that the bill is actually going to pass; further debate and additional amendments are likely first.

This isn't the full 1900+ pages bill I heard about.
"Assessed premiums"= taxes taken out of your check. Come on tax riots! Oh wait, its taken out before you get your money, those sly bastards. Add another link to the chains on our people.

[eskie]

This isn't the full 1900+ pages bill I heard about.
"Assessed premiums"= taxes taken out of your check. Come on tax riots! Oh wait, its taken out before you get your money, those sly bastards. Add another link to the chains on our people.

No. At the time I made that post it was only 900 pages or so. I'll see if I can find a link to the updated bill.

(Later...) Okay, here's an updated link to a 1990-page version. (LINK)

The motives behind the bill may be good - make sure everyone has access to basic health care, but building a new, trillion-plus dollar bureaucracy does not seem a good idea at this time, in my opinion. That's actually taking a trillion-plus dollars out of the free market and placing it under government control.

I'd feel better about such a bill if one could somehow screen out hypochondriacs and useless, feel-good visits, like seeing a doctor to get antibiotics against a common cold or other common virus. Best advice is to stay healthy.

[Bard]

No. At the time I made that post it was only 900 pages or so. I'll see if I can find a link to the updated bill.

(Later...) Okay, here's an updated link to a 1990-page version. (LINK)

The motives behind the bill may be good - make sure everyone has access to basic health care, but building a new, trillion-plus dollar bureaucracy does not seem a good idea at this time, in my opinion. That's actually taking a trillion-plus dollars out of the free market and placing it under government control.

I'd feel better about such a bill if one could somehow screen out hypochondriacs and useless, feel-good visits, like seeing a doctor to get antibiotics against a common cold or other common virus. Best advice is to stay healthy.

I don't know what the percentage of cynical statists is behind this bill. The blantant disregard for historical precedent of the misery inflicted by state health care is criminaly negligent and intentional to a certain percentage as well. This group doesn't care about providing quality care, the care about power maximization. The road to hell paved with good and evil intentions.